These are the stories you should be monitoring today:

The Senate on Wednesday adopted the report of its committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund for the establishment of 10 higher institutions in parts of the country, noting that the establishment of the institutions would go a long way to open up the education space in the country as well as assist the country to fight illiteracy.

The approved institutions included Federal Polytechnic, Kabo; Federal Polytechnic Daura; Federal University of Education, Aguleri; National Institute of Construction Technology and Management and Federal Polytechnic Ikom.

Others also approved included Federal College of Education(Technical) Arochukwu, Abia, sponsored by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa; Federal Polytechnic Langtang, Plateau, Federal College of Education, Usugbenu-Irua; Federal University of Technology, Manchok and Federal Polytechnic Kwale, Delta.

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A five-man panel of the Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto and presided over by Justice Hannatu Sankey has sentenced the Chairman of the Zamfara Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Murtala Adamu Jengebe, to a cumulative jail term of 41 years.

As contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the Acting spokesman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Tony Orilade, Jengebe was convicted after the appellate court found him guilty on seven out of the 10 counts of money laundering for which he was earlier acquitted on the 12th May 2017 at the Federal High Court, Gusau, Zamfara .

He was consequently sentenced to five years imprisonment on each of four of the counts, and seven years each on the three other counts, with the court ordering that the sentences run concurrently.

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The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has increased hunger, violence, oppression and national misfortune, adding that it has been rejected by Nigerians.

Spokesman of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan who disclosed this while playing host to youth groups who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) also accused the President of being a self-centered, uncaring, divisive and incompetent leader.

“Nigerians know that unlike President Buhari who cannot point to any contribution to our national economy, has not been able to successfully manage any enterprise and has no future blueprint for our nation, Atiku is a world class enterpreneur. That is why they want to elect him as their next president,” he added.

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The presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has picked the chairman of the party, Abdul-Ganiyu Galadima, as her running mate for the 2019 presidential election.

A statement by the Ezekwesili’s campaign organisation read that the presidential hopeful announced Galadima, a former presidential candidate of the party, while unveiling her manifesto themed #ProjectRescueNigeria, on Wednesday in Ilorin.

According to Oby, “this experience complements my incomparable competence and capacity when it comes to socio-economic and governance issues. Like me, Alhaji Galadima has shown a long-standing commitment to the fight to rescue our nation by standing with people of integrity, adding that the selection of Galadima, a businessman, would bring to the ACPN ticket an experience at grassroots politics at the local, state and national levels.

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The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Wednesday, said no army can have enough equipment for its operations.

Speaking on the Metele attacks during the 2018 Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference, Buratai said the fight against Boko Haram in the North East will continue unabatedly, adding that the army is collaborating with Chad and Cameroon, both of which the army is currently conducting joint operations with, in adjoining areas.

“No army can have enough equipment to conduct its operations. So it is incumbent on all commanders to know that we are involved in an asymmetric warfare, which calls for dynamism and flexibility,” he added.

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And stories from around the world:

Georgia has elected ruling party candidate Salome Zurabishvili as its first woman president, final results showed Thursday, but the opposition claimed fraud.

With all votes counted, the French-born ex-diplomat had taken 59.52 percent of the vote in Wednesday’s second round run-off, the election commission said. (AFP)

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The United States sent two Navy ships through the Taiwan Strait, the third such operation this year as the US military increases operations in the strategic waterway despite opposition from China.

The voyage on Wednesday will add to tensions with China, but is likely to be viewed in self-ruled Taiwanas a sign of support from US President Donald Trump’s government amid growing friction between Taipei and Beijing. (Al Jazeera)

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Meanwhile, two Ukrainian Azov Sea ports, Berdyansk and Mariupol, are in effect under blockade by Russia as vessels are being barred from leaving and entering, Ukraine’s infrastructure minister has said.

A total of 35 vessels had been prevented from carrying out normal operations and only vessels moving towards Russian ports on the Azov Sea were permitted entry, Volodymyr Omelyan said on Facebook. (The Guardian, UK)

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South Korea’s top court ruling on Thursday that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd must compensate South Koreans in two separate cases for their forced labor during World War Two is totally unacceptable, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said in a statement. (Reuters)

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The US Senate has advanced a measure to withdraw American support for a Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, in a blow to President Donald Trump.

Many senators are unhappy with Mr Trump’s response to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (BBC)