A Michigan-based professional dancer by the name of Jai Fears sparked a major scare on Monday, September 30, at Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak when she showed up wearing zombie makeup that was mistaken for a real injury. As Fox 2 Detroit reports, Fears was rushed to the hospital for a panic attack, which she experienced while having her makeup done for a Halloween marketing campaign with Glam Gore. However, when she arrived, the staff didn&apost initially realize she was wearing makeup, and instead, figured she had suffered a trauma to the face. Yes — her makeup looked that gory.

In fact, Fears told Fox 2 Detroit that it was actually the makeup that caused her to have a panic attack. "It literally just shot up to my brain and it just caused like a really bad reaction," she said. For further context, she added: "We were getting ready to do a photoshoot to do some marketing for Glam Gore for people who want to get their makeup done for the Halloween season." It was approximately three hours into having her makeup done when Fears started to feel anxious.

Her zombie makeup ended up so realistic that the hospital staff didn&apost recognize it was fake at first. "[They said] let&aposs get her back to trauma now and she&aposs probably going into shock, she&aposs not making any sense," Fears told the Detroit publication. She added that she didn&apost speak up about the makeup because she figured that they had to know. "I did not say anything because I just assumed they could see that it was fake," she explained.

(Reuters/NAN) Cristiano Ronaldo helped Juventus to continue their unbeaten start to the Serie A season with a comfortable 2-0 home victory over struggling SPAL on Saturday.

Miralem Pjanics strike put the hosts in front on the stroke of half-time before Ronaldo headed his third goal of the campaign with 12 minutes remaining.

Juve lead the table on 16 points but Inter Milan can return to the summit when they travel to Sampdoria later on Saturday.

SPAL goalkeeper Etrit Berisha made a string of impressive saves to keep the score down as the visitors fell to their fifth defeat in six matches.

They stay level on three points with Sampdoria at the foot of the table.(Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN

By Ijeoma Okigbo

Jamaicas Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pyrce ran a 10.71 seconds to win the world 100 metres title at the 2019 World Championships in Doha on Sunday.

Fraser-Pyrce, who was away in the 2017 edition to have her son, stunned with a 10.80 to become the worlds fastest ever in the heats.

She went on to race an amazing 10.87 in the semi-finals before a 10.71 in the final to seal a fourth world title (2009, 2013, 2015 and 2019).

U.Ks Dina Asher Smith came behind in 10.83 to seal a new British record and her first world senior medal.

Cote dIvoires Marie-Josee Ta Lou settled for bronze in 10.90 after clinching silver in the previous edition in 2017, London.

Source: NAN

By Ijeoma Okigbo

Divine Oduduru finished last in heat 3 with 20.84 seconds in the mens 200m semi-finals and failed to make appearance in the events final scheduled for Tuesday.

Teammate Blessing Okagbare, on the other hand, was disqualified in her 200m heatfor lane infringement.

Both athletes have experienced a rough start in the build-up after an earlier disqualification from the 200m race.

The duo had been shortlisted to feature in the 100m race against their will.

Their non-participation in the distance resulted to their withdrawal from the other events entered.

But an appeal to the world athletics body saw them reinstated into the world championships.

Meanwhile, Patience Okon-George and Favour Ofili have qualified for the womens 400m semi-finals.

Source: NAN

By Justina Auta

Okapi Children Cancer Foundation, an NGO, on Tuesday donated N2 million to children undergoing cancer treatment at the National Hospital, Abuja.

The Founder of the foundation, Kemi Babatunde, while handing over the money, said that it was part of the activities to mark the foundations Cancer Awareness Walk held in Abuja.

We are optimistic that the money will go a long way to assist babies requiring treatment.

A lot of these kids are here and have not been able to undergo or start chemo-treatment.

But with these funds, a lot of them will be able to commence treatment immediately.

She stressed the need for government and relevant stakeholders to continue to support patients suffering from cancer, urging experts to intensify research for a cure for cancer.

Responding, Dr Oyesakin Asewumi, who received the money, commended the foundation for the support toward reducing the hardship faced by children affected by cancer-related ailments.

She said that the money would be used to procure drugs and settle the bills of patients.

Asewumi emphasised the need for members of the public to report, and seek remedy to any health challenge in the nearest health centre immediately it is noticed.

Source: NAN

The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu says the president has no plans to amend the constitution to enable him contest for a third term in office.

Shehu disclosed this while reacting to an online gossips and speculations that President Muhammadu Buhari may accept the campaign by a group to go for a third term in office.

A group that calls itself Movement for the Approval of Buhari Third Term has been campaigning for constitutional amendment to enable Buhari run for a third term.

He slammed the speculations, saying categorically that no such attempt will happen under this President

See the full statement

The Presidency wishes to correct internet-based gossip and un-informed media commentary regarding presidential term limits, given credence by so-called support groups, staging street demonstrations asking President Muhammadu Buhari to do a third term.

