General news

• US announces new tariffs on 60 trading partners

  23-07-2026 23:42 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The United States said Thursday that it would impose new tariffs on 60 trading partners over forced labor concerns, replacing an expiring global duty rolled out by President Donald Trump earlier this year.The levies, which take effect Friday, range from 10 percent to 12.5 percent and impact major economies like China, India and the European Union.“The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it; it’s well past time for our trading
  
  Read more

• 2027: Hamzat right man for Lagos, says Ashafa

  24-07-2026 14:28 via vanguardngr.com
  
  A former Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, has  urged  Lagos residents to support the aspiration of  the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr Obafemi Hamzat,for 2027.Ashafa made the call  in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday in Lagos.He said that Hamzat possessed the competence, experience and leadership qualities required to sustain the development strides of the state.According to him,
  
  Read more

• Chris Brown pleads guilty to public order offence in UK

  24-07-2026 14:25 via vanguardngr.com
  
  American R&B singer Chris Brown on Friday pleaded guilty to a public order offence following an alleged brawl at a London nightclub in 2023.“Guilty,” replied Brown, 37, dressed in a beige suit and dark tie, after the charge of affray was put to him as he stood in the dock at Southwark Crown Court in London.He will now not face trial on several other charges, including attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon, namely a bottle, in
  
  Read more

• Former adult film star sworn in as Colombia senator

  24-07-2026 14:10 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Former adult film actress Deyci Alejandra Omaña Ortiz, popularly known by her stage name Amaranta Hank, has officially been sworn in as a senator in Colombia following her victory in the country’s March parliamentary elections.Omaña will represent Colombia’s Norte de Santander region in the Senate as a member of the left-wing Historic Pact coalition for the 2026–2030 legislative term. She secured her seat after placing 23rd on the coalition’s closed elector
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• ‘Be bold to support your kinsman’ – Atiku blasts Obasanjo over Na’Abba bribery claim

  24-07-2026 14:02 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Omeiza AjayiPresidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s allegation that he bribed the late Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba to impeach him as politically motivated, aimed at boosting the electoral fortunes of Obasanjo’s preferred candidate ahead of the 2027 presidential election.In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Friday, Atiku said: “
  
  Read more

• Cybercriminals, family members from Nigeria, other countries face new US visa ban

  24-07-2026 13:48 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The United States has introduced a new global visa restriction policy targeting individuals involved in cybercrime, cyberscams and sextortion, with immediate family members of offenders also facing possible visa restrictions under the new measures.Announced on Thursday by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the policy forms part of the Trump administration’s efforts to combat online fraud, cyber-enabled crime and transnational criminal networks targeting Americans.According to the U.S. g
  
  Read more

• Troops kill four kidnap suspects, rescue three victims in Kwara, Kogi operations

  24-07-2026 13:37 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Troops of the Nigerian Army have neutralised four suspected kidnappers, rescued three kidnapped victims and arrested eight suspects in coordinated operations across Kogi and Kwara.This is contained in an operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.According to the report, troops of Operation Savannah Shield ambushed suspected kidnappers at a crossing point along Jonloji village in the riverine area of Kaiama Local Government of Kwara.The report said
  
  Read more

• Troops nab 5 suspected kidnappers in Yobe

  24-07-2026 13:20 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Ndahi MaramaTroops of Sector 2 Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), in conjunction with the Yobe State Hunters Group, have arrested five suspected kidnappers during a well-coordinated intelligence-led operation conducted on 23 July 2026 at Jegalari Village in Fune Local Government Area of Yobe State.This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, on Friday.“The operation,
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Newcastle sign Monaco midfielder Bamba on five-year deal

  24-07-2026 13:06 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Monaco’s French midfielder Aladji Bamba has signed a five-year deal with Premier League club Newcastle, both teams confirmed on Friday.The deal is reported to be worth 35 million euros ($40m) with the Principality side to receive a percentage of the future sale of the 20-year-old.“I was very excited when I heard Newcastle were interested in signing me,” said Bamba, who becomes the club’s fourth signing this summer.“I know about the history of the club and I’v
  
  Read more

• Super Falcons begin WAFCON title defence against Malawi on Sunday

  24-07-2026 12:45 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Nigeria’s Super Falcons will begin their campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) against Malawi on Sunday in Morocco as they seek a record-extending 11th continental title.The tournament, originally scheduled for March, will hold from July 26 to Aug. 16, with 16 teams competing for Africa’s women’s football title.Nigeria, the defending champions and Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national team, are drawn in Group C alongside Zambia, Egypt
  
  Read more

• One dead, one injured in multiple crashes on Kara Bridge

  24-07-2026 12:45 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Olasunkanmi AkoniThe Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Lagos Sector Command, in collaboration with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, has urged motorists to use alternative routes following multiple auto crashes on Kara Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the early hours of Friday, claiming one person.The incident has led to terrible gridlock with motorists stranded in long queues.According to reports, the first crash occurred at about 12:05 a.m. on the outbound car
  
