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ASUU halts academic activities, begins two-week strike over unmet demands

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has directed its members in all federal and state universities to withdraw their services for two weeks, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Monday.

The union’s national president, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced the ‘total and comprehensive’ warning strike at a press briefing in Abuja after a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government expired.

ASUU told journalists that the industrial action became unavoidable because the government had failed to take ‘meaningful steps’ to meet the union’s long-standing demands.

The union warned that unless concrete action is taken within the two-week period it will not hesitate to extend the strike indefinitely.

ASUU’s leadership called on civil society, the media and well-meaning Nigerians to press the government to resolve the dispute.

The union’s statement lists a package of grievances and demands, including the re-negotiation and full implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, sustainable funding and revitalisation of public universities, payment of promotion and salary arrears, resolution of outstanding earned academic allowances, and concerns about alleged victimisation of members at specific institutions.

Ahead of the strike, the Federal Government appealed to ASUU to shelve the planned action, insisting it was taking steps to address issues raised by university staff.

The Education Minister, Tunji Alausa, has pointed to government measures including releases for earned allowances and budgetary provisions for revitalisation, and said a reconstituted negotiation committee was preparing a counter-offer.

Nonetheless, ASUU said the state of play remained insufficient to avert the two-week warning strike.

The strike will halt lectures, examinations and many campus services in public universities nationwide – disrupting the academic calendar for hundreds of thousands of students and affecting research, postgraduate programmes and international collaborations.

Observers warn that even a short warning strike can cascade into longer closures if negotiations break down, as occurred in past disputes.

ASUU itself has signalled that the period is intended as a window for the government to take decisive action; failure to do so could see the action extended.

ASUU and the federal government have a long history of protracted disputes over funding, conditions of service and implementation of agreements.

The union’s most recent nationwide stoppage of such magnitude lasted several months in 2022, and that lengthy disruption remains a reference point for students and policymakers worried about repeated stoppages that undermine higher education outputs and graduate timelines.

Whether the government’s negotiation committee produces a package that ASUU’s National Executive Council deems satisfactory before the two-week period ends.

Possible interventions from labour mediation bodies, civil society or state governors to bridge the divide.

Super Eagles overcome travel drama, begin countdown to World Cup decider

The Super Eagles have safely returned to Nigeria ahead of their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against the Benin Republic.

The team arrived at the Obong Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo on Sunday morning at 8:05 a.m. after a delay caused by a technical issue.

While flying from Luanda, Angola, to Nigeria, the ValueJet aircraft carrying the team had to return to the Luanda airport when a crack was discovered on the pilot’s windscreen.

The issue was quickly resolved as another ValueJet plane was sent from Lagos to pick up the team. The new aircraft took about two hours and 20 minutes to arrive in Uyo.

Players and officials are now lodged at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Ikot-Ekpene.

The team will hold its first training session at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium at 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Group C leaders, the Cheetahs of Benin Republic Nigeria’s opponents in Tuesday’s decisive game arrived in Uyo on Saturday and are staying at the Ibom Icon and Golf Resort. They trained at the stadium’s practice pitch on Sunday morning.

The Cheetahs will train on the main pitch of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium at 5 p.m. on Monday, while the Super Eagles will train at 6:15 p.m.

The much-anticipated match between Nigeria and Benin Republic will kick off at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. At the same time, South Africa will face Rwanda in Nelspruit a game that could also determine who tops Group C and qualifies automatically for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Cameroon Votes: After 43 years in Power, 92- Year-old Paul Biya seeks 8th term in office

Cameroon began voting on Sunday in a presidential election widely expected to keep 92-year-old President Paul Biya in power for an eighth term.

Biya, the world’s oldest serving head of state, has ruled the country for 43 years.

He faces 11 opponents, including Issa Tchiroma Bakary, 79, a former employment minister who has attracted surprising support especially among young people.

About eight million Cameroonians are eligible to vote in this one-round election.

For most, Biya is the only leader they have ever known.

Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. and will close at 6 p.m. local time.

Biya has won every election over the past two decades with more than 70% of the vote.

