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More than 200 years since she first put pen to paper, Jane Austen remains a phenomenal brand - with more than 70 re-workings of her six completed novels in print. The author's works - which have long been out of copyright - are constantly being revisited, in books and on screen.

Publishers, like film studios and broadcasters, have been trading off literary hits for decades. And 2013 was another bumper year of literary reinvention. Earlier this month, a writer was hired to pen a fourth instalment to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson's hit trilogy that has taken the book - and film - worlds by storm.

Nigerian Agriculture Minister Akinwumi Adesina has been named Forbes African of the Year for his reforms to the country's farming sector. "He is a man on a mission to help Africa feed itself," said Forbes Africa editor Chris Bishop.

An explosion at a train station in the southern Russian city of Volgograd has killed at least 13 people, reports say. A female suicide bomber was responsible for the blast, which injured 50 people, Russia's anti-terrorism committee said.

An Italian student suffering from a rare disease has denounced death threats she received after defending medical experiments on animals. Caterina Simonsen said more than 30 "death wishes" and 500 abusive messages were sent to on her Facebook page.

*. After one year, your risk of a heart attack is half that of a smoker *. After five years, your risk of stroke is significantly reduced to the same as a lifetime non-smoker *. After 10 years, your risk of developing lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker. They are also at greater risk of developing memory problems and dementia. The new campaign goes live on 30 December and offers support, advice and a range of toolsfor anyone looking to stop smoking. 'Not all doom' Chief Medical Officer Prof Dame Sally Davies said:

A new public health campaign in England is highlighting the toxic damage tobacco smoke does to vital organs such as the brain, as well as the lungs. The TV adverts warn how smoke makes blood "dirty and thick with toxins" which then circulate in the body, increasing the risks of a stroke. "If you could see the damage, you'd stop", say the adverts, aimed at encouraging smokers to quit. Smokers are twice as likely to die of stroke as non-smokers.

Lee Rigby was a British soldier who had gone to war for his country. The men who murdered him called themselves soldiers of Allah. They thought their war was on the streets of Woolwich. Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale had been waiting for a soldier to kill. That soldier was Lee Rigby, and

Prince William revealed in a voicemail to his then girlfriend Kate Middleton that he almost got himself shot after getting lost on a night time training exercise in Aldershot, the Old Bailey heard.

THESE ARE BASICALLY 7 TYPES OF GIRLS THESE DAYS. 1. HARD DISK GIRLS: Remember everything for ever, they'll always come back for good time. 2. RAM GIRLS: Forgets about you the moment you turn her off or an upgrading version of your hardware/ software is available. 3. SCREEN SAVER GIRLS: Just for looking, beautiful but don't even think of dating them, you'll have high blood pressure, not their fault but it's due to popular demand.

Akpos was arrested in Lagos by a group of traffic Officials for driving on the BRT Lane reserved for commercial passenger buses. His car was fined 5,000 Naira. After begging and pleading for thirty minutes, the traffic Officials refused to release the car. Akpos asked: Okay. May I know where you are towing my car to?

I asked a Chinese girl if she would come out with me for a date & I asked her for her mobile number so I could call her.......she got all excited & said;.... All night sex sex free sex free sex tonight .....wow,

For a long time Akpos has been battling with a leak in his roof. One night there was a very heavy down pour, he had to move from one corner of his house to the other to avoid drops from his roof. This made him have sleepless night. The next morning he decided to fix his roof, after scouting for ladder in his neighbourhood, he tried to climb to the roof. Climbing wasn't easy, he panted and sweated but successfully climbed to the roof, as he was about to fix the damage, he heard a knock on his door.

An elderly man in Accra calls his son in New York and says, "I hate to ruin your day son, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are getting a divorce; 45 years of marriage... and that much misery is enough!" "Dad, what are you talking about?" the son yells. "We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the old dad explained. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in London and tell her!".

An elderly man in Accra calls his son in New York and says, "I hate to ruin your day son, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are getting a divorce; 45 years of marriage... and that much misery is enough!" "Dad, what are you talking about?" the son yells. "We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the old dad explained. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in London and tell her!".

A man went to a barber shop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed, as the barber began to work, they started a good conversation; they talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched the subject of God, the barber said: “I don’t believe that God exists.” “Why do you say that?” asked the customer. The barber said; “Well you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn’t exist; Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can’t imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things.” The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barber shop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard; He looked dirty and unkept. The customer turned back and...

