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40-year-old female drug smuggler bags 1-year prison sentence

A Federal High Court in Ibadan on Thursday sentenced a 40-year-old woman, Omodunmami Ayantola to one year in the correctional centre for trafficking 45.6kg of Cannabis.

Delivering judgment, Justice Uche Agomoh convicted and sentenced Ayantola based on her guilty plea and the evidence tendered against her by the prosecution.

Agomoh added that she reduced the convict’s jail term because she did not waste the time and resources of the court before pleading guilty. She said that the convict was also a first time offender.

‘The convict has shown signs of remorse and has promised to turn a new leaf after completing her jail term. To serve as a deterrent to others, Ayantola is sentenced to one year imprisonment from the date of arrest. The dried weed substance found in her possession shall be destroyed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),’ Agomoh said.

The prosecuting counsel, Mr D.O. Otunla, had told the court that the convict committed the crime on April 1, at Eleta area of Ibadan, Oyo State.

Otunla said that the NDLEA operatives received intelligence reports from informants that Ayantola was into illicit drug dealing.

According to him, the operatives arrested the convict in possession of a substantial quantity of Cannabis Sativa weighing 45.6kg.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provision of Section 11(C ) of the NDLEA Act Cap n30 Law of the Federation, 2004.

SONA 2025 throwback: Marcos warns heads will roll over water

Water supply was one of the key issues raised by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2025. He warned officials and concessionaires over recurring shortages that have disrupted the lives of millions of Filipinos.

Declaring that ‘heads will roll’ if the problems persisted, Marcos vowed to hold those responsible accountable while directing government agencies to ensure a reliable and sustainable water supply for the public.

NUJ Osun condemns violence, hails rescue of Oyo abducted school children

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Osun State Council has condemned the spate of violence threatening to mar the forthcoming election in the state. The body also hailed the successful rescue of abducted school children in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

These positions of the council, amongst others, were contained in the communique issued and signed by the Communique Drafting Committee of the council at the end of the union’s July 2026 Congress held at its secretariat, Osogbo on Wednesday.

The congress was presided over by the council’s Chairman, Comrade Adeyemi Aboderin.

The Congress thanked Governor Ademola Adeleke for approving permanent employment for 66 freelance staff of the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, OSBC.

The Council acknowledged what it called ‘the crucial role played by the Senator representing Osun West and the Accord party campaign DG, Akogun Lere Oyewumi, on the absorption of the OSBC casual staff as full employees of Osun State Government.’

It enjoined the beneficiaries to reciprocate by re-dedicating themselves to their duties.

The congress condemned the spate of political violence ahead of the governorship election in the state and urged security agencies, most especially the police to be neutral, adding that ‘there is a need for the police to project their image positively to gain public trust.’

It charged politicians to play by the rules and rein in their supporters, adding that election should not be a do or die affair.

On the August 15 election, the NUJ urged registered voters to collect their PVCs at the INEC designated centers and also charged everyone to reject fear and ensure they vote on Election Day.

It called on the security operatives to guarantee the safety of Journalists in the state, before, during, and after the governorship election.

The Congress commended the Federal Government on the rescue of abducted children and teachers in Orire local government area of Oyo State and urged the Osun State Government to improve on security in schools and boundary areas in the state.

Letran repels Enderun to complete Shakey’s volleyball semis cast

Reigning NCAA champion Letran turned it on late to thwart the gritty Enderun Colleges, 21-25, 25-21, 25-14, 14-25, 15-4, and complete the Final Four cast in the 2026 Shakey’s Collegiate National Invitationals Thursday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

Judiel Nitura and Reeza Abayon joined forces down the stretch, igniting a 5-0 start en route to a dominant finish as the Lady Knights capped their campaign at 2-3 to catch the last semis bus.

Letran will take on the top-ranked UST, while NCAA runner-up St. Benilde and Australia’s Southern Storm Melbourne clash in the other semis pairing Friday.

