US embassy announces new visa interview requirements for Nigerian applicants (Vanguard)
The United States Embassy has introduced updated visa interview requirements for Nigerian applicants, effective from April 22, 2025.
In a statement released on Friday, the US mission emphasised that all applicants attending visa interviews in Abuja and Lagos must present a DS-160 form featuring a confirmation barcode that begins with “AA” followed by two zeroes (00). Crucially, this barcode must match the one used to book the appointment online.
Applicants with mismatched barcode information will be denied entry to the Consular Section and disqualified from their scheduled interviews. Read more
Air Peace offers medical care, free flights to rescue trafficked Nigerian girls in Ivory Coast (Sun)
Air Peace Chairman, Allen Onyema has pledged the airline’s support to repatriate Nigerian minors trafficked to Ivory Coast.
In a statement he released today, Onyema condemned human trafficking, describing it as “inhumane, callous, and ungodly,” and urged for more national collaboration to combat the crisis. “We should discourage trafficking of any kind. It is inhumane and callous. It is absolutely ungodly and a good example of man’s inhumanity to man,” he said.
He then said Air Peace will provide free flights to bring the victims back to Nigeria and fund comprehensive medical examinations and treatment in Lagos. “We in Air Peace are ready to bring our fellow citizens back home free of charge. Read more
Ogun West: NANS lauds Senator Yayi for empowering farmers (Tribune)
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) commended Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan Yayi, representing Ogun West Senatorial District, for his outstanding initiative in empowering over 5,000 farmers in his constituency with agricultural equipment, training, and financial support.
NANS National Public Relations Officer Samson Ajasa Adeyemi, in a statement in Abuja, said this remarkable program is a testament to Senator Yayi’s commitment to addressing food security challenges and improving the welfare of his constituents.
Adeyemi added that the empowerment programme, which included the distribution of modern farming tools such as tractors, power tillers, water pumps, sprayers, and improved seedlings, is a strategic investment in the agricultural sector. Read more
I considered selling rechargeable lamps before Olamide signed me – Fireboy DML (Nation)
Afrobeats singer Fireboy DML has revealed that he was on the verge of selling rechargeable lamps under Ajah Bridge in Lagos before he got signed.
In a recent interview on the 90s Baby Show in London, the ‘Peru’ crooner said he considered this venture more dignified than his then current situation.
“Thank God for that [Olamide signing me]. I was considering selling rechargeable lamps. I met one guy under Ajah Bridge, he was telling me about the business and I told him I was interested. Read more
Men with large breasts at higher risk of breast cancer, says expert (Punch)
The Coordinator of the National Cancer Control Programme, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Uche Nwokwu, has said that men with large breasts are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Nwokwu revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Abuja.
He said that men undergoing hormone therapy to alter their body physiology to appear more feminine are also at elevated risk. Read more
APC Not Worried By Atiku’s Visit To Buhari – Ganduje (DailyTrust)
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has dismissed concerns over former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s recent visit to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, saying the APC remains unshaken and focused on strengthening its base.
Speaking while briefing journalists shortly after leading a delegation of APC stakeholders to meet with Buhari at his Kaduna residence, Ganduje stated that their visit was to brief the former president on the party’s progress since his exit from office and to reaffirm their commitment to upholding his legacy.
“We are not worried at all. We came to pay our respects to the former president and also to update him on the achievements of our great party since his departure. We assured him that we would continue to keep him informed regularly,” Ganduje said. Read more
Expert urges Nigerians abroad to invest in health insurance (Guardian)
The Managing Director/CEO of Ultimate Health Management Services, Lekan Ewenla, has urged Nigerians in the diaspora to begin diverting a fraction of their remittances to enrolling their loved ones on health insurance plans back home in Nigeria.
He said such an initiative could radically alter Nigeria’s dismal health indicators and drive sustainable development in the sector.
Speaking in Abuja, Ewenla described the informal flow of funds from abroad as immense but misdirected, saying that most of the money sent home is spent on rent, feeding, and other emergencies before health needs are even considered. Read more
AI reveals ‘real’ face of Jesus Christ based on the Shroud of Turin (Unilad)
Artificial intelligence has proven that its capable of doing some amazing things, including revealing what Jesus could have really looked like.
While it’s capable of doing some amazing things, AI doesn’t come without it’s controversies.
For example, someone asked AI to create what’s supposed to be the ‘perfect’ man and woman (if there’s such a thing), but not everyone was impressed with the results. Read more
Lady Gaga outdoes herself with a Coachella spectacular that’s equal parts freaky and hearty (Variety)
Never let it be said that Lady Gaga doesn’t play three-dimensional chess.
She did that, quite literally, in one of a boundless series of production numbers during her Friday night headlining set at Coachella, with a drone camera flying what seemed to be about a thousand feet overhead to catch a Busby Berkeley’s-eye-view shot of the choreography on the giant, checkered game board on the B-stage below, letting Couch-ella viewers see what actual Coachella attendees couldn’t, quite.
