Tens of thousands of new jobs planned in Garabagh and East Zangazur

Favorable conditions are being created for employment and entrepreneurial activity in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories, with plans to open tens of thousands of new jobs, Azernews reports.

This was stated by Mammad Musayev, President of the Azerbaijan Entrepreneurs Confederation, at the 30th Anniversary Caspian Construction Week.

He noted that the ‘Great Return’ program to Azerbaijan’s liberated territories is already being implemented in practice:

“Over the past two years alone, hundreds of infrastructure projects, including airports, highways, railways, and energy centers, have been commissioned in the Garabagh and East Zangazur economic regions. Favorable conditions are being established for employment and entrepreneurship, with tens of thousands of new jobs planned.

Declaring Garabagh a ‘green zone’ and implementing projects on alternative and renewable energy further strengthens confidence that Azerbaijan will become a green energy exporter.”

Musayev emphasized that the BakuBuild and Rebuild Garabagh exhibitions are not only business platforms but also symbols of joint solidarity, cooperation, and confidence in the future for the reconstruction of Garabagh.

“As the Azerbaijan Entrepreneurs Confederation, we are ready to support all efforts for the restoration of Garabagh, the development of entrepreneurship, and the strengthening of our country’s economic power,” he added.

Martin Romualdez faces ICI over corruption claims

Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Tuesday, October 14, appeared before his cousin President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fact-finding anti-corruption body, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

Romualdez, who has been implicated in alleged kickback schemes together with resigned House lawmaker Zaldy Co, said he was ready to cooperate with the ICI.

Upon arriving at the ICI, Romualdez thanked the body for the invitation but clarified that he was not a member of the bicameral conference committee, where most of the alleged budget insertions for kickbacks were believed to have occurred.

‘I will share any information to help determine the truth and to give all the facts and information. I will be here to help in any way to speed up the resolution of the fact-finding investigation of the ICI,’ Romualdez told reporters.

In a separate statement, Romualdez said he wanted to help establish the truth about the corruption issue.

‘At the end of the day, it is evidence – not political noise or unfounded accusations – that will reveal what really happened. My presence here reflects my commitment to state the truth and not allow politics to prevail,’ Romualdez said.

Romualdez was first implicated in the corruption controversy when several House lawmakers allegedly name-dropped him while collecting kickback money, according to the testimony of the Discaya couple.

However, the contractor duo admitted that they never directly dealt with Romualdez.

It was Co’s self-described former security aide, Orly Guteza, who first directly accused Romualdez of corruption. Guteza alleged that he delivered 35 suitcases of money to Romualdez – a claim that the Leyte representative denied.

Guteza’s statement later came into question when the lawyer who reportedly notarized his affidavit disowned it, denying ever having signed the document.

MPBL: Quezon, Gensan win quarterfinals opener

The Quezon Huskers rode on LJ Gonzales’ triple-double and Gab Banal’s clutch hits to subdue the Mindoro Tamaraws, 83-74, on Monday and rev up their South Division title-retention bid in Manny Pacquiao Presents MPBL 2025 Season at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.

Gonzales posted 14 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists on top of two blocks to power the Huskers in the opener of their best-of-three quarterfinal series.

Banal wound up with 19 points, including a triple that derailed the Tamaraws’ rally, five assists and three steals, and put the Huskers within a win of advancing to the semifinal round of the tournament.

The Huskers, who repeated their 88-72 victory over the Tamaraws in the elimination round, also drew 15 points and five rebounds from Judel Fuentes, and nine points plus two rebounds from Will Gozum.

Mindoro, the eighth and last playoff qualifier in the South, got 14 points from Bam Gamalinda; 13 points and five rebounds from Joseph Sedurifa; 12 points plus four rebounds from Axel Inigo; and nine points from Ino Comboy, who converted only 3-of-12 field goal attempts.

The Gensan Warriors broke free late in the third quarter, then fended off the Basilan Starhorse Portmasters’ final assaults to prevail, 85-78, in their quarterfinal tussle earlier.

