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SB19 to unveil new song ‘Lawless’ on July 31

July continues to be an eventful month for SB19 as they announced that aside from their international appearances, A’TINs can look forward to the release of the group’s new single ‘Lawless’ before the month ends.

The P-pop supergroup is set to unveil the track on July 31, as per the announcement shared on their social media pages on Wednesday, July 22.

‘We don’t stop at borders. We go beyond them. Better watch your back. JULY 31 PHT,’ it reads.

The song’s music video will be released on the same date.

Ahead of ‘Lawless,’ SB19 is set to appear on the Grammy Museum’s ‘Global Spin Live’ on July 28 (July 29 in the Philippines), then throw a ceremonial first pitch at the pre-game ceremony of the Chicago White Sox vs. New York Yankees matchup on July 29 (July 30 in the Philippines).

The following day, the quintet will perform at the Lollapalooza festival, making history as the first Filipino homegrown act to perform at the Chicago-based music festival.

In August, the group will fly to Japan for their Thanksgiving fan meet, and to perform at the Summer Sonic festival.

CRICKET-HUNDRED-Matthews stars but MI London go down in opener

West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews topscored for MI London Women, but her team still went down by seven wickets to Sunrisers Leeds Women in the opening match of the Women’s Hundred here on Tuesday.

Matthews hit 33 off 22 balls with four fours and one six in her side’s below par score of 107 for eight after they were sent in to bat at Kennington Oval.

Matthews and fellow opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who scored 29 off 20 balls, shared an opening stand of 56 off 37 balls, but once Deepti Sharma got the breakthrough by holding on to a return catch to dismiss Matthews, MI London’s batting faltered, with Melie Kerr, who scored 13, the only other batter to get into double digits.

Fellow West Indian, Chinelle Henry made just six off 11 balls.

Hannah Baker (2-16), Dani Gibson (2-17), and Sharma (2-20), all took two wickets.

Phoebe Litchfield then scored a quickfire 43 off 26 balls, while Annabel Sutherland hit an unbeaten 30 off 23 balls to lead Leeds Women to 109 for three with 31 balls to spare.

The two added 57 runs for the third wicket off 36 balls, following the early losses of Bryony Smith and Jess Jonassen, that reduced them to 24 for two.

Both Henry and Matthews went wicketless in their 15-ball spells.

Sri Lanka moves to scale climate finance and insurance solution for MSMEs in wake of Cyclone Ditwah

Chrysalis recently brought together an unprecedented cross-section of Sri Lanka’s policy, finance, and development community at the Granbel Hotel, Colombo, for a Dialogue and Reflection Session on ‘Inclusive Climate and Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance’ (CDRFI) for MSMEs.

Convened under the Multi-Actor Partnership (MAP) approach, supported by CARE Germany and Co-funded by BMZ, the European Union, and Co-Impact Gender Fund, the event placed one question at the centre: how does Sri Lanka turn a proven community finance model into a national institution?

The answer has become urgent. Cyclone Ditwah, which tore through Sri Lanka in November 2025, left an estimated Rs. 50-85 b in damage across the MSME sector – enterprises that collectively account for 52% of the country’s GDP. Supply chains stalled. Cash flows dried up. For women-owned enterprises in the worst-affected areas, the impact was even greater, as they already faced credit constraints 32% higher than their male counterparts. Formal banks were unable to respond quickly, while available insurance products did not meet their needs. The gap was clear and immediate.

Into that gap stepped the Climate Resilience Revolving Fund (CRRF). Designed by Chrysalis with consortia governance, climate-event triggers, and repayment terms built around how small businesses actually recover, the CRRF moved recovery loans to affected members within 3 to 10 days of the cyclone – faster than any formal institution. For thousands of small producers, it was the only financial lifeline available.

‘Ditwah did not create the vulnerability – it exposed it. Sri Lanka’s MSMEs, especially women-led businesses in high-risk areas, have long been underserved by financial systems not built for their realities. The CRRF was designed to fill that gap. This dialogue is about making sure it becomes a permanent part of how this country responds to climate disasters – not a one-off intervention,’ said Chrysalis Chief Executive Officer Ashika Gunasena.

The dialogue opened with a detailed presentation of the CRRF model, which Chrysalis Programs Director Ahamed Rislan described as structurally distinct from conventional microfinance. Where traditional instruments rely on fixed-asset collateral and slow credit processes, the CRRF is triggered by climate events, governed by the consortia it serves, and engineered to release capital at disaster speed.

‘The CRRF is not microfinance with a climate label – it is built differently, and Cyclone Ditwah proved it. The model held. Now the work is to make it permanent and scale it to every MSME that will face the next storm,’ stated Chrysalis Programs Director Ahamed Rislan.