It was an impressive moment… and, by an hour later in the show, it was hard to even recall, so many show-stopping song-and-dance numbers had happened in the interval. Read more
Deadly measles outbreak does little to counter vaccine scepticism in Texas (BBC)
On an unusually crisp April day in a rural Texas town, dozens of Mennonite community members gathered alongside the nation’s top health official, Robert F Kennedy Jr, to mourn an eight-year-old.
Daisy Hildebrand is the second unvaccinated girl from the community to die from measles within two months.
Officials in Seminole town also joined the reception after her funeral to support the family, said South Plains Public Health Director Zach Holbrooks. This time, there was no talk of the vaccine that prevents measles deaths – unlike many of his long days since the outbreak began. Read more
US & Iran set to begin high-stakes nuclear deal talks (DW)
US President Donald Trump has been keen on striking a deal with Tehran over its nuclear program, threatening the country with military action and further tariffs if talks fail. DW has the latest.
Iran will ‘decide on a timetable’ if there is sufficient will: Iran’s foreign minister.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Oman’s capital, Muscat.
Upon his arrival, Araghchi expressed hope that many core issues could be addressed in the talks. Read more
Nothing in the film is an invention”: ‘Warfare’ co-director Alex Garland explains why they chose that final shot (Collider)
A24’s Warfare is officially Oscar-nominated filmmaker Alex Garland’s highest-rated project to date. The film, which depicts a Navy SEALs mission gone wrong, is unique in a number of ways, and its blockbuster success is due in part to co-director and writer, and veteran Ray Mendoza.
The two creatives first collaborated on last year’s Civil War, where Mendoza shared the story of the Ramadi attack recounted in the film with Garland.
In order to tell this story in the most authentic way, the duo tracked down Mendoza’s fellow Navy SEALs who were in that house that day to piece Elliott Miller’s (played in the film by Shōgun’s Cosmo Jarvis) story in real time for him. Read more
Israel takes over key Gaza corridor, calls on residents to evacuate (France24)
Israel announced on Saturday that its military had completed the takeover of a new corridor in southern Gaza, advancing its efforts to seize large parts of the war-battered Palestinian territory.
The announcement from Defence Minister Israel Katz came as Hamas expected “real progress” towards a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza, with senior leaders from the Palestinian movement scheduled to hold talks with Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Saturday.
“The IDF (military) has now completed its takeover of the Morag axis, which crosses Gaza between Rafah and Khan Yunis, turning the entire area between the Philadelphi Route (along the border with Egypt) and Morag into part of the Israeli security zone,” Katz said in a statement addressed to residents of Gaza. Read more
Football star, Chairman Christian Chukwu, dies at 74 (TheNews)
Chairman Christian Chukwu, former Green Eagles and Rangers captain, died in Enugu today. He was 74.
The soccer legend fell ill last night, was taken to the hospital, but could jot make it back home. He passed om Saturday morning.
“My Chairman has passed on,” his friend, teammate, and vice captain, Segun Odegbami shared in a WhatsApp message. Read more
‘Comeback for the ages’: Favourite stunned in boilover, near ‘triple deadheat’ in two 100m epics (Fox)
Veteran Olympian Rohan Browning has pipped Lachlan Kennedy in an all-time 100m classic at the Australian Athletics Championships in Perth.
The sprinters were both given the time of 10.01 seconds, narrowly missing breaking the magic 10-second barrier, with Browning ultimately handed his third national title by five one-thousandths of a second (0.005).
“It’s so close, Browning had him and then Kennedy dipped late,” Bruce McAvaney said on 7plus. Read more
McLaren express ‘sympathy’ to Red Bull after Max Verstappen’s RB21 insult (PlanetF1)
Proclaiming he’d be out of sight if he were driving the McLaren MLC39, Andrea Stella doesn’t see that as a slight to his McLaren drivers, but rather one aimed at Red Bull’s RB21.
Arriving on the grid as the foretold team to beat, McLaren have two Grand Prix wins in three race weekends, and they lead both championship fights.
But while they do have a telling 36-point lead in the Constructors’ Championship, Lando Norris is just one point ahead of Verstappen in the fight for the World title. Read more
‘Henry is my reference’ – Forest’s Elanga on his best season yet (BBC)
Anthony Elanga raised his arms in an almost apologetic manner.
The winger had just fired Nottingham Forest into the lead against former side Manchester United after a dazzling 70-yard run.
But the Swede elected not to celebrate out of respect for the team he joined at the age of 12. Read more
Cricket set for 6-team tournament at 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles (RTE)
Ireland will need to be at their best to qualify for the Olympics with just six teams in both the men’s and women’s competitions
Cricket at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 will take the form of a six-team tournament in both the men’s and women’s competitions.
The International Olympic Committee said 90 players had been allocated for each gender, allowing each team a 15-strong squad.T20 cricket is one of five new or returning sports which will feature in LA alongside baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse and squash. Read more