Expectations are high as the InterContinental Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, finally opens this month. At 100 metres high, the 23-storey building is the tallest in West Africa. The InterContinental Lagos boasts 358 rooms.

All rooms offer stunning views of views of either the Lagos Creek or the Atlantic Ocean.

With technology playing a key role in enhancing the guest experience, each of the rooms is equipped with high speed broad band services, in-room entertainment with CD, DVD, and VCD displayed on 42” plasma screens. The Club InterContinental rooms offer an experience with Bose music systems and Nespresso Coffee stations offered in each room.

Aston Villa’s Danish forward Nicklas Helenius created an unintended scene at his club’s clash with Tottenham Hotspurs in the League Cup Tuesday night.
His Club was beaten blue and black by the visitors, with a four goal margin, Helenius also lost his shorts during a challenge from Tottenham Hotspur’s Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen during the match played at Villa Park in Birmingham, West Midlands.

Efforts made by President Goodluck Jonathan to shield some obvious truths during the fifth Media Chat held last night on national television, have been exposed by P.M.NEWS painstaking investigation.
Contrary to the President’s claim in the televised media chat that prior to the emergence of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the ruling party at the centre in 1999,  there was no mobile phone, the truth, according to P.M. NEWS finding, is that mobile cellular services made their debut in Nigeria in 1993 with a “national” service operated by NITEL and a smaller Lagos service operated by Mobile Telecommunications Services (MTS).
The two companies, with a joint subscriber base of 12, 500, offered voice services over an analogue E-TACS network, as well as basic value-added services such as voicemail and paging, from three switches (in Lagos, Enugu, and Abuja).
Also, in 1995, MTS closed its operations due to failure to pay interconnection charges to NITEL. M-Tel subsequently emerged as Nitel’s mobile service provider. NITEL introduced the 090—phonelines. This was, however, analogue, very expensive and was reserved for the very few. It indeed was a status symbol, but it had limited coverage.
Furthermore, Multi-Links, a private limited liability company was incorporated in Nigeria in 1994 to provide telecommunication services. It only got “a Unified Access Service Licence with an initial 10 years validity and with an option to renew for a further five years to enable it further expand its services and provide a wide ranging bouquet of services covering Digital mobile fixed telephony, ISP, VAS and payphone, Full international gateway and National long distance services,” on 6 November, 2006, from the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.
Prior to its expansion, it already introduced the 01- 775-lines into the market.
President Jonathan further claimed that since the emergence of the PDP, the country has witnessed improved standard of living. Surprisingly or maybe in the attempt to cover up the party’s failure at the federal level, he failed to state that many of the statistics churned out yearly do not correctly reflect the true prevailing situation in the country.
Last year, for instance, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) raised an alarm over an increase in the country’s poverty rate. The Statistician-General of Nigeria, Yemi Kale, presented a study report indicating that poverty had risen from 54 percent among Nigeria’s population in 2004 to 69 percent in 2010, or about 112 million Nigerians, a huge figure when compared with Nigeria’s estimated population of 163 million in 2010.
Kale further said estimates show Nigerians may have gotten poorer in 2011.
Again, this year, the Statistician-General put the current rate of unemployment in Nigeria at 23.9 per cent even though it is believed to be higher.
The United Nations has also said that with 60,000 Nigerian children infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) last year, the country has the highest number of children with the virus in the world.
Jonathan also claimed that the Federal Government had only been assisting the striking lecturers of Nigerian universities in terms of payment of arrears as, according to him, the universities are supposed to be self sustaining, getting their pay from their internally generated revenue.
But P.M. NEWS findings have shown that his claim is false as it is not in conformity with the 2009 agreement the union reached with the Federal Government. According to the details of the report released by an implementation committee in November 2012, and obtained by P.M. NEWS, there was nothing to indicate that allowances or even salaries would be paid the lecturers through their internally generated revenue.
The report even made provision for grants for the lecturers to enable them attain more professional qualifications and degrees. The report was signed by both parties from the government and ASUU.
Many Nigerians this morning further slammed the President for mentioning that the ASUU strike was political.
According to them, the statement is unpresidential since the union has a justifiable reason for embarking on the industrial action.
Again, another obvious lie the  President told Nigerians was that he had not declared his ambition to contest for the presidency in 2015.
He also denied seeing any of his billboards campaigning for his election, stressing that it was illegal to declare since the electoral laws of the country had not permitted it. Nigerians have not forgotten the recent campaigns by Dame Patience, the President’s wife, both in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital and the recent Abuja rally which brought thousands of  PDP women together.
Apart from this, the President’s body language has shown his desperate interest in a second term in office. His loyalists and handlers have also, several times, given Nigerians the reason to believe that Jonathan is interested in contesting in 2015.
Analysts also believe that his ambition is the reason for the crises that have engulfed the PDP and torn the party into two.
President Jonathan claimed that his administration had fought corruption and that it is not even a major problem in the country or a major consideration for investors who want to do business in the country. In contrast to this claim, however, Nigerians and the international community have always lamented the high evel of corruption, especially in recent times and the inability of the government to check it.
There has also been a complaint that the rate of oil theft has never been as widespread and as frequent  as it is now. This is even as the President has awarded contracts for the monitoring of the country’s waterways.
The secrecy with which the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, operates has also been a major point in the criticism of the present administration regarding the huge fraud being perpetrated in the petroleum industry.
At the last count, Transparency International rated Nigeria the 8th most corrupt nation on earth. This was in July this year, when it released the 2013 Global Corruption Barometer, which grouped Nigeria along with Zambia, Paraguay, Venezuela, Mexico, Russia, Zimbabwe, Liberia and Mongolia as the leading corrupt nations in the world.
Most informed analyses have always singled out corruption as the fundamental problem inhibiting Nigeria’s march to progress. President Jonathan’s comment will thus be deemed an absurdity.