‘Ang sinasabi ko lang sa kanila na kung ano ang itinuturo ni coach ‘yun ang dapat gawin at sundin namin. Nag-adjust kami paunti-unti kaya nakuha namin ang panalo,’ said playmaker Hizki Flores, who stabilized Letran’s offense in the decider to finish with 16 sets.

Abayon paced the Lady Knights with 17 points on 15 hits while Nitura added 14 markers, including three in Letran’s 10-3 runaway in the fifth set.

Althea Botor (14) led the way while Jasmine Salvani and Ederlyn Alba had eight and seven points, respectively, for the Lady Titans, who wrapped up their run at 1-4.

erun and Ho Chi Minh City Volleyball Club of Vietnam will battle in the classification match also Friday before the Final Four.

Barbosa edges Paragua, finishes fourth in 14th New York International chess tilt

There is still gas left in the tank for possibly one last shot at World Chess Olympiad glory for Filipino Grandmaster Oliver Barbosa.

And Philippine chess should notice after the 39-year-old Barbosa finished a strong fourth in the ultra-competitive 14th New York International at the Marshall Chess Club 23 West in 10th Street Wednesday.

Barbosa, who hails from Pasig but is now based in New York, bested countryman GM Mark Paragua in the ninth and final round and ended up with an undefeated score of 6.5 points on four wins and five draws in the tournament that drew 70 participants, including 13 GMs.

One of those GMs was Safal Bora, who edged fellow American GM David Brodsky via tiebreak to rule the meet after the two amassed seven points apiece.

Barbosa actually wound up tied for No. 3 with Indian GM Karthik Venkataraman and Ukrainian GM Oleksii Bilych but the former settled at No. 4 and the latter two at No. 3 and No. 5, respectively, after tiebreaks were applied.

Apart from Paragua, Barbosa also caught a GM in fifth seed Praneeth Vuppala of India and split the points with top seed Venkataraman, eighth seed GM Mackenzie Molner of the US and fourth pick GM Labit Babu of India.

The effort could be a statement that he is still capable of suiting up for the Nationals in this September’s Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

The last time he did came 14 years ago in Istanbul, Turkey where he manned second board and scored seven out of 11 on five wins and four draws against two defeats.

Paragua, also an Olympiad veteran, did well too and scored 5.5 in the first seven rounds before dropping his last two and ended up 17th overall.

The National Chess Federation of the Philippines has two more men’s slots left, with one reportedly going to another US-based player in GM Inno Sadorra, who played top board for the Nationals in Budapest, Hungary two years ago and did well there.

International Master Jem Garcia, GM Darwin Laylo and IM Michael Concio Jr. took the first three slots after finishing in the top three in the Battle of the GMs last month.

The last one could go to anyone.

But there is hope it could land on Barbosa.

Aregbesola boasts of unique legacy after two terms as governor

Rauf Aregbesola, the National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has boasted of his legacy during his time as governor of Osun State.

While speaking in a recent video, Aregbesola revealed that he was staying in his friends house during his eight year tenure as governor of Osun State. He claimed that throughout his tenure, he did not own a house of his own.

He also claimed that he is the first governor with such a record, asking those who would disagree with his claim to come forward with proof.

‘I’m the first governor in Nigeria to rule a state for eight years without owning a house of his own. I stayed in my friend’s house for eight years as a governor in my father’s land. Whoever says that what I’m saying is not true should come out and show me the house I own,’ he stated.

The former Minister of Interior under the administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari served as governor of Osun State from 2019 to 2018.

Reps halt NRS recruitment, threaten action against chairman

The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Character has ordered the immediate suspension of all recruitment by the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS).

The committee also warned that it could take constitutional action against the agency’s Executive Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, for repeatedly failing to honour invitations from the National Assembly.

The committee, led by Ahmed Idris Wase, accused Adedeji of ignoring several invitations and requests for official documents sent by lawmakers.

