Last-minute move to avert strike fails, Labour shuns FG meeting (Punch)
The organised labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trace Union Congress, Nigeria, on Friday, boycotted an emergency meeting with the Federal Government that was scheduled for 3 pm at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Federal Government had called an emergency meeting with the leaders of the organised labour at the Conference Room of the Office of the President’s Chief of Staff.
Among other goals, Friday’s meeting was meant to talk the labour movement out of its planned nationwide strike from Tuesday, October 3, 2023.Read more
Tinubu back in Abuja after UNGA, other outings (ThisDay)
President Bola Tinubu returned to Abuja Friday evening after being outside the country for 12 days to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the United States and other outings.
The President, who landed at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was received by his Chief of Staff, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, and other top government officials.
While in New York, President Tinubu held a number of bilateral and economic meetings, all targeted at improving the nation’s economy and diplomatic image. Read more
BBNaijaAllStars: CeeC wins brand new car (Tribune)
Big Brother Naija All Stars housemate, Cynthia Nwadiora, popularly known as CeeC, has become the latest owner of a brand new IVM Ikenga 6-seater car after emerging as the winner of this year’s edition of the IVM Big Brother task.
CeeC, alongside the other five finalists of the show Mercy, Cross, Pere, Ilebaye and Adekunle all participated in the three-round IVM game task, where she emerged as the winner.
While congratulating her on the win, the sponsor of the task, Innoson vehicle, took its official Facebook account to post a picture of CeeC and describe it as incredible. Read more
Interswitch lauds microfinance banks (Sun)
An integrated payments and digital commerce company, Interswitch, has highlighted the significance of microfinance banks in driving Nigeria’s economic growth.
The company also reaffirmed its readiness to promoting financial inclusion through digital payment ecosystem not only in Nigeria, but also spreading its infrastructure across the continent to improve access to financial services thereby creating a more prosperous economic landscape.
This toppedthe discourse at the third edition of the TechConnect series hosted by Interswitch in Enugu for stakeholders in South East. The event which has held in Ibadan, Abuja and Enugu, has continued to advance the importance of a digitally inclusive economy, especially in a country like Nigeria. Read more
Navy arrests 6 impostors in Lagos (Punch)
The Nigerian Navy has arrested six impostors, who were parading themselves as its personnel to engage in fraudulent activities.
The Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Kolawole Oguntuga, on Friday, said the patrol team arrested the suspects in a raid at Ajah area of Lagos State.
“The raid resulted in the apprehension of impostors who carry out nefarious activities like extortion and intimidation of residents, among other despicable acts while claiming to be Navy personnel,’’ he stated. Read more
Customs arrests wanted wildlife smuggling kingpin in Lagos (Leadership)
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Friday, said it has arrested a daredevil wildlife smuggler, Felix Maiva, in Lagos.
Maiva, according to a press statement made available to LEADERSHIP by the public relations officer of FOU Zone A, Theophilus Duniya, had been on the run since 2021.
According to him, Maiva planned to export elephant ivories, pangolin scales, rhinoceros horns, and some lion skeletons to Haiphong, Vietnam, in January 2021 through the Apapa Seaport in Lagos. Read more
RTEAN to rid parks of thugs as members take leadership course at NIPSS (Guardian)
Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has vowed to reform the transport sector and tackle all forms of thuggery around motor parks.
President of RTEAN, Musa Maitakobi, stated this, Friday, shortly after presenting certificates of attendance to 17 RTEAN members who completed a strategic leadership, ethics and policy making training at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau state.
At the event, the RTEAN president was also presented with the Nigeria Silent Heroes Award (NSHA). Read more
Mass Wedding: Premarital tests on 1800 prospective couples begins (DailyTrust)
The Kano State Government said it has commenced pre-marital screening of 1,800 prospective couples to ascertain their Health fitness.
This according to the state’s Commissioner for Health, Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, is part of the prerequisites of marrying off the intending couples.
The commissioner made the disclosure while inspecting the exercise at the premises of the state’s Hisbah Board Headquarters in Kano yesterday. Read more
Man charged with 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur (ITV)
Davis’ own public comments revived the investigation by providing police with “admissible evidence,” said Police homicide Lieutenant Jason Johansson.
Authorities described him as the “on-ground, on-site commander” who “ordered the death” of Shakur, who was 25 at the time.
He isn’t the accused gunman but was described as the “shot caller” at a Friday news conference and in court.
The charges were revealed hours after Davis was arrested near his Las Vegas home. Read more
Lizzo asks judge to dismiss dancers’ harassment allegations (BBC)
Lizzo has lodged her first legal response to the lawsuit brought by three of her former dancers.
In August they claimed they had been subjected to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment while on tour with the US singer, which she denies.
The star and her Big Grrrl Big Touring company are requesting that the court dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning that it cannot be refiled. If they do not, the dancers are requesting a jury trial. Read more
U2 release anthemic new single ‘‘Atomic City’’ (NME)
U2 are back with their first new song in two years.
The Irish band have returned to the post-punk of their heyday with a stirring guitar hook reminiscent of their 1983 hit ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ and a chorus that channels Blondie.
Vocalist Bono sings about freedom (“I’m free/ I see what’s in front of me/ And your freedom is contagious/ What you’ve got I wanna be,”) and nods to “Atomic City” aka Las Vegas, the city in which the accompanying music video is set, as somewhere to find it. Read more
Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto on honouring her late father with new album Joao (National)
After blazing her own path for four decades, Bebel Gilberto is ready to look back.
