COVID-19 fraud: US court jails pastor as Osun monarch forfeits property (Punch)
A United States District Court has sentenced a Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi, to 27 monthsโ imprisonment for COVID-19 relief fund fraud.
His friend, the Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, also forfeited his property to the US government while awaiting the court judgement slated for August 1.
Oluwasanmi and Oba Oloyede were arrested in early 2024 for fraudulently obtaining $4.2m in COVID-19 relief funds. Read more
Fuel station manager, 3 others arrested for armed robbery (Guardian)
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested four men, including a fuel station manager, over alleged involvement in a gang responsible for a string of armed robberies in the state.
The suspects, identified as Noble Saint Neokoro (44), Batomie Samson (48), Abubakar Ali (47), and Bitrus Ibrahim (42), were apprehended by operatives of the Tactical Squad Hawk in the Ejigbo area following a tip-off and a discreet investigation.
According to reports, the manager of a filling station was among those arrested, while the station owner was reportedly unaware of the alleged criminal activities. The source said the suspects had confessed to being part of a robbery gang. Read more
Tinubu, 5 governors arrive Brazil for BRICS meeting (DailyTrust)
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to participate in the 17th Summit of Heads of State and Government for the Global South and Emerging Economic Bloc, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS).
The Presidentโs flight touched down at the Galeao Air Force Base tarmac at 8:45 pm on Friday, where the Galeao Air Force Base Commander coordinated the Guard of Honour.
Brazilโs Deputy Minister for Africa and the Middle East, Ambassador Carlos Sergio Sobral Duarte, and the Deputy Minister for Trade Promotion, Science, Technology, Innovation, and Culture, received President Tinubu. Read more
FG to spend N17b on Lagos bridge damaged by fire (Vanguard)
The Federal Government has successfully negotiated the cost of the Iddo Bridge rehabilitation from an initial N27 billion to N17 billion.
The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, made this known to journalists during an inspection of the bridge on Friday in Lagos.
He said, โJulius Berger quoted, I think, N27 billion or thereabouts, but after much negotiation and discussion, we now arrived at N17 billion.โ Read more
NLC opposes NASS plan to remove minimum wage from FGโs exclusive list (Channels)
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to resist any attempt by the National Assembly to remove labour matters โ including the minimum wage โ from the exclusive legislative list of the Federal Government to the concurrent list, where individual states would determine their workersโ wages.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, issued the warning on Friday during the National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting of the Central Working Committee held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Describing the move as โan exercise in futilityโ, Ajaero argued that the issue of minimum wage is treated globally as a national matter in line with International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, which regard member countries as entities, not sub-national units such as states. Read more
Resident doctors reject FGโs pay review, demand revised CONMESS (Nation)
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has rejected the controversial circular issued by the Federal Government through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) on June 27, 2025, regarding the review of allowances for Medical and Dental Officers.
Describing the circular with reference number SWC/S/04/S.218/III/646, as preposterous, the doctors said its content failed to address the realities and pressing needs of Nigerian medical professionals.
They further stated that the directive stands in stark contradiction to the national policy on health workforce migration and undermines efforts to retain skilled personnel in the countryโs health sector. Read more
Ajadi, Alli, Oseni felicitate Olubadan at 90 (NewTelegraph)
An Ibadan-born business mogul and South West stalwart of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Olufemi Ajadi; Senator Sharafadeen Alli (APCโOyo South); and Aderemi Oseni, member representing Ido/Ibarapa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, have extended their warm congratulations to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, on the occasion of his 90th birthday and first coronation anniversary.
The trio, in separate statements on Saturday, wished the nonagenarian monarch continued good health, divine wisdom, and many more impactful years on the throne.
