ARGENTINA GOALKEEPER ROMERO OUT OF WORLD CUP

Argentina’s World Cup preparations suffered a blow on Tuesday as goalkeeper Sergio Romero was ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury, the Argentina Football Association (AFA) said.

The Manchester United goalkeeper injured his right knee during training in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.

“Romero will be removed from the list of 23 players who will participate in the 2018 World Cup in Russia,” the AFA said in a statement.

Romero, 31, is the most capped goalkeeper in the history of the Argentina national team with 83 appearances and represented the country at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

The AFA said Romero had suffered a blockage in his right knee and was being evaluated surgically. A replacement will be announced “in the coming days,” the statement said.

As well as his World Cup experience, Romero has represented Argentina in three Copa Americas and was also a member of the side that won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Argentina, beaten finalists in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, open their Group D campaign in Russia against Iceland on June 16.

Other first round opponents include Croatia and Nigeria.

EMIR OF KASTINA TELLS PRESIDENT BUHARI TO SIGN PEACE CORPS BILL

The Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Usman, has declared support for the Peace Corps bill passed by the National Assembly. The bill, which seeks to turn the Peace Corps, a non-government organisation, into a government paramilitary agency, has elicited mixed reactions from Nigerians. Proponents see it as an avenue to create jobs for thousands of youth while critics describe as a duplication of functions already being performed by existing agencies and creation of another bureaucracy at a time the country is finding it difficult to pay workers' salaries. The bill was opposed by existing military and security institutions in Nigeria and the Peace Corps leader Dickson Akoh is currently being prosecuted for alleged fraud. Apart from lawmakers, the bill is also supported by some prominent Nigerians including the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, who also asked Mr. Buhari to sign to it. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Katsina emir made a similar call on the president on Thursda...

AKEREDOLU, KEKEMEKE AND OTHERS BID MRS FAGUNWA GOODBYE

Read President Buhari’s Christmas Message To Nigerians

I felicitate with all Nigerians, especially our Christian brothers and sisters, on the joyous occasion of this year's Christmas.On this occasion of the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, let us all rededicate ourselves to the virtues of peace, love, honesty, justice, equity, piety, humility and service to others which he taught.There can be no doubt that a greater manifestation of these virtues and ideals in our lives will immensely help us to become a more united, peaceful, secure and progressive nation.Let us also reach out in love and compassion to fellow Nigerians who are in distress at this periodof our nation's history.I particularly urge you all to remember victims of terrorism and insurgency in the country, especially Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).The Federal Government will continue to collaborate with state governments and other stakeholders to ease the harsh conditions in IDP camps, while the ultimate objective remains to quickly put an end to insurgen...

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