Author: The North Journals

By Nwaduba Gerald Bilbao, Spain –Tottenham Hotspur claimed a landmark victory on Wednesday night, edging past Manchester United 1-0 in the UEFA Europa League final held at the iconic Estadio San Mamés, home of Athletic Bilbao. The triumph marks Spurs’ first major trophy since 2008 and their first European title in over four decades. The tightly contested match saw Brennan Johnson emerge as the hero for the North London club, capitalising on a defensive lapse by Manchester United’s Luke Shaw to net the decisive goal in the 42nd minute. Despite the narrow scoreline, Tottenham’s resilience and defensive discipline defined the…

By Aminu Adamu Cannes, France The Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, under the leadership of Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF). The agreement, unveiled at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, sets the stage for the establishment of the Africa International Film Festival Film and Content Market. The initiative is poised to be a transformative platform for Nigeria’s burgeoning film and content industry, providing structured opportunities for distribution, networking, and global market access for African creatives. “We’re working with key players to build an enabling…

By Aminu Adamu Abuja, Nigeria The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially handed over 753 recovered housing units located in the Lokogoma district of Abuja to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. The properties, which span a total area of 150,500 square meters and comprise a mix of duplexes and apartments, were forfeited to the Federal Government through a court order. The assets were recovered as part of the EFCC’s ongoing efforts to tackle economic and financial crimes in the country. Speaking during the handover ceremony, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, emphasized the Commission’s…

By Nwaduba Gerald MANCHESTER Manchester City’s midfield talisman Kevin De Bruyne played his final home game at the Etihad Stadium on Monday night, marking the end of a historic 10-year spell with a 3–1 victory over Bournemouth. The Belgian maestro, widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history, was given a hero’s send-off in front of a capacity crowd. De Bruyne’s final appearance at home was punctuated by emotional tributes, a guard of honour, and a visibly tearful manager, Pep Guardiola. There are also reports that the club is planning to immortalize his legacy with a…

Abuja, Nigeria The Spokesperson of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), FCT chapter, Ibrahim Babangida Lawal, has called on Nigerian authorities to implement mandatory pre-marital drug testing as a national strategy to tackle the country’s growing drug abuse epidemic. Lawal, who also serves as a spokesperson for the Muslim Awareness Association of Nigeria (MAAN) and the Arewa Unity Forum (AUF), made the call in a public statement on Monday, stressing that the increasing prevalence of drug abuse—especially among school children, youths, and women—demands urgent and bold intervention. “Nigeria is grappling with a drug abuse crisis of alarming proportions,” Lawal…

By Trésor Daniel Mefire Despite more than a decade of economic growth, inequality in Africa  and particularly in Cameroon — remains a stubborn and worsening crisis that threatens to undo decades of development progress, a new research paper warns. In The Persistent Challenge of Inequalities in Africa and Cameroon, Trésor Daniel Mefire paints a stark picture of a continent where booming GDP figures mask deep and growing divides between rich and poor. “While economic growth averaging 4.3% annually has been recorded in various sectors since 2010, its benefits have not been evenly distributed,” Mefire writes. “This growing inequality paradox where…

By Trésor Daniel Mefire In what experts warn is a harbinger of a perilous new normal, Cameroon and much of Africa are enduring increasingly punishing heatwaves, exposing fragile systems in health, agriculture, and infrastructure. In a sobering report, climate researcher Trésor Daniel Mefire warns: “These extreme heat events are no longer rare anomalies; they are becoming the deadly norm.” According to Mefire, global temperatures are rising at an alarming rate, but the consequences are not shared equally. “Developing nations face a cruel paradox,” he writes. “While contributing less than 4% of historical CO₂ emissions, they bear 90% of climate-related economic…

By Aminu Adamu Geneva  The global economic recovery is losing steam, with labour markets facing increasing strain from geopolitical tensions, climate-related costs, and persistent debt burdens, according to the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2025 report. The ILO’s flagship report, released on January 16, warns that while global employment growth kept pace with labour force expansion in 2024 — holding the unemployment rate steady at 5 percent — underlying weaknesses continue to threaten the resilience of labour markets worldwide. “Decent work and productive employment are essential for achieving social justice and the Sustainable Development Goals,”…

By Aminu Adamu In the wake of COVID-19, mpox flare-ups, Ebola scares, and a fast-spreading measles outbreak, the value of strong public health systems has never been more apparent. But just when the world needs more vigilance, support, and coordinated response, the United States is stepping back. In March 2025, the U.S. government initiated a sweeping rollback of its global humanitarian aid programs, pulling funding from thousands of health initiatives that have formed the backbone of disease prevention and treatment in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. The consequences, say experts and humanitarian organizations, are not just tragic—they’re…

By Aminu Adamu Geneva In a watershed moment for global public health, the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Tuesday unanimously adopted the world’s first-ever Pandemic Agreement — a landmark accord designed to make future pandemic responses more equitable, coordinated, and effective. The adoption of the agreement, which followed over three years of intense negotiations triggered by the failures and inequities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, marks a significant turning point in international health diplomacy. With no objections and only 11 abstentions, 124 member states approved the agreement in Committee before its formal adoption in the WHA plenary session. “The world…