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 NUC Approves 13 New Degree Programmes for Nigerian Universities The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved 13 new degree programmes for Nigerian universities under the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) initiative. The approved programmes are: 1. B.Sc. Artificial Intelligence 2. B.Ed. Christian Education 3. B.Sc. Human Kinetics (Sport Management) 4. B.Eng. Geomatics 5. B.HLIS Community Health Science 6. B.Sc. Intelligence and Security Studies 7. B.Sc. Islamic Economics and Finance 8. B.Sc. Parasitology and Entomology 9. B.Sc. Telecommunication Science 10. B.Sc. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 11. B.Sc. Cooperative Economics and Management 12. B.Sc. Nuclear Science 13. B.Eng. Nuclear Engineering

 Mass funeral in Gaza for returned Palestinian prisoner remains amid torture allegations against Israel  A mass funeral took place on Wednesday in the city of Deir al-Balah, located in central Gaza, where the remains of 54 unidentified Palestinians were laid to rest after being returned from Israel. Officials said many of the bodies could not be identified by relatives due to the severe condition in which they were found. While the funeral was underway, the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis reported receiving the remains of 30 additional Palestinians, bringing the total number of bodies repatriated to Gaza to 165. The handover of the bodies is part of President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, which includes a reciprocal arrangement between Israel and Gaza. Under the plan, Israel is required to return the remains of 15 deceased Gazans for every Israeli hostage whose remains are released. Once all hostages are accounted for, Israel has agreed to free 250 prisoners servin...

 Prime Minister Mark Carney vows to double Canada’s non-US exports, says nation can’t depend on America  Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada will aim to double its non-U.S. exports within the next decade, warning that growing American tariffs and trade uncertainty are threatening Canada’s economy and investment climate. Ahead of his government’s upcoming budget release on November 4, Carney said that while Canada’s long-standing economic reliance on the United States was once a strength, it has now become a vulnerability. He pointed to the impact of U.S. tariffs on key industries such as automobiles, steel, and lumber, stressing that Canadian businesses are delaying major investments due to the instability in cross-border trade relations. Carney emphasized that Canada must reduce its dependence on the U.S., saying that the era of economic integration between the two nations has effectively come to an end. “The U.S. has fundamentally changed its approach to trade, ...

 Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups charged in alleged Mafia-linked illegal poker operation Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has been charged in connection with an illegal poker operation linked to the Mafia, according to law enforcement sources. Billups, in his fifth season as head coach, was arrested in Oregon and is expected to make his initial court appearance Thursday. He coached Portland in their season opener on Wednesday, a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Billups, a five-time All-Star and 2004 NBA Finals MVP with the Detroit Pistons, retired in 2014 after a 17-year career in which he averaged 15.2 points and 5.4 assists per game. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier is also facing charges in a related gambling case, one of six individuals accused of using inside information to run an illegal professional basketball betting operation. Rozier, now in his 11th NBA season and averaging 13.9 points over 665 games, did not play in his team’s season opene...

 Illinois gubernatorial candidate loses son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren in helicopter crash Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey announced that four members of his family died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday evening. Bailey said in a social media post that his son, Zachary; daughter-in-law, Kelsey; and their two children, 12-year-old Vada Rose and 7-year-old Samuel, were killed. Their third child, 10-year-old Finn, was not on the helicopter and is safe. “Darren and Cindy are heartbroken by this unimaginable loss,” the post said. “They are finding comfort in their faith, their family, and the prayers of so many who love and care for them. The Baileys deeply appreciate the kindness and support they have received and ask for privacy as they grieve and hold their loved ones close during this difficult time.” The statement noted that the helicopter crash occurred in Montana. Bailey was the Republican nominee for Illinois governor in 2022, losing to JB Pritzker, ...

  Dave Ball, Soft Cell keyboardist behind Tainted Love, dies at 66 Dave Ball, the producer and one-half of the influential English synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has died at 66 at his London home. He was best known for co-creating the 1981 hit “Tainted Love.” His bandmate Marc Almond announced Ball’s passing on social media, noting that he had been “ill for a long while” and that his health had steadily declined in recent years. Almond said Ball died on Tuesday, though the band’s website listed Wednesday as the date of his death. Despite his health challenges, Ball remained committed to his music, continuing to work in the studio and perform occasionally in the U.K. His final stage appearance came in August at the Rewind Festival near Henley-on-Thames, where Soft Cell headlined for a crowd of over 20,000, an experience Almond said gave Ball “an enormous boost.”