Facebook CTF 2013 - NcN 2013

Access Level - 1

Whatever input 'key' is given you get a alert saying 'Invalid password!'.

Tools -> browser with JavaScript console. I used Google Chrome :p

Analysing the source code we get -
<form action="login.php" method="POST" onsubmit="return encrypt(this);">

So onsubmit a "encrypt" function is called. So using the browser JavaScript console lets take a look at the script running behind.

 function encrypt(form)
 {
var res;
res=numerical_value(form.password.value);
res=res*(3+1+3+3+7);
res=res>>>6;
res=res/4;
res=res^4153;
if(res!=0)
{
alert('Invalid password!');
}
else
{
alert('Correct password :)');
}
form.key.value=numerical_value(form.password.value);
form.verification.value="yes"+simpleHash(form.password.value);
 return true;
 }

That's it. our work is simple - just to make the condition inside IF as FALSE. That can be achieved by making the var res = 0. So the reverse engineering work starts NOW.

Time to analyse the code and start reversing it.
- Before if we have XOR. so res should be equal to 4153 to make res=0
- res * 4 [ 4153*4 = 16612]
- >>> right shift so we have 16612 = X>>>6.
  16612 - 100000011100100
  we have no idea about the lost rightmost 6 bits. Taking it to 0's lets proceed.
  100000011100100+000000 -  1063168 But it can vary with +0 to +63.
- 1063168/(3+1+3+3+7) = 62539.2941176 ~ 62540.
-  now a weird function numerical_value

 function numerical_value(str)
 {
var i,a=0,b;
for(i=0;i<str.length;++i)
{
b=ascii_one(str.charAt(i));
a+=b*(i+1);
}
 return a;
 }

observe one more function ascii_one

function ascii_one(foo)
{
foo=foo.charAt(0);
var i;
for(i=0;i<256;++i)
{
var hex_i=i.toString(16);
if(hex_i.length==1)
hex_i="0"+hex_i;
hex_i="%"+hex_i;
hex_i=unescape(hex_i);
if(hex_i==foo)
break
}

But here no need to analyse. Just manual brute force of the var str; to get a appx value of 62540. I got 62545.
var str="zzaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaddaaaaaspea";

start with random number of a's then modify here and there with the logic of starting strings have less weight-age and ending char's have the most!

so for me this is the key - "zzaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaddaaaaaspea". It will vary from person to person.

After submiting the key -
Congrats! you passed the level! Here is the key: 23f8d1cea8d60c5816700892284809a94bd00fe7347645b96a99559749c7b7b8

*** Note this was easy because without knowing much of JavaScript i could solve it.
-> And a rough screenshot of manual brute force. So you can get a rough idea -
Please download OR open the image for clear view :D :D
-> Any one solved it in a much simpler way please comment your way for solving problem.
-> Suggestions/Comments are most welcomed !!! :)


Thanks for reading through

Happy hacking! Happy coding!!

Ary Borges, who cares for seven tigers and two lionesses, at his family’s home in Maringa, Brazil is in a legal battle with federal wildlife officials to keep his endangered animals from undergoing vasectomies and being taken away from him. While Borges does have a license to raise the animals, Brazilian wildlife officials say he illegally bred the cats, creating a public danger.

