Author: News Room

The Kwara State House of Assembly has passed the 2026 Appropriation Bill approving a total budget of ₦656.5 billion, representing an increase of ₦10.5 billion over the initial proposal submitted by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The budget was passed on Friday after the House considered and adopted the report of its Committee on Finance and Appropriation during plenary. Announcing the passage, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi Salihu, said the upward review followed a thorough scrutiny of the estimates to ensure fiscal realism and effective implementation in the interest of Kwarans. According to him, “The revised budget reflects…

Troops of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, operating under the Joint Task Force South East as part of Operation UDO KA, have successfully rescued a kidnapped clergyman, Reverend Johnson Onugwu, following a swift, intelligence-driven operation in Enugu State. According to a post obtained from the Nigerian Army’s X account on Friday, Onugwu was abducted from his residence in Ezimo Community, Udenu Local Government Area, at approximately 1:00 a.m. on January 29, 2026, by gunmen. The post read, “Acting on credible intelligence, troops deployed in Udenu tracked the kidnappers to the Itabolo general area and later engaged them at…

The Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has announced plans to appeal a judgment delivered on Friday by the Federal High Court in Ibadan, following the court’s refusal to grant an order of mandamus. The court held that granting the mandamus would amount to “sitting on appeal” over judgments of courts of coordinate jurisdiction, a decision that the party described as “not unexpected.” In a statement posted by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, on X account on Friday, the Turaki-led PDP faction confirmed that it has instructed its legal team to immediately file an appeal and pursue all…

Carlos Alcaraz reached his first Australian Open final after coming back from the brink to defeat Alexander Zverev in a dramatic five-set match on Friday. The world number one won 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (3-7), 6-7 (4-7), 7-5 in a match that lasted five hours and 27 minutes in Melbourne. Alcaraz looked in control after winning the first two sets, but the match turned in the third set when he began to cramp while serving at 4-4. The Spaniard needed a medical timeout and struggled to move and serve afterward, allowing Zverev to push the match into a deciding fifth…

Japan’s anti-piracy coalition says that one of the world’s largest manga piracy networks has been shut down following a coordinated investigation between Japanese publishers and Chinese authorities. The Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) announced the arrest of an individual on suspicion of copyright infringement on November 19th, who “has admitted to operating” Bato.to and approximately 60 related sites, such as xbato.com and mangapark.io.Bato.to launched in 2014, growing to be one of the most recognizable online platforms for “scanalation” — in which manga, manhwa, and other comics are scanned, edited with translated text, and then distributed by online user communities. CODA…

Bitcoin (BTC) has finally slid below a key support level at $84,000, which has held the price since mid-November 2025. Where will BTC price action head next?Key takeaways:Bitcoin dropped to a two-month low of $81,00 on Thursday, fueled by $1.6 billion in long liquidations Some analysts forecast deeper declines in a prolonged bear market targeting $50,000-$58,000.Bitcoin sentiment at record lows suggests “no upcycle”Bitcoin extended its sell-off into the late New York trading session on Thursday, dropping to two-month lows of $81,000. Support at the 2026 yearly open ($87,000), the 100-day moving averages and the $84,000-$86,000 demand zone failed to hold back sellers…

The Pitt finally acknowledged Heather Collins’ shocking season 2 absence — but how did the show write off Tracy Ifeachor? During the Thursday, January 29, episode of the hit HBO Max series, Dr. Whitaker explained that Dr. Collins “finished her residency, took up a job in Portland as an attending physician.” He also revealed that Collins is “adopting a baby” and “wanted to be closer to her family.” Us Weekly confirmed in July 2025 that Ifeachor will not be reprising her role in season 2. Amid reports that the decision was made by the show’s creative team, a source told…

Experts from civil society organisations operating in Nigeria and across Africa have called for stronger laws and stricter enforcement to curb pervasive methane emissions in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, amid growing health and environmental concerns in the Niger Delta communities. The call was made on Thursday in Abuja during a closed-door stakeholder dialogue and documentary screening convened by the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID). At the gathering, the experts warned that methane emissions from Nigeria’s oil and gas industry remain a persistent threat to public health, livelihoods, and environmental sustainability,…

Owobo Ogunde, the son of legendary actor, playwright and theatre icon Hubert Ogunde, has returned to the “Aníkúlápó” universe with the revival of his character, Bashorun, in the new instalment titled “Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens.” PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that in “Aníkúlápó: Rise of the Spectre”, Bashorun was an influential chief within the ruling council of Oyo, whose commanding presence added depth and intrigue to the series. Despite this, Bashorun emerged as a formidable antagonist, driven by deep-seated dissatisfaction with the king and his fellow chiefs. His quest for power and wealth ultimately led to his death, as his misguided,…

The report of an investigation by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has implicating two real estate firms for allegedly using forged documents to sell and occupy three disputed plots. The report by the FCTA Legal Services Secretariat indicted two firms, Homadil Realty Limited and Rychado Group Limited, following a property dispute involving plots in the Katampe area of Abuja. The two firms are also facing prosecution in court following criminal charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The report by the FCTA followed investigation into a petition by the Yesufu family, alleging land fraud and illegal…