 Putin vows Russia will not yield to the US President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia will not yield to pressure from the United States or any other foreign power, warning that any military strikes on Russian territory would be met with a “very serious, if not overwhelming” response. The remarks came after the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, a move Putin called “unfriendly” and predicted would have consequences but not cripple Russia’s economy. He argued the measures were an attempt to pressure Moscow, shrugged off their immediate financial impact, and suggested that disrupting Russian exports would drive oil prices sharply higher — a result that could have political fallout in the United States. Putin also referenced the canceled summit with President Trump and criticized what he described as escalatory steps, including reports that the U.S. had loosened restrictions on certain long-range weapons for Ukraine. He framed Western...

 King Charles III joins Pope Leo in prayer King Charles III prayed alongside Pope Leo at the Vatican on Thursday, marking the first time a head of the Church of England has done so since the split with the Holy See 500 years ago. The King and Queen Camilla joined the Pope at the Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls during a historic service that highlights centuries of ties between Britain and the Vatican. The royal couple’s visit coincided with the Vatican’s Jubilee, a year of penance and forgiveness held every 25 years. Following a private audience, Charles received the honorary title of Royal Confrater, recognizing the longstanding historical links between the British monarchy and the church. Gifts were exchanged, including a photograph of St. Edward the Confessor for the pope and a mosaic of Christ Pantocrator for Charles and Camilla. The king and pope also prayed together at the Sistine Chapel, reportedly a first for a Church of England leader. At St. Paul’s, Charles was p...

 Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao after conviction President Donald Trump has granted a pardon to Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who had previously pleaded guilty to charges related to enabling money laundering while leading the cryptocurrency exchange. The White House said the pardon was an exercise of Trump’s constitutional authority and criticized the previous administration’s prosecution of Zhao. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the Biden administration pursued Zhao despite there being no allegations of fraud or identifiable victims, framing the case as part of a broader crackdown on the cryptocurrency industry. Zhao, who pleaded guilty in November 2023 in Seattle federal court, agreed to step down as Binance CEO as part of a $4.3 billion settlement with the Department of Justice. He had been charged with violating the Bank Secrecy Act by failing to implement an effective anti-money-laundering program and willfully breaching U.S. economic sa...

 New drug may boost survival for children with rare bone cancer Children with a rare bone cancer may have better survival chances when treated with a drug that cuts off the blood supply to tumors, researchers report. The medication, pazopanib (Votrient), appeared to extend the lives of a small group of children with Ewing sarcoma, a cancer that forms tumors in the bones, according to findings published in Frontiers in Oncology. “While we wait for new treatment options, it is possible to implement this existing drug to improve outcomes in very high-risk patients,” said Anna Raciborska, head of oncology at Poland’s Warsaw Mother and Child Institute. “It opens the door to targeted therapies earlier in the disease course, potentially improving survival and quality of life.” Typically, fewer than 25% of children with advanced Ewing sarcoma survive five years after diagnosis. Researchers explored pazopanib, originally developed for kidney cancer, as a potential way to slow the disease. “...

 Body of victim recovered a year after floods that killed more than 230 in Spain  Spanish authorities have recovered the body of a 56-year-old man who was swept away during last year’s deadly floods in the Valencia region, the country’s worst in decades. DNA tests confirmed the corpse, found Tuesday in the Turia river, belonged to one of three people reported missing since the disaster on Oct. 29, which claimed more than 230 lives. Authorities noted that the victim, like the other two missing individuals, had already been declared legally dead, so the official death toll remains unchanged. The floodwaters carried the man’s body roughly 19 miles from Pedralba to Manises, near Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city. A state funeral is scheduled for Oct. 29 to mark the one-year anniversary of the tragedy, which prompted scrutiny over the region’s emergency alert systems and response. Activists have held monthly protests calling for the resignation of regional government head Carlos...