At a meeting in Abuja, the committee said it would rely on Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution to compel the NRS chairman to appear if he continues to ignore its summons.

These sections give the National Assembly the power to investigate government agencies, summon officials and request documents.

According to the committee, it wrote to the NRS on July 15, 2026, asking Adedeji to submit the agency’s updated staff list and appear before lawmakers on July 22. However, he did not attend the meeting.

Lawmakers said this was not the first time the NRS had ignored them.

They claimed the agency had failed to respond to at least seven previous invitations sent between October 2023 and April 2026.

The committee said the dispute is linked to recruitment exercises and waivers reportedly approved for the NRS by the Federal Character Commission (FCC), despite an earlier directive from the House stopping such approvals.

The Chairman of the FCC, Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, also failed to attend the meeting. She informed the committee that she was away on official duty and was ill.

However, lawmakers described her repeated absence as unacceptable, noting that she had ignored several previous invitations.

The committee also criticised the FCC for granting recruitment waivers to the NRS, saying the decision undermined the constitutional oversight powers of the House of Representatives.

As a result, lawmakers directed the FCC to immediately stop all ongoing recruitment by the NRS until the leadership of both agencies appears before the committee to explain their actions.

Speaking during the meeting, Wase said no government agency or public official is above the Constitution.

He stressed that the National Assembly’s oversight powers are meant to ensure accountability and must be respected by all public institutions.

The committee added that continued refusal by government officials to honour invitations weakens democracy, reduces public trust and damages the country’s system of checks and balances.

It also vowed to use every legal and constitutional means available to enforce compliance.

Meanwhile, sources at the National Assembly said Adedeji’s refusal to appear may be linked to allegations of irregularities in previous recruitment and appointments within the NRS.

The allegations followed a Daily Trust report published on January 30, 2026, which claimed that the appointment of five out of the six Executive Directors of the NRS violated Section 17(1) of the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act.

The law states that each Executive Director must represent a different geopolitical zone and that the Executive Chairman and any Executive Director must not come from the same state.

The appointments are now being challenged in an Abuja High Court by the Incorporated Trustees of Patriotic Youth Organisations of Nigeria, which is asking the court to stop the affected Executive Directors from performing their duties until the case is decided.

The President, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Nigeria Revenue Service are listed as defendants in the suit.

PSEi snaps 2-day slide on bargain hunting

Local stocks snapped a two-day losing streak on Thursday as bargain hunting offset continuing geopolitical risks and a weaker peso.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) edged up 0.24 percent, or 15.27 points, to close at 6,283.12.

Philstocks Financial Inc. research manager Japhet Tantiangco said the market’s rebound was driven mainly by bargain hunting after recent losses.

Luis Limlingan, head of sales at Regina Capital Development Corp., said investors took advantage of lower appraisal, leading to renewed buying interest across selected sectors.

Selective buying

‘The rebound reflected improved sentiment as investors selectively accumulated stocks at more attractive price levels,’ Limlingan said.

Still, investors remained cautious, with net value turnover reaching only P4.99 billion.

The broader market also showed a weak nuances as decliners outnumbered advancers, 17 to 13, while foreign investors remained net sellers with outflows of P76.61 million.

Tantiangco said the cautious backdrop stemmed from downside risks tied to the US-Iran conflict, which has raised concerns over higher global prices and the continued weakness of the peso against the US dollar.

‘The local market bounced back today mainly due to bargain hunting,’ he said. ‘Sentiment remains cautious, however.’

The banking index rose 1.20 percent to lead sectoral gains, while mining and oil stocks fell 1.10 percent to post the biggest drop.

Among index members, Semirara Mining and Power Corp. emerged as the top gainer, advancing 5.10 percent to P22.65.

Meanwhile, DigiPlus Interactive Corp. was the day’s biggest laggard, dropping 3.04 percent to P9.89.

