Headline

Earthquake: Christian Atsu’s Wife, Children Join Newcastle In Emotional Tribute

Published

3 years ago

February 18, 2023

Newcastle paid an emotional tribute to Christian Atsu as his tearful wife and children joined a minute’s applause for the former Ghana midfielder after his death in the earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria.

Ex-Newcastle star Atsu was caught in the 7.8-magnitude quake which killed more than 43,000 people on February 6.

There were initial reports the 31-year-old had been rescued a day after the quake.

But Atsu’s manager in Turkey, Murat Uzunmehmet, said on Saturday the player’s body had been found under the rubble of luxury flats that crumbled in the Turkish southern province of Hatay.

Atsu’s wife Marie-Claire Rupio and his three children were in the stands at St James’ Park on Saturday to join the tribute to the Ghanian before Newcastle’s Premier League match against Liverpool.

With Atsu’s face displayed on the video scoreboard and fans chanting “you’ll never walk alone,” Rupio wiped away tears during a moving minute’s applause from the 52,000 capacity crowd as one fan held up a Newcastle shirt bearing the star’s name.

Atsu spent four years with Newcastle from 2017 to 2021 and also had spells with Premier League club Chelsea and Porto, where he met his wife in Portugal in 2012.

He scored the last of his 33 career goals for Hatayspor in Turkey’s Super Lig on February 5, hours before the quake struck.

Newcastle forward Allan Saint-Maximin paid tribute to former team-mate, saying, “I’m not going to lie, I’d never seen a guy like that before when I arrived at Newcastle.

“Even if we played the same position, he was always giving me advice, always. He was a very nice guy, always joking and smiling, when he played or didn’t play.

“He was a great person, so that’s why it’s sad for me.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe added, “We’re treating it as the tragedy that it is, giving him our thoughts and our prayers and to his family as well. We want to support them in this moment.”

AFP

Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

5 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

6 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

Headline

US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

6 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.