Author: niyidaram

This is a U.S. State Department notice explaining mandatory “visa bonds” for some B1/B2 (visitor) visa applicants from specific countries. Here is what it means, plainly. Who it applies to Nationals of the listed countries who apply for U.S. tourist/business visas (B1/B2) and are otherwise eligible. It does not apply to every applicant automatically, but consular officers decide case-by-case. What the bond is The traveler must pay a refundable cash bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 before a visa can be issued. The amount is set at the interview. Why the U.S. is doing this The rule targets countries with…

All the quarter-final fixtures of the ongoing AFCON in Morocco has been confirmed. This follows the conclusion of the Round of 16 fixtures played on Tuesday. Recall that Algeria defeated DR Congo 1-0 to setup a quarter-final clash against Nigeria’s Super. Ivory Coast will now face Egypt in the quarter-finals this weekend. AFCON quarter-finals fixtures: Senegal vs Mali (Friday) Morocco vs Cameroon (Friday) Nigeria vs Algeria (Saturday) Egypt vs Ivory Coast (Saturday)

Morocco star, Brahim Diaz is the current top scorer at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON. Diaz is one goal ahead of the likes of Morocco’s Ayoub El Kaabi, Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman, Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen. This is coming ahead of the AFCON quarter-final fixtures starting this Friday. AFCON top scorers ahead of the last-8 stage: Brahim Díaz (Morocco) – 4 goals Ademola Lookman (Nigeria) – 3 goals Lassine Sinayoko (Mali) – 3 goals Ayoub El Kaabi (Morocco) – 3 goals Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – 3 goals Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) – 3 goals Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)…

President Donald Trump says interim authorities in Venezuela will transfer between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States following the U.S. military operation that ousted President Nicolás Maduro. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the oil — described as “sanctioned oil” — will be sold at market prices, with proceeds controlled by the U.S. government. He wrote that the money would be used “to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States,” and said Energy Secretary Chris Wright had been instructed to implement the plan immediately. According to Trump, the oil will…

Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a Republican from Northern California and a prominent advocate for agriculture and rural communities, has died at age 65, House GOP leaders announced Tuesday. LaMalfa, a fourth-generation rice farmer and business owner, chaired the Congressional Western Caucus and was deeply involved in federal responses to California’s devastating wildfire seasons. His sprawling district included Chico and large swaths of rural Northern California. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a close friend, called the death sudden and devastating, describing LaMalfa as a devoted husband, father, and unwavering champion for rural America. Rep. Richard Hudson praised him as a principled conservative…

US special forces have arrived in the United Kingdom as Washington moves to intercept a sanctioned oil tanker accused of evading the Trump administration’s blockade on Venezuelan crude and racing toward Russia. Cargo aircraft carrying helicopters and personnel landed at RAF Fairford, as US and allied forces stage for a possible high-risk boarding operation against the tanker Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1. The vessel, described by US officials as part of a “shadow fleet” used to bypass international sanctions, is believed to be operating under a Russian flag in the North Atlantic, roughly 500 miles west of Ireland, en…

Donald Trump has shared a list showing the percentage of immigrants from different countries living on benefits in the United States. The list shows that about 33.3 per cent of Nigerian immigrant households received some form of public assistance in the United States. The chart was shared on Trump’s Truth Social platform on January 4, 2026, amid continued Republican focus on immigration, welfare dependency, and economic contribution debates in US domestic politics. The chart, titled “Immigrant Welfare Recipient Rates by Country of Origin,” covers approximately 114 nations and territories, showing the number of households that receive some form of public…

Captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro arrived at a Manhattan federal courthouse Monday after a highly controlled transfer from a Brooklyn detention facility. The 63-year-old, who faces U.S. charges including narco-terrorism and weapons offenses, was moved before dawn under heavy security. A motorcade with armored vehicles was seen leaving the Metropolitan Detention Center, where Maduro had been held since being flown to the United States following his capture in Caracas. Footage showed Maduro in handcuffs, wearing beige prison clothing and orange trainers, being escorted into a vehicle before being transported by helicopter to the Wall Street Heliport. Federal agents then led…

Nicolás Maduro, the ousted Venezuelan leader indicted on major U.S. drug-trafficking and weapons charges, is scheduled to appear in federal court in New York on Monday for arraignment. His wife, Cilia Flores, who was also arrested in the raid, is due in court the same day. Maduro faces four counts: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. Prosecutors say Venezuela’s leadership spent decades abusing power to move tons of cocaine into the United States. Flores faces three related charges, including cocaine importation conspiracy and weapons offenses.…

Cuba says 32 of its nationals were killed during the U.S. military assault on Caracas that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In a statement read on national television, the Cuban government said the dead were members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior who were in Venezuela on official missions “at the request of counterpart agencies.” Havana described the U.S. action as a “criminal attack” and said the Cubans died either in direct combat with U.S. forces or as a result of American bombing. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were extracted…