Analysts said the session’s modest gain suggested that while investors took advantage of lower valuations, many stayed on the sidelines as they monitored developments in the Middle East and their potential impact on inflation, currencies and financial markets.

Indian opposition leader Gandhi detained during anti-government demonstration

Indian police detained opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and several other opposition figures on Tuesday during a sit-in outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, as student-led anti-government protests continued to spread despite an intensified crackdown by authorities, AzerNEWS reports.

The demonstration was organized in response to the government’s handling of the ongoing student movement, known as the “Cockroach” protests, which has called for education reforms and greater government accountability.

Before being taken into custody, Gandhi called for the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accusing them of responsibility for the authorities’ response to the protests.

According to local media and eyewitnesses, police forcibly removed Gandhi from the protest site and placed him in a police vehicle after protesters attempted to shield him from arrest. Those detained were subsequently taken to a nearby police station.

Pawan Khera, a senior member of Gandhi’s Indian National Congress party, confirmed that the opposition leader had been detained by police. He added that Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi’s sister, was also among those arrested during the protest.

The arrests come amid mounting political tensions as demonstrations led by students continue across several parts of India, with protesters demanding sweeping reforms to the education system and increased accountability from the government over its handling of the unrest.

Top netters from Visayas collide as Palawan Series concludes in Mandaue

The Palawan Juniors Tennis Series wraps up its successful three-leg Visayas swing with the Mandaue City Juniors Age Group Tennis Championships, where another strong field of the region’s finest and rising talents will battle for championship honors and valuable ranking points beginning Thursday, July 23, at the Mandaue City courts in Cebu.

Serving as the final stop of the regional circuit after tournaments in Naga City and Cebu City, the six-day event is expected to deliver another week of high-level competition as players seek to cap the regional swing with impressive finishes before the nationwide circuit moves on to its next destination.

Fresh from a dominant campaign in last week’s Cebu City leg, Matthew Morris faces a tougher challenge as he tries to replicate his title romp. The Dumaguete standout captured three crowns, including the boys’ 16- and 18-and-under singles titles and the 18-and-U doubles championship with Jhunreal Espinosa.

This time, however, Morris will have to contend with top seed Aaron Tabura in the premier division, while another showdown with Espinosa looms in the 16-and-U category. Also expected to contend are Everett Niera, Marcus Sio, Andrio Estrella, Rynel Borgonia, Max Ada and Claudwin Toñacao.

The girls’ divisions are likewise packed with contenders as Mitchellen Cruspero goes for back-to-back titles in the 18-and-U class. Standing in her way is Donna Mae Diamante, eager to avenge her loss last week, while Juliana Tenepre, Alexa Ong and Christine Palomares hope to pull off breakthrough performances.

Cruspero and Diamante are also tipped to renew their rivalry in the girls’ 16-and-U class, where Nadine Seno, Kristina Villaver, Alessandra Garcia, Sabrina Aldeguer, Molly Tan and Abby Castigador are all capable of shaking up the draw.

Titles will also be contested in the boys’ and girls’ 12- and 14-and-under singles divisions, along with the 14- and 18-and-U doubles events.

The Mandaue tournament caps a three-week Visayas campaign following the successful Mindanao leg of the nationwide Palawan Juniors Tennis Series, sanctioned by Philta and Universal Tennis Rating. More than a tournament circuit, the series is designed to provide young Filipino players with a consistent, high-quality competitive platform where they can develop their games, gain valuable match experience, earn ranking points and prepare for higher levels of competition.

Backed by ICON Golf and Sports, Dunlop and the Palawan Group of Companies, the nationwide program is under the initiative of Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro, whose sustained commitment has expanded opportunities for aspiring players through professionally organized tournaments staged across the country.

“Our goal is to give more young Filipinos regular opportunities to compete, improve and measure themselves against the best players in their age group,” said Castro. “By bringing quality tournaments to different regions, we’re helping build a stronger pathway for promising juniors to reach the next level and realize their potential.’