El Clasico: Neymar, Alexis Sanchez give Barcelona 2-1 win over Real Madrid

Neymar gave the hosts a deserved lead with a neat finish from a narrow angle on 19 minutes before Alexis Sanchez sealed the points 12 minutes from time with a delightful chip over Diego Lopez.

 Barcelona:  Gareth Bale had an El Clasico debut to forget as Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2-1 at the Camp Nou thanks to goals from Neymar and Alexis Sanchez.

Bale had been surprisingly selected for just his second start since joining the club by Real boss Carlo Ancelotti, but struggled to make an impression as Barca dominated the first-half.

Neymar gave the hosts a deserved lead with a neat finish from a narrow angle on 19 minutes before Lionel Messi ought to have doubled the advantage when he fired wide moments later.

Bale was replaced by Karim Benzema on the hour mark and the Frenchman nearly made an instant impact when he smashed the crossbar with 21 minutes remaining.

However, Sanchez sealed the points 12 minutes from time with a delightful chip over Diego Lopez.

Substitute Jese Rodriguez pulled a goal back for Madrid in stoppage time, but it was too little too late as Barca moved six points clear of their rivals at the top of La Liga.

Bale's inclusion was not the only surprise amongst Ancelotti's starting line up as Sergio Ramos was also moved into an unfamiliar central midfield role.

The Welshman had Madrid's first effort on goal with a left-footed strike that sailed well over, but it was Barca who settled quicker as Real struggled to come to terms with Neymar's pace and trickery.

It was no surprise that it was the Brazilian who put Barca in front when he collected Andres Iniesta's pass inside the area and sneaked his shot from a narrow angle inside the far post with the aid of a slight deflection off Dani Carvajal.

The presence of Cesc Fabregas in the Barca side had forced Messi into an unusual position on the right side.

However, the Argentine should have doubled the lead two minutes later when he was released through on goal only to uncharacteristically slide the ball wide on his trusted left foot.

Bale then saw another wild effort from distance fly well over, but Madrid did finally create a clear opening two minutes before the break when Cristiano Ronaldo showed Dani Alves a clear pair of heels down the left and Sami Khedira's effort on the slide was brilliantly kept out by Victor Valdes.

Bale's miserable first-half was rounded off in stoppage time when he saw a yellow card for a high challenge on Gerard Pique.

Madrid started the second-half brightly as their pressing higher up the field unsettled Barca.

However, the visitors had Lopez to thank for keeping them in the game as Javier Mascherano picked out Neymar with a wonderful pass in behind the Madrid defence and his volley was beaten away by the keeper.

Ancelotti then introduced Asier Illarramendi for Ramos to improve Madrid's use of the ball in midfield.

Real's pressing very nearly delivered an equaliser as Luka Modric and Khedira robbed Iniesta before the Croat fed Ronaldo and his rasping drive was turned behind by Valdes.

Bale was then withdrawn as Ancelotti sent on Benzema in search of an equaliser.

Ronaldo was less furious with referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco when he felt he had been bundled over by Adriano inside the area.

And seconds later Benzema nearly marked his entrance in stunning fashion as he lashed an effort from outside the area off the underside of the bar.

Sanchez ensured that Barca wouldn't have to endure a nervy final 10 minutes as he showed great speed to reach Neymar's pass before lifting a wonderfully judged lob over Lopez.

Jese gave Madrid a flicker of hope in stoppage time as he collected Ronaldo's pass to score low past Valdes, but Los Blancos didn't have time to mount another attack as they slipped to their second defeat of the season.

How to install BBM on your android device

Getting Started with BBM on Android and iPhone

by Ty Williams

 

Do you own an Android or iPhone smartphone? If so, you can download BBM and connect with friends and family around the world for free! To help you get started, here are a few things you’ll want to know.

Step 1 – Make sure BBM supports your device
In addition to BlackBerry smartphones, BBM™ is currently available on iPhone and Android devices.
For iPhone, BBM supports iOS v6 and iOS v7 or later.
For Android, BBM supports smartphones running Android v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and later and with a screen size of 7” or less.
Step 2 – How to download BBM on Android or iPhone
Visit www.BBM.com from your iPhone or Android smartphone browser. This will take you to the official BBM app in the App Store or Google Play.
This is the best way to ensure you get the real BBM for Android or iPhone
Step 3 – Sign into BBM using a BlackBerry ID
In order to use BBM, you’ll need a BBID (BlackBerry ID). Simply put, a BBID is an account that serves as your login to BBM on Android and iPhone.. What’s really convenient is that your BBM contact list and other BBM details are linked to your BBID. With your contact list linked to your BBID, you no longer have to manually backup and restore your BBM contact list when you switch devices.
Update 10/24/13: To help manage the demand for BBM, we are implementing a simple line-up system to ensure a smooth roll out. Since this is the case, after installing BBM on a Android or iPhone, launch the app and enter your email address to a hold a spot in line. We will email you as soon as you reach the front of the line so you can start using BBM.

If you don’t have a BBID, you’ll be able to create one after installing BBM on your device, or you can create one online by browsing to bbid.com. After creating your BBID, all that’s left to do is sign in to BBM and you’ll be able to start chatting with friends and family.
In the event you already have a BBID but forget the password, visit the BlackBerry ID website for assistance with resetting your password.
Finally, for those that used BBM on a BlackBerry smartphone in the past, you may be able to restore your contacts provided your BBID was associated with a BlackBerry smartphone running BBM 7.0 or later. If this applies to you, when you log in to BBM using that BBID, you will be prompted to restore your contacts.
Step 4 – BBM tips!
At this point, BBM should be installed on your Android or iPhone, and you’ve successfully signed in using a BlackBerry ID. To help you get the most out of BBM, here are a few things you’ll want to know!
What is a BBM PIN and how can I find mine?
A PIN is a unique identifier used in BBM that is automatically generated when you log in to BBM for the first time. If you want to invite someone to be a BBM contact, give them your PIN, or ask for theirs. It’s a neat way to connect with people without having to give them personal information like your email address or phone number. You can also add a new contact on BBM by showing them your PIN Barcode (this looks like a QR code), rather than having to type out the PIN number. After your friend scans your PIN Barcode, you’ll be added to each other’s contact lists. Again, no personal information is exchanged, just your unique PINs.
To find your BBM PIN, tap your BBM picture or name followed by Show Barcode along the bottom toolbar.
How do I change my BBM name, status or picture?
After signing in to BBM, tap your picture or name along the top banner and do any of the following:

• To change your BBM display name, tap your current display name.
• To change your BBM picture (avatar), tap your current picture followed by tapping  Replace Picture and select a new picture or animated GIF to use as your BBM picture.
• In the ‘What’s on your mind?’ field, type a status.
• To show an icon beside your name, or to show a custom status that you saved, tap Status and select a desired status

How can I invite my friends to join BBM?
You can add contacts to BBM by scanning a BBM barcode, typing a BBM PIN, or by selecting a contact on your device and sending them an invite via email or text.

1. On the bottom right of the screen, tap  >  Invite to BBM
2. Follow the directions on the screen
3. To view your pending BBM invitations, tap  >  Invites

 

7.3-magnitude quake rocks Japan

TOKYO (AP) — An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 struck early Saturday morning off Japan's east coast, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Japan's emergency agencies declared a tsunami warning for the region that includes the crippled Fukushima nuclear site.

Japan's Meteorological Agency issued a 1-meter (3-foot) tsunami warning for a long stretch of Japan's northeastern coast. It put the magnitude of the quake at 7.1. The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not post warnings for the rest of the Pacific.

