International Archives - Page 6 of 14

NIS warns Nigerians against misusing US visas

The Nigeria Immigration Service has issued an advisory urging Nigerians to use their U.S. visas responsibly and in strict compliance with the stated purpose of their application.

This follows concerns raised by the U.S. Government over the misuse of visas by some Nigerian citizens.

In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, the Service Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, said Nigerians holding U.S. visas must adhere to the terms and conditions under which the visas were granted.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service wishes to inform the general public of concerns raised by the United States Government regarding the misuse of U.S. visas by Nigerians.

“All visa holders are advised to strictly adhere to the purpose stated in their visa applications

“U.S. authorities conduct security screening beyond the initial point of entry into the country. Any breach of immigration or other laws can lead to visa revocation or deportation.

“Breach of visa conditions, including overstaying, may attract severe penalties, including removal from the U.S. and permanent ineligibility for future travel,” he said.

According to him, the U.S. remains committed to maintaining a secure and transparent visa process and expects all visa holders to comply fully with its immigration regulations.

He also advised Nigerian students in the U.S. to remain in active study programmes and refrain from unauthorised withdrawal or absenteeism.

He noted that such actions could result in visa cancellation and the loss of future eligibility for U.S. travel.

The NIS warned that the U.S. consular officers reserve the right to deny tourist visas to applicants suspected of intending to travel to give birth, in a bid to secure U.S. citizenship for their children.

“The NIS will continue to collaborate with the U.S. Mission in Abuja to ensure Nigeria is not included in any expanded visa restrictions,” he said.

“We are calling on all Nigerian citizens to comply with U.S. visa rules as such conduct is essential to safeguarding legitimate travel opportunities.

No xenophobia, Nigerians safe in Ghana, Mahama assures Tinubu

President John Mahama of Ghana has assured Nigeria of the safety of its nationals residing in Ghana, stating that there is no place for xenophobia in the country.

Mahama also reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to the Economic Community of West African States protocols, especially those concerning the free movement of persons and goods within the region.

A statement on Friday by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Magnus Eze, said the Ghanaian president gave the assurance on Thursday while receiving President Bola Tinubu’s special envoy, led by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at the Presidential Palace in Accra.

“Tell President Tinubu not to lose sleep over the recent protests. Nigeria and Ghana are brothers with a shared history, and we won’t allow anything to come between us,” the statement titled, “Mahama to Tinubu: No room for xenophobia in Ghana,” quoted Mahama as saying.

He attributed the tension to the recirculation of a video recorded over a decade ago by a Nigerian residing in Ghana, saying the incident was promptly managed.

The Ghanaian president promised to protect the lives, properties, and businesses of Nigerians in Ghana.

“The recirculation of an old video made by a Nigerian residing in Ghana over 10 years ago actually generated tension, but gladly, the situation was swiftly managed.

“The protesters were not more than 50. I assure the envoy of the safety and protection of the lives, properties and businesses of Nigeria and Nigerians in Ghana, ” he stated.

Earlier, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the visit was to douse tension following the circulation of the video that triggered concerns back in Nigeria.

“Every Nigerian back home is apprehensive about the safety of Nigerian nationals in Ghana. We are here to reaffirm the safety of our citizens and to seek ways to strengthen bilateral ties,” she said.

The minister also disclosed plans to facilitate the establishment of a permanent Nigeria-Ghana Joint Commission, which she said would help address youth migration driven by high unemployment rates.

She added that she would be meeting with the Nigerian community in Ghana to encourage them to obey local laws and conduct themselves as good ambassadors of their country.

Naira strengthens against dollar, closes week at N1,534.72

The Naira closed the week on a positive note, gaining 4.52 kobo against the U.S. dollar at the official market on Friday.

According to the latest figures from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Naira traded at N1,534.72 per dollar.

The figure represents a modest gain of 0.05 per cent on Thursday, when it was valued at N1,534.79 to the dollar.

However, the Naira had experienced minimal losses earlier in the week, trading at N1,535.62 on Wednesday and N1,535.24 on Tuesday.