The American delegation met with VP Sambo. The Federal Government has said that the menace of oil theft in the country is undermining efforts at delivering on its transformation programmes. The Vice President, Namadi Sambo, stated this on Wednesday, when he received in audience a top level delegation from the United States Government, led by the Assistant Secretary of Defence, Sharon Burke.

The Senate gave its finance committee one week to investigate the matter. The Senate in Abuja on Wednesday mandated its Committee on Finance to begin investigation into the allegations that $49.8 billion (N8 billion) was missing from the Federation Account.

Council members eulogised the late South African president. The Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday devoted the first session of its meeting to a tribute to former South African President, Nelson Mandela. Mr. Mandela died on December 5 at the age of 95.

PART 2... While many patriotic, objective and well-meaning Nigerians have already condemned the leaked letter as self-serving, hypocritical, malicious, indecent, and very disrespectful of the highest office in the land, President Jonathan has directed that none of his aides or any government official should join issues with Chief Obasanjo over it.

PART 1... President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed as “most reckless” and “unjustifiable” a fiercely scathing letter he received from former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in which Mr. Obasanjo accused him of lying, condoning corruption, and leading Nigeria to the brink of collapse. A statement by the president’s aide, Reuben Abati, said the allegations by the former president were “baseless and indecorous.” The statement said Mr. Jonathan has directed his aides not to respond to the barrage of attacks and allegations from Mr. Obasanjo, listed in an 18-page letter exclusively published by PREMIUM TIMES. Mr. Jonathan will personally respond to the charges at the “appropriate time”, the statement said. “While many patriotic, objective and well-meaning Nigerians have already condemned the leaked letter as self-serving, hypocritical, malicious, indecent, and very disrespectful of the highest office in the land, President Jonathan has directed that none of his aides or any government of...

The ASUU leadership is to meet within a week to review the government’s offer and decide officially on the strike which began June 28. The government, on its part, is set up a committee to fully implement the agreement with the union. The Nigerian government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have reached an agreement, moving an inch closer to ending the five-month old strike by university lecturers.

Solomon Lar is to be buried on Friday. The National Working Committee (NWC) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has declared December 13 as work-free day in all PDP offices across the federation. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by Olisa Metuh, the party`s National Publicity Secretary.

The Rivers APC also commended the G-5 governors. The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, inaugurated its interim leadership on Wednesday with an advice to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to accept and face the reality of being an opposition party in the country.

The lawmakers extolled Mandela’s virtues. Members of the House of Representatives in Abuja on Wednesday paid tributes to late former South African President, Nelson Mandela, and extolled his qualities during his life time.

Ministers took turns to eulogise the late South African leader. The Nigerian government on Wednesday honoured late Nelson Mandela as the Executive Council of the Federation, FEC, paid tribute him.

The APC said the president is playing divisive politics with the nation’s commonwealth The All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of using the Ecological Fund, set up to address Nigeria’s serious ecological problems, as a tool to further divide the ranks of the state governors and solidify his reputation as a partisan and sectional leader.

PART 2... Following the expiration of the additional four (4) weeks grace granted to the Federal Government, the NMA again magnanimously extended twice the ultimatum on account of the Government’s constitution of a Presidential Committee and promise to speedily resolve the issues contained in the requests of the NMA.

PART 1... The doctors have threatened to resume their nationwide strike. Nigerian doctors say they would embark on a nationwide strike from December 14, the end of an ultimatum issued the government, following the federal government’s failure to comply with an agreement reached with their union, the Nigerian Medical Association.

The FRSC confirmed the casualty. Four persons, including an NYSC member, on Wednesday died in an auto crash on Yola-Gombe road. Kuteb Galadima, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Gombe, confirmed the crash, saying that 12 others were injured.

The health officials are demanding the implementation of a new pay structure. The Zamfara State Government has announced the sack of over 400 nurses and midwives, who went on strike over pay, accusing them of leaving their duty posts without permission, The Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Birnin Magaji, announced the decision in a statement on Wednesday in Gusau.