There were no immediate reports of damage on land. Japanese television images of harbors showed calm waters.
The quake hit at 2:10 a.m. Saturday Tokyo time (1710 GMT) about 290 kilometers (170 miles) off Fukushima. Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that Tokyo Electric Power Co., the operator of the Fukushima plant, ordered workers near the coast to move to higher ground. Japanese news service Kyodo said there were no signs of trouble at the plant.
The tremor was felt in Tokyo, some 300 miles (480 kilometers) away.
All but two of Japan's 50 reactors have been offline since the March 2011 magnitude-9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami triggered multiple meltdowns and massive radiation leaks at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, about 250 kilometers (160 miles) northeast of Tokyo. About 19,000 people were killed.

Imagine this

NAME: Barack Obama.

MARITAL STATUS: Married with Children.

OFFICE: President of the United States.

LEGION OF ENEMIES:

Al Qaeda, Hamas;
Army of Islam;
Ku Klux Klan;
Red Brigade;
Abu Sayyaf;
Republican Party;
U.S. War veterans;
Al Badr;
Baader Meinhoff;
Orange Volunteers;
Hezbollah;
Islamic Jihad;
IRA;
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia;
November 17 Organization; Mohammedan Army;
Ansar Dine;
Taliban;
Tamil Tigers Movement;
Ulster Movement;
Libyan L.F.G;
Palestine Liberation Front;
Al Shabaab and lots more too numerous to mention.

OFFICIAL CAR:

2009 Cadillac DTS Limo a.k.a "The Beast"

QUANTITY : 1

CAR PRICE: $300,000 ( N47 million).
........................................

NAME: Stella Oduah, Miss.

MARITAL STATUS: SINGLE

OFFICE: Minister of Aviation, Nigeria.

ENEMIES:

Mama Ekene,
Mama Sikira,
Ex-husband,
Femi Fani-Kayode,
Village witches,
Dana Airlines,
Rotimi Amaechi;
G7 Rebel Governors;
Adams Oshiomhole;
Dino Melaye;
Obiageli Ezekwesili;
Wole Babalakin;
Bi Courtney;
Airport Touts;
ETC

OFFICIAL CAR:

2013 BMW 760iL HSS a.k.a "BMW Vex Die"

QUANTITY: 2

CAR PRICE: $1.6million (N255million)

Girls are not cheap in Port Harcourt

Curled from Vanguard

By Jimitota Onoyume

PORT HARCOURT,widely known as Garden city is a bubbling capital city in the country.  It is a place every Nigerian  with taste for the good things of life want to visit and spend their vacation.

At a time, it was common gossip that the most fashionable people and beautiful women   in Africa were in Port Harcourt.  The emergence of Agbani Darego   from the riverine speaking area of the state as the first African to clinch the coveted crown of Miss World, Most Beautiful Girl in the World, reinforced the talk that the most beautiful queens were found in this trendy city.

It is common knowledge that life is not cheap in Port Harcourt because the women like every glamour girl, are not cheap.  You see some of them in their radiance and beauty at red light districts in new GRA area of Port Harcourt where you find most of the night clubs.

Before Chibuike Amaechi came on board as governor in his first term, night life was almost at a halt because miscreants and brigands who masqueraded as militants had held the state under siege. So most residents and party lovers had no choice but to remain indoors   after close of work. 

But when Amaechi assumed office, one of the first task he undertook was to dislodge these hoodlums from the city.  He smoked them out from their hideouts with the aid of the Joint Task Force, JTF. The few who were lucky to escape arrest and prosecution by the security body fled the town.  Night life resumed again, this time more colourful in almost all parts of the city.

In virtually all major streets you find drinking spots, with Nija jams blaring from speakers from 8pm and sometimes till dawn. It is difficult to tell which is a night club in this city because these drinking spots operate also as night clubs from 8pm, even some restaurants and car wash do too.

You spend about thrice the amount for any call girl in other states, in Port Harcourt.  This is simply because the girls are rated in a class of their own.

Most guys begin their evenings with their lady friends at the Silver bird cinema. From the movie hall, they empty into the bar where there is a live Disc Jockey, DJ, dishing out jams from his corner at the bar.   Later, they move out to other night clubs in new GRA and other parts of Port Harcourt. The list of night clubs, restaurants/bars and car wash-turned night clubs  is endless.

You see all manner of charming babes at these spots mostly at weekends. Guys on their part have categorised these girls. There are those they nick named 100 level  ( those between 18 to 21) and these ones are the  most patronised even if they ask for as much as ten,  twenty thousand to  give a guy good company for a night.

The girls prefer night at hotels with guys. According to Nkechi, “night at hotels with the guys shields her from all kinds of harassment”. She said no woman for instance would walk into the room in a hotel to embarrass her for spending night with the husband.

Night life in the city has also brought brisk business for operators of popular drinking spots. At some of them, a bottle of Heineken sells as high as five hundred to eight hundred naira, sometimes even at one thousand, two hundred naira. Choice drinks like Hennessey,   Black label go for as much as twenty five thousand naira at some of the spots.

These drinks are taken with ‘point and kill’ i.e. fish made into pepper soup.  The customer is led to a makeshift pond in the bar or club and given the opportunity to point at any fish which will be used to prepare pepper soup for him and his guest (s).  The price of the ‘point and kill’ varies from the size of the fish and the spot. Some of them could sell for four or five thousand naira.

Those into fast food business and suya are also counting their gains with the return of night life to the city.  Sometimes, you see guys rush out of the clubs to have quick meals made from indomie prepared with fried eggs. Fast food operators mount their stands close to most of these busy spots.

There is also the angle of business for taxi drivers. You see them hang around these clubs and bars to take passengers home after a night full of fun. A taxi driver, Mr Bola told Saturday Vanguard that he only operated at night.

According to him, he starts working from 10 pm till 5am daily while he rests in the day time. He said he makes what he calls ‘his cool money’ at night.  He said all he does is to hang around these busy night clubs and restaurants turned night clubs for patronage, adding that most of his clients were girls.

The taxi driver said some of the girls move to as much as three, four clubs in one night until they meet a guy that is ready to engage them for their ‘service’ for the night. “These girls they pay well o, Oga Journalist, “, he said.

Unlike in the past when residents of Port Harcourt lived in fear, with increased security patrol, night life has returned again, this time with much fun in Port Harcourt widely referred to as Garden city.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/girls-are-not-cheap-in-port-harcourt/#sthash.bTogn1tt.dpuf

