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US issues fresh global travel warning over rising security risks

The United States has issued a fresh global travel advisory, urging its citizens to exercise heightened caution amid rising security concerns linked to escalating tensions in the Middle East.

In a statement released by the U.S. Department of State, officials described the current security environment as volatile and unpredictable, warning of possible sudden developments that could impact travellers and U.S. interests worldwide.

Americans currently in the Middle East were advised to remain vigilant and prepare for potential travel disruptions, including flight cancellations and intermittent airspace closures. The department noted that while some airlines have delayed resuming suspended operations, others have cancelled select routes.

The advisory also called on U.S. citizens outside the region to reconsider non-essential travel to and through the Middle East. Travellers who choose to proceed were urged to monitor airline schedules and airport operations closely before departure.

According to the department, U.S. diplomatic missions – including those outside the Middle East – have been targets in the past. It warned that Iran and its allied groups could potentially target additional U.S. interests abroad, including businesses, institutions and locations linked to American citizens.

To minimise risks, travellers were advised to confirm flight details directly with airlines and seek timely updates in the event of disruptions. They were also encouraged to monitor alerts from U.S. embassies and consulates, comply with local authorities, and stay informed through official channels.

The State Department further urged Americans travelling overseas to enrol in the Smart Traveller Enrolment Program (STEP) to receive real-time security updates and emergency notifications, and to review destination-specific advisories before making travel plans.

FG banks on science, investment to revamp agriculture

The Federal Government has unveiled a broader strategy to overhaul Nigeria’s agricultural sector by promoting innovation, encouraging private investment and strengthening cooperation among government institutions and development partners to improve food production and reduce poverty.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, disclosed this in Abuja during the second Biannual Meeting of the Agrifood Systems Working Group organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

He said agriculture remains one of the strongest tools available to drive economic growth, improve livelihoods and guarantee adequate food for Nigerians, adding that achieving these goals will require the active participation of governments, researchers, financial institutions, farmers and businesses.

Bagudu said Nigeria’s implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) 2026-2035 provides an opportunity to accelerate reforms that will make the country’s food system stronger and more competitive. He praised the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, for coordinating the programme and ensuring that Nigeria remains aligned with continental agricultural priorities.

The minister explained that while the African Union has set agricultural development targets up to 2035, the Tinubu administration is pursuing a faster timetable, with the aim of reducing poverty and expanding economic opportunities for millions of Nigerians by 2030.

He noted that responsibility for food production is shared by the Federal, State and Local Governments, making close cooperation across all levels of government essential if the country is to achieve lasting improvements in agriculture.

Bagudu said Nigeria’s farming sector is built largely on the efforts of more than 42 million farming families, most of whom operate on a small scale. He added that improving their productivity and earnings would have a direct impact on food availability, employment, household incomes and national economic growth.

‘Our food system can only reach its full potential when farmers have better access to finance, improved technology, quality inputs and reliable markets that allow them to increase production and earn better incomes,’ he said.

According to the minister, the Federal Government is restructuring key institutions to improve support for agriculture. He cited the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the movement of fisheries to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy as part of efforts to give greater attention to specialised areas of the sector.

He said additional support is also being channelled to agencies such as the National Agricultural Development Fund and the National Agricultural Land Development Authority to increase agricultural financing, expand access to farmland and encourage farming methods that can withstand the effects of climate change.

Bagudu argued that agricultural development should not be left to one ministry alone, saying progress depends on stronger partnerships involving scientists, universities, research institutes, young people, women, financial institutions and private investors.

He added that wider use of research findings and modern farming technologies would help farmers increase output, improve profitability and make agriculture more attractive as a business.

Describing the private sector as the main engine of agricultural production, Bagudu said government would continue to focus on policies that remove barriers to investment while creating conditions that enable farmers and agribusinesses to expand their operations.

The minister also called for greater cooperation to tackle emerging threats to food production, including rising production costs caused by higher fertiliser and energy prices as well as international trade practices that make imported agricultural products cheaper than locally produced goods.

Although insecurity has disrupted farming activities in several parts of the country, Bagudu said the restoration of peace in many previously affected communities, particularly in the North-East, has enabled farmers to return to their fields and record improved harvests.

He said protecting these gains would require sustained support from government, development partners, investors and farming communities working together toward a common objective.

Bagudu expressed optimism that Nigeria has the capacity to build a modern, productive and resilient agricultural system that can strengthen food security, create jobs, reduce poverty and support the country’s long-term economic development if all stakeholders remain committed to the shared vision.

