Viral Baby Monkey 'Punch' Becomes Star Attraction At Japan Zoo: "The World Is With Him"
Dozens of fans swarmed a Japanese zoo on Friday to see Punch, a baby macaque who's gone viral on social media. Abandoned by his mother months ago, Punch's attachment to a stuffed orangutan toy has captured hearts worldwide. The zoo tried alternatives like towels, but Punch chose the orangutan toy. In one video, Punch ran to his orangutan toy after being dragged, but left it to hang out with the others. He then formed a strong bond with a plush orangutan toy, dubbed "Ora-mama," which has provided him comfort and security.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 15:29 UTC
I ate cockroaches, toads during 40-country tour— Ibi Sofekun
That is why I ride — to start conversations about the emotional and psychological well-being of boys before they become broken men. I had to learn how to properly secure my bike— two locks in front, two padlocks, a chain at the back. Everywhere I went, it felt like the world had been waiting for someone to speak about the boy child. Within Nigeria, the only other state I’ve felt I could almost call home is Akwa Ibom. I have also felt welcomed in places that are not the easiest to reach, such as parts of Eastern Europe.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 14:31 UTC
Opposition only calls elections fair when they win — Keyamo
The minister stressed that opposition parties only accept election outcomes when they are favourable to them. His comments come amid criticisms and objections raised by some opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress, following the announcement of results in parts of the FCT. “I am the returning officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Bwari chairmanship election held on Feb. 21, 2026. INEC also returned Christopher Maikalangu of the APC as the elected chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council. In Gwagwalada Area Council, however, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mohammed Kasim, emerged victorious.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 14:12 UTC
Ex-NHLer Milan Lucic Throws Punch At His Own Teammate After Game
While skating out to salute his netminder, Lucic threw a jab at teammate Logan Neilson. Ex-NHLer Milan Lucic threw a punch or two (or several thousand) during his career, but I don't know if I can remember him taking a swing at one of his teammates. After trying to make a pro comeback in North America, Lucic signed a deal with the Fife Flyers of the United Kingdom's Elite Ice Hockey League. What is surprising is watching those frustrations boil over to the point that Lucic slugs his own teammate while saying "good game" to his netminder. While skating out to salute his netminder, Lucic threw a jab at teammate Logan Neilson.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 13:53 UTC
Tinubu congratulates winners of FCT, Kano, Rivers elections, hails Wike’s leadership
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the winners of Saturday’s elections in the Federal Capital Territory and the states of Kano and Rivers. State constituency by-elections were also held in Kano Municipal and Ungogo of Kano State, and Ahoada East II and Khana II in Rivers State. In the by-elections, the APC recorded victories in both Rivers State seats. “President Tinubu lauds the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and voters for the peaceful and successful conduct of the elections. Earlier, the PDP inaugurated a special legal team to handle election petitions arising from the FCT Area Council elections.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 13:00 UTC
Ronaldo scores 500 career goals since turning 30
Al Nassr FC forward Cristiano Ronaldo has reached a remarkable milestone, scoring 500 goals after turning 30, further cementing his status as one of the greatest goal scorers in football history. Since celebrating his 30th birthday in February 2015, Ronaldo has continued to defy age, maintaining an extraordinary scoring rate across club and international competitions. According to a post by Fabrizio Romano on X on Saturday, Romano was quoted as saying, “Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored 500 goals after turning 30.”Ronaldo’s brace against Al-Hazem FC on Saturday took his total career goals to 964, bringing him closer to the coveted 1,000-goal milestone. This milestone adds to an already glittering career that includes multiple UEFA Champions League titles, league championships in England, Spain, and Italy, and the prestigious UEFA European Championship with Portugal. Ronaldo’s 500-goal tally after turning 30 underscores why he remains a dominant figure in world football, continuing to inspire fans and young players around the globe.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 11:16 UTC
Viral monkey Punch rejected by mother given stuffed orangutan
An abandoned baby monkey who broke millions of hearts online, after being spotted hugging an orangutan stuffed toy given to him as a substitute for his mother, has finally found comfort among his own kind. Punch, a young Japanese macaque at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, went viral after videos showed him dragging around and playing with a soft toy that zookeepers gave him. During the first few months of his life, he struggled to bond with the other monkeys in his zoo's enclosure and had only the company of his human keepers and the stuffed toy to rely on. He was given a hug by one monkey and was seen grooming others, a key part of macaque socialisation. Matt Lovatt, director for the UK's Trentham Monkey Forest, spoke to BBC Breakfast about the behaviour of Punch.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 10:54 UTC
Rejected By Its Own Mother? Possible Explanations In Punch The Monkey's Case