By Jimitota Onoyume
PORT HARCOURT,widely known as Garden city is a bubbling capital city in the country.  It is a place every Nigerian  with taste for the good things of life want to visit and spend their vacation.
At a time, it was common gossip that the most fashionable people and beautiful women   in Africa were in Port Harcourt.  The emergence of Agbani Darego   from the riverine speaking area of the state as the first African to clinch the coveted crown of Miss World, Most Beautiful Girl in the World, reinforced the talk that the most beautiful queens were found in this trendy city.
It is common knowledge that life is not cheap in Port Harcourt because the women like every glamour girl, are not cheap.  You see some of them in their radiance and beauty at red light districts in new GRA area of Port Harcourt where you find most of the night clubs.
Before Chibuike Amaechi came on board as governor in his first term, night life was almost at a halt because miscreants and brigands who masqueraded as militants had held the state under siege. So most residents and party lovers had no choice but to remain indoors   after close of work.  
But when Amaechi assumed office, one of the first task he undertook was to dislodge these hoodlums from the city.  He smoked them out from their hideouts with the aid of the Joint Task Force, JTF. The few who were lucky to escape arrest and prosecution by the security body fled the town.  Night life resumed again, this time more colourful in almost all parts of the city.
In virtually all major streets you find drinking spots, with Nija jams blaring from speakers from 8pm and sometimes till dawn. It is difficult to tell which is a night club in this city because these drinking spots operate also as night clubs from 8pm, even some restaurants and car wash do too.
You spend about thrice the amount for any call girl in other states, in Port Harcourt.  This is simply because the girls are rated in a class of their own.
Most guys begin their evenings with their lady friends at the Silver bird cinema. From the movie hall, they empty into the bar where there is a live Disc Jockey, DJ, dishing out jams from his corner at the bar.   Later, they move out to other night clubs in new GRA and other parts of Port Harcourt. The list of night clubs, restaurants/bars and car wash-turned night clubs  is endless.
You see all manner of charming babes at these spots mostly at weekends. Guys on their part have categorised these girls. There are those they nick named 100 level  ( those between 18 to 21) and these ones are the  most patronised even if they ask for as much as ten,  twenty thousand to  give a guy good company for a night.
The girls prefer night at hotels with guys. According to Nkechi, “night at hotels with the guys shields her from all kinds of harassment”. She said no woman for instance would walk into the room in a hotel to embarrass her for spending night with the husband.
Night life in the city has also brought brisk business for operators of popular drinking spots. At some of them, a bottle of Heineken sells as high as five hundred to eight hundred naira, sometimes even at one thousand, two hundred naira. Choice drinks like Hennessey,   Black label go for as much as twenty five thousand naira at some of the spots.
These drinks are taken with ‘point and kill’ i.e. fish made into pepper soup.  The customer is led to a makeshift pond in the bar or club and given the opportunity to point at any fish which will be used to prepare pepper soup for him and his guest (s).  The price of the ‘point and kill’ varies from the size of the fish and the spot. Some of them could sell for four or five thousand naira.
Those into fast food business and suya are also counting their gains with the return of night life to the city.  Sometimes, you see guys rush out of the clubs to have quick meals made from indomie prepared with fried eggs. Fast food operators mount their stands close to most of these busy spots.
There is also the angle of business for taxi drivers. You see them hang around these clubs and bars to take passengers home after a night full of fun. A taxi driver, Mr Bola told Saturday Vanguard that he only operated at night.
According to him, he starts working from 10 pm till 5am daily while he rests in the day time. He said he makes what he calls ‘his cool money’ at night.  He said all he does is to hang around these busy night clubs and restaurants turned night clubs for patronage, adding that most of his clients were girls.
The taxi driver said some of the girls move to as much as three, four clubs in one night until they meet a guy that is ready to engage them for their ‘service’ for the night. “These girls they pay well o, Oga Journalist, “, he said.
Unlike in the past when residents of Port Harcourt lived in fear, with increased security patrol, night life has returned again, this time with much fun in Port Harcourt widely referred to as Garden city.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/girls-are-not-cheap-in-port-harcourt/#sthash.bTogn1tt.dpuf

By Jimitota Onoyume
PORT HARCOURT,widely known as Garden city is a bubbling capital city in the country.  It is a place every Nigerian  with taste for the good things of life want to visit and spend their vacation.
At a time, it was common gossip that the most fashionable people and beautiful women   in Africa were in Port Harcourt.  The emergence of Agbani Darego   from the riverine speaking area of the state as the first African to clinch the coveted crown of Miss World, Most Beautiful Girl in the World, reinforced the talk that the most beautiful queens were found in this trendy city.
It is common knowledge that life is not cheap in Port Harcourt because the women like every glamour girl, are not cheap.  You see some of them in their radiance and beauty at red light districts in new GRA area of Port Harcourt where you find most of the night clubs.
Before Chibuike Amaechi came on board as governor in his first term, night life was almost at a halt because miscreants and brigands who masqueraded as militants had held the state under siege. So most residents and party lovers had no choice but to remain indoors   after close of work.  
But when Amaechi assumed office, one of the first task he undertook was to dislodge these hoodlums from the city.  He smoked them out from their hideouts with the aid of the Joint Task Force, JTF. The few who were lucky to escape arrest and prosecution by the security body fled the town.  Night life resumed again, this time more colourful in almost all parts of the city.
In virtually all major streets you find drinking spots, with Nija jams blaring from speakers from 8pm and sometimes till dawn. It is difficult to tell which is a night club in this city because these drinking spots operate also as night clubs from 8pm, even some restaurants and car wash do too.
You spend about thrice the amount for any call girl in other states, in Port Harcourt.  This is simply because the girls are rated in a class of their own.
Most guys begin their evenings with their lady friends at the Silver bird cinema. From the movie hall, they empty into the bar where there is a live Disc Jockey, DJ, dishing out jams from his corner at the bar.   Later, they move out to other night clubs in new GRA and other parts of Port Harcourt. The list of night clubs, restaurants/bars and car wash-turned night clubs  is endless.
You see all manner of charming babes at these spots mostly at weekends. Guys on their part have categorised these girls. There are those they nick named 100 level  ( those between 18 to 21) and these ones are the  most patronised even if they ask for as much as ten,  twenty thousand to  give a guy good company for a night.
The girls prefer night at hotels with guys. According to Nkechi, “night at hotels with the guys shields her from all kinds of harassment”. She said no woman for instance would walk into the room in a hotel to embarrass her for spending night with the husband.
Night life in the city has also brought brisk business for operators of popular drinking spots. At some of them, a bottle of Heineken sells as high as five hundred to eight hundred naira, sometimes even at one thousand, two hundred naira. Choice drinks like Hennessey,   Black label go for as much as twenty five thousand naira at some of the spots.
These drinks are taken with ‘point and kill’ i.e. fish made into pepper soup.  The customer is led to a makeshift pond in the bar or club and given the opportunity to point at any fish which will be used to prepare pepper soup for him and his guest (s).  The price of the ‘point and kill’ varies from the size of the fish and the spot. Some of them could sell for four or five thousand naira.
Those into fast food business and suya are also counting their gains with the return of night life to the city.  Sometimes, you see guys rush out of the clubs to have quick meals made from indomie prepared with fried eggs. Fast food operators mount their stands close to most of these busy spots.
There is also the angle of business for taxi drivers. You see them hang around these clubs and bars to take passengers home after a night full of fun. A taxi driver, Mr Bola told Saturday Vanguard that he only operated at night.
According to him, he starts working from 10 pm till 5am daily while he rests in the day time. He said he makes what he calls ‘his cool money’ at night.  He said all he does is to hang around these busy night clubs and restaurants turned night clubs for patronage, adding that most of his clients were girls.
The taxi driver said some of the girls move to as much as three, four clubs in one night until they meet a guy that is ready to engage them for their ‘service’ for the night. “These girls they pay well o, Oga Journalist, “, he said.
Unlike in the past when residents of Port Harcourt lived in fear, with increased security patrol, night life has returned again, this time with much fun in Port Harcourt widely referred to as Garden city.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/girls-are-not-cheap-in-port-harcourt/#sthash.bTogn1tt.dpuf

GUS Update

Tracy chapelle evicted from the GUS 10. This leaves Ifunanya as the last girl standing.The action continues tomorrow.

