Author: Vardiafrica

In a move to empower children and youths nationwide, the Federal Government is set to collaborate with Tunde Onakoya, the celebrated Chess Guinness World Record holder, to expand his “Chess in Slums Africa” initiative. President Bola Tinubu announced the partnership on Monday via a tweet, following a meeting with Onakoya. He commended Onakoya’s transformative impact on underserved children, emphasising that Onakoya’s vision aligns with his administration’s commitment to leave no child behind and ensure no talent is wasted. During the meeting at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos State, President Tinubu praised Onakoya’s journey from the streets of Lagos to achieving…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that the recent rise in Mpox cases continues to meet the criteria for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), as outlined in the International Health Regulations (IHR). In a statement, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, confirmed that the decision followed the fourth meeting of the IHR Emergency Committee on the Mpox upsurge, held on 5 June. Dr Ghebreyesus noted that while the committee acknowledged improvements in some countries’ response capacities, it advised that the outbreak still constitutes a PHEIC. He explained that this assessment is based on the continuing increase in…

President Donald Trump has announced a new policy proposal that would see every American child born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, receive a $1,000 investment account from the federal government. The US President unveiled the federal program on Monday, June 9. At a White House roundtable with over a dozen CEOs, including from Uber, Goldman Sachs and Dell Technologies, Trump relayed the details of “Trump accounts”. “For every US citizen born after December 31, 2024, before January 1, 2029, the federal government will make a one-time contribution of $1,000 into a tax-deferred account that will track the overall stock market,” Trump said. …

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has insisted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South in line with equity, fairness, and the party’s constitution. Wike made the call during a meeting of PDP eminent stakeholders held on Sunday, 9th June 2025, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Among those present were former Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), National Secretary Senator Sam Anyanwu, former Senate Minority Leader Philip Aduda, serving and former lawmakers, and other party elders. The meeting reportedly focused on reviewing the…

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has warned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, not to contemplate sealing 34 embassies and foreign missions said to be owing ground rents in the nation’s capital city Abuja. “Embassies and missions cannot be invaded because they have not paid ground rent, which is not applicable for all of them,” the senior advocate said on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday. The Wike administration in the FCT had published the details of 9,000 debtors in newspapers, asking them to pay their ground rents to avoid the risk of forfeiture of their land.…

President Bola Tinubu has left Lagos for Abuja after a two-week break to celebrate Eid al-Adha in the nation’s commercial hub. Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and other government officials accompanied the President to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport. During his stay, President Tinubu was said to have received a retinue of top dignitaries in his residence and commissioned some projects among other activities. Among them were the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential campaign, Segun Sowunmi

Vice President Kashim Shettima has launched the federal government’s asset restoration programme as part of ongoing efforts by the administration of President Bola Tinubu to restore and revive the nation’s industrial and agricultural capacity. The programme, led by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), seeks to restore over 26,000 broken down but serviceable heavy-duty machines and repurpose nearly 500,000 component scraps that have been lying idle across the country. Speaking during the launch of the programme at the Borno State agricultural mechanisation farm centre in Maiduguri yesterday, the vice president said the objective of the programme was…

Ukraine’s Air Force said on June 9 that it intercepted a total of 479 Russian drones and missiles during a record-high wave of strikes overnight. According to the official statement, Russia launched 499 weapons, including 479 Shahed‑type attack drones and various decoy drones, four Kh‑47M2 “Kinzhal” air-launched ballistic missiles, 10 Kh‑101 cruise missiles, three Kh‑22 cruise missiles over the Black Sea, two Kh‑31P anti‑radar missiles, and one Kh‑35 cruise missile from occupied Crimea. Ukraine had reportedly neutralized 479 of the incoming targets, with 292 were shot down, and 187 jammed or lost via electronic warfare. The main target of the Russian attack…

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has restated his position on the removal of fuel subsidy, criticising the current administration for what he described as a haphazard and poorly managed implementation. In a recent interview with ARISE NEWS, Obi addressed growing concerns and criticisms surrounding his economic stance and opposition role, clarifying what he calls his “organised” approach to policy reform—particularly in comparison to President Bola Tinubu’s methods. “I have consistently maintained that I would have removed the fuel subsidy,” Obi said, pointing to his campaign manifesto. “If you go to my manifesto, it’s…

US President Donald Trump stumbled as he boarded Air Force One on Sunday, June 8, on his way to Camp David. The incident occured after Trump faced reporters in Hagerstown, Maryland, when he was asked if he would be willing to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to the protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles. “Depends on whether or not there’s an insurrection,” said Trump. A reporter asked if he believes there is an insurrection taking place.“No, no, but you have violent people,” he added. “And we’re not going to let them get away with it.” Asked if he would deploy troops even without invoking the Insurrection Act, Trump said, “We’re…