Gensan bunched nine points, the last four by Larry Rodriguez for a 64-52 lead, from which Basilan couldn’t recover.

Jackson Corpuz, formerly of the Philippine Christian University Dolphins, finished with 14 points, seven in the fourth quarter, plus eight rebounds; Kyle Tolentino with 17 points, six assists and three rebounds; and Larry Rodriguez 10 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Warriors.

Val Acuna and Eloie Tan also delivered for Gensan with 11 and nine points, respectively.

Basilan went down fighting, with Gab Dagangon pouring in 15 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter; followed by Adi Santos with 15 points, nine rebounds and three steals; and Arwind Santos with 15 points plus seven rebounds.

With Marwin Dionisio snagging nine rebounds, the Warriors ruled underneath, 50-42, but made fewer points than the Portmasters, 24-30, in the paint.

The MPBL playoffs continue on Wednesday at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City, with North Division games featuring Pasay against San Juan at 4 p.m., and Nueva Ecija against Pangasinan at 6 p.m.

DILG orders rapid assessment of quake-hit structures in Cebu, Davao

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday directed local government units (LGUs) to conduct rapid structural assessments of damaged structures in areas affected by the recent earthquakes in Cebu and Davao.

‘Priority should be given to structures in heavily affected barangays and those reported to have visible cracks, partial collapse or foundation damage,’ the DILG said in a statement.

‘LGUs are likewise instructed to inspect tilted or displaced buildings and structures affected by ground fissures, sediment venting, and subsidence before allowing reoccupation,’ it added.

Ground fissures are cracks in the surface rock or soil. Sediment venting is a hazard connected to liquefaction or when sediments behave like liquid, similar to quicksand, while subsidence is the sinking of land.

The DILG further said that LGUs must also assess residential structures and relocate affected families to temporary shelters if the structures are declared unsafe.

Local governments were also urged to coordinate with their respective Department of Public Works and Highways district engineering offices, disaster risk reduction and management offices and barangay officials for joint inspections.

The DILG issued the advisory after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off Bogo City, Cebu, on Sept. 30, followed by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake off Manay, Davao Oriental, on Oct. 10.

NDRRMC updates

At least 74 individuals were reported dead while 559 were reported injured by the Cebu tremor, according to the latest situational report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

A separate NDRRMC report said the Davao quake left at least eight individuals dead and 403 injured as of Monday.

Meanwhile, League of Cities of the Philippines President and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora urged other city mayors to boost their disaster preparedness.

The successive tremors have reignited concerns, especially in the National Capital Region, over the ‘Big One’ or a scenario in which a magnitude 7.2 earthquake may be generated by the West Valley Fault, which runs through Metro Manila.

More anti-corruption rallies set on Oct. 17, 21 in Manila

Two major rallies against corruption will be held on Oct. 17 and Oct. 21 in Manila by the groups behind the Sept. 21 Luneta protest, the Kilusang Bayan Kontra Kurakot said on Monday.

The ‘Baha sa Luneta’ rally was organized by Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance (Tama Na) and other organizations, while Kilusang Bayan Kontra Kurakot is a network consisting of anticorruption groups whose members will also be joining the protests.

‘Groups that spearheaded the massive protest in Luneta last Sept. 21 are gearing up for more mass actions in the coming weeks to sustain public pressure and demand accountability in the ongoing flood control and corruption scandals,’ Kilusang Bayan said in a statement.

Youth groups will lead the rally and march to Mendiola in Manila on Oct. 17, it added.

‘The youth refuse to be silent while billions in public funds are stolen. We will bring our voices to the gates of power,’ the organizers said.

On the other hand, the Oct. 21 protest will be spearheaded by farmers’ groups from flood-affected areas at Liwasang Bonifacio to protest against what they refer to as an ‘obvious cover-up’ of alleged corruption in Congress and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure. They will be joined by multisectoral organizations.