ASUU: we’re ready to approve extra cash, says Tambuwal

HOUSE of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal yesterday said if there is a need to make extra budgetary provisions for the Federal Government to resolve the lingering face-off between it and the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities ASUU), the House would do so.

The Speaker spoke in Abuja when he received a briefing on the ASUU strike from the Aminu Suleiman-led House Committee on Education.

He called for a speedy resolution of the face-off between both sides, which have led to the closure of government-owned universities for nearly four months.

The House mandated the Education committee to investigate the face-off by highlighting the areas of conflict and proffer solutions.

Tambuwal urged the warring parties to consider the interest of the students and the educational future of the nation.

He said: “Let me use this opportunity to appeal to both the Executive arm and the authorities of ASUU to quickly resolve the problem. If there is need for any appropriation, the House will expeditiously assent to it in the interest of our students and the nation.”

The Ondo State Police Command yesterday dispersed the peaceful rally staged by the Federal University of Technology, Akure, branch of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Adekunle Ajasin University (AAU) Akungba-Akoko.

The police frustrated the planned rally in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

They moved their officers and men to the entrance of the institution and blocked the protesters from moving out for the protest.

The protesters, chanting various solidarity songs, carried placards with various inscriptions, such as “Sound universities yield national development”; “Okojo-Iweala, ask your dad about ASUU struggle”; “ASUU says no to destruction of public universities”; “Agreement is agreement, so FG should do the right thing”, among others.

Addressing reporters on the police action, the ASUU-FUTA branch Chairman, Dr Alex Odiyi, wondered why the police prevented the union’s members from holding the protest.

He said: “We wonder why the police are doing this to us. We want to go to the town to inform the public about the true state of things. That is our intention. Now, they are saying we should not go. This is very unfortunate.”

At the AAU, Akungba-Akoko, the university teachers were disallowed from staging their peaceful protest.

Police spokesman Wole Ogodo said the police prevented the protesters so that the protest would not be hijacked by the hoodlums.

“We have information that some hoodlums wanted to attack the lecturers. We don’t want that to happen, because it can cause another crisis in the town. That is why we stopped the protest from going beyond their campus,” Ogodo said.

The University of Benin (UNIBEN) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday held a road show and protest through major streets of Benin, the Edo State capital.

The protesters wore academic gowns and carried placards with various inscriptions.

They accused the government of plotting to sell the universities and embarking on what they called an “offensive propaganda”.

The UNIBEN-ASUU chairman Dr Anthony Monye-Emina said the allowance allegedly released by the government was not their priority.

He said university lecturers were interested in the funding of “infrastructure, science laboratory, workshops and others”.

Monye said the government did not behave with honour because President Goodluck Jonathan chaired the fundraising of a private university at a time public universities were on strike.

He said: “This government is shameless and has no honour. Tutors have been on strike since July 1 to press home their 2009 agreement with the federal government. We are not making fresh demands. The 2009 agreement recommended N1.6 trillion to cater for education and this ought to be provided at the rate of N400 billion within a period of four years.

“The government keeps saying no money to fund education. Yet, it bailed out banks, aviation and even Nollywood.”

A former ASUU President Dr Festus Iyayi said the government could not say there was no money.

He said: “The president of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, last July, indicated that the amount of money stolen by Nigerians was over $600 billion. If you piled up that money, it would get to the moon seven times and back.”

Source: http://thenationonlineng.net

Police withdraw Amaechi’s aide’s security

It was like a movie scene as 15 policemen, in a command-like fashion, invaded the official residence of Chief Tony Okocha, the Chief of Staff to Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi, to effect the withdrawal of his security men.

They claimed to be acting on the orders of Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu.

Mbu and the state government have been at loggerheads as a result of which even the national assembly has authorised Inspector General of police Mohammed Abubakar to redeploy him. But he has declined.

The two policemen attached to Okocha’s residence opposite the Rivers State Government House were withdrawn. The invading policemen created a scene in the process, claiming they were under instruction to also withdrawn policemen on escort and guard duties with Okocha and the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), George Feyii.

It was learnt that when the 15 policemen got to Okocha’s official residence, they kept banging the gate, holding everybody in the expansive premises hostage, in a war-like situation.

The private security men and the two policemen being withdrawn initially thought they were to be killed and refused the invading policemen access to the building.

In the confusion, the security personnel on guard duty at Okocha’s official residence moved to a safe point in the compound, which made it impossible for the main gate to be immediately opened.

Okocha said last night: “The Special Protection Unit (SPU) of the Nigeria Police in Rivers State assigned some policemen to my official residence and for escort, but Mbu has withdrawn them and those with the SSG. We are left with only one orderly each.

“No reason was given for the withdrawal of the policemen. Before the withdrawal, I had three policemen on escort duty and two policemen at my official residence. The two policemen alternated day and night.

“My life is in danger. If anything goes wrong, Mbu should be held responsible. He does not pick my calls.

“There was pandemonium when the invading policemen got to my official residence and they held everybody to ransom. One of the private security men later opened the gate.”

The police signal of 9:55 am of October 24, 2013 (yesterday), from the SPU, which was obtained by The Nation, had as reference number: CB/4001/B/Dept/SPU/Base 6 Rivers/Vol 1/149.

Copies of the signal were sent to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 6, Calabar; Compol, SPU; SSQ, Abuja and the Compol B Ops.

The signal, titled: Orders and Directives, read in part: “You are directed to withdrawal all Special Protection Unit personnel posted on escort /guard duties attached to the Secretary to the Rivers State Government and the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, leaving only an orderly each, with immediate effect. Ensure strict compliance please.”

No name was indicated on the signal, which bore “SPU Base 6, Port Harcourt.”

Rivers Police Spokesman Ahmad Muhammad was not available for comment.

Source: http://thenationonlineng.net

ASUU: Jonathan was party to pact

UNIVERSITY teachers replied yesterday to Senate President David Mark’s comments on the 2009 agreement, which they are asking the Federal Government to implement.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) explained how the agreement was signed. ASUU has been on strike for over four months.

The union’s National Treasurer, Dr. Demola Aremu, said President Goodluck Jonathan was part of a long-drawn negotiation in 2009, which was reviewed in 2002 in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Mark said the government officials who signed the agreement “did not know their right from their left” and that the ASUU officials who negotiated exploited their ignorance.

Aremu said ASUU had rejected the pleas from senators to call off their strike. He advised the lawmakers to beg President Jonathan to implement the agreement.

Aremu recalled that it took ASUU and the Federal Government team, led by Mr Gamaliel Onosode, three years to arrive at the agreement, pointing out that it is pretentious for any top government functionary to claim that the government negotiating team did not understand fully what they signed with the teachers.

According to him, ASUU went to the negotiation with a 300-page charter, which was reduced to a 60-page agreement after the union shifted so much ground on many of its demands.

He said Dr. Jonathan, who was then the Vice President, asked the government to sign the agreement after thoroughly going through it for six months.

“He perused the draft agreement and asked the government team to sign every page of the document. Our President also signed it. The content of the agreement we have today is not what we took to the negotiation table. That shows Nigerians how greatly we’ve shifted ground. So, the team knew what they went into.”

Aremu explained that the Federal Government also came up with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the implementation of the agreement in January last year. He asked: “So, if anyone assumes that they didn’t know what they were doing in 2009, did they also not know what they were doing in 2012?”

The union leader compares Nigeria’s tertiary education with a cancer patient. He said no palliative measure could help heal cancer, pointing out that the patient will die.

“Begging will not bring any solution. Nigerians should rather beg government to face this agreement squarely and implement it. That is where our future lies,” Aremu said.

