The rest of the top 10 is dominated by Premier League clubs, with Liverpool leading the English contingent for the first time. Pep Guardiola’s City fell from second to sixth after an early exit from the Champions League and a third-placed Premier League finish following four consecutive titles. United dropped behind Arsenal to eighth after missing out on the Champions League and finishing 15th in the Premier League. Arsenal were the highest-earning women’s team for the first time after winning the Champions League. The Gunners, with revenues of 25.6 million euros, edged out London rivals Chelsea and Barcelona.

The legal battle over the suspension of the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has escalated as the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has again approached the Supreme Court. The matter was referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which later recommended her suspension. In its judgment on July 4, 2025, the court faulted the suspension, describing it as excessive and unconstitutional. It was confirmed on Thursday that her lawyers had been served with the Supreme Court processes. The development comes barely two weeks after Akpabio announced that he had decided to withdraw pending court cases against his adversaries.

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, will soon visit the United States, a senior US official said Wednesday, further signalling President Donald Trump’s willingness to embrace the oil-rich country’s new leader. She would be the first sitting Venezuelan president to visit the United States in more than a quarter century, aside from presidents attending United Nations meetings in New York. Rodriguez was a former vice president and long-time insider in Venezuela’s authoritarian and anti-American government, before changing tack as interim president. A senior White House official stated that Rodriguez would visit soon, but no specific date has been set. The last bilateral visit by a sitting Venezuelan president came in the 1990s — before populist leader Hugo Chavez took power.

Over one million households displaced by years of insurgency have been resettled in their ancestral homes across parts of Borno State, following sustained stabilisation operations by troops of Operation Hadin Kai. General Abubakar listed some of the resettled communities to include Malam Fatori, Kekeno, Mala Jamel, and Yelwa, noting that Malam Fatori alone has witnessed phased resettlement efforts involving over a million households. If you take a ride into Kukawa, you will see the kind of socioeconomic activities taking place there. The conflict severely disrupted livelihoods and socio-economic activities, leaving many areas deserted and unsafe for civilian return. In response, the Nigerian military launched sustained counter-insurgency and stabilisation operations under Operation Hadin Kai, aimed at degrading terrorist capabilities, restoring security, and creating conditions for the safe resettlement of displaced households.

The shutdown of refineries across Europe and North America has tightened global fuel markets and handed Nigeria’s Dangote refinery greater leverage in shaping refined product balances, according to energy intelligence firm Kpler. The permanent closure of nearly 800,000 barrels per day of refining capacity across Europe and North America has materially tightened product balances, particularly for middle distillates. The President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, announced last year that the refinery would be upgraded to 1.4 mbpd capacity to make it the largest in the world. Last week, the Managing Director of the Dangote refinery, David Bird, disclosed that the refinery expansion could be completed in three years. Meanwhile, Engineers India Limited announced that it would lead the expansion of the Dangote refinery, a project that will increase the facility’s capacity from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day.

The Federal Government is moving to fast-track the trial of 5,000 terror suspects to address the significant backlog of terrorism-related cases in the country. In sports, CAF has sanctioned Algeria and some of its players following misconduct during and after the AFCON 2025 quarter-final against Nigeria. Meanwhile, a report shows that Nigerians spent an estimated N1.58tn on petrol during the 2025 Yuletide period. Kidnappers hold 166 Kaduna worshippers, demand N29m depositFamilies of 166 Christian worshippers abducted in Kurmin Wali community, Southern Kaduna, have revealed that the kidnappers made an initial demand of N28.9m for 17 motorcycles as a condition for the release of the victims. Gunmen attacked three churches in the community on Sunday and abducted 177 worshippers before 11 of them escaped.

Ogun State government on Wednesday halted the selection process for the new Awujale of Ijebu land, the second suspension in less than a month, with a heavy deployment of security forces at the palace. The Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 after the death of 91-year-old Oba Sikiru Adetona, who reigned for 65 years. The selection process has attracted widespread interest, including from Fuji musician Ayinde, popularly called KWAM1, who had sought an interim injunction at the state high court to stop the selection proces. On Wednesday, the Regent and head of the Awujale Interregnum Administration Committee, Dr Sonny Kuku, confirmed that the government had temporarily paused the process. However, the exercise was suspended in line with the state government’s directive halting the Awujale selection process.