Borges also has two lions, a monkey, and a pet Chihuahau named Little inside his makeshift animal sanctuary, where man and beast alike live together in his spacious red-dirt compound, separated from the outside world by tall metal fences and high wooden walls.

The Brazilian family is now locked in a legal dispute for the cats, with federal wildlife officials working to take them away. While Borges does have a license to raise the animals, Brazilian wildlife officials say he illegally bred the tigers, creating a public danger.

Borges says it all started in 2005 when he first rescued two abused tigers from a travelling circus. He defends his right to breed the animals and says he gives them a better home than they might find elsewhere in Brazil.

"Sadly there are so many animals dying in zoos that have no oversight. My animals are treated extremely well ... we're preserving and conserving the species," he said. "We have a great team of veterinarians. We give them only the best, but we're being persecuted."

Ibama, Brazil's environmental protection agency that also oversees wildlife, declined repeated requests for comment.

The agency is working through courts to force Borges to have the male tigers undergo vasectomies so they can't reproduce. It also wants his caretaker license confiscated and to obtain the cats. Borges appealed and the matter is pending before a federal court.

Ary's daughter Nayara Borges, 20, who grew up with the tiger cubs sleeping in her bed until they became too big, says she thinks the big cats would be mistreated if taken away, "and our family would go into a severe depression."

Her sister Uyara, 23, agreed, saying the cats are family after spending so many years with the Borges.

"At first we were scared of them, but as time went on, we saw them every day, fed them, gave them baths and water, and we started to fall in love with them," Uyara said. "We never thought we could live with such ferocious animals."

Uyara trusts the cats so much, she even allows her 2-year-old daughter Rayara to sit atop them.

Experts, however, question the Borges family's efforts.

"It's crazy," said Patty Finch, executive director of the Washington-based Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. "It's a very dangerous situation, especially if there are young children around, they easily trigger a tiger's hunting instinct."

Finch said that "you will see people sometimes get lucky for a while, but sooner or later an accident is going to happen. You never know what's going to set these animals off because they're wild."

Instead of promoting the animal's welfare, Finch said the Borges have done the opposite.

"Breeding in captivity doesn't help conserve the tigers unless they're bred in their native habitat and there is a plan to release them," she said. "They can't get habituated to people. They're condemning these tigers to a life of captivity."

The Borges family isn't hearing any of it.

Inside a high fenced-in area where the tigers now sleep, Borges roughhoused with the animals, playfully slapping one on the flank and then leapt atop him, holding onto the animal's fur with both fists and grinning widely as the cat growled.

"My father would die or kill himself if these tigers are taken away," Uyara said. "They're everything to us, they're my brothers. We've lived with them day and night for eight years."

The Sunday, September 29 Live Deliverance show on Emmanuel TV witnessed the deliverance of Nollywood star actor, Jim Ikye at SCOAN. The Synagogue Of All Nations Church Lagos Nigeria. He actually fell on his feet and started crying as he was freed with the blood of Jesus .  He was Delivered from demonic spirits that had prevented him from finding love and getting married.....

She looks very young like a lady in her early 30s, but actress Kate Henshaw is 42 years old and she is single again after she was married for several years. Below is what she said about her collapsed marriage:

    I just decided that, ok, it didn’t work. Next, I had to move on. There is no need holding on to the past – no need holding on to something if it’s not working any more. There is no need flogging a dead horse since it is already lifeless. And when you decide to bury the horse, would you not leave the grave site afterwards? You would go now.

    Anything that happens to you now, that sun would still set, another day would come. So, it’s your choice to either be part of the living or be in the grave yard.

And I choose to be alive, enjoy my life and smile at everything that is happening – good or bad. As long as God is with you, things would always be fine with you.

I’m not thinking about anything. At the moment, I’m facing my career. If it comes, fine. If it doesn’t come, that’s okay. It’s not the end of the world because I’m convinced that God loves me. Love has given me more than enough. I have the most gorgeous daughter in the whole world. That’s enough for me.

