One dead, three injured in Ikoyi road crash (Punch)
One person has died in a road accident that happened in Ikoyi, Lagos State on Sunday.
The PUNCH gathered that three persons were also injured in the accident.
According to the spokesperson for the Lagos State Emergency Agency, Nosa Okunbor, the accident occurred around 01.40 am.
Okunbor, who said LASEMA recorded a new Response Time by getting to the scene of the accident in 10 minutes, identified the deceased as an adult male.
He explained that the accident happened around Golden Gate in Ikoyi when two vehicles collided.
He said, “On arrival at the scene, it was discovered that a white, unregistered Ford Ranger Jeep and a white Nissan Jeep with registration number KRD 499 GE, had a head-on collision at the traffic stop junction of the road. Read more
Lagos East bye-election: Sanwo-Olu seeks support for Abiru (Nation)
Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has urged the people of Lagos East Senatorial District to vote for candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tokunbo Abiru, on October 31.
He charged councillors and other ward leaders from the district to mobilise support for the eminent banker and former Finance Commussion.
Sanwo-Olu spoke at the weekend during the flag off of 377 projects spread across the wards in the state.
He urged Lagos East APC leaders and supporters to demonstrate the party’s relevance as the dominat political platform in Lagos. Read more
Gbajabiamila offers NLC palliatives to avert strike (Guardian)
To avert the strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) billed to commence on Monday, the House of Representatives has offered organised labour some palliatives.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, at a negotiation meeting with labour on Sunday in Abuja said the palliatives would be included in the proposed 2021 budget.
Gbajabiamila said that the budget would soon be presented to the National Assembly, stressing that some palliatives were being considered to cushion the effects of increase in electricity tariff and fuel price hike. Read more
Nigeria not a Banana Republic – TUC tackles HoS over threats to Monday labour strike (Vanguard)
The Trade Union Congress (TUC), has lambasted the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi Esan, for warning civil servants against participating in the planned nationwide strike called by the organised Labour.
TUC chairman in Kogi State, Ojo Ranti on Sunday insisted that the Federal Government has no right to threaten workers who are fighting for their own right in the country.
Mr Ranti who lamented the poor standard of leaving of many workers presently said Nigeria is not a banana republic where people cannot speak when their right are been infringed upon by those governing them. Read more
Strike: FG, labour meeting rescheduled for 7pm today (Punch)
Ahead of the planned strike by labour, the Federal Government will today meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress to avert the industrial action billed to commence from Monday.
The government said the dialogue which was earlier scheduled for tomorrow will now hold at the Presidential Villa Banquet Hall by 7pm.
The spokesman, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan, confirmed the development in a text message to The PUNCH this afternoon.
The two meetings earlier held by the government and the labour unions over the increase in the electricity tariffs and fuel pump price ended in a deadlock, with NLC and TUC insisting on the reversal of the price hikes. Read more
Tourism Day: Nigeria to leverage on tourism to boost grassroots development Minister (Guardian)
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said Nigeria will leverage on tourism in its efforts to take development to the grassroots.
The Minister said this in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday to mark the 2020 World Tourism Day, which has the theme: ”Tourism and Rural Development.”
The statement was made available to newsmen by Mr Segun Adeyemi, Special Assistant to the President (Media), Office of the Minister of Information and Culture. Read more
Private sector workers who shun strike will be sanctioned – NLC (Punch)
The Organised Private Sector Union Forum of Nigeria Labour Congress in Rivers State has threatened to sanction any private worker who snubs Monday’s labour planned strike action to protest against fuel, electricity tariff and price hike.
The group said it would set up a monitoring committee to monitor compliance across the state.
Speaking on Saturday, the Chairman, Organised Private Sector Union Forum, Temple Morford, said the policies of the Federal Government were putting undue hardship on the workers of Nigeria, hence must be rejected.
He said, “I hereby call on all workers of the private sector to join the strike action, they should make sure that there is total shutdown; both land, air and sea, there should be no operations. Read more
Shola Allyson: I refused sleeping with men in my time of need (Nation)
Shola Allyson has revealed how she refused to grant the desires of individuals who want sex in exchange for the help rendered. The singer recently made this known as she celebrated her birthday on Thursday, September 24.