The trading week began with a minor decline of 20 kobo on Monday.

NAN

At least 3 killed as Russia, Ukraine exchange strikes

Russia struck several regions of Ukraine overnight, officials said Saturday, reporting one person killed in Dnipro, while Moscow said two people died after a Ukrainian drone attack in the Rostov region.

Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov said one person was killed in a high-rise apartment complex.

Across the border, Russia’s acting governor of Rostov said a car caught fire following a drone strike.

“Tragically, two people died,” Yuri Sliusar posted on Telegram.

Ukrainian officials in Dnipro, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia all reported coming under Russian fire overnight.

In Dnipro, Filatov urged people to take precautions during Russian attacks.

“I understand that there aren’t enough shelters, but I must say: during shelling, it is absolutely not advisable to stay on the upper floors, especially when there is an underground parking area available,” he posted on Telegram.

Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov said that his city had come under sustained bombardment “for almost three hours”.

“The enemy used several types of weapons simultaneously: guided bombs, ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones,” he added.

In Zaporizhzhia, Governor Ivan Fedorov said several fires broke out following Russian drone attacks, one of which hit a residential building while another damaged a farm warehouse.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pushing for a meeting with counterpart Vladimir Putin to end the war, with Kyiv proposing talks by the end of August.

But the Kremlin on Thursday downplayed the likelihood any such meeting was imminent.

Both sides have radically different positions at the negotiating table, and Ukraine has accused Russia of sending only low-level officials with no decision-making power.

Russia has called on Ukraine to effectively cede four regions that Moscow claims to have annexed, a demand Kyiv has called unacceptable.

Ukraine meanwhile has been pleading with its Western backers to send more weapons for its troops to withstand daily Russian attacks.

Gambian president pays condolence visit to Buhari’s family

The President of the Republic of The Gambia, Adama Barrow, on Friday paid a condolence visit to the family of the late former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, at his hometown in Daura, Katsina State.

Barrow, who arrived in Katsina for the visit, was received by the Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba-Faskari, alongside members of the Buhari family.

While offering his tribute, Barrow described the late Buhari as a pillar of democracy and a steadfast supporter of The Gambia.

“President Buhari stood by us and the Gambian people to ensure that our democratic mandate was fully respected and implemented to its ultimate end,” he said.

Barrow said that Buhari was more than a leader to him personally.

“Every time I saw Buhari, I saw a father, a brother, and an uncle standing before me,” he said.

Barrow highlighted Buhari’s role in promoting peace and democracy across West Africa through ECOWAS, the African Union, and on the global stage.

He stated, “I feel deeply obliged for what President Buhari has done — not just for The Gambia, but for ECOWAS, the African Union, and Nigeria’s image across the world.

“He stood for democracy, freedom, and justice.”

The Gambian leader extended his condolences to the Buhari family and the Nigerian people.

“We offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and to all Nigerians for the loss of a great man—one who helped shape who we are today,” he said.

In his remarks, Garba-Faskari described Barrow’s visit as a true reflection of African brotherhood.

He added that Buhari’s contributions to peace and stability in Nigeria and across the continent would never be forgotten.

Responding on behalf of the family, Yusuf Buhari, son of the late president, expressed heartfelt appreciation for the visit.

He said the gesture underscored the strong historical and diplomatic ties between Nigeria and The Gambia, as well as the late president’s enduring legacy in Africa.

NAN

France defends move to recognise Palestinian state

France defended its decision to recognise Palestinian statehood amid domestic and international criticism on Friday, including against the charge that the move plays into the hands of militant group Hamas.

President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September, the most powerful European nation to announce such a move.

Macron’s announcement drew condemnation from Israel, which said it “rewards terror”, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it “reckless” and said it “only serves Hamas propaganda”.

Mike Huckabee, US ambassador to Israel, quipped that Macron did not say where a future Palestinian state would be located.

“I can now exclusively disclose that France will offer the French Riviera & the new nation will be called “Franc-en-Stine”, he said on X.

