Author: News Room

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Richard Moth as the new Archbishop of Westminster, the most prominent Catholic figure in England and Wales, the church announced on Friday. Moth, 67, will formally replace the retiring Cardinal Vincent Nichols – who held the role leading the two nations’ estimated 3.8 million Catholics for 16 years – on February 14. Nichols, who turned 80 last month, had faced criticism latterly in his tenure following a damning 2020 report into longstanding allegations of child sex abuse within the Catholic Church. It found he “seemingly put the reputation of the church” above his duty…

On 31 October 2025, the United States formally designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” a move that has reverberated across national and diplomatic spaces. For millions of Nigerians, the announcement was both troubling and deeply unfair, especially because elements within the diaspora have been accused of supplying exaggerated or unverified reports that fed into the U.S. decision. Nigeria, like every complex and diverse democracy, faces its share of security and governance challenges, but to describe the nation as one that systematically persecutes any religious group is neither accurate nor reflective of our lived reality. This designation, built on selective…

The National Pension Commission has moved the pension industry recapitalisation deadline to June 2027, extending it from December 2026. This was disclosed by the Director-General of PenCom, Ms Omolola Oloworaran, during the 2025 PenCom Media Conference on Thursday in Lagos, as she dismissed speculations that the recapitalisation exercise had been suspended. The PUNCH in September reported that licensed pension fund operators had 15 months to meet the revised minimum capital requirement issued by PenCom. In the circular announcing the new MCR, PenCom said, “The timeline for compliance with the revised capital requirements for both licensed PFAs and PFCs shall be…

A range of blockbuster weight-loss and diabetes drugs could help shift the trajectory of the global obesity epidemic, which affects over one billion people worldwide, the World Health Organisation said on Monday. A new generation of appetite-suppressing drugs called GLP-1 agonists, which includes blockbuster brands Ozempic and Mounjaro, has become massively popular in recent years. On Monday, the United Nations health agency issued its first guidelines on how such drugs could be used as a key tool for treating obesity in adults as a chronic, relapsing disease. More than 3.7 million people died from illnesses related to being overweight or…

The Africa Cup of Nations is a tournament famed for its drama and cruelty, often denying even the greatest stars their ultimate continental reward. As AFCON 2025 unfolds in Morocco this December, OLAMIDE ABE reflects on ten legendary players who defined eras yet never lifted Africa’s most coveted trophy Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) 105 caps, 65 goals Greatest achievement: Winning the 2012 UEFA Champions League and being a four-time Premier League winner with Chelsea. AFCON heartbreak: Runner-up in 2006 and 2012. Didier Drogba is the ultimate paradox of African football. He is a man who stopped a civil war in…

Diplomatic tensions have deepened between Nigeria and the United States after Washington redesignated Africa’s most populous nation as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged violations of religious freedom – a move President Bola Tinubu has condemned as inaccurate and unfair, GIFT HABIB and NATHANIEL SHAIBU write. Tensions could flare anew between Nigeria and the United States after Washington once again placed Africa’s most populous nation on its religious freedom blacklist, a move that has revived old tensions over faith, freedom, and how Nigeria’s internal conflicts are understood abroad. On Friday night, US President Donald Trump announced via his Truth…

Let’s face it, it’s easy to fixate on the big gifts that crowd around the Christmas tree. However, we’d argue that the true treasures are the small, useful, and thoughtful gifts tucked within stockings. That’s why, for this guide, we’ve pooled together a bunch of tried-and-tested gadgets and goods to help bolster someone’s everyday carry or, at the very least, provide them with something that comes in clutch every once in a while. It certainly isn’t about gag gifts and cheap trinkets.

Former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison and former FTX executives Gary Wang and Nishad Singh will be barred from assuming company leadership roles for eight to 10 years following a court judgment.In a Friday notice, the US Securities and Exchange Commission said that it had obtained final consent judgments against Ellison, Wang and Singh for their roles in the misuse of investor funds at FTX from 2019 to 2022. The former Alameda CEO consented to a 10-year officer-and-director bar, while Wang and Singh consented to eight-year officer-and-director bars each. All three are also subject to five-year ”conduct-based injunctions,” according to the…

Jelly Roll’s criminal past is officially behind him. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee pardoned 33 people on Thursday, December 18, including the country singer. Photos published by the AP showed Jelly Roll (real name Jason DeFord) smiling while he met with Lee, 66, at the Tennessee Governor’s Mansion in Oak Hill. Lee could be seen giving the musician his official pardon in the image. Jelly Roll has spoken candidly about his criminal past, revealing in his 2023 documentary, Jelly Roll: Save Me, that he had been to jail around 40 times for various offenses. Jelly Roll was arrested at age 16…

President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday to visit Borno, Bauchi and Lagos states. While in Borno State, President Tinubu will commission some projects undertaken by Governor Babagana Zulum and the federal government. He will also attend the wedding ceremony of Sadeeq Sheriff, son of the former Governor of the State, Ali Sheriff, and his heartthrob, Hadiza Salem. From Maiduguri, the president will move to Bauchi to condole with the Government of Bauchi State and the family of Dahiru Bauchi, the late renowned Muslim cleric and leader of the Tijjaniyya Muslim Brotherhood. The cleric died on 27 November. After…