Atiku, David Mark reveals what will happen to Nigerians in 2018

Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, on Sunday expressed hope that Nigeria will work again in 2018. In his new year message to Nigerians, the former Vice President said “through increased job opportunities, Nigeria will be working again.” Abubakar, in the message which he posted on his Facebook page, said 2018 would “bring out the empowerment of Nigerians.” He urged Nigerians to believe that 2018 would be the “beginning of renaissance of Nigeria.” Abubakar wrote: “As we step into the new year, my hope for Nigeria is that all Nigerians will be united. It is my hope that this year will bring out the empowerment of Nigerians and that through increased job opportunities, Nigeria will be working again. “It is my hope that all Nigerians will live in a safe and secure country. It is my hope that all Nigerians will live in an economy that provides them the quality of life they deserve and our youth have the opportunity to receive an education that sets the standard for all of Africa and the world. “My commitment in this new year is to help ensure that Nigeria will rise again and that the hopes of all Nigerians become a reality. “Tell your friends, tell your family and tell your neighbours that 2018 will be the beginning of the renaissance of Nigeria. “I wish you all a very Happy New Year. “God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Similarly, the immediate past President of the Senate, Senator David Mark has urged the governments and citizens alike to brace up to the challenges of nationhood and work harmoniously to make 2018 a year of fulfillment. He said that 2017 was challenging but expressed optimism that 2018 would be fulfilling if governments at all levels make the people the centre point of its policies and programme. In a goodwill message to Nigerians marking the new year, Mark reminded the present Federal Government that the period of buck-passing should be over for a more purposeful governance in order to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people. Mark acknowledged the resilience and perseverance of Nigerians midst of socio-economic and political difficulties in 2017. He urged Nigerians to reignite their undying spirit and enter 2018 with vigor and hope. He said, “I think the period of blame-game should be over by now. It is time this administration give Nigerians purposeful leadership and deliver the dividends of Democracy to the Nigerian people”. The former Senate President noted that the present administration has had enough gestation period to deliver on its mandate, Pointing out that dissipating energy trading blames is needless. Senator Mark also expressed worries over the unabating insecurity situation in the land , a development he feared may have defied orthodox methods of combating crimes. To this end, he advocated for an urgent review of the security arrangement in the country in order to curtail the multi-faceted security challenges ravaging the nation. Security, he explained, should be given utmost priority “because no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of crime or insecurity”. Senator Mark urged security operatives to rise up to the challenge. According to him, “I believe that Nigerians deserve to live in peace, in any part of the country without fear of intimidation or molestation. We need to cooperate with each other to make progress. We can work together to make our nation great again”.

Palestinians recall US envoy 'for consultations' after Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital

The Palestinian Authority has recalled its envoy to the US following Donald Trump‘s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The move will allow for “consultations” over leaders’ future relationship with the US. Days of protests followed Mr Trump’s announcement, leading to arrests and a number of deaths. The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to call on the US to row back its decision. Husam Zomlot was recalled by Palestinian foreign minister Riad al-Maliki​.Mr Al-Maliki said discussions would take place “to set the decisions needed by the Palestinian leadership in the coming period regarding our relations with the US.” Mr Zomlot is expected to return to “his normal work” after the consultation, he added. Mr Trump’s decision upended decades of US foreign policy and countered an international consensus that the fate of Jerusalem should be determined in negotiations.

Bashirfuntua: Mass rallies in Iran in support of government

Bashirfuntua: Mass rallies in Iran in support of government: Tens of thousands of people across Iran have attended preplanned pro-government rallies as officials warned against "illegal gatherings...

Mass rallies in Iran in support of government

Tens of thousands of people across Iran have attended preplanned pro-government rallies as officials warned against "illegal gatherings" following days of protests sparked by anger over the country's economy.

State TV aired footage on Saturday showing people in several cities waving flags and carrying banners bearing the image of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The large demonstrations, which are held every year, were organised weeks ago to mark the end of unrest following the country's 2009 election. This year, however, they took on new significance, offering a show of support for Iran's leadership after anti-government protests gripped a number of cities. Triggered by the high cost of living, protesters took to the streets to denounce a surge in the prices of basic foods, the sluggish economy and unemployment. The protests first broke out on Thursday in Masshad, Iran's second-largest city, before reportedly spreading to the capital, Tehran, and other major cities on Friday. Dozens of arrests were also reported. On Saturday, small crowds of protesters rallied for a third day in Tehran, Shahr-e Khord and Kermanshah, according to photos and videos posted on social media. The rallies appeared to take place despite Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli calling on people earlier in the day not to participate in what he called "illegal gatherings". Semi-state news agency Fars reported confrontations between police and protesters at the Tehran University. Videos posted on Twitter by the New-York based Center for Human Rights in Iran appeared to show police in riot gear clashing with protesters outside the gates to the Tehran University. A second video showed smoke-shrouded streets, purportedly from tear gas, in the same area.

