US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a ban on visas for foreign students who are set to begin attending Harvard University, ramping up his administration’s crackdown on higher education.

“I have determined that it is necessary to restrict the entry of foreign nationals who seek to enter the United States solely or principally to participate in a course of study at Harvard University or in an exchange visitor program hosted by Harvard University,” Trump said in a statement late Wednesday.

The Trump administration has been in an ongoing showdown with academia, and Harvard in particular. 

The Ivy League institution has continually drawn Trump’s ire while publicly rejecting his administration’s repeated demands to give up control of recruitment, curricula and research choices.

Trump’s proclamation said his decision would take effect immediately and “shall apply to aliens who enter or attempt to enter the United States to begin attending Harvard University” through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

It added that current international students already attending Harvard on various visas faced a review, and risked having “their visas revoked.”

The move was necessary to protect “national security,” the statement said.

“In my judgement, it presents an unacceptable risk to our Nation’s security for an academic institution to refuse to provide sufficient information, when asked, about known instances of misconduct and criminality committed by its foreign students,” Trump said.

He also charged that “Harvard and its affiliated organizations on campus continue to deny hardworking Americans equal opportunities.”

“It is not in the interest of the United States to further compound Harvard’s discrimination against non-preferred races, national origins, shared ancestries, or religions by further reducing opportunities for American students through excessive foreign student enrollment,” it said.

Wednesday’s edict appears to apply to Harvard University only.

The Trump administration has targeted foreign students explicitly, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowing to “aggressively” revoke visas to students from China.

Last week, as students graduated, a judge extended a temporary block on Trump’s bid to prevent Harvard from enrolling international students.

AFP

For killing the gang leader and 3 others in a gun battle

Angry residents clash with Hausa indigenes and other northerners living in Abraka

Suspected kidnappers ensnared and laid an ambush for security operatives in the Abraka community, Delta State, after the police, vigilantes, and hunters killed four abductors in a joint operation in the university town. 

Some security officials were feared killed and injured in the ambush, while a commotion had broken out between residents of Abraka and northerners residing in the community over the ensnarement.

Vanguard learned that some hijackers attacked and killed two residents who went to the bush for a land transaction on Wednesday, and on receiving the report, the police mobilised to the scene with local hunters and vigilantes.

Marcus Dafe, a resident who joined the Monday protest against kidnapping in Abraka, which security agents disrupted, was shot dead by supposed kidnappers.

Both sides engaged in a shootout, but the police recovered and took away the two remains.

Not satisfied, the kidnappers, on a revenge mission for the killing of their gang leader and three others, mounted a siege on vehicles entering the Abraka community.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) got information and mobilised to the area, but the kidnappers, who had laid an ambush for them, opened fire on the security operatives.

The number of casualties was not ascertained, but unconfirmed reports said they injured some security operatives. 

The news of the attack on the security operatives incensed the residents, who unleashed venom on northerners living in the community.

Abraka was tense on Wednesday, which likely prompted the state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to summon an emergency security meeting today in Asaba.

The police had earlier on Wednesday claimed a major victory with the killing of four kidnappers troubling the Abraka community and the recovery of one AK-47 rifle.

Superintendent of Police SP Bright Edafe, who is the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Delta State Police Command, said, “The joint operation was carried out today, being 4/06/2025, at about 0300 hrs, following credible intelligence on the activities of suspected kidnappers along the Abraka Railway axis.”
“The joint operatives comprising the police, hunters, vigilantes, and anti-cult volunteers engaged the suspected kidnappers and recovered one AK-47 rifle, along with thirteen rounds of live ammunition.

“Four of the suspected kidnappers were shot during the gun duel and later gave up the ghost, while others escaped with gunshot injuries.
“During a preliminary investigation, a recently rescued kidnapped victim identified one of the deceased suspects as a leader of the gang that kidnapped him,” he said. 

The joint operation of the police, vigilantes, and anti-cult volunteers in Abraka followed the daily protests by residents and students to draw the Delta State government and police’s attention to the incessant kidnapping in the town, which security agents disrupted on Monday by shooting live bullets to stop the protesters.

