Author: Press Room

By Biodun Busari Oakland’s City Council has voted that a Nigerian medical doctor, Matthew Bernard, and his wife will pay a fine of nearly $1m for felling 38 legally protected trees on and around their Claremont Avenue property in the United States. A California-based media platform, KQED, reported that more than 20 residents at a public hearing on Tuesday demanded enforcement of Oakland’s tree protection laws. They argued that the leafy canopies of the trees in the area were important for wildfire prevention, public health, and environmental equity. Diaspora Tales reported last month that Bernard and his partner, Lynn Warner,…

A former Lagos All Progressives Congress spokesman, Seye Oladejo, on Saturday officially declared his intention to contest for the Mushin Constituency II seat in the House of Representatives in 2027. Addressing party faithful, supporters and community leaders during the declaration in Lagos, the APC chieftain described his aspiration as a continuation of people-oriented leadership rooted in service, visibility and measurable impact. The former local government chairman, Special Adviser to the Governor and Commissioner recalled his years of public service and political experience in Mushin and Lagos State. “I am the same man you made your secretary and later chairman of…

Nigeria international Chiamaka Nnadozie has been nominated for the Barclays Women’s Super League Save of the Season award after her spectacular stop against Liverpool earlier in the campaign, Soccernet.ng reports. The Brighton goalkeeper earned the nomination for a brilliant fingertip save during her side’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool at St Helens Stadium in November 2025. With Brighton trailing after Beata Olsson’s opener, Liverpool looked certain to score again when Japan midfielder Fuka Nagano fired a powerful long-range effort towards goal. Nnadozie reacted quickly, stretching at full length to push the ball onto the crossbar and away from danger. The save…

The Transmission Company of Nigeria has reported that heavily armed men invaded the Offa 132kV Transmission Substation in Kwara State on Thursday morning and held workers hostage at gunpoint. As a result, the TCN on Saturday declared force majeure on the Offa 132kV substation. The company disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday by its General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah. According to the company, the incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday when the attackers forced their way into the control room and compelled operators to shut down critical feeders supplying electricity from the station. Mbah said…

Bitcoin price slid to $79,679 Friday as US military strikes against Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz triggered a broad risk-off prediction, yet the world’s largest crypto remains on track for a sixth consecutive weekly gain. The 1.7% intraday drop looks alarming on the surface, but the weekly chart tells a quieter story. What happens at the weekend close could define whether BTC reclaims $85,000 or gives back the entire week’s advance.The immediate catalyst: US forces struck back against Iran following attacks on three American warships transiting Hormuz, reigniting a geopolitical flashpoint that markets had largely priced out.Compounding the…

Nigerian star Rema and South Africa’s Tyla are set to perform at the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony at the Los Angeles Stadium on 12 June 2026. Don’t you just love it when the worlds of music and football come together? There is something truly special about the way a massive stadium anthem can unite fans from every corner of the globe, and for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Africa is taking centre stage. FIFA has officially confirmed that Rema and Tyla are set to headline the opening ceremony in the United States, ensuring that the sounds of Afrobeats…

Nigerian music fans have been thrown into excitement following a recent announcement by FIFA ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports. Afrobeats star Divine Ikubor, referred to as Rema, has been headlined to feature in a star-studded lineup for the opening ceremony in Los Angeles, United States, as FIFA prepares for one of the biggest displays in World Cup history. It marks another major milestone for the “Calm Down” hitmaker, who has continued to raise the profile of Nigerian Afrobeats globally, after he also performed at the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France. Soccernet.ng had earlier reported that another Nigerian superstar Damini…

By Temitope Adetunji A 15-year-old boy, Emmanuel Adeyemi, has lamented his inability to attend school, describing his condition as heartbreaking. Emmanuel was born prematurely at seven months and later diagnosed with severe jaundice, which developed into cerebral palsy. He is unable to walk, feed himself or carry out basic bodily functions without assistance. The teenager has lived with the neurological condition since infancy, leaving him completely dependent on caregivers for survival. Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Emmanuel said he still believed he could become useful to society if given the opportunity. “What hurts me even more is watching children my age…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, wanted over alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and diversion of public funds. The anti-graft agency posted the wanted notice on its website on Saturday. According to the EFCC notice, Farouq, 52, is an indigene of Zamfara State, and her last known address is EN 008, Okpo River, off Agulu Street, Maitama, Abuja. The notice, signed by the Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, urged members of the public with information on her whereabouts to contact the commission. The EFCC notice read, “The…

Nigeria’s Super Falcons will travel to the United Kingdom later this month for a short training tour as preparations continue for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, Soccernet.ng reports. The camp is expected to run from May 23 to 28, with one friendly game likely to be played during the trip, according to SavidNews. Although the tour falls outside the official FIFA international window, the Nigeria Football Federation has decided to organise the camp to keep the team active ahead of next year’s continental tournament and the qualification race for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in…