Pastor commits suicide in Kaduna

A forty-year-old cleric, Samuel Hamza has committed suicide at Ungwar Romi area ​of Kaduna state capital. Hamza​ ​was a pastor of a Pentecostal church in the area.He han​ged​ himself with a rope ​tied to the fan inside his house. His lifeless body was ​discovered​ Friday night dangling ​under the ceiling. ​N​eighbours told Channels Television that the deceased has been passing through​ ​depression since he lost his wife in 2015. They​ ​expressed s​hock at the incident.The ​deceased ​is survived by a male child.

Katsina Governor Fires Education Commissioner

Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State has relieved the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Halimatu Idris, of her appointment with immediate effect. This was announced in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Abdu Labaran, on Thursday in Katsina. The statement reported a letter personally signed by the governor thanking the professor for the services she had rendered as a commissioner. “Her contributions to the development of education in particular in the state cannot be over-emphasized." “During her term as commissioner, schools were rehabilitated and upgraded, new ones were constructed, teachers were trained and the atmosphere made more conducive for learning and teaching." “However, as political activities for the 2019 general elections are about to commence, it becomes imperative for the government to bring more active politicians on board to fasten activities of governance,’’ Masari said. The governor wished her Allah’s guidance in her future endeavors.

We recorded 334 rape cases in 2017 – Kano Police

The Kano State Police Command on Friday disclosed that it recorded 334 cases of rape and other sexual offences in the state from January to date. The Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Magaji Majiya made this known while briefing newsmen on the Command’s year review in Kano. Five Hundred and Forty Seven cases of rape and other sexual offences were reported in 2016 while 334 cases were received in 2017, indicating a major reduction in committing crimes in the state,” he said. According to him, the command had recorded 601 major crimes, recovered 35 stolen vehicles and recovered N744.6 million property in the period under review. Majiya noted that the rate of crime had drastically gone down in the year under review considering the adequate security arrangements strategically deployed in the State and the number of criminals arrested with the synergy of the public and stakeholders involved. He said 52 kidnapped victims were rescued and reunited with their respective families, adding that 73 different types of local arms and 273 live ammunitions were recovered from suspects. “In the year 2016 the command witnessed 72 cases of armed robbery with 117 suspects arrested, while for the current year (2017), only 35 cases of robbery were reported and 76 suspects arrested”, he said.

According to him, the command had successfully arrested 497 members of different gangs of Yandaba (miscreants) in collaboration with traditional rulers and other security agencies. “Eighty nine of the group had surrendered and renounced the perpetration of the heinous crime in addition to counseling and monitoring their conduct, for them to become responsible members of the society,” Majiya said. He disclosed that the Inspector-General of Police war against corruption gaining ground within the rank and file of the Nigeria Police Force, had appeared to be a spectacular success in the Kano continue police command. Majiya called on the general public and other stakeholders to support the command in its determined efforts to flush the remaining criminals out of the state in 2018.

Russia 'has repeatedly supplied fuel to North Korea in violation of sanctions'

Russian tankers have reportedly repeatedly supplied fuel to North Korea in a violation of sanctions on the isolated state.

Reuters said two Western European security officials had said Russian ships were transferring their cargo at sea to Korean vessels. A source told the news agency there was no evidence that the transfers were state-sponsored but noted the transfers were nevertheless “giving a lifeline” to North Korea, which has faced global condemnation for its increasing belligerent behaviour. Russian officials declined to comment and the owner of a ship allegedly implicated denied any involvement. But the allegations that Russian ships have been thwarting sanctions intended to stifle the North Korean economy demonstrate the types of hurdles the international community faces in seeking to alter North Korea’s militaristic ambitions through diplomatic means. As North Korea has hurled ballistic missiles over Japan, tested a hydrogen bomb and threatened Asian neighbours with annihilation, the United Nations has imposed a series of sanctions intended to weaken the nation’s economy and punish its leadership. But Americans officials have warned that countries have continued to maintain economic relationships with North Korea, circumventing sanctions and undermining the global effort to curb Pyongyang. Earlier this week, Donald Trump claimed China had been “caught RED HANDED…allowing oil to go into North Korea,” and that a claim that China denied. “There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen”! Mr Trump said on Twitter. The United States has also proposed that the United Nations Security Council blacklist 10 ships accused of illegally funnelling coal and refined petroleum from North Korea, an idea that China has resisted. Earlier this year, in an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting convened in response to Pyongyang’s latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, America’s ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley warned that some countries were “continuing to fund the North Korean nuclear program”. Heralding the UN for imposing the “most impactful sanctions that any country has experienced in a generation”, Ms Haley said there were nevertheless “reports of the regime continuing to smuggle coal into neighbouring Asian countries” despite a ban on coal exports, and of North Korea “illegally obtaining refined petroleum” through ship-to-ship transfers. She urged other countries to sever “all ties” with North Korea, including ceasing trade and expelling North Korean workers.

Bashirfuntua: Lagos residents in prison for tampering with elect...

Bashirfuntua: Lagos residents in prison for tampering with elect...: Three residents of Lagos – Adegoke Azeez (30), Tijani Rasaq (54) and Goodnews Sunday (26) – have been arrested and arraigned before an Ogb...