Don’t pay anyone for mass wedding registration, Kano Hisbah warns applicants

The Kano State Hisbah Board has warned members of the public against paying money to anyone claiming to facilitate registration for the state’s mass wedding programme, describing such demands as fraudulent.

Deputy Commander-General of the Board, Dr Mujahideen Aminuddeen, issued the warning in Kano on Wednesday.

He said the board had received reports that some individuals were extorting prospective beneficiaries despite the Kano State government’s decision to fully sponsor the programme.

Dr. Aminuddeen stressed that neither the Hisbah Board nor the state government had authorised anyone to collect registration fees or any form of payment from intending participants.

He explained that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had approved full sponsorship of the mass wedding programme, covering wedding attire, furniture, transportation of the furniture, and start-up capital for beneficiaries.

According to him, the programme is completely free, and applicants should disregard anyone demanding payment or promising to secure a slot in exchange for money.

The Deputy Commander-General urged members of the public, especially victims of extortion, to report such individuals to the Hisbah Board or relevant security agencies for investigation and prosecution.

The Kano State mass wedding programme is one of the social intervention initiatives of the Abba Kabir Yusuf administration aimed at supporting less-privileged couples and easing the financial burden of marriage.

Daily Trust reports that the state government had approved N1.5 billion for the mass wedding programme involving 1,500 couples.

No date has been fixed for the ceremony.

Banks now liable to victims of OTP scams-BSP Counsel

AS the deadline for phasing out one-time passwords (OTPs) lapsed a month ago, banks are now liable to pay the amount lost by a depositor if victimized by hijacking the user’s one-time password (OTP), according to the chief legal counsel of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

‘I’m sure you’ve heard that OTP alone is no longer allowed. There should be something more than that, especially for complex and high-value transactions,’ BSP General Counsel Roberto L. Figueroa told reporters on the sidelines of the Ceremonial Signing of Information Sharing Agreement between the BSP and the Department of Justice (DOJ) last Wednesday.

‘So if that’s the reason why the victim got scammed, and the bank, if it’s a high-value complex transaction [that] merely relied on the use of OTP by the customer, we all know that that’s not a sufficient defense on the part of the bank,’ Figueroa added.

He said the deadline was last June 25 so it is expected that all of the banks have already complied with the central bank’s circular.

‘If, let’s say, a depositor or a client of a bank gets victimized, and the reason for that is because of their failure to comply with the requirements of the Afasa [Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act], then the bank will suffer the consequence of that non-compliance,’ Figueroa said.

The central bank’s primary lawyer said that the consequence could include ‘complete full restitution,’ meaning whatever is the amount lost by the victim or by the depositor, even if the bank is not the scammer, the bank will now be ordered to pay the depositor or the customer the amount that was lost.

‘You cannot anymore use the defense that it’s the customer who entered the OTP,’ Figueroa said.

The BSP’s chief legal officer further noted that under the Afasa, it is clear that banks should have a ‘robust fraud management system,’ and that banks are now required to have a multi-factor authentication.

‘It’s not just one; in this case OTP. So with the deadline having passed, that means the victims of the scam or fraud can now use all these provisions of Afasa against the bank. A bank can no longer claim that it’s the fault of the client,’ added Figueroa.

Last year, the central bank required BSP-supervised financial institutions (BSFIs) to replace on or before June 25, 2026, SMS-based and email-based one-time password (OTP) with stronger technology. The latter includes biometric, behavioral, adaptive, or passwordless solutions, cited under BSP Circular 1213, issued in May 2025.

The circular covers banks and e-wallet operators that average more than P75 million of online transactions per month. That stipulation includes most universal and commercial banks, all digital banks, and some cooperative, thrift, and rural banks, the BSP noted.

These BSFIs are required to apply the stronger technology to transactions deemed as high-risk.

The circular, likewise, requires covered BSFIs to strengthen their fraud management systems to better detect and prevent unauthorized transactions.

‘These systems must be capable of flagging unusual or suspicious activities, including unusually rapid transactions and those involving new recipients or unrecognized devices,’ the central bank pointed out.

Cabinet nod for Chartered Institute of Computing Sri Lanka

Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eng. Eranga Weeraratne said the Government has taken a significant step forward in strengthening the professional foundations of Sri Lanka’s information technology (IT) sector with the Cabinet approving the establishment of the Chartered Institute of Computing Sri Lanka (CICSL).

The Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL), established in 1976, has for five decades stood as the foremost and sole organisation representing professionals in the country’s computing sector.

Recognising its enduring role and the aspirations of the professionals it represents, the Cabinet of Ministers, acting on a proposal submitted by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as Digital Economy Minister, granted policy approval for the establishment of the CICSL, and instructed the Legal Draftsman to prepare the necessary draft legislation to give effect to this decision.

Eng. Weeraratne said that this is a strong initiative by the Government to elevate the CSSL to chartered status, placing it on equal standing with other professional bodies that already hold such recognition.

He noted that the objective is to enable the Institute to contribute more effectively and authoritatively to the national digital transformation program by promoting professional excellence, advancing research and innovation, driving technological progress, and strengthening capacity development within the field of IT.

He further stated that as Sri Lanka continues to build its digital economy under the DIGIECON 2030 vision, a strong, chartered professional institute for the computing fraternity is not merely symbolic but foundational, ensuring that the professionals driving the country’s digital transformation are recognised, empowered, and equipped to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global technology landscape.

The Deputy Minister said the Government remained committed to building the institutional frameworks necessary to sustain a resilient, innovative, and globally competitive digital economy for Sri Lanka.

Mustapha Abdullahi Empowers Young Nigerians Through Maiden Energy Leadership Fellowship

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, has empowered more than 80 young Nigerians through the maiden edition of the Mustapha Abdullahi Energy Leadership Fellowship (MAELF) 2026, a week-long leadership and capacity-building programme designed to equip participants with leadership skills, mentorship, professional networks and startup support for Nigeria’s energy sector and broader national development.

The week-long residential fellowship, initiated and fully sponsored by Dr. Abdullahi through the DAM Foundation in partnership with the APC National Youth Wing, brought together carefully selected young Nigerians from across the country for an intensive programme focused on leadership, energy policy, entrepreneurship, innovation, governance and sustainable development.

The fellows arrived in Abuja on Sunday and commenced activities on Monday, participating in six days of lectures, policy dialogues, mentorship sessions, panel discussions, innovation workshops, team projects and networking engagements before the programme culminated in a colourful graduation ceremony on Friday.

Mustapha Abdullahi Empowers Young Nigerians Through Maiden Energy Leadership Fellowship

Designed to bridge the gap between leadership potential and national development, the fellowship exposed participants to practical knowledge and emerging opportunities within Nigeria’s energy ecosystem while equipping them with the skills, values and networks required to drive innovation, promote sustainable development and provide responsible leadership in their various fields.

Throughout the programme, participants interacted with senior government officials, policymakers, development experts, academics and private sector leaders who shared practical insights on leadership, governance, innovation, public service, youth development and Nigeria’s evolving energy landscape.

Among the distinguished personalities who delivered lectures and participated in interactive sessions with the fellows were the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN; the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande Wisdom; former President of the Senate and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Engr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu; and the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Dayo Israel, alongside other accomplished professionals, public officials and development experts.

The fellowship climaxed on Friday with the presentation of certificates and an empowerment package valued at over ?17 million, including startup grants ranging from ?500,000 to ?5 million awarded to outstanding fellows to support innovative ideas, enterprise development and community-based initiatives.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Abdullahi said the vision behind the fellowship was to nurture a new generation of ethical, competent, innovative and visionary leaders capable of advancing Nigeria’s energy transition and contributing meaningfully to national development.

‘As I look around this hall today, I see not just graduates of a fellowship programme; I see ambassadors of hope, innovators in waiting, solution providers and future architects of Nigeria’s energy future,’ he said.

He commended the fellows for their discipline, resilience, commitment to learning and ability to build friendships across regional, ethnic and religious divides throughout the programme.

‘You came here with curiosity. You embraced learning with humility. You challenged ideas respectfully, built friendships across regions and backgrounds, collaborated with one another and demonstrated that the Nigerian youth, when given the right opportunity, possess limitless potential,’ he said.

Abdullahi urged the participants to make integrity, excellence and service the defining principles of their leadership journey.

‘Certificates may open doors, but character sustains leadership. Knowledge may create opportunities, but integrity preserves them. Influence may attract followers, but service is what builds lasting legacies,’ he stated.

He stressed that the energy sector extends beyond electricity generation and infrastructure, describing it as a critical driver of social and economic transformation.

‘The energy sector is not merely about electricity, solar panels, gas, hydrogen, batteries or infrastructure. It is fundamentally about people. It is about improving lives, reducing poverty, creating opportunities, empowering industries, strengthening healthcare, enhancing education and securing a better future for generations yet unborn,’ he said.