However, some observers say this year’s campaign has been more energetic than usual, suggesting a chance for surprises.

Political analyst Stephane Akoa said: ‘We know the ruling system has all it needs to secure victory, but this campaign has been livelier. That’s a sign things might be changing.’

Despite his age, Biya appeared in good health during a rare public appearance last week at a rally in Maroua, a key northern region with 1.2 million voters.

Once considered a Biya stronghold, the area now includes several candidates who were once his allies.

Many of Biya’s rivals are appealing to young voters. Bakary, who left Biya’s government in June after 20 years, has become the leading opposition candidate after Maurice Kamto runner-up in the 2018 election was barred from running this year.

Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, criticized the move as unfair.

Biya, in power since 1982, is only Cameroon’s second president since independence from France in 1960.

Cameroon is one of central Africa’s most resource-rich economies, yet 40% of its people live in poverty, and urban unemployment stands at 35%, according to the World Bank.

Many citizens are frustrated with the high cost of living, lack of clean water, poor healthcare, and weak education.

Although many young people want change, few are willing to protest openly.

‘There’s a sign of change,’ Akoa said, ‘but not enough yet for mass demonstrations like we’ve seen in other countries.’

Election Monitoring

About 55,000 local and international observers, including those from the African Union, are monitoring the vote. The Constitutional Council will announce final results by October 26.

Meanwhile, some online platforms plan to publish their own vote tallies, which the government has condemned as attempts to ‘manipulate public opinion.’

Voting is also affected by ongoing conflict in the English-speaking regions, where separatist violence has continued since 2016.

Turnout there was low in the 2018 election and is expected to remain so this year.

Tanzania’s electoral body nullifies 10 wards, relocates 292 polling stations

Dodoma. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has nullified 10 wards and relocated 292 polling stations as part of administrative boundary adjustments announced by the government earlier this month.

According to a statement issued on Sunday, October 12, 2025 by INEC Chairperson Justice Jacobs Mwambegele, the decision follows the abolition of several areas previously hosting polling stations, leading to the reassignment of voters to new locations. Justice Mwambegele said the commission’s move aligns with Government Notice No.

596 of October 3, 2025, in which the Minister for Home Affairs declared Ulyankulu in Kaliua District (Tabora Region), Katumba in Mpanda District (Katavi Region) and Mishamo in Tanganyika District (Katavi Region) as designated refugee settlements. He further noted that under Government Notice No.

600 of October 3, 2025, the Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) announced administrative boundary changes that abolished the wards of Litapunga, Kanoge, Katumba, Mishamo, Ilangu, Bulamata, and Ipwaga, as well as Milambo, Igombenkulu, and Kanindo. As a result, seven councillor candidates from the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) who had been nominated to contest in the affected wards have been disqualified from the October elections.

Those disqualified are Elius Elia (Katumba), Salehe Msompola (Kanoge), Mohamed Asenga (Litapunga), Nicas Nibengo (Bulamata), Sadick Mathew (Ilangu), Rehan Sekota (Ipwaga), and Juma Kansimba (Mishamo). Justice Mwambegele said the commission reached the decision during its meeting on October 6, 2025, after reviewing the government notices, and subsequently issued official resolutions through Government Notice No.

604 of October 10, 2025. “The commission has formally nullified the 10 abolished wards from the list of electoral areas for the 2025 councillor elections and revoked the nominations of seven candidates who had been selected in those wards,” he said. He added that for Milambo, Igombenkulu, and Kanindo wards in Kaliua District, no election processes had yet been conducted.

Justice Mwambegele also said INEC, in consultation with local government authorities, has established new polling centres near the areas where voters were relocated. The number of new centres matches the 292 polling stations that were nullified to ensure that all eligible voters can access polling stations conveniently.

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11 facts about Mckenna Grace’s teen heroine in epic tragic romance

‘Mckenna brings so much life to Clara,’ says Allison Williams, who plays Morgan Grant, mom to Mckenna Grace’s Clara in the upcoming tragic romance Regretting You. ‘She’s an extraordinary actress.’