He said senators could also cut their allowances and contribute them to education for the benefit of all citizens.

The union also urged the National Assembly to go beyond “begging” ASUU to call off its strike, but plug spending leakages in government to allow for provision of needed infrastructure in the universities.

The union also lashed out at the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Prof. Sola Adeyeye, over his comments on why a professor will demand payment to supervise postgraduate students.

A statement by the University of Ibadan (UI) chairman of the union, Dr Olusegun Ajiboye, titled: “The goofing Professor Adeyeye: Senate and begging comments”, said Adeyeye was using public funds to train his children abroad, besides lacking in knowledge of the situation in Nigerian universities.

Ajiboye described Mark’s statement that ASUU will lose public sympathy, if it does not call off its strike, as “a careless talk” because, according to him, the Senate has already lost its credibility among Nigerians over its huge allowances and its perpetual anti-masses stance as opposed to the progressives in the House of Representatives.

“We are fighting a just cause. Can the senators wait for four years of their tenure before their allowances are paid? Can the Senate members sit in the chambers without air conditioners? What role has the Senate played to increase budgetary allocation to education? It is even funny for the Senate President to feign ignorance of the ASUU agreement as the sitting Senate President in 2009,” Ajiboye said.

ASUU said people, such as Adeyeye, ought to keep quiet when education is being discussed as “his immediate family members are not in Nigeria with all his children schooling and living abroad, using the millions of public funds being earned by their father in Nigeria to live large abroad.

“As a professor at the Duquesne University USA, Professor Adeyeye enjoyed flexible single and family healthcare coverage, including vision and dental insurance, disability benefits and life insurance, tuition remission for employees and family members, retirement savings plan with a generous eight per cent university contribution for employees with immediate vesting schedule, family leave, paid time off for vacation and holidays and unpaid time for personal leave of absence, comprehensive employee training programmes which promote professional development, access to a recreation centre and wellness programme.

“The question Prof Adeyeye should answer is, where in Nigeria does a professor enjoy all these with conducive learning environment? What is the ratio of students to a lecturer in Nigerian universities? Where else in the world will a professor supervise up to 35 students in a session?”

ASUU strike: Sack Wike now – Group tells Jonathan

A group, Rivers’ People Forum, RPF, a socio-political platform of all Rivers people, at home and in the Diaspora, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to fire the Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, over his recent comment on the ongoing ASUU strike.
Wike had, on Tuesday, said that the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, would linger for more months.

Angered by the comment, President of RPF, Charles Bekwele had in a statement, said Wike was not competent for the job, hence the need for his sack.
The group said Wike’s appointment as a Minister must be terminated with immediate effect in order to save the education sector from imminent and total collapse.
He said, “We have said time and again that Wike, who is from Rivers State, does not mean well for President Jonathan. He is a threat to democracy and is hell bent on destroying the Jonathan administration. Wike’s actions, inactions and statements are injurious, inimical and pernicious to Jonathan’s administration.”
Source: dailypost.com.ng

ASUU ‘demands N1.5tr’ to end strike

University teachers are asking for N1.5 trillion to return to the classrooms, a senator claimed yesterday.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been on strike for about four months.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, mentioned the figure in his contribution to a motion urging the lecturers to call off their strike.

The motion, sponsored by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (Cross River Central) and 106 others is titled “Appeal to Academic Staff Union of Universities to call off the strike and return to work”.

Chukwumerije, who read the controversial 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU, said part of the component of the agreement on funding stipulated that “all regular Federal universities shall require N1.5 trillion for the period 2009 to 2011.

He said ASUU was insisting that the agreement be implemented to the letter.

He said that the agreement also said “this money is to be paid in three installments, 2009 almost N500 billion; 2010 almost N500 billion; 2011 almost N506 billion”.

Besides the N1.5 trillion, the agreement also stipulated that “each state university shall require N3.6 million” while “a minimum of 26 per cent of the annual budget should be allocated to education”.

According to him, the agreement also said that “Education should be put on First Line Charge” and the Education Tax Act should be amended to its original concept as High Education Fund.”

He noted that the agreement said that “Governing Council of Universities should access and effectively utilise the Education Tax Fund for research, training and development of academic staff”.

Other components of the agreement include Salary Structure and earned allowances.

The earned academic staff allowances include: “Post graduate supervision allowances; Teaching practice and industrial allowances; honorarium for external moderation of undergraduate and postgraduate examination system, postgraduate study grants; external assessment of readers or professors, Call duty and clinical duty and hazard allowance and excess workload allowance.”

Other demands include “non salary condition of service, which includes clinical load, car refurbishing, housing loan, research leave, sabbatical leave, sick leave, maternity leave, injury pension, provision of office accommodation and facilities.”

Pension of university academic staff and compulsory retirement age, National Health Insurance Scheme, transfer of landed property, patronage of university services, funds from alumni associations, private sector contributions, cost saving measures, duty free importation of education materials by universities and setting up research development units by companies operating in Nigeria, were also part of the agreement.

Also setting up of budget monitoring committee, University post doctoral fellowship, which says that each university governing council should introduce post doctoral fellowship leave with pay outside Nigeria, Provision for teaching and research, national research funds, University autonomy and academic freedom, membership of governing councils, review of laws that impend university autonomy, academic freedom in terms of accountability and transparency and No Sole Administrators for universities, were included in the agreement..

Chukwumerije said there were in the agreement ambiguities that should have been avoided.

Ndoma-Egba noted that on July 1, ASUU began a strike to protest the failure of the Federal Government to implement the 2009 agreement signed with the union for the proper funding of the universities.

He said for upwards of four months, the strike has paralysed work in universities and rendered students redundant.

He observed that while the Federal Government may have released N100billion for infrastructure development in the universities and N30billion for accumulated allowances of lecturers, the lecturers have rejected the gesture as being grossly inadequate.

The Senate Leader observed that despite several negotiations between the striking lecturers and representatives of the Federal Government coupled with the intervention of prominent Nigerians for the parties to reach a compromise, the strike has persisted.

Ndoma-Egba is worried that “this is one strike too many and the entire education is grinding to a halt, considering that not only is ASUU, the Academic Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) is on strike and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) recently embarked on a seven days warning strike, all separately pressing for demands not unconnected with funding.”

He added that he is disturbed further that “after about four months of fruitless negotiations between the ASUU and the Federal Government over the strike, there are strong indications that the Federal Government may have commenced the implementation of the ‘No Work, No Pay’ rule, a development that may further compound amicable resolution of the dispute.”

He urged the Senate to resolve to appeal to the striking lecturers to suspend the strike and return to work to prevent further devaluation of Nigeria’s educational fortunes.

He prayed the upper chamber to mandate the Committee on Education to continue to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission, ASUU and all other stakeholders to proffer a lasting solution to strikes in the sector.

He urged the Senate to mandate the Senate President, David Mark to engage President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of ASUU to resolve the crisis.

The three prayers were unanimously adopted.

Mark who summed up senators’ contributions, said: “The essence of this motion is to find a solution and a way forward. I have listened to all those that have spoken so far.

“There are immediate problems that we need to tackle yesterday and some that we need to plead with all the parties involved to give time so that they can sort it out.

“My personal appeal on behalf of the Senate to all the parties involved will be that they try to understand.

“Let us shift ground in our understanding of the problem and find a solution because if all the parties involved just dig in and they say they won’t shift ground, then there will be no solution to it and Nigeria will be worse off for it.

