UK introduces eVisas for Nigerian study, work visa applicants (Punch)
The British High Commission in Abuja on Wednesday announced a change to the United Kingdomโs immigration process for Nigerians applying for study and work visas.
Starting from 15 July 2025, most applicants in these categories will begin receiving digital eVisas instead of the traditional visa stickers in their passports, a statement from the BHC revealed.
The new policy will only apply to applications submitted on or after 15 July 2025. Those who submit their applications before this date will still follow the existing procedure, which includes submitting their passport at a Visa Application Centre and receiving a vignette. Read more
LASTMA to unveil 20-year strategic blueprint for traffic management in Lagos (Guardian)
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has announced that it will unveil its 20-year strategic blueprint for traffic management in Lagos, which aims to recalibrate the systems in anticipation of intensifying urbanisation and future vehicular demands.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, stated this on Wednesday at a press briefing held in commemoration of the agencyโs 25th anniversary during the second traffic conference in Lagos.
According to Giwa, the epochal occasion of the Silver Jubilee transcends ceremonial festivities; it is an opportunity for solemn retrospection, thoughtful acknowledgement of institutional milestones, and a renewed affirmation of the unwavering commitment to public service excellence in the ever-evolving terrain of traffic management. Read more
LG Polls: Police announce restriction of movement in Lagos (Channels)
Police authorities in Lagos State have announced restrictions on movement in the South-West state on Saturday, July 12, for the local government elections.
The Lagos Police Command said on Wednesday that the movement restriction will begin in the early hours of the day.
In a statement, the command said the โtotal restriction of vehicular movement throughout Lagos Stateโ will be โfrom 3 am on Saturday, 12th July, 2025 till 3 pm of the same Saturday, 12th July, 2025โ. Read more
UAE imposes fresh travel conditions on Nigerians, bans transit visa, others (Vanguard)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has introduced more stringent entry restrictions for Nigerians, including a ban on transit visa applications and new limitations on tourist visas.
The latest directives communicated to Nigerian travel agents on Tuesday as confirmed by Daily Trust sparked concern within the travel and tourism sector.
In a major policy shift expected to significantly reduce travel from Nigeria to Dubaiโone of the UAEโs top destinations for business and leisureโthe authorities now restrict Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 45 from obtaining tourist visas unless they are accompanied. Read more
Senate probes Ponzi schemes in Nigeria, loss of N1.3t to CBEX crash (Tribune)
Operators of Ponzi schemes in Nigeria have come under the Senateโs spotlight following the passage of a resolution on Wednesday to investigate their activities and other similar online transactions that defraud investors of their hard-earned money.
Of particular concern to the Senate is the recent collapse of the Crypto Bullion Exchange (CBEX), which resulted in Nigerian investors losing a staggering N1.3 trillion.
Four Senate committeesโCapital Market and Institutions; Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions; Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes; and ICT/Cybersecurityโwere mandated on Wednesday to โconduct a comprehensive investigative hearing, including public hearings, on the operations of Ponzi schemes in Nigeriaโ within the next four weeks. Read more
Ganduje takes over helm of FAAN board (Sun)
The former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Kano State Governor, Dr Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, has officially assumed duty as Chairman of the Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, inaugurated him and other members of the board in Abuja on Wednesday, July 9.
The inauguration, held at the Ministryโs auditorium, marked a significant step in the federal governmentโs renewed efforts to reposition the aviation sector under President Bola Ahmed Tinubuโs Renewed Hope Agenda. Read more
EFCC secures conviction of 146 foreigners for financial crimes (Nation)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of 146 out of 194 foreigners arrested for cybersecurity attacks relating to financial crimes in the country.
โLast year, we arrested about 194 foreigners who were involved in various forms of financial crimes and activities that are inimical to the economic growth and development of our country.
โToday, I can tell you that we have succeeded in prosecution and conviction of 146 of them. They will serve their jail terms and will be repatriated to their respective countries, โ Olukoyede said. Read more
Steven Spielberg says he called his mother ‘a lot’ while filming โJawsโ (People)
Steven Spielberg may have already been a fully grown man by the time he made Jaws in 1974, but he still needed his mom.
In National Geographic’s new documentary Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story, Spielberg recalls calling his mother โ musician, artist and restaurateur Leah Adler, who died in 2017 at age 97 โ when he was having a particularly hard time on set.
“I talked to my mom a lot,” Spielberg says, adding with a smile, “I mean, I was talking to my mom kinda like, ‘Mommy, this is really impossible, help!’ ” Read more
Ed Sheeranโs Pollock homage has energy but no feeling or truth (Guardian)
One thing is obvious about Ed Sheeran the painter: he doesnโt want to ruin his clothes. He paints in a white protective suit, photos reveal, as if paint was radioactive material or sewage.
Itโs a telling contrast with a real artist like Jenny Saville, who gets completely covered with paint like a naughty three-year-old, let alone Van Gogh, who ate the stuff.
Sheeran isnโt claiming to be one of those artists โ is he? Heโs in it for fun and charity. And his paintings have more energy than youโd think from the prissy hazmat suit. He must have moved about a bit, flicking and pouring the fizzy greenish blues, hot orange, lime, mixing them as if making cocktails. Read more
Texas flood death toll tops 100 and more than 160 people are missing, Gov. Abbott says (NPR)
Rescue and recovery efforts trudged on for a fifth day after devastating flooding on July 4 in central Texas sent the water of the Guadalupe River surging into nearby campgrounds and low-lying homes and cars.