Lagos residents in prison for tampering with electricity installations

Three residents of Lagos – Adegoke Azeez (30), Tijani Rasaq (54) and Goodnews Sunday (26) – have been arrested and arraigned before an Ogba Magistrate’s Court, Lagos for tampering with electricity installations belonging to Ikeja Electric. The men were apprehended on December 21, 2017 at Oke-Ira area of Ogba, Lagos when IE officials were carrying out reconnection in the neighbourhood. The lines being reconnected had previously been disconnected over unpaid electricity bills. The police said the offence allegedly committed by the residents was contrary to and punishable under sections 411 and 168 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015. They pleaded not guilty and were subsequently granted bail in the sum of N50,000 each with sureties in like sum. The court directed that they be remanded at the Kirikiri Prisons pending when they would be able to meet their bail condition. In reaction to the case, the Ikeja Electric’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Felix Ofulue, said that the company had resolved to confront fraudulent and unethical practices in its network. “It is a crime to tamper with electrical assets and it is also a dangerous activity that could lead to loss of life and property when unqualified technicians meddle with the connections just for some paltry financial gain,” Ofulue said.

Soliders and Police clash in Ekiti State

There was commotion in Ekiti State, between a group of soldiers who were origin of Ekiti State, who had just completed their recruitment training attacked policemen in Ekiti on Thursday.

In the attack, the soldiers stabbed a policeman, Cpl. Abdulkadir Yakub, with a jack-knife. An eye witness said Yakubu, a Traffic Police Officer, was attacked after he challenged the soldiers for extorting money from motorists and causing a traffic gridlock. It was learnt that Yakub sustained deep cuts in the head and buttocks. The young soldiers, who were 17 in number, were said to be returning from the Governor’s Office after a courtesy visit to Governor Ayodele Fayose. The soldiers took to the streets and stopped vehicles at Fajuyi Roundabout to extort money from motorists and motorcyclists. Cpl Monday Agom, who was on duty with the victim when the incident occurred at about 2.00pm, said Yakub was attacked by the soldiers after he pleaded with them not to cause a traffic gridlock during the alleged extortion. Agom said, “One of the soldiers stopped a man in mufti who happened to be a policeman right in his car and demanded the car key, while Yakub was trying to pass him to allow for the next person in line, so as to free traffic which was already building up. “Yakub then explained to him (the attacker) that the man he stopped is a police officer and that he should allow him to go as stopping him there would cause hold-up. “This statement infuriated the soldier who immediately slapped Yakub, before bringing out a jack-knife with which he started cutting him at several parts of the body.

2019 election: Kwankwaso’s likely destinations revealed

A former Kano State governor, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and his supporters are in talks to defect from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to either the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, or the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP.

Daily Trust reports that members of Kwankwasiyya, a political movement belonging to the former governor, had been holding series of meetings on the issue and that they would soon come up with a stand on the two political parties. According to the newspaper, a top member of the movement said that they have agreed to dump the APC but the issue at stake now is which party they will join, between the PDP and the PRP. However, a strong pillar in the Kwankwasiyya movement, Dr Yunusa Adamu Dangwani, also told Daily Trust that there is no such plan by Kwankwaso or Kwankwasiyya to leave APC. According to Dr. Dangwani their leader, Senator Kwankwaso, and the entire members of the Kwankwasiyya group were still card carrying members of the APC and had no plan to dump the party. He said, “We have not discussed anything related to Kwankwaso’s defection from the APC to the PDP or the PRP. We are still members of the ruling APC. We have been hearing this for some time now. But it is just mere rumor. And we cannot stop people from speculations. We are APC members who believe in Kwankwasiyya’s ideologies.”

India seeks to criminalise instant triple talaq divorce

New Delhi, India - India's lower house of parliament has passed a bill that seeks to criminalise "triple talaq", a style of instant divorce used by some in the Muslim community despite the country's top court suspending the practice in August.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) bill 2017, introduced by the Narendra Modi government in the lower house, or Lok Sabha, on Thursday, could see men found guilty of divorcing their wives through triple talaq end up in jail for three years. The bill is, in part, the result of decades of campaigning by Muslim women's groups and victims against a practice that allows Muslim men to divorce their wives instantaneously by uttering the word "talaq" three times. Under Islamic teaching, if the couple choose to re-marry, the wife must first wed another man and then divorce the second husband. "In the Republic of India, if a woman is suffering owing to the cruelty and inhumanity of triple talaq, should we remain silent?" Ravi Shankar Prasad, India's law minister and a senior member of the ruling Hindu nationalist BJP, said as he introduced the draft bill in parliament in New Delhi. "Muslim-majority countries have regulated triple talaq in one go, why can't we as a secular nation do it? We are not interfering in sharia [Islamic law]." Opposition demands The draft bill is being opposed by several political parties, and a number of opposition legislators stayed away while voting took place on Thursday. The opposition Congress party has backed the proposed law but asked for some portions to be altered. None of the amendments sought by the opposition were allowed by the BJP. The draft bill will now be sent to the upper house, or the Rajya Sabha, for passage before it is forwarded to the Indian president for signing it into law. The BJP's brute majority ensured a smooth passage for the triple talaq bill in the lower house of parliament on Thursday. However, the party lacks the votes in the upper house to ram through the same bill without incorporating some of the changes demanded by the opposition. Several Muslim countries have banned triple talaq, including Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. India, which is home to the world's third-largest Muslim population, allows minorities to keep their personal laws. Activists say the practice violates women's rights and reinforces patriarchal hierarchies. The Mumbai-based women's rights group BMMA or Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (Indian Muslim Women's Movement), was party to the legal battle and has chronicled more than 100 cases of triple talaq in India. Founder Zakia Soman said the government's decision was a step forward.