According to a report by Sunnewsonline.com, a 20 year old girl allegedly set ablaze the 22 year old new love interest of her ex-boyfriend. Cynthia Onah reportedly went to her ex-boyfriend's house at Onugba Nike area in Enugu State late at night with a gallon of fuel and emptied its content on Chinwe Igwe, her ex's girlfriend, who was sleeping. The incident took place on August 24th.
The Commissioner of Police Enugu State, Mr. Mohammed Adamu described the incident as very unfortunate. “It is terrible that a girl because of jealousy would set another girl on fire simply because they are befriending the same boy.”
CP Adamu explained that on that fateful day, Cynthia had in connivance with another suspect, one Obiora Chukwuegbo stormed Chika’s home and set Chinwe on fire. It was only the assistance of  neighbours that Chinwe was rescued through the window as the fire consumed the room. She was said to have been taken to a private hospital before she was transferred to Annunciation Specialist Hospital  Emene, Enugu State where she is still receiving treatment.

The boyfriend, Chika told Sunday Sun
“I am a driver and I’ve been dating Chinwe for the past five years. We had little quarrel and we stopped dating. I meet Cynthia who is a prostitute and dated her for just one month. We separated one month after because at times she would be chasing me with a knife. I couldn’t bear it and so I went back to settle with my former girlfriend. Cynthia didn’t give up as she threatened that she was going to deal with us. She even threatened to pour acid on me.
Being a driver, I travelled the day Cynthia burnt my girlfriend. It was one of my neighbours that called me to say that my house was on fire and that somebody poured fuel under the door and it exploded and burnt my girlfriend who was sleeping in the room; that they have rescued her through the window.
“When I got home, I saw that all my property had been burnt to ashes. My girlfriend was hospitalized because she sustained injuries from the fire. But I am determined and I have promised God that with the condition of my  girlfriend that I am still going to marry her.”
The suspect, Cynthia, who hails from Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of  Enugu State, said
“I started dating Chika when he had misunderstanding with his former girlfriend, Chinwe. We dated for one month and then he told me that he was no longer interested in marrying me. Chika is owing me N12,000. When we had a quarrel, I did not threaten him with a knife. I only used the knife to deflate his tyres.
“I have quarreled with Chinwe several times. I sent her a text message to leave my boyfriend. Because she threatened  me, I also threatened her that she will never enjoy the relationship. I don’t  know anything about who took fuel to the house of her boyfriend and burnt  the house. On that fateful day, Chika called my phone at night and said that I should meet him at Emene junction. I was out waiting for him when the policemen from the State CID arrested me. I didn’t know anything about the incident. I only know we have traded words.”
When  Sunday Sun visited the victim at the Annunciation Specialist Hospital Emene Area, Enugu State, she said:
“I am still shocked at what happened. I regret dating Chika as I have been turned to something else now. I saw  Cynthia Onah and  Chukwuegbo Obiora after they had poured  fuel under the door and fire was everywhere. I was calling him for help. It was when I was calling  for help through the other window that  I saw Cynthia Onah and Obiora Chkwuegbo running away and I was shouting for help until the neighbours broke one of the windows and carried me out from the window”,  she said.
“My relationship with Chika is over. I am in pains and agony. I didn’t know what to do. I was sleeping and suddenly I saw smoke and it exploded and caught fire. I could have been burnt to ashes if not for the neighbours who broke through the window and rescued me,” she added.
CP Adamu said the suspects would soon be charged to court.

Princess Chineke is a super model and a fast rising actress. She has appeared in many Nollywood flicks and soap operas including Ladies Cult, Tarima, Papa Ajasco, Heroes just to mention a few.....
She was spotted with ex-President, Olusegun Obasanjo in New York.

She was recently in New York, USA, at the United Nations General Assembly meeting, which President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan attended.

Obasanjo was also in attendance and the actress hooked up with him for a snapshot. She is obviously excited to hangout with one of Nigeria’s most powerful politicians

I was really touched by the bravery of this Kenyan mom and I decided to share. God bless her and the dead.



With gunmen running amok from all angles, their gut reaction must have been to flee for their lives.

But this young family were able to escape the Kenyan mall massacre by having the remarkable presence of mind to play dead in their fight to survive.

Dramatic new video has emerged that shows the mother lying completely still with her arm around her youngest child as terrorists storm the complex.



Remarkable presence of mind: A family plays dead to escape the Kenyan mall massacre

Ifeanyi, Tony, Henry, Jude, Peter and Paul Paul of Psquare posted a picture of him and his brothers when they were boys…
If you think they look Ugly like i too think Just like this!

No fewer than 8,000 women on Thursday [Sept. 26] matched to the Zamfara Hisbah Commission, seeking the state government’s assistance to enable them to get married.



Led by the Chairperson of the Zamfara Widows Association, Hajiya Suwaiba Isa, and the patron, Alhaji Sa’idu Goshe, the women said they were not living a normal life and needed husbands to become whole.

