News
Legal Group Files Lawsuit Against Trump Over Tariffs, Claims He Exceeded His Authority
A legal advocacy group filed a lawsuit on Monday challenging US President Donald Trump’s broad tariffs on foreign trade partners. The group, Liberty Justice Center, argues that Trump exceeded his authority by imposing these tariffs and has asked the US Court of International Trade to block them.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of five small businesses, targets the tariffs Trump introduced on April 2, as well as the additional duties placed on China. These businesses include a wine and spirits importer from New York and a Virginia-based company making educational kits and musical instruments.
Liberty Justice Center senior counsel Jeffrey Schwab argued that only Congress, not the president, has the constitutional authority to set tax rates, including tariffs. He stated, “No one person should have the power to impose taxes with such far-reaching global consequences.”
In response, White House spokesman Harrison Fields defended Trump’s tariffs, saying they were necessary to address unfair trade practices, particularly with China. He claimed the president is standing up for American businesses and workers by correcting trade imbalances.
This lawsuit follows another similar legal challenge in Florida, where a small business owner is also seeking to block tariffs on Chinese goods.
Trump’s tariffs include a 10% duty on goods from all countries, with higher rates for those with significant barriers to US imports. While some of the tariffs were paused for 90 days, the Liberty Justice Center argues that Trump’s use of special executive powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act doesn’t authorize such actions.
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, will be leading a national prayer session focused on reviving Nigeria’s struggling economy. The prayer is scheduled to take place during the church’s July 2025 Thanksgiving Service, themed “Divine Intervention”, at the RCCG national headquarters in Oyingbo, Lagos.
Speaking ahead of the event through his Special Assistant on Administration, Pastor Dele Balogun, Pastor Adeboye acknowledged that both Nigeria and other countries are facing tough times. But he believes the current hardship is not beyond repair if people embrace faith and take positive action.
“Our nation is going through serious challenges, just like other parts of the world. But the truth is, we can overcome them with faith, as long as we don’t give room to fear or doubt,” Adeboye said. He encouraged Nigerians to reject negative confessions and instead focus on faith-driven solutions, adding that with God’s intervention, the country’s economic situation can still turn around.
The upcoming prayer session, according to him, is not just about asking for change but about opening doors to new opportunities and paving the way for national transformation.
Southern Lebanon witnessed one of its most serious attacks in months on Friday, June 27, after Israeli fighter jets bombarded areas around Nabatieh, a city located deep in Lebanon’s south. Eyewitnesses reported hearing several loud explosions as Israeli aircraft targeted hilltops and underground sites in two separate waves of strikes.
The Israeli military later confirmed the operation, saying they aimed at Hezbollah positions they claimed were being rebuilt in violation of last year’s ceasefire deal. According to Lebanese officials, the assault left one woman dead and over a dozen others injured after a residential building in Nabatieh was hit.
Local sources say the woman, reportedly a German national, had been staying in the apartment complex when it collapsed following the blast. Paramedics rushed several other residents, including those in nearby areas, to hospitals with varying injuries. The situation sparked panic across the city, with families evacuating damaged homes and roads filled with rescue teams.
Reason for the bombing
The Israeli army stated that the operation was aimed at dismantling what they described as a “reconstructed underground defense system” controlled by Hezbollah militants. According to them, Hezbollah has been rebuilding tunnels, weapons depots, and launch sites in the region, despite the ceasefire agreement brokered in November 2024, which banned such military infrastructure close to the border.
Israeli officials also claimed that the explosion in the civilian building wasn’t directly caused by their missiles but was triggered by hidden Hezbollah weapons stored in the area, causing a secondary blast.
In response, Lebanon’s government strongly condemned the strikes, calling them a direct attack on Lebanese sovereignty. President Joseph Aoun described Israel’s actions as a dangerous violation of the truce, adding that the attack could drag both sides back into open conflict. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also criticized the airstrikes, warning that Lebanon cannot tolerate repeated breaches of the ceasefire while civilians continue to suffer the consequences.
Customers of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) across Nigeria should brace for early branch closures on Monday, June 30, 2025, as the banking group kicks off its routine half-year audit.
In an official announcement shared on their verified X (formerly Twitter) page, GTCO informed customers that all their branches nationwide will stop attending to walk-in customers earlier than usual to allow for internal review processes.
The bank assured the public that this temporary adjustment is strictly for operational reasons tied to their mandatory half-year audit, a common practice among financial institutions to check financial records, processes, and compliance levels.
While in-person services will pause earlier that day, GTCO encouraged customers to make use of their digital banking platforms. Options such as internet banking, mobile apps, ATMs, and USSD codes, which will remain available 24/7 for essential banking transactions.