"We have been demanding this law for a very long time now," she told Al Jazeera. "We are entitled by both the Indian constitution and our religion to have a family law which is gender-just. "In most other Indian communities, the Hindus and the Christians, women have protection of law in the matters of marriage and family. It is only the Muslim women who have been denied legal justice so far. "We are very clear. We are fighting patriarchy. We are fighting for women's equality. We are fighting because we believe we are equal Muslims and equal citizens." No alimony or compensation In a BMMA survey last year, nearly 500 women said they had been divorced through triple talaq, with many receiving no alimony or compensation. Shehnaz Malik, 33, was devastated after her husband used instant divorce to abandon her. She told Al Jazeera in July: "You know, when someone's lovingly built home collapses, there is so much pain." With her two daughters, she now lives in a tiny, overcrowded house with her father in Noida on the outskirts of Delhi. "I want my husband to send me monetary aid to help with my daughters' education," she said on Thursday. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board, a powerful Islamic body, said the state has no right to interfere in religious matters. "I am opposed to this bill because it violates the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution under article 14 and 15," said Asaduddin Owaisi, a member of the group. Those articles prohibit discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, gender or place of birth. "Secondly, if this bill is made into law, it will cause more injustice to Muslim women," he told Al Jazeera, explaining that it would be difficult to prove triple talaq and unfair to place this burden on women. Muslims comprise about 14 percent of India's 1.3 billion people. Election promise Modi said earlier in 2017: "Reformers from within the community will save our Muslim mothers and sisters battling triple talaq. I appeal to the Muslim community: Don't politicise this issue." The government is touting the new proposed law which criminalises the practice as a boost for India's 90 million Muslim women. But some fear the court ruling and the new law would aid the Modi government in its push for a uniform civil code, a poll promise. A uniform civil code legislation would seek to end the application of religious laws to civil issues and would unify India's personal laws that govern matters such as marriage, divorce, maintenance, adoption and inheritance.

Alabama Democrat officially declared winner in US Senate race

Democrat Doug Jones was officially declared the winner of the US Senate race in the southern state of Alabama on Thursday, whittling down the slim Republican majority in the chamber.

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill certified the results of the December 12 special election and dismissed claims of voter fraud by the campaign of the defeated Republican candidate, Roy Moore. With Jones’ upset victory in a Republican bastion, the party of President Donald Trump now holds 51 seats in the Senate and the Democrats 49 — the slimmest of majorities. The Alabama result dealt a stinging blow to Trump, who had thrown his support behind Moore, a conservative Christian. Moore appeared to be the favorite in the contest being held to fill the Senate seat held by Jeff Sessions, whom Trump had named attorney general. And Trump had easily captured the state in last year’s presidential election. But Moore’s campaign was rocked in the final days of the race by allegations that the former judge had engaged in sexual misconduct decades ago, including molesting a teenage girl. Moore — a former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court — has refused to concede and even launched a last-minute legal challenge of the results, but a judge dismissed his suit, which called for certification of the results to be delayed. Jones won 49.97 percent of the vote compared to Moore’s 48.34 percent, a margin of nearly 22,000 votes out of 1.35 million cast — a record for a special election.

Private Jet With Wizkid And Tiwa Savage On Board Robbed While Taxiing On Lagos Airport’s Runway

A private jet carrying two top Nigerian musical artists, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun aka “Wizkid” and Tiwa Savage from Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom state was attacked and robbed last night while taxiing on Lagos airport’s runway 18L. The Bombardier Challenger 605 jet with registration number T7-A00 arrived Lagos from Uyo about 8:33 pm and was slowly taxiing to the arrival hangar when the cargo compartment was burgled.
The jet slowed to allow an Ethiopian Airline cargo plane with registration number ET-ARH to push back for take off. The pilot, Captain Cloud Cote noticed the cargo door had been opened by burglars and promptly notified Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) security, but the burglars had disappeared before FAAN officials could make it to the point where the attack took place. 

Upon arrival at Quits Aviation Center, a private jet hangar,  the pilot discovered that two bags belonging to Ms. Savage and Wizkid had been stolen by the airport bandits.

FAAN has only one escorts vehicle for arriving and departing aircrafts for the entire airport which handles at least 200 flights daily.

On December 16, 2017, SaharaReporters had revealed that a Vistajet jet with the registration number 9H-VFA operated by Evergreen Apple Nigeria (EAN) Ltd was robbed on December 12, 2017, on the runway was 18R of the airport by unknown bandits when taxiing to the hangar of  EAN. The jet was arriving from Istanbul between 2110-2130hrs the robbery took place after landing in Lagos. A black bag belonging to a flight attendant was stolen from the incident.

 Sources close to Wizkid confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters while Ms. Savage took to social media to vent her frustration.

