Final levy board numbers start city's 2025 budget increase at 3.52 per centOmolabake Fasogbon Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc said it has achieved another milestone with the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recognising an additional N75 billion in its capital raise. The approval represents the final leg of the capital injection that was achieved through a private placement in September 2024, the bank explained in a statement yesterday. Building on the private placement’s success, Sterling launched a Rights Issue in October 2024, structured to provide existing shareholders the exclusive opportunity to deepen their stakes in the company and share in its growth story. The rights issue received significant interest and participation, highlighting the confidence and trust the company has cultivated among its shareholders over the years. Regulatory approval for the process is currently underway, marking another significant step in the recapitalisation journey. “The public is eagerly awaiting Sterling’s Public Offer, which will present an exciting opportunity for individuals to invest in the company. It is anticipated that the recapitalisation process will be completed with a Public Offer early next year, allowing wider participation from the public and further strengthening its commitment to shared value creation,” the bank noted. Group Chief Executive, Yemi Odubiyi, in a statement, described the capital injection and the approval as a validation of the company’s strategic direction and operational excellence. “This milestone reflects the confidence of regulators and stakeholders in our vision to redefine financial services in Nigeria and beyond. Our enhanced capital base empowers us to pursue transformative opportunities, deliver sustainable value to all stakeholders and drive impact across critical sectors of the Nigerian economy,” he stated. Odubiyi emphasised the company’s evolution from its origins as a merchant bank to its current status as a diversified financial holdings company. Powered by cutting-edge technology and a flexible operational model, the company has consistently demonstrated its ability to navigate market difficulties and seize growth opportunities. Reflecting on Sterling’s accomplishments, Odubiyi acknowledged the instrumental role of stakeholders, including regulators, investors, and customers. “We are grateful for the unwavering support and trust in our strategy, which has been pivotal to our journey. This recapitalisation strengthens our ability to unlock new opportunities, create value, and drive economic growth,” he added. The capital boost follows a year marked by robust financial performance and significant strategic achievements for Sterling. As at the last week in December 2024, Sterling witnessed a 19 percent surge in stock price, contributing to a remarkable three-year growth of 287.42 percent. In the first half of 2024, the company recorded a 51 percent increase in profit before tax compared to the same period in 2023 and achieved a 20 percent growth in total assets. These results demonstrate Sterling’s resilience and ability to deliver superior outcomes despite the complexities of Nigeria’s economic landscape, marked by high inflation and currency volatility. “As Sterling looks ahead, its focus remains firmly on innovation, sustainability, and value creation. With a fortified capital structure, the company is well-positioned to execute its ambitious growth plans, deepen its impact across critical sectors, and set new benchmarks for excellence in Nigeria’s financial services industry. This latest milestone marks a transformative chapter for Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc as it continues to redefine the future of financial services in Nigeria and beyond,” it added.

BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom (AFP) — Emiliano Martinez produced a wonder save and Aston Villa were controversially denied a last-gasp winner in a 0-0 Champions League draw with Juventus on Wednesday. Chances were at a premium in Birmingham but the home side had Argentina international Martinez to thank for keeping the scores level. Then, deep into stoppage time, Morgan Rogers looked to have given Unai Emery’s team another famous win when he slammed a loose ball home. But the goal was ruled out after it was deemed that Diego Carlos had fouled Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio. Emery said he was “very happy” with the point despite the late ruling by the officials, describing the contact as “soft”. “The last action is clear, it is the interpretation of the referee,” the Spaniard told TNT Sports. “Only the interpretation. We know here in England, 80 per cent is not fault (foul) and maybe in Europe it is a fault.” Villa raced out of the blocks in Europe this season, winning their first three matches, but they have now gone seven games in all competitions without a victory. Emery made it clear before the match that a draw would not be a bad result against the Italian giants as he plots an exit from the revamped group stage. Juventus, playing without a recognised striker, enjoyed the bulk of possession in the early stages but showed little punch. The game opened up as the first half progressed. Teenager Kenan Yildiz drifted in from the left but dragged his shot wide of Martinez’s right-hand post in the 20th minute. The first shot on target for either side came when Ollie Watkins controlled a clever Boubacar Kamara pass in the 37th minute but Di Gregorio pushed the ball behind. Matty Cash lashed a shot towards goal from the resulting corner but it hit a Juventus player and the Italians broke with pace, Timothy Weah, playing up front, firing over from distance. Martinez then kept out a shot from the impressive Francisco Conceicao. But Villa came closest to breaking the deadlock in first-half stoppage time when Lucas Digne rattled the crossbar from a free-kick. Both teams showed more urgency early in the second half as the game picked up pace, with the home crowd trying to lift Villa. Two-time champions Juventus had a glorious chance to take the lead in the 65th minute when the ball fell to Conceicao at the back post from a corner. He got his effort on target but somehow Martinez made up ground to his right, diving low to keep the ball out, millimetres short of crossing the line. Five minutes later Villa were denied when Leon Bailey crossed for John McGinn, whose shot was kept out by the outstretched boot of Manuel Locatelli. The home side thought they had won the match in the final seconds but it was not to be. Villa, playing their first season in Europe’s top-tier competition since the 1982/83 season, are ninth in the Champions League table, with Thiago Motta’s Juventus down in 19th spot.Chipotle is raising U.S. prices after promising bigger portionsHow Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes

Stocks: Wigton Energy leads today's winnersVICTORIA - The B.C. Prosecution Service says it will continue to pursue charges under the Motor Vehicle Act against the driver allegedly involved in a crash that killed a university student and hurt two others in Kamloops, B.C., in November 2023. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * VICTORIA - The B.C. Prosecution Service says it will continue to pursue charges under the Motor Vehicle Act against the driver allegedly involved in a crash that killed a university student and hurt two others in Kamloops, B.C., in November 2023. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? VICTORIA – The B.C. Prosecution Service says it will continue to pursue charges under the Motor Vehicle Act against the driver allegedly involved in a crash that killed a university student and hurt two others in Kamloops, B.C., in November 2023. The service says it conducted a senior-level review of the charge assessment and the evidence supports two charges of driving without due care and attention and driving without reasonable consideration for others, instead of criminal charges. It says in a statement that the evidence does not support proceeding with Criminal Code charges under the service’s charge assessment standard. The collision happened at an intersection near the Thompson Rivers University campus, where RCMP said a pickup truck hit several small trees before striking a Volkswagen stopped at a red light, triggering crashes with four other vehicles. The three people in the Volkswagen, all in their 20s, were taken to hospital, where one of them died and the others were treated for serious injuries. Thompson Rivers’ athletic director, Curtis Atkinson, later identified the young man who died as a member of the university’s volleyball team. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. In its statement issued Friday, the B.C. Prosecution Service says the circumstances of the case are “tragic,” as one young man lost his life and two others were “catastrophically injured.” “It would not serve the justice system, the victims, nor the public for the Crown to pursue charges that are not supported by the available evidence.” The statement says only a portion of the evidence has made its way into the public domain, and “the facts reported in the media and shared publicly are too incomplete and present only a partial picture of what had to be considered.” — with files from CHNL This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement

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Swanson: Galaxy coaches share a rich legacy, but their focus is on the nowNo, Butterball turkeys aren’t recalled amid abuse allegations circulating onlineAdemola Lookman scored a late goal to help beat AC Milan and go top of the Italian Serie A table Lookman's goal extended Atalanta's winning streak in the Serie A to nine games since losing to Como The Super Eagles forward spoke on being the favourite to win the 2024 CAF Men's Player of the Year PAY ATTENTION: Follow our WhatsApp channel to never miss out on the news that matters to you! Ademola Lookman is living the dream and shared his thoughts on being the favourite for the CAF Men's Player of the Year after helping Atalanta beat AC Milan. Lookman continued his impressive form and once again proved why he is the favourite to be named the 2024 African Footballer of the Year next week in Morocco. He scored an 87th-minute goal to help Atalanta beat AC Milan to extend their winning streak to nine games and momentarily go top of the Italian Serie A table. Lookman speaks on CAF POTY Lookman was beaming with smiles during the post-match interview, where he explained the importance of belief in the Atalanta squad, which helps them. Read also Lookman scores late winner vs AC Milan as Atalanta extend winning streak and go top of Serie A PAY ATTENTION : Standing out in social media world? Easy! "Mastering Storytelling for Social Media" workshop by Legit.ng. Join Us Live! “It’s a very important game against a very strong team that is doing well in the League. We performed well tonight, three big points and we continue like this,” he told Sky Sport Italia after the 2-1 victory. “I think we just continue to play the way we play, match by match. We believe in ourselves as a team, so we continue like this and stay together.” The 2024 CAF Awards will be held next week in Morocco, with Lookman expected to succeed his compatriot Victor Osimhen and be named the Best Player, as noted by Football Italia , and he shared his thoughts about the award. “It’s an honour to be nominated for this prestigious award. Of course, anyone who is nominated would like to win it. It’s a dream!” he said. Liverpool join race for Lookman Legit.ng reported that Liverpool joined the race for Lookman after it became increasingly likely that Mohamed Salah would leave the club when his contract expires. Read also Super Eagles star emerges as key transfer target for Liverpool The Reds have yet to offer the Egyptian winger a new contract and are already preparing for life after him, with the Nigerian identified as a potential replacement. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Source: Legit.ng

Today inour Daily Dose of Social Media , we review the most significant activities and Entertainment from ATP and WTA players. The ATP released a video where Daniil Medvedev builds his perfect player, including celebrations, cool-headedness, and mental games, mentioning his colleagues Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz among his picks. Afterwrapping up the season, one of the major tennis events ahead is the UltimateTennis Showdown, an exhibition that has gained significant prominence, withsome of its stars already sharing their thoughts ahead of the tournament. In aconversation between Dominic Thiem, Thanasi Kokkinakis, and Denis Shapovalov,they chose which member of the Big-3 has the most aura, offering intriguingresponses. Humorousand honest: Medvedev picks his perfect player at ATP Finals DaniilMedvedev created his version of the perfect tennis player a few weeks agoduring the ATP Finals. The 2021 US Open champion gave a humorous interviewwhere he highlighted qualities from Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and evenhimself, including his quirky celebrations. The Russianplayer ended the season ranked World No. 5 after being eliminated in the RoundRobin stage of the Finals, suffering defeats against Taylor Fritz and Sinner,with his only victory coming against Alex de Minaur. Medvedev finished the yearwithout a title for the first time since 2017, with losses in the finals of theAustralian Open and Indian Wells. In thevideo, Medvedev chose himself as the player with the best celebrations andmental games. “Me, yeah for sure, out of the guys here, me for sure,” heresponded. The former World No. 1 also named Carlos Alcaraz as the player withthe best connection to the crowd. Watch the rest of his answers in the videobelow. Una publicación compartida de Tennis (@tennischannel) “Who hasthe most ‘Aura’ in the Big-3?” Shapovalov, Kokkinakis, and Thiem weigh in Aspreparations wrap up for the Ultimate Tennis Showdown Finals, set to take placefrom December 6 to 8 this year, tournament stars Denis Shapovalov, ThanasiKokkinakis, and Dominic Thiem shared their experiences facing the Big-3. Theydiscussed and debated which of Roger Federer , Rafael Nadal , or Novak Djokovic possesses the most "aura." Shapovalovimmediately picked Djokovic. “I remember Paris, the year I made the final. Iplayed him in the final, and I was thinking, ‘Oh man...’ because I heard rumourshe’d been sick all week, you know? And he was drinking his juices, drinkingstuff all the time,” the Canadian recalled.