Former Chelsea midfielder, Ramires has announced his retirement from professional football aged 35.

In an emotional Instagram post, the 35-year-old midfielder reflected on his career that saw him lift among others the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup plus making 248 appearances for Premier League giants, Chelsea.

He wrote: “After some reflection, I would like to inform you that I have officially decided to end my career as a professional football player.

“At this point, I can only thank God first for having trained me and led me to the highest levels that sport can offer. Many thanks also to all the clubs I went through, I will always carry you and your fans in my heart.

“Gratitude also to the Brazilian Football Team for giving me the pleasure of playing two World Cups, which was a dream come true. Also grateful to all the teammates, employees, coaches and directors that I had the pleasure to work with.

“To my family, mother, children, brothers and true friends, thank you so much for being by my side unconditionally during all these years, vibrating for my every achievement as if it were yours, which has always been my greatest strength and motivation.

“I will go in other directions, but with the same happiness and courage that I had since I was little, when, against all expectations, I left my city in the countryside of Rio de Janeiro to conquer the world. Thanks for everything, football!”

Ramires started his career in Brazil with Cruzeiro before penning a five-year contract at Portuguese giants Benfica.

He soon established himself as an important member of Jorge Jesus’ squad but after just one season, he left the Estadio da Luz to join Premier League outfit Chelsea who splashed around £20 million to secure his signature.

The Brazilian would soon become a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge, earning himself a reputation as a tireless, reliable figure in midfield alongside the likes of Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel.

Finland will refuse entry to Russians with Schengen tourist visas starting Friday, following a surge in arrivals after Moscow’s mobilisation order to fight in the war in Ukraine.

“The decision aims to completely prevent the current situation of Russian tourism to Finland and the related transit through Finland,” Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told a news conference on Thursday, adding Moscow’s mobilisation announcement’s “significant impact” on Helsinki’s decision.

On September 21, President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilisation in Russia following Ukraine’s success in counterattacking Moscow’s troops.

Putin argued he was defending Russian territories and said the West wanted to destroy his country.

According to Finland’s new rules, Russians entering the country for work, study and family visits – such as trips to see one’s parents, grandparents and children – will still be allowed in, local news outlet Helsingin Sanomat reported.

As of September 1, Finland slashed the number of visas, including for tourism purposes, issued to Russian citizens to one-tenth of the typical number, a move seen as a show of solidarity with Ukraine.

Another European Union member Latvia, shortly after Putin’s announcement said it would not offer refuge to any Russians escaping Moscow’s mobilisation of troops.

Meanwhile, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, at least 2,400 anti-war protesters were arrested in demonstrations across Russia against mobilisation. It was reported that many of those arrested were handed draft notices by the authorities.

The order for mobilisation came a day after Putin gave his support to referendums on joining Russia that were held this week in four occupied Ukrainian regions, the first step to formally annexing a chunk of Ukraine the size of Hungary.

Moscow-installed administrations in the four regions of southern and eastern Ukraine claimed on Tuesday night that 93 percent of ballots cast in Zaporizhia supported annexation, as did 87 percent in the Kherson region, 98 percent in the Luhansk region and 99 percent in Donetsk.

However, Western nations including the United States and Canada have dismissed the referendums as a meaningless “sham” staged by Moscow in an attempt to legitimise its invasion of Ukraine launched on February 24.

As campaigns to usher in a new political dispensation for 2023 begin, President Muhammadu Buhari has said he welcomes the initiative undertaken by the National Peace Committee to commit all political actors to issue-based campaigns devoid of incitement, personal insults and attacks.

He spoke in a video message at the signing of the 2023 election Peace Accord by the presidential candidates, organised by the National Peace Committee, on Thursday in Abuja.

Buhari warned that the rise of fake news and misinformation has continued to pose a significant threat to democracy in Nigeria.

He said fake news and misinformation have shifted focus away from issue-based campaigns to amplifying the potential for personal attacks, insults and incitements.

He noted that this has significantly diminished civility and decency in public discourse and debate.

Reiterating his commitment to peaceful, credible and transparent elections, President Buhari said what the Peace Committee, led by its chairman and a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has been doing over the years, aligns with his belief that Nigeria needs peace to achieve credible elections.

”The 2023 election is more than an election, it is an opportunity to serve Nigeria, to defend Nigeria and to uphold her unity and progress,” the President said re-echoing the words of the Chairman of the Peace Committee, last week.

He stated, ”Therefore, I call on all Nigerians, political parties, politicians, security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria is placed first above regional and sectional claims.

”I appeal to the contestants, especially their publicity agents and media advisers to shun personal attacks, avoid insults and incitement, reject the spread of fake news, and commit to issue-based campaigns and political rallies.

”Once again, let me emphasise that everything must be done to support the National Peace Committee in its work to ensure peaceful elections in Nigeria.”

City Boy Movement, a support group for the Tinubu-Shettima presidential ticket on Wednesday held a concert at Unity Fountain in Abuja.

Recall that the Director General of the APC Campaign council, Simon Lalong had on Tuesday announced the postponement of its campaign inauguration till further notice.

Supporters were seen in pictures eating “agbado” a Yoruba word for corn.

Below are some of the pictures.

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has confirmed the killing of soldiers in Umunze, while also condemning the act.

Soludo in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, said the soldiers were ambushed on a routine patrol at Umunze by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.

Soludo said: “We condemn this wicked and cruel attack in the strongest terms. The perpetrators of this act must pay. We are not going to rest on our oars, including those people that attacked Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and the rest. There will be absolutely no hiding place for them.

“Going forward, our actions will show, as these people must surely pay for this heinous and repulsive attack.”

The Governor urged Anambra people to remain calm and law-abiding as the security agencies are on top of the situation.

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