The acclaimed Brazilian singer, 57, is regarded as a leading purveyor of Bossa Nova. She will pay tribute to one of the genre’s originators in a sold-out concert at the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Centre on Saturday.
The artist in question is none other than father Joao Gilberto, the Brazilian guitarist and singer who died aged 88 in 2019. Read more
Bruce Springsteen releases new track “Addicted to Romance” from upcoming film “She Came to Me” (AS)
Bruce Springsteen might be off the road for the rest of the year, but he’s not out of the game. Today, The Boss is back with a brand new track, “Addicted to Romance,” which is not featured on his next album. Instead, Springsteen wrote the song for an upcoming movie called ‘‘She Came to Me’’.
Springsteen used the romantic comedy as inspiration for his new piano-driven track.
However, there’s no humor in this tune. Springsteen took the love story at the heart of the film’s plot and turned it into a gorgeous mid-tempo love song. Read more
Letterboxd acquired by Canadian firm in deal valuing it at more than $50m (Variety)
Letterboxd has been acquired by Tiny, a Canadian holding company, in a deal that values the popular social site for film fanatics at over $50 million.
Letterboxd was founded in 2011 by two entrepreneurs in New Zealand, Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow. It recently topped 10 million registered accounts, after seeing a particularly sizable surge during the COVID pandemic, and has attracted celebrity users including Margo Robbie, Olivia Rodrigo, Ava DuVernay and Christopher McQuarrie.
Tiny, based in Victoria, British Columbia, now owns a 60% majority stake in Letterboxd, giving it a valuation of between $50 million and $60 million, a source familiar with the deal told Variety. Buchanan and von Randow will retain minority positions in the business and continue to lead the company. Read more
Long-serving US Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein dies, aged 90 (RTE)
Dianne Feinstein, a long-serving Democratic US senator from California and gun control advocate who spearheaded the first federal assault weapons ban and documented the CIA’s torture of foreign terrorism suspects, has died at 90, US media reported.
Her office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the news, first reported by the Punchbowl News outlet.
Ms Feinstein was a Washington trail-blazer who among other accomplishments became the first woman to head the influential Senate Intelligence Committee. Read more
Olympic qualifiers: D’Tigress know foes Oct 5 (Punch)
African champions D’Tigers will know their group opponents in the upcoming Olympic qualifying tournament on October 5, Saturday PUNCH reports.
The Nigerian side qualified for the final stage of the qualifiers in August when they emerged as the Women’s Afrobasketball Champions in Rwanda beating Senegal 84-74 in a thrilling final to emerge champions of Africa for the fourth consecutive time.
Nigeria’s Amy Okonkwo who finished the final with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists, was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Read more
2024 NPFL season kicks-off today with mouth-watering fixtures (DailyTrust)
After several postponements, the 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season will kick-off today as mouth-watering Week One fixtures hold at match venues across the country.
In the star match of the opening day, former champions, Plateau United are in the ancient city of Ibadan to take on 3SC as they eye their first away win in the campaign.
It will be Mbwas Magut’s first Premier League in charge of United but Coach Gbenga Ogunbote is in his second year as coach of 3SC. Read more
Nice cancel Farioli press conference due to Beka Beka incident (FootballItalia)
Nice have decided to cancel coach Francesco Farioli’s scheduled press conference today as one of their players reportedly threatens to commit suicide.
News broke this morning that 22-year-old midfielder Alexis Beka Beka was sat on the Magnan bridge, threatening to throw himself off and commit suicide. The incident is ongoing and various members of the emergency services, as well as the club’s psychologist, are talking to the player.
Farioli was due to speak to the media today ahead of Nice’s clash against Brest on October 1, but Foot Mercato reports that the club have decided to cancel his press conference due to the situation. Read more
Arsenal in 4-way battle with London rivals over Feyenoord star as scouts attend game (Express)
Arsenal are reportedly in a four-way battle to sign Feyenoord star Santiago Gimenez as the North London outfit desperately scour the market for another forward. The Gunners are expected to bolster their ranks in the January transfer window, though they aren’t the only Premier League outfit in the market for a new No 9.
Mikel Arteta reshuffled his ranks slightly over the summer with the acquisitions of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, David Raya and Jurrien Timber. The quartet of new arrivals have helped the Gunners pick up where they left off last season as they have remained unbeaten in their opening six matches of the campaign, winning four. Read more
Mercedes reveal Hamilton risk over aid for ‘‘sitting duck’’ Russell (RN365)
Mercedes Head of Race Strategy Rosie Wait has insisted Lewis Hamilton had to be prioritised in the fight against Carlos Sainz at the end of the Japanese Grand Prix because George Russell was a “sitting duck”.
Russell and Hamilton had a number of flashpoints during the race at Suzuka as both tried to advance position following an under par qualifying.
With the seven-time World Champion having followed a conventional strategy in line with his rivals, Russell opted to try and pull off a one-stop strategy, leaving him at the mercy of the chasing pack once their new tyres were fitted. Read more
Jai Opetaia v Jordan Thompson: Briton towers over champion as both make weight (BBC)
Briton Jordan Thompson towered over champion Jai Opetaia as both men made weight for Saturday’s IBF cruiserweight showdown at Wembley’s OVO Arena.
Standing at 6ft 7in, Thompson – with a five inch height advantage – hit the scales at 14st 3lbs.
Australia’s Opetaia weighed in at 14st 2lbs. The 28-year-old is making a first defence of his title.
“How does Jordan makes cruiserweight? He came in just a pound under,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. Read more