December 2025

Nigeria Tax Reform: Presidency Dismisses Alteration Claims

Nigeria Tax Reform: Presidency Dismisses Alteration Claims

December 21, 2025 3:04 am

The Nigerian Presidency has dismissed allegations that the newly enacted tax reform laws were secretly altered, insisting that the legislation was passed in full compliance with established legal and legislative procedures.

The government reaffirmed that the reforms will take effect on January 1, 2026, despite calls from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and several civil society organisations to suspend implementation.

The four tax reform bills—comprising the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act—operate under the unified authority of the Nigeria Revenue Service. …

South Africa Tavern Shooting Leaves Nine Dead Near Johannesburg

South Africa Tavern Shooting Leaves Nine Dead Near Johannesburg

December 21, 2025 2:43 am

South African police have launched an intensive manhunt after nine people were shot dead and 10 others wounded during a late-night attack at a licensed tavern in a township west of Johannesburg, authorities said on Sunday.

The shooting took place shortly after 1:00 a.m. local time in Bekkersdal, a densely populated community near the mining town of Westonaria, according to police statements.

Police said a group of about 12 armed men, traveling in two vehicles, arrived at the tavern and opened fire on customers inside the venue before continuing to shoot indiscriminately as they fled the area.

“The suspects fired …

US Seizes Venezuela Oil Tanker, Escalating Maritime Crackdown

US Seizes Venezuela Oil Tanker, Escalating Maritime Crackdown

December 21, 2025 2:30 am

The United States has seized an oil tanker that recently departed from Venezuela, marking the second such interception this month as Washington escalates enforcement against what it describes as illicit Venezuelan oil shipments.

The operation was carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard in international waters and follows President Donald Trump’s announcement this week that the U.S. would impose a maritime “blockade” on oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela in violation of American sanctions.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Coast Guard, said a specialized tactical boarding team intercepted the vessel during a pre-dawn operation …

Epstein Files Release Sparks Outrage Over Redactions

Epstein Files Release Sparks Outrage Over Redactions

December 21, 2025 2:19 am

The long-awaited release of government documents linked to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has sparked frustration among survivors, lawmakers, and legal experts, who say the disclosure falls short of the transparency promised by Congress.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released thousands of pages of Epstein-related records on Friday under a congressional mandate, but many of the documents were heavily redacted, and several files were later removed from public view. Critics argue the partial release risks undermining public trust while reigniting speculation around one of the most scrutinized criminal cases in recent history.

The release followed …

Bowen Yang To Exit “Saturday Night Live” After Seven-Year Run

Bowen Yang To Exit “Saturday Night Live” After Seven-Year Run

December 20, 2025 3:25 pm

Emmy-nominated comedian Bowen Yang will depart NBC’s long-running sketch show following its Christmas episode, marking a major midseason cast change.

Bowen Yang is set to leave “Saturday Night Live” after this weekend’s Christmas episode, ending a seven-year run on NBC’s long-running sketch comedy institution, according to a person familiar with the decision.

Yang’s departure comes midway through the show’s 51st season and marks one of the most significant cast changes of the year. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the move has not been formally announced by the network, said the decision was mutual and driven by …

UBA Launches $100 Million ‘Auto Finance Program’ For Drivers

UBA Launches $100 Million ‘Auto Finance Program’ For Drivers

December 20, 2025 2:57 pm

Nigeria’s UBA partners with LagRide, CIG Motors, and Lagos State Government to enable 3,500 drivers to own vehicles through structured loans.

United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has launched a $100 million vehicle financing program aimed at empowering 3,500 drivers across Lagos State, signaling a major push for financial inclusion and urban mobility transformation in Nigeria.

The initiative, called “Drive to Own,” was unveiled at a ceremony in Lagos, with UBA partnering with CIG Motors, LagRide, and the Lagos State Government. The program allows beneficiaries to acquire vehicles with just a 10% initial equity contribution, repaying the balance over a …

UK: Nigerian Prison Officers Gets Visa Extensions Amid Crisis

UK: Nigerian Prison Officers Gets Visa Extensions Amid Crisis

December 20, 2025 2:19 pm

Emergency measures prevent mass deportations and stabilizes the United Kingdom prison system as staffing shortages threaten operations.

