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MOSCOW (AFP) - Syria's foreign minister will on Monday travel to Moscow to discuss the crisis in his country with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Moscow said. Foreign Minister Walid Muallem's visit will come after a Saint Petersburg summit of 20 major developed and developing economies at which the Syrian crisis is expected to feature prominently. Russia has been a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime for the past two and a half years, and is fiercely resisting possible military action in response to the regime's suspected use of chemical weapons. "They (the talks) will focus on an all-encompassing discussion of all the aspects of the current situation in Syria and around it," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

By SIMON EBEGBULEM BENIN — Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, has expressed worries over the prolonged strike embarked upon by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and urged the Federal Government to hasten peace moves in the interest of Nigerian students. PFN, in a statement by its National President, Rev. Felix Omobude, in Benin City, Edo State, yesterday, acknowledged the alleged failure of the Federal Government to honour the agreement reached with ASUU in 2009, and appealed to parties to find urgent solution to the problem so as not to destroy the university system. He said: “While PFN salutes the spartan courage of the leadership of ASUU for its positive position on the urgent need to revamp and reposition the education sector, PFN is of the strong view that the need has arisen to bring into sharp focus, the crushing brunt the country is now being made to bear for the continued closure of the universities. “PFN appeals to ASUU not to throw away the baby with its bath ...

They went to laboratories where they found people using kerosene stoves instead of  Bunsen burners to conduct experiments; they found specimens being kept in pure water bottles instead of the appropriate places where such specimens should be kept PROF. FESTUS IYAYI is a former National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). In this interview, he explains why university teachers nationwide are on  strike; saying the action is to compel the Federal Government to implement the agreement it reached with ASUU on funding of universities. Iyayi, currently Head of Dept, Business Administration, University of Benin, insists that  the union members are prepared to stay at home for the next three to five years until the right thing is done.  Excerpts: BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE, BENIN ASUU has gone back to the trenches with the Federal Government. Why are you on strike? The short answer is this: Government believes that Nigeria should continue to be not just a second rate count...

Hundreds of students of various higher institutions have taking to the streets in Lagos over the lingering strike embarked upon by academic unions in polytechnic and universities. [caption id="attachment_402933" align="alignnone" width="412"] Protesting students[/caption] [caption id="attachment_402934" align="alignnone" width="412"] Protesting students[/caption] Eyewitnesses told Vanguard that the placard carrying students barricaded Ikorodu Road at Onipan area bemoaning their fate as they have been compelled to, yet again, sit at home due to the strike actions embarked upon by the lecturers. The protest has however, brought traffic on the ever busy Ikorodu road to a halt as the students danced and played football in the middle of the highway. Are you at Palmgroove, Onipan area on Ikorodu road? Are you involved in the protest, kindly send us eye witnesses accounts, photos and videos to : citizenreport@vanguardngr.com