Asian, European Markets Meet Prior To US Jobs Data
Asian and European markets advanced on Friday, in line with a global equity rally ahead of a US jobs report that will give insight about the Federal Reserve’s next move on interest rates. A frenzied selloff of Chinese stocks meanwhile slowed over reports of a regulatory clampdown. The global bond market also eased after yields had jumped this week on concerns...
Afghanistan Earthquake Aftershocks Inflict More Injuries
A series of strong aftershocks from a deadly earthquake that hit eastern Afghanistan over the weekend injured at least another 10 people and caused further damage, Taliban authorities said on Friday. Five shallow aftershocks, the strongest measuring at magnitude 5.6, were recorded by the US Geological Survey on Thursday night and Friday morning, with some rattling Kabul and the Pakistan...
Trump Deports 250,000 Migrants Protected By Biden’s Administration
The Trump administration will end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 256,000 Venezuelans, clearing the way for deportations. The designation, first granted under President Joe Biden in 2021 and expanded in 2023, gave eligible migrants work permits and protection from removal. A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said: “Weighing public safety, national security, migration factors, immigration policy, economic considerations,...
US Defends Visa Revocations Affecting Nigerians
The United States government has defended the recent indiscriminate visa revocations affecting Nigerians with valid U.S. visas, saying the move was borne out of the need to uphold the country’s national security and guarantee the safety of its citizens. This is even as the US Embassy in Nigeria yesterday issued an updated security alert, warning its citizens in Nigeria against...
Trump Urge Americans To Invest Retirement Funds In Crypto
US President Donald Trump is moving to make it easier for Americans to use their retirement savings to invest in non-traditional assets like cryptocurrencies, private equity, property, and gold. On Thursday, he directed regulators to review rules that might discourage employers from offering such investment options in workplace retirement plans, known in the US as 401(k)s. The move is intended to...
Britain Suspends Refugees’ Family Reunion Applications
Britain said yesterday it would suspend applications from registered refugees seeking to bring family members into the country, as it sought to tighten rules for migrants granted asylum and curb arrival. The UK had about 111,984 asylum seekers who claimed asylum as at the end of June 2025 and 224,742 ongoing asylum cases as of June 2024, including appeals. The Home...
Putin Meets Turkey’s President Over Ukraine War
Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Turkey’s mediation attempts around the Ukraine war at a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in China on Monday. “I’m confident that Turkey’s special role in these matters will continue to be in demand,” the Russian president said during talks with Erdogan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Putin added...
Simon Ekpa Convicted, sentenced To 6 Years Imprisonment
Finland Court sentence self-acclaimed Biafra Prime Minister, Simon Ekpa to six years imprisonment for terrorism offences, tax fraud The Päijät-Häme District Court found Ekpa guilty of inciting a public crime committed with terrorist intent and participating in the activities of a terrorist group, while also convicting him of aggravated tax fraud and violating the provisions of the Attorneys Act. The District...
US To Shorten Visa Duration For International Students, Journalists
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced plans to shorten the duration of visas issued to international students and foreign journalists, citing national security and immigration control concerns. Under the proposed rule, F visas—which are granted to foreign students—would be limited to a maximum of four years. Currently, these visas typically cover the full length of an academic...
Equatorial Guinea’s Baltasar Engonga Jailed 8 Years After Sex Tape Scandal
A court in Equatorial Guinea has sentenced Baltasar Ebang Engonga, a senior government official, to eight years in prison for embezzlement. The Bioko provincial tribunal found Engonga, the former head of the national financial investigation agency, guilty of diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars meant for travel expenses into personal use. He was also fined $220,000, according to Supreme Court...
