ONE WORD

MOSCOW (Reuters) - FIFA President Gianni Infantino thanked Russia on Thursday for hosting the "best World Cup ever" as President Vladimir Putin presented him with a state award for his role in making last year's tournament possible. In a Kremlin ceremony broadcast on television, Putin thanked "all those who helped making this dream come to life," including the head of soccer's global governing body. Infantino, with the Order of Friendship medal pinned to his lapel, replied: "You welcomed the world as friends, and the world has created bonds of friendship with Russia that will last forever." Russia's successful 2010 bid to host the 2018 tournament, which FIFA oversaw under Infantino's discredited predecessor Sepp Blatter, was marred by allegations of corruption in the bidding process which also saw the 2022 event awarded to Qatar. In 2014, FIFA cleared Russian authorities of wrongdoing, though western critics continued in the run-u

FIFA has confirmed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will remain a 32-team tournament, abandoning plans to expand the event to 48 teams. The world football governing body made certain to cite that Qatar’s implausibility to host such an expanded tournament as the sole reason for the decision, essentially confirming that the 2026 World Cup – joint hosted throughout North America – will remain expanded as confirmed back in January of 2017. “FIFA and Qatar have jointly explored all possibilities to increase the number of participant teams from 32 to 48 teams by involving neighboring countries at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,” FIFA said in a statement. “Following a thorough and comprehensive consultation process with the involvement of all the relevant stakeholders, it was concluded that under the current circumstances such a proposal could not be made now.” Qatar has been criticized for its lack of infrastructure and relative inability to host a tournament of the World Cup’s magnitude,

ABUJA – THE Police Council on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Mohammed Adamu as the substantive Inspector General of Police, IGP. Adamu was appointed last year on the acting capacity at the expiration of the tenure of the former IGP Ibrahim Idris.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has, on Wednesday, threatened to disrupt academic activities through strike, accusing the Federal Government of not keeping to her own side of the bargain concerning the 2019 Memorandum of Action. ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi made the statement in Abuja. According to him, the N25 billion which the Federal Government, through the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said it had approved for the union was meant to be a part-payment of the Earned Academic Allowances and should have been released in February. He also said that “The current leadership of the government team clearly lacks the academic disposition and humility needed to undertake”the task of negotiation with the body for a better learning environment. According to him, “Since information on the amounts mentioned in the media went round, the ASUU has been inundated with enquiries on the union’s perspective to the story. “Funding for the revitalisation of p

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo was included in Portugal's squad for next month's Nations League semi-final against Switzerland, head coach Fernando Santos announced on Thursday. Ronaldo, 34, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner missed the group stages preferring to try and adapt to life in Juventus since moving from Real Madrid. The Euro 2016 champions welcome the Swiss on June 5 in Porto and the Netherlands play England in Guimaraes a day later before a third place play-off and a final on June 9. He lifted the Serie A title with his Italian club this season but failed to clinch a third straight Champions League after losing to Ajax in the quarter-finals. Head coach Fernando Santos has chosen not to call up veterans Adrien Silva, Nani and Ricardo Quaresma and Sevilla forward Andre Silva misses out with a knee injury. Highly-tipped Benfica uncapped youngster Joao Felix is also included alongside three other club teammates who won the Portugese league champions this season.

Daniel James has withdrawn from Wales' training camp in Portugal following the death of his father. Swansea City offered condolences to their 21-year-old winger in a statement on Twitter. "Everyone at Swansea City has been saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Daniel James' father," it read. "Everyone at the football club send their condolences and our thoughts are with Daniel and his family at this sad time." James, who has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United, enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at Swansea this season – scoring four goals and laying on seven assists in 33 Championship appearances. Ryan Giggs' Wales squad are in training ahead of Euro 2020 qualifiers in Croatia and Hungary next month.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has emerged Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei disclosed this in a statement signed on Wednesday He stated that the former Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, announced Dickson’s emergence after a meeting at the Gombe State Governors Lodge, Abuja, on Wednesday night. The meeting was attended by all the PDP governors. Also in attendance was the Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and PDP Chairman, Uche Secondus. Dankwambo told journalists that the governors elected under the platform expressed concern over the state of insecurity in the country. According to him, the governors were worried by the adverse effects of the growing insecurity on food production in the country. He added that the governors decried the situation where farmers are scared of go