26 March 2025
03:58

TOSCAD NEWS NIGERIA

News as it breaks

Category: Foreign

FeaturedForeign

Nigeria Partners, Brazil in $2.5 Billion Deal to Revolutionize Livestock Industry

Wendy R.

In a bid to transform Nigeria’s livestock sector, the federal government has partnered with Brazil under a $2.5 billion bilateral agreement to establish a large-scale modern ranch in Niger State. The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, disclosed this during a site inspection tour in Minna alongside a delegation of Brazilian investors. The landmark agreement was signed on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Brazil last year, where President Bola Tinubu led the Nigerian delegation. This marks the second visit by Brazilian investors to Niger State as both parties work towards project realization. Under the arrangement, the Niger State…

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FeaturedForeign

Canada’s PM Calls Snap Election, Framing Vote as a Showdown with Trump

Wendy R.

Canada’s newly appointed Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for an early election on April 28, framing his campaign as a battle to defend the nation’s sovereignty against U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive rhetoric and trade policies. Carney, a former central banker who recently replaced Justin Trudeau as leader of the centrist Liberal Party, announced Sunday that he had requested the dissolution of Parliament, moving elections forward from their originally scheduled date in October. “I’ve just requested that the governor general dissolve Parliament and call an election for April 28. She has agreed,” Carney declared in a televised address, referring…

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FeaturedForeign

Trump Moves to Dismantle Department of Education, Pledging Power to the States

Wendy R.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday aimed at dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, a long-standing goal of conservatives who argue that education should be controlled by individual states rather than the federal government. Surrounded by schoolchildren in the East Room of the White House, Trump held up the signed order with a broad smile. “We’re going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible,” he declared. “We’re returning education back to the states where it belongs.” A Longtime Conservative Goal The Department of Education, established in 1979, cannot be formally abolished without congressional…

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FeaturedForeign

Tunisia’s Political Turmoil Deepens as Saied Fires Prime Minister

Wendy R.

Tunisian President Kais Saied has dismissed Prime Minister Kamel Madouri, the presidency announced Friday, in a move that underscores the country’s ongoing political instability and economic challenges. Madouri, a technocrat appointed in August 2024 as part of a cabinet reshuffle, has been replaced by Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri, the former Minister of Public Works. Zaafrani, 62, becomes Tunisia’s second female prime minister after Najla Bouden, who served from October 2021 to August 2023. The leadership shakeup comes as Tunisia faces mounting economic hardship, with sluggish growth, high unemployment, and increasing debt. The country’s economy expanded by just 0.4% in 2024, while…

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FeaturedForeign

Nigeria’s Global Influence Rises: Minister Highlights Diplomatic, Economic Gains

Wendy R.

Nigeria is making significant strides in reshaping its global image, attracting foreign investments, and ensuring the welfare of its citizens abroad, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has said.   Speaking at a ministerial briefing in Abuja, Tuggar outlined key diplomatic achievements under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, emphasizing the country’s renewed international standing and economic diplomacy.   “We have worked to restore Nigeria’s respect on the global stage,” Tuggar stated, highlighting strengthened diplomatic relations and a reinforced commitment to protecting Nigerians overseas. He reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance policy on the mistreatment of its citizens, citing successful interventions…

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FeaturedForeign

Hackers Hijack Former Ghanaian President Mahama’s X Account

Wendy R.

In a brazen cyberattack, the verified X account of Ghana’s former President, John Mahama, was hijacked for 48 hours, during which cybercriminals used the platform to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency.   The hackers falsely claimed that Mahama was spearheading “Solanafrica,” a bogus project allegedly aimed at making financial transactions across Africa free via the Solana blockchain. They urged followers to invest in the initiative, portraying it as a groundbreaking financial revolution.   Mahama’s team identified the breach on Sunday and promptly deleted the misleading posts. However, the hackers persisted, sharing further crypto-related content, including teasers about a new memecoin launch.…

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FeaturedForeign

50,000 Flee as Clashes Escalate Between Rival Factions in South Sudan

Wendy R.

At least 50,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in South Sudan since February as clashes between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar escalate, a United Nations agency reported Tuesday. The renewed violence in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, is straining an already fragile peace-sharing agreement and disrupting critical humanitarian operations. “The violence is putting already vulnerable communities at greater risk and forcing the suspension of life-saving services,” said Anita Kiki Gbeho of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). A government airstrike in Nasir County on Monday…

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ForeignNews

Trump Slashes Voice of America, Raising Alarms Over Press Freedom

Wendy R.

The Trump administration has begun mass layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other US-funded media, signaling a significant shift in the country’s global broadcasting strategy. The move has raised alarms over press freedom and the role of government-funded media in shaping international narratives.   The cuts began on Sunday, with contract employees receiving termination notices, effective at the end of March. An email, confirmed by multiple sources, instructed them to stop work immediately and barred them from accessing agency buildings or systems. Many of these contractors are foreign nationals, whose visas are now in jeopardy.   Full-time VOA staff…

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FeaturedForeign

UK-Nigeria Partnership to Boost Creative Industries

Wendy R.

The United Kingdom and Nigeria have officially launched the Creative Industries Technical Working Group, a strategic initiative under the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP). The move, announced in London, aims to bolster collaboration between the two nations’ creative sectors and unlock new economic opportunities. According to a statement from the British High Commission, the launch coincided with a matchmaking event connecting UK and Nigerian creative industry leaders. The initiative is designed to foster cross-border partnerships, drive innovation, and support sustainable economic growth in key creative sub-sectors, including Film and TV, Music, Fashion and Design, Architecture, Advertising, and Gaming.…

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FeaturedForeign

Japan Auctions Emergency Rice Reserves, Amid Soaring Prices

Wendy R.

In a rare move, the Japanese government began auctioning off its emergency rice reserves on Monday to counter skyrocketing prices of the national staple. Rice prices in Japan have nearly doubled over the past year, driven by poor harvests linked to extreme heat, panic-buying after last summer’s “megaquake” warning, and businesses hoarding supplies to sell at peak value. With approximately one million tons of rice stored for emergencies, Japan has previously tapped into these reserves during natural disasters. However, this marks the first time since the stockpile was established in 1995 that a supply chain crisis has prompted such action.…

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