Nigerians and travellers from 37 other countries applying for United States B1/B2 visas may now be required to post non-refundable visa bonds of up to $15,000, following a new directive by the US Department of State. The visa bond policy applies to applicants seeking business (B1) or tourism (B2) visas from countries classified by the US as high-risk. Visa bonds serve as financial guarantees and do not ensure automatic visa approval. The development further tightens US entry conditions, coming barely a week after Nigeria was placed under partial US travel restrictions. ALSO READ US drops 6 childhood vaccines from CDC…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
A new review by the World Health Organization (WHO) has reaffirmed that there is no evidence that childhood vaccines cause autism, following an assessment of more than 25 years of global scientific research. The review, conducted by the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS), found no causal link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including vaccines containing preservatives such as thimerosal or aluminium-based adjuvants. The findings, published on Thursday, come amid renewed debate in the United States after comments by US Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reviving long-debunked claims about a possible link…
The House of Representatives has released the Certified True Copies (CTCs) of four tax reform Acts recently signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following public concerns over the circulation of unauthorised and allegedly altered versions. The release was directed by the Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, in collaboration with Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, after discrepancies were identified in versions of the laws already in circulation. ASHENEWS gathered that the issue was first raised on the floor of the House by a member who drew attention to inconsistencies in the tax laws, prompting an internal verification exercise…
The National Association of Media and Publishers (ANME) of Morocco has called for the strengthening of a pan-African network of journalists to enable Africans tell their own stories and project the continent more positively to the global audience. The Vice President of the association, Mohammed Daki, made the call during an interview with journalists in Casablanca, Morocco. Daki said the engagement with journalists from across Africa aimed to deepen professional collaboration and strengthen existing partnerships between Moroccan media practitioners and their counterparts on the continent. According to him, the initiative seeks to promote shared learning, peer exchange, and stronger editorial…
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has reaffirmed the success of the recent U.S.-led airstrike on terrorist targets in Sokoto State, describing the operation as intelligence-driven and effective, while warning communities against harbouring fleeing terrorists. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the operations of the Armed Forces in 2025. Onoja said a post-strike battle damage assessment was ongoing and assured that full details would be made public once the process was concluded. ALSO READ ISWAP expanding beyond northeast, now present in Sokoto – Study “For now, we advise the…
Nigeria’s external reserve is projected to rise to $51.04 billion in 2026, supported by stronger oil earnings, foreign exchange (FX) market reforms, and improved external inflows. This is according to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) 2026 Macroeconomic Outlook for Nigeria. This represents a notable increase from the estimated $45.01 billion in 2025 and signals expectations of stronger external buffers and easing pressure in the foreign exchange market. ALSO READ CBN sees Nigeria’s debt at 34.7% of GDP in 2026 The apex bank said the outlook reflects higher oil revenues, increased bond issuance, sustained diaspora remittances, FX market reforms, and expanded domestic…
Nigeria’s public debt is projected to rise to 34.68 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by the end of 2026, with the outlook remaining sustainable due largely to improved exchange rate stability, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said. The projection is contained in the CBN’s 2026 Macroeconomic Outlook for Nigeria, which indicates a modest increase from 33.98 per cent recorded at end-June 2025, reflecting expected new borrowings under continued discretionary fiscal policy actions. Despite the increase, the apex bank said Nigeria’s debt trajectory remains stable, noting that key drivers of debt accumulation in recent years—particularly exchange rate-related…
The All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) has unveiled Nigerian rapper and actor, FalzTheBahdGuy, and French-Senegalese actress and media personality, Liliane Maroune, as hosts of its 9th edition. The awards ceremony, organised by AFRIMA’s International Executive Committee in collaboration with the African Union Commission and in partnership with the Lagos State Government as host city, will take place from January 7 to 11, 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria. With this announcement, Falz becomes the second Nigerian, after music legend 2Baba, to host the prestigious AFRIMA stage. 2Baba previously co-hosted the inaugural edition of the awards in 2014. Over the years, AFRIMA has…
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, on Monday signed the state’s 2026 Appropriation Bill of ₦1.016 trillion into law. The signing ceremony took place at Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area, where Otti pledged that the budget would be judiciously implemented to drive development across the state. The governor assured that his administration would remain disciplined in executing the budget as approved, adding that any future adjustments would be returned to the Abia State House of Assembly for approval. Otti commended both the executive team that prepared the budget and lawmakers for their diligence and thorough scrutiny of the bill,…
The Federal High Court in Abuja has declined to grant an application seeking to restrain the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) from taking further actions following the revocation of the operating licences of two mortgage institutions—Aso Savings and Loans Plc and Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc. Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling delivered on Tuesday, held that the interest of justice would be better served by putting the defendants on notice rather than granting the ex parte application filed by the plaintiffs. “I have listened to the submission of counsel for the…