The surprising ambush on the security operatives sparked a fresh tension in the town, with the authorities of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, temporarily halting academic activities.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has declared two more persons wanted in connection with an alleged cryptocurrency fraud scheme linked to the collapsed digital trading platform, Crypto Bridge Exchange, CBEX.
The EFCC, in a notice issued on Wednesday via its official social media channels, identified the suspects as Folashade Odelana and Bamidele Ayodele Abiodun, who are 31 and 32 years old respectively.

They were accused of orchestrating fraudulent activities on the platform, which reportedly led to substantial financial losses for unsuspecting investors.

The anti-graft agency said the last known address of the duo is No. 17, Oremeta Street, Allen, Ikeja, Lagos State. 

“The public is hereby notified that the persons whose photographs appear below are wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX),” the statement read.

The EFCC called on members of the public with credible information regarding the suspects’ whereabouts to contact its offices across Ibadan, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, or Abuja.

Contact can also be made through its official helplines or via e-mail at info@efccnigeria.org, or by reporting to the nearest police station or security agency.

This latest development brings the total number of individuals declared wanted in connection with the CBEX fraud to 12.

Recall that in April 2025, panic spread among CBEX users after they were suddenly unable to access or withdraw their investments from the platform.

The incident, which reportedly affected over 600,000 Nigerians, resulted in the loss of more than ₦1.3 trillion, according to victim estimates.

The scale of the collapse sparked nationwide outrage, with many investors demanding swift justice and restitution.

Earlier, the EFCC had declared eight persons wanted in relation to the same case.

They include Adefowora Abiodun Olanipekun, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko, Seyi Oloyede, Johnson Okiroh Otieno, Israel Mbaluka, Joseph Michiro Kabera, and Serah Michiro. Arrest warrants have since been secured for six suspects: Olanipekun, Oluwanisola, Uko, Oloyede, Avwerosuo Otorudo, and Chukwuebuka Ehirim.

The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, assured the public that the commission was making progress with its investigations and recovery efforts.

A famous TikTok celebrity, Abubakar Kilina, has been remanded in custody by a Kano magistrate’s court after arraignment on charges preferred by the Kano State Censorship Board.

In a statement on Tuesday, Abdullahi Sani Sulaiman, spokesperson of the board, accused Kilina of cross-dressing, use of expletives, and indecent behaviour on social media.

According to the Board , such kind of content is against the moral and religious standard upheld by the state. The case was heard at the No-Man’s-Land Magistrate Court, where Kilina pleaded guilty to the charges.

Barrister Garzali Maigari Bichi prosecuted the case.

Magistrate Hajiya Halima Wali presided, ordering Kilina’s remand from June 4 to 17, 2025, pending the court’s pronouncement.

Speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the Censorship Board, Alhaji Abba El-Mustapha stressed the agency’s incessant efforts in the surveillance and regulation of online content that conflict with the cultural values of the state.

He warned that offenders who use digital platforms in promoting immorality shall be dealt with accordingly.

Kilina’s case is one of many conducted by the Kano State Censorship Board in its crackdown on online creators.

Several TikTok stars have been prosecuted for similar offenses in the last few months. Some have been convicted, with fines and jail terms.

Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, says Nigerians should stop medical tourism and start producing its own drugs locally.

Dangote stated this during a panel discussion at the Gates Foundation’s Goalkeepers event held in Lagos on Wednesday.

The richest black man, while emphasizing the need for every Nigerian, including the rich to be able to treat themselves in Nigeria when they fall sick, hinted that it was important to partner with Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation to achieve this. 

“What we need to do is to make sure we stop this health tourism and we should now get in to start producing our own drugs.

“We should now make sure that when we are sick, we don’t have to travel abroad, all of us, but we need to do a partnership with Bill (Gates),” he said.

Africa’s richest man recalled that the Dangote Foundation through partnership with the Gates Foundation has helped to end Polio in Nigeria and did quite a lot in improving nutrition.

According to him, in terms of business, his company has done a lot by reversing a lot of things, adding that Nigeria used to be the second largest importer of cement in the world but now it exports cement more than any other African country.

Dangote also highlighted how farmers previously struggled to access fertilizer, but today, he has built the second-largest fertilizer plant in the world from the ground up.

“So, Nigeria now, not only export, we actually export 37% of our fertilizer to the United States of America,” he said.

Speaking on petroleum, Dangote maintained that he did what nobody has ever done before by building 650,000bpd refinery, revealing that in the month of May 2025 alone, the Dangote Refinery exported 400,000 metric tons of petrol.

