Author: News Room

Aston Villa’s Premier League title challenge suffered a huge blow in a 1-0 defeat against Everton, while Newcastle’s push towards the top four was derailed by a 0-0 draw at Wolves on Sunday. Unai Emery’s side could have closed to within four points of leaders Arsenal if they had beaten Everton at Villa Park. But they wasted the chance to put pressure on the Gunners with a limp performance that was punished by Thierno Barry’s second-half winner. After Arsenal’s goalless draw at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Mikel Arteta’s men are seven points clear of third-placed Villa. Second-placed Manchester City are…

There was tension in some motor parks within Osogbo metropolis on Sunday, following the reported killing of a former unit chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers, Kazeem Oyewole in Osogbo by some yet to be identified hoodlums. After the killing which reportedly occurred in the afternoon, some people believed to be friends of the deceased, who served as a part-time chairman NURTW chairman of Aregbe Unit between 2018 and 2022, moved round some major motor parks in Osogbo, searching for those allegedly involved in the death of Oyewole. It was not immediately clear how the deceased was killed,…

Abia State Governor Alex Otti, says his successor in 2031 will be better than himself, as he is laying a solid foundation for the development of the state. Otti stated this on Sunday during the ground reception service organised in his honour by the Assemblies of God Church, Okaiuga – Nkwoegwu, Umuahia North LGA. The governor said that he is just starting, and the time for the aggressive development of Abia State is now, adding that the curse that had held the State down has been broken. He said, “We have just started. We are not three years old yet.…

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has been re-elected Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, a continental forum of African ministers responsible for minerals and mining, committed to coordinated action to maximise value addition and beneficiation from Africa’s mineral resources. The re-election was confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori. “The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has been re-elected Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, a continental ministerial forum of African ministers responsible for minerals and mining, committed to coordinated action aimed at…

Reigning heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has eased fears over Anthony Joshua’s future, insisting the former champion remains focused, healthy and fully committed to returning to boxing, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The Ukrainian spoke out after Joshua’s recent car crash in Nigeria that killed two of his coaches and close friends, revealing he had spoken with the British-Nigerian boxer and heard determination in his voice. “I’ve already spoken with him. I heard a desire to continue in his voice – for the friends he lost and for the chance to live that the Lord gave him,” Usyk said. The reigning champion…

Tim Allen revealed why he found it challenging to be a mentor to his TV sons on Home Improvement. “It was new to me and it took a while for me to be that [father figure]. I felt like more of a funny, mischievous older brother for quite a while — especially to the boys on Home Improvement,” Allen, 72, exclusively told Us Weekly about working with Zachery Ty Bryan, Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Taran Noah Smith. Allen addressed the lessons he learned at the time. “It’s difficult because I said when it was easy to be a TV parent,…

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has attributed the country’s successful removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list and the European Union’s list of high-risk countries on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) to coordinated inter-agency collaboration and sustained reforms. Nigeria exited the FATF grey list in October 2025 and is set to be removed from the EU’s list of high-risk third countries at the end of January, following decisions taken at FATF Plenaries in June and October 2025. The Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, Hafsat Bakari, described the developments as proof of the…

The last time Morocco hosted the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1988, it lost by a single goal in the semi-finals to eventual winners, Cameroon, who advanced to the final where they overcame Nigeria to emerge as champions. Eight years earlier, at the same stage, Nigeria defeated Morocco by the same margin on its way to winning the tournament at the expense of Algeria. On Sunday, 18 January 2025, Morocco confronts Senegal in the finals of the AFCON 2025 tournament having avenged historic semi-final losses to both Cameroon and Nigeria in the quarter and semi-finals of the competition. The…

Veteran actress and pastor Eucharia Anunobi has announced that she has initiated legal action against Apostle Psalm Okpe, founder of the US-based Fresh Oil Ministry International Church, over an audio recording in which the cleric allegedly claimed to have had an amorous relationship with her. PREMIUM TIMES reported that a recorded phone conversation between Mr Okpe and Pastor Martin surfaced online, in which the cleric alleged that he dated and had carnal knowledge of Anunobi for more than five years. Responding to the claim in a series of videos posted on her Instagram page on Sunday, the 60-year-old actress described…

Akwa Ibom would focus more on the discovery and future grooming of athletes at the 2nd Niger Delta Games, scheduled to take place in Benin, Edo State, from 20 to 27 February. Paul Bassey, the state’s commissioner for sports, revealed this policy thrust on Saturday while speaking on preparations for the regional games sponsored by the Niger Delta Games. He also disclosed that the State has registered 476 athletes and 64 coaches on the registration portal for the competition that will have contingents from eight other states. Registration for participants closed on Friday, and the states are now to conduct…