Lagos-born AS Monaco forward George Ilenikhena has made UEFA Champions League history by becoming the youngest African player to reach 15 appearances in the competition, surpassing a record previously held by former Nigeria international Nwankwo Kanu, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Now 49, Kanu went on to score five goals and register 13 assists in 60 Champions League appearances. Ilenikhena was born in Lagos on August 16, 2006, and relocated to France at the age of three. During this period, he also became Monaco’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Champions League, breaking a club record previously held by Kylian Mbappé. This season, Ilenikhena has featured in 14 Ligue 1 matches, scoring two goals.

Hull City defender Semi Ajayi has been ruled out for two months after sustaining a hamstring injury during Nigeria’s third-place match at the Africa Cup of Nations, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The 31-year-old limped out in added time of the Super Eagles’ victory over Egypt on Sunday, and scan results have since confirmed damage to his hamstring. Despite the setback, Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic’s men claimed three points on the road, defeating Preston North End 3-0 with goals from Liam Millar, Akin Famewo and Oli McBurnie. John Egan also departed in added time with a cramp, and both players are hoped to be available for the weekend. Hull City hope Ryan Giles will be fit enough to return to the squad at Blackburn Rovers next Saturday.

Reacting to the judgment, the Otti-backed faction welcomed the ruling but urged restraint, dialogue, and reconciliation among all tendencies within the party. “Although the journey to this point was protracted, difficult, and at times turbulent, the Labour Party urges its members and supporters not to celebrate with triumphalism. Let it be clearly stated: there is only one united and indivisible Labour Party in Nigeria. There is enormous work ahead in rebuilding the Labour Party into a strong, credible, and virile opposition platform in Nigeria, a task that can only be accomplished in an atmosphere of unity, cohesion, and mutual respect,” Usman stated. As part of efforts to restore harmony, the Interim National Chairman announced plans to set up a reconciliation mechanism.

He gave this explanation while appearing before Justice Adetujoye, presiding over Court 11, Oyo State High Court, in Ibadan, the state capital. Auxiliary, who had been in Court earlier before the court rose for a few minutes, was taken away by the Correctional Centre officers for allegedly not feeling too fine. He was again brought to court by the officials of the correctional facility, but was not docked. The state Prosecutor was led by O.S Tella, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, O.A Bolarinwa Senior State Counsel and F.F Gbadamosi. Defence (Auxiliary’s) Counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN was not in Court but was represented by one of his counsel.

(FILES) Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and US President Donald Trump are pictured before a meeting in Helsinki, on July 16, 2018. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said Russia would study US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join his “Board of Peace”. “The Russian foreign ministry has been charged with studying the documents that were sent to us and to consult on the topic with our strategic partners,” Putin said during a televised government meeting. He added that the assets could also be used “to reconstruct the territories damaged by the hostilities, after the conclusion of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine”. Invites were sent to dozens of world leaders with a request for $1 billion for a permanent seat on the board.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has set April 2026 as the final deadline for digital money lending operators to regularise their operations under Nigeria’s Digital, Electronic, Online and Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025 (DEON Regulations). The commission said the deadline applies to operators provisionally designated as eligible under transitional arrangements, following the expiration of the initial compliance window on 5 January 2026. “The compliance window provided under the Regulations has now closed. “Operators who fail to regularise their status by April 2026 may face additional regulatory measures. The commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparent regulation, fair competition and effective consumer protection across Nigeria’s digital economy.

Now that Tata Motors has launched the new Punch facelift, we have finally got our hands on it, and there’s a lot to like! Amongst a comprehensive makeover, new interior, a more powerful engine option and a lot more features, it makes for a compelling package. Perhaps the most important change in the facelift is the all-new 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine from the Nexon. Safety RedefinedTata Motors has, over the years, built up a strong reputation for making safe cars and the Punch facelift continues the legacy with a 5-star BNCAP safety rating. ZigSays…The Punch has always been a record-setter for Tata Motors, and the carmaker does not want to relent.

However you look at it, Cody Jinks will be spending the lion’s share of 2026 not headlining his own shows, but heading out on tour with heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch as part of their 20th Anniversary Tour. Why go this route when Cody Jinks has been a strong headliner of his own shows for years? Part of it might be logistical ease so Jinks doesn’t have to worry about booking out an entire tour by himself. And who knows, maybe Jinks has a heavy metal Ace of Spades up his sleeve to play later this year. And maybe this is just what Cody Jinks wants to do.