In ‘Regretting You,’ movie adaptation of the best-selling novel of the same name, Williams and Grace play the mother-daughter duo of Morgan and Clara Grant, respectively, as they explore what’s left behind after a devastating accident reveals a shocking betrayal and forces them to confront family secrets, redefine love, and rediscover each other.

Directed by Josh Boone, ‘Regretting You’ is a story of growth, resilience, and self-discovery in the aftermath of tragedy, also starring Dave Franco, Mason Thames and Sam Morelos, with Scott Eastwood, Willa Fitzgerald and Clancy Brown.

Shortly after the trailer was released in August, fans quickly fell in love with Grace, with one fan commenting, ‘OMG, Mckenna is perfect as Clara.’ Find out more about Clara Grant and the young actress that breathes life into the beloved character:

1. Mckenna, 19, started acting at age five and has starred in everything from ‘Captain Marvel’ to ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ for which she was nominated for an Emmy award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. In ‘Regretting You,’ she plays Clara Grant, a young woman torn apart by grief after a family tragedy, who falls in love with a boy that her mother, played by Allison Williams, most definitely does not approve of. ‘Clara has been such a special role for me,’ says Grace. ‘She’s so complicated, mature and immature all at once.’

2. Clara’s boyfriend, Miller, is played by Mason Thames, who just so happens to be Mckenna’s best friend in real life. ‘We already knew each other so well because we’ve been goofing off for the past year, doing all these stupid things,’ she says of Thames. ‘Then all of a sudden, we were working together, running around, having a blast!’

3. The set in this page’s picture is of Miller’s bedroom, on which the production of the film began its very first week. ‘I especially loved that first week,’ remembers Mckenna. ‘Those scenes were all shot at Miller’s house, which had all these goats and horses.’ And they weren’t the only animals on set. As always, she travelled on location with her beloved pet Yorkshire Terrier, Gizmo.

4. Clara and Miller love each other deeply. Although during one big argument, Miller accuses Clara of using him to ‘piss off’ her mom – something Grace concedes may well be true. ‘Clara does some things that she knows will piss off her mama,’ Mckenna laughs. ‘The interesting thing is that sometimes I don’t think she knows there’s a part of her that’s doing it to piss her off. Sometimes she definitely does, though, and does it anyways!’

5. Clara and Miller share another love, too: the movies. And their passion extends to both sides of the camera. Clara’s big ambition is to go to her dream college, to study to become an actor. His is to direct. ‘Miller is a filmmaker, so he’s very creative,’ notes Thames.

6. As well as the classics, Miller is a huge fan of romantic movies, which is perhaps why Thames calls him ‘a lover boy.’ Amongst what Thames says are Miller’s ‘guilty pleasures’ is Elizabethtown (hence the poster in his room) by Cameron Crowe, one of ‘Regretting You’ director Josh Boone’s favorite filmmakers.

7. Clara has a great sense of humor and can be hilariously sarcastic. She is also quite captivating, especially if you’re Miller. ‘Whoever his first kiss was with, I bet it was nothing like his first kiss with Clara,’ says Thames of when Miller and Clara’s romance first blooms. ‘That is a moment that everybody is looking for. And once you find it, it’s pretty special.’

8. Clara and Miller are both high school students. But while before the tragic family accident Clara is a straight-A student, after it she goes off the rails, rebelling against her mom’s rules. ‘There are a lot of bad decisions that Clara makes within her grief, just trying to figure herself out. Which I think makes her very human,’ says Grace. ‘This film is about her and her mom trying to find each other again.

9. Music plays a key role in ‘Regretting You,’ hence the R.E.M. logo on Boone’s hoodie in the photo showing Miller’s room. ‘Music is almost the starting point for me to even know whether to make a movie or not,’ Boone says. ‘I worked at a record store for many years before I made movies, so the first thing I do is build a soundtrack. Music is important to Clara, too.’

10. The movie in many ways is about buried secrets. Thankfully, in real life, the person who plays Clara is pretty good at keeping them. ‘I don’t have a lot of secrets of my own, but I am a vault for other people’s,’ says Grace. ‘I’m somebody people tell a lot of secrets to. I never tell. I am a really, really good secret-keeper.’

