General News
US Suspends Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries Over Public Charge Concerns
The United States has announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Somalia, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Brazil and Thailand.
According to a report by Fox News, the pause will take effect from January 21, 2026, as the US State Department undertakes a broad reassessment of its screening and vetting procedures. The move is aimed at tightening enforcement of immigration laws related to applicants considered likely to become a public charge on the US welfare system.
A State Department memo, first cited by Fox News Digital, directs consular officers to refuse visas under existing legal provisions while the review is ongoing. The suspension applies to immigrant visa applications and will remain in force indefinitely until the reassessment is completed.
The affected countries span Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. Ghana is among the African nations listed, alongside Nigeria, Somalia, Egypt, Ethiopia and others.
Somalia has reportedly attracted increased scrutiny following a major fraud investigation in Minnesota, where US prosecutors uncovered large scale abuse of taxpayer funded benefit programmes. Authorities said many of those implicated were Somali nationals or Somali Americans.
In November 2025, the State Department issued a global directive instructing consular officers to apply stricter standards under the public charge provision of US immigration law. The guidance allows officers to deny visas based on factors such as an applicant’s age, health status, financial resources, English proficiency and potential need for long term medical care. Past reliance on government cash assistance or institutional care may also be considered.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said the US would use its long standing authority to block the entry of immigrants deemed likely to rely on public benefits.
“Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would exploit welfare and public benefit systems,” he said.
While the public charge rule has existed for decades, its enforcement has varied across administrations. The Trump administration previously expanded its scope in 2019 to include a wider range of public benefits, a move that faced legal challenges and was later reversed under the Biden administration in 2022.
Officials say exceptions to the current suspension will be very limited and only considered after applicants have cleared public charge assessments.
The full list of affected countries includes Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.
General News
TikToker Camilla Alhassan Jailed One Year for Spreading False Claims About President Mahama
TikToker Camilla Alhassan has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Accra Circuit Court after pleading guilty to charges of offensive conduct and publishing false news.
The sentence was handed down on Thursday, July 16, after Alhassan admitted to sharing videos on social media in which she falsely claimed, without any evidence, that President John Dramani Mahama buried 32 cows as part of rituals to secure victory in the 2024 general election.
Speaking after the ruling, her lawyer, Kwadwo Gyamfi Bonsu, disclosed that the court dismissed the charge of electronic abuse, explaining that it lacked the legal jurisdiction to determine that particular offence.
Despite dropping the electronic abuse charge, the court convicted Alhassan on the count of offensive conduct and imposed a one-year custodial sentence.
According to her lawyer, the defence pleaded for a more lenient sentence, but the judge maintained that the increasing spread of false information and similar offences required a punishment that would serve as a deterrent.
Camilla Alhassan was arrested and prosecuted by the Ghana Police Service after the videos gained widespread attention on social media. Prior to sentencing, the court had also ordered a pregnancy test during an earlier hearing as part of the proceedings.
President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to equitable national development, declaring that no region of Ghana would be neglected because of its electoral choices.
Speaking during the sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a 24-Hour Economy Model Market at Juapong in the Volta Region as part of his Resetting Ghana Tour, President Mahama said his administration was determined to ensure that every part of the country benefited from development projects.
He rejected the notion that any region should be taken for granted or left behind because of the way its people voted in elections.
“Our mandate, given to us by the good people of Ghana, is to govern the country for every Ghanaian,” he said. “Our commitment to the Volta Region is founded on fairness, equity and our constitutional responsibility to ensure balanced national development across the whole country.”
The President noted that the Volta Region had made an immeasurable contribution to Ghana’s development and deserved its fair share of national progress.
He said government was deliberately investing in infrastructure and public services across the country, including healthcare, education, roads, transport, agriculture, agro-processing and modern markets to improve livelihoods and create economic opportunities.
President Mahama made the remarks after cutting the sod for the construction of the Juapong 24-Hour Economy Model Market, one of a series of markets to be built nationwide under the government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy initiative.
Prophet Dr. Power Man has predicted that Ghana may witness the loss of some prominent personalities in the coming days, including a well-known lawyer and politician who has served the nation.
Speaking on Kessben 92.9 FM’s Awurade Akasa programme hosted by Prophet Richard Afful, the man of God was asked about what lies ahead for Ghana and its citizens.
According to Prophet Dr. Power Man, the country would move from a period of “tears of joy” into a time of great sorrow, as he claimed he had seen difficult moments ahead for the nation.
“I saw a prominent person in Ghana, a politician who is a lawyer and has served the nation. He is a very prominent person,” he stated.
He added that from July 14, 2026, through December 2027, Ghanaians would hear reports of the passing of some notable personalities.
“From 14th July till 2027 December, we will hear about the death of prominent people, about four or three people in the country,” Prophet Dr. Power Man said.
When asked by the host whether the people involved would be young or old, the prophet responded that some would be elderly while others would be young.
He further explained that when it comes to such situations, sickness may not always be the cause, adding that “death is what is meant to be” and should not always be attributed to witchcraft
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