USA

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The United States government says it has revoked more than 175,000 visas issued to foreign nationals under President Donald Trump’s administration over alleged criminal activities, violations of visa conditions and security concerns.

The US Department of State disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, explaining that most of the cancellations followed encounters with law enforcement agencies.

According to the department, the major reasons included assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug-related offences.

It said other visas were cancelled over “reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud, embezzlement and other crimes”.

The department said the action formed part of its continuous screening of visa holders to determine whether they were complying with immigration conditions and whether they posed risks to Americans.

Some of the affected individuals, it said, had faced serious criminal allegations, including “felony rape and sexual battery, kidnapping, human trafficking, sexual exploitation of minors, child sexual abuse offences and domestic violence”.

The department also disclosed that a US embassy in North Africa cancelled more than 100 visas issued to parents accused of engaging in “birth tourism”. The practice involves travelling to the US mainly to give birth so that children can acquire US citizenship.

Other cases cited by the department included a foreign national who was arrested for allegedly driving with heroin while having a blood alcohol concentration more than three times the legal limit.

The US government also reported cases involving alleged financial crimes and fraud.

One foreign national who reportedly claimed to operate a legitimate business that assisted vulnerable patients with healthcare was accused of helping to organise a Medicaid fraud scheme involving more than $5 million in fraudulent claims.

Another individual was accused of falsifying company revenue and forging letters to mislead investors and fraudulently secure a US visa, according to the department.

The State Department also cited visa revocations involving foreign nationals accused of celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk. It said some of the individuals had made statements that appeared to support or celebrate his death.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also determined that several foreign nationals are deportable on foreign policy grounds, the department said.

Among the cases were a Cuban national allegedly linked to an influence operation associated with Cuba’s communist government and Iranian nationals accused of having connections to the Iranian government.

The department also listed a Laotian child sex offender who had been pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and a Kuwaiti national accused of expressing a desire to attack the US president and describing Americans as his “enemy”.

The State Department said it would continue to investigate foreign nationals who it considers threats to public safety and cancel their visas where necessary.

“A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right,” the department said, adding that it would use available measures to protect American communities from individuals who abuse the immigration system.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Iran has dismissed United States President Donald Trump’s claim that Tehran asked Washington to refrain from launching fresh military strikes, describing the allegation as false.

According to Iran’s Mehr News Agency, which cited military officials, Trump’s statement “was nothing but a new lie.” The officials also said the country’s armed forces were “on high alert and ready for any eventuality.”

Trump had stated on Saturday that the United States was “ready to go against the Islamic Republic.” He also claimed that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had urged him not to carry out additional attacks. He added that he agreed to delay any fresh military action on the condition that a deal could be reached with Tehran.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “This would include the Immediate, Complete and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s Fars News Agency quoted a source close to the country’s negotiating team as saying “as long as the United States maintains its hostile actions, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed.”

Iran has maintained restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began. Ships are now required to obtain permission and pay transit fees before passing through the strategic waterway.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Senior Iranian officials have accused the United States of issuing public military threats while privately seeking negotiations, amid heightened tensions between the two countries.

Hassan Ghashghavi, a senior Iranian lawmaker and spokesman for the Parliament’s Commission on National Security and Foreign Policy, said Tehran would retain control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz regardless of developments in the conflict. His remarks came before US President Donald Trump reportedly cancelled planned military strikes.

“In the media, they speak of escalation, while through existing channels they demand negotiations,” Ghashghavi said. “They cannot deceive the Islamic Republic of Iran. Whether by escalating or by negotiating, Iranian arrangement for passage through the SoH [Strait of Hormuz] is the only option on the table.”

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most strategic maritime routes because a significant share of global oil shipments passes through it.

Meanwhile, Majidreza Hariri, President of the Iran-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry, argued that Washington would not risk attacking Iran’s energy infrastructure.

“They don’t have the courage to carry it out because Iran’s resilience is far greater than that of the countries in the region against the destruction of infrastructure,” Hariri said in a post on X.

Reports indicate that Iran operates one of the world’s most decentralised electricity networks, with about 150 power plants spread across the country. Analysts say the wide distribution of the facilities makes it more difficult for an aerial attack to trigger a nationwide power outage.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

US President Donald Trump has announced that he has cancelled planned military strikes against Iran, saying the decision depends on the swift conclusion of an agreement.

In a statement, Trump said he called off the attacks “subject to being able to rapidly make a deal”.

