Harry Kane delivered when it mattered most, scoring twice to help England overturn an early deficit and beat DR Congo 2-1 in a tense FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash.   The dramatic comeback in Atlanta secured England’s place in the last 16, where they will face Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca. According to AFP via Channels Television, England were pushed to the brink of a shocking elimination after DR Congo struck first through Brian Cipenga in the opening stages. Cipenga capitalised on a defensive lapse to fire home a low shot that slipped past Jordan Pickford, silencing the largely England-supporting crowd. The early goal unsettled England, with Jude Bellingham visibly frustrated and booked during a heated first half. Lionel Mpasi also produced a string of impressive saves to deny England repeatedly before the break. DR Congo nearly doubled their lead before half-time, but Yoane Wissa struck the outside of the post from close range. England manager Thomas Tuchel responded in the second half with attacking substitutions, introducing Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze to spark a comeback. The changes paid off in the 75th minute when Gordon delivered a pinpoint cross for Kane, who powered in a header to level the score. Kane completed the turnaround in the 86th minute, latching onto another Gordon assist before smashing a powerful effort into the roof of the net. The brace took Kane’s World Cup tally to 13 goals and five in the 2026 tournament, strengthening his push for the Golden Boot. While England advanced, their performance raised concerns ahead of a much tougher test against Mexico in the last 16. For DR Congo, the defeat brought an emotional end to a remarkable World Cup journey. The Leopards exceeded expectations on their first appearance at the tournament in 52 years, producing one of the competition’s most memorable underdog stories.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced its promotion exercise for more than 13,000 civil servants across the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).   The 10-day exercise, which began on Wednesday, will involve eligible officers across 150 cadres and grade levels as part of efforts to strengthen career progression within the FCT civil service. According to Channels Television, Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission, Emeka Ezeh, said the exercise was approved by Nyesom Wike. Ezeh said the promotion exercise aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and is designed to ensure eligible officers are given opportunities for career advancement. He disclosed that Wike also directed the commission to ensure the 2026 promotion exercise is completed before the end of the year to prevent delays and improve staff progression. According to him, the minister instructed the commission to work closely with relevant agencies within the FCTA to ensure a smooth process and avoid challenges experienced during previous exercises. Ezeh assured candidates that adequate arrangements had been made for a seamless exercise and urged participants to remain patient throughout the Computer-Based Test (CBT) process. The commission noted that it became the first civil service commission in Nigeria to conduct promotion examinations using CBT in 2024, just six months after its inauguration in March of that year. The latest exercise is expected to further reinforce efforts to modernise the FCT civil service promotion system and improve administrative efficiency.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has inaugurated a committee to drive the integration of traditional and orthodox medicine as part of efforts to improve healthcare delivery in Nigeria.   The committee was inaugurated on Wednesday at the Olubadan Palace in Oke Aremo, Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State. According to Punch Newspapers, the monarch, represented by the Director-General of the Olubadan Palace, Basiru Olanrewaju, said the initiative is aimed at ensuring both healthcare systems complement each other for better medical outcomes. Ladoja said traditional medicine remains effective and should work alongside orthodox medicine to serve the healthcare needs of Nigerians. He noted that integrating both systems would benefit not only residents of Ibadanland but also the wider Nigerian population. “I believe in the efficacy of traditional medicine because I use it and it works. Therefore, there is a need for both systems to complement each other in the delivery of healthcare,” the monarch said. The committee includes representatives from the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, the Olubadan Palace, and researchers in traditional medicine. Members were urged to work diligently towards achieving the objective of the initiative, with periodic meetings scheduled to ensure effective implementation. The move follows an earlier call by Ladoja on May 14, 2026, when he advocated stronger collaboration between traditional and modern medicine while receiving executives of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Oyo State branch. At the time, the monarch stressed that traditional medicine remains accessible and affordable for many Nigerians and warned that indigenous medical knowledge should not be lost.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revoked the operating licences of 46 microfinance banks across Nigeria over regulatory breaches, in a major move aimed at strengthening financial sector stability.   According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the apex bank’s Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali, the revocation took effect from July 1, 2026, following approval by CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso. Punch reported that the action was taken under Sections 12 and 13 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020. The CBN said the affected institutions failed to meet key regulatory requirements needed to continue operations as licensed financial institutions. Infractions identified included insufficient assets to cover liabilities, closure of operations without regulatory approval, prolonged inactivity, failure to commence business within 12 months of licensing, and failure to maintain the required minimum capital. The affected lenders include Tier 1, Tier 2 and state microfinance banks operating in Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Abia, Ogun, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Kebbi, Kwara, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Anambra. Among the affected banks are Gold Microfinance Bank, Creditville Microfinance Bank, Supreme Microfinance Bank, Winview Microfinance Bank, Merchant Microfinance Bank, Safegate Microfinance Bank and NOW NOW Digital Microfinance Bank. Several Kano-based institutions were also affected, including Bompai Microfinance Bank, Minjibir Microfinance Bank, Shanono Microfinance Bank, Sumaila Microfinance Bank, Rimin Gado Microfinance Bank, Sycamore Microfinance Bank, TOFA Microfinance Bank, Kanopoly Microfinance Bank and Esteem Microfinance Bank. The regulator said the move forms part of its broader efforts to protect depositors and ensure compliance with banking regulations. The CBN reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a safe, sound and resilient financial system, adding that supervisory and regulatory actions would continue where necessary to preserve public confidence. The development comes as the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation recently disclosed that more than 281 million depositors across Nigeria’s banking system remain protected against bank failures. NDIC Managing Director Thompson Sunday said the corporation currently provides deposit insurance coverage across 914 licensed financial institutions, with over 98 per cent of depositors fully insured following the upward review of insurance limits in May 2024.