I’m Never Too Far Away From Job – Zidane Hints At Return To Football Management

By

Emenike Agu

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October 25, 2022

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Former Real Madrid head coach, Zinedine Zidane, has hinted at a possible return to management.

Zidane, who left Real Madrid in his managerial career, said he is never too far away from a job.

The Frenchman first took charge of Real Madrid in January 2016 when he replaced Rafael Benitez at the helm.

Zidane left Real Madrid in May of 2018 after winning a La Liga title and three UEFA Champions League trophies, amongst other silverware.

He was reinstated as the Los Blancos’ manager in March of 2019 and signed a contract until the summer of 2022.

However, Zidane left the Spanish LaLiga champions prematurely at the end of the 2020-2021 campaign and made way for Carlo Ancelotti.

Speaking to RMC Sport, Zidane suggested that he would be back to management in the near future.

“Do I miss being a coach? No, I’m never too far away from a job. But we will wait a little bit.

“Soon, soon. But hey, I’m just enjoying it now,” Zidane said.

Zidane has been a free agent since departing his role as Real Madrid’s manager last year.

The 50-year-old was linked with the job at Paris Saint-Germain this summer, but the French Ligue 1 champions ended up appointing Christophe Galtier.

Zidane could be a candidate to replace Didier Deschamps as the head coach of the French national team if they flop at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Rain Frog: Scientists Discover Six New Species In Ecuador

By

Angel Gimalo

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October 25, 2022

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Scientists in Ecuador have discovered six new species of rain frog.

The new species were all found on the eastern slopes of the Ecuadorean Andes, in two national parks.

But the scientists who discovered them have warned that all six Pristimantis species were found within a 20km-radius of deforested areas.

They recommended that they all be added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list of threatened species.

There is a huge diversity of Pristimantis frogs with more than 550 different species living in areas ranging from eastern Honduras through the Andes to northern Argentina and Brazil.

Colombia and Ecuador have the biggest wealth of species of these little land-dwelling frogs and scientists think there are many more species yet to be discovered.

This latest discovery was made by Ecuadorean herpetologists Jhael Ortega, Jorge Brito and Santiago Ron.

Mr Ron explained in a tweet that they had decided to name one of the species resistencia (resistance) in honour of all the environmental activists killed in Latin America.

Once Upon A Time – October 25 – 1616 – Dutch East India Company Ship “The Eendracht” Discovers Dirk-Hartog Island, Australia

By

Angel Gimalo

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October 25, 2022

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1415 Battle of Agincourt: Henry V’s forces defeat larger French army and the longbow defeats the armoured knight

1854 The infamous “Charge of the Light Brigade” during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War results in over 100 killed

1962 US Ambassador to the UN Adlai Stevenson demands USSR UN rep Zorin answer regarding Cuban missile bases saying “I am prepared to wait for my answer until hell freezes over”

1971 United Nations votes to expel the Chinese Nationalist ruled Taiwan and admit the Communist People’s Republic of China

2017 Chinese Premier Xi Jinping unveils his new ruling council in the Great Hall of the People, none of the five are young enough to succeed him

MORE HISTORICAL EVENTS

OCT 25 IN FILM & TV

1978 “Halloween”, directed by John Carpenter, starring Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis in her film debut, is released

OCT 25 IN MUSIC

1875 The first performance of the Piano Concerto No. 1 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is given in Boston, Massachusetts with Hans von Bülow as soloist

OCT 25 IN SPORT

1964 Dutchman Anton Geesink is 1st non-Japanese Olympic judo gold medal winner

MORE FACTS…

1616 Dutch East India Company ship “The Eendracht” discovers Dirk-Hartog Island, Australia

FAMOUS WEDDINGS

1764 Future 2nd American President John Adams (28) weds Abigail Smith (19) in Weymouth, Massachusetts (marriage lasts 54 years)

1777 Governor of Virginia Patrick Henry (41) weds second wife Dorothea Dandridge

1859 US President Chester A. Arthur (30) weds Ellen Herndon (22) at Calvary Episcopal Church in NYC, New York

‘I Am Not Retired’ Serena Williams Says

By

Emenike Agu

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October 25, 2022

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Sep 2, 2022; Flushing, NY, USA; Serena Williams of the United States gestures to the crowd after a match against Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia on day five of the 2022 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center.

Serena Williams on Monday said she has not retired from tennis and that the chances of her returning are “very high” after she previously indicated that she would step away from the sport after last month’s U.S. Open.

“I am not retired,” Williams said at a conference in San Francisco while promoting her investment company, Serena Ventures.

“The chances (of a return) are very high. You can come to my house, I have a court.”

Williams, 41, said she was “evolving away from tennis” in an essay in August and, while she did not confirm the U.S. Open as her farewell event, she was given lavish tributes before each match in New York and waved an emotional goodbye after losing in the third round.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion, who took the tennis world by storm as a teenager and is considered by many the greatest of all time, said not preparing for a tournament after the U.S. Open did not feel natural to her.

“I still haven’t really thought about (retirement),” Williams said.