Nigerian women are being discouraged from using firewood. No fewer than 98,000 Nigerian women die annually from smokes inhaled during cooking with firewood, an official of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Bahijjahtu Abubakar, has said. Ms. Abubakar, who is the National Coordinator, Renewable Energy Programme, told newsmen at the official launch of RUWES and the 4th Annual Nigeria Renewable Energy Day in Abuja on Wednesday. She said the death from the sector contributed to 10 per cent of global annual death, according to the World Health

The Defence Headquarters spokesperson, Chris Olukolade, is among those promoted. The Army Council has approved the promotion of 102 senior army officers.

PART 2 ... Mr. Obasanjo also accused Mr. Jonathan of placing over 1000 Nigerians on political watch list and “training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha and training them where Abacha trained his killers”. He wondered why the Presidency was providing assistance for a murderer to evade justice.

PART 1 An apparently angry & frustrated ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo has written what clearly competes as one of the most acerbic letters in modern history to President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing him of ineptitude and of taking actions calculated at destroying Nigeria. “Nigeria is bleeding & the hemorrhage must be stopped,” Mr. Obasanjo said in the 18-page letter dated December 2, 2013 & exclusively obtained by LaNUBlog News on Tuesday.

The Speaker asked the EFCC to collaborate with international organisations. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and prosecute suspected crude oil thieves in the country. Mr. Tambuwal made the call at the inauguration of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft in Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja. According to him, EFCC must act in collaboration with international law enforcement agencies to achieve its objective. “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, for instance, should be made to take a closer look at those behind the transportation and purchase of stolen oil in the country.

The Nigerian military confirmed the explosion. By Arodiegwu Eziukwu The Joint Task Force (JTF) has confirmed the death of one person suspected to be an oil thief at the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) trunk line in Bayelsa State. The JTF Media Coordinator, Onyenma Nwachukwu, said in Yenagoa that the suspect was burnt to death following an explosion at Egbematoru, South-Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

The police in Rivers today disrupted a sitting of the Rivers state House of Assembly who were holding plenary for the first time since July when the House was sealed. Twenty-five of the 26 members of the House loyal to embattled Governor Rotimi Amaechi had converged on the Assembly earlier today to sit in compliance with a high court order barring the National Assembly from taking over the functions of the Assembly.

Ogechukwu Soledad, Chrissy L Kellison, Mary Eyo, Melissa Noonan, Chinenye Charity Agu, John Blessing, Honorable Solomaintain Emmanuel, Olaleye Mary, Obianuju Ekechukwu Augustina Obianuju, Ejeagwu Chinazom,

Ministers took turns to eulogise the late South African leader. The Nigerian government on Wednesday honoured late Nelson Mandela as the Executive Council of the Federation, FEC, paid tribute him. Twenty two ministers who were present at the Council meeting, spent over an hour taking turns to pay their tribute which rounded off with Vice President Namadi Sambo’s tribute. They also observed a minute silence in honour of the late Madiba, the first black President of South Africa.

Express LOVE Because heart Can’t Wait! And If its taking all ur strength, if its killing your heart, if its making you bear too much pain, its making you ignore everything else… Make sure its worth it! Otherwise Let it go… Because When You Have Loved Unconditionally One Person And Lost That Love, It Leaves A Wound That Never Heals, A Sad & Broken Heart, A Void Forever …

Dear MANDELA help me pass this message to the following late NIGERIA leaders. please if you see AWOLOWO tell him that NIGERIA is preparing for another WAR come 2015 election because of who will Rule NIGERIA. Tell TAFAWA BALEWA that his sciours have formed another group called BOKO HARAM and they are carrying weapons against NIGERIA. Tell YAR'DUA that Amnesty he granted is causing problem and his boy GOODLUCK JONATHAN is under fire because some of his brothers said that they will make this country ungovernable for him.

Congrats are in order for La Toya Jackson! The singer and reality star, 57, married longtime friend and business partner Jeffre Phillips on Dec. 6 in Los Angeles, Us Weekly confirms. (RadarOnline was first to break the story.) "He's been by her side forever and they already live in the same building in LA," a source tells Us.

The suspect is a staff of Sterling Bank. An Ikeja High Court on Friday granted leave to a petrol subsidy scam suspect, Olarenwaju Olalusi, to travel to the U.K. for business. Mr. Olalusi, a banker, is being prosecuted alongside an oil marketer, Abdullahi Alao, for an alleged N1.1 billion petrol subsidy fraud.