11. In real life, Mckenna is a musician herself. She has released over 30 songs since her debut single, ‘Haunted House,’ in 2021. ‘Music writing,’ she says, ‘is my therapy.’

‘Regretting You,’ from Paramount Pictures, opens in Philippine cinemas October 22.

Cameroon holds presidential election, Biya seeks to extend four-decade iron grip

Yaounde. Cameroonians were set to vote on Sunday in a presidential election where incumbent Paul Biya, the world’s oldest ruler at 92, is widely expected to maintain his 43-year grip on power despite an energized opposition pushing for change.

Biya’s opponents include former government spokesperson Issa Tchiroma, 76, who has drawn large crowds demanding an end to the veteran leader’s long tenure. Tchiroma’s bid has drawn endorsements from a platform of some opposition parties and civic groups.

However, analysts say that Biya, in power since 1982, is likely to be re-elected given his firm control of state machinery and the fragmented nature of the opposition. DECADES OF ECONOMIC STAGNATION His critics are still hoping he can be ousted after decades of economic stagnation and tensions in the Central African nation of 30 million people, an oil and cocoa producer.

In the Briqueterie neighbourhood of the capital Yaounde, driver Hassane Djbril said he hoped the election would bring change. “For 43 years, Cameroonians have been suffering.

There are no jobs,” said Djbril, who plans to vote for Tchiroma. “We want change because the current government is dictatorial.

” Biya’s government has always denied this, saying Cameroon is a democratic country with regular free elections. Voting starts at 0700 GMT and ends at 1700 GMT, with results expected within 15 days.

Biya abolished term limits in 2008 and has long deployed divide-and-rule tactics. The single-round electoral system gives victory to the candidate with a simple majority.

“A surprise is still possible, but a divided opposition and the backing of a formidable electoral machine will, we predict, give the 92-year-old his eighth term,” said Francois Conradie, lead political economist at Oxford Economics. “Biya has remained in power for nearly 43 years by deftly dividing his adversaries, and, although we think he isn’t very aware of what is going on, it seems that the machine he built will divide to rule one last time,” Conradie added in a note.

BIYA’S SLOGAN IS ‘GREATNESS AND HOPE’ Under the slogan “Greatness and Hope,” Biya has held just one campaign rally in the northern city of Maroua, relying on tightly controlled state media and posts on social media, while his team promises more economic development. “For me, things have only gotten worse.

Nothing has changed. Nothing has changed,” said Herves Mitterand, a mechanic in the commercial capital, Douala.

“We want to see that change, we want to see it actually happen. We don’t want to just keep hearing words anymore.

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Our social sciences need the guidance of faith

That gospel episode about a fellow who, by insisting and disturbing a storeowner, finally got the bread he requested for a friend who arrived at his home in the middle of the night (cfr. Lk 11,5-13), reminds us that there is always a need for insistence and perseverance in requesting for God’s guidance in areas in our life which are most vulnerable to go wrong.

And among these vulnerable areas are those of the social sciences, like sociology, economics, political science, anthropology, etc. These social sciences are not exact sciences like math, physics, or chemistry, since they study evolving human behavior and societies with the view of understanding and having an enlightened dominion over certain social phenomena, like cases of inequality, conflict, and appropriate development.

Yes, our social sciences definitely need the guidance of our Christian faith if only for them to avoid going to the dogs. This may be hard to observe considering a strong tendency among people everywhere to think that for these social sciences to be credible, it should be based solely on empirical data and avoid being influenced by some religious faith.

That is, of course, a baseless presumption since we cannot avoid to do and interpret things according to some mindset, some philosophy and ideology. In the end, everyone is guided by their beliefs, whatever they may be.

We have to remind ourselves that it is actually our Christian faith that would give us the proper guide in doing and developing our social sciences, since it contains all the truth about man in all aspects of his life. God possesses the complete and exhaustive knowledge of humanity. We should never dare to do things simply on our own, relying only on our powers.

Our sciences, technologies, arts, our various systems: legal, juridical, political, social, business, etc., have laws that ultimately come from God. We only discover them, and use them to lead us to God and to glorify him which actually involves serving and loving the others.