“But I did wake up the other day and go on the court and (considered) for the first time in my life that I’m not playing for a competition, and it felt really weird.

“It was like the first day of the rest of my life and I’m enjoying it, but I’m still trying to find that balance.”

ASUU: My Ability To Resolve Issues Won’t Fail – Gbajabiamila

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 25, 2022

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The Speaker of the Nigeria House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has assured the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU that the trust and confidence in his ability to resolve the lingering issues between ASUU and the government would not fail.

He was speaking at a resumed meeting with ASUU and the Accountant General of the Federation in Abuja.

He said the meeting resumed ensuring the government representatives ticked the payment clause.

“I thank you for ending the strike. I assure you everything will be done to make sure that the issue remains resolved.

“The best way to move forward is to have the Accountant General tell us the way forward. You called off the strike based on trust, and I appreciate that. If we are now asking for a signed document, where’s the place of trust?” Gbajabiamila noted.

He also stated that the meeting followed what was agreed on and to stick to it.

“Let’s give it time. I have written to the ministry on the white paper issue. We are taking these things one by one. We have 500 billion in the budget, and so on.

“Let bygones be bygones. Let’s tarry awhile and see. We have made an agreement, we are here to make sure that the agreement is practical and not theoretical,” he said.

The Speaker, while responding to the fact that previous administrations failed to honour previous agreements, said that in the past, the National Assembly was not part of any negotiations.

He added that because he is involved in the strike, there will be a difference. The Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Sylva Okolieaboh, called on ASUU to allow the matter to be rested.

He said that all ASUU’s concerns would be accomplished in the nation’s interest.

“We are accommodating some of those peculiarities that ASUU is talking about. I want the leadership of ASUU to trust us.

“We in the AG office will accommodate every concern of ASUU. I hope that if this is all that is left on the table, we are going to resolve it today,” Okolieaboh said.

While responding to the complications associated with the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS) in paying lecturers’ salaries instead of the Universities Transparency Accountability Solutions, UTAS, Okolieaboh said that IPPIS was very safe and that there was nothing complicated about it.

He assured the attendees that ASUU would be fully integrated into the system in the next three months.

The National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said that the strike was called off based on trust in the Speaker.

He said ASUU or the government signed no document to end issues.

“We have agreed on IPPIS as a temporary measure and not long term because it will not solve the problems.they challenged us to produce a template for the government; we used our money and time to develop UTAS, which was not used.

“There is no way IPPIS can represent the universities, the greatest problem university has is funding. No university can invest again because of Treasury Single Account (TSA),” Prof. Osodeke stated.

He added that it would join in the negotiation with the office of the Accountant General, but if it fails, ASUU will revert to the Speaker.

Similarly, the Chairman Committee on Tertiary Education, Aminu Suleiman, called on ASUU to allow the process to yield results by giving it time.

Varsity In Ondo Gets NUC Approval for New Courses

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 24, 2022

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The National University Commission has approved Management Sciences programmes for Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State.

This was contained in an approval letter signed by the NUC Director of Academic Planning, Dr. N.B Saliu, and made available to newsmen on Monday in Okitipupa.

According to the NUC letter, the approved programmes are BSc Accounting, BSc Management, BSc Entrepreneurship, and BSc Project Management, with effect from the 2022/2023 academic session.

“I am directed to inform the Vice Chancellor that the Executive Secretary has considered and approved the establishment of full-time mode of the undergraduate programnes to be run in the main campus of the university.

“The programmes shall bear only the approved title of nomenclature, and any change would require the approval of the commission.

“The University is enjoined to provide adequate human and material resources for the development and growth of the programmes,” the letter read.

Meanwhile, the institution has encouraged all students who scored 160 and above on their Joint Admission and Matriculation Board results to apply for the newly approved courses.

The new programmes were reportedly approved based on several resource assessment visits to OAUSTECH.

The newly approved programmes would be added to the existing 19 programmes in the university.

Katsina To Receive World Bank Additional N2.25 Billion For Education Project

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 24, 2022

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Katsina State government says it will receive World Bank’s additional N2.25 billion support under the Better Education Service Delivery For All (BESDA) project.

The spokesman, Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Aminu Badaru disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Katsina.

According to him, the executive chairman of SUBEB, Lawal Buhari-Daura, said this at a three-day capacity-building workshop for Education Management Information System (EMIS) and Statistician Officers.

He said the workshop was organised by the World Bank-supported project in collaboration with the Katsina SUBEB holding in Kano State.

“Sequel to the report of the independent Verification Agency Submitted to the BESDA National Coordinating support team, Katsina remains eligible for additional funds for the project.

“The Funds will be used to focus on the increase in access to Basic Education across the state.” Badaru quoted the SUBEB chairman as saying.

He, therefore, called on the participants to remain steadfast and attentive to use the knowledge acquired in their respective areas accurately.

According to Badaru, the director, Planning Research and Statistics of SUBEB, Lawal Kofar-Sauri, revealed that 73 EMIS and statistician officers were drawn from the 34 local government areas and SUBEB for the training.

He added that the director noted that the BESDA result area three had already provided laptops and tablets to the EMIS and statisticians for accurate data collection and analysis.