Davido unites Mo’hits crew on stage [VIDEO]

Davido on Wednesday night reunited the Mo’Hits crew – one of Nigeria’s most favourite boy band at his 30 Billion Concert. The singer had earlier announced that he will be offering a surprise at his show. Davido and Wizkid had also earlier settled their rift on stage while performing ‘Fia’ at Wizkid concert. The Mo’Hits crew comprising of Don Jazzy; the Entertainer, D’Banj; vocal powerhouse, Wande Coal; as well as Dr Sid, K-Switch, Ikechukwu and D’Prince had gone on a very painful split in 2012 over several internal disagreements. According to Davido, it took him two months of effort to bring this moment into fruition. This is the first time the Mo’Hits crew will be performing together on stage since their split five years ago. The crew were also seen cracking jokes inside elevator outside the show.

Islamophobia even worse under Trump than after 9/11 attacks, says top Muslim activist

Muslims in America are more vulnerable to bigotry and Islamophobia as a result of Donald Trump’s behaviour and actions than they were after the 9/11 attacks, according to a leading Muslim activist.

As the country approaches the anniversary of Mr Trump’s first year in office, Ibrahim Hooper said such was the level of anxiety and apprehension, many Muslims were fearful to public display signs of their faith. A number of Muslim women, for instance, were deciding not to to appear in public wearing the veil. “It’s not just Americans Muslims [who feel anxious],” Mr Hooper, a founder of the Council On American-Islamic Relations, told The Independent. “We have have seen white supremacists emboldened under Trump.” Mr Hooper said many people of colour and the minority community had been deeply dismayed by many of Mr Trump’s actions, including his Muslim travel ban and his administration’s crackdown on undocumented migrants. He said the President’s failure to speak out against white supremacism and extremism – as in the aftermath of neo-Nazi-led violence in Charlottesville in August which left one woman dead – had the impact of allowing such views to become mainstream. Many white supremacists, including former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, praised the way Mr Trump responded to the violence, claiming that there was blame “on all sides”. “It’s worse now than even after 9/11. He has empowered and mainstreamed white supremacy and bigotry,” he said. “After 9/11, bigotry was under the rocks and hidden. Now these bigots are out in the open and saying they are proud of their bigotry.” Asked if he believed the alleged increase in Islamophobia was the result of Mr Trump’s presidency, he said: “There is no other explanation.” Mr Hooper said several episodes of anti-Muslim violence had made international headlines. Among them was an incident in May, when two men were killed and a third badly injured, after they tried to intervene on a train in Portland, Oregon, when a man started screaming anti-Muslim insults at two women. In Quebec City, Canada, six people were killed and 10 others injured after a lone gunman opened fire. Mr Hooper’s organisation said it had been collating details of other alleged hate crimes and incidents of Islamophobia that did not always get widespread media coverage. Between January and September 2017, the organisation recorded 1,656 so-called “bias incidents” and 195 hate crimes. That represented a 9 per cent increase in bias incidents and a 20 per cent rise in hate crimes compared to 2016. “Based on preliminary estimates, it’s fair to say that 2017 is gearing to be the worst year on record for incidents of anti-Muslim bias since we began our current system of documentation,” said research and advocacy coordinator Zainab Arain. “Additionally, this year we’ve noted a disturbing trend of perpetrators invoking Trump to express racial and religious animosity.”

Katsina police arrest 50-yr-old man for impregnating mad woman

The police, in Katsina State, have arrested a 50-year-old man for allegedly impregnating a 25-year-old woman said to be mentally unstable.

Reports said that Safiyanu Kamala of Jibo village, Kankara Local Government Area of the state confessed to being responsible for the woman’s pregnancy having had multiple sexual relations with her in his farm. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) at the Katsina Police Command, DSP Gambo Isah, who confirmed the report said that, “Yes, Kamala has been arrested. He had multiple canal knowledge of the victim on his farm and he has confessed to us. He will soon be arraigned in court.” The PPRO also confirmed the arrest of another man, 45 years old Ahmadu Yahaya, of Kuraye village in Charanchi local government area for allegedly defiling a five-year old girl. Reports said that the suspect allegedly lured the mentally-unstable woman into his shop where he grinds pepper and forcefully had sex with her. Isah said that the suspect would be arraigned in court at the conclusion of investigations.

Boko Haram:Hunger, Malaria, Snake Bite Kill 13 Chibok Girls in Boko Haram Custody

Abuja — Thirteen of the 276 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 have died in the insurgents' custody, according to a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report monitored by TheCable News, an online news outlet. Boko Haram fighters had kidnapped the girls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno state.