Ajadi, in his message made available to journalists in Ibadan, described Oba Olakulehin as a beacon of leadership and a symbol of selfless service to humanity. Read more
Kelly Clarkson postpones Vegas residency to protect voice (Deadline)
Kelly Clarkson has postponed the holiday weekend opener of her Las Vegas residency, titled Kelly Clarkson: Studio Sessions, at the Colosseum Theater at Caesars Palace hours before the show was scheduled as a safeguard measure against โserious damageโ to her vocal cords.
โWe have been working 24/7 to make Studio Sessions the most intimate and extraordinary experience with and for my incredible fans,โ the powerhouse vocalist began in an Instagram post shared yesterday. โI am beyond grateful that you always show up for me and I am devastated to have to postpone tonight and tomorrowโs opening at Caesars.โ
Originally set for 8pm on July 4 and July 5, Clarksonโs website now shows a โDate & Time TBAโ descriptor on Ticketmaster. The residency is scheduled to run until Nov. 15. Read more
Elon Musk reveals ‘two-part plan’ to take control of US Congress with ‘America Partyโ (Unilad)
Elon Musk has revealed he has a ‘two-part plan’ to take control of US Congress with a new third party called the ‘America Party’.
The tech billionaire and former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) apparently has some plans up his sleeves to shake up the polarized two-party political system in the US.
Musk has stated he wants to see a new third party emerge, called the ‘America Party’, which he teased as an idea on the nation’s Independence Day. Read more
Charlize Theron is turning 50 soon. The ‘Old Guard 2’ star can’t wait (USAToday)
Charlize Theron is staring down 50 in just about a month. And 50 should be scared.
The Oscar-winning actress (“Monster”), who reprises her butt-kicking, comic-book inspired role of Andromache of Scythia, or Andy, in “The Old Guard 2” (streaming July 2 on Netflix), simply has no time for society’s judgmental ageist critiques. As long as Charlize thinks Charlize is hot, all is well.
“Listen,” she says with a smile as she peppers her comments with expletives. “I wore fishnets last night because I felt awesome in them, and that’s where I’m heading right now, it’s like, I don’t give a …” well, you know what. Read more
Box Office: โJurassic World Rebirthโ bites off $26m Friday, โF1โ races toward $100m (Variety)
Dinosaurs and race cars are at the top of the box office, so itโs safe to say summer movie season is in full swing.
Universalโs โJurassic World Rebirth,โ the seventh in the historic franchise, took a T-Rex-sized bite out of the box office with $26 million domestically from 6,105 venues on the Fourth of July. The Friday numbers were bolstered by an already solid performance since its initial release on July 2, earning $55.8 million before the weekend even began.
Projections have โRebirthโ earning north of $140 million by Sunday, which would slot it as the seventh-highest domestic earner of 2025. The Universal camp needs the holiday momentum to continue through the coming weeks, considering the filmโs production budget hovers around $180 million, not including marketing. Domestic gross over the traditional three-day frame is projected at $85 million. Read more
Drake Reflects on Kendrick Lamar Beef Fallout on New Song โWhat Did I Miss?โ (Pitchfork)
Drake has released a new song called โWhat Did I Miss?โ On the trackโco-produced by DJ Lewis, Elyas, FNZ, Gyz, London Cyr, O Lil Angel, Oz, Patron, and Tay Keithโthe Toronto musician reflects on his beef with Kendrick Lamar and the people who did and did not stand by him in the feud. Listen to the song below.
Drake opens โWhat Did I Miss?โ by reflecting on the beef and the way it affected those around him: โAskinโ me, โHow did it feel?โ Canโt say it didnโt surprise me/Last time I looked to my right, you n****s was standing beside me/How can some people I love hang around pussies who try me?โ Later, in his first verse, Drake raps, โItโs love for my brothers and death to a traitor, letโs go.โ
In his second verse, Drake references Kendrick Lamarโs massive Drake-taunting Pop Out concert, in Inglewood, California, that featured performances and appearances from former Drake collaborators, such as YG, Mustard, and Ty Dolla $ign. โI saw bro went to Pop Out with them, but been dick-riding gang since โHeadlines,โโ he raps. Read more
Bands start boycotting Radar festival after Bob Vylan removed from line-up (NME)
Bands on the line-up for Radar festival 2025 have started boycotting the event following Bob Vylan being removed from the bill.