“Whether it is the executive, the legislature or the judiciary or ASUU, not shifting ground is not going to help to find a lasting solution to the problem.

“I want to appeal to ASUU and in fact let me even use the words, I want to beg ASUU on behalf of the Senate that they resume and come back to work.

“They have made a strong case. Their position is obvious now. We can now see the consequences of their action and I think if they extend it beyond this then they will begin to lose public sympathy.

“I will personally beg them if that is the way that they think will help them to get back to work.

“There is no winner, there is no loser in this exercise. As long as the strike continues, nobody will win and everybody will lose.

“So if we look at it from the perspective of saying yes, ASUU will win and the executive will win then we are missing the point completely.

“It is not a question of a winner or a loser, all of us will lose. ASUU will lose, the country will lose and we will lose and we don’t want to find ourselves in that type of situation.

“All of you have spoken very well. It is not a matter of PDP, APC or any other political party. We are all Nigerians and if we don’t build a solid foundation in our education system, we are going to lose at the end of the day.

Mark spoke of research as the pillar of national development, which, in his view, “must be hinged purely on education not on oil, not even on the amount of money that we get.

“Listening to the agreement that was signed by the Federal Government as Comrade Uche Chukwumerije read out, I was really wondering whether this was signed or it was just a proposal.

“But when he concluded, he said it was signed. It only shows the level of people the Executive sent to go and negotiate on their behalf because ab initio, people must be told the truth, what can be accomplished and what cannot be accomplished.

“If a leader says I am going to accomplish this, he is morally bound to honour it. But, even if you decided immediately after that you cannot accomplish it, I think it is only proper for you to go back and start renegotiating.

“But if you prolong it on the basis that you are still going to honour it and you don’t honour it, then it doesn’t portray us in good light.

“This is where the Federal Government ought to call those who were party to this agreement,” the Senate President said.

To him, “ASUU simply took advantage of the ignorance of those who were sent and simply just allowed this agreement to go on because it is obvious that this is going to be very difficult piece of paper to implement”.

Mark added: “They found that those who were sent there simply didn’t know their right from their left and they just went ahead.

“I think that also is not fair because ASUU is an organisation in Nigeria and we are not going to go to another country to implement this piece of paper.

“It was obvious to me as soon as Chukwumerije concluded that this was a difficult thing for them to implement.

“I think in all seriousness we will make this passionate appeal to all the parties involved.”

Photo: OJB Leaves For India Today For His Kidney Transplant

ASUU strike: Reps promise supplementary budget to end protest

The House of Representatives, Thursday said that it was ready to approve a supplementary budget so that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, could call off its ongoing strike.

Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, made this known after the House was briefed on efforts by its Committee on Education to end the strike.
The speaker called on the Federal Government and the Union to quickly come to a compromise so students could go back to school.
He observed that the country would pay dearly for the lost academic time in the future if the strike was allowed to continue.
Tambuwal said, “Let me use this opportunity to appeal to both the Executive arm and the authorities of ASUU to please quickly resolve the problem.
“And if there is need for any appropriation, the House will expeditiously assent to it in the interest of our students and the nation.”

Source: http://dailypost.com.ng

El Clasico On Saturday, Oct. 26

Barcelona Hosts Real Madrid at the Camp Nou; Messi and Neymar to Face Ronaldo and Bale

 

Barcelona and Real Madrid are two of the world's most popular and successful soccer clubs and each team's roster is filled with soccer royalty. This will be the first Clasico for both coaches, Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti and Barcelona's Gerardo Martino, as well as for Barca's Neymar and Madrid's Gareth Bale and Isco.
Barcelona will be looking for a stellar performance from Lionel Messi, who needs one more goal to pass Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano to become the Clasico's all-time leading scorer. Barca hasn't beaten Real Madrid since December 2011 in the league.
"As El Clasico is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world, we are truly excited to carry this amazing match on beIN SPORT, beIN SPORT en Espanol, and beIN SPORT PLAY," said Yousef Al-Obaidly, managing director of beIN SPORT. "The match represents one of the most intense rivalries in all of sports, not just soccer, with a global audience approaching 1 billion viewers."
Coverage will be both on beIN SPORT and beIN SPORT en Espanol, with a pre-game show at 11 a.m. ET. There will also be a halftime and post-game show, featuring match analysis and interviews. Special guests include former Real Madrid stars Hugo Sanchez and Bodo Illgner, former Barcelona stars Jose Mari Bakero and Sonny Anderson among others.
The always exciting and seldom bashful Ray Hudson will partner with play-by-announcer Phil Schoen on beIN SPORT, while Eduardo Biscayart and Jose Hernandez cover the match on beIN SPORT en Espanol.
El Clasico will be directly available to over 40 million U.S. households on beIN SPORT and beIN SPORT en Espanol. Viewers in Canada can watch the match on beIN SPORT PLAY

 

CHOLERA OUTBREAK HITS LAGOS; ‘ABASHA NAMED AS FOOD WITH HIGH RISK’

Three persons have been confirmed dead as cholera outbreak hit Lagos.

The Lagos State Government in a prompt response has moved to stop the spread of the disease.

At an emergency news conference at the Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa, in Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris confirmed that 13 cases of cholera infection had been reported and that three persons have died so far while some had been treated and discharged from the hospital.

Idris explained that investigations carried out by the ministry had revealed that the suspected cases recorded were contracted from food sources such as the African food salad popularly called ‘Abasha’, well-water sources, especially in areas like Ikare community, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government area and Badia area of Apapa Local Government area, and other infected foods from food sellers, and other unhygienic habits.

Other suspected areas are Ajeromi, Lagos Island, Oshodi-Isolo and Surulere Local Government.

He urged members of the public to be vigilant and report any suspected case to the nearest health facility and the Directorate of Disease Control in the state Ministry of Health.

Idris described cholera as an acute contagious bacterial disease that is characterized by severe form of sudden onset of profuse painless watery stools, nausea and profuse vomiting.

He added that cholera is acquired through the ingestion of an infective dose of contaminated food or water and could be transmitted through many mechanisms like direct or indirect contamination of water or food by faeces of infected individuals.

“Cholera should be suspected in any person who develops diarrhoea with or without vomiting, weakness, restlessness, irritability, dry mucous membrane, low blood pressure, leg cramps, excessive loss of body fluids (dehydration) or dies from frequent stooling, hence, adequate measures should be taken in order to reduce the risk of contracting the disease,” he stated.

The commissioner listed measures to be taken to reduce the risk of contracting the disease as washing of hands with soaps and water frequently and thoroughly; boiling of water before drinking if the source of the water was in doubts; washing of fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating; cooking of food thoroughly before eating; disposing of waste material properly; and keeping of water containers clean.

Idris pointed out that in the case of suspected cholera, members of the public should prepare oral rehydration solution (10 level teaspoonful of sugar and one level teaspoonful of salt in two 35cl bottles); give the suspect a lot of fluids to drink; keeps giving the suspect food as soon as it could be tolerated; and thereafter visit the nearest hospital whether the condition of the suspect improves or not.

He urged health workers to be on the alert and report suspected outbreak of more than five cases in their facilities to the State Ministry of Health, saying that people could also call the following numbers: 08023169485 or 0802321333 for assistance.

NIGERIA IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS IMB INVESTIGATES BOAT ATTACKED BY ARMED PIRATES OFF NIGERIAN COAST

International Maritime Bureau has just released a report stating that it would investigate reports of boat attacked by armed pirates off Nigerian coast.