Of that number, 163 are now free: 57 fled in the early days after their abduction, three more escaped later, and a Swiss-coached mediation secured 103. In a revealing report on the kidnap incident, WSJ quoted officials in the know regarding the abduction as saying 13 of the girls have lost their lives during their nearly three years in Boko Haram custody. "Of the remaining 113, at least 13 have died, officials say. Some were felled by malaria, hunger or a snake bite," WSJ report said. "The majority died in airstrikes. Among those forcibly married to fighters, at least two died in childbirth." TheCable was unable to independently verify any of the claims. The Bring Back Our Girls Movement (BBOG) has been on the forefront of the campaign for the girls' release. The group recently resumed their match to Aso Rock, Nigeria's seat of power, asking questions concerning the girls' whereabouts while they also continue to hold a daily sit-out at the Unity Fountain in Abuja. After the release of the last batch of the girls numbering 82, President Muhammadu Buhari had promised to ensure the last of the girls return home. The report also said contrary to what is now common knowledge, the insurgents had only come to steal the girls' school's bricklaying machine. It was only after they had stolen the machine that one of them raised question: "What shall we do with them (the girls)?" The report said: "The night of the attack, when the girls emerged in the courtyard, they could see the men were not soldiers. They wore unkempt beards, flip-flops and tattered uniforms. Several were raiding the school cafeteria, stealing sacks of rice, beans and pasta. Others poured gasoline on the school to torch it. "Boko Haram had not come to abduct the students. It had come to steal the school's brickmaking machine. The insurgents had been on a kidnapping spree, and their camps faced a housing shortage. "A commander fired his rifle in the air and demanded to know where the machine was kept. Once they found it, the fighters hoisted it onto a truck. "As they prepared to leave, one militant, motioning to the students, asked a fateful question. What shall we do with them? "The unit's commander turned to the girls. 'Shekau will know what to do with them,' he said. "The fighters ordered the students to climb into their trucks. The teenagers linked hands and arms as they stumbled through the dark."

Russia urges Nigeria to develop nuclear technology

The Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Nikolay Udovichenko said the development of nuclear technologies is capable of bridging the deficit in Nigeria’s infrastructure. Nigeria and Russia, in 2016, signed an agreement for the construction of a multifunctional nuclear centre in Nigeria The memorandum of understanding was signed by the director of Russia’s Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation, Sergey Kirienko, and the chairman of the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, Erepano Osaisai at the 2016 ATOM Expo in Moscow. “We are confident that the development of these nuclear technologies would strengthen Nigeria’s position as one of the leading economies of the African continent,” the envoy told journalists in Abuja at a roundtable on the bilateral engagements between both countries in 2017. “We understand that the project is of a large scale and of strategic importance. It would bring about thousands of new jobs; it has accumulated effect with synergy with other space development. “We see that this project would lead to development of infrastructure, to new levels of education, new skills and generation of specialists, so it is very important,” he said.

Ganduje demands apology from Kwankwaso over comments on Buhari

Kano—KANO State Government, yesterday, demanded, the Kwankwassiyya Group tender unreserved apology to President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, over comments that the Preident is fuelling crisis in the state. Kano State Government Spokesman, Alhaji Mohammed Garba, in a statement implored the APC national leadership to invoke the party’s constitution and take appropriate disciplinary measures against the group. Alhaji Garba said ‘’these troublemakers, basically members of the Kwankwassiyya Group acted the script of their Abuja-based leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso whose plot to destabilise the All Progressive Congress in Kano state has been roundly defeated. It is also on record that Kwankwaso and his Kwankwassiyya Group, consumed by the tall dream of becoming ‘President’ has unjustifiably maligned President Buhari at every giving opportunity.’’ He continued: “It is on this note that Kano state Government seriously frowns at statements credited to the spokesman of Kwankwassiyya Group, Aminu Abdulsalam who did not only maliciously accused President Buhari of fueling crisis in Kano APC, but also used derogatory words and attacked the personality and hard-earned integrity of Mr. President. Kano state Government strongly warn against such act of incivility by a person or group of persons against the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the party’s leadership and other respected political office holders.” Garba, who is the Commissioner for Information and Culture, accused Kwankwasiyya group of “gross insubordination and engaging in anti-party activities.” The statement further commended and “congratulated party faithful who exercised patience and remained calm all through the days this same Kwankwassiyya Group struggled to destabilize the party in the state through blackmail, cheap propaganda and misrepresentation of facts.”

EFCC speaks on removal of Magu as acting chairman

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reacted to speculation that Ibrahim Magu would be removed as the acting chairman of the anti-graft agency. In a tweet sent out from its official handle on Tuesday morning, the commission insisted “there is no change of guards”. The update read: “#Alert: For the avoidance of any doubt, there is no “change of guards” at the EFCC. Ibrahim Magu remains the acting EFCC Chairman. “Purveyors of #fakenews concerning the EFCC are hereby warned to desist from such mischief as the anti-graft agency remains committed to its mission.” Yesterday, the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption, PACAC, Prof. Itse Sagay, also dismissed speculations that Magu has been ​sacked. His ‘removal​’ has been a subject of debate in the last few days, following the declaration by the Nigerian Senate that it he is not regarded as EFCC chairman.

Bwari violence: Three deaths confirmed, curfew imposed on Abuja town

Three people have been confirmed dead in the violence that occurred in Bwari town of Bwari Area Council, Abuja.