Read More: Bob Vylan: โWeโve been screaming about these topics at the top of our lungs for years. Why has it taken this long?โ
The duo were dropped as headliners for this yearโs edition of the Manchester festival due to their controversial slot at Glastonbury, in which they voiced their support of Palestine and criticised the BBC, Israel, and the UK and US governments.
They also led chants of both โfree, free Palestineโ and โdeath, death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces]โ, and projected a message onto the screen behind them reading: โFree Palestine โ United Nations have called it a genocide โ the BBC calls it a โconflictโ.โ Read more
Ahmed Musa named Kano Pillars FC GM (Guardian)
Super Eagles winger Ahmed Musa, has been appointed as the new General Manager of Kano Pillars FC, along with 17 new members of the reconstituted board.
The 32-year-old former CSKA Moscow player will lead the management team of his former club to the coming Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
Musaโs new appointment was announced on Friday in a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Lano State Governor, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa. Read more
Super Eagles coach Chelle calls up 35 players for CHAN camp (Vanguard)
Head Coach Eric Chelle has released a 35-man provisional list for the Super Eagles B squad ahead of the 8th African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025.
The list includes Captain Junior Nduka and Papa Daniel Mustapha, both considered key to Nigeriaโs home-based national team preparations.
The CHAN tournament will be hosted in August by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tournament is exclusive to players competing in their domestic leagues. Read more
Chelsea edge Palmeiras 2โ1 to advance to Club World Cup semis (Punch)
Chelsea emerged victorious in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final with a 2โ1 win over Brazilian side Palmeiras.
The Premier League side took an early lead in the 16th minute when Cole Palmer found the net, finishing off an assist from Trevoh Chalobah to put Chelsea ahead. Despite several attacking efforts from both sides, the score remained 1โ0 going into the break.
Palmeiras responded strongly in the second half, and their efforts paid off in the 53rd minute when E. Willian scored the equaliser, assisted by R. Rios. The game continued with high intensity as both teams sought a winning goal. Read more
The Only Fight Needed: Jai Opetaia teases Gilberto Ramirez unification (AlJazeera)
Eager to not be forgotten, IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia today reminded Gilberto Ramirez, the WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion, that only one fight needs to take place at 200 lbs in 2025.
It was an important, timely reminder and one that comes just a week after Ramirez successfully defended his belts against Cubaโs Yuniel Dorticos via 12-round decision. Also on that bill was Jake Paul, another cruiserweight, whose win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr was apparently all that was required to land him a WBA ranking and move him a step closer to challenging Ramirez, on whom he has set his sights.
As for Opetaia, he was last seen stopping Claudio Squeo in the fifth round of a mismatch last month. After that win, which left Squeo with a broken jaw, the Australian made a point of mentioning Ramirezโs name in his post-fight interview and the fight โ a unification of three belts โ seemed a natural one to make next. All Ramirez had to do was beat Dorticos and a date and location wouldnโt be too far behind, one hoped. Read more
USMNT could change its World Cup narrative in Gold Cup final vs. Mexico (USAToday)
You ask former U.S. menโs national soccer team standouts Marcelo Balboa and Stu Holden about the Concacaf Gold Cup final, and the competitive spirit just oozes from their soul.
Especially since USMNT will face its biggest rival, Mexico, in the Sunday, July 6 match at NRG Stadium in Houston.
โListen, you never want to lose to Mexico,โ Balboa, 57, told USA TODAY Sports, before he joins the Gold Cupโs Spanish-language broadcast on Univision, TUDN and ViX. โI’m retired. I haven’t played against Mexico a long time. Even when I play in the old legends games, I don’t want to lose to Mexico.โ Read more