Morocco booked their place in the FIFA World Cup last 16 after defeating the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties following a dramatic 1-1 draw after extra time in Monterrey.   The Atlas Lions will now face Canada in Houston on Saturday after goalkeeper Yassine Bounou emerged as the hero, saving Crysencio Summerville’s penalty before Ismael Saibari converted the decisive spot-kick. According to AFP, Morocco snatched extra time in dramatic fashion when Issa Diop headed home Chemsdine Talbi’s cross in the first minute of stoppage time, denying the Dutch victory at the death. The Netherlands had looked set to progress after Cody Gakpo put them ahead midway through the second half. The Liverpool forward, playing days after the reported loss of his unborn child, celebrated emotionally with teammates after finishing from Crysencio Summerville’s cross. Morocco created the better opportunities for much of the contest. Neil El Aynaoui was denied by an outstanding reflex save from Bart Verbruggen, who also tipped over a fierce effort from Achraf Hakimi before halftime. The physical encounter saw several robust challenges, with Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio frequently called into action as tensions rose between both teams. The Dutch nearly doubled their advantage, but Morocco refused to surrender. Diop’s injury-time header sent the match into extra time, where Verbruggen produced another remarkable save to deny Soufiane Rahimi from close range. The tie eventually went to penalties. Although El Aynaoui struck the crossbar with Morocco’s opening kick, Bounou’s crucial stop from Summerville allowed Saibari to seal victory and spark celebrations among the Moroccan players and supporters. The result sends Morocco into the knockout stage, where they will take on Canada for a place in the quarter-finals.

The United States military is working to reopen a major port in Venezuela as the death toll from last week’s devastating twin earthquakes has risen above 1,700, with tens of thousands of people still reported missing.   According to AFP, cited by Channels Television, US Marines are repairing the heavily damaged port in La Guaira to speed up the delivery of humanitarian aid, while American airmen have helped partially restore operations at Simon Bolivar International Airport near Caracas. Five days after the powerful 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck the coastal state of La Guaira, hopes of finding more survivors are fading as the critical 72-hour rescue window has passed. At a temporary morgue in La Guaira, hundreds of bodies remain in coffins and body bags awaiting identification as grieving families search for missing relatives. “There were 11 people in my household. Only two of us survived because we were at work,” survivor Wilker Molalla told AFP. Despite the grim outlook, rescuers have recorded a handful of remarkable survivals. A 21-year-old identified as Aaron Levi was pulled alive from rubble in Tanaguarena, while rescuers also investigated reports from a woman who claimed she was still trapped beneath a collapsed apartment building in Caraballeda. The United States has doubled its disaster assistance from $150 million to $300 million as international relief efforts continue. Since January, Washington has been the main international backer of Venezuela’s interim government following the removal of former president Nicolas Maduro. Authorities said 24 countries have sent 521 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, along with more than 2,700 search-and-rescue personnel and 86 specialist canine units. Officials reported that 3,150 people have been injured, while 774 buildings suffered severe damage, including 189 that completely collapsed. Public frustration has continued to grow over what many residents describe as a slow emergency response. In some affected communities, locals urged soldiers to join rescue operations, while looting has been reported in parts of La Guaira amid shortages of food, medicine and other essentials. The UN migration agency estimates that as many as 6.76 million people could require emergency shelter, healthcare, clean water, sanitation and other humanitarian assistance following one of the worst earthquake disasters in Venezuela’s history.

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has announced sweeping reforms aimed at improving the speed, efficiency and transparency of proceedings at the Supreme Court through the introduction of digital case management tools.   Speaking at the opening of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Branch Law Week 2026 on Monday, the CJN revealed that the Supreme Court will soon deploy a National Case Management System (NCMS) to manage cases electronically from filing to judgment, according to Channels Television. She said the new system would enhance case tracking, reduce delays, strengthen court administration and improve transparency in the justice system. Justice Kekere-Ekun also announced that the Supreme Court would unveil the Supreme Court (Mandatory Upload of Electronic Copies of Processes, Record of Appeal, and Other Matters) Practice Directions, 2026 on July 1. Under the new practice directions, lawyers will be required to upload electronic copies of court processes and appeal records in addition to the existing paper filing system. According to the CJN, the reforms will strengthen registry administration, make court documents more accessible to Justices and accelerate the determination of appeals. She stressed that the initiative goes beyond digitising existing procedures, describing it as a carefully planned effort to modernise the administration of justice while preserving constitutional values and judicial independence. Justice Kekere-Ekun also addressed the growing role of artificial intelligence in the legal profession, stating that while AI can assist with legal research and case management, it cannot replace judges in deciding cases. “Technology is an instrument of justice; it can never become its substitute,” she said, adding that the constitutional responsibility for determining rights and obligations must remain with human judges who are accountable under the law. The CJN called on lawyers, judges, lawmakers, universities and technology experts to collaborate in building a digital justice system that reflects Nigeria’s legal framework and constitutional principles. She said the reforms are expected to modernise the judiciary while boosting public confidence through faster, more transparent and accessible court services.

The opening of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal for the submission of candidates for the 2027 general elections has triggered fresh political tensions, with rival factions in major parties battling over control of nomination lists.   According to The PUNCH, the crisis is most pronounced in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where two rival leadership factions are laying claim to the authority to submit candidates to INEC. The faction recognised by INEC, led by Abdulrahman Mohammed and National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, confirmed that it has received the commission’s access code and has started uploading candidates’ details. PDP National Organising Secretary Umar Bature said the exercise was underway and would be completed before the deadline, expressing confidence that the party would meet all electoral requirements. However, the rival Interim National Working Committee led by Tanimu Turaki (SAN) said it had not received the access code. A member of the faction insisted that ongoing court cases over the party’s leadership would determine who ultimately controls the nomination process before the July 18 submission deadline. INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna said political parties had been collecting portal access codes since June 26. He maintained that the commission would only recognise the PDP leadership upheld by the courts. Haruna also declined to comment on which PDP faction received nomination documents, saying that responsibility lies with INEC’s pre-election and monitoring department. The leadership crisis follows the Supreme Court’s split judgment of April 30, which invalidated the PDP national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025. Since then, the Board of Trustees reconstituted an interim leadership, creating parallel structures within the party. The dispute has also spread to state chapters. In Lagos, uncertainty surrounds the PDP governorship ticket, with Adedeji Doherty and Adetokunbo Pearse both claiming the party’s nomination. The All Progressives Congress (APC) is also facing internal disputes. In Lagos, the party insists that the legislative candidates announced after its primaries remain valid despite complaints from aggrieved aspirants. The Edo APC confirmed it had uploaded its candidates after the party’s national appeals committee resolved petitions arising from the primaries. State chapters of both the APC and PDP in Jigawa also confirmed receiving INEC access codes and have begun uploading candidates, while the Kogi PDP said it would commence uploads after verifying candidates’ documents. In Benue, successful APC candidates aligned with Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume have reportedly received nomination forms, while some candidates loyal to Governor Hyacinth Alia are still awaiting theirs. The Kwara PDP said it had completed documentation for all its candidates, while some APC House of Assembly candidates in the state were yet to receive nomination forms. Fresh controversy also erupted in Ondo State, where hundreds of APC women protested against the party’s published candidates’ list. The protesters alleged that the names did not reflect the actual winners of the party’s House of Representatives primaries. The demonstrators accused party leaders of attempting to impose candidates and called on the national leadership to respect the outcome of the primaries, insisting that the votes of party members should be reflected in the final list submitted to INEC. With the candidate submission deadline approaching, unresolved legal battles and internal disputes continue to cast uncertainty over the nomination process in several political parties.