There are no circumstances nor set of circumstances under which President Buhari may seek to amend the Constitution regarding the two-term term limit on holding office as President.

President Buhari intends to serve his full second elected term in office, ending 2023 and then there shall be a general election in which he will not be a candidate.

There is not even the faintest possibility that this will change.

It is important to note that there was a past attempt to change the Constitution to allow for the-then incumbent president to stand for a third term. That attempt was wrong, unconstitutional and rightly rebuffed. No such attempt will happen under this President.

President Buhari is a democrat. He respects the Constitution. Any activity aimed at altering the two-term limit will not succeed and shall never have his time nor support.

Source: NAN

Perus Vice President, Mercedes Araoz, resigned from her position late Tuesday as a power struggle roils the South American nation.

Araozs resignation came after President Martin Vizcarra on Monday disbanded the opposition-controlled Congress and called for fresh elections in January.

He said the move was necessary because the legislature has refused to pass a raft of anti-corruption reforms he has been championing, as well as changes to the way top judges are appointed.

Some Peruvians took to the streets in celebration.

Governors and leaders of the armed forces also came out in support of Vizcarra, who assumed office on March 2018.

However, a group of opposition lawmakers voted to suspend Vizcarra from office and nominate Araoz as interim president, leading to confusion about who was the countrys rightful leader.

Then, on Tuesday, Araoz announced on Twitter she was resigning as vice president and declining the oppositions appointment as interim leader.

Araoz said she hoped her decision would help smooth the path toward a general election that could pull Peru out of its political dysfunction.

For months, Vizcarra had threatened to dissolve parliament unless it supported reforms to campaign financing, the curbing of parliamentary immunity against prosecution, the prevention convicted people from running for office, among others.

Vizcarra proposed the reforms last year in response to revelations of massive corruption within the judiciary.

They were backed by the vast majority of Peruvians in a referendum in December.

Three former presidents of Peru are under investigation for corruption.

A fourth, Alan Garcia, committed suicide in April when police came to arrest him in connection with a graft probe. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN

By Edith Ike-Eboh

I lost my two children to cholera, I can only see with one of my eyes because of the effects of oil production here in Kula, Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers.

I am happy today because I can now fetch water from a tap, thanks to the builders of the water plant in Kula; if this has been available, I would not have lost my two boys, Mrs Agnes Hamilton, 54, lamented.

Hamilton, is one, among so many women, who suffered the consequences of non- implementation of Joint Venture Agreements by oil companies and its partners for the development of oil rich Niger Delta host communities.

Oil exploration and production are associated with substantial environmental risks and sensitivities, and require delicate but deliberate management.

Failure to manage properly, usually have dire consequences on the environment, society and energy users.

To minimise these externalities, oil companies worldwide adopt a structured approach involving a combination of partnership, responsible operations, corporate social responsibility to the host communities and local capacity building.

Over the years since crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity in Oloibiri, now in Bayelsa in 1956, negligence and alienation of host communities have precipitate crises of great dimensions, hindering smooth exploration.

Oil exploration in the Niger Delta region, had often been resisted by the host communities due to large scale environmental degradation, arising from the exploitative activities of oil companies.

While the activities of these companies elsewhere were characterised by strict environmental quality considerations, in the Niger Delta, their operations were crude, evidenced by prolonged gas flaring and oil spillage, with adverse effects on the environment and economic activity in the region.

Experts have stressed the need for effective legislation that would engender economic growth and development in the region.

For over two years, the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 25 Flow, had been shut down and Shell that operates in the community driven out of the flow station by the women and youths in the community.

Malam Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said that the country lost about 1.7 billion dollars due to the closure of the flow station that produces 35,000 barrels of crude per day.

This is one among many other oil wells that have operational challenge due to poor implementation of policies that would drive development in the host communities.

The Petroleum Industry Bill, not yet passed into law, would have helped all parties to ensure implementation of polices.

For instance, the Petroleum Host and Impacted Communities Development Bill 2018, called the Host Community Bill, is made up of six parts, with major focus on how to finance and execute projects for the benefit and sustainable development of the settlors host and impacted communities; to support healthcare development for the settlors host and impacted communities.

Also, it is to facilitate economic empowerment opportunities in the settlors host and impacted communities; and to undertake the infrastructural development of the settlors host and impacted communities within the scope of funds available to the Board of Trustees for such purposes.

For non-assent to this bill, the country had continued to witness pipelines breaks, obstruction of operation which in turn affects revenue generation and economic growth.

If this bill has been passed by the National Assembly, the region would have seen a difference in development.

But unfortunately, that has not been done, and we seriously need the political will to do so, for the development of that region as well as the oil and gas sector in the country, said Mr Joshua Adeola, an energy expert.