The session produced strong cross-sector momentum. The Ministry of Industry introduced SME NEXUS -the national framework for MSME growth -and signaled clear intent to embed climate resilience into its operational rollout. The government’s position was unambiguous.

‘Resilience should not begin after disaster strikes -it must be built into every MSME through policy, financing, and preparedness,’added Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry Additional Secretary Anoja Herath, who was a special guest at the event.

CARE Germany Program and Contract Management Officer Hanna Bartels said that the Multi-Actor Partnership exists to do exactly this – bring every part of the ecosystem into one room so that what works on the ground can be backed by policy and capital. The CRRF has earned that support’.

Two gaps dominated the afternoon’s discussion: the absence of parametric climate insurance for MSMEs, and the lack of granular data needed to build such products. Consortia members added a third: the need for faster, more accurate early-warning information from the Government before disasters strike. Their testimony was direct.

‘After Ditwah, our supply chain was gone overnight. No bank came. No insurer called. The CRRF reached us in days. We need this to stay – not disappear when the project ends,’ said Charlot’s Apparel Badulla Founder Nirmalie Ranasinghe.

The dialogue closed with stakeholders aligned on a blended-finance architecture: concessional public capital layered with GCF and GEF funding, IFI and development partner windows, commercial bank on-lending, and climate insurance – all delivered through MSME consortia at the last mile. Chrysalis will document the operating model and convene a technical working group within the next quarter to develop a cost national scale-up roadmap.

Snoop Dogg biopic coming to theaters next year

A biographical film about hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg is set to arrive in theaters on August 6, 2027, with Universal Pictures developing the project, AzerNEWS reports citing foreign media.

The film, titled “Snoop,” will chronicle the life and career of Calvin Broadus Jr., from his early years in Long Beach, California, to becoming one of the most influential figures in music and popular culture.

The movie will be directed by Craig Brewer, who previously worked on music-driven films such as Hustle and Flow and Dolemite Is My Name. Actor Jonathan Daviss, known for Netflix’s Outer Banks, will portray Snoop Dogg in the lead role.

The biopic is being produced by Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment, Snoop Dogg, and Death Row Pictures. The project is expected to explore the rapper’s breakthrough with Dr. Dre, his rise in the West Coast hip-hop scene, his success as a recording artist, and his later career as an entrepreneur and cultural icon.

The film will also feature Snoop Dogg’s music catalogue and will mark one of the first major projects connected to Death Row Pictures’ partnership with Universal.

The production aims to tell the story of an artist whose career has spanned more than three decades and expanded beyond music into film, television, business and entertainment.

“Snoop” is scheduled to open in theaters on August 6, 2027.

Somalia’s instant payment system powering economy

When I assumed leadership of the Central Bank of Somalia, one question drove much of my thinking: how can we build an economy that matches the aspirations of our people?

Part of the answer lies in the financial infrastructure that allows money to move securely, businesses to trade and citizens to participate.

For years, Somalia’s payments landscape was fragmented. Banks and mobile money operators ran closed-loop, non-interoperable systems, preventing seamless transfers across providers and creating costly inefficiencies and financial exclusion.

In 2021, the Central Bank connected commercial banks through the National Payment System for large-value transfers, enabling reliable real-time gross settlement and automated clearing of interbank transactions.

However, the system did not fully address the need for a 24/7 infrastructure capable of supporting everyday retail economy. SIPS fills that gap.

Launched in January 2025 and built on ISO 20022, Somalia’s instant payment system (SIPS) enables instant, interoperable payments across participating institutions. When fully integrated, it will connect 14 commercial banks and eight mobile money and e-wallet providers through a single network.

SIPS supports person-to-person transfers, merchant payments, payments to government and government disbursements to citizens. Business-to-person, business-to-government and business-to-business services are also being developed.

Its integration with SOMQR, Somalia’s standardised QR code, will make digital payments easier for merchants, including informal businesses that drive much of daily commerce.

SIPS did not emerge from a government mandate alone. The Somalia Payment Switch, which operates SIPS, was established as a partnership between the Central Bank and 13 commercial banks. That structure was deliberate.

I believe that shared infrastructure built through collaboration is more resilient than infrastructure fully operated by the Central Bank.

The next priority is integrating mobile money operators, which serve most Somalis in their daily financial lives. Once connected, the real scale of this system will become visible, making every Somali with a mobile wallet is part of the same interoperable network, turning SIPS into a powerful engine of financial inclusion.

Somalia’s ambitions also extend beyond its borders. As the newest member of the East African Community, we intend to contribute to modern regional payment infrastructure.

We are also working to connect SIPS to the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System before end of 2026. For a country where remittances are a major source of household income, payment efficiency is an economic, social and strategic priority.

SIPS demonstrates that modern financial infrastructure can be built even in fragile context when policy direction, institutional commitment and market collaboration align. We are laying the foundation for a more connected, inclusive and competitive digital economy.