Good Evening and welcome to the LIVE blog for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals Draw. A team of LaNUBlog NEWS ARENA sports analysts would bring you commentaries and live updates of the draw taking place in Costa do Sauipe, Brazil. You can also follow and contribute to the coverage on our Twitter, Facebook and, comments here, below. The Official Matchball for Brazil 2014. 17:32 Ronaldo, highest goal scorer in FIFA World Cup with 15 goals and three times World Footballer of the Year, and two time World Cup winner addresses the draw crowd.

The SSANU of the Lagos University have been on strike since September 30. The striking Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Lagos State University (LASU), chapter, on Friday vowed that it would continue its strike until its demands were met. The Chairman of the chapter, Oseni Saheed, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

The anti-apartheid icon will be buried in his ancestral home. South Africa’s former president and respected anti-apartheid leader, Nelson Mandela, who passed away Thursday night, will be buried on Sunday, December 15, President Jacob Zuma announced Friday afternoon.

Nigeria’s secret police, the State Security Service, on Friday interrogated Junaid Mohammed, a staunch critic of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Government, over inciting comments credited to him. The politician was reportedly summoned to the SSS headquarters in the Abuja, where he was quizzed for several hours over comments credited to him suggesting there would be violence should President Jonathan stands for reelection.

Electricity supply to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was interrupted Friday morning with passengers arriving the facility unable to claim their luggage. Passengers who arrived via First Nations Airlines Flight FRN0102 from Lagos at 10:40 a.m. were heard complaining as there was no electricity to power the luggage conveyor belt.

Mandela died on Thursday night in South Africa.‪ President Barack Obama has ordered all United State flags to be flown at half-mast Thursday night to sunset on Monday in honour of South Africa anti-apartheid leader, Nelson Mandela, who died on Thursday as tributes from world leaders and notable people all over the world continue to pour in.

Adeyemo Abimbola, a Sergeant, is 30 years old. The Nigerian Army on Friday declared a serving officer, Adeyemo Abimbola, of the Department of Policy and Plans, Army Headquarters, Abuja, missing. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja and signed by Ibrahim Attahiru, Director of Army Public Relations.

Family planning was worse in poor households. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)says that family planning has remained low due to lack of contraception materials and effective campaigns for child-spacing in urban and rural areas.

Chapter calls Bamanga Tukur a focused leader. The London Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has supported the call for expulsion from the party of three members of the Baraje faction – Abubakar Baraje, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Sam Jaja – as recommended by the party’s National Disciplinary Committee. Messrs Baraje and Jaja have already led members of their faction, including five state governors, to join the All Progressives Congress, APC. Mr. Oyinlola, however, insists he is still the PDP National Secretary after he was declared so by the Court of Appeal.

Bamanga Tukur says the vacuum created by the death of Mr. Lar will be difficult to fill because Mr. Lar “was an emancipator of the less privileged and a democrat of repute”. Gov. Jonah Jang of Plateau on Friday in Abuja, renamed the Plateau State University after Solomon Lar, the late first executive Governor of the state.

Mandela died on Thursday. President Goodluck Jonathan has declared three days of national mourning for former South African President, Nelson Mandela, who died on Thursday.

The closure will only affect the area of the fire. The FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, on Thursday ordered a partial closure of Herbert Macaulay Expressway in Abuja City Centre following powerful multiple petroleum tanker explosions that rocked the Conoil mega service station opposite the Nigeria National Petroleum Headquarters in the Central Business District of Abuja.

Obasanjo first met Mandela when the latter was in prison in 1986. A former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, said the death of Nelson Mandela, the first black South African President, meant the world has lost a leader. Mr. Obasanjo, speaking from his hilltop mansion in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday night, said his earliest contact with the former South African leader was when the latter was in prison in 1986, a meeting he described as ‘memorable.’ Mr. Mandela was in prison for 27 years and released in 1990.

A fondle on chest, a soft chant of love, a sound from heart, woke him up,. Through shaded labyrinth of silting darkness, he opened eyes pushing up eyelids hard. Weakness pasted his vision with receding time. Thick rheum sticks his eyelashes down. Pain of regrets craves out his love for life, one more chance in order to seek forgiveness. Body diminishes to disintegration. One by one cell retires into stillness. Bones clatter and rest under his skin. Long breathes and hiccups for fresh air.