According to him, this has ended Nigeria’s dependency on imported petrol, as the country no longer imports the product.

DAILY POST reports that the Goalkeepers event, which was hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the first time in Lagos, brought together global leaders, policymakers, and change makers to assess progress toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.

Other notable dignitaries at the event included Bill Gates Dangote; the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and the Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, among others.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior has announced a strict ban on photographs, recording of videos or raising any political or sectarian expressions at the main Hajj sites.
The ministry said the new rule is to protect the spiritual and peaceful nature of the Hajj.

It warned that anyone caught breaking the rule will face serious consequences.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the ministry said pilgrims are not allowed to take photos or videos inside the two holy mosques, Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah.

The ban also covers other important Hajj locations such as Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah.

The statement also reminded pilgrims that the Hajj is a time for worship, humility, and unity.

“Any conduct that goes against these values will not be accepted. Pilgrims are strongly encouraged to adhere to the regulations and cooperate fully with authorities to ensure that Hajj 2025 is conducted in a peaceful, orderly, and spiritually enriching environment,” the statement added.

To enforce the rule, security officers will be present throughout the pilgrimage period.

Portugal head coach, Roberto Martinez has tipped midfielder Vitinha to win the Ballon d’Or award.

Vitinha played a crucial part as Paris Saint-Germain claimed a historic Treble this season.

PSG clinched the Ligue 1 title again and added the Coupe de France, before hammering Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final.

In an interview with A Bola following their 2-1 win over Germany in the UEFA Nations League on Wednesday night, Martinez said Vitinha deserves to be crowned the best player in the world.

He said: “Vitinha is a player who has been essential for PSG to win everything they have won.

“He deserves to be awarded the Ballon d’Or.”

Vitinha’s PSG team-mate, Ousmane Dembele, is regarded as the leading candiate to win the Ballon d’Or award.

Frank Leboeuf, a former Chelsea player, has urged his old club to sign AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan for their manager Enzo Maresca this summer.

According to Lebouef, the France international is so exceptional and would be very useful for Maresca’s side.

“Magic Mike is his nickname because he is so exceptional,” Leboeuf told ESPN FC when asked about Chelsea’s move for the 29-year-old shot-stopper.

“I think he’d fit perfectly to Chelsea… Chelsea and I know him.

“I appreciate him and I think he will be very useful to Chelsea,” he added.

AC Milan have already told Chelsea their price tag for Maignan.

Maignan joined the Rossoneri from French Ligue 1 side, Lille in 2021.

Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle is optimistic his side can still qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The three-time African champions face a daunting task in their bid to qualify for the global soccer fiesta following their poor run in the qualifiers.

The West Africans occupy fourth position in their group, six points adrift of leaders South Africa.

Chelle’s side now have four matches to turn around their fortunes.

Nigeria won the Unity Cup invitational tournament in London last week, which will boost the confidence of the players going into the next set of qualifiers in September and October.

The Malian, however, demanded that his players must put in more work to achieve their objective.

“We scored goals, created chances and showed good signs in our overall play,” he said while reviewing the performance of the Super Eagles at the Unity Cup.

“What matters most is playing together – in both attack and defence.

“We have to keep improving both physically and mentally. We must become true warriors on the pitch.”

The Super Eagles will hosts the Amavubi of Rwanda in Uyo, and travel to South Africa when the qualifiers resume in September.

New Super Eagles right-back, Felix Agu has called on his Werder Bremen teammate and fellow German-born star, Justin Njinmah to pledge his international allegiance to Nigeria.

The 25-year-old Felix Agu made the call after playing his very first game for the Super Eagles during the Unity Cup in London.

Agu played for Nigeria in their penalty shootout win over Jamaica, having switched his allegiance from Germany. 

He was born in Germany to both parents from Nigeria and represented the European country’s U21 in two friendlies in 2019.

Reacting after playing his first game for Nigeria, Agu posted “Proud” on Instagram.

Njinmah was one of the people who reacted to his post, saying, “My brothaaa” with a white heart emoji.

Agu responded with a clear message: “u next!!”

The response was interpreted as a call for Njinmah to snub Germany and declare for Nigeria.

The 24-year-old Njinmah has yet to be capped by either Germany or Nigeria at any level.