According to Abdullahi, Nigeria’s energy transition requires courageous leadership, innovation, ethical professionals and strategic thinkers willing to place national interest above personal ambition.

‘I therefore charge each of you to become advocates of sustainable development, ambassadors of clean energy, champions of innovation, and examples of transformational leadership wherever life takes you. This Fellowship must never become a certificate that gathers dust on your shelf. It must become a responsibility you carry in your heart,’ he said.

He also encouraged the participants to sustain the relationships established during the fellowship, collaborate across disciplines and continue developing practical solutions to national challenges, noting that the conclusion of the programme marked the beginning of a lifelong network of leaders committed to national transformation.

The successful conclusion of the maiden edition of the Mustapha Abdullahi Energy Leadership Fellowship marks a significant milestone in the DAM Foundation’s commitment to youth empowerment, leadership development and human capital investment.

The initiative is expected to pave the way for future editions as Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi continues to invest in raising a new generation of ethical, innovative and solution-driven leaders equipped to advance Nigeria’s energy transition and contribute meaningfully to national development.

Negros small sugar farmers to get cash aid amid pest outbreak

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will deliver emergency cash transfers to small farmers in Negros Island Region (NIR) whose sugar farms have been infested by Red-stripped Small-Scale Insects (RSSI).

A maximum of P10,000 will be given to each severely affected farmer, DSWD Regional Director Arwin Razo said.

Razo met with Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on the instruction of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian to discuss the assistance following Negros Occidental’s declaration of a state of calamity.

The distribution will start as early as next week, he said.

DSWD will get its data on the extent of the damage from the local government units and the Sugar Regulatory Administration, which will be validated.

The amount to be distributed will depend on the extent of the damage to the farms of affected small farmers in the validated list, Razo said.

They should be included in the Department of Agriculture registry of farmers, he added.

‘The timeline based on the instructions by my secretary, we have to do it at the soonest possible time, so hopefully while we are currently piloting the UPLIFT (Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, and Transport) assistance, we can also have it within the month of July, at least the initial distribution,’ Razo said.

UPLIFT Group 2 provides P2,000 a month over a period of six months to poor and near-poor beneficiaries, he said.

There are an initial 160,000 identified beneficiaries in the NIR, more than 90,000 of whom are in Negros Occidental, for a total of P1.92 billion, Razo said.

Initial pilot distribution in Negros Occidental will be in Sagay City, Talisay City and Hinigaran in Negros Occidental, and Vallehermoso and Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental.

The beneficiaries are identified based on the Community-Based Monitoring System of the Philippine Statistics Authority, he said.

The first month will be through annual payout and the succeeding months through digital platforms or to Lank Bank for those who have accounts there, Razo said

Court orders INEC to recognise El-Rufai’s ally as Ogun ADC Guber candidate

A Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday, declared Otunba Jimi Adebisi Lawal as the authentic governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the forthcoming Ogun State governorship election.

The judgment, delivered by Justice Abiodun Jordan Adeyemi, resolved the protracted leadership and candidature dispute that had divided the party into rival factions, each laying claim to the governorship ticket.

Lawal, a close associate of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, secured the legal victory after the court held that his emergence as the party’s candidate complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the ADC constitution.

The suit, marked FHC/AB/CS/97/2026, challenged the legitimacy of the governorship primary that produced multiple factional candidates.

Both Lawal and Dr Collins Ogundipe, an artificial intelligence expert, have been laying claims to the governorship ticket of the ADC following the disputed primary.

In his judgment, Justice Adeyemi ruled that the primary election which produced Lawal was validly conducted and duly monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The court held that the exercise complied with all statutory requirements and remained the only lawful governorship primary recognised under the law.

Consequently, the court declared Lawal the authentic governorship candidate of the ADC in Ogun State and directed INEC to accord him full recognition by reflecting his name in its official records as the party’s flag bearer.

Ogun State Chairman of the ADC, Femi Soluade, described the ruling as a victory for democracy and an opportunity to unite the party ahead of the governorship election.

He expressed gratitude to God for the outcome, saying the court had finally resolved the lingering dispute over the party’s governorship ticket.

On his part, Lawal described the verdict as an act of divine intervention following months of uncertainty over the party’s primary election.

‘Alhamdulillah. I am exceedingly grateful to Almighty God. Without God’s grace, nothing is possible. Today’s victory is by His grace,’ he said.