Pirate attacks off Nigeria's coast have jumped by a third this year with ships passing through West Africa's Gulf of Guinea, a major commodities hub, increasingly under threat from gangs wanting to snatch cargoes and crews.

Unlike the dangerous waters off Somalia and the Horn of Africa on the east coast of Africa, through which ships now speed with armed guards on board, many vessels have to anchor to do business off West African countries, with little protection.

This makes them a soft target for criminals and jacks up insurance costs.

"Pirates, often heavily armed and violent, are targeting vessels and their crews along the (Nigerian) coast, rivers, anchorages, ports and surrounding waters. In many cases, they ransack the vessels and steal the cargo, usually gas oil," the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported on Thursday.

Countries on the Gulf of Guinea, including Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast, are major sources of oil and cocoa and increasingly metals for world markets.

Data from the IMB, which coordinates the fight against maritime crime and malpractice, showed Nigeria remained the main source of piracy in the region with 29 attacks on vessels recorded in the first nine months of 2013, up from 21 in the same period last year.

There were four separate attacks around Ivory Coast this year versus three in the 2012.

Analysts say while Somali gangs have focused on capturing vessels to extract ransom money, criminality in West Africa, including oil theft, poses more complex problems.

In a separate report last week Denmark-based security firm Risk Intelligence estimated 117,000 tonnes of oil products worth around $100 million had been stolen by pirate gangs in the Gulf of Guinea since 2010. This includes the diesel known as gas oil.

PATROL BOATS

In June, West and central African nations agreed to set up a monitoring centre to coordinate efforts to combat piracy.

"We have tracking systems for monitoring boats in our waters from control rooms, we have increased the numbers of patrols and the air force are helping out with aerial monitoring," Nigerian navy spokesman Commodore Kabir Aliyu said.

Authorities had boosted their fleet of counter-piracy patrol boats to 11 vessels from eight previously, Aliyu said.

In August, Nigeria's navy killed 12 pirates in a gun battle as they tried to flee from a fuel tanker they had hijacked. Ghana's navy separately in August intercepted a ship and arrested its crew on suspicion of hijacking a tanker.

DAILY TRANSCRIBED SERMON: BISHOP ADEBOYE . MARRIAGE PROBLEMS: BEWARE OF THE STRANGE WOMAN

Who is a strange woman?

 A strange woman has the spirit of antichrist.

A strange woman is idolatrous, a goddess, and a heathen

A strange woman is adulterous, a seducer, and sexual pervert.

A strange woman has idolatrous family background.

A strange woman has loose morals, she may look outwardly beautiful, but her heart is full of seduction, her smiles    are deceitful and her thoughts are wicked.

  A strange woman is full of evil, greedy, a traitor and deadly

 A strange woman is full of deceit. She pretends to love her husband, but she is actually conspiring with his      enemies for his destruction

 A strange woman is the enemy within, possessed with evil powers

  A strange woman may have a sweet name, but her kiss is poison.

  A strange woman is the path to destruction.

     Strange woman are enchanters who are unrelenting until they succeed in ensnaring their pre

A strange woman is the alluring women we meet on the street, that end up displacing the legal wives within a short time.

A strange woman is a parasite, and once she sees nothing else to suck she takes off to look for another victim.

A strange woman is the daughter of Babylon, the emissary of Satan, and an ambassador for the destruction of  men.

A strange woman is the path to hell.

How can a person avoid strange women?

1.       Through self determination and self willed. Joseph firmly decided in his heart that he would not commit sexual sin and God helped him.

2.       Through violent resistant. Strange women are desperate; therefore you must also be desperate in your will to resist them. Joseph as a desperate Saint. He freed himself from the grip of a strange woman, left behind his clothing, and ran for his salvation.

3.       You must be able to pay a price and make sacrifices for your uncompromising holiness. At times these strange women may be your boss or a person placed in higher positions that you, who may be in a position to dispense favours.You must be able to shun the lucre of fornication and pay the sacrifices that may arise.

4.       Remained prayerful, seek the counsel of others and invite others to intercede for you in prayers. If Esau had sought the counsel of his parents, he would not have married the daughters of Hittites. If Samson had listened to the advice of his parent he would not have married from an idolatrous family of Sidonians. If David had been prayerful, he would have had divine strength to overcome the spirit of lust. Solomon forgot God and fell into sexual and other sins.

5.       Be attached to God and the spirit through fellowship with the brethren and reading the Bible. The Holy Spirit will always warn you if you are about to take a wrong step. Faith comes by hearing the word of God.

6.       Avoid situations and environments that influence you to strange relationships. These include worldly parties, pubs, and ungodly social gatherings.

7.       Be choosy in the type of friends you maintain. Many have been influenced into bad habits under peer pressure. If all your friends are having an affair or a polygamist, then you are likely to end up being one.

8.       Don’t keep evil secrets. Expose and flee from any appearance of evil. Don’t encourage yourself in ungodly relationships. Immediately you notice undue favours from the opposite sex, inform people around. Strange women do not like their affairs to be known to people. If you also notice that you are being troubled by the spirit of lust, fast and pray and encourage the brethren to pray for you. Lastly, if you naturally develop an attraction for a strange woman, don’t keep it secret, otherwise it will become depend. Inform good counselors about this, and they will keep watch over you to ensure you are not consumed by passion. Evil thrives in secrecy.

JONATHAN ACCEPTS STELLA ODUAH’S EXPLANATION; TAKES HER TO ISRAEL JONATHAN ACCEPTS STELLA ODUAH’S EXPLANATION; TAKES HER TO ISRAEL President Goodluck Jonathan seems to have accepted the explanation given by the Aviation... NIGERIA IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS IMB INVESTIGATES BOAT ATTACKED BY ARMED PIRATES OFF NIGERIAN COAST NIGERIA IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS IMB INVESTIGATES BOAT ATTACKED BY ARMED PIRATES OFF NIGERIAN COAST International Maritime Bureau has just released a report stating that it would investigate... NEWS FLASH: NCAA GROUNDS IRS, CHANCHANGI AIRLINES NEWS FLASH: NCAA GROUNDS IRS, CHANCHANGI AIRLINES Less than three weeks after suspending the operations of Dana Air to pave the way for a safety... CHOLERA OUTBREAK HITS LAGOS; ‘ABASHA NAMED AS FOOD WITH HIGH RISK’ CHOLERA OUTBREAK HITS LAGOS; ‘ABASHA NAMED AS FOOD WITH HIGH RISK’ Three persons have been confirmed dead as cholera outbreak hit Lagos. The Lagos State... N255M BULLETPROOF CARS: STELLA ODUAH STATES HER FACTS AS PROTESTERS FOR AND AGAINST CLASH IN ABUJA N255M BULLETPROOF CARS: STELLA ODUAH STATES HER FACTS AS PROTESTERS FOR AND AGAINST CLASH IN ABUJA Minister of Aviation Stella Oduah has responded to President Jonathan's query to her to... JONATHAN ACCEPTS STELLA ODUAH’S EXPLANATION; TAKES HER TO ISRAEL NIGERIA IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS IMB INVESTIGATES BOAT ATTACKED BY ARMED PIRATES OFF NIGERIAN COAST NEWS FLASH: NCAA GROUNDS IRS, CHANCHANGI AIRLINES CHOLERA OUTBREAK HITS LAGOS; ‘ABASHA NAMED AS FOOD WITH HIGH RISK’ N255M BULLETPROOF CARS: STELLA ODUAH STATES HER FACTS AS PROTESTERS FOR AND AGAINST CLASH IN ABUJA NIGERIA IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS IMB INVESTIGATES BOAT ATTACKED BY ARMED PIRATES OFF NIGERIAN COAST

International Maritime Bureau has just released a report stating that it would investigate reports of boat attacked by armed pirates off Nigerian coast.