“Many of us cannot afford two meals in a day because there are no men to support us,” they said.

The patron said the association had over 8,000 women, comprising 5,380 divorcees, 2,200 widows, 1,200 orphans and 80 others, whom he said, were looking for men to marry.

He said the women also needed assistance to purchase household items such as beds, mattresses and other basic necessities needed to move to their husbands’ houses.

Goshe appealed to the commission to assist the association in screening suitors for the women. He said the screening would determine the suitors’ health status, source of livelihood and ability to maintain a family.

Omo Baba Olowo is currently in London and having a blast. Davido whose latest single 'Skelewu' is burning the radio charts just posted a picture of him with Cameroonian football legend Samuel Eto'o. Davido and the Chelsea striker took time out to show their Rolex pieces.

photoActor cum movie producer Kunle Afolayan instilled fear in the hearts of his fans with his recent message on his Facebook page.
The workaholic filmmaker said he is afraid he may no live long due to his obsession with film making.
Just coming off the set of his soon-to-be-released epic movie, ‘October 1’, the workaholic filmmaker took to Facebook to post his thoughts.
Read what he wrote:
''My Obsession with filmmaking makes me think I may not live long.[/b] I forbid it though. I got back to Lagos yesternight very tired and sleepy after 42days of shoot, got home ate then went to bed. All I see through out my sleep are the shots I took and those that I felt I should have done differently. Woke up this morning and all I have in my head is the deadline of the Trailer release which is October 1 2013, in about 11 days and the completion of the whole project. Yes, am very passionate about film making but I think being too obsessed is not healthy".[/i]
It was however gathered that the movie has already gulped a staggering sum of N100million and about N200million is still needed to see the movie to completion.

A Palestinian man tied a mouse up by its four limbs and posted a photograph of it on Facebook after the rodent ate some of his cash, Gulf News reported....

The Gaza man, whose name wasn’t reported, said he had hidden his weekly salary in his closet but found that a mouse had eaten three of the banknotes worth a total of $170.

He then caught the mouse, strung it by each of its four limbs and posted a photograph of the rodent, Gulf News said.
The post received several comments from other Internet users, including one who joked that the matter should be brought before the U.N. General Assembly and the Security Council, which should act to release the mouse.

Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, Tuesday ordered striking lecturers of the Benue State University, BSU, Makurdi to return to class or get fired.

Lecturers of the institution are currently on strike in solidarity with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, which commenced nationwide indefinite strike since June, 2013.
However, Suswam said the state government was not owing them, hence no need to have gone on strike in the first place.
He directed the management of the university to reopen the institution with immediate effect or risk losing their job.
Suswam made this declaration at the Government House, Makurdi during an urgent meeting with the management of the university, led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Charity Angya.
The VC was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, administration, Prof. Nicholas Ada.
He said, “it is important that you as management come because you have refused to reopen the university. I am going to call the Governing Council and insist that they open the university, but the first thing I am going to do is that you will not have your salaries paid beginning from this month and any staff who refuses to come back to work would have his or her appointment terminated and nobody is going to collect salary arrears. And so, I needed you people to know before you hear it announced on the radio”.
“I am also aware that there was a court case that was instituted against the university by the state government over strike, and we are going to take that case up and make you face it because we have completely run out of patience and there is no basis while the children will continue to be on strike,” Suswam said.

Elsewhere, As the crisis between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) continues unabated, the Vice-Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), in Ondo State, Prof. Femi Mimiko today threatened to call his students back to school if the two parties involved fails to resolve before the end of this month.
Mimiko, who spoke with reporters at World Pharmacists Day held in Akure, the State Capital said the management has strategic plans to recall the students back to campus in the next few days.
He stressed that the ongoing ASSU strike had affected the institution’s calendar, which for so many years has remained uninterrupted.
The Vice Chancellor noted that there was an ongoing consultation between the workers and the management on the needs to resume work, if the strike continues.
His words, “interruption of academic calendars is one of the problems we face with regards to this strike action. As you all noted, we manage to run the university for the past four years on an uninterrupted calendar. We are particularly concern about this strike because our academic calendar has been affected.
“We are hoping that ASUU will do the needful to call off the strike as speedily as possible. We have come into the conclusion that in our own interest as a state university, we must begin to find a way to bring our students back. So we are hoping that the strike will be called off before the end of the month, otherwise we may begin to take some steps that will enable us bring our students back to the campus.
“Well, we have a blueprint on the table that we are looking at. The important thing is that we are not going to allow our students to remain at home for so long than this. If the strike is not over within a few days, we may call back our workers.
“Already, we are consulting with the lecturers because they are not employees of federal government. We do not have any substantive dispute with our workers on campus, so technically they should not have been on strike in the first instance.
“Though, we are consulting, talking to members and hoping that all of us will drive in the same direction. That is what is our strategic interest as a state university that is funded by the state government and not the federal government”

http://saharareporters.com/press-release/full-transcript-president-goodluck-jonathans-speech-un-general-assembly