He also claimed that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had urged him to suspend the planned operation because “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to”, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s announcement followed fresh warnings from Iran over the possibility of military action.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the foreign ministers of Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in separate telephone conversations that any “aggression” by the United States and Israel would be met with a “decisive ⁠and proportionate response”.

Meanwhile, the conflict in Gaza continued as Israeli forces reportedly killed at least eight Palestinians across the territory.

Reports also said Israeli attacks destroyed a medical warehouse in Deir el-Balah. The strike left a crater measuring about 20 metres (66 feet) wide and 10 metres (33 feet) deep.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Several people have been killed and others injured after a gunman opened fire at a fast-food restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho, authorities said.

Police confirmed that the suspected attacker was among those who died during the incident.

Law enforcement officials also said they believe there is no longer any threat to the community, indicating that the situation has been brought under control.

Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims or disclosed the motive behind the attack. An investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Global oil prices declined sharply on Monday after the United States and Iran reportedly paused military attacks, easing concerns over supply disruptions that had pushed crude prices higher in recent weeks.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell by 6.76 per cent to $90.24 per barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) also recorded a 6.04 per cent decline, settling at $83.92 per barrel.

The drop followed reports that both countries had agreed to halt attacks over the weekend after nearly two weeks of hostilities.

Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, said President Donald Trump had decided to suspend US military action against Iran to create room for diplomatic engagement.

“He’s giving talks some space, he’s ⁠giving it a little bit of room,” Waltz said.

Reuters also reported that a senior Iranian official confirmed Tehran would stop its attacks as long as the United States maintains the ceasefire.

The latest decline comes days after Brent crude climbed to $100 per barrel on July 23 following reports of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.

The earlier surge in crude prices triggered fresh increases in petrol prices across Nigeria.

On July 23, Dangote Petroleum Refinery raised its ex-gantry price of petrol from ₦1,075 per litre to ₦1,215 per litre. The refinery also resumed the sale of petrol in naira.

Earlier, on July 16, fuel importers had proposed an increase in the depot price of petrol from ₦1,230 per litre to ₦1,350 per litre.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The United States House of Representatives on Thursday approved a resolution calling on President Donald Trump to halt military operations against Iran, marking another congressional challenge to the administration as the conflict in the Middle East intensifies.

The measure passed by a vote of 214 to 208 after four Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in support. It directs the president to withdraw US forces from hostilities with Iran unless Congress formally authorises military action.

However, the resolution is largely symbolic because it is a concurrent resolution. It does not require the president’s signature, and its legal effect remains disputed. As a result, Trump is widely expected to disregard it.

The vote came as the United States launched its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iranian military targets. Iran has also continued attacks on US military bases and allied Gulf states.

The remains of four American service members killed in recent Iran-related attacks were returned to the United States this week and honoured in flag-draped caskets.

The conflict has also affected maritime security in the region. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement said on Wednesday that it attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea after announcing a naval blockade. Iran has also maintained pressure around the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments.

Thursday’s vote reflected growing concern among lawmakers over the conflict, which began after US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. The war has also become a political issue for Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections.

Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal criticised the military campaign, saying it had “no clear mission, no strategy, no end goal.”

Democrats argued that President Trump breached the Constitution by launching and continuing military operations without congressional approval. They have repeatedly used war powers resolutions to force Republicans to take a public position on the conflict.

Most Republican lawmakers, however, remained supportive of the president.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast accused critics of overlooking the sacrifices made by American troops killed in the conflict. He said the military campaign was bringing a “reckoning” for Iranian attacks.

The Senate also considered a separate war powers resolution sponsored by Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen on Thursday, although it was expected to fail.

Congress passed a similar resolution in June, but Trump dismissed it as “poorly timed and meaningless.”

The White House has maintained that limiting the president’s military authority would weaken the United States in its efforts to pressure Tehran. Democrats and a small group of Republicans have argued that Congress should reclaim its constitutional authority over decisions relating to war and peace.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has said the war involving the US, Israel and Iran has so far cost $37.5 billion, according to the latest official estimate released by the Pentagon.

Hegseth disclosed the figure on Tuesday during a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee. He appeared alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, to defend a proposed $1.5 trillion US defence budget. The request includes nearly $70 billion for military operations linked to the conflict with Iran.

“The estimate we have as of today is $37.5bn,” Hegseth said in response to a question from Democratic Senator Dick Durbin.