“I’m like, dude, ‘I’ve got him. I’m playing the best tennis of my life. The guyis not feeling good; he’s not 100%. Like you said, this is my chance...’”Shapovalov said, looking at Kokkinakis. “No chance. The guy was toying withme.” “And theworst is if the crowd pisses him off,” added the Australian. “If he gets pissedand starts yelling at the crowd—dude, pack your bags.” Meanwhile,Dominic Thiem joined the conversation and claimed that there’s no greaterchallenge in tennis than facing Nadal at Roland Garros. “But I think the worstthing in tennis is if you play against Rafa on Philippe-Chatrier, and the guystarts to talk: 2005, 2006, 2007...” Thiem said, referencing the playerintroductions where each of Nadal’s French Open titles is listed. Who has the most ‘aura’? Nadal, Federer, or Djokovic? Shapovalov, Kokkinakis, and Thiem weigh in #uts #utstour #tennis pic.twitter.com/wtkUH1CWRX TaylorFritz wraps up stellar 2024 season TaylorFritz reflected on videos of his incredible 2024 season, during which hereached his career-high ranking as World No. 4 and made significant finalsappearances at the US Open and ATP Finals. The American No. 1 confirmed theimpressive form he had carried over from previous seasons, maintainingconsistency throughout the year and adding two new titles to his record. The27-year-old became the first American to reach both the US Open and ATP Finalsfinals in the same season since Andre Agassi in 1999. “That’s awrap on the 2024 season 2 Titles, US Open finals, ATP Finalsrunner-up, an Olympic , and ending at a career high of #4 Thank you to my team for putting upwith me all year, and thank you to everyone for the love and support all yearlong, it was an amazing year. Feeling ready and more motivated than ever tokeep working and come back next season even stronger ,” Fritz posted. Una publicación compartida de Taylor Fritz (@taylor_fritz) Rafa Nadal meetsManchester City stars and watches Real Madrid’s defeat RafaelNadal visited Manchester City's training ground in England, where he posed forphotos with several players from the club and Spanish coach Pep Guardiola. The22-time Grand Slam champion spent the morning at City’s sports complex withplayers such as Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish, and Manuel Akanji, as well asGuardiola. In the afternoon, he traveled to nearby Liverpool to watch the Redsface Real Madrid. TheMallorcan attended the stands at Anfield for a crucial match for Real Madrid intheir quest to reach the round of 16. Nadal was accompanied by his sisterMaribel during the Spaniards' 0-2 defeat to Liverpool FC. Una publicación compartida de Manchester City (@mancity) Enjoying his retirement! Rafael Nadal is at Anfield to cheer on Real Madrid. #BBCFootball #UCL pic.twitter.com/AsgS7YDftS This article first appeared on TennisUpToDate.com and was syndicated with permission.India News | Assam: India International Science Festival 2024 Kicks off at IIT Guwahati

NoneKINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica College’s trophy quest has been dealt a blow after goalkeeper Tawayne Lynch was banned for three games by the ISSA Disciplinary Committee after Friday’s 2-0 win over McGrath High in the first round of the ISSA Champions Cup at the Montego Bay Sports Complex. Lynch, who was adjudged to have handled the ball outside of his penalty area, was also found guilty to have used “foul, abusive and insulting language towards match officials and members of the ISSA game management team”. Adriano Kitson, who replaced Lynch on Friday, is expected to start in goal for Jamaica College when they face Hydel High in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup, as well as the semi-final of the Manning Cup. According to a letter to the principal of Jamaica College from ISSA, “Tawayne Lynch was summoned to answer to the charge of using foul, abusive, and insulting language to match officials as well as official members of the ISSA game management team during the game against McGrath High on Friday, November 22, 2024.” “Tawayne Lynch was found guilty of using foul, abusive and insulting language towards match officials and members of the ISSA game management team,” the letter said. The letter pointed out, “The decision of the disciplinary committee is as follows: In addition to serving the mandatory one-match ban for the red card issued during the game for handling the ball outside of the penalty box, Tawayne Lynch was given an additional two-match suspension by ISSA’s disciplinary committee for the use of foul, abusive and insulting language to match officials as well as official members of the ISSA game management team”. According to the letter from ISSA, Jamaica College has the right to appeal the decision. — Paul A Reid

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