International News
South Korea Proposes ‘Package Deal’ To Avoid US Tariffs
South Korea has proposed a “package deal” to Washington to avoid Donald Trump’s steep tariffs, its finance minister said Friday, which US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said could bring a trade “understanding” by next week.
The country is a major exporter to the United States, and giants such as Samsung Electronics and automaker Hyundai stand to take a hefty hit if the White House goes ahead with its threatened 25 percent “reciprocal” tariffs.
Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and trade minister Ahn Duk-geun — who are in Washington — held talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and “exchanged views on US tariff policies”, the trade ministry said Friday.
South Korea proposed a “July Package” aimed at removing tariffs, which would be established before Trump’s 90-day suspension on “reciprocal” tariffs is set to expire on July 8, the ministry said.
“(We) explained that the imposition of reciprocal and product-specific tariffs by the United States could negatively impact bilateral economic cooperation,” Choi said at a press conference in Washington.
The South Korean government “conveyed its position that exemptions and waivers should be granted for tariffs imposed on Korean exports”, added Choi.
He added that South Korea plans to hold additional talks with Greer, who will visit Seoul to attend the APEC Trade Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for May 15 and 16.
The two countries “reached a principled agreement on establishing a framework for future consultations”, trade minister Anh said.
Separately, Bessent said the United States had a “very successful” meeting with the South Korean government and added that they may be “moving faster” than he thought.
“We will be talking technical terms as early as next week as we reach that agreement on understanding as soon as next week,” Bessent told reporters.
“So the South Koreans came early… They came with their A-game, and we will see if they follow through on that,” he added.
On Thursday, South Korea’s central bank said that the country’s economy unexpectedly contracted 0.1 percent in the first three months of this year due to tariff concerns and political chaos following a declaration of martial law.
AFP
German authorities deported at least 137 Nigerian citizens across five chartered flights between February and June 2026, according to migration monitoring reports.
Data from the DERS Team and Refugees4refugees.org shows the deportations occurred in phases, with 27 Nigerians returned in February, 37 in March through a joint European Union operation, 24 in April, 23 in May, and 26 in June.
The February operation departed from Stuttgart and landed at Lagos Cargo Airport, with Baden-Württemberg listed as a primary participant. The March operation represented the largest single return of Nigerians recorded over three years and was executed in collaboration with Spain, Austria, and Belgium.
The reports indicate a growing reliance on multi-national chartered flights by European states to repatriate undocumented or non-resident individuals to Nigeria.
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 Middle Belt.
“The United States strongly condemns the horrific killing of members of Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo’s family in Plateau State, Nigeria. The continued violence targeting Christian communities and other vulnerable populations in Nigeria’s Middle Belt is deeply alarming,” the bureau said
The US said it had already engaged Nigerian officials on the worsening security situation, stressing that urgent action was needed to curb recurring attacks and hold perpetrators accountable.
“As I discussed last week with Nigerian officials, we must do more to prevent violent acts. The perpetrators must be held accountable, and urgent action is needed to strengthen security and protect Christians and other vulnerable communities,” the statement added.
The bureau reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to working with the Nigerian government to combat terrorism and violent extremism, stressing that Christians and other Nigerians should be able to practise their faith without fear of violence.
The statement followed the July 12 attack on Kum community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, where nine members of Rev. Dachomo’s extended family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed.
According to the cleric, the attackers, believed to be armed Fulani militias, asked for him by name before opening fire on his relatives.
Dachomo, who serves as Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, said his family had repeatedly been targeted because of his outspoken criticism of the violence in Plateau State.
He recalled that his grandmother and an uncle were also killed in previous attacks, adding that days after burying his relatives, he received a written death threat from the same group, warning that he would be their next target.
Saudi Arabia has updated its tourist eVisa programme for 2026, limiting eligibility in Africa to only three countries as part of its list of 66 nations whose citizens can apply through the Kingdom’s online visa platform.
The move leaves most African countries, including Nigeria, outside the simplified entry scheme.
The electronic visa allows eligible travellers to visit Saudi Arabia for tourism, leisure activities, family visits and Umrah, excluding the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Applications are completed online, eliminating the need for embassy visits and lengthy visa processing.
Saudi authorities said the eVisa forms part of ongoing efforts to expand tourism, attract international visitors and simplify travel procedures through a fully digital application system. The visa is available only to citizens of approved countries and territories listed on the Kingdom’s official tourism portal.
Below is the list of African countries eligible for Saudi Arabia’s eVisa.
1. Mauritius
2. Seychelles
3. South Africa
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