Yanga to start new season without Mzize, Job, Pacome

Young Africans (Yanga) have been handed an early setback ahead of the 2026/27 season after three influential players, Clement Mzize, Dickson Job and Pacome Zouzoua, were confirmed to be unavailable for the opening part of the league campaign due to injury setbacks.

The absence of the key trio is set to challenge new head coach Manqoba Mngqithi as he prepares a squad expected to compete for domestic honours while also carrying the club’s ambitions in continental competitions. Yanga will face Simba in the Community Shield match on August 12 before taking on Namungo FC on August 15 at Majaliwa Stadium in Lindi.

Mzize, Job and Pacome have all played significant roles in Yanga’s recent success, and their prolonged absence means the club willTanzania international striker Mzize is among the players expected to miss the start of the league season after failing to recover in time from his injury. The forward has become a vital part of Yanga’s attacking options, offering pace, movement and a constant threat in the final third. His absence could force Mngqithi to rethink his attacking approach as the coach looks for a reliable goal scoring option while waiting for the striker’s return. Defender Dickson Job will also continue his recovery, with the centre back not expected back until late November or early December. Job’s injury leaves a significant void in Yanga’s defensive structure, considering his experience, physical strength and ability to organise the backline. Yanga information officer Ali Kamwe provided an update on the club’s injured players during an interview with U FM, revealing the progress made by Abubakar Khomeini, Job, Mzize and Pacome.

Kamwe said goalkeeper Khomeini has recovered by about 85 per cent from a hip problem and is now close to making his return to competitive football.

‘Job and Mzize are currently undergoing light training sessions and are expected to return at the end of November or the beginning of December this year,’ Kamwe said. However, Pacome’s situation remains the biggest concern for the Jangwani based club. The Ivorian attacking midfielder, who underwent surgery after suffering a serious injury, has already spent several weeks in hospital before being discharged. Kamwe revealed that Pacome is preparing to travel to Paris, France, for further specialised treatment, a move that could delay his return to action.

The absence of Pacome could have the biggest tactical impact on Yanga. The creative midfielder has been one of the team’s most influential players, providing goals, assists and attacking ideas from the middle of the park.

His ability to unlock defences and connect midfield with attack has made him a key figure in Yanga’s playing style, and his continued absence will require Mngqithi to find alternative solutions. The South African coach, who replaced Pedro Goncalves, favours an attacking 4-3-3 system that depends on creativity, quick transitions and strong attacking movements. Without Pacome, Mzize and Job, he may have to adjust his plans as he builds a team capable of defending Yanga’s domestic dominance.

While the club has been active in strengthening its squad ahead of the new campaign, the latest injury concerns highlight the importance of having enough quality options to maintain competitiveness throughout a demanding season.

For Yanga, the priority will be managing the recovery of their injured stars while ensuring the team remains competitive until their return.

Crackdown Imminent: Bauchi to close down all Illegal private schools

The Bauchi State Government has confirmed that they plan to prosecute proprietors of unregistered private schools operating in the state.

Abdulkadir Ibrahim, the state’s Commissioner for Education, announced this during an inspection tour of selected private schools in Bauchi metropolis.

Ibrahim explained that the move was part of efforts to sanitise the education sector and enforce compliance with minimum standards across private schools in the state.

He explained that only 17 of the 47 private schools inspected by the ministry were duly registered, adding that the remaining 30 were operating illegally.

He also stated that the government would continue to work with compliant school proprietors to improve learning outcomes and ensure quality education.

Cyprus working for viable, functional and resilient solution says President

Cyprus is working towards a viable, functional and resilient settlement that will safeguard the right of all the country’s lawful residents to live, work and pursue their activities wherever they choose, in conditions of peace, security and prosperity, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Wednesday evening at an anti-occupation commemoration organised by the municipalities, communities, refugee associations and organisations of Kyrenia district.

Addressing the event at the Makedonitissa Tomb, the President sent a message to the Turkish government, the Turkish Cypriot leader and all stakeholders in Cyprus and abroad that ‘if there is political will, we can achieve a settlement of the Cyprus problem that will benefit all parties concerned.’

President Christodoulides said Kyrenia had paid and continued to pay a heavy price for Turkey’s illegal invasion and the continuing occupation of the past 52 years, noting that the entire town and district had been seized and had suffered major losses among military personnel and civilians.

He said Turkey continued to violate international law and the fundamental rights of Cyprus’ lawful residents, while seeking to legitimise the faits accomplis created by the invasion.

Referring to the case of Kyrenia refugee Titina Loizidou, he said the European Court of Human Rights ruling had confirmed the fundamental principle that ‘illegality does not create law’, no matter how much time passes or how Turkey attempts to impose its will through force.