Bigger mass action

Kilusang Bayan said that a group of over 100 people had coordinated with organizers of the mass action on Oct. 17, promising to ‘sustain their coordinated efforts’ in the following weeks in preparation for a nationwide rally on Nov. 30 rally.

‘These actions are part of our growing people’s movement against corruption and neglect. The government cannot sweep this under the rug,’ the organizers stressed in the statement.

Although the Sept. 21 rally in Luneta ended peacefully, riots broke out afterward in Mendiola and Ayala Bridge, leading to the arrest of over 200 people, including minors, following clashes with the police.

Some of the rioters set fire to a trailer parked at the foot of the bridge while others hurled rocks at police officers blocking the road leading to Malacañang.

The Sept. 21 protests in Luneta and the People Power Monument on Edsa were prompted by revelations about corruption-tainted flood control projects that allegedly led to the pocketing of billions of pesos by some government officials, contractors and lawmakers.

UK-based innovators to unveil CVI AI

United Kingdom-based Nigerian innovators are set to unveil Career Virtual Intelligence (CVI AI) app next month.

A statement by the project lead, Damilola Fatungase, said the app, whose launch was held in January, was designed to simplify employability, address labour shortages and help people learn and earn.

She described the app as a platform to transform global job market, noting that unlike the traditional job portals, the app would provide one million jobs for people.

Fatungase said the app would have features such as AI-powered CV generation, interview preparation, continuous professional development and a dedicated NHS career support portal.

She said the project would be held in collaboration with her company director, a UK-based Nigerian, Dr. Oyewole Alegbeye, the director of London Tilcareer Institute, UK.

She said she and Alegbeye had supported over 500,000 young Nigerians with similar career software, which had earned them nominations for Africans in Tech-United Kingdom Award, which would hold in Birmingham on November 13.

Aiyedatiwa clears N1.4b gratuity arrears

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has cleared N1.4 billion backlog of gratuities owed retired local government workers and primary school teachers, who exited service in 2014.

Speaking at the launch in Akure yesterday, the governor described the gesture as a continuation of the bulk gratuity payment initiative he introduced while serving as deputy governor – aimed at clearing outstanding entitlements and restoring confidence among retirees.

He said the disbursement followed his administration’s structured payment process, which used the year of exit from public service as the sole qualification criterion to ensure fairness, transparency and predictability.

Aiyedatiwa added that the bulk payments for 2011, 2012 and 2013 sets under his administration were unprecedented in the history of the state.

He stressed that prompt payment of pensions and gratuities was not an achievement, but a moral and constitutional duty.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Adeniran Ikuomola, who represented the Head of Service, hailed the governor’s compassion and prioritisation of pensioners’ welfare.

FG Moves To Empower Communities To Manage Flood Disasters

The federal government has announced plans to empower flood-prone communities across Nigeria to manage their own safety during floods and other natural disasters.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who made this known on Monday in Abuja during the 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), said the initiative aims to strengthen community-level preparedness and resilience in the face of recurring flood threats nationwide.

Shettima said no amount of government preparedness would yield tangible results without empowering communities to take ownership of their safety.

‘Resilience is not guaranteed by government alone. It is reflected in how cities are planned, how businesses protect their workers, and how communities share information and look out for one another,’ he said.

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He called for stronger collaboration with the private sector, urging it to ‘see itself as a partner in prevention by embedding risk reduction into corporate planning and investment decisions.’

The vice president also charged academia and research institutions to provide data and innovative solutions to enhance disaster preparedness, while urging civil society groups to hold the government accountable and raise public awareness on disaster risk reduction.

‘None of these efforts will yield results unless we empower and support our communities to take ownership of their safety. They are the foundation of whatever strategy we adopt and the heartbeat of our national resilience,’ he added.

‘Every naira we spend today on preparedness saves many more tomorrow on response and recovery. Every investment in resilience is, in truth, an investment in the lives and futures of our people,’ he stated, adding that commitment must be matched with concrete actions and adequate funding.

