Thursday, August 6, 2026
Uefa says boycott may still go ahead as FA withdraws Infantino support
LONDON, England
European teams could still boycott competitions including the World Cup as Uefa says Fifa's defence of its president Gianni Infantino "changes nothing".
The English FA has sent a letter withdrawing its support for Infantino in reaction to the plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
European governing body Uefa said in a statement its conditions had not been met, despite Infantino's plan being aborted.
"First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly," Uefa's statement said. "Assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.
"These conditions have not been met."
Uefa has already said it has lost confidence in Infantino, calling the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal a "shabby, back room, opaque deal".
Infantino had offered all associations $40m (£30m) if they backed a proposal for private investment in its tournaments, including the men's and women's World Cups, through the FFE subsidiary.
World governing body Fifa said during Wednesday's meeting "mistakes" regarding FFE were "acknowledged", saying it was "not the intention" for the Fifa Council and members association to "feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently".
Uefa's statement in response added: "Uefa made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's presidency. That position holds.
"Yesterday's announcement that some people employed by the Fifa president (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing."
Fifa has been approached for comment.
Over 300 kidnapping victims in Nigeria rescued in major operation
ABUJA, Nigeria
Nigeria said more than 300 people abducted in separate attacks have been rescued in a joint intelligence and security operation.
In a statement on Wednesday, the country’s presidency said 163 of them were kidnapped in February from Woro village in Kwara State, while the 145 others were taken from Niger State.
They were rescued from a location in the Kainji Lake National Park Forest and it is it not yet clear whether any suspects were detained during the one-day operation.
It was carried out by the National Counter Terrorism Centre, involving members of the army, the police force, and the Department of State Services.
The people rescued are reportedly receiving medical care at a military site before being reunited with their families.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu welcomed their liberation, describing the operation as a sign of improved coordination among security agencies.
Kidnapping for ransom by criminal groups, Boko Haram-linked fighters, and gangs known as bandits is a major problem in Nigeria, especially in areas with little state presence.
Suspected jihadists went on a rampage in Woro earlier this year after they had sent a letter to the village announcing their intention to preach, only to have no-one show up.
In apparent retaliation, they burned houses and killed upwards of 165 people and kidnapped an unknown number, residents said at the time, though local authorities gave a lower toll.
Media reports had put the number of those kidnapped at 176, though as recently as Friday the police in Kwara state said that number was unsubstantiated.
Large parts of the village had been reduced to piles of ash and rubble in the assault.
Tinubu at the time condemned what he called a "beastly attack", deploying an army battalion to the troubled region and blaming Islamist movement Boko Haram - though the name is often used generically for jihadist groups in Nigeria.
A few months before, the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) claimed its first attack on Nigerian soil in the state, near Woro.
Over the weekend, gunmen kidnapped at least 52 people, including children, in an attack on a village and military base in north-west Nigeria's Zamfara state.
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Invasive mosquito sparks malaria fears across Africa
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia
A fast-spreading invasive mosquito is raising alarm across Africa, as scientists warn it could fuel a resurgence of malaria in major cities.
The mosquito, known as Anopheles stephensi, is unlike traditional malaria carriers. It thrives in densely populated urban areas, breeding in water containers around homes and buildings, making it far harder to control.
Even more concerning, the species has developed resistance to nearly every major insecticide currently used to fight mosquitoes, undermining one of the world's most effective malaria control strategies.
Health experts fear its rapid spread could put millions more people at risk of infection, particularly in growing African cities where malaria has historically been less common.
Scientists are now racing to find new ways to stop the mosquito, from biological controls to innovative technologies and next-generation insecticides.
As this resilient species expands its reach, researchers warn that staying ahead of the threat will require urgent action and global cooperation.
FIFA's President's pot boiling to the maximum degrees
GENEVA, Switzerland
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing mounting pressure after abandoning a controversial plan to open the World Cup to private investment.
Criticism is now coming from inside FIFA itself.
Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger called the decision to scrap the proposal "absolutely necessary," while FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström described the episode as a "sad and reproachable series of events."
The plan, which aimed to create a new commercial company to manage tournaments including the World Cup, collapsed after fierce opposition from UEFA, which reportedly threatened to boycott FIFA competitions.
The fallout is also threatening Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president.
Several national football associations have withdrawn their support, while Jordan's football chief has accused FIFA of pressuring federations to back Infantino.
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
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