 Shelly Fireman, showman restaurateur beloved by showgoers, dies at 93 Shelly Fireman, the renowned New York restaurateur who helped popularize Italian cuisine for mainstream American diners, died on Oct. 9 in Manhattan at the age of 93. He passed away in a hospital following a stroke. Fireman’s hospitality empire, the Fireman Hospitality Group, operates eight restaurants in New York and two near Washington, D.C. Known for his flair and showmanship, Fireman’s establishments, such as Cafe Fiorello across from Lincoln Center and Bond 45 in the theater district, focused on theatrical décor and extravagant presentations rather than celebrity chefs. Cafe Fiorello, which opened on Broadway in 1974, introduced housemade ravioli, fried artichokes, and artisan-style pizzas that gained widespread acclaim and remain popular today. Born in the Bronx, Fireman also maintained a home in Tuscany, drawing inspiration from Italian culture for his menu and restaurant concepts. One of his signature in...

 Accused fentanyl kingpin sought by US and Mexico arrested in Cuba months after fleeing house arrest Cuba has arrested a suspected Chinese fentanyl trafficker who escaped house arrest in Mexico and is also wanted by U.S. authorities. Zhi Dong Zhang, known as “Brother Wang,” is accused of working with Mexico’s Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels, both labeled foreign terrorist organizations by Washington. Zhang, detained in Mexico in October 2024 and awaiting extradition to the U.S. on money laundering charges, escaped house arrest in July. Mexican authorities confirmed he is now in Cuban custody, with officials determining whether he will be deported or extradited. Interpol issued a red notice for Zhang in August. Mexican officials have described him as a major international money laundering operator, allegedly moving at least $20 million in the U.S. through more than 100 shell companies and bank accounts, and coordinating fentanyl shipments from China to Central and South A...

 STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES EKPERIKPE  EKPO AS PRESIDENT OF MINISTERIAL MEETING of GECF, PHILIP MSHELBILA ON ELECTION AS SECRETARY-GENERAL President Bola Ahmed Tinubu congratulates Dr Philip Mshelbila, Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), on his election as Secretary-General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) at the 27th Ministerial Meeting of the Forum held in Doha, Qatar. The President also congratulates the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, on his emergence as President of the 2026 GECF Ministerial Meeting, a development that will further consolidate Nigeria’s leadership in global gas diplomacy. President Tinubu is confident that Dr Mshelbila and Minister Ekpo will represent Nigeria with distinction and work with other member nations to strengthen cooperation, stability, and inclusivity in the global gas market. " The Nigerian government is proud of  Mshelbila’s election as secretary-gener...

 STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU TO INEC CHAIRMAN, PROF. JOASH AMUPITAN: SERVE WITH INTEGRITY AND BEYOND REPROACH President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday in Abuja, swore in the sixth substantive chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN).   At the ceremony held at the State House Council Chamber, President Tinubu urged the new INEC Chairman to serve with integrity and beyond reproach.   "Your nomination and the subsequent confirmation by the Senate are a testament to your capacity and the confidence reposed in you by both the executive and the legislative arms of government.   "This significant achievement marks the beginning of a challenging, yet rewarding journey, and I trust that you will approach your responsibility with the highest level of integrity, dedication and patriotism,'' the President said.   President Tinubu noted that the country had been on a path of democratic governance and learning si...

Professor Joash Amupitan, new INEC chairman takes the oath of office at the Council Chamber in Abuja 2. President Tinubu congratulates Amupitan 3. ⁠L-R: Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu; Vice President Kashim Shettima; newly appointed INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, after the swearing-in of newly appointed Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), at the Presidential Villa Abuja yesterday.  More photos below. 

 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN ANAMBRA: CP ORUTUGU STEPS UP SECURITY ADVOCACY FOR PEACE Charges Religious and Societal Influencers to Promote Patriotism and Peace as the Police Command Receives Prophet Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere As part of the ongoing engagements with critical stakeholders ahead of the Anambra Governorship Election slated for November 8, 2025, the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Ikioye Orutugu, fwc mnips PhD, has intensified the non-kinetic approach to peace building by engaging key religious leaders and societal influencers to use their positions and platforms to promote peace, unity, and patriotism across the State. The CP made this call today 23rd October 2025, when he received the founder of the Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry, Prophet Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere (Odumeje), who paid a courtesy visit to the Police Command Headquarters, Awka. While welcoming the Prophet, CP Orutugu reiterated that the Police, under his leadership,...