Earlier, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State applauded the efforts of stakeholders, particularly the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), for strengthening Nigeria’s disaster management framework through the launch of a new five-year strategic plan.

Also speaking, Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, said Nigeria, like many countries, has suffered from both natural and human-induced disasters.

He said the ongoing engagement of stakeholders is part of efforts to develop a comprehensive and sustainable response framework to mitigate future risks.

10 Govs Attend Traditional Rulers Meeting In Lagos

Some Nigerian governors yesterday pledged to push for constitutional roles for traditional rulers, describing their current lack of defined responsibilities in the constitution as a significant gap that must be addressed.

They spoke just as the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Saad Abubakar, declared that Nigeria would remain an indivisible nation, saying no force will break the country’s bond of togetherness.

Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, and his Lagos counterpart, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, spoke on Monday at the National Executive Committee meeting of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) held in Lagos with the theme, ‘The Traditional Institution: The Imperative of its inclusion in the effective and efficient governance in Nigeria.’

The meeting, which drew participation from no fewer than 10 governors, was also attended by prominent traditional rulers from across the country. The monarchs are members of the council co-chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

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The governors in attendance are the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq; Governors Usman Ododo of Kogi; Dikko Umar Radda of Katsina; Nasir Idris of Kebbi; Aliyu Ahmed of Sokoto, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe; Bassey Otu of Cross Rivers, Monday Okpebholo of Edo and Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti.

Imo State Governor and Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum, Senator Hope Uzodinma, who declared the meeting open on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and delivered the keynote address, said the absence of a constitutional role for traditional rulers is a gap that must be filled.

The governor said the traditional leaders played a crucial role in community stability, dispute resolution, and cultural preservation, describing them as the ‘unifying forces that bind the Nigerian people together.’

Uzodinma recalled that under Nigeria’s First Republic, traditional rulers played a constitutionally recognised role in governance.

Uzodinma said it was time for Nigeria to give constitutional backing to traditional rulers, saying this is not a privilege but a recognition of their pivotal role in governance and peacebuilding.

He assured the royal fathers that he would fully support any move by the National Assembly or other organs of government to grant constitutional recognition to the traditional institution.

Uzodinma also advised the traditional rulers to rise above partisan politics and preserve the dignity and neutrality of the traditional institution.

He warned that involvement in politics could erode public trust and weaken their moral authority, saying, ‘Don’t allow anyone to drag your stool into the political arena.

The governor noted that neutrality should not be mistaken for weakness but rather seen as strength and a symbol of wisdom, advising the traditional rulers to speak truth to power without bias.

The host, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, stressed that the advisory and moral roles of traditional rulers should be constitutionally recognised.

‘Our traditional institutions often operate in a grey area – respected but not officially empowered, influential yet without clearly defined constitutional roles,’ he said, adding, ‘This must change if we are to harness their full potential.’

He noted that after independence, traditional rulers continued to play vital roles in governance, citing the example of the late Oba Adesoji Aderemi, who was deeply involved in political leadership. However, he lamented that years of military rule significantly eroded the traditional institution’s relevance in national life.

Sanwo-Olu urged monarchs to remain pillars of unity and integrity, reminding them that their voices carry immense influence in shaping public attitudes toward peace and progress.

Nothing will divide Nigeria – Sultan

The Co-Chair of the Council and Sultan of Sokoto reiterated his belief in the unity and indivisibility of Nigeria, declaring that no force will break the nation’s bond of togetherness.

The Sultan called on Nigerians to remain steadfast, patriotic, and prayerful despite the country’s socio-economic challenges, insisting that unity remains the foundation for progress and peace.

‘Nothing will break us until we get freedom,’ the Sultan declared. ‘Despite any trials – whether outside or within our country – we will remain united as one people. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and we have no other country but this one.’

He urged Nigerians to continue believing in the promise of the nation and to support leaders with prayers in their efforts to address the issues confronting the country.

He emphasised the need for mutual love, understanding, and cooperation among citizens, noting that only collective effort can sustain peace and national stability.