President Goodluck Jonathan today at the UN
By Goodluck Jonathan
The President of the 68th Session of the General Assembly;
Heads of State and Government;
The Secretary-General;
Distinguished Delegates;
Ladies and Gentlemen
Mr President,

1. On behalf of the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I salute you as you preside over the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.  I assure you of the full support and cooperation of the Nigerian delegation.

2. I also wish to extend our commendation to the Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon, and place on record, Nigeria’s appreciation for his focused and committed leadership of the United Nations system.

3. This Session is coming at a particularly trying period when our world faces a number of critical challenges which make it imperative for us to work within the Charter of the United Nations to meaningfully address them.

4. It is therefore apt that the theme, Post 2015 Development Agenda:  Setting the Stage, signposts our desire and determination to actively cooperate for the improvement of the overall welfare and well-being of the most vulnerable citizens of the member-states of our Organisation.

5. Nigeria appreciates the consultative nature of designing the Post-2015 development agenda. Earlier in the year, we supported this global outreach through inclusive consultations and surveys of a number of Nigerians who have expressed their aspirations with respect to the world they expect beyond 2015.

6. A major highlight of this process, which has increased national ownership of the agenda, is the emphasis on the eradication of poverty as the overarching principle in the formulation of the successor framework.

7. Indeed, tomorrow, we will be hosting a side event on the implementation of the MDGs, in collaboration with the UN, a number of African countries, and our development partners.

8. As I had cause to say to this Assembly last Session, 2015 is not a destination but only a milestone to a better, safer, healthier and more compassionate world.  Let us therefore renew our commitment to the processes that will develop the post-MDGs framework.

Mr. President,
9. This objective is of particular resonance to us in Africa where the challenges of poverty, illiteracy, food insecurity, and climate change continue to engage the attention of the political leadership.

10. The good news however, is that in the last decade, a sustained democratization process across the continent has made significant difference in governance processes, institutions and structures.  Today, we have a renascent Africa that has moved away from the era of dictatorship to a new dawn where the ideals of good governance and an emphasis on human rights and justice are beginning to drive state-society relations. This is the present reality of Africa that must replace the old prejudices and assumptions about the continent.

11. We are firm in our conviction that democracy is fundamental to achieving the requisite stability that will enable the realization of a sustainable post-2015 development agenda in Africa.

12. This emergent Africa will require the continued support and partnership of the international community.  An Africa that is no longer merely a destination for aid but one that is involved in constructive, multi-sectoral exchanges on the global stage.  Our continent stands ready to continue to engage the rest of the world as a partner in formulating a global development agenda that will guarantee peace, security and stability.

13. I wish to express my appreciation for Nigeria’s selection as co-Chair of the Expert Committee on Financing Sustainable Development.

14. The importance of this Committee’s assignment cannot be overstated. For the post-2015 development agenda to be realistic, it must be backed by a robust financing framework which I hope will receive the strong backing of our Organisation’s more endowed members.

Mr. President,
15. Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable peace and security propels the country to action along with member states of our sub-regional and continental organisations, whenever stability is threatened in our continent.  In recent years, Africa has had its share of conflicts notably in Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and Somalia.

16. It is noteworthy that African leaders, with the support of the international community, have demonstrated the capacity to work in concert and decisively in pursuit of long-term solutions in the affected States. While a lot more still needs to be done, we are convinced that progress is being made.

17. The recent Presidential elections in Mali herald a new beginning that should translate into peace and prosperity for its people and provide a stronger basis for stability within the sub-region.  I congratulate President Boubacar Keita. Similarly, the political transition process in Guinea Bissau holds much promise. Among African leaders, there is a greater determination and focus on the transformation of the continent. This is the required impetus for the achievement of development objectives
that will benefit the people, and rebrand the continent even more positively.

18. Although our world has not witnessed a global war since the establishment of the United Nations, there have been several conflicts with devastating consequences and impact in virtually all regions of the world.  As global citizens, we have a sacred duty to free our world of wars, rivalries, ethnic conflicts, and religious divisions.  Our collective effort in our drive for a better world will continue to bind us together.

