Author: Press Room

New manager Xabi Alonso said on Monday that there was “good energy” at Chelsea as he bids to turn around the club’s fortunes, but was reluctant to say what a successful first season would look like. The Spaniard officially began the job on July 1 and will take charge of his first competitive fixture in Sydney on Tuesday when they face Western Sydney Wanderers. He faces a huge task to get Chelsea back in the running for major honours after their disappointing 10th place finish last season and failure to make Europe. They last won the Premier League a decade…

By Arinze Nwafor Nigerian pharmaceutical companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange recorded a 46.5 per cent increase in combined finance costs in the first quarter of 2026, as high interest rates and growing reliance on debt continued to squeeze profitability across the sector. For stock market-listed companies, finance costs (also called finance expenses or borrowing costs) are the expenses a company incurs from financing its operations through debt and certain financial obligations. They are reported in the income statement and are deducted from operating profit to arrive at profit before tax. An analysis of unaudited first-quarter results by Sunday PUNCH…

Nigeria will begin the defence of their WAFU B U-20 Championship title against arch-rivals Ghana in a repeat of the last edition’s final in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, on Monday (today), PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The Flying Eagles defeated the Black Satellites 2-1 in the 2024 final at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé, Togo, to successfully retain the title they first won in Niamey in 2022. Isa Ladan Bosso guided Nigeria to the 2022 triumph, while Aliyu Zubairu led the team to a successful title defence two years later. Monday’s encounter will mark the first competitive game in charge for…

The Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg has strongly condemned the killing of a Nigerian national, Ibeh Chika Simon, during a South African Police Service operation in Bellville, Cape Town, describing the circumstances surrounding his death as questionable. The Consulate, in a statement dated July 25 and obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday, expressed concern over the shooting of another Nigerian, Egwabor Patrick Chuks, who is currently receiving treatment for severe injuries sustained during the operation on July 23. Videos obtained by The PUNCH showed the aftermath of the killing of Simon. One of the videos showed a body lying…

For many newborns, the first few seconds after birth, referred to as the ‘golden minute,’ determine whether they will live, suffer lifelong complications, or die. While most babies take their first breath without assistance, thousands struggle to breathe because of birth asphyxia and other complications that deprive them of oxygen at the most critical moment of life. Birth asphyxia, also known as perinatal asphyxia, is defined by the World Health Organisation as the failure to establish breathing at birth. Sunday PUNCH learnt that during those crucial moments, a simple but often overlooked handheld medical device known as the Ambu bag…

Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala took to social media to air her frustrations over what appeared to be a relationship issue, Soccernet.ng reports. ​Oshoala is expected to be one of the standout players at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The 31-year-old forward is a veteran leader on the squad and stands as the most decorated player in the history of the competition. ​The former Barcelona Femeni star is known for her vibrant social media presence, frequently bantering with fans, engaging with trending football topics, and sharing humorous memes. Asisat Oshoala (Photo credit: Imago) ​While she rarely posts…

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has claimed that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari had reservations about Bola Tinubu’s candidacy ahead of the 2023 presidential election. Lawal said Buhari’s concerns were rooted in his religious convictions and personal ethics, but that he eventually agreed to remain neutral and allow delegates to freely choose the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate. He also predicted that Tinubu will fail in his bid for a second term in 2027, as he threw his weight behind the joint ticket of Peter Obi and Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso of the Nigeria Democratic…

Premier League club Fulham are still deep in negotiations with Trabzonspor for Super Eagles defender Chibuike Nwaiwu, Soccernet.ng reports.However, the Londoners would have been disappointed by one moment from the Nigerian center-back during Trabzonspor’s 3-0 pre-season defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in Salzburg, Austria.Nwaiwu, who is close to completing a record-breaking move to Craven Cottage, endured an afternoon to forget after scoring an own goal in the second half of the friendly.Eintracht Frankfurt made a fast start and needed only nine minutes to take the lead. Japanese international Ritsu Doan slipped a well-weighted pass into Hugo Larsson, who calmly finished to…

Kazuyoshi Miura rolled back the years once again, scoring at the age of 59 as he continued his remarkable professional football journey with Japanese third-tier side Fukushima United. As reported by BBC Sport on Sunday, the veteran found the net in the 52nd minute during Fukushima’s 7-0 victory over Iwaki Furukawa in the Emperor’s Cup on Saturday, marking his first competitive goal in nearly four years. Miura’s last goal came in November 2022, when he scored for Suzuka PG, now known as Atletico Suzuka, against FC Osaka. His latest strike added another memorable chapter to a career that has already…

Deborah Tolu-Kolawole The Kaduna State Government has said its School Feeding Programme is improving the health of pupils in public boarding schools while reducing the financial burden on parents, as hundreds of residents benefited from a free medical outreach in Kaura Local Government Area. According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on school feeding, Hajiya Fauziyah Buhari-Ado, the government’s position was made known by the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Uba Sani on the School Feeding Programme, Fauziya Buhari-Ado, during a free medical outreach organised by the Bantex Memorial Foundation in collaboration with the Second…