Allyson revealed details of how men had offered sex in exchange for help at different times in her life. She began with the tale of how she was almost molested while serving drinks at a pub. She went further to reveal how a man who was willing to pay her tuition requested sex in exchange.
Allyson also reeled out her experience in the hands of a top entertainment practitioner, whose identity she refused to reveal. She said the entertainment practitioner had insisted she had sex with him in exchange for fame and fortune while she was struggling to make it as a rising artiste. Read more
Brain-eating amoeba kills Texas boy, 6, as thousands ordered not to use water (BBC)
Tens of thousands of Texans were ordered not to use the water after a six-year-old boy died from a rare brain-eating amoeba.
Josiah McIntyre died earlier this month, testing positive for Naegleria fowleri after playing at a public splash pad and a sprinkler at home in Lake Jackson in suburban Houston, officials and his family said.
Initial tests of the water supply came back negative — but another round of tests came back positive Friday from three locations, including a hydrant, the splash pad storage tank and a spigot at the boy’s home.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued an urgent advisory warning people not to use tap water for any reason except to flush toilets. Read more
Concerns mount as Iran gripped by third major COVID-19 wave (Aljazeera)
Iran is now in the grip of a third major wave of COVID-19 infections and most of its 32 provinces are classified as red on a colour-coded scale denoting the severity, with the capital experiencing the severest outbreak.
The official tally shows Iran recorded 195 new deaths on Sunday, bringing the total to 25,589 in the country battling the worst coronavirus pandemic in the Middle East.
Health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari also announced during her daily COVID-19 briefing that 3,362 more daily infections were registered, upping the total to 446,448. Hospitals are caring for 1,377 patients at the moment, Lari said. Read more
Switzerland referendum: Voters reject end to free movement with EU – projection (BBC)
Swiss voters have rejected in a referendum a proposal to end an accord with the EU on the free movement of people, TV projections suggest.
Broadcaster SRF said voters were set to reject the plan by 62% to 38%.
Ballots are still being counted, and final results are due within hours.
Switzerland is not a member of the EU, but currently accepts free movement so that it can have access to free trade and co-operate with Brussels in areas like transport and education. Read more
Azerbaijan follows Armenia in announcing martial law after intensive border clashes (RT)
Azerbaijan has introduced martial law and curfews in several regions of the country following an escalation of border hostilities with the Armenia-backed disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The order, which will come into force from Monday, mirrors Yerevan’s reaction to the crisis. The government of Armenia declared martial law and ordered the mobilization of reserve troops earlier on Sunday. Authorities in the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic did the same.
Tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia spiked this weekend after the Azeri side launched a military operation against the Nagorno-Karabakh forces. Read more
Yara Shahidi cast as Tinkerbell in live action Peter Pan (Metro)
Yara Shahidi has been cast as Tinkerbell in the upcoming live action Peter Pan and Wendy movie. The actress, who’s currently best known for her roles in Black-ish and 2019 movie The Sun Is Also A Star, is joining the already stellar cast as the defiant fairy. Yara, 20, is set to join the likes of Jude Law, who’s lined up for Captain Hook, Alexander Molony as Peter Pan and Ever Anderson as Wendy. After Deadline reported the news, Yara shared a stunning snap on Instagram, writing: ‘Lettssssgooooo 🧚🏽♂️🧚🏽♂️🧚🏽♂️ #Tinkerbell.’ She later shared artwork of herself as the fairy, thanking her fans for their support. Read more
Japanese actress Yuko Takeuchi found dead at 40 (BBC)
Award-winning Japanese actress Yuko Takeuchi has been found dead at her Tokyo home at the age of 40.
Police have launched an investigation and suspect the mother of two took her own life, media reports say.
She is said to have been found by her actor husband Taiki Nakabayashi at their home in Shibuya Ward. Her death was confirmed at hospital.
Ms Takeuchi was a well-known actress in Japan, having appeared in many films and TV series during her career. Read more
Dwayne Johnson supports Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (People)
Dwayne Johnson will be voting for Joe Biden on Nov. 3.
The actor, 48, announced his choice for president and vice president in a video shared on his YouTube channel on Sunday. The footage shows Johnson having a virtual conversation with Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, who the former WWE star was formally introduced to for the first time.
