Xabi Alonso leaves role as Real Madrid manager as Arbeloa takes charge

Xabi Alonso has left his position as Real Madrid manager after just eight months in charge, with his former Liverpool team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa taking over.

The La Liga side said former Bayer Leverkusen manager Alonso, 44, had left by “mutual consent” and minutes later announced Arbeloa’s appointment.

The former Spain and Real full-back has been promoted from coaching Real’s B team.

Real were beaten by rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday and trail Barca by four points in La Liga.

Sources have told BBC Sport that Alonso argued with striker Kylian Mbappe about tactics before Sunday’s final. He also had a disagreement with president Florentino Perez on Monday before the decision to part ways was taken later in the day.

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4 arrested in connection with defilement suspect’s death in police cells

Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the death of a defilement suspect who was in police custody at the Twifo Praso Police Station cells.

The deceased, a 40-year-old George Anim, was arrested on November 25, 2025, for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old girl at Swedru Akuapem in the Assin Fosu Municipality.

Anim, while in police custody was transferred to the Twifo Praso Police Station.  

The Central North Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Edmond Agyemang Badu, confirming the arrest of the suspects to Graphic Online, said the four were being held to assist in investigations and were expected to be arraigned in court on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.

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GOC unveils bold roadmap to transform Ghana’s sports

The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) has unveiled an ambitious four-year Strategic Plan aimed at resetting the foundations of sports development in the country and positioning Ghana as a serious force on the African continent and beyond.

Launched in Accra last Friday, the 2025–2029 Strategic Plan drew a strong cross-section of national sports federations, administrators, stakeholders and sports enthusiasts, underlining the growing appetite for reform and long-term thinking within Ghanaian sport.

At the heart of the blueprint is a clear and deliberate shift towards athlete-centred development, supported by improved governance structures, sustainable funding models and stronger domestic and international partnerships.

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ICE medically cleared Ofori-Atta before detention, says Ghana High Commissioner

Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United States has disclosed that United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement medically cleared former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta for detention before admitting him into custody.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, Mr Victor Smith said ICE arranged for medical professionals to assess Mr Ofori Atta shortly after his arrest to determine whether he was fit to be held in a detention centre.

“Yes, the ICE people confirmed that he was all right. Initially, they had medical people to determine whether he was fit to be held in the detention centre, and they were convinced and were assured that he was okay,” he said.

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See the approved University of Ghana fees for 2025/2026 academic year after GTEC’s intervention

Following consultations involving the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), the University Council, management, and student representatives, the academic user facility fee for the 2025/2026 academic year at the University of Ghana will remain the same as the 2024/2025 academic year.

In a press statement dated January 12, 2026 issued by the Ministry of Education, the Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Apaak explained that he chaired a meeting on January 8, 2026 with the Ministry of Education and GTEC, as well as the Council Chair, Management and Students of the University of Ghana, where GTEC directed to communicate the below fees and charges by the University of Ghana for the 2025/2026 academic year,

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This is what Ghanaians consumed most last year – 2025 Performance of FMCG sector in Ghana: Full-year review

According to new research conducted by the top Fast Moving Consumer Good (FMCG) market and economic research agency and consultancy company in Ghana, SumsureIQ, Ghana’s Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector has seen significant improvements in a difficult landscape characterised by cost-of-living crises, exchange rate volatility and constant inflationary pressures in 2025 compared to 2024. 

Over the years, SumsureIQ research findings have been published as part of SumsureIQ’s Quarterly Brand/Manufacturer Performance Tracking Index and in National Newspapers.

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‘Have GH¢100,000 or don’t wed’: Duncan-Williams slams lavish weddings, urges couples to marry without debt

The Founder and leader of Action Chapel International, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, has sparked public debate after openly criticising what he described as the growing culture of extravagant weddings, urging couples to place financial readiness above elaborate ceremonies.

In a sermon that has since gone viral on social media, the Archbishop questioned why couples with limited means feel pressured to organise costly weddings, warning that such practices often push newly married couples into debt at the very start of their union.

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High Court directs Attorney-General to submit report on detention of Alhaji Seidu Abagre

The High Court in Accra has ordered the Attorney-General’s Department to file a detailed report on the detention of Alhaji Seidu Abagre, who has been in state security agencies custody since December 24, 2025, following his removal from Bawku based on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s Bawku conflict mediation exercise.

The court directed that the report, which should outline the reasons for Seidu Abagre’s detention, should be filed on or before January 21, 2026.

The order was made by the court presided over Justice Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit following a habeas corpus application filed on behalf of Seidu Abagre.

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