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Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke said Monday his team must play with “personality” to stop Barcelona mounting a Champions League quarter-final comeback.

The Rojiblancos earned a 2-0 first leg win at Camp Nou last week and host the Spanish champions on Tuesday aiming to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2017.

Five-time winners Barcelona reached the final four last season and arrive at the Metropolitano stadium determined to fight their way back into the tie and ramp up the pressure on the hosts.

“It’s hugely important to beat the press they usually put on,” Koke told reporters.

“They’re a team that presses very high, that pushes their line almost up to the halfway line, that presses you, that suffocates you.

“That’s where our personality comes in, when it’s time to play, to want the ball, to make ourselves available, to make runs in behind.”

The match is the third between the sides in the last fortnight and the sixth they have played this season, with Atletico knocking Barca out in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

“We’ve faced each other many times throughout this year,” continued the midfielder.

“We know each other perfectly, and it’s going to be very important to take the ball off them, attack the spaces well, and have the personality to want the ball and not lose it.”

Koke scored against Barca in the 2014 quarter-finals as Atletico — who have never won the competition — went on to reach the final, as they did in 2016, losing on both occasions to rivals Real Madrid.

“I’ve watched that goal quite a few times,” admitted Koke.

“It’s true that when these kinds of matches start coming around, you try to motivate yourself and you try to visualise a lot of positive things that happened, like in 2014, like in 2016, and like in the first leg a week ago.”

Atletico coach Diego Simeone kept his cards close to his chest ahead of the second leg, refusing to say whether goalkeeper Jan Oblak was fit to start or elaborate much on anything at all.

“We’re fully aware of the strong opponent we’ll have in front of us,” said the coach. “But we’re also clear about our objective, which is to go through.”

Vanguard News

The post What Atletico Madrid need to do to beat Barcelona in second leg – Koke appeared first on Vanguard News.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has issued the Mini-Grid Regulations 2026.

NERC disclosed this in a regulatory document numbered NERC-R-001-2026.

The regulation provides a comprehensive framework for the development, operation, and regulation of mini-grids in Nigeria. It aims to expand electricity access, especially in unserved and underserved areas, while ensuring safety, fairness, and investment protection.

Part of the regulation states that mini-grids above 100 kW require a permit from NERC and licensed operators. Operators are required to submit quarterly and annual reports.

It applies to isolated mini-grids that operate independently of DisCo networks, up to 5 megawatts (MW), and interconnected mini-grids, which are connected to and coordinated with existing distribution networks, up to 10 MW.

It covers developers, operators, distribution companies, and host communities.

It also aligns with the Electricity Act 2023 and accommodates state-level regulation where applicable.

Mini-grids below 100 kilowatts (kW) can be registered, but those above 100 kW require a permit from NERC.

NERC grants permits through an application process within 30 business days.

Operators must submit annual reports for mini-grids below 1 MW and quarterly reports for those above 1 MW. NERC conducts ongoing monitoring and may publish sector data.

“The regulation aims to accelerate rural electrification, attract private investment, ensure fair tariffs and consumer protection, as well as promote coordination between mini-grid developers and DisCos,” NERC stated.

NERC announces fresh mini-grid regulation

Rotimi Salami, a popular Nollywood actor, has been hospitalised following a serious health scare.

This was made known on Monday in a post on the actor’s Instagram page.

Sharing a picture of himself on a hospital bed, Rotimi stated that he narrowly escaped death within the last 48 hours.

While appreciating God for saving him, he noted that Kilanko, a newly released cinema movie in honour of the late Allwell Ademola, has taken a lot from him.

“I survived the last 48 hours because God said yes. I’m not the type to say ‘Devil is a liar’ because I’ve truly stressed this body. Kilanko has taken too much from me,” he revealed.

See pictures below.

Popular Nollywood actor, Rotimi Salami hospitalised

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has updated the schedule for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, adjusting the arrival time for candidates in the first session. In a notice issued via its official X handle on Monday, the board said candidates scheduled for the first session are now to arrive at their examination centres […]

Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, on Monday advocated the adoption of state policing and stronger community-based justice systems, warning that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity is rooted in unresolved local conflicts. Speaking at the 2026 Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Sokoto branch, Fagbemi said many of the country’s […]

Operatives of the Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted 7,245 kilograms of skunk cannabis, estimated at N724.5 million, hidden in cartons of beer in the state.

Mitchell Ofoyeju, the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, disclosed this to newsmen on Monday, April 13, 2026, at a press briefing in Benin City.

Ofoyeju said five suspects were arrested in connection with the illicit drugs.

He said the drugs were intercepted in two articulated trucks on Saturday, April 11, 2026, by a crack team of the agency while acting on actionable intelligence along the critical Auchi-Abuja Road axis.

He gave the names of the suspects, who he said are all indigenes of Etsako East and Etsako West local government areas of the state, as Ibrahim Abu (29), Abu Abdullazeez (28), Jibril Jaminu (35), Andrew Moses (22), and Ganiyu Abu (21).

The Edo State NDLEA boss added that this was the first time in the history of the command that two trucks laden with illicit drugs were intercepted at the same time.

While describing the seizure as a monumental operational success and the culmination of seventy-two hours of meticulous intelligence gathering and surveillance by officers of the command, he opined that it disrupted the interstate drug trafficking network.

Ofoyeju, who hailed the operation as a validation of the command’s unwavering commitment and operational precision, posited that the successful interception is a clear message to drug barons and traffickers that Edo State is not a haven for criminal trade.

According to him, the large volume of the seizure, which is over seven metric tonnes of cannabis, highlights the scale of the threat being combated. He added that it also underscores the effectiveness of intelligence-driven operations and the dedication of officers.