He explained that the estimate covers some operational and maintenance expenses through the end of September. However, he did not provide a detailed breakdown of the spending.

The latest estimate is about $8 billion higher than the $29 billion figure the administration of President Donald Trump announced in May.

Other estimates place the economic impact much higher. Moody’s Analytics, for example, has estimated that the war could cost the US economy as much as $150 billion after accounting for higher domestic energy prices and other indirect effects.

The hearing took place as hostilities between the US and Iran continued after a memorandum of understanding that had paused attacks since June 17 collapsed last week.

On Monday, Trump said Iran would “pay” after two US soldiers were killed over the weekend. In recent days, he has also threatened further military action, including strikes on Iranian energy facilities, bridges and a deeply buried nuclear-linked site known as Pickaxe Mountain.

The Pentagon said the conflict has also increased pressure on US weapons supplies.

Hegseth told lawmakers that additional funding would help “to expand production lines and accelerate delivery of high-demand munitions. We’re talking about solid rocket motors, JDAMs [Joint Direct Attack Munition], hypersonics, and counter-drone capabilities”.

He also warned that military readiness could suffer if Congress failed to approve the requested funding.

“Training in the future would have to be curtailed if we do not get our budget needs met and met urgently, and yes, some of that has to do with the current budget cycle and how things come together,” he said.

Democratic Senator Patty Murray criticised the broad spending proposal, which also includes funding for National Guard deployments in Washington, DC, military operations against suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean and border security missions.

“So I’ll be blunt,” she said. “The truth is, your request does not make a lot of sense.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Iran has claimed responsibility for missile attacks on United States military assets in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait. The development came after the US carried out its seventh consecutive night of air strikes on targets inside Iran, according to reports by Al Jazeera.

Iran’s military said it struck US facilities in response to the latest American attacks. Iranian state media reported that the targets in Bahrain included the Sheikh Isa Air Base.

According to a statement carried by the Tasnim news agency, Iran said it targeted the “aircraft hangar and parking lot” as well as “fuel tanks” at the Sheikh Isa airbase and several communication bridges in Bahrain.

The statement added that the United States had used the base to launch “operations against regional targets, especially our country.”

“We are proud of our military duty to defend this land,” the statement concluded.

Earlier, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it had completed its seventh straight night of military operations against Iran. The command said it used “fighter aircraft, aerial drones and warships” to strike Iran’s “surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities”.

Reports indicated that the attacks targeted Lar, Jask, Sirik, Bushehr, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Ahvaz and the central city of Yazd.

Iranian state media said at least 3 people were killed and 8 others sustained injuries in Hormozgan Province, which borders the Strait of Hormuz.

The US military also dismissed claims by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards that two oil tankers exploded after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM described the allegation as “false”.

Meanwhile, Kuwait said its armed forces were responding to Iranian missile and drone attacks for the third time. The country’s military urged residents to “adhere to the authorities’ safety and security instructions”.

Bahrain also activated warning sirens for the fourth time within a few hours. The country’s Ministry of Interior advised residents to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”.

The US State Department also issued a travel advisory as tensions continued to rise across the Middle East.

In a statement posted on X, the department warned that “due to high tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation”. It also advised that “Americans should reconsider travel to/through the Middle East”.

The department urged US citizens already in the region to exercise caution, monitor developments closely and confirm flight schedules with their airlines.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

United States President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a 20% “safe passage” fee on ships transporting cargo through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.

Trump said the proposed levy would cover the cost of providing security in the strategic waterway. He made the announcement in a post on his Truth Social platform.

He wrote, “All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait.

“The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,’ but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World.

“The process and formation will begin immediately.”

The announcement comes amid renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran after the collapse of a ceasefire agreement. Washington has resumed military strikes against Iranian targets, while Trump has vowed to deal with Tehran “very hard” over its refusal to reach an agreement.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it struck 140 targets over the weekend. Military operations continued on Monday. The attacks reportedly damaged infrastructure and resulted in civilian casualties.

Iran has accused the United States of disrupting negotiations with Oman on maintaining safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. It has also responded with strikes on US facilities in neighbouring Gulf countries.

The latest escalation has affected the global oil market. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose by 3.60% to $78.7 per barrel, after trading at around $70 per barrel in recent weeks. Analysts say continued tensions around the Strait of Hormuz could increase pressure on global energy prices.