Pirate attacks off Nigeria's coast have jumped by a third this year with ships passing through West Africa's Gulf of Guinea, a major commodities hub, increasingly under threat from gangs wanting to snatch cargoes and crews.

Unlike the dangerous waters off Somalia and the Horn of Africa on the east coast of Africa, through which ships now speed with armed guards on board, many vessels have to anchor to do business off West African countries, with little protection.

This makes them a soft target for criminals and jacks up insurance costs.

"Pirates, often heavily armed and violent, are targeting vessels and their crews along the (Nigerian) coast, rivers, anchorages, ports and surrounding waters. In many cases, they ransack the vessels and steal the cargo, usually gas oil," the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported on Thursday.

Countries on the Gulf of Guinea, including Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast, are major sources of oil and cocoa and increasingly metals for world markets.

Data from the IMB, which coordinates the fight against maritime crime and malpractice, showed Nigeria remained the main source of piracy in the region with 29 attacks on vessels recorded in the first nine months of 2013, up from 21 in the same period last year.

There were four separate attacks around Ivory Coast this year versus three in the 2012.

Analysts say while Somali gangs have focused on capturing vessels to extract ransom money, criminality in West Africa, including oil theft, poses more complex problems.

In a separate report last week Denmark-based security firm Risk Intelligence estimated 117,000 tonnes of oil products worth around $100 million had been stolen by pirate gangs in the Gulf of Guinea since 2010. This includes the diesel known as gas oil.

PATROL BOATS

In June, West and central African nations agreed to set up a monitoring centre to coordinate efforts to combat piracy.

"We have tracking systems for monitoring boats in our waters from control rooms, we have increased the numbers of patrols and the air force are helping out with aerial monitoring," Nigerian navy spokesman Commodore Kabir Aliyu said.

Authorities had boosted their fleet of counter-piracy patrol boats to 11 vessels from eight previously, Aliyu said.

In August, Nigeria's navy killed 12 pirates in a gun battle as they tried to flee from a fuel tanker they had hijacked. Ghana's navy separately in August intercepted a ship and arrested its crew on suspicion of hijacking a tanker.

Colombian Mother Sells 12 Daughter's Virginity

A Colombian woman identified as Margarita Zapata Moreno, 45, is facing charges for allegedly selling her daughters' virginity in Bogotá, RCN Radio reports. Authorities said the mother of 14 sold the virginity

of her 12 daughters, charging men who had a "favorable financial situation" around $300 per minor, according to the Colombian radio station.

Earlier this week, Zapata was turned over to the police by one of her daughters who is now 16 and has a child as a result of the alleged s*xual abuse. The victims' testimonies indicated that the mother drugged the minors and forced them to have s*xual relations with the men.
After selling their virginity, Zapata reportedly forced several of her daughters to prostitute themselves, according to the Colombian daily El Tiempo. The daughter who denounced her mother told local authorities she had been sexually abused since the age of 12, became pregnant and went to the police after Zapata told her to get an abortion.
Tito Cornelio Daza, 51, was also detained and is believed have abused at least one of the daughters.
Daza and Zapata deny the daughter's accusations, but have been arrested and could face up to 25 years in prison, El Tiempo reports.
Earlier this month, the National Legal Medicine Institute reported 11,333 cases of s*xual violence against minors in Colombia since January of this year. According to El Tiempo, 83 percent of the victims were girls.

Iraq to press U.S. on drones, F-16s to fight al Qaeda

The Baghdad government wants the immediate delivery of U.S. drones and F-16 fighter jets in order to combat al Qaeda insurgents, who are making swift advances in the west of the Iraq, a senior Iraqi

security official said.

Washington agreed in August to supply a $2.6 billion integrated air defense system and F-16 fighter jets, with delivery due in autumn 2014.
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who will meets U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington next week, has also requested drones to carry out surveillance of Iraq's desert border with Syria.
But Deputy National Security Adviser Safa al-Sheikh Hussein said Iraq needs them now.
"The first thing the Prime Minister will ask for is to accelerate the processes for the shipment of drones and F-16s," said Safa al-Sheikh Hussein in an interview with Reuters.
"The initial response from the U.S. was positive, but it depends on the delivery time. We want them immediately."
Al Qaeda's Iraqi wing was forced underground in 2007 during a troop build-up ordered by then U.S. President George W. Bush.
But almost two years after the last U.S. troops withdrew, the Sunni Islamist group has regained momentum in its war against the Shi'ite-led government that came to power after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
Around 7,000 civilians have been killed in acts of violence so far in 2013, according to monitoring group Iraq Body Count.
At the same time Baghdad is struggling to control spillover from the civil war next door in Syria.
Hussein said that if Washington drags its feet, Iraq will turn elsewhere for help.
"Iraq will not die if it doesn't get American weapons. Many countries are offering military equipment," he said.
One of those countries is Russia, with which Iraq has already signed a $4 billion deal to supply helicopters and surveillance equipment.
The conflict in Syria has drawn hardline Sunni Islamists from across the region and beyond into battle against President Bashar al-Assad, whose Alawite sect derives from Shi'ite Islam.
Al Qaeda's Syrian and Iraqi affiliates merged this year to form the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which views Shi'ite Muslims as apostates and has claimed responsibility for attacks on both sides of the border.
"The Iraqi government doesn't have the capacity to control the border," said Hussein, a former brigadier general in Iraq's Air Force. "During Saddam's time, he had 10 divisions of border guards, roughly 100,000 men. Now it is far less and we don't have an air force."
Concern over the rise of al Qaeda in Syria and the war there is also pushing Iraq and Turkey to repair their strained relations.
The two countries' foreign ministers met in Ankara on Friday and said they would cooperate more closely to limit the spillover from Syria.
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In the early stages of the Syrian war, arms were being smuggled into the country from Iraq. Now the flow has reversed, said Hussein, who is deputy of the National Security Council.
"Some of them are more advanced weapons than al Qaeda usually had in Iraq - for example, anti-aircraft weapons which have been used against our helicopters," he said.
They also included arms purchased by Saudi Arabia, which along with other Sunni-ruled Gulf states has thrown its weight behind the Syrian rebels in a proxy war against Shi'ite Iran, which backs Assad.
There are also indications that Riyadh is financing Sunni groups in Iraq, Hussein said, as well as funding from private donors in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
Insurgents have exploited deteriorating relations between the government and Iraq's Sunni minority, which has been protesting since last year against what they perceive as the marginalization of their sect.
A raid by security forces on a protest camp in April touched off a backlash by militants that shows no sign of abating.
"Al Qaeda has intentions to escalate even more," said Hussein. "But the government is also re-organizing security operations and doing some work on intelligence. So I don't think there will be a collapse in the security situation."
Still, many challenges lay ahead, he said.
"Al Qaeda's main objective is to form areas under their control - maybe not full control, but partial control. This is what the battle is about."
Insurgents have also set their sights on an export pipeline that runs from the oilfields in Iraq's north to Turkey and has been repeatedly sabotaged this year.
While the strategic network in the relatively secure south - which provides roughly 90 percent of Iraq's 2.4 million barrels a day of oil exports - is under control, Hussein said steps are being taken to boost security along the Kirkuk-Ceyhan line.