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Making a FIFA World Cup squad is a dream for every footballer. But for some players at the 2026 tournament, that dream ended without a single minute of action on the pitch. Although all 48 participating nations named full squads for the expanded tournament across the United States, Canada and Mexico, a number of high-profile stars watched every game from the bench due to tactical decisions, injuries or stiff competition for places. Here are 10 notable players who completed the 2026 FIFA World Cup without making a single appearance. N’Golo Kante (France) The veteran midfielder was part of France’s squad…

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. St. Lucia, Porto Santo, Praslin and Syros are the among the top island escapes to travel to this year, according to Expedia‘s 2026 Island Hot List, an annual ranking of the most popular island destinations based on searches and bookings. Released July 21, this year’s Island Hot List highlights ten under-the-radar islands that offer an “alternative to traditional hotspots,” per Expedia, with the locations lauded for “combining natural beauty, cultural depth, and sometimes better value.” St. Lucia tops the…

Chinedum Treasure Member representing Awka North and South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Prof Oby Lilian Orogbu has been honoured with the Legislator of the Year Award at the 5th Edition of the Anambra Man of the Year (AMTY) Awards. The award was presented to the lawmaker during a gathering that brought together distinguished personalities and leading voices from across Anambra State to celebrate excellence, leadership and outstanding contributions to society. Speaking during the event, Orogbu described the award as more than a personal honour, saying the recognition is an acknowledgement of a journey that has taken her…

The Ebonyi State Executive Council has approved the transmission of bills to the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to regulate house rents and fees charged by estate agents in the state. The council also approved bills to regulate the sale of metal and electrical scraps. The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Information, Ikeuwah Omebeh, announced this on Tuesday while briefing reporters on the outcome of the council meeting at the Government House, Abakaliki. A video clip obtained by PREMIUM TIMES showed Mr Omebeh making the announcement. The Commissioner explained that the proposed legislation would place restrictions on “arbitrary” charges by house…

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, has attributed the scarcity of lower naira denominations to declining demand, rather than the apex bank’s decision to withdraw the notes and coins from circulation. Mr Cardoso made the clarification on Tuesday during the press briefing at the end of the 306th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja. The development also signalled the country’s gradual shift toward digital payments and broader financial inclusion, the CBN governor said. On 8 July, CBN confirmed that 100 naira notes remain legal tender, and warned against the rejection of the notes by…

Hasbro is betting on sales of the Marvel Super Heroes edition of its Magic: The Gathering line of trading cards to boost its earnings this year.Joan VerdonHasbro CEO Chris Cocks spent much of today’s earnings call explaining to Wall Street analysts why the company’s most profitable brand, Magic: The Gathering, has staying power, and why it is a safe bet for future earnings. While the trading card game is “by far our biggest brand, in many ways it’s also the least understood,” Cocks said on an hour-long conference call to discuss Hasbro’s second-quarter earnings.The majority of the questions from analysts…

Splatoon is among Nintendo’s most ingenious inventions of the last decade: a series of shooting games whose paint-splattered turf war nature means being bad at shooting is just as valuable as – if not more so than – being good. It is also blessed with an abundance of personality, with vibrant characters, a richly imagined world, and a hipness that the competition can only dream of achieving. Unfortunately, Splatoon Raiders makes it difficult to remember all of this.The first spinoff in the ink-soaked franchise, Splatoon Raiders is advertised as a single player-focused entry in this primarily multiplayer series. While this…

The Houthi declaration that they intend to block Saudi shipping and vessels bound for Saudi ports in the Red Sea is not another act of revolutionary theatre. It is Iran’s latest attempt to test Saudi Arabia’s strategic patience through one of its most capable regional proxies. That is a dangerous gamble because Riyadh has spent nearly a decade avoiding the wider regional war that Tehran increasingly appears determined to provoke.Saudi restraint has never reflected military weakness. It has been a deliberate strategic choice intended to preserve regional stability while enabling the kingdom to focus on its historic economic transformation. Unable…

The legal team of Nnamdi Kanu has threatened legal action against a man, Chigozie Nnabugwu, who called on the Nigerian government to kill Mr Kanu as the only remedy to restore peace in the South-east. Aloy Ejimakor, the special counsel to Mr Kanu, disclosed this in a statement which he posted on his X handle on Tuesday. Mr Kanu is the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and currently serving his life imprisonment in Sokoto prison following his conviction in November last year. He has, however, filed an appeal against his conviction before the Court of Appeal…

Team Nigeria athletes say they are well-prepared and confident of winning medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships, scheduled to take place in Lagos from 9 to 14 August. Some members of the team and officials expressed their optimism in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos. Among the athletes expected to spearhead Nigeria’s campaign are Adebodunri Thomas and Alex Chizim Aninyei, who represented the country at the 2025 African Fencing Championships. Thomas, Nigeria’s top-ranked female épée fencer, said that although the championship would be more competitive than previous tournaments, she was optimistic about…