United Kingdom has issued emergency visa extensions to hundreds of foreign prison staff, most of whom are Nigerian, after warnings that staffing shortages threatened to destabilize the country’s prison system. The move comes following changes to UK visa rules earlier this year that raised the skilled worker visa salary threshold to £41,700 ($55,802), annually—well above the average starting salary for new prison officers outside London, which is around £33,000 ($44,120).

Under the temporary exemption, the visa extension applies only to officers already in …

Seven Colombian Soldiers Killed In ELN Guerrilla Drone Attack

Seven Colombian Soldiers Killed In ELN Guerrilla Drone Attack

December 20, 2025 1:44 pm

ELN guerrillas used explosives-laden drones to strike an army base in northern Colombia, killing seven troops and wounding dozens amid rising security tensions.

At least seven Colombian soldiers were killed and 30 others wounded after a guerrilla group launched a coordinated drone and explosives attack on a military base in northern Colombia, the country’s armed forces said Thursday December 18, 2025.

The assault targeted Military Base 27 in the Department of Cesar and was attributed to the National Liberation Army, or ELN, a leftist guerrilla group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.

In

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Google Quietly Backs $5 Billion Shift From U.S. Bitcoin To AI

Google Quietly Backs $5 Billion Shift From U.S. Bitcoin To AI

December 20, 2025 1:16 pm

Credit guarantees tied to Google are reshaping bitcoin miners into AI data center hosts, unlocking bank financing and altering crypto and AI power dynamics.

Google has quietly emerged as a central financial force behind a sweeping transformation in the U.S. bitcoin mining industry, backing billions of dollars in projects that repurpose mining sites into artificial intelligence data centers.

The Alphabet-owned technology giant, rather than buying mining companies outright, is using a credit-based structure that has provided at least $5 billion in disclosed financial backing to support AI infrastructure built on former bitcoin mining campuses, according to company filings and market

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ChannelsTV/ISWAP Logistics Intercepted As Nigerian Troops Stop Vans

ISWAP Logistics Intercepted As Nigerian Troops Stop Vans

December 20, 2025 7:13 am

Nigerian troops operating under Operation Hadin Kai have intercepted two pickup vans carrying logistics believed to be destined for Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in Borno State, the military said.

The interception was carried out by troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force North East, following intelligence reports indicating the movement of supplies from Dapchi in Yobe State toward the Magumeri axis of Borno, according to a military statement released in Maiduguri.

The military said the operation was launched after credible intelligence alerted troops to suspected terrorist supply routes in the area. Acting in coordination with members of …

German Man Convicted Of Drugging And Raping Wife For Years

German Man Convicted Of Drugging And Raping Wife For Years

December 20, 2025 7:01 am

A German court has sentenced a 61-year-old man to more than eight years in prison for repeatedly drugging and raping his wife while she was unconscious, secretly recording the assaults and sharing the footage online, in a case that has drawn comparisons to France’s landmark Pelicot trial.

The verdict was delivered Friday by a regional court in Aachen, western Germany, following a trial that examined years of abuse committed inside the couple’s home. Prosecutors said the crimes occurred without the victim’s knowledge and involved the systematic misuse of sedatives.

The case is one of the most serious domestic sexual abuse …

Osman Hadi Death Sparks Mourning And Protests In Bangladesh

Osman Hadi Death Sparks Mourning And Protests In Bangladesh

December 20, 2025 6:49 am

Bangladesh marked a national day of mourning on Saturday as tens of thousands gathered in Dhaka for the funeral of Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in the country’s 2024 student-led uprising, whose killing sparked days of nationwide unrest.

Security was tightened across the capital as Hadi’s funeral prayer was held at the South Plaza of the national parliament complex, Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Police officers equipped with body cameras were deployed at major intersections and around sensitive sites, while the national flag was flown at half-staff on public and private buildings.

Hadi, 32, was later buried at the central mosque …

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𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬, 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤, is a nonpartisan online news portal founded on the truth to provide you with weekly, insightful articles written with precision and current updates on current events from Africa in particular and the rest of the world in general. All of our reports undergo extensive fact-checking to ensure their veracity, and we adhere strictly to the facts, no matter whose ox is gored.

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