NLC, TUC declare nationwide strike from November 14 (Channels)
The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have declared a total nationwide strike effective next Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
The leadership of the two union reached the resolution after an extraordinary National Executive Council meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.
The two major labour unions said nationwide mobilisation of members and allies have begun immediately.
The action by the Organised Labour followed the brutalisation of NLC National President, Joe Ajaero, last week in Imo State. Read more
Lagos residents lament as refuse trucks cause gridlock, accidents (Punch)
Some motorists and residents have lamented over the poor condition of waste collection trucks plying some roads in the Alimosho Local Government area of Lagos State.
They maintained that the stationery trucks otherwise known as PSP trucks break down indiscriminately on the roads thereby causing gridlock.
The motorists told PUNCH Metro that once the truck becomes faulty, they are left on the spot by the drivers, thereby posing a danger to road users. Read more
Reps lament resurgence of Boko Haram terrorists in Borno, Yobe (Tribune)
Members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday expressed concerns over resurgence of Boko Haram terrorists in Borno and Yobe States.
The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance on the ‘Need for urgent military intervention and rescue of missing farmers of Koshebe, Karkut and Bulabilin in Jere Mafa Local Government Area attacked by Boko Haram terrorists’, as well as Terrorist attack on some villages in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State, sponsored by Hon. Ahmed Satomi and Hon. Shettima Ali.
In his lead debate, Hon. Satomi who called for the House intervention, disclosed that the “heavily armed Boko Haram terrorists attacked Zabarmari farmers working in their rice fields in the villages of Koshebe, Karkut and Bulabilin of Jere Mafa Local Government Area killing several of them.
“The House is worried that this attack was carried out by terrorists less than 20 kilometers from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. Read more
NAFDAC bans Ethoxyquin as an Antioxidant in feed of food-producing animals (Guardian)
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced a ban on the use of ethoxyquin as an antioxidant in feed for food-producing animals.
NAFDAC’s Director General, Christianah Mojisola Adeyeye, said in a statement on Tuesday that the decision was made following a review of the scientific evidence, which suggests that ethoxyquin may be responsible for a wide range of health-related problems in both animals and humans.
“Ethoxyquin (EQ, 6-ethoxy-1, 2-dihydro-2, 2, 4-trimethylquinoline) is widely used in animal feed in order to protect it against lipid peroxidation. It cannot be used in any food for human consumption, but it can pass from feed to farmed fish, poultry, and eggs, so human beings can be exposed to this antioxidant,” Adeyeye said. Read more
We are not part of Ogun State, says Irokun monarch (Nation)
Regent of Irokun kingdom in the Ilaje local government area, Princess Adeyinka Abejoye-Ogunyemi, has said that her people were prepared to endure any hardship to resist what she termed the territorial ambition of the Ogun State government.
Princess Ogunyemi, who faulted claims by the deputy governor of Ogun State, Noimot Salako Oyedele, that Irokun was not part of Ondo State, said nothing would change the reality that the kingdom remained within Ondo State.
Ogunyemi said the move by the Ogun state government to claim the Olurokun stool as part of the Ijebu Traditional Council was due to the now moribund multi-million-dollar Olokola project. Read more
Again, bandits invade Katsina community, kill 5, abduct 5 (DailyTrust)
Bandits in their numbers have again attacked Sayaya community in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing at least five people.
The incident, which took place in the early hours of Tuesday, came barely 24 hours after the attack on Maulud gathering where at least 25 persons were reportedly killed.
Matazu and Musawa are neighbouring local governments where some of the victims of the Maulud gathering attack came from. Read more
No life lost in Abuja plaza fire – FEMA (Channels)
No life was lost in the fire incident that engulfed the Samsung Office at Banex Junction in Wuse 2, the Federal Capital Territory on Monday.
This is according to the Acting Director General of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Mr. Mohammed Sabo, who explained that the fire began in the store room of the two-story building at 7:30 pm.