  Read more

• Matawalle blasts opposition over foreign lobbying to undermine Tinubu’s govt

  24-07-2026 12:38 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Musa UbandawakiMinister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has issued a strong warning to opposition politicians, urging them to desist from actions and utterances capable of inciting Nigerians against the constitutionally elected administration of President Bola Tinubu, saying national interest must always take precedence over partisan politics.The minister particularly condemned the reported decision by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to engage a foreign lobbying firm to circulate
  
  Read more

• Sultan, CAN to Nigerians: Reject hate speech, embrace dialogue

  24-07-2026 12:26 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Luminous Jannamike, AbujaThe Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), His Eminence Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Most Rev. Dr Daniel Okoh, have urged Nigerians to reject hate speech and embrace dialogue, insisting that the country’s religious diversity should be harnessed to build peace rather than fuel division.The appeal came as Christian and Muslim
  
  Read more

• WAFCON favourites Nigeria eye World Cup slot, record prize money

  24-07-2026 12:14 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) kicks off in Morocco on Sunday with qualification for the World Cup and a record two-million-dollar first prize on the line.A record 16-nation line-up — up from 12 at the previous edition — will compete with 10-time title-holders and defending champions Nigeria the team to beat.The last success of the Super Falcons was spectacular. Trailing Morocco by two goals at half-time, they stormed back with Jennifer Echegini scoring the la
  
  Read more

• China opposes new US tariffs, warns against trade wars

  24-07-2026 12:07 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Beijing condemned fresh US tariffs imposed on China and 59 other countries over alleged forced labour concerns Friday, and warned Washington against waging a trade war.The US levies range from 10 to 12.5 percent, with China slapped with the highest rate.“We oppose all forms of unilateral tariff measures,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a news briefing on Friday.“Tariff wars and trade wars are not in the interests of any party,” he warned.The new tari
  
  Read more

• Germany name Klopp as new head coach

  24-07-2026 12:00 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Jurgen Klopp was named as the new head coach of the German men’s national football team on Friday, replacing Julian Nagelsmann who left after the team’s disappointing World Cup.“We’re very happy to be able to present Jurgen Klopp today as the new coach,” German Football Association (DFB) President Bernd Neuendorf told a press conference in Frankfurt.Neuendorf said Klopp’s contract would run until “summer 2030, so until the next World Cup in Morocco
  
  Read more

• US condemns killing of Plateau pastor’s family, demands justice

  24-07-2026 11:44 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The United States has condemned the killing of members of the family of Plateau-based cleric, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, describing the attack as horrific and urging Nigerian authorities to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.In a statement shared on X on Thursday, the US Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs expressed condolences to the victims’ families and called for stronger measures to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities across Nigeria’s Mid
  
  Read more

• LIFE EXPECTANCY CHALLENGE: Why Nigerians are dying too soon – Experts

  24-07-2026 11:39 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Sola Ogundipe Ganiat Ojo believed the headache would eventually disappear. The 55-year-old petty trader had lived with the pain for months, brushing it off as the price of long days at the market and the constant struggle to provide for her family. Like many Nigerians, she hardly ever checked her blood pressure. There was always another bill to settle, another customer waiting and yet another reason to put off a trip to the hospital.Then, one afternoon, she collapsed in her shop. Neighb
  
  Read more

• Court halts impeachment hearing against South Africa president Ramaphosa over $580,000 scandal

  24-07-2026 11:36 via vanguardngr.com
  
  A South African court ruled on Friday in favour of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s bid to pause impeachment proceedings against him over a scandal involving half-a-million dollars stashed in a sofa at his ranch.Ramaphosa asked the Western Cape High Court to stop the work of a parliamentary impeachment committee until his review of a November 2022 report that found he “may have committed” serious violations and misconduct.Ramaphosa has denied any wrongdoing and ruled out resigning
  
  Read more

• Phillips Consulting Launches the 2026 State Performance Index (pSPI) – A Benchmark for Measuring Governance, Performance and Development Across Nigeria’s States

  24-07-2026 11:31 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Nigeria’s leading business and management consulting firm, pcl., has officially launched the 2026 pcl. State Performance Index (pSPI), a comprehensive intelligence report designed to transform how governments, investors, development partners, policymakers, researchers, businesses, and citizens understand and evaluate state-level performance across Nigeria.The 2026 pSPI arrives at a time when evidence-based governance has become more critical than ever, particularly as Nigeria approaches a
  
  Read more

• Nigerian newspapers review: [Christian killings] Nigeria hiring lobbyists to mask insecurity – Ted Cruz

  24-07-2026 11:29 via vanguardngr.com
  
  In today’s Nigerian newspapers review programme, Today in the News, Vanguard leads with Senator Ted Cruz of the United States of America accusing the President Bola Tinubu government of using public relations lobbying to mask the killing of Christians in Nigeria.Another headline features experts explaining the life expectancy challenge in Nigeria and why Nigerians are dying too soon.Vanguard also reports that President Tinubu okayed the expansion of Army divisions from eight to 12.Moving
  