This obviously means that we all should try our best to develop a solid and intimate relationship with God. Especially for the leaders in the different levels of society, this intimate relationship with God should be the first requirement for them to be truly qualified to lead. They should not depend only on some human or natural talents for them to lead. They need the guidance of God through the faith which God shares with us.

Our Christian faith provides the moral framework for considering issues involved in the social sciences. For example, the principles of love or charity, justice and compassion can help properly shape on how we approach issues like poverty, inequality, or community development.

Obviously, it is in our Christian faith that provides us with the proper perspective on human nature, enlightening us on how we have to understand what proper human behavior is, what our true human dignity is, and how our relationship with one another should be.

It would be appropriate to integrate our Christian faith with whatever study and research is done in the social sciences. This Christian faith can offer us the proper values and motivations for engaging in social science research or practice. It gives us the proper perspective on how to interpret data or findings in the social sciences.

This does not mean that we have to do away with the principle of separation of Church and state and that clerics more than lay persons should lead in the areas of politics. This only means that all our human affairs, including what our social sciences study and manage, need to be guided in the end by our Christian faith, and not just on some empirical data that can be interpreted in any which way.

Madagascar PM urges dialogue and unity after soldiers join protesters

Antananarivo. Madagascar’s prime minister called for calm and unity on Saturday, hours after some soldiers joined youth protesters, escorting them as they entered Antananarivo’s May 13 Square for the first time since demonstrations began last month.

The protests, inspired by Gen Z-led movements in Kenya and Nepal, began on September 25 over water and electricity shortages but have since escalated, posing the most serious challenge to President Andry Rajoelina’s rule since his reelection in 2023. Earlier on Saturday, some troops from the elite CAPSAT unit that helped Rajoelina seize power in a 2009 coup urged fellow soldiers to disobey orders and back the youth-led protests. PM SAYS GOVERNMENT WILL LISTEN Prime Minister Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo, speaking on the state-run TVM channel late on Saturday, said the government was “fully ready to listen and engage in dialogue with all factions – youth, unions, or the military.

” Rajoelina appointed Zafisambo and a new defence and security minister after dissolving the previous government last week in response to the protests. But the moves have failed to assuage public anger.

Videos circulating on social media on Saturday showed CAPSAT soldiers urging fellow troops to “support the people.” A video broadcast by local media showed that dozens of soldiers left the barracks to escort thousands of protesters into May 13 Square, the scene of many political uprisings, which had been heavily guarded and off limits during the unrest.

The army’s chief of staff, General Jocelyn Rakotoson, later made a statement broadcast on local media urging citizens to “assist the security forces in restoring order through dialogue.” The demonstrators are demanding that Rajoelina step down, apologise to the country, and dissolve the Senate and electoral commission.

Late on Saturday, the presidency released a statement in response to what it called “the spread of false information on social media,” following widespread speculation that Rajoelina, who also has French citizenship, had fled the country. In the capital Yaounde, presidential candidate Cabral Libii drew cheering crowds.

“It is hereby made known to everyone that the President of the Republic is in the country and is overseeing the management of national affairs together with the Prime Minister, head of government,” the statement said. At least 22 people have been killed and 100 injured in the unrest, according to the United Nations.

The Malagasy government has disputed the figures, with Rajoelina saying this week that 12 people were killed in the protests. .

Makini’s Ameir outlines plans to raise funds for Sh50,000 monthly payment to every Zanzibari

Unguja. Makini presidential candidate for Zanzibar, Ameir Hassan Ameir, has outlined how he plans to raise funds to pay every Zanzibari Sh50,000 per month, pledging to cut unnecessary government spending, particularly on the President’s convoys, and redirect savings to citizens.

Mr Ameir said that, if elected, he would reduce the number of presidential vehicles to no more than six, arguing that curbing excessive expenditure would help channel more resources towards the welfare of the people. Alongside fiscal discipline, his party has identified nine key sectors to strengthen and expand revenue collection, targeting monthly government income of at least Sh1.7 trillion.

