Author: Vardiafrica

Russia has successfully tested a nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered underwater drone, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday, defying U.S. President Donald Trump’s warnings with Moscow’s second test of a new nuclear weapons system in just a few days. Putin on Sunday oversaw a test of another advanced nuclear-capable weapon — the Burevestnik cruise missile, which he said had an “unlimited range.” Trump called that exercise not “appropriate.” “Yesterday, another test was conducted for another prospective system — the unmanned underwater device ‘Poseidon,’ also equipped with a nuclear power unit,” Putin said in televised remarks while visiting a military hospital treating Russian soldiers wounded in Ukraine. The Russian…

The European Union (EU) Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has pledged to strengthen cooperation with Nigeria in the areas of security, trade, and governance, as part of ongoing efforts to deepen relations with West Africa’s largest democracy. A high-level EU delegation led by Mr. David McAllister visited the Nigerian Senate in Abuja on Tuesday, where it held discussions with Senate President Godswill Akpabio on shared priorities, regional stability, and democratic governance. “We are here to deepen our understanding of the situation in West Africa and strengthen our partnership with Nigeria,” McAllister said, describing Nigeria as a key ally in promoting peace and democratic governance across the region. Welcoming the delegation, Akpabio reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to closer collaboration with the…

Speaking during the graduation ceremony, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, expressed joy at the milestone, stating that it would equip youths with creative skills and prepare them for a productive future. He noted that the programme represented NDDC’s shift “from transaction to transformation,” focusing on sustainable empowerment rather than short-term interventions. “We don’t believe in quantity; we believe in quality. In the past, we trained thousands for a few days and gave out starter packs. This time, we camped participants for six months to ensure real transformation,” Ogbuku said. He urged the beneficiaries to remain innovative, confident, and…

The newly appointed service chiefs have arrived at the national assembly for screening by the senate and house of representatives. On October 24, President Bola Tinubu appointed Olufemi Oluyede, a lieutenant general, as the chief of defence staff; Waidi Shaibu, a major general, as chief of army staff; and Sunday Kelvin Aneke, an air vice marshal, as the chief of air staff. He also named Idi Abbas, rear admiral, as chief of naval staff, while Emmanuel Akomaye Undiandeye, a major general, retained his position as chief of defence intelligence. Tinubu sacked the previous service chiefs following growing public pressure for…

Armed personnel of the Nigerian Army have reportedly stormed the Abuja residence of former Bayelsa State Governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, over an alleged link to a coup plot currently under investigation by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA). According to multiple security sources, the operation was carried out by a special military team in the early hours of Tuesday at Sylva’s residence in Maitama, Abuja. It was gathered that the raid followed intelligence reports linking the former governor to a series of secret meetings allegedly held with some of the detained military officers accused…

South Korea presented U.S. President Donald Trump with the nation’s highest decoration, the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, and a replica gold crown during his arrival on Wednesday, October 29, ahead of crucial trade talks with regional leaders. Trump received the honor, named after South Korea’s national flower (the Rose of Sharon), in recognition of his role as a peacemaker on the Korean peninsula, according to the South Korean presidential office. A South Korean official confirmed Trump is the first U.S. president to receive the decoration. Military honors began immediately upon arrival, with U.S. and South Korean warplanes escorting Air Force…

The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has announced that there will be electricity disruption lasting over two weeks in parts of Abuja. TCN’s spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. According to the company, the outage, scheduled from Tuesday, October 27, to Sunday, November 16, is due to road construction activities in the Federal Capital Territory. It explained that the 132-kilovolt Gwagwalada–Kukwaba–Apo double-circuit transmission line would be without power supply during the period. Consequently, bulk electricity supply will be temporarily unavailable in the Apo, Lokogoma, Guzape, Asokoro, Wuye, Utako, Jabi, and Idu Industrial Layout areas within the…

All of Jamaica has been declared a “disaster area” after the arrival of Hurricane Melissa. Three people were k!lled before the Category 5 storm made landfall, but a government minister warned that it is too soon to know if there are more de@ths.  Melissa is one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes ever on record and the strongest to hit the island since recordkeeping started 174 years ago, the US National Hurricane Center said.  The hurricane made landfall on Jamaica’s southern coast just after midday local time, bringing 185mph winds and persistant rain that led to massive floods. Entire towns are now underwater, with…

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has described the ongoing 13.52-kilometre Ngo–Atlantic–Oyorokoto Road as a bold and visionary project to open up the coastal region for economic growth and harness the state’s blue economy. Governor Fubara stated this on Tuesday during an inspection visit to the project site in Andoni Local Government Area. The road, handled by Monier Construction Company (MCC), passes through challenging coastal terrain and leads to a newly identified beachfront facing the Atlantic Ocean. He explained that while the initial plan was to link Oyorokoto Town and its beach, the project was expanded to create a new…

Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed at least nine people after Israel accused Hamas of violating the US-brokered ceasefire deal and staging the discovery of a deceased hostage.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to carry out “immediate, powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip,” his office announced, a decision that was communicated to the US.The Israeli military claimed that Hamas attacked Israeli troops with RPG and sniper fire east of the “yellow line” in the Rafah area of southern Gaza. Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Hamas would pay a “heavy price” for the attack on Israel Defense Forces…