Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam has backed Carlos Baleba to play a vital role for the team this season.

Baleba has struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford after an injury disrupted start to life in Manchester following his £70M summer move from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Michael Carrick brought him off the bench for 30 minutes in the 1-1 weekend Premier League draw with Tottenham as part of a solid club debut.

Stam is confident the Cameroonian can fill the gap left by Casemiro’s exit in June with United in clear need of a defensive midfield enforcer.

“I really like Carlos Baleba, who has come in from Brighton. I think he can replace Casemiro.

“United need to find a replacement who is in good physical shape and has energy to cover the whole pitch. He also needs to be very good on the ball, and Baleba can do that.”

Carrick could had the 22-year-old a UEFA Champions League debut tonight as the Red Devils take on Atletico Madrid.

Troops of Sector 4, Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have repelled a coordinated attack by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Garaha in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, neutralising six terrorists and recovering a substantial cache of arms, ammunition and other combat equipment.

The Acting Military Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.


Goni said the terrorists, who advanced on foot from the LAR axis, launched the attack at approximately 9:07 pm in an attempt to overrun the military position.

“However, troops responded with superior firepower and tactical coordination, decisively repelling the assault and forcing the terrorists to retreat,” the statement read in part.

“Subsequent exploitation of the area led to the discovery of six terrorist corpses, confirming the neutralisation of six insurgents. Troops also recovered one PKT machine gun with three ammunition belts containing 67 rounds, six AK-47 rifles, 11 AK-47 magazines, 157 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, 120 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and one 60mm mortar bomb.”

He listed other items recovered to include one Android phone, one Canon portable video recorder, three camelback water bags, one magazine carrier and assorted clothing.

According to him, although troops sustained casualties during the encounter, wounded personnel are receiving medical attention, while necessary evacuation arrangements are ongoing.

“Troops have maintained heightened vigilance and sustained exploitation of the surrounding area to prevent further attacks and recover additional items of operational significance,” the statement read.

He said the repulsion of the attack underscored the combat readiness, resilience and determination of Operation Hadin Kai troops to defend their positions, frustrate terrorist offensives and progressively degrade insurgent capabilities across the North East.

“The Theatre Command remains resolute in sustaining aggressive, intelligence-driven operations to deny terrorists freedom of action, protect vulnerable communities and consolidate ongoing efforts to restore lasting peace and security across the region,” Captain Goni noted.

US actor Selma Blair was charged with assault on Monday after an alleged altercation on a flight from Los Angeles to New York City, according to court documents.

The “Legally Blonde” and “Cruel Intentions” star was detained at John F Kennedy Airport after her Delta Air Lines flight landed late Sunday following reports of a physically abusive passenger.

US media said that Blair punched one flight attendant and bit another. The 54-year-old then reportedly assaulted a police officer and nurse as she was transported to hospital.

Blair was charged with two counts of second-degree assault on the police officer and nurse at a New York state court late Monday, according to court documents.

She pleaded not guilty to both counts and was released on bail. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for January 19.

The FBI also issued a summons accusing Blair of assaults on the plane, according to a federal judicial source.

A representative for Blair said that “Selma experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct.”

“Upon landing, she received immediate medical attention and is currently in stable condition,” the representative said.

A spokesperson for Delta said the airline “has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first.”

In 2016, Blair was removed from a plane on a stretcher after an outburst on a flight.

“I mixed alcohol with medication, and that caused me to black out and led me to say and do things that I deeply regret,” she told Vanity Fair after that incident.

She also described in her 2022 memoir having bitten several celebrities, including Kate Moss, often in situations where she had been drinking alcohol.