On Tuesday afternoon, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the death toll from the flooding now stands at 109 people and there are 161 people known to be missing in the Kerr County area.
He held a press conference following a flyover of the affected areas. “Know this: We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for,” he said. Abbott noted that there may still be more people reported missing. Read more
Ukraine suffers heaviest attack as Trump criticises Putin (BBC)
President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine has been hit by the biggest ever aerial attack from Russia, after 728 drones and 13 cruise or ballistic missiles struck cities around the country in multiple waves.
Zelensky condemned the “telling attack”, adding: “It comes precisely at a time when so many efforts have been made to achieve peace, to establish a ceasefire, and yet only Russia continues to rebuff them all.”
The overnight strike came after President Donald Trump said the US would send more weapons to Kyiv – a reversal of last week’s suspension which US media said Trump had not known about. Read more
IRS ends 70-year gag rule, says churches can now endorse political candidates (CNA)
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) this week backed off a decades-old rule first established during the Eisenhower administration, declaring for the first time since the 1950s that churches and other nonprofits can openly endorse political candidates without risking their tax-exempt status.
The order resolves a lawsuit launched in August 2024 by a coalition of religious broadcasters, one that challenged the 1954 Johnson Amendment, which says that 501(c)(3) nonprofits may not โparticipate in or intervene inโ political campaigns.
Advocates have argued that the rule shields the nonprofit industry from caustic politics. The National Religious Broadcasters, meanwhile, said in its suit that the tax rule punished churches by โsilenc[ing] their speech while providing no realistic alternative for operating in any other fashion.โ Read more
Russia reacts to Trump saying he threatened to bomb Moscow (Newsweek)
Russia said it could not confirm the veracity of President Donald Trump’s claim that he told Russian President Vladimir Putin he would bomb Moscow if Ukraine was invaded.
Audio of Trump speaking at a private meeting with fundraisers in 2024 about a conversation with Putin was broadcast by CNN.
“The fact is that there were no telephone conversations then,” said Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin, state news agency Tass reported. Read more
Ajayi shatters meet record with another 9.92secs in France (Guardian)
Nigerian sprinter, Kanyinsola Ajayi, on Monday night, impressed by equalling his personal best of 9.92 seconds at the Meeting International Sotteville-les-Rouen in France. Besides grabbing a deserved victory, he also carded a new meeting record at the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver event.
Ajayi, fresh off a sensational NCAA season, transferred his collegiate form seamlessly to the elite international circuit, matching the time that already ranks as the fourth-fastest in Nigerian history. The previous record at the Sotteville meeting was the 10.02secs set by Trinidad and Tobagoโs Keston Bledman in 2015.
The 100m final saw an African sweep of the podium: Kanyinsola Ajayi (Nigeria) โ 9.92s; Emmanuel Eseme (Cameroon) โ 10.04s, and Mamadou Fall Sarr (Senegal) โ 10.10s. Read more
Ex-DโTigers coach Brown sets goals for new job (Punch)
Former head coach of the Nigerian menโs national team, DโTigers, Mike Brown, has expressed his optimism following his appointment as coach of NBA Eastern Conference franchise New York Knicks, The PUNCH reports.
The 55-year-old American, who was relieved of his role in charge of the Sacramento Kings, was officially appointed to be the 32nd head coach in the Knicksโ franchise history, signing a four-year deal reported to be worth around $40m.
He emerged as the favoured pick after the Knicks conducted a wide-ranging search, interviewing several high-profile candidates, including Taylor Jenkins, Micah Nori, James Borrego and even opened negotiations with womenโs NCAA legend Dawn Staley. Read more
Bencic Beats Andreeva To Reach First Wimbledon Semi-Final (Channels)
Switzerlandโs Belinda Bencic said her dream had come true after she reached a first Wimbledon semi-final with a 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/2) win against Russian seventh seed Mirra Andreeva on Wednesday.
The former Olympic champion is enjoying her best run at the All England Club just over a year after giving birth.
The 28-year-old had her daughter Bella in April 2024, but has already risen to 35th in the world since returning from maternity leave. Read more
Angel Reese says the โlittle girlโ in her is โproudโ as she lands 1st NBA 2K26 WNBA edition cover (People)
โThe skyโs the limit” for Angel Reese, she tells PEOPLE, as sheโs named a 2K26 cover athlete.
The popular video game announced Reese, 23, as the NBA 2K26 WNBA Edition cover star on Wednesday, July 9, joining retired NBA great Carmelo Anthony and 2025 NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as this year’s cover stars.
โIโm so blessed to be honored with these two,โ the WNBA star, who found out about her selection from a text message, tells PEOPLE. โI was just super excitedโฆjust trying to be the first of many, and have many young kids and young women look up to me and know that they can do the same things Iโm doing.โ Read more
Christian Horner sacked by Red Bull with immediate effect (PlanetF1)
After months and months of speculation about his Red Bull future, Christian Horner has been fired amidst rumours Red Bull could lose Max Verstappen to Mercedes given their position in the championships.
Despite leading Red Bull to eight Driversโ Championship titles, there have been rumours about Horner for the last 18 months.
Horner joined Red Bull in 2005, becoming the sportโs youngest team principal at the team. Read more