In a statement, he said that the FCT Fire Service control room was activated at 7:38 p.m., and firefighters arrived at the scene at 7:43 p.m. However, they were initially prevented from accessing the Samsung office by hoodlums. Read more
Gov Bago demands 13% derivation from FG for generating power (Tribune)
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has called on the Federal Government to allocate 13 per cent derivation to Niger State for power generation through the four hydropower-generating dams situated in the state.
Governor Umaru Bago made this call during a visit by the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons, Tijjani Aliyu Ahmed, along with other principal officials of the Commission to the Governor at the Government House in Minna.
The Governor expressed concern over the frequent displacement of Nigerlites due to the overflow of water from Niger State into Delta, describing the situation as absurd. Read more
Joan Jett reveals why she didn’t want to sing “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” with Dolly Parton (People)
Dolly Parton would have loved to sing “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” with Joan Jett — but the latter just wasn’t up for it.
In a cover story interview for Consequence about her forthcoming album Rockstar, the “Jolene” singer, 77, opened up to Hayley Williams about Jett’s influence on the record and — how she pivoted after the Runaways rocker declined to sing “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” with her.
“When I wrote ‘Rockstar,’ the title song, I was picturing her as a little girl wanting to be a rockstar,” Parton told the Paramore bandleader, 34, of Jett. “‘I’m gonna be a rockstar, whether you two like it or not!’ I was picturing her the whole time I was writing that song, how her young life might have been — trying to be a rockstar as a girl at that time?” Read more
French-Algerian activist sentenced in absentia for fleeing to France (France24)
An Algerian court on Tuesday sentenced French-Algerian activist Amira Bouraoui to 10 years in prison, media reported, in a case that sparked a diplomatic row between the two countries.
Bouraoui, who fled to France through Tunisia in February, was sentenced in absentia for an “illegal exit from the territory”, one of the defence lawyers told Algerian media.
Journalist Mustapha Bendjama, who was accused of helping her escape, was also sentenced to six months in prison — time he had already served, following his arrest in February.
Bendjama was due to be released on Tuesday after having already served nine months of “arbitrary detention”, said Khaled Drareni, the North Africa representative of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Read more
Jeremy Renner reveals list of treatments he received after snow plough accident (Standard)
Hollywood actor Jeremy Renner has revealed the list of treatments that he has undergone following a serious incident earlier this year.
The Hawkeye star, 52, was injured by his own six-tonne snow ploughing machine on January 1 while trying to help a family member.
He has since kept his fans updated on his recovery, which has included using an anti-gravity treadmill and strengthening exercises.
He has since kept his fans updated on his recovery, which has included using an anti-gravity treadmill and strengthening exercises. Read more
Mystery of African elephants dropping dead unraveled by scientists (CNN)
The cause of mysterious mass deaths of African elephants has finally been unraveled — and scientists who authored a new report say that the outbreaks could be more likely to occur amid conditions created by the ongoing climate crisis.
Thirty-five African elephants in northwestern Zimbabwe dropped dead under baffling circumstances between late August and November 2020. Eleven of the massive herd animals died within a 24-hour period.
“They died over a very narrow window. That’s one of the most enigmatic parts of the whole puzzle. That many animals dying quite close together but not right next to each other over such a narrow space of time. It’s really to my mind, rather unique, certainly in this part of the world,” said Dr. Chris Foggin, a veterinarian at Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust in Zimbabwe, who is a coauthor of the study on the cause of the deaths. Read more
Abigail Breslin remembers late co-star Evan Ellingson, asks fans not to speculate on cause of death (ET)
The actress played Evan Ellingson’s on-screen sister in the 2009 film.
Abigail Breslin is remembering her on-screen brother, Evan Ellingson. The former child actor died at the age of 35 on Sunday.
On Monday, Breslin took to Instagram to remember her late co-star, who played her character Anna Fitzgerald’s brother, Jesse Fitzgerald, in the 2009 film, My Sister’s Keeper. Read more
Millie Bobby Brown’s Netflix movie Damsel confirms 2024 release (DigitalSpy)
Netflix has confirmed that Millie Bobby Brown’s new movie “Damsel” has been delayed to next year.
Following recent reports that the fantasy film would not make its original October 13 release date this year, the streamer has now revealed that it will indeed be released in 2024.