Hamas itself — which is designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union — praised the French initiative, saying it was “a positive step in the right direction toward doing justice to our oppressed Palestinian people”.

But French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Friday argued that Macron’s initiative went against what the militant group wanted.

“Hamas has always ruled out a two-state solution. By recognising Palestine, France goes against that terrorist organisation,” Barrot said on X.

With its decision, France was “backing the side of peace against the side of war”, Barrot added.

Domestic reactions ranged from praise on the left, condemnation on the right and awkward silence in the ranks of the government itself.

– ‘Counter-productive’, ‘pointless’ –

The leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), Jordan Bardella, said the announcement was “rushed” and afforded Hamas “unexpected institutional and international legitimacy”.

On the other side of the political spectrum, Jean-Luc Melenchon, boss of the far-left France Unbowed party, called Macron’s announcement “a moral victory”, although he deplored that it did not take effect immediately.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, a right winger whose relationship with Macron is tense, declined on Friday to give his opinion, saying he was currently busy with an unrelated “serious topic” linked to the “security of French people on holiday”.

But the vice president of his party, Les Republicains, Xavier Bellamy, blasted the decision as possibly “counter-productive” or, at best, “pointless”.

The move risked “endangering Israeli civilians” as well as “Palestinian civilians who are victims of Hamas’s barbarism”, he said.

Bellamy said that Macron’s move was a departure from the president’s previously set conditions for recognition of Palestine, which included a Hamas de-militarisation, the movement’s exclusion from any future government, the liberation of all Israeli hostages in Gaza and the recognition of Israel by several Arab states.

“None of them have been met,” he said.

While France would be the most significant European country to recognise a Palestinian state, others have hinted they could do the same.

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he would hold a call on Friday with counterparts in Germany and France on efforts to stop the fighting, adding that a ceasefire would “put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state”.

Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all announced recognition following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, along with several other non-European countries.

Once France follows through on its announcement, a total of at least 142 countries will have recognised Palestinian statehood.

AFP

UK doctors begin five-day strike despite PM’s plea 25th July 2025

Thousands of UK doctors launched a five-day strike early Friday after talks with the Labour government for a new pay increase failed to reach a deal.

Doctors were out on picket lines outside hospitals after negotiations with the government went down the wire late Thursday, without reaching an accord.

The move comes after the doctors accepted a pay rise offer totalling 22.3 per cent over two years in September, soon after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour party took power.

Resident doctors — those below consultant level — have said they felt they had “no choice” but to strike again to reverse “pay erosion” since 2008.

Starmer on Friday appealed to the doctors, saying patients were being put at risk and the strikes would “cause real damage”.

Launching a strike “will mean everyone loses,” Starmer wrote in the Times, highlighting the added strain it would put on the already struggling National Health Service (NHS).

He appealed to the doctors not to “follow” their union, the British Medical Association (BMA) “down this damaging road. Our NHS and your patients need you” .

“Lives will be blighted by this decision,” Starmer warned.

But the junior doctors have said their pay in real terms has eroded more than 21 per cent over the past two decades.

“We’re not working 21 per cent less hard so why should our pay suffer?” said the co-chairs of the BMA’s resident doctors committee Melissa Ryan and Ross Nieuwoudt in a statement.

Last year’s doctors’ strikes, which saw tens of thousands of appointments cancelled and treatment delayed, were among a series of public and private sector walk-outs over pay and conditions as inflation soared.

Health minister Wes Streeting also appealed to doctors to reverse their position, saying in a letter published in The Telegraph that the government “cannot afford to go further on pay this year”.

The previous Conservative government last year resisted the BMA’s demands for a 35-perc ent “pay restoration” to reflect real-term inflation over the last decade.

Last year, Labour moved to draw a line under a series of disputes reaching pay offers to public sector workers including teachers and train drivers.

Those included a 15 per cent pay deal over three years for train drivers, which was heavily criticised by the Conservative opposition.

AFP

Global markets brace for Trump’s August 1 tariff deadline

Asian markets were mixed Tuesday as traders kept an eye on earnings from Wall Street titans this week while tracking US trade talks just over a week before the deadline for a deal.