  Read more

• Dan Ulasi questions Gowon’s civil war memoir, dismisses it as ‘convenient amnesia’

  24-07-2026 11:28 via vanguardngr.com
  
  A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dan Ulasi, has dismissed former Head of State Yakubu Gowon’s account of the Nigerian Civil War in his recently released memoir, describing it as a collection of “convenient amnesia” and “half truths.”Ulasi made the remarks on Friday during an appearance on The Morning Show on Arise News while reacting to Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s apology to the Igbo community over the role some Plateau indigenes
  
  Read more

• Photos: King Charles opens Commonwealth Games at Glasgow ceremony, Team Nigeria dazzles

  24-07-2026 11:21 via vanguardngr.com
  
  King Charles III officially opened the 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Thursday to launch 10 days in a slimmed down event designed to control costs.Around 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories will compete for 215 gold medals across 10 sports and six para-sports in the Scottish city, which also hosted the games 12 years ago.Britain’s King Charles III delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the 23rd Commonwealth Games at the OVO Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, on J
  
  Read more

• 2027: INEC can’t be truly independent without financial autonomy — Amupitan

  24-07-2026 11:07 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Luminous Jannamike, AbujaThe Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has declared that the electoral umpire cannot be truly independent without financial autonomy, warning that continued dependence on the normal budgetary process weakens its operational independence and could undermine efforts to deliver free, fair and credible elections in 2027.His remarks shifted attention from the familiar debate over electoral reforms to a more fundamental q
  
  Read more

• WAFCON favourites Nigeria eye World Cup slot and record prize money

  24-07-2026 10:45 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) kicks off in Morocco on Sunday with qualification for the World Cup and a record two-million-dollar first prize on the line.A record 16-nation line-up — up from 12 at the previous edition — will compete with 10-time title-holders and defending champions Nigeria the team to beat.The last success of the Super Falcons was spectacular. Trailing Morocco by two goals at half-time, they stormed back with Jennifer Echegini scoring the lat
  
  Read more

• Danny S to unveil new album ‘Merci’ at exclusive listening party in Lagos

  24-07-2026 09:48 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Ayo OnikoyiNigerian street-pop star Danny S will host the official listening party for his forthcoming album, Merci, on Friday, July 25, at Club Foxy, ShopRite Mall, Ikeja, Lagos.The event begins with a red carpet reception at 8:00 p.m., followed by the main event at 10:00 p.m., where fans, media, music executives, and industry stakeholders will get an exclusive first listen to the 12-track album.Merci showcases Danny S’s artistic growth and gratitude through tracks including Heavenly,
  
  Read more

• Group urges Ekiti govt not to alter Alara selection process

  24-07-2026 09:41 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Warns against interference, says any deviation could trigger litigationBy Dayo Johnson AkureThe Oduduwa Citizen Liberation Vanguard (OCLV) has urged the Ekiti State Government to allow the selection process for the new Alara of Aramoko-Ekiti to proceed in accordance with the state’s Chieftaincy Declaration.In a statement jointly signed by its Coordinator, Korede Olanipekun, and Secretary, Abiola Kupolati, the group warned that any attempt to alter the existing process or amend the Chiefta
  
  Read more

• As evangelism goes viral: How modern day pastors are taking over social media space

  24-07-2026 09:25 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Ebunoluwa SessouThere was a time when a pastor’s influence was measured by the size of the congregation gathered inside the church auditorium. Today, that influence extends far beyond church walls, reaching millions through smartphones, livestreams, Instagram Reels, TikTok videos, Facebook broadcasts and X (formerly Twitter) posts.Read Also: Digital Devices: How every parent can master parental controlsIn Nigeria and across the world, social media has become an indispensable tool for m
  
  Read more

• Iran army says attacked US bases in Bahrain, Jordan

  24-07-2026 09:13 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Iran’s army said on Friday it carried out drone strikes against several American military facilities and bases in Bahrain and Jordan in retaliation for the latest US attacks against the Islamic republic.“This morning, the fuel tanks, large equipment warehouses and silos and the barracks of the US terrorist army forces at the Isa Air Base in Bahrain were targeted by Arash kamikaze drones,” the army said in a statement carried by state TV.An AFP journalist in Bahrain reported an
  
  Read more

• Anambra offers plea bargain to criminal suspects, excludes murder, kidnapping cases

  24-07-2026 09:08 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Vincent UjumaduAWKA — The Anambra State Government has introduced a plea bargain option for suspects undergoing criminal trial as part of efforts to accelerate the administration of justice and reduce delays in the prosecution of cases.However, suspects standing trial for murder, rape, armed robbery and kidnapping are excluded from the initiative.The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Tobechukwu Nweke (SAN), said the decision was in line with the provisions of Section
  
  Read more

Follow @GeneralNews_NGR on Twitter!