Netflix has shared a new poster for its Geeked Week showing Brown in character as she stands at the entrance of a cave, with the shadow of a dragon looming. The poster also shares that the film is “coming 2024”. Read more
Blinken seeks G7 unity on Israel-Hamas war, as cracks emerge over Gaza policy (TimesOfIsrael)
Fresh from a whirlwind tour of the Middle East, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday took his intense diplomatic efforts on the Israel-Hamas war to Asia with an appeal for the Group of Seven leading industrial democracies to forge consensus on how to deal with the crisis.
As he and his G7 counterparts began two days of talks in Japan, Blinken said it was critically important for the group to show unity as it has over Russia’s war in Ukraine and other major issues and prevent existing differences on Gaza from deepening.
“This is a very important moment as well for the G7 to come together in the face of this crisis and to speak, as we do, with one clear voice,” Blinken told Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, shortly after talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Read more
Tennis great Serena Williams named “fashion icon” (BBC)
Tennis legend Serena Williams has been named a fashion icon by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
The organisation awarded Williams the title on Monday night at a ceremony in New York.
“I explored fashion and style as a way to distinguish myself,” Williams told the crowd. “In many ways for me, the tennis courts became my runway.” Read more
AFN’s performance director canvasses US camp for athletes to save funds (Guardian)
To make appreciable impact at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the African Games in Ghana, United States-based Performance Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Victor Okorie, wants an athlete camp opened in America for track and field stars to practice relay baton exchange, evaluation and team cohesiveness.
The camp, he said, will also save money for the country.
Okorie, who is also AFN’s Liaison Officer, told The Guardian, yesterday, that operating a camp within the U.S. would enable Team Nigeria to give the athletes solid preparation for the African Games and Olympics in 2024. Read more
Akpom admits tough start at Ajax (Punch)
Ajax striker Chuba Akpom is basking in the euphoria of his rediscovered goalscoring form after bagging a brace in Ajax’s 4-1 win over Henreven in the Dutch Eredivisie on Sunday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Akpom came off the bench for the second game running and made an instant impact again with his two goals to round up scoring in Ajax’s third win of the season. Before Sunday’s game, he had opened his Ajax goal account with their second goal in the 2-0 win over FC Volendam last Thursday.
The former Middlesbrough player has endured a tough start to life in The Netherlands since making a switch to the Dutch giants in the summer but he seems to have put all the struggles behind him. Read more
Ancelotti unsure about Bellingham fitness for Real Madrid-Braga (ESPN)
Carlo Ancelotti said Jude Bellingham’s shoulder will be assessed ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League game with Braga, after the star midfielder returned to training on Tuesday.
Bellingham — who is Real Madrid’s top scorer this season with 13 goals in all competitions — fell awkwardly in the first half of his team’s 0-0 LaLiga draw with Rayo Vallecano on Sunday and has been a doubt for Wednesday’s group stage match at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“I don’t know if he’ll play [against Braga],” Ancelotti said in his prematch news conference. Read more
2 stabbed in violence ahead of AC Milan and PSG Champions League match (Sky)
A football fan and a policeman have been stabbed during separate clashes ahead of a Champions League match in Milan.
The violence came ahead of AC Milan’s home match against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Tuesday night.
A group of around 50 Italian fans – wearing masks and helmets – have been accused of “ambushing” their French rivals, including by throwing flares, in the Navigli area of the city on Monday night. Read more
Aston Martin’s “mix-and-match” key to Alonso podium return (RN365)
Wily and canny as ever, Fernando Alonso managed to hold off a much-faster Sergio Perez for the final place on the Sao Paulo Grand Prix podium to lift some of the doom and gloom around Aston Martin.
The race before in Mexico City had been a terrible event for the team as its United States upgrade package did not lead to the expected improvements and led to an experimental weekend at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
While the Sprint did not yield any result, Aston did have prime starting slots for the Grand Prix, with third and fourth on the grid as Lance Stroll started ahead of Alonso on the second-row, with the latter capitalising to run third after the final pit-stops, but having a pumped up Perez carving chunks of time out of him in the much-faster Red Bull. Read more