Japanese stocks edged up and the yen held gains after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he will stay in power despite the weekend election debacle.

Investors took a more cautious path after a largely positive day on Wall Street, where the S&P ended above 6,300 points for the first time and the Nasdaq chalked up yet another record.

Equities continue to rally on expectations that key trading partners will strike agreements with Washington before August 1 to avoid Donald Trump’s sky-high tariffs, with the US president stating that several deals are close. Just three have been struck so far.

His press secretary Karoline Leavitt, said more could be reached before next Friday, but also warned the president could unveil fresh unilateral tolls in that time.

While Trump’s initial tariff bombshell on April 2 rattled global markets before he delayed introducing the measures twice, they have seen more muted reactions to successive threats as traders expect him to eventually row back again.

That optimism has been helped by data indicating the US economy remained healthy despite the imposition of other levies that are beginning to be felt on Main Street.

And SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes warned traders could be in for a shock next week.

“The new tariff regime isn’t being priced — full stop,” he wrote.

“Markets have seen this movie before: tough talk, last-minute extensions, and deal-making in overtime. But this time, Trump isn’t bluffing. He’s already posted ‘No extensions will be granted’.

“The new rates — 30 per cent on the EU, 35 per cent on Canada, 50 per cent on Brazil — are politically loaded and economically radioactive. If they go live, there’s no soft landing.”

Hong Kong has been the standout in Asia this year, adding around a quarter thanks to a rally in Chinese tech firms and a fresh influx of cash from mainland investors.

And the Hang Seng Index continued its advance Tuesday, with Shanghai, Sydney and Taipei also up.

There were losses in Singapore, Seoul, Wellington and Manila.

Tokyo rose as investors returned from a long weekend to news that Ishiba would remain in power even after his ruling coalition lost its majority in Japan’s lower house elections Sunday, months after it suffered a similar fate in the upper house.

His refusal to leave helped the yen push higher against the dollar and other peers, though observers warned the government’s tenure remained fragile and investors remained nervous.

The yen strengthened to 147.08 Tuesday before paring some of the gains. That compares with 148.80 Friday.

But Franklin Templeton Institute’s Christy Tan said that “Ishiba now faces heightened political headwinds, including pressure over inflation, taxes, and US trade talks”.

Focus also turns this week to earnings from some of the world’s biggest names, including Tesla, Google-parent Alphabet, General Motors, Intel and Coca-Cola.

While there will be plenty of attention given to the results, the firms’ guidance will be key as investors try to gauge companies’ pulses in light of Trump’s trade war.

– Key figures at around 0230 GMT –

Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.2 per cent at 39,892.81 (break)

Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.3 per cent at 25,074.15

Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.1 per cent at 3,563.59

Dollar/yen: UP at 147.50 yen from 147.42 yen on Monday

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1690 from $1.1688

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3484 from $1.3485

Euro/pound: UP at 86.69 pence from 86.68 pence

West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.7 per cent at $66.70 per barrel

Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.9 per cent at $68.62 per barrel

New York – Dow: FLAT at 44,323.07 (close)

London – FTSE 100: UP 0.2 per cent at 9,012.99 (close)

AFP

US Immigration hikes fees for asylum, work permit

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced a new set of immigration-related fees following the implementation of the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Bill, with changes set to take effect from July 22, 2025.

According to a Federal Register Notice issued on July 18, 2025, applications postmarked on or after that date must include the updated fees.

USCIS said it will reject any submissions made on or after August 21, 2025, if the proper H.R. 1-mandated fees are not included.

Among the major changes, a $100 fee will now be charged for filing Form I-589 (Asylum and Withholding of Removal).

An Annual Asylum Fee of $100, payable online, will also be required for each calendar year an asylum application remains pending.

New fees have been established for specific applications of the Form I-765 Employment Authorisation Document (EAD):

$550 for initial applications

$275 for renewals or extensions

A reduced fee of $275 applies for EADs filed after approval of re-parole using Form I-131.