Mr. President,
19. Nigeria continues to support the efforts of the United Nations in addressing the global initiative to combat the menace of the illicit trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons. We have redoubled efforts to address this onerous challenge within our borders and across the West African sub-region.
20. In doing so, we also recognize the need for a broad-based global partnership in the on-going battle against trans-border crimes, including terrorism and acts of piracy. It is regrettable that these scourges are sustained by unfettered access by non-state actors to illicit small arms and light weapons with which they foster insecurity and instability across our continent. For us in Africa, these are the ‘weapons of mass destruction’!

21. It is therefore, in the light of our collective obligation and unceasing struggle to end this nightmare, that I congratulate Member-States on the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in April this year.  Our hope is that upon its entry into force, the ATT would herald an era of accountable trade in conventional arms which is critical to the security of nations.

22. In line with our continued commitment to this project, Nigeria has signed and ratified the Treaty.  We will continue to engage other Member-States for its successful implementation.

Mr. President,
23. Terrorism constitutes a major threat to global peace and security, and undermines the capacity for sustained development.  In Nigeria, the threat of terrorism in a few States in the North Eastern part of our country has proven to be a challenge to national stability.  We will spare no effort in addressing this menace.  We are therefore confronting it with every resource at our disposal with due regard for fundamental human rights and the rule of law.

24. Nigeria will like to place on record its appreciation to the international community for its support in this regard.  The reign of terror anywhere in the world is an assault on our collective humanity.  Three days ago, the stark reality of this menace was again brought to the fore by the dastardly terrorist attack in Nairobi, Kenya. We must stand together to win this war together.

Mr. President,
25. Piracy, like terrorism, is another menace that has attained worrisome proportions, especially in Africa’s coastal waters. At the bilateral and multilateral levels, Nigeria has promoted cooperation to mitigate its impact and consequences on the security and economies of the affected coastal states.

26. Indeed, in June this year, the leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission met in Yaounde, Cameroon, and came up with practical steps to collectively confront the menace of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.  This effort will, no doubt, require reinforcement and wider support and collaborative action on the part of our international partners.

Mr. President,
27. The situation in the Middle East remains volatile.  The reported use of chemical weapons in the Syrian crisis, is unacceptable.  Nigeria condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the use of chemical weapons that are prohibited by International Conventions.

28. We applaud the current diplomatic efforts to avert further escalation of the crisis.  We urge all parties involved to end the violence and seek a negotiated solution, including the instrumentality of the United Nations.

29. The threat which nuclear weapons pose to the survival of the human race is to be understood not just in the context of aspirational nations but also the nations already in possession of such weapons. Nuclear weapons are as unsafe in the hands of small powers as they are in the hands of the major powers. It is our collective responsibility to urge the international community to respond to the clarion call for a peaceful universe in an age of uncertainty.

30. We can attain this objective if we adopt measures and policies that will promote nuclear disarmament, protect and renew our environment, and push towards an international system that is based on trust, mutual respect and shared goals.

Mr. President,
31. I believe that I express the concern of many about the slow pace of effort and apparent lack of progress in the reform of the United Nations, especially the Security Council.  We believe strongly, that the call for democratization worldwide should not be for States only, but also, for International Organizations such as the UN.  That is why we call for the democratization of the Security Council.

32. This is desirable for the enthronement of justice, equity, and fairness; and also for the promotion of a sense of inclusiveness and balance in our world.

33. Our support for the United Nations Security Council in its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security has been total and unwavering.  We have, in previous membership of the Council, demonstrated both the political will and capacity to engage in key Council responsibilities.  Nigeria has therefore decided to seek election for the 2014-2015 Non-Permanent Seat of the UNSC.

34. I am pleased to state that Nigeria has received the endorsement of the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union.  We urge this august Assembly to endorse Nigeria’s candidature.

Mr. President,
35. Our world continues to be confronted by pressing problems and threats.  No statement that will be made during this Session can exhaust the extent of these problems.  The world looks to us, as leaders, to provide hope in the midst of crisis, to provide guidance through difficult socio-political divisions, and to ensure that we live in a better world.

36. We have obligations to the present generation, but we have a greater obligation to generations yet unborn who should one day inherit a world of sufficiency irrespective of the circumstances of their birth or where they reside on the globe.  We must work to make that world a reality in recognition of our common heritage.

