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The prolonged absence of President Paul Biya of Cameroon has sparked rumours that he may have died in a military hospital in France. This speculation follows Biya’s extended absence after the China-Africa Summit in September, where he was expected to return to Cameroon immediately afterwards.

At 91 years old, Biya has been in power for 42 years, having assumed office on November 6, 1982. He is Africa’s second-longest-serving president, the longest-serving non-royal national leader globally, and the oldest head of state.

Rumours suggest that France is considering installing Biya’s eldest son, Franck Emmanuel Biya, as his successor for “continuity.” A Cameroonian citizen on X, Okahewahedede, remarked, “Paul Biya ruled Cameroon for 42 years and almost destr%yed the country. Now he is d£ad, and France is doing everything possible to make his eldest son, Franck Emmanuel Biya, his successor.”

Another user, jordanly00, added, “This is nothing new; he hasn’t been running the country for a while.” As speculation intensifies, the government’s silence has fueled public uncertainty regarding Cameroon’s political future. The absence of official updates on Biya’s health has led to widespread speculation, with some reports claiming he is either recovering in Switzerland or hospitalised in France.

Lawyer Christian Ntimbane expressed his concerns in an open letter to Samuel Mvondo Ayolo, director of the Civil Cabinet, urging the government to clarify the president’s situation. “If he is on vacation, say so. If he is sick, say that too,” he stated, aiming to ease public concerns. Biya’s absence has dominated media coverage, raising anxiety among citizens regarding political stability after his 42-year reign.

On social media platforms, opinions are divided. Some users suspect that France aims to install Biya as his father’s successor, while others believe Cameroon is on the verge of liberation from Biya’s prolonged rule.According to Cameroon Concord, a political framework may already be in place to facilitate the transition, with Biya’s brother-in-law, Robert Nkili, positioned to serve as interim president.

However, opposition leaders, such as Maurice Kamto, may mobilise to contest any dynastic succession attempts, advocating for democratic reforms. Biya has been Cameroon’s president since November 6, 1982, following his role as prime minister from 1975 to 1982.

As speculation continues, the government’s silence perpetuates public uncertainty about Cameroon’s political future.

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Netflix (NFLX) reports third-quarter earnings next Thursday, Oct. 17, and analysts expect the streaming giant to post year-over-year revenue, profit, and subscriber growth ahead of the final quarter of 2024.

Analysts polled by Visible Alpha project that Netflix will report net income of $2.23 billion on revenue of $9.77 billion, up 33% and 14%, respectively, from a year earlier. Shares have gained nearly 45% since the start of the year, but they dipped following the company's quarterly reports in April and July.

Analysts expect Netflix to report just under 286 million active subscribers at the end of the quarter, up about 4 million from last quarter and over 30 million more than last year, according to Visible Alpha. Netflix has said it will stop reporting subscriber data starting in 2025, and focus instead on financial metrics.

Analysts have said Netflix's crackdown on password sharing has been successful in driving new subscribers. Barclays analysts, however, recently cited the "trade-offs" suggested by its pathways to future growth in downgrading the stock to "underweight" from "equal weight"—making them the only analysts tracked by Visible Alpha with a "sell"-equivalent rating—while leaving unchanged a price target of $550.

Netflix has an important fourth quarter, with KeyBanc analysts recently noting that the streamer's first NFL games, which will be broadcast on Christmas Day, could be a catalyst for subscriber growth. The analysts, who raised their price target to $760 from $735, said nearly a quarter of people they surveyed who aren't Netflix subscribers said the games would make them consider signing up.

The Christmas games are the latest bet on live sports from Netflix and other streamers as a way to draw new subscribers. Netflix is also set to become the official broadcaster of TKO Group's (TKO) WWE professional wrestling events starting next year.

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Nigeria Immigration Service has responded to claims that its officers hara§§ed and extorted a traveler at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The government agency has said none of their officer on duty in sight in the picture. Although they have officers at the airports on duty properly dressed and by their designated “cubicles” / counter. They are however looking into this with other sister agencies at the airport.

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Influencer Daniel Regha, has weighed in on Burna Boy ordering Speed Darlington’s arrest.

He said while it’s wrong to ab¥se power by whisking someone away unlawfully, there’s nothing wrong if legal actions are also taken.

He added that Speed Darlington has been coming for Burna unprovoked, & even went as far as allegeding that Burna has been oil£d-up by Diddy. After such accusation the internet ran wild, people were trying to c@ncel Burna and undermine all his accomplishments based on a conspiracy theory. That right there is def@mation of one’s character which is a crime.

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Nvidia's (NVDA) market capitalization overtook Microsoft's (MSFT) on Monday, making it the second-largest company in the world behind Apple (AAPL).

Nvidia shares climbed just over 2% Monday, lifting the chipmaker's market cap to $3.13 trillion, ahead of Microsoft's $3.04 trillion. Super Micro Computer (SMCI), a partner of Nvidia, reported strong shipments of its GPUs driven by artificial intelligence (AI) demand, helping send shares of both companies higher.

Nvidia and Microsoft have been jockeying with Apple for the top spot by market cap in recent months. In June, Nvidia briefly took the crown when it surpassed Microsoft, but Microsoft later reclaimed the title, and Apple has since pulled ahead.

Nvidia's stock price has more than doubled in value since the start of the year, as demand for its AI chips surged. Analysts suggested Nvidia shares could still climb higher, given the strength of AI spending trends and seasonal tailwinds.

Semiconductor companies typically perform better in the fourth quarter than they do in the third quarter, with Nvidia “still set to lead," Melius Research analysts said Monday, adding "the setup here is still pretty darn good."

Melius holds a price target of $165 for Nvidia, a 29% premium on Monday's closing price of $127.72. That compares to an average price target of $152.52, according to Visible Alpha.

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