Author: bibncollar

FIFA has announced a significant increase in financial support to clubs releasing players for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. The governing body will distribute $355 million through its Club Benefits Programme, representing a 70 percent rise compared to the 2022 tournament in Qatar.This expansion comes as the World Cup grows larger, with the number of teams increasing from 32 to 48, matches rising from 64 to 104, and the competition stretching over 39 days instead of 29. FIFA expects its total revenue for 2026 to be 56 percent higher than in 2022, and 72 percent higher across the four-year…

In a pointed rebuttal delivered from Russia’s annual economic forum in St Petersburg, President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s latest push for face-to-face negotiations to end the war. Zelensky’s open letter, sent just a day earlier, urged direct dialogue and a ceasefire, arguing it was “wrong to simply wait” for the conflict to regain international attention. Putin, however, saw little value in the overture, labeling the tone “rude” and insisting that any meeting must follow substantive agreements rather than precede them.The Russian leader made his position crystal clear: a ceasefire without addressing Moscow’s core demands would only…

At least 49 people died of thirst in a remote corner of the Sahara Desert in northern Niger after their lorry broke down while returning from a Muslim festival in neighbouring Mali, authorities said.The group became stranded more than 80 kilometres west of Assamaka, a major border crossing with Algeria. Despite desperate efforts by the driver, his apprentice, and passengers to repair the vehicle, they were left trapped for several days in extreme heat with no access to water.Only two survivors were able to trek across the harsh desert terrain to reach Assamaka and alert authorities. Rescue teams later discovered…

‎Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Friday appealed for continued patience from residents as security forces work to rescue teachers and pupils abducted from Yawota and Ahoro-Esinele communities in Oriire Local Government Area.The governor made the call while receiving a delegation from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), led by Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Suleh, Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, at the Governor’s Office in Agodi, Ibadan.In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olarenwaju, Governor Makinde expressed deep appreciation for the Air Force’s swift support following the abduction incident on May 15, 2026. He highlighted the…

Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, has opted to represent himself in court in the ongoing alleged cyberbullying case brought against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).Sowore informed Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday that his legal team had withdrawn due to fear of further “humiliation” following the judge’s previous rulings. He cited this as the reason for temporarily defending himself until he reconstitutes a new legal team.The court had on Thursday ordered a day-to-day trial and fixed Friday for Sowore to open his defence. When the matter came up, only the…

The United Kingdom is introducing stricter regulations that could stop universities from sponsoring international students if they fail to meet new compliance standards. This forms part of a broader government effort to tackle visa abuse and reduce asylum claims made through the student route.The UK Home Office made the announcement on Thursday, revealing updates to the Basic Compliance Assessment framework. Under the new rules, universities must maintain a visa refusal rate below 5%, an enrolment rate of at least 95%, and a course completion rate of at least 90%.The measures will be rolled out in phases immediately, while a “traffic…

Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has successfully increased its crude oil processing capacity to 700,000 barrels per day (bpd), surpassing its official nameplate capacity of 650,000 bpd. The milestone was verified during a performance test conducted by the refinery’s process licensors, further cementing its position as the world’s largest single-train petroleum refinery. The achievement highlights the refinery’s strong engineering design and operational efficiency. Vice President of Oil & Gas at Dangote Industries, Devakumar Edwin, announced that the company plans to expand the facility’s processing capacity to 1.4 million bpd within the next 30 months. This expansion is expected to significantly…

In a heartwarming success amid the ongoing fight against insurgency, troops from the Joint Task Force (North-East) under Operation Hadin Kai have once again proven their mettle. As part of Operation Desert Sanity V/Siege, soldiers carried out a bold offensive that led to the rescue of a young mother and her infant son from the clutches of terrorists in the Amuda general area.The rescued victims have been identified as Mrs. Maryam Muhammad, aged 20, and her little boy, Bello Muhammad, who is just 1 year and 4 months old. They were among the civilians snatched during a brutal terrorist attack…

Unknown gunmen have abducted the younger sister of former Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, along with her twin children in Ibadan, Oyo State.The incident occurred on Wednesday, June 3, at Elewura in the Challenge area of Ibadan South West Local Government Area. According to reports, the victims were attacked while leaving their residence in Elewura heading towards the expressway.Confirming the abduction, Femi Awogboro, a media aide to Adelabu, stated that the former minister’s sister and her twins, Peter and Paul, were whisked away by armed men.Adelabu, who is also the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant for Oyo State in…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for an independent investigation into the unauthorized exposure of Nollywood actor Emeka Ike’s voter registration details, citing serious concerns over electoral integrity and data protection.The controversy erupted after Lere Olayinka, media aide to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, shared screenshots on X (formerly Twitter) showing Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo State to Abuja. The images appeared to come from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) internal system, sparking allegations of improper access to restricted electoral data.INEC rejected claims of a cyberattack, stating instead that the breach resulted from the misuse of legitimate access…