But the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Timpire Slyva, said that there is the need to adopt new ways of doing business in the Niger Delta host communities in order to attract investors.

He said that peace and strong community development projects were key to achieving result in the sector.

We need unity in the land today, and it is time for us to change strategy on our engagements to bring investment to our communities.

If we cannot make our communities peaceful, investors will not come. It is our responsibility to bring peace to our communities for investment to come, because investors are willing to come.

He noted that through peaceful engagements, oil producing communities in the Niger Delta could earn more revenue from oil and gas investment opportunities.

According to him, there will be more developments as against the constant cases of hostility, disruption of oil production and underdevelopment.

In the same vein, Kyari said that the NNPC as a major stakeholder had adopted a strategy of constant engagement of host communities to ensure lasting peace for effective oil production in the country.

Community engagement is the solution to resolving dispute with oil producing communities.

We have found a solution, and this would enable people to go back to their work; offer social services and all that is needed will come back.

For people like Asari Dokubo, a popular Niger Delta youth leader, all relevant laws and policies that would drive development of the Niger Delta region must be conformed with, to stop all kinds of community crises that destabilise exploration in the region.

He believes that he who owns the land, owns what is on the land, and what is above the land.

Getting the communities to participate and whatever laws that are made must affect the people positively, which, over the years have not affected us, he said

With sustained peace and participation of host communities in the exploration of oil in the Niger Delta region by the oil companies, hostility, militancy, among others would come to an end. (NANFeatures)

Source: NAN

By Ifeanyi Olannye

Dame Edith Okowa, wife of Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has denied receiving N3.5 billion for her pet project, O5 Initiative, from the Initiative for Global Development, a U.S based organisation.

The governors wife made the denial in Asaba on Wednesday at a press briefing while reacting to stories making the round that IGD donated 10 million dollars (N3.5 billion) to O5 Initiative.

The money was allegedly donated during the just concluded United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

She explained that O5 Initiative as a registered organization was invited to the UNGA where she made presentations.

A major outcome of our UN presentations is the expressed desire of the Initiative for Global Development to partner with O5 Initiative.

Their interest is centered on digitizing our sickle cell clinics across the state. This will generate critical data that will aid in the management of sickle cell patients.

I would like to state categorically that no memorandum of understanding has been signed and no financial commitment has been made.

If my Initiative was given any money, I will be very glad but no money was given to it, she said.

Mrs Okowa said that the O5 Initiative, had enjoyed support in cash and kind from individuals and corporate bodies including banks and oil companies.

She mentioned that the organization had conducted medical outreach programmes at the grassroots in the state in which 26,304 patients benefited in 2018.

Also the distribution of 15,811 eyeglasses and 9,386 eye drops, and performed surgery on 2,241 patients.

In the past four years, we have paid hospital bills for indigent patients to the tune of nearly N14 million.

Perhaps, our most visible achievement to date is our contributions to the treatment and management of sickle cell disorder.

We have so far established 12 sickle cell centers in government owned hospitals in Agbor, Oleh, Kwale, Okpe, Ughelli, Otu-Jeremi, Umunede, Issele-Uku, Patani, Emu and Moko, fitted with modern laboratory equipment, genetic counsellors and medical doctors, Mrs Okowa said.(NAN).

Source: NAN

By Ikenna Uwadileke

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has commended Nigerians for their resilience and entrepreneurial skills in the 59 years of the countrys existence.

A statement issued by Mr Victor Oladokun, Director, Communication and External Relations of AfDB, said that Nigeria had achieved a lot in spite of its numerous challenges.

Its been a long road with many ups and downs, of dreams come-true and of visions unrealised.

While there is still much to do and many mountains to climb, tenacity, hard work and a youthful entrepreneurial spirit are some of the things we love about this absolutely amazing country, Oladokun said.

He said that since 59 years of Nigerias independence, the country had demonstrated faith and hope in its determination to grow as an indivisible nation.

According to him, the country has shown strength in diversity with 200 million people living together even though tribe and tongue differ significantly.

He said that the country had attained remarkable feats in many fields of endeavour but added that a lot more still need to be done.

For example, in sports and physical strength, it is still a wasted asset waiting for the addition of tremendous value.

Long may the memories of visionary administrators such as Isaac Akioye and Sam Ogbemudia live.

The sector is however, waiting for the birth of a new generation of visionary leaders to turn rough stones into fine diamonds, he said.

While commending the countrys entertainment industry, Oladokun said that more efforts must be put in place to improve on some imperfections.

No doubt the country has an array of talents like Bruce Onabrakpeya, Ben Enwonwu, Yusuf Grillo, Aina Onabolu and Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy in arts. There are new starts in music like Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage and Frank Edwards.

There is Cobhams Asuquo, Mercy Chinwo, Onos Ariyo, Sinach, Jeremiah Gyang, Flavour