Author: News Room

Morocco coach, Walid Regragui has revealed that they focused more on blocking Alex Iwobi from supplying the passes to Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen during the semi-final match against Nigeria on Wednesday. He said this was part of his team’s plan to stop Nigeria during the game, which ended in a penalty shootout win. He said blocking Iwobi, Nigeria’s key midfielder, was important in their victory. Even though Iwobi did not provide an assist since the Super Eagles’ first game against Tanzania, the Fulham midfielder was important in helping create most of the goals for Nigeria before the semifinals. Eric…

After beating Nigeria to reach the Africa Cup of Nations final on home soil, Morocco coach Walid Regragui shifted focus to the final against Senegal, saying it will be a superb match-up when they face off on Sunday. Morocco edged out Nigeria 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 semi-final contest at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Wednesday. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved two penalties as the Atlas Lions booked their place in the final for the first time since 2004. Bounou, who plays for Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, produced decisive saves to deny Samuel Chukwueze and…

The Yobe State Police Command says it has commenced an investigation into the cause of a road crash that claimed six lives along the Potiskum–Damaturu highway on Thursday. PUNCH Metro learnt on Thursday from eyewitnesses that the accident occurred when a truck and a trailer collided, allegedly due to wrong-way driving. Eyewitnesses said the crash occurred after the truck reportedly drove against the flow of traffic and collided with an oncoming trailer. “The Canter truck was in the wrong lane when it crashed into the trailer,” an eyewitness said. Four occupants were trapped inside the trailer and were later pronounced…

The death of one of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s twin sons is a tragedy that should invite collective restraint, empathy, and silence. According to an official statement released by her family, the 21-month-old child, Nkanu Nnamdi, died on Wednesday, January 7, after a brief illness. The statement was unequivocal in its request for privacy. It noted that no further statements would be made and appealed to the public and the media to respect the family’s need for seclusion during a period of immense grief. Yet, almost immediately, social media did what it does best and worst. A short write-up, allegedly authored…

The Central Bank of Nigeria has said that about 20 deposit money banks have already met the new capital requirements under the ongoing banking recapitalisation programme, as the apex bank shifts focus toward ensuring that stronger balance sheets translate into real sector credit growth. This was disclosed by the Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Muhammad Abdullahi, on Thursday while speaking on a panel at the launch of the 2026 Macroeconomic Outlook of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group in Lagos. The PUNCH had earlier reported that at the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting of 2025, the Governor…

Nigeria’s AFCON campaign ended on Wednesday night after a 4–2 penalty shootout loss to hosts Morocco in the semi-finals. Senegal earlier booked their place in Sunday’s final with a 1–0 win over Egypt in Tangier. Nigeria and Egypt will contest the third-place playoff while Morocco faces Senegal in the Final on Sunday. Both games will be live on SuperSport on DStv and GOtv. Despite Nigeria arriving as one of the tournament’s most prolific sides, the Super Eagles were restricted to limited attacking opportunities as Morocco controlled large spells of the contest. Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali made one save in the shootout,…

The Gombe State Government has partnered with the North-East Development Commission to renovate and rebuild the School for Persons with Disabilities in the state, a move aimed at strengthening inclusive education. The initiative was commended on Thursday by the Gombe State Coordinator of the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All, Halima Mahdi, who described the intervention as timely and impactful. Mahdi congratulated the Commissioner for Education and the Chairman of the Gombe State Disability Commission for collaborating with the NEDC to improve learning conditions for persons with disabilities. “I wish to sincerely congratulate His Excellency’s team, particularly the…

Meta will also no longer sell its headsets and software as a service for businesses, another help page reads: “We are stopping sales of Meta Horizon managed services and commercial SKUs of Meta Quest, effective February 20, 2026.”Meta just laid off roughly 10 percent of its entire Reality Labs division, over 1,000 jobs. In the aftermath, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Zuckerberg has changed his mind about what the word “metaverse” actually means. Mobile yes, smart glasses yes, but maybe not VR.What’s next, Horizon Worlds? Maybe Meta will draw the line there, because it’s one of the few VR experiences…

Crypto lending company Nexo Capital will pay a $500,000 to California’s financial regulator over allegations it issued thousands of loans to state residents without properly assessing their ability to repay.The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) said on Wednesday that Nexo made at least 5,456 consumer and commercial loans to Californians without a valid license.“Before making a loan, Nexo Capital generally did not evaluate the borrower’s ability to make timely repayments, existing debt, credit history, or other documents relating to the borrower’s overall financial condition,” the regulator said.DFPI Commissioner KC Mohseni said lenders “must follow the law and…

Weekends are supposed to be for rest, and what better way to do that than by watching a film? Hulu has a slew of them, and the only problem is deciding which ones you should watch. Watch With Us is here to help with a handy list of the three best new Hulu movies to watch this weekend. Our selections include the critically acclaimed 2025 dramedy Twinless, the Mila Kunis-led comedy Bad Moms and the tender coming-of-age drama Little Manhattan. ‘Twinless’ (2025) When Dennis (James Sweeney) meets Rocky (Dylan O’Brien), he thinks it’s love at first sight, but Rocky is…