A dusk to dawn curfew has, consequently, been imposed on the area. The violence occurred in the area on Monday morning leading to burning down of the major market in the community. PREMIUM TIMES reported the violence, which residents said was caused by the killing of a man late on Sunday. According to a resident of the area, the violence started late Sunday night after a Hausa man killed a man said to be of Gbagi ethnicity. In revenge, the Gbagis residing in the area burnt down the Bwari market on Monday, the resident said. Most of the traders in the market are believed to be Hausas. Another witness, who identified herself as Bimbo, said there has been tension between Hausas and Gbagis in the area for a while. “But the cause of this fight is because a Gbagi man was killed last night. Right now, all the Hausas in this area are running towards Kaduna area because of the fear of getting killed,” she said on Monday evening. On Monday evening, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, imposed a 6 p.m.to 6 a.m. curfew on Bwari township. The Minister of FCTA, Muhammad Bello, after a closed-door meeting with stakeholders in the Area Council, declared the curfew while assessing the damages caused by the crisis. Mr. Bello told journalists that three people died in the violence. Fire fighters arrived the market at about 8:00 p.m. on Monday to put out the fire. Although they came much earlier in the day, they were prevented from working by rioters. The deployment of armed soldiers and police officers to the scene eventually doused the tension. By then, most of the shops in the market were completely burnt. The police in Abuja said they have begun investigation into the violence. The Abuja police spokesperson, Anjuguri Manzah, told PREMIUM TIMES that the cause of the violence could not be ascertained yet. “I cannot tell you about the cause now. All we are concentrating on now is to ensure peace returns and residents can move freely,” Mr. Manzah said.

How NNPC caused fuel scarcity —Oil marketer

An oil and gas merchant, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, has attributed the persistent scarcity of petrol to monopoly of the product by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Iheanacho, also the Chairman, Integrated Oil and Gas Ltd., told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Tuesday that the inability of NNPC to create a window for private importers to import petrol also contributed to the scarcity. According to him, the current shortage in fuel importation gap was caused by the landing cost margin of N171 per litre and the selling cost pegged at N145 per litre. Iheanacho said it was unrealistic for marketers to import and sell at that rate. “The selling of the product at N145 per litre is no longer feasible with the current exchange rate. “Shortage of foreign exchange and increase in crude prices have made it unprofitable to import petrol and sell same at N145 per litre. “The problem is that importation of petrol is being handled, almost 100 per cent, by NNPC, while private importers backed out because the increase in crude price has made the landing cost high,” he said. Iheanacho said that the marketers’ huge debts of over N800bn had also contributed to their inability to import petrol. He said that most independent marketers had closed their companies due to inability to pay their workers. Iheanacho urged the Federal Government to settle all the outstanding debts owed marketers since 2015.

According to him, commercial banks have started taking over the property and tank farms of some companies that could not repay their loans. NAN reports that loading of petrol had commenced in Apapa. A visit to Apapa on Tuesday showed that hundreds of trucks were on the queue waiting to load the product at Total, Forte Oil, Oando Plc, MRS, NIPCO and other private depots. NAN correspondent who monitored the fuel situation in Lagos metropolis reports that long queues of motorists persisted in many filling stations in the metropolis. In areas like Ikorodu, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Oshodi, Ajegunle, Ikotun, Bariga and Sango-Ota, some stations were sold petrol between N180 and N200 per litre. In Ikorodu area, many filling stations sold at N200 per litre, while only a few sold at the official price of N145 per litre. Commercial bus operators increased their fares by more than 100 per cent, claiming that they bought petrol above the official price of N145 per litre. (NAN)

Fuel crisis: Our tanks, depots are empty, oil marketers fault NNPC

Say DSDP, high cost, interest rate responsible for scarcity …Say marketers not to blame, debunks hoarding claims By Michael Eboh

Oil marketers, under the aegis of Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, DAPPMA, Wednesday, exonerated themselves from the current fuel crisis across the country, stating that presently, there is no fuel in the depots and tanks of its members nationwide. Long Queque at NNPC Fuel Station at Eleme along Aba Road in Port Harcourt weekend. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke This has dampened hope for a speedy resolution of the fuel crisis which is threatening the economic fabric of the country. Again, this is contrary to claims by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and its downstream subsidiary, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, PPMC, that fuel vessels are discharging the commodity in ports across the country on a daily basis. DAPPMA, in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Olufemi Adewole, stated that “While we cannot confirm or dispute NNPC’S claims of having sufficient product stock, we can confirm that the products are not in our tanks and as such cannot be distributed. If the products are offshore, then surely, it cannot be considered to be available to Nigerians.” Adewole insisted that its members’ depots are presently empty, noting however, that if the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, PPMC, can provide it with Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, its members are ready to undertake 24 hours loading and truck-out. The DAPPMA chief executive disclosed that its members had made and paid for large orders of fuel from the NNPC, which are yet to be supplied to the marketers.