Punch, a Japanese macaque born at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan in 2025, was rejected by his mother shortly after birth. His story has gone viral on social media, with many users wondering exactly why his mother abandoned him. Despite living among dozens of monkeys, Punch's only friend is a stuffed orangutan toy that provides him with safety and comfort. Also read | Watch: Viral Baby Monkey Punch Finally Accepted By His Troop With Heartwarming HugPhoto Credit: ReutersWhat's Next For Punch? "I think there will come a day when he no longer needs his stuffed toy," Shikano said.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 09:28 UTC
Punch monkey: Toy bond at Japan zoo melts internet and wins hearts wide
Watch | Who is 'Punch' the monkey, whose videos are going viral across social media? With clips of him not being accepted by the animal crowd, his bonds with the zoo's staff, and his love for the plushie, Punch became an internet star almost overnight, with netizens feeling bad for his exclusion from his own.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 07:39 UTC
Nigerians can buy Dangote Refinery shares by July
President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, speaking during a visit to the Dangote refinery by NNPC management team. Photo: X/NNPCThe President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said Nigerians will soon be able to invest directly in the Dangote Refinery, describing the move as part of efforts to broaden public ownership of the project. According to him, plans are underway to allow individuals to purchase shares in the refinery within the next four to five months. “Individually, Nigerians too will have an opportunity… in the next maximum four or five months, they will actually be able to buy their shares,” Dangote said. “I think the sky is the limit and we (NNPC and Dangote Refinery) will cooperate and also make sure that we work together to make sure that we make Nigerians proud,” he said.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 04:24 UTC
ADC crisis deepens as El-Rufai, Malami remain detained
The former Kaduna State governor was detained by the EFCC on Monday and released on Wednesday evening. “Definitely, the arrest of Malami and El-Rufai will affect the structure of the party because they are strong leaders we are relying on. “The Tinubu government is intimidated by the popularity of El-Rufai and Malami; that is why they are detaining them. There is nothing like freedom again, and without freedom, you cannot work for a political party,” Ogga said. Former Benue State governor Gabriel Suswam was actively part of the coalition in its early days but stepped back after alleged threats of probe.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 03:31 UTC
INEC to Unveil New 2027 Election Timetable Amid Legal Calls
Legal experts believe that INEC cannot continue preparations for the 2027 elections under the 2022 Electoral Act, which has been amended to accommodate new provisions. He noted that since the 2022 Electoral Act had been repealed, all electoral processes must be conducted under the 2026 Electoral Act. “INEC will probably come up with a new election timetable, but there are a lot of things that still need to be looked at as they review the timetable. The ADC chieftain called on INEC to involve political parties and other relevant stakeholders in reviewing the election timetable. “If INEC is considering changing the election timetable, they will have to do that as quickly as possible, especially if the election will come slightly sooner than February.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 00:18 UTC
Viral Monkey Named Punch Needs a Real Mom to Love Him, Expert Says
Play video content TMZ.comA baby Japanese macaque named Punch has gone viral for capturing hearts around the world -- after his mother neglected him at birth and led him to find comfort in a stuffed monkey ... but according to one expert we spoke to, he will eventually need a living, loving mom in his life. We spoke with Michael Stern -- a Harvard-trained primatologist with decades of experience studying gorillas both in captivity and in the wild in Uganda -- who tells us every primate needs something to love when they're a baby, and they need to be loved ... just like us humans! In terms of people online like Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan, who have publicly offered to buy Punch off of the zoo, Stern tells us it's not necessarily the zoo's fault, but there are some ways these folks can put their money where their mouth is. The ape expert points out if you look at the video, these monkeys are living on concrete and don't really have that much grass or any real trees to climb. So the folks who are saying we should buy them out and rescue them, maybe they should be thinking bigger picture.
Source:Punch
February 22, 2026 00:09 UTC
Why my people hate Nigerians — South African beauty queen, Ntashabele
Apart from this incident, why do you think Nigerians in South Africa are being killed by South Africans? Many South Africans hate Nigerians because of drug dealing in South Africa. The problem with South Africans is that they think all foreigners are criminals in South Africa. Do you think South Africans hate Nigerians because they are successful in their country? It was when I represented South Africa as Mrs Universe South Africa that I won Mrs Worldwide South Africa.
Source:Punch
February 21, 2026 23:57 UTC
3 Key Updates on Punch Monkey at Japan Zoo
In macaque society, that kind of rejection can shape an infant’s entire future. Zoo staff stepped in. As reported by ABC News, fans were now flocking to the zoo in large numbers, some travelling significant distances just to see Punch in person. One widely shared clip showed an adult macaque dragging Punch away after he approached another baby. In macaque society, correction can be blunt but brief.
Source:Punch
February 21, 2026 23:28 UTC