Author: News Room

It’s been more than 20 years since The Princess Diaries hit theaters, but fans will never get tired of the Disney movie’s royal charm. Released in August 2001, Anne Hathaway made her film debut as Mia Thermopolis, a San Francisco teen who discovers she is a princess of the fictional country of Genovia. Julie Andrews starred alongside Hathaway as Mia’s grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi. The duo returned for the film’s 2004 sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, alongside fellow original stars Heather Matarazzo, Hector Elizondo and Caroline Goodall. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Much to the delight of…

As Ekiti voters prepare to elect a governor on Saturday, one of the most remarkable features of the campaign season has been the unprecedented alignment of the state’s political heavyweights behind incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji. For the first time since the state was created in 1996, all four former elected governors—Niyi Adebayo, Ayodele Fayose, Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi—have publicly rallied behind the same governorship candidate. In a state known for intense political rivalry and shifting alliances, the development has been striking. The endorsements have strengthened the narrative that the election is less a conventional political contest and more a…

The Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, Delta State capital, will host the finals of the men’s and women’s competitions of the 2026 President Federation Cup, with three-time champions El-Kanemi Warriors set to take on surprise package Ikorodu City in the men’s showpiece on Saturday, July 11. Both finalists booked their place in the final after overcoming their semi-final opponents on Wednesday. Ikorodu City edged Nasarawa United 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in regulation time at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, extending Nasarawa United’s frustrating history in the competition after the Solid Miners also lost the 2021…

The Nigeria FMCG Industry Report 2026, published by Omni, has revealed that only 18 per cent of retailers in the country have accessed formal loans, underscoring the scale of financial exclusion in the fast-moving consumer goods sector. The report, which was unveiled in Lagos on Friday by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, showed that 74 per cent of retailers rate access to credit as very important to sustaining daily operations, yet more than half indicated active shortfalls that directly affect their ability to restock on time. “Approximately 74 per cent of retailers identify access to…

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has drawn the official timetable for the 2026 Commonwealth Games Trials, with athletes set to battle for national team places over a three-day competition from June 20 to 22 in Lagos, Saturday PUNCH reports. The trials, which will feature some of Nigeria’s top track and field stars, will determine the country’s representatives for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, set to take place from July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, Scotland. The opening day on Saturday (today) will begin with the women’s 5,000m final and men’s discus final before the first-round heats of the men’s and…

Gospel singer, Faith Sani, has unveiled her new project titled ‘Igala Medley’, which she describes as a culturally inspired musical piece that blends faith, heritage, and worship. Speaking on the inspiration behind the song, Sani told Saturday Beats, “The Holy Spirit is the inspiration behind it. I have done so many songs in English, Yoruba, and Igbo languages. When I received the inspiration to do ‘Igala Medley’, I began putting the songs together. Some of the choruses were composed by me, while others were written by my Igala sisters.” She added that the timing of the release was deliberate, describing…

Global asset manager Franklin Templeton has filed for two exchange-traded funds (ETFs) designed to convert dividend income from US stocks into Bitcoin exposure, according to a June 18 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).The proposed Franklin US Equity Bitcoin DRIP Index ETF and Franklin US Innovation Bitcoin DRIP Index ETF would track indexes that systematically reinvest stock dividends into a Bitcoin allocation, creating a rules-based Bitcoin exposure alongside traditional equity holdings.According to the filing, the funds would launch with a 5% allocation to Bitcoin exposure and a 95% allocation to US equities. Under the index methodology, regular…

Taylor Swift’s appearance at the 2026 NBA Finals sparked backlash from some basketball fans — but New York Knicks player Jose Alvarado is all about Swiftie mania. Alvarado, 28, exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, June 18, that it was “amazing” having Swift, 36, sitting courtside during Game 4 of the Knicks’ championship series on June 10 against the San Antonio Spurs. “That’s a surreal superstar, and I was happy she was cheering us on,” the point guard said while promoting his partnership with Bacardi Rum during the post-parade celebration at Tonita’s Caribbean Social Club in Brooklyn. “And [she] seemed…

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has deployed a total of 5,500 operatives for the Ekiti Governorship election on Saturday. The Deputy Commandant-General of the Corps in charge of operations, Philip Ayuba, while conducting the deployment on Friday, also directed officers deployed for the election duty to remain strictly apolitical throughout the electoral process. Mr Ayuba said the deployment was carried out across all 16 local government areas of the state. He further called for professionalism, discipline, and neutrality. He warned that the credibility of the election would depend largely on the “impartial conduct of security…

Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ola Oresanya, speaks with BANKOLE TAIWO about the government’s efforts to address the recurring gas leaks in and around Ijebu-Ode, which have left more than 200 students requiring medical attention over the past two months There have been repeated gas leak incidents in Ijebu-Ode and its environs over the last two months, raising public health concerns. What happened? Well, if you look at the gas leakage in Ijebu-Ode, it was something very unusual. Although Ogun is a highly industrialised state, Ijebu-Ode is not one of the cities with a high concentration of industries. So,…