Harris, 55, said she’s a “huge fan” of Johnson’s work, from Jumanji to the Fast and Furious franchise, in which he portrays Luke Hobbs in Fast Five, Fast and Furious 6, Furious 7, The Fate of the Furious and the spinoff Hobbs & Shaw. Read more
UFC 253: Israel Adesanya retains middleweight title with ease in Abu Dhabi (BBC)
Israel Adesanya expertly picked apart Paulo Costa to retain his middleweight title and extend his perfect professional record to 20-0 at UFC 253 in Abu Dhabi.
The event marked a return to ‘UFC Fight Island’ and Adesanya made a second successful defence of his crown by finishing the previously undefeated Brazilian via a second-round TKO.
Yas Island has been transformed into an isolation bubble for fighters, teams and media for a five-event run, and the first show of the promotion’s second stint also saw a new champion crowned in the co-main event as Poland’s Jan Blachowicz won the vacant light heavyweight title. Read more
French Open: Simona Halep eases into second round (Punch)
Top seed and former champion Simona Halep swept into the French Open second round on Sunday with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Spanish world number 70 Sara Sorribes Tormo.
Second-ranked Halep, who won the 2018 title, trailed 4-2 under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier but claimed the final 10 games to progress in 82 minutes.
The Romanian will meet compatriot Irina-Camelia Begu or Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann for a place in the third round. Read more
Ibadan gears up for 2020 auto racing festival (Nation)
ibadan, the Oyo state capital city is set to host the largest auto sporting event in the country in 3-day fun-filled activities scheduled to take place in December this year.
The event tagged Fanfaro Autofest which is the second in the series is a car racing festival aimed at attracting and increasing global attention to the ancient city.
Speaking at a press conference to herald the event, the Chief Executive Officer, Fanfaro Oil Nigeria, Mr Adekunle Olanrewaju said the auto racing event will garner expert cruisers from within and outside the country, adding that the resolve to reenact the importance of the city on the global entertainment map was a way of investing in the city as a payback. Read more
French Open: Dan Evans loses to Kei Nishikori in Paris (BBC)
British number one Dan Evans is still searching for his first French Open win after Japan’s Kei Nishikori edged a fluctuating five-setter in Paris.
Evans, seeded 32nd, raced to the first set in 29 minutes before former world number four Nishikori fought back in cold and windy conditions.
The Briton reasserted control to level but Nishikori broke in a tense decider to win 1-6 6-1 7-6 (7-3) 1-6 6-4.
Evans has lost on all three appearances in the main draw at Roland Garros.
The 30-year-old from Birmingham admitted he could not have been handed much tougher a draw than Nishikori, who is ranked one place below the Briton after injury problems at 35th in the world. Read more
Bamford strikes late as Leeds blunt Blades (Guardian)
Patrick Bamford scored a dramatic late winner as Premier League new boys Leeds snatched a 1-0 victory at Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United on Sunday.
Marcelo Bielsa’s promoted side earned their second successive league win thanks to Bamford’s header with just two minutes left.
Bamford’s third goal of the season settled a hard-fought clash that was dominated by superb displays from Leeds keeper Illan Meslier and Blades stopper Aaron Ramsdale.
Leeds look well-equipped to enjoy a strong showing in their first season back in the top-flight for 16 years. Read more
Lewis Hamilton penalty hands Russian Grand Prix win to Valtteri Bottas (BBC)
Lewis Hamilton’s quest for the all-time record of Formula 1 wins was put on hold when he was hit with penalties at the Russian Grand Prix.
Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas dominated after the world champion was given a 10-second penalty for doing two illegal practice starts.
Hamilton’s transgressions put him on the verge of a one-race ban because of accumulated licence penalty points. Read more
Newcastle rescue point against Spurs after more late VAR controversy (BBC)
Newcastle rescued a injury-time point against Tottenham Hotspur entirely against the run of play from the penalty spot after another controversial handball decision.
Spurs could have been 5-0 up if they had taken their chances by the time Andy Carroll headed a cross against Eric Dier’s arm from close range. The decision was made after video assistant referee consultation.
Callum Wilson stepped up to score the penalty with practically the last kick – and Spurs boss Jose Mourinho walked down the tunnel in disgust. Read more