Author: Vardiafrica

US President Donald Trump handed Vladimir Putin a special item at their Alaska summit: a letter written by his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, pleading for the Russian leader to make peace in the name of children. The first lady’s office on Saturday reposted a Fox News article on X containing the short letter, a day after Trump and Putin failed to find a breakthrough at their high-stakes meeting. Putin read the “peace letter” immediately after Trump handed it to him, while delegations from both sides looked on, according to Fox News. “In today’s world, some children are forced to…

The World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) have launched a $50 million Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, with Nigeria named as one of four pilot countries alongside Jordan, Mongolia, and the Dominican Republic. The programme, unveiled in Abuja by WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, aims to help women entrepreneurs compete in the fast-growing digital economy through funding, training, and market access. The WTO DG said Nigeria is among four countries chosen as pilot nations, with 146 Nigerian women selected to receive grants for expanding their digital economy businesses “Nigeria is one of 4 countries…

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has ordered a comprehensive institutional review of the 128-page report recently published by Amnesty International, titled “A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in South-East Nigeria.” The report alleges a pattern of extrajudicial killings and human rights violations by the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies in the South-East.‎‎In line with his unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and operational professionalism, the IGP has directed relevant departments and affected field formations to undertake a meticulous line-by-line assessment of the report. This process will involve cross-referencing the allegations with internal…

US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a high-stakes summit meeting in Alaska on Friday. But they came away with no deal on a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. After the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will visit Washington on Monday. The face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin took place at a US military base. It was their first since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. The two leaders met with reporters after the talks. Putin said Russia is sincerely interested in putting an end to the fighting in Ukraine,…

Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke on Friday laid the foundation for Africa’s first Artificial Intelligence University in Modakeke. The institution, Curators University, is to offer diverse courses in Artificial Intelligence relating to Machine Learning Specialisation, Computer Hardware Engineering, Data Analytics and Database Administration, Arbitration and conflict resolution, 3D printing and polymer science among other disciplines. Adeleke, joined by the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Toriola, said the proposed institution is in tandem with his five point agenda for the state especially to boost education and youth empowerment. The Governor, who was represented by Commissioner for Education, Hon. Dipo Eluwole, said: “The establishment…

In a major boost for Nigeria’s telecom sector, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced that its recent return to a market-driven pricing regime has already spurred over $1 billion in fresh infrastructure investments within the first half of 2025 alone. The disclosure was made by the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, during an interactive session with journalists held on Friday in Lagos. Maida described the development as a significant milestone for a sector that had been struggling under outdated pricing models and chronic underinvestment. According to Maida, the pricing policy — which came into effect…

President Bola Tinubu has embarked on a two-nation tour of Japan and Brazil, starting with a stopover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The President’s first major engagement will be at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan, from August 20 to 22. During the TICAD9 summit, President Tinubu will participate in discussions focused on Africa’s economic transformation and development. The conference provides a platform for African leaders to engage with international partners on key issues affecting the continent. Following the summit, President Tinubu will travel to Brasilia, Brazil, for a two-day state visit from August…

Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, former Governor of Sokoto State, has recounted his recent encounter with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Reports indicated that the agency detained him in Abuja over allegations of a fraudulent cash withdrawal amounting to N189 billion. Speaking to his supporters on Thursday, the 14th of August, 2025, after returning to Sokoto, Tambuwal explained that he had been invited by the EFCC and went to their office voluntarily on on the 6th of August. He stated that after initial questioning, he was allowed to leave but was directed to return on August 10 and 11 for further…

A federal court in the Ottawa, Ontario district of Canada, has labelled the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) as “terrorist organisations” who engage in “ballot box snatching, intimidation, and violence”. The characterisation was contained in a judgment on an application for judicial review. The previous ruling on a refugee status case was handed by the Immigration Appeal Division [IAD] on March 25, 2024. BACKGROUND Douglas Egharevba, the applicant who is Nigerian, had appealed the decision not to grant him asylum on the grounds that he was a member of the PDP and APC at different times. In January 2019,…

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on “Obidients” — his supporters — and other Nigerians backing him to vote for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the forthcoming bye-elections scheduled for 16 August 2025. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the elections would take place in 16 states across the country, covering two senatorial districts, five federal constituencies and nine state assembly seats. Obi’s appeal follows the Labour Party’s exclusion from the polls after INEC failed to recognise any of its candidates due to the party’s unresolved leadership crisis. “On the 16th of August 2025. Nigerians…