He maintained that he had won the primary election convincingly but endured months of anxiety over the dispute.

‘I have had sleepless nights since May because I believed I had been cheated. I won on merit. It was not a close contest; it was a landslide. Yet, what was a landslide was turned into a minority.’

Lawal commended the judiciary for upholding the rule of law and ensuring that justice prevailed.

Legal 500 named Home Credit Philippines’ CLO as Southeast Asia’s In-house Legal Leader of the Year

Home Credit Philippines (HCPH) achieved a distinguished international recognition as its Chief Legal Officer, Atty. Alicia Juliet ‘Alice’ Salita, got recognized as In-house Legal Leader of the Year at the prestigious Legal 500 Southeast Asia Awards 2026.

The annual regional award, organized by international legal research and ranking directory, The Legal 500, honors operational excellence, innovation, and standout achievements across corporate counsel and private practice in the Southeast Asian market. Atty. Salita’s recognition highlights her strategic leadership in transforming HCPH’s legal operations into an agile business engine.

As the head of HCPH’s Legal, Compliance, and External Affairs (LCEA) department, Atty. Salita masterfully oversees the critical pillars of Corporate Legal, Litigation, Compliance, and External Affairs. Under her leadership, the Corporate Legal division has successfully executed major high-value acquisitions, while the Compliance function has safeguarded the organization’s digital integrity amid evolving market dynamics. Her balanced execution of defensive legal structures and proactive regulatory strategies has successfully turned the LCEA team into a key driver of growth for Home Credit.

‘Receiving this regional honor from The Legal 500 is a testament to the high-performance culture we have collectively built at Home Credit Philippines,’ Atty. Salita said. ‘I deeply value the trust placed in me by the company’s leadership and their continuous encouragement to strive for excellence. Home Credit’s dynamic environment has empowered our team to challenge conventional institutional barriers and implement forward-thinking legal strategies that safeguard both the company and millions of consumers.’

Driven by a commitment to corporate modernization, Atty. Salita has successfully spearheaded key digital transformations at HCPH. Her notable achievements include fully digitizing the company’s legal workflow and launching a pioneering Digital Legal Library. This legal library centralizes and indexes over ten years of corporate contracts and regulatory archives for streamlined operations.

Beyond leadership in Home Credit Philippines, in 2025, Atty, Salita was re-elected as President of the Legal Management Council of the Philippines (LMCP), the country’s oldest organization for corporate counsel. In this role, she actively collaborates with the Supreme Court of the Philippines to institutionalize specialized Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) programs tailored specifically to the shifting regulatory demands of modern in-house corporate practices.

For the latest updates from Home Credit Philippines, visit its official website, www.homecredit.ph, or follow its official Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. Customers may likewise download the Home Credit App to get pre-approved, available on Google Play, the App Store, and HUAWEI AppGallery.

Home Credit Philippines is a financing company duly licensed and supervised by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Oyo guber: Seyi Makinde’s anointed candidate can win if… – Primate Ayodele

The leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has said Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde’s preferred governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanbi, has a strong chance of winning the 2027 election if the governor fully commits to the campaign.

Primate Ayodele, in a video circulating online, said the outcome of the election would largely depend on the level of political effort Makinde invests in securing victory for his anointed candidate.

According to the cleric, Adekanbi currently enjoys an advantage over other aspirants, but warned that the election should not be taken for granted.

‘Seyi Makinde’s candidate can win the governorship election in Oyo State. The victory is closer to him than every other candidate, but the governor must work very well to get victory for his candidate in the election.

‘He should forget about his presidential ambition; it’s beyond him. He has only this governorship election to focus on, and he must be careful so it won’t slip away. His candidate is closer to it, but he still needs to do more work to get victory in the election,’ Ayodele said.

The cleric also advised Makinde to concentrate on ensuring a smooth succession in Oyo State rather than pursuing a presidential bid, insisting that retaining control of the state should be his immediate political priority.

Ayodele further predicted a difficult path for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the governorship race, alleging that the party’s candidate, Alli Sharafadeen, could face resistance from within the APC.

According to him, internal opposition among party members may weaken Sharafadeen’s chances at the polls.

‘For the APC candidate, even the members of his party will work against him in the election. It will be hard for him because even people closer to him will not support him. One of his problems will be the Olubadan if he isn’t careful enough,’ he said.

The Oyo state governorship election is expected to be one of the key political contests ahead of the 2027 general elections, with political parties already making early moves to position their preferred candidates.