“The operation aligns with the strategic mandate and zero-tolerance directive set forth by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Under the resolute leadership of the Chairman, our mandate is unequivocal.

“We are to dismantle drug trafficking networks, apprehend the traffickers, seize their drugs, and trace assets illicitly acquired. This seizure prevents these drugs from reaching our streets and destroying countless lives, particularly our youth.

“Upon search, the trucks, ostensibly carrying cartons of beer, were found to be cleverly concealing hundreds of bags of processed weeds. A field test confirmed the substance to be skunk cannabis, a highly potent and dangerous variant,” he said.

Ofoyeju gave the detailed particulars of the articulated trucks as LUY 172 XC, Oyo, and LUY 281 XC, Oyo, respectively.

He said the trucks contained 260 bags weighing 3,900 kilograms and 223 bags weighing 483 kilograms, with a combined gross weight of 7,245kg.

He also added that preliminary investigations indicated that the illicit shipment originated from Sabongida-Ora in Owan West Local Government Area and was destined for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, before the interception.

Ofoyeju stated that the colossal damage it would have caused to the FCT and the entire North Central region, but for the intervention, is better left unimagined.

He disclosed that the trucks and exhibits have been moved to the command headquarters in Benin City for further documentation and investigation.

He said the investigation has commenced in earnest, while both trucks will be confiscated as instrumentalities of drug crime.

The commander, however, assured the public that a thorough investigation is ongoing to uncover the networks behind the large-scale trafficking and bring all parties involved to justice.

He also called for continued support from citizens, urging them to provide timely information to aid the agency’s work in safeguarding communities.

NDLEA arrest 5 suspects with 7,245kg of illicit drugs worth N724.5milli hidden in cartons of beer in Edo

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has firmly stated that the United Kingdom will not back the United States’ blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and will not be drawn into the ongoing war with Iran.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Starmer said: “We’re not supporting the blockade,” adding that Britain would resist any pressure to become involved.

He stressed that it was “vital to get the Strait reopened.”

The comments come hours after the U.S. military announced it would begin a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, following the collapse of weekend talks to end the conflict with Iran.

Starmer’s position highlights Britain’s determination to avoid escalation while underscoring the strategic importance of restoring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments.

The statement arrives amid separate European diplomatic moves, including France and the UK’s joint plan to host an international conference on a strictly defensive multinational mission to protect freedom of navigation in the same waterway.

No further details on UK military involvement or alternative measures were provided in the interview.

Further updates are expected as the situation in the Persian Gulf continues to evolve.

Starmer Declares UK Will Not Support U.S. Hormuz Blockade is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Kenyan President William Ruto has declared that the African Union, AU, in its current form, is “not fit for purpose,” stating that it lacks the capacity to provide the leadership Africa needs as it heads into a future marked by rapid demographic growth, complex security threats, geopolitical shifts, and economic ambitions.

President Ruto made this known in his closing remarks at the end of the Mashariki Cooperation Conference III, hosted by Kenya’s National Intelligence Service, NIS, on Sunday, calling for an overhaul of the African Union.

The gathering brought together intelligence and security chiefs from across Africa, along with high-level delegates from nearly 100 countries, to deliberate on “Intelligence for Peace,” with a sharp focus on leveraging emerging technologies like artificial intelligence for regional stability and security.

“I can tell you without an iota of doubt that the African Union as it is today is not fit for purpose. It is not fit to provide the leadership that this continent needs going into the future. And therefore, there is a need for the reform of the African Union,” Ruto stated.

The president revealed that his fellow African heads of state have entrusted him with spearheading the reform process, tasking him with reviewing and restructuring the AU’s institutions and organs to make them more efficient, accountable, and responsive to contemporary challenges.

He specifically urged intelligence leaders present at the conference to play a central role in shaping this new framework, emphasising that security architecture must underpin any meaningful continental progress.

Ruto’s remarks come against the backdrop of ongoing AU institutional reform discussions, in which he has previously served as champion.

Recall that in 2025 and February 2026, the Kenyan leader presented progress reports on restructuring AU organs, improving the division of labour between the AU, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and member states, and enhancing peace and security mechanisms.

His latest intervention signals a push to accelerate these efforts amid concerns over the AU’s ability to address issues like coups, terrorism, climate-induced conflicts, and the opportunities presented by Africa’s youthful population, projected to make up about a quarter of the global total in coming decades.

This year’s edition of the conference featured strategic reflections on harnessing AI for resilient, inclusive, and innovative security solutions, lessons from past intelligence failures (including references to the Rwandan genocide), and the need for stronger synergy between regional mechanisms and the AU.

AU not fit, lacks capacity provide leadership Africa needs – Kenya President, Ruto

United States President, Donald Trump, has said oil and gasoline prices may remain high through the November midterm elections, in a rare admission of the possible political consequences of his decision to attack Iran six weeks ago. “It could be, or the same, or maybe a little ‌bit higher, but it should be around the […]

Former Super Eagles captain, Sunday Oliseh, has tipped Bayern Munich to win the UEFA Champions League this season.

Oliseh spoke in a recent episode of his Global Football Insights Podcast.

According to him, the Bundesliga giants are way stronger than Real Madrid because of the way they play.

“For personal reasons, and for once, I am going to be very selfish. It’s in our all interests that Bayern Munich do win the Champions League this year,” Oliseh said.

“I really want Bayern Munich to win the Champions League this year. It’s a statement that we need at the moment, and the team, the way it plays.

“I think they are way stronger than Real Madrid and better than Real Madrid with the way they play. Real Madrid itself is not the Real Madrid I feel can win the title, but this team has proven in the past that if you write them off, that is the time they win the title,” he said.

This is coming ahead of this week’s Champions League quarter-final second leg fixtures.

UCL: Sunday Oliseh names team to win trophy this year