Badaru added that the director hinted that the BESDA project had also provided tablets for digital attendance and annual school census across primary schools in the state.

Varsity Condemns Lecturer For Assaulting Lady, Says His Actions Shameful

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 24, 2022

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The Federal University, Lafia, in Nasarawa State, has dissociated itself from Dr. Fred Ayokai, a lecturer at the university, who was captured in a viral video assaulting a lady, identified as Blessing Mathias.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Monday by the Head of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Abubakar Ibrahim, described the action of the lecturer as unpardonable and shameful, adding that the university does not condone actions that undermine its core values.

“Reports on the physical assault of a young girl, named Blessing Mathias, allegedly by Dr. Fred Ekpe Ayokhai, a lecturer in the History and the International Studies Federal University of Lafia, have, on Monday, October 24, officially reached the attention of the management of the university.

“The reports revealed that the daughter of Dr.Ayokhai, who had, earlier, quarreled with Blessing, who is not a student of FULafia, stated that Dr. Ayokhai, along with his daughter and some persons believed to be his family members, allegedly, later combined to assault Blessing.

“The unfortunate happenings occurred when the university is not in session, with plans underway to reopen for academic activities on November 7, 2022.

“Dr Ayokhai, though a staff of FULafia, the Management of the University wishes to, categorically, dissociate itself and the university from the unpardonable, shameful and condemnable actions of Dr Ayokhai. FULafia, with Professor Shehu Abdul Rahman as its Vice-Chancellor, is proud and reputed for observance of its core values, namely, integrity, innovation and discipline, through which its actions are conceived, tailored and anchored,” the statement partly read.

Kwara Varsity Gets NUC Approval For New Courses

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 24, 2022

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The National Universities Commission has approved the establishment of MBBS Medicine and Surgery and 23 other undergraduate and postgraduate programmes for Kwara State University, Malete.

The approval which was contained in a letter addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Muhammed Mustapha-Akanbi SAN, was signed by the Director of Academic Planning, Dr N.B. Saliu on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the Commission.

According to a statement issued by the Director of University Relations Director, Dr Saeedat Aliyu, the NUC has approved 24 programmes which included MBBS Medicine and Surgery, B.Eng. Food Engineering, B.Sc. Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, B.Sc. Taxation, B.Sc. Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, and B.Ed. Educational Management.

Other undergraduate programmes are B.A. Ed. in English Education, Christian Studies Education, Arabic Education, French Education, Islamic Studies Education, and Yoruba Education.

Approval was equally granted for the establishment of a B.Sc. Ed. in Agricultural Education, Biology Education, Chemistry Education, Computer Science Education, Mathematics Education, and Physics Education.

Approved postgraduate programmes include M.Eng. and PhD. Electrical Electronics Engineering, M.Sc. and PhD. Plant and Environmental Biology, M.Eng. Mechanical Engineering, and M.Sc. Tourism and Hospitality Management.

The approval of the new programmes which is with effect from the 2022/2023 academic session followed resource verification visits by panels of experts to the University to assess the human and material resources available for their establishment, the statement said.

“The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Muhammed Mustapha-Akanbi SAN, expressed appreciation to the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for the support which has contributed to the many successes the institution has recorded.

“The Vice-Chancellor who noted that the approval to commence the new programmes would contribute to the state’s drive to increase the development of human capacity added that the programmes would offer a premium opportunity to Kwarans and Nigerians to receive an excellent education in those areas.

“Akanbi also acknowledged the support of the Ministry of Tertiary Education and the Commissioner, Dr Afeez Abolore Alabi, for the success recorded,” the statement said.

JAMB: Nigeria Govt To Penalize Workers Who Do Not Meet Exam Standards

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 24, 2022

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Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, has assured that investigation will be carried in the aftermath of the Confirmation Examination recently written by civil servants across the country.

The investigation, the HoS noted, is needed to fish out candidates who failed to comply with the standards of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, and take “disciplinary measures against such culprits”.

The Head of Service who was represented by Engr Faruk Yusuf, Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office, OHCSF during a media tour of one of JAMB’s facilities in Abuja.

He noted that the computer-based test is an implementation of the digitalization and local content management of the civil service.

“As you know the Head of Civil Service is the one responsible for conducting confirmation examinations, that are compulsory before any public officer is confirmed into the service.

“All along, the process has been done manually, but in an effort to ensure this digitiliazation process for the very first time, we had to subject this particular important exercise to a digital form”, he said.

The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede expressed satisfaction with the inaugural phase of Computer-Based Test, CBT for civil servants.

Speaking to newsmen after monitoring the exercise, prof. Oloyede noted that the test took place simultaneously across the 36 states of the country, including the FCT.

He said although there were little “inconveniences”, the first phase was largely successful.

“Clearly, the digitalization process of the civil service in line with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan has come to stay and it is going to be the basis for delivery of service in an efficient, cost effective and revenue generating manner,” he noted.

The Head of Service had recently informed that 13,000 civil servants nationwide had been shortlisted for Confirmation Examination. The test, she said, would be computer-based, and conducted in partnership with JAMB.