Author: News Room

The United States has denied visas to Ivory Coast-based supporters planning to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to the president of the country’s national supporters’ committee. Julien Kouadio Adonis, president of the National Committee of Elephants Supporters, said the decision had forced many fans to cancel their travel plans for the tournament, which kicks off on Thursday. The World Cup build-up has been overshadowed by concerns over US visa policies affecting several participants and officials. Earlier this week, Somali referee Omar Artan was reportedly denied entry, while some members of the Iranian national team’s support staff were also…

Nollywood actor Stan Nze has condemned the reported theft of several mobile phones during the service of songs held in honour of late actor Alexx Ekubo, saying the incident reflects a deeper crisis of values among Nigerians. The Nigerian entertainment industry gathered on Wednesday to pay tribute to Ekubo, who died on May 11, 2026, after a battle with kidney cancer. However, reports of missing phones at the event sparked controversy on social media, with some attendees confirming that their devices were stolen. Speaking in a video posted after the ceremony on Thursday, Nze, who hosted the event, revealed that…

A member of the Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Umar Faruk-Lawal, has said the Federal Government’s student loan programme is helping to break financial barriers that have long prevented many Nigerians from accessing higher education. This is as he disclosed that over N206bn has been paid by NELFUND to institutions and students in two years. Lawal, who represents students on the agency’s board, said the scheme introduced by President Bola Tinubu was already transforming lives by enabling students from low-income backgrounds to pursue tertiary education without the burden of tuition fees and other educational expenses. Speaking with journalists…

Congress has failed to pass a three-week extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), with the House voting 218-198 against reauthorizing the controversial warrantless wiretapping authority through July 2nd. After a short-term extension earlier this year, the spying program now appears set to lapse for at least a week. This is the nightmare scenario FISA’s proponents have been warning about — but it doesn’t actually mean the US has lost its surveillance capabilities.Proponents of a clean extension claim a lapse will hinder intelligence agencies’ efforts to thwart potential terrorist attacks, with surveillance networks “going dark.” Sen.…

Cross-border payout platform MassPay and Coinbase announced a partnership on Thursday to offer stablecoin cross-border payouts.The partnership connects MassPay’s network in 180 countries with the US-based exchange’s crypto infrastructure, allowing customers to move between fiat, USDC and other digital assets, the companies said in a joint statement shared with Cointelegraph.MassPay CEO Ran Grushkowsky told Cointelegraph that stablecoins are still a small slice of the company’s transaction volume. Still, the company expects the new rails to support nine-figure payouts in the first year. He added that clients using the system have seen costs fall by about 40% to 70% versus international…

Are you there, reader? It’s me, Jason. Forgive the too-cute intro, but I wanted to grab your attention to something I think you should know: Prime Video is streaming some really good movies now. How good? Well, the title of this article includes “masterpiece” in it. Yeah, these films are that good. Don’t be fooled by Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’s source material; while based on the young adult novel by Judy Blume, it’s a smart and funny film that appeals to all generations. Need a movie with more testosterone? The Kevin Costner baseball flick Bull Durham has…

The Labour Party presidential candidate, Chibuzo Okereke, has pledged to pursue a people-centred governance agenda anchored on human capital development, social justice and institutional reforms, if elected in the 2027 general elections. Mr Okereke made the pledge at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for approval of candidates’ list for submission to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and issuance of certificate of return to successful candidates, on Thursday in Abuja. In his acceptance speech after receiving his certificate of return, Mr Okereke thanked the party leadership, including the National Leader, Alex Otti and the National Chairman, Nenadi Usman, for…

Rising food prices may soon top energy costs as the chief driver of inflation across emerging markets, with African economies likely to be worst hit, according to a new report by S&P Global Ratings. “Food prices are likely to start heading higher in the coming months,” the ratings agency said in the report published on Wednesday, noting that fertiliser prices have surged sharply on account of supply constraints. It added that there is typically a lag between increases in fertiliser costs and their eventual impact on food prices. The warning comes amid growing concerns over disruptions to global energy and…

Portugal manager Roberto Martínez has revealed that superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo’s early withdrawal against the Super Eagles of Nigeria was part of a carefully planned strategy rather than a reaction to the veteran forward’s wasteful finishing in Tuesday night’s 2-1 victory. The Selecao edged the Super Eagles at the Dr. Magalhães Pessoa Stadium in Leiria, but the result was far from straightforward. Pedro Neto handed Portugal an early advantage before Akor Adams punished a defensive lapse to level for Nigeria. Francisco Conceição eventually restored Portugal’s lead after the break, ensuring Martínez’s side entered the 2026 FIFA World Cup on a winning…

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has reaffirmed that democracy remains the most effective system of government for Nigeria, given the country’s rich diversity of ethnic, religious, and cultural identities. Fubara in a goodwill message to Nigerians on the occasion of the 2026 Democracy Day celebration, said June 12 represents far more than a historic date; as it embodies the enduring struggle, sacrifice, and collective aspiration of Nigerians for freedom, justice, and representative governance. This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Onwuka Nzeshi. Fubara extended warm felicitations to…