He made the remarks on Sunday, October 12, 2025, while briefing journalists on his campaign progress and addressing growing questions on how he intends to fund the proposed monthly payment to every citizen. “For each month, we will ensure we collect Sh1.7 trillion.

With Zanzibar’s population estimated at two million, allocating Sh50,000 per person would cost about Sh1 trillion, leaving Sh700 billion for government development projects,” said Mr Ameir. However, according to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, Zanzibar’s population stands at 1,889,773. Mr Ameir said his administration would channel a larger portion of government revenue directly to citizens rather than spending it on government operations, saying the people are the rightful owners of the country and its resources.

He listed nine key sectors to be prioritised: tourism, fisheries, organic agriculture, education and skills development, economic infrastructure, and the development of small and medium industries. Others are attracting both local and foreign investment, strengthening good governance and anti-corruption measures, and expanding digital systems.

“We will bring change through action, not words. We’ll introduce strict new laws, embezzlement of public funds will be treated as treason, punishable by a minimum of 15 years in prison and full asset forfeiture.

Any leaders convicted will be permanently barred from holding public office,” he said. Expounding on his plans, Mr Ameir said the tourism sector would be diversified to include cultural, ecological, and historical tourism instead of relying heavily on beach tourism, which currently dominates the industry.

“We will improve hotel services, transport, and tourist safety while investing in new markets across Asia, the Middle East, and within Africa,” he said. On fisheries, he pledged to invest in modern fishing equipment and deep-sea fishing, as well as adding value to fish products through processing and packaging.

In education and skills development, Mr Ameir said his government would focus on equipping youth with marketable skills in technology, business, and entrepreneurship, alongside expanding vocational training institutions. He also pledged to improve economic infrastructure, including roads, electricity, clean and safe water, ports, and communication networks.

Mr Ameir further promised to enhance the investment climate by reducing bureaucracy, increasing transparency, and providing incentives such as affordable loans for local investors. On governance and anti-corruption, he vowed to ensure proper management of resources and accountability across both public and private sectors.

He also announced plans to introduce digital cards to monitor government revenue and deliver public services transparently, including for vehicle parking and public toilets. Assessing his campaign so far, Mr Ameir said he had received strong support from Zanzibaris and expressed confidence that he would defeat the ten other presidential candidates.

“What gives us confidence is the way we conduct our campaign. We go to the people where they are instead of ferrying supporters from other areas.

Our policies, especially the Sh50,000 monthly payment–have been warmly received,” he said. Makini Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Fahmi Khalfan Abdalla, said that while every party has its own priorities, Makini’s agenda has resonated strongly with voters, giving them confidence that the party will win and form the next government.

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UnionBank to infuse up to P1.5 billion into CitySavings

Union Bank of the Philippines is set to inject as much as P1.5 billion in additional capital into its thrift bank arm, City Savings Bank Inc., to bolster the subsidiary’s growth and support its ongoing business operations.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, UnionBank said its board of directors approved the capital infusion during a special meeting held on Oct. 8.

The board ‘approved the infusion of additional capital of up to P1.5 billion in City Savings Bank, a subsidiary of the bank, to support growth and ongoing business operations,’ the lender said.

The capital infusion will still be subject to the necessary regulatory approvals.

CitySavings, known for its strong presence in the mass market segment, particularly in providing salary loans to public school teachers and government employees, has been expanding its customer base and digital lending capabilities in recent years.

Founded in 1965, the thrift bank currently has more than 140 branches nationwide.

The move comes as part of UnionBank’s broader strategy to strengthen its subsidiaries and sustain growth across its retail and digital banking businesses.

UnionBank, which is part of the Aboitiz Group, has been investing heavily in digital transformation and inclusive finance initiatives, while maintaining a solid capital position to support the growth of its core and subsidiary operations.

UnionBank president and CEO Ana Delgado earlier said the bank is bullish on its performance in the second half as stronger revenues and easing credit costs would drive growth.

The Aboitiz-led bank saw its net income plunge by 35 percent to P3.3 billion in the first half from P5.1 billion a year ago.

However, it reported a 9.2 percent year-on-year increase in total revenues to P39.7 billion, driven by strong growth in net interest income and fee-based earnings.