 I’ll not pay ransom to bandits – Gov Bago urges Niger residents to defend themselves Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has declared that he will neither negotiate with bandits nor pay ransom for kidnapped victims in the state. He also urged the people to stand up and defend themselves. Bago made the statement during a condolence visit to the people of Rijau and Magama local government areas, whose communities were recently attacked by bandits in Kontagora. He emphasised that paying ransom would only encourage more kidnappings and worsen insecurity in the state. According to him, “The state has reached a point where the people must stand up and defend themselves. I will not negotiate with bandits. I will not pay ransom. The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and keep kidnapping people.” He insisted that the Constitution has given citizens the right to protect their lives and property, stating that he would take all necessary steps to fulfil this duty. “...

 UCL: Chelsea crush Ajax 5–1 to make history with teen trio Chelsea became the first club in Champions League history to have three teenagers on the scoresheet in a single match as they dismantled a disorganised Ajax side 5–1 at Stamford Bridge. Marc Guiu, 19, opened the scoring and briefly became Chelsea’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the competition—just moments after Ajax captain Kenneth Taylor was sent off for a reckless challenge. That record lasted only 33 minutes, as 18-year-old Estevão Willian converted the third of three first-half penalties, following earlier spot-kicks from Enzo Fernández and Wout Weghorst, and a long-range strike from Moisés Caicedo. Chelsea made changes at half-time, including the introduction of Tyrique George, who scored just three minutes after coming on to become the third teenager on the scoresheet. Later, Reggie Walsh, 17, made his debut and became the youngest player to represent Chelsea in the Champions League, and the second-youngest Englishman...

 Why Nigeria may soon declare a public holiday for single mothers, fathers Participants at the 2025 National Conference on Raising Future Leaders, organised by The Memunat Single Mother and Child Initiative in Abuja A gender advocacy organisation, The Memunat Single Mother and Child Initiative, has urged the Federal Government to designate a National Day for Single Parenting in recognition of the rising challenges faced by single parents and the critical role they play in raising future leaders. The call was made by the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Mrs. Memunat Idu’Lah, at the 2025 National Conference on Raising Future Leaders held in Abuja. The event, themed “Invisible but not Inconsequential: Shedding Light on the Socio-Cultural, Economic and Legal Realities of Single Parenthood in Nigeria”, brought together stakeholders to discuss the increasing socio-economic burdens faced by single parents. Idu’Lah said dedicating a national day would foster awarene...

 Why I became a cab driver after fame - Zlatan Nigerian rapper Temidayo Omoniyi, popularly known as Zlatan Ibile, has opened up on the challenges he faced as an upcoming artiste during his days at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State, despite winning a major music competition. Zlatan, who won the Airtel One Mic Talent Show in 2014 at the age of 19, revealed that he struggled financially after the victory and had to convert the car he won from the competition into a commercial taxi to make ends meet. Speaking in an interview with popular content creator and streamer, Shank Comic, the Zanku Records boss said he would drive the car at night from Abeokuta to Shagamu, charging ₦350 per trip, just to afford food and support his education. “Back in school, when there was no money for food, I would just wait till night and use the car I won from the Airtel One Mic Talent show to run cab from Abeokuta to Shagamu for ₦350,” he recounted. Although he gained some recognition after ...

 Davido appointed chairman Osun Sports Trust Fund The Osun State Government has announced the appointment of Afrobeats star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, as chairman of the Osun Sports Trust Fund. The government said the move was aimed at raising funds to transform the state sports sector. It also reaffirmed its commitment to completing the ongoing renovation and rehabilitation of the Osogbo Township Stadium, assuring that the upgraded facility will meet Olympic standards upon completion. As reported by the Guardian Nigeria, confirming the appointment, the state deputy governor, Kola Adewusi, who doubles as the Commissioner for Sports, said the state government under Governor Ademola Adeleke is determined to transform the stadium into a world-class sports arena that will not only host national events but also attract international competitions. He said, “Ongoing renovation and rehabilitation of the Osogbo Township Stadium to meet Olympic standards — a project that will...