In addition, a $250 Special Immigrant Juvenile fee now applies to Form I-360 applications under that category.

Temporary Protected Status registration fees using Form I-821 have increased from $50 to $500.

USCIS clarified that the new H.R. 1 fees are in addition to current fees under its existing rule and cannot be waived or reduced, even if applicants are eligible for a regular USCIS fee waiver.

“Any alien who filed or files a Form I-589 after October 1, 2024, that remains pending with USCIS for 365 days must pay the AAF is of the one-year anniversary of his or her filing date and each year thereafter that the application remains pending on such day of the calendar year,” the notice read.

The new rule also shortens the validity period for work permits in certain categories.

Parolees will get EADs valid for no more than one year or the duration of parole, whichever is shorter.

TPS beneficiaries will have EADs valid for a maximum of one year or t

he length of TPS, whichever comes first.

USCIS said additional fee adjustments for other forms, such as Form I-131 (Travel Documents) and Form I-102 (Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Replacement), will be announced later.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, ‘Cosby Show’ Star, Dies at 54 in Costa Rica Drowning

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who became a household name as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has died at age 54 after an accidental drowning off Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, officials and multiple news sources report.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner at the Deadline Contenders Television event at Directors Guild Of America on April 16, 2023 in Los Angeles | Credit: PEOPLE

Warner was on a family trip when the incident occurred, AP News, Reuters among many others reported on Monday.

Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ) said Warner was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limón Province on Sunday afternoon, July 20, when a strong current pulled him out to sea.

Beachgoers brought him to shore; first responders from the Costa Rican Red Cross attempted lifesaving measures but he was pronounced dead at the scene, CBS News also reported.

The Red Cross said it was alerted at about 2:10 p.m. local time and treated two adult men, transporting one in critical condition.

Local authorities subsequently listed the official cause of death as “asphyxia by submersion,” language echoed in statements provided to U.S. media outlets.

Police told ABC News that Warner had been caught in a rip current; Entertainment Weekly and PEOPLE likewise reported that preliminary findings pointed to asphyxiation following submersion.

In a statement, the OIJ said the victim “appears to have entered the sea and was apparently swept away by a current… [and] was declared lifeless at the scene” after treatment by the Costa Rican Red Cross.

Fox Entertainment, which worked with Warner during his run as cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. AJ Austin on the network drama The Resident, called the loss “tragic.”

“Everyone at FOX is heartbroken by the tragic loss of our friend and colleague, the extraordinary Malcolm-Jamal Warner,” the company said in a statement.

Theo Huxtable OR Malcolm-Jamal Warner?

Born August 18, 1970, in Jersey City, New Jersey, and named after Malcolm X and jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, Warner pursued performance from an early age and attended the Professional Children’s School in New York.

He broke out as the witty, vulnerable Theo in The Cosby Show (1984–1992), earning an Emmy nomination in 1986.

He later starred in Malcolm & Eddie, appeared in Reed Between the Lines, and had a prominent turn in The Resident.

Tributes Pour In

Tributes have poured in from across the entertainment world, AP, CBS News and Reuters all reported.

Viola Davis remembered the actor’s cultural impact, writing that “Theo was OUR son, OUR brother, OUR friend… we are gutted by this loss.”

Actor Morris Chestnut, who appeared with Warner on The Resident, told PEOPLE, “He was just a really, really good, genuine guy,” adding that Warner welcomed him warmly and even took him to dinner early in their working relationship. Author-activist Kevin Powell told CBS News that Warner “was never someone who was into the celebrity of it… He literally was America’s son.”

A spokesperson for Bill Cosby said the comedian found the news “devastating,” likening the shock to the 1997 killing of his own son Ennis.

The NAACP also honored Warner on social media, writing “#RestinPower… Your talent and spirit touched many lives, and your legacy will continue to inspire.”

Warner’s talents extended beyond acting: he directed episodes of hit television series, recorded spoken-word and music projects, and won a Grammy Award in 2015 for his contribution to a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Jesus Children of America.”

He kept his personal life largely private, but is survived by his wife and daughter, whom he rarely discussed publicly.