‘Our policy to free Cyprus from the shackles of occupation aims at a solution that will end the current situation, terminate the unacceptable state of affairs and secure the conditions necessary for a modern, functional European state,’ he said.

‘We are working for a viable, functional and resilient solution and, above all, one that safeguards for all the lawful residents of the country the right to live, work, pursue their activities and create wherever they choose, in conditions of peace, security and prosperity,’ he added.

The President also referred to his objective of securing a leading role for the EU in efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem. He said it had become clear that the Cyprus problem was also a European problem and that the EU had an obligation to play a decisive role.

With the UN Secretary-General’s initiative under way and his visit to Cyprus scheduled for July 27-29, the EU was present ‘not merely formally, but in a leading role’, he said.

He added that EU involvement aimed to ensure that a settlement was compatible with the Republic of Cyprus’ status as an EU member state and that progress in EU-Turkey relations was linked to substantive developments in the Cyprus problem.

President Christodoulides said the Republic of Cyprus would remain an EU member state after a possible solution, with all the corresponding rights and obligations.

He pledged to continue working for a settlement that would free Cyprus from occupation and reunify it.

‘The assertion that our borders are in Kyrenia is not a slogan. It is our objective for a solution that will ensure the genuine reunification of the country in its territory, institutions, economy and every aspect of daily life,’ he said.

Kyrenia Mayor Joseph Violaris said there could be no viable future while the occupation and the crimes resulting from it were treated as normal. Refugees wanted a solution allowing them to return to their homes and properties, he said, but not one that would create new conditions of insecurity.

Archbishop Georgios described the anniversary as a particularly sad day for Kyrenia and its residents, saying that the occupying power had pursued ever since a harsh campaign to Turkify the town.

He also criticised visits and overnight stays in the Turkish-occupied areas, saying they amounted to financial support for the occupation, and called for the full application of the EU acquis throughout Cyprus, including freedom of movement, establishment and property ownership.

A resolution adopted at the event condemned the occupation, expressed solidarity with the families of missing persons and called for the full clarification of their fate.

It also called for a just and viable settlement based on UN Security Council resolutions, international law and the EU acquis, which would free Cyprus from occupying troops and settlers and safeguard human rights for all Cypriots.

The resolution urged the President and all political forces to support the demands of Kyrenia refugees. It was presented by the Mayor of Kyrenia to the President and the Archbishop.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

Court declines to hear Miyetti Allah president’s plea to vary bail conditions

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday declined to hear a fresh application by detained National President of Miyetti Allah Kauta Kore, Bello Bodejo, seeking an order varying his bail conditions.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling, held that since the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is contesting the application, the court might be unable to conclude its proceedings before the court vacation commences.

EFCC charged Bodejo with money laundering involving 2.63 million U.S. dollars.

Justice Ekwo had, on Monday, admitted Bodejo to a N2 billion bail with two sureties in the like sum.

The judge ordered that one of the sureties must present a three-year tax clearance evidence and must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, while the second sureties must have a land worth N2 billion in Abuja.

When the case was called on Thursday, Bodejo’s lawyer, Mohammed Sheriff, informed the court about the application by his client, seeking, among others, the variation of the conditions attached to the bail granted him.

The lawyer to the anti-graft agency, Fatai Erewunmi, said he was served with the application and had responded by filing a counter affidavit.

But the judge said upon looking at the tenure of the application, which is being challenged, the court might be unable to conclude proceedings in the application before the court’s vacation.

The judge then advised parties to approach a vacation judge, during the court’s vacation, to hear the application.

He said after then, the substantive case can be returned for trial before his court.

Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until Oct. 5 for the commencement of trial.

The EFCC accused Bodejo of accepting 100,000 dollars from Sa’idu Abubakar a former Accountant-General (AG) of Bauchi State who is currently in the lawful custody of the Nigerian Police Force, among other cash in hard currency.

The EFCC said the sum exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of N5 million prescribed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law.

He was said to have committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act,

The offence is said to be contrary to Section 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.

DSL announces promotion of Pinidiyapathirage as Joint MD

Douglas and Sons Ltd., (DSL) has promoted Jayendra Pinidiyapathirage as the Joint Managing Director.

Prior to this promotion, he served as the Deputy Managing Director of DSL from January 2023.

Jayendra joined the organisation in March 1989 and has played a pivotal role in driving the company’s growth over the years.

In his new role as Joint Managing Director, he will work closely with the Chairman and Managing Director Saroj Perera and the leadership team to guide the organisation through its next phase of sustainable growth.

Commenting on the appointment, Perera said: ‘We are delighted to announce Pinidiyapathirage’s promotion to Joint Managing Director. His leadership, integrity and dedication have been instrumental in our achievements. We are confident that he will continue to inspire our teams and lead the company toward even greater success.’