For a while I feel numb, sad and upset. I was shocked And my world stopped But in the midst Of my emotional break down I saw you, memories are reflecting back faithfully. I remember how you show’d me the purpose to live and to take care of what interest me Too. You encourage me whenever I hit rock-bottom, When I was all alone and lost You held my hand and show’d me the way Thank you for everything That you’ve done for me "Nelson Mandela" What would I be without you Never wallow in self pity or regrets Are you’re loveliest virtues And that’s what I want to do To never fail to remember, And to enjoy reflecting To your idea’s and words of wisdom And though without you. My joy will be greater My love will be deeper My life will be fuller Because you shared your moments. My beloved MENTOR You’re deeply missed And forever etched in my heart. §¤§¤§¤§¤§¤§¤§¤§ § —GOOD— § § N I G H T § §¤§¤§¤§¤§¤§¤§¤§ =*%-._.-%* =. ‘-._G 0 0 D_.-’ ‘+._.+’ =%*-._.-*% =, ‘-....

GSM services were shut in Borno for over seven months. A cross section of residents of Maiduguri on Wednesday expressed happiness over the restoration of GSM services in the state. Service to Borno was cut off following the declaration of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa in May by President Goodluck Jonathan when the states came under intense attacks by Boko Haram insurgents.

Festus Iyayi was a former ASUU President. Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Wednesday eulogised the late Professor Festus Iyayi, describing him as a model for the struggle for the emaciation of the country. They made this known at an event held at the University of Benin and a tribute held at the University of Ibadan, respectively.

The loan is to help the Lagos government complete some projects. The Senate on Wednesday approved the inclusion of the Lagos State Development Policy Operation II (DPO) into the proposed pipeline projects under the 2012-2014 external borrowing plan. This allows the Lagos State Government to borrow the second tranche of $200 million from the World Bank. The senate took the decision after considering the report of the Ehigie Uzamere (APC-Edo) led committee on Local and Foreign Debts.

The rating for power was the worst in 11 months. President Goodluck Jonathan’s performance rating fell five per cent in November after struggling for months to stay above the middle mark, with the South-South and North West geopolitical regions turning in the most damning verdict on the president’s performance, a monthly evaluation poll by NOI-Pollhas shown. The poll released Tuesday said the percentage of Nigerians that approved of the president’s performance declined to 50 per cent in November 2013, from October’s 55 per cent.

A three-member committee was formed to harmonise the Yoruba agenda. Prominent Yoruba leaders and socio-cultural organisations from the South-West on Wednesday urged President Goodluck Jonathan to midwife the planned national dialogue to make it successful. The advice is contained in a communique issued at the end of a meeting of Yoruba Obas and leaders of thought. The meeting, which held on December 3, was convened by Oba Okunade Sijuwade, the Ooni of Ife, to deliberate on Yoruba position in the proposed dialogue.

The money is for a research on dirt. The University of Lagoswill benefit from the European Union (EU)five-year funded research grant to the tune of 2.2 million euro. This is contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Registrar Information, University of Lagos, Toyin Adebule, on Wednesday in Lagos. The grant, which is for a tripartite joint research project between the Universities of Lagos, Sussex in the UK and the Kenyatta Universityin Nairobi, is being funded by the European Research Council of the EU. The project known as “The Cultural Politics of Dirt in Africa, 1880 -Present’’, will span five years.

11: 50 UPDATE: Abuja airport still shutdown at 11:46 a.m. as Arik calls passengers for emergency meeting Contrary to what aviation officials told hundred of stranded passengers at the Abuja airport, the airport was still shut down as at 11:46 a.m. Officials had told the passengers that the problem with the runway would be resolved by 11:00 a.m. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s largest airline, Arik, has called for an emergency meeting with its passengers stranded at the airport. The meeting to be held at a section of the Abuja airport was about to start at 11:46 a.m.

“There has been much debate over the use of computers and the internet in Local language teaching for more than decades. Thus, the Information Communications Technology (ICT) in Local language teaching has been the researchers’ focus of attention. Education, especially Local language teaching, has to adapt and renew itself to be compatible with the globalized world. The purpose of this study is to examine the necessity of ICT and highlight the positive effects of it in order to keep up with the modernized communities in the current digital world. To meet this end, the enormous advantages of integrating ICT in Local language teaching will be presented. With the enhancement of ICT, teachers and students will be able to communicate and collaborate with native and non-native speakers around the globe. The application of ICT is also beneficial in that they provide a wealth of resources for the students to become active learners by creating content for a worldwide audience. When students w...