While acknowledging the challenges facing the nation, the Sultan urged citizens not to lose faith but to confront adversity with courage and unity of purpose.

He further called on leaders at all levels to act with sincerity and moral integrity, reminding them that leadership is a divine trust for which they will be held accountable.

Reiterating his hope in Nigeria, he challenged all Nigerians to rise up to confront the challenge.

Sultan described the country as a ‘beautiful and blessed nation,’ which, despite external pressures and internal differences, continues to survive because of the determination of its people.

On his part, the Ooni of Ife reminded the governors that traditional rulers are not competing with them but ‘we are here to complement you,’ urging them not to relegate them as being subservient to the Local Government Chairmen.

He assured that traditional rulers would continue to put Nigeria forward, urging the political leaders to nurture the traditional institution very well.

Katanga case: Judge summons expert on crime scene analysis

Presiding Kampala High Court Judge, Ms Rosette Comfort Kania, summoned an expert to explain blood patterns found at the crime scene of the suspected murder of Kampala businessman Henry Katanga.

The summoning was contained in her brief ruling, after a deadlock arose between the host of defence lawyers, representing five people charged in connection with the alleged murder of Katanga, and the prosecution team, led by Mr Jonathan Muwaganya and Ms Samali Wakooli.

The dispute centred on whether the lead investigator, Detective Superintendent of Police Akongo Bibiana, was the appropriate witness to tender a report on the blood patterns found in Katanga’s master bedroom on the fateful day of November 2, 2023.

‘.The person who wrote it says it examines shapes, size, and in my view, this witness (lead investigator) is not competent to enter into that field of discussion,’ Justice Kania ruled. She added: ‘Therefore, I rely on Section 40 of the Trial of the Indictment Act to call that person who authored it. She [lead prosecutor] will not be able to explain the science of the blood patterns. Let the person who authored come,’ the judge said. However, the judge didn’t name the expert who is expected to show up and explain the different blood patterns found at the crime scene. Blood patterns at a crime scene are a form of forensic evidence that experts analyse to reconstruct events.

They are classified by how they are created and can provide information about the sequence of events, the type of weapon used, the positions of people involved, and the number of blows struck. Examples include impact patterns (from an object striking a blood source), cast-off patterns (blood flung from a moving object), and drip patterns (blood dripping from one source onto another). According to previous prosecution testimonies, following the incident, blood gushed on the ceiling, walls, and floor in Katanga’s master bedroom, which spilled due to a violent attack reportedly associated with domestic violence. Molly Katanga, the wife of the deceased businessman, has been charged in connection with her husband’s alleged murder, which charges she denies.

On August 18, Dr Moses Byaruhanga, the Director of the Police’s Health Services, testified how he examined Molly Katanga and found her with several stitched defence wounds, mainly on her head. ‘She introduced herself as Molly Katanga, a businesswoman based at Forest Mall, Lugogo. I asked her what happened, and she reported that she was involved in a domestic quarrel with her husband the early morning of November 2023,’ Dr Byaruhanga said in his testimony on August 18. He continued: ‘She [Molly Katanga]was unable to recall what happened, and that is where she stopped with her story. She was unable to tell what had happened and followed after the fight.

That is all she could tell me about what happened that day.’ Background On November 2, 2023, Katanga was found dead at his residence in Mbuya, a Kampala suburb, following what is believed to be a domestic brawl with his wife, Molly Katanga. Molly was arrested and charged with murder. She is jointly charged with her two daughters, Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kakwanza, who separately face lesser charges of destroying evidence and being an accessory after the fact of murder. Other suspects are Otai, a medic who was among the first people to arrive at the home of the late Katanga on the fateful day, and George Amanyire, who was a shamba boy at the Katangas’ home when the incident happened.

Brief ruling.

Therefore, I rely on Section 40 of the Trial of the Indictment Act to call that person who authored it. She [lead prosecutor] will not be able to explain the science of the blood patterns. Let the person who authored come- Justice Rosette Comfort Kania.