Author: News Room

Key takeaways:Bitcoin funding rates sit at 7%, showing bullish traders are still hesitant to increase leveraged positions.The spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $1.58 billion in outflows while gold hit record highs, signaling a shift toward safe assets.Bitcoin (BTC) has been pinned below $91,000 since Tuesday, even as equity markets rallied on strong US economic growth and employment data. As BTC struggles to find bullish momentum, muted demand for leveraged long BTC positions has led traders to question whether the $88,000 support level can hold much longer. BTC perpetual futures annualized premium. Source: laevitas.chThe annualized funding rate for Bitcoin perpetual futures stood…

Newly released private text messages reveal that Blake Lively’s It Ends With Us costar Brandon Sklenar seemingly supported her throughout her battle with Justin Baldoni. Sklenar initially offered support for Lively and the film’s female cast shortly after It Ends With Us came out in August 2024, as he credited “the women of this cast” with standing for “hope, perseverance and for women choosing a better life for themselves.” “Vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film because they believe so strongly in its message seems counterproductive and detracts from what this…

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday met separately with Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State at the State House, Abuja. The meetings were held behind closed doors at the president’s office. Mr Makinde arrived shortly after Mr Mutfwang and proceeded directly to the president’s office. The meetings come amid ongoing political realignments and consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections. Mr Makinde, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), remains one of the opposition governors in the country. Speaking after the meeting, the Oyo State governor said addressing Nigeria’s challenges requires bipartisan cooperation and…

Seplat Energy has appointed Nigerian businessman and investor Tony Elumelu as a non-executive director, following a change in the company’s ownership structure. The company also announced Olivier de Langavant’s resignation from its board, effective 22 January. Mr de Langavant joined the board in January 2020 as a nominee of Etablissements Maurel et Prom SA, which recently sold its 20.07 per cent stake in Seplat. The board changes were disclosed in a notice filed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) and signed by the company secretary, Edith Onwuchekwa, on Thursday, in line with the exchange’s listing requirements. Heirs Energies had in…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned non-citizens against participating in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise across the country. The warning was issued on Thursday in Bauchi by the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Umar Ibrahim, during an interactive session held ahead of the commencement of Phase Two of the CVR in the state. Ibrahim commended the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security for detecting a non-citizen who was mistakenly registered during Phase One.He said the Commission has already initiated the statutory processes required to address the irregularity in line with the law. “As Phase Two progresses,…

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has clarified that the ongoing Permanent Voter Cards, PVC, collection exercise is currently limited to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in preparation for the February 21, 2026 Area Council elections. In a notice addressed to residents of other states on Thursday, the Commission explained that dates for PVC collection outside the FCT have not yet been fixed. It assured eligible voters nationwide that once a schedule is finalised, it will be officially announced across all INEC platforms. INEC urged voters in other states to await formal communication and cautioned against relying on unverified information…

A fire outbreak on Wednesday afternoon damaged parts of Abbatuwa cemetery in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State, the Kano State Fire Service has said.In a statement issued on January 22, 2026, by the Public Relations Officer of the Service, Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, the agency explained that the incident was reported around mid-day. According to the statement, “On Wednesday, 21 January 2026, at about 14:02 hrs, the Agency’s Control Room received a distress call from Bashir Hassan reporting an outbreak of fire at Abbatuwa cemetery in Fagge local government area.” Firefighters were immediately deployed from the agency’s headquarters to…

Former Real Madrid striker, Michael Owen has predicted Manchester United will sit back and hit Arsenal on the break with pace when both teams clash in the Premier League this weekend. Arsenal will host the Red Devils at the Emirates Stadium. Speaking on the encounter, Owen feels Man United will approach their game against the Gunners as they did against Manchester City in their previous Premier League tie. The Englishman told Premier League Productions, “Now Manchester United are going to go to Arsenal and it is going to be pretty similar [like the Man City game]. “They are going to…

The Kolo Chiefdom in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Saturday marked 25 years of traditional leadership and cultural heritage with a grand Silver Jubilee celebration and Koro Day 2026 in Kubacha, the headquarters of the chiefdom. The event, which was held under the theme “Koro Tradition, Culture and Progress: 25 Years of Koro Chiefdom’s Journey So Far,” attracted top government officials, traditional rulers, security agencies, community leaders, and cultural troupes from across the state. Arewa PUNCH reports that the event showcased the rich cultural heritage of the Koro people through dances, masqueradedance displays, traditional attire, and performances…

Two separate road crashes along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Atan area of Ogun State have left two people dead and six others injured. PUNCH Metro learnt in a telephone conversation on Thursday with the spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, that the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway crash occurred on Wednesday night. Akinbiyi said a truck dangerously overtook other vehicles, resulting in a collision involving multiple vehicles. He said the impact of the collision led to the death of one person and injuries to six others. Akinbiyi said, “The vehicles involved are a Toyota Sienna with…