37. We must strive to eradicate poverty, hunger, disease and human misery; we must eliminate the scourge of nuclear, chemical, biological, as well as small arms and light weapons. We must dedicate ourselves to working together to address global, regional and national challenges and deliver a more peaceful, equitable and prosperous world for all.  It is our duty.  We must not fail.

38. I thank you.

Lagos state governor Babatunde Raji Fashola and rapper Jude M.I Abaga are hosting a live event called ‘Hangout with BRF and M.I on Google plus’.

In a bid to kick off his duties as the new Lagos state energy ambassador, M.I will moderate the show with BRF as host. Together, they will enlighten Lagosians on means of saving funds while conserving energy.

The online event will launch the energy conservation month of October with a theme ‘The Energy Conservation Month’. It requires an active google account for participation and will commence at 6pm on Friday, September 27, 2013.

Earlier this month, the Chocolate City artiste was appointed Lagos state ambassador for Energy. He is also the UN ambassador for the Smuggling of migrants and a Glo ambassador.

In case you have a problem separating the identicals. hehehehehe, On the left is Rick Ross and on the right is his Emeka, who lives in Aba, Nigeria. Emeka is known to have so much swaggz that the ladies mistake him for Rick Ross...

After his nose was damaged, then infected and deformed, this Chinese man has had a new one artificially grown on a rather unusual place.
The 22-year-old man, identified only as 'Xiaolian,' damaged his nose in a vehicle accident back in August 2012, but decided not to seek medical treatment. An infection then gradually corroded the cartilage, and, when Xiaolian finally went to see a doctor, it was too late: the surgeons were helpless.
There was no other choice left but to grow a new nose to transplant it, replacing the damaged one.
The surgeons placed a skin tissue expander onto Xiaolian's forehead, cutting in into the shape of a nose and supporting it by cartilage taken from his ribs.
The medical procedure was carried out at a hospital in Fuzhou, China's Fujian province. Surgeons say the nose is well-developed, and the replacement surgery will be carried out soon.

AS strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the nation’s tertiary institutions enters its fourth month, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has indicated its resolve to embark on its own indefinite strike next week.

Speaking at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the trade union in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Tuesday, NASU’s general secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, said members of the union had not been paid for two months, despite working to keep university system running during the ongoing ASUU strike.

“ NASU will commence its own strike next week, because we have been working and government has refused to pay our salary. For us, it does not make sense to continue to keep the system running when we are not being paid. The reason for this is not known to us.

Government has not paid our salary for August and today is September 24; they are owing us two months’ salary and there is no way we can continue to do this work on empty stomach, while they run round the globe on full stomach,” he said.

The NASU’s general secretary, who said no reason was adduced for their non-payment, added that “ the unfortunate thing is that they have no explanation for non-payment of our salary. That is enough patience on our part, despite the fact that we have our grouse before with the Federal Government that things are not running well.

“ However, we think as Nigerians and parents, we don’t have to unnecessarily ground the system, but if you take this our maturity and level-headedness to mean stupidity, then, people who complain that we, in the university system have ruined the future of students by going on too many strikes imposed on us by government will have no reason not to understand, if we go on our own strike next week.”

Also speaking, the national president of NASU, Mr Ladi Iliya, blamed the National Assembly for fighting on their political interest and future at the expense of welfare of Nigerians.

The NASU president, who said the National Assembly should have deliberated on issue of persistent insecurity and ASUU strike when it resumed session, described the attitude of the legislators as shameful.

The labour leader decried issue of corruption, which he said was now an acceptable part of every transaction in the country, both in public and private sectors of the economy, adding that high cost of running the country today was a result of the endemic scourge of corrupt practices, which, he said had long bedevilled the system.

  
Lecturers in the nation’s public universities on Monday vowed to continue with their indefinite strike, declaring that President Goodluck Jonathan's decision to withhold their salaries would not stop their resolve to ensure the university system is made better once and for all.

"To continue with the strike. We had, on July 2, commenced a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action, and as long as the government does not meet our demand of implementing the FGN/ASUU 2009 agreement, the strike will continue.”

The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Abuja chapter, Dr. Clement Chup, stated this in a chat with Punch.

On comments by the leadership of NANS that the students were no longer supporting the strike, Chup said those making the call were “political and mercenary students.”

“The NANS that say they do not support us are the mercenary students. They are the political, non-matriculated students. Our genuine students do understand the issues that warranted the strike, and are fully in our support.”

He said government officials are only interested in awarding contracts in universities where they will benefit and not the quality of input and output in the higher institutions