The GSM networks were shut since May. ‪The Borno State Government has reviewed the 24-hour curfew in Maiduguri, the state capital. The curfew is now to last from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Indications also emerged on Tuesday that GSM networks have been restored in the troubled state. The decision to review the curfew was reached during a closed-door meeting between government officials and security agencies on Tuesday, the Secretary to the State Government, Baba Jidda, said in a statement. ‪GSM networks have been grounded since May when a state of emergency was declared in Borno.

Commissioner advises youth against cattle rustling. The Plateau Police Command on Tuesday said it would henceforth regard cattle rustlers as armed robbers. The Police Commissioner, Chris Olakpe, said in Jos that anybody caught indulging in cattle theft would be prosecuted as an armed robber. “We shall start considering all those caught stealing cattle as armed robbers. Armed robbers usually carry arms and ammunition to commit their offence and the cattle thieves do the same thing.” “The robbers most of the times kill their victims during their operations and the cattle thieves also indulge in killing their victims before carting away the cows.”

LaNUBlog NEWS ARENA Learnt that The lecturers said they would only obey the directive of the national ASUU. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), UNIJOS chapter, said on Tuesday that classes would only resume in the institution if directed by the national body. The chapter Chairman, David Jangdam, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Jos that the lecturers were waiting for directives from the national body before the five-month strike could be called off. “Classes will only resume if directed by the national body,’’ he said. Mr. Jangdam said that the decision of the national body was final and binding on all local chapters.

Over 100,000 people are estimated to have died in the Syrian conflict. The UN’s human rights chief on Tuesday said an inquiry had produced evidence that war crimes were authorised in Syria at the highest level, including by President Bashar al-Assad. The UN’s human rights chief, Navi Pillay, said her office held a list of others implicated by the inquiry. She added that she had not seen the confidential list but that she had been briefed by UN investigators.

Training addressed challenges of weak technology reporting in African media. Microsoft Nigeria on Monday trained selected journalists on the benefits of Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Windows 8.1 at a one-day capacity building training for the Nigerian media. The PR Lead for Microsoft Anglophone West Africa, Yemi Orimolade, said in Lagos that the training was designed to address challenges of weak technology reporting in African media. “Microsoft plans to provide local journalists with the tools they require to enable them report confidently on ICT issues and use technology properly in their day-to-day activities,” he said.

Police say knowledge of kidnap derived from newspapers Controversy has trailed the kidnap of the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Anambra State, Kenneth Emeakayi. Mr. Emeakayi was reportedly kidnapped on Monday by gunmen on his way to Awka from his hometown, Okija, Anambra State. The gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in the November 16 Anambra election, Tony Nwoye, told LaNUBlog NEWS AREANA that he was still gathering details to confirm the kidnap, while a source at the party’s headquarters confirmed that the party was aware of Mr. Emeakayi’s kidnap. “I was communicated on the same issue (kidnap) two days ago, I have been told that my state chairman was kidnapped. I spoke to his cousin who is also his lawyer and he told me the same thing.

TMG commended INEC for the vote collation process. The Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, an accredited election monitor, has decried the “serious” shortcomings in the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State. In its post-election report published in Abuja, Monday, the group said that the election was riddled with late arrival of election materials, widespread late delivery of electoral materials, and in some areas, simultaneous accreditation and voting.

The co-owner of the two businesses was found not guilty of terrorism on Friday Despite a court judgement on Friday ordering Nigerian security agencies, particularly the Department of State Security Service, SSS, to unlock two businesses in Abuja, the security service has refused to abide by the judgement. Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday freed Mustapha Fawaz, the owner of Amigo Supermarket and Wonderland Amusement Park, of terrorism charges and ordered that the two businesses, locked up by the SSS, be reopened.

The staff were distributed to INEC offices around Nigeria. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday, said it employed about 2,000 new staff to strengthen its operational efficiency. The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State, Halilu Pai, said this when he addressed journalists in Ado Ekiti.

Boko Haram insurgents have attacked a military airbase in north-eastern Nigeria, destroying two helicopters, the authorities say. Eyewitnesses say hundreds of militants attacked several areas of the city of Maiduguri, starting early on Monday. A 24-hour curfew has been imposed in Maiduguri. Its civilian airport was also briefly closed.

A powerful uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been removed from his post, South Korean media reports say. Citing South Korea's intelligence agency, they say Chang Song-thaek, 67, lost his position as vice-chairman of the North's top military body.