“NNPC imports and distributes through DAPPMA, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN. Our members pay PPMC/NNPC in advance for petroleum products, and fully paid up PMS orders that have neither been programmed nor loaded is in excess of 500,000 metric tonnes, about 800 million litres, as at today, and enough to meet the nation’s needs for 19 days at a daily estimated consumption of 35 million litres,” he averred. Adewole blamed the unending fuel crisis on the challenges in the Direct Sales Direct Purchase, DSDP, scheme, rising price of the commodity in the international market and the high interest rates charged by banks in the country. He said, “We all know that we presently run a fixed price regime of N145 per litre for PMS without any recourse to subsidy claims, however, we also have no control on the international price of crude oil. “We understand that the NNPC meets this demand largely through its DSDP framework; however, due to price challenges on the DSDP platform, some participants in the scheme failed to meet their supply quota of refined petroleum products, especially PMS, to NNPC. This is the main reason for this scarcity.” Adewole added that since Hurricane Katrina, the international price of PMS had not dropped below $600 per metric tonne, while the exchange rate used and the interest rate charged by banks are N306 to a dollar and 25 per cent respectively. He noted that anytime the NNPC assumes the role of sole importer, there are issues of distribution, because it is marketers who own 80 per cent of the functional receptive facilities and retail outlets in Nigeria. Adewole disclosed that oil marketers remain commitment to the progress of the nations and its citizenry, stating that therein lies its profitability and fulfilment. He said, “We, petroleum products marketers do empathise with all Nigerians who are going through difficulties at this time, spending hours on fuel queues because of the current fuel scarcity due to no fault of yours. “Sadly, some people have blamed marketers for hoarders fuel. Unfortunately, this is so far from the truth. Hoarding fuel is regarded as economic sabotage and we assure all Nigerians that our members are not involved in such illicit acts.”

Soldiers Kill 3 Boko Haram Terrorists, Recover 200 Cattle

The Nigerian Army yesterday said its troops killed three Boko Haram insurgents and recovered 200 cattle in Borno State.

The director of Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen Sani Kukasheka, announced this in a statement in Maiduguri. Kukasheka said that the insurgents had earlier carted away 200 cattle rustled at Makandari village of Kala Balge local government area of Borno State. He said that the troops engaged the insurgents’ on Saturday at Beneri village, killed two of them and recovered the stolen cattle. Kukasheka said that the troops also recovered one AK-47 rifle, an emptied magazine, two motorcycles and a National Identity Card, adding that the cattle had since been returned to the owners. Kukasheka disclosed further that the troops, in a separate operation, ambushed the insurgents at their crossing point at Firgi, Bama local government area of Borno State. The army spokesman revealed that the troops killed one insurgent, suspected to be an expert in Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs), and recovered one gas cylinder. “Troops of 21 Brigade, Operation Lafiya Dole, in conjunction with elements of 121 Battalion, on Friday, laid an ambush for Boko Haram terrorists at one of their suspected crossing points near Firgi, Bama local government area of Borno State.

Pope Francis asks for compassion to migrants in Christmas Eve Mass: 'None should have to feel there is no room for them on this earth'

We see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away but, driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones'

Pope Francis has likened Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem to the migrations of millions of people today who are forced to leave their homelands for a better life. The leader of the Catholic church said many migrants around the world were forced to flee from leaders who “see no problem in shedding innocent blood”. The 81-year-old Argentinian addressed worshippers in St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City at the Christmas Eve vigil Mass, adding: "So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary". He used his homily to address similarities in the way in which Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem with nowhere to stay, and the millions of migrants currently without homes. "We see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away but, driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones," he said. "In many cases this departure is filled with hope, hope for the future; yet for many this departure can only have one name: survival." He said God is present in "the unwelcomed visitor, often unrecognisable, who walks through our cities and our neighbourhoods, who travels on our buses and knocks on our door". That perception of God should develop into "new forms of relationship, in which none have to feel that there is no room for them on this Earth," he said.

"Christmas is a time for turning the power of fear into the power of charity," Francis said. The Pope is set to deliver his ‘Urbi et Orbi (to the city and to the world) Christmas address later today.

Rivers lawmakers divided over Amaechi, Abe

More revelations have emerged on the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers state.

Despite the obvious crack within the party’s fold in Rivers, some chieftains of the APC have continued to deny that all is not well. But in an interview with selected journalists, the Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Senator Andrew Uchendu picked on his colleague, Senator Magnus Abe of Rivers South-East Senatorial District. Senator Uchendu in the interview said Senator Abe was wrong in his claim that the State APC Leader and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is responsible for the crisis rocking the party. He said Senator Abe opted out of a decision that was jointly taken by leaders of the APC ahead of 2019 in a bid to pursue his personal ambitions. Senator Uchendu also recalled the resolution at a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the National Vice Chairman of the APC for South-South, ‎where it was agreed by all, including Senator Abe that there was no crisis in the party. According to Uchendu, “At some point, Amaechi asked DAP to re-organize the party while he concentrated on the task of delivering as a Minister. At another, he withdrew that directive. “He asked everybody with interest to first work towards rebuilding and re-uniting the party, while many agreed, few persons like Sen. Abe refused “Amaechi made it possible for Abe to be the Minority Leader of the State Assembly while he (Amaechi) was Speaker; made it possible for him to cross over to the PDP and also ensured he got appointed as Commissioner for Information under then Gov. Peter Odili “Amaechi wanted Abe to go to the Senate, at first attempt, it was unsuccessful, years later when the opportunity came, he kept to his words and ensured Abe went to the Senate against all odds Amaechi had another person in mind to become the Executive Director, Finance & Administration in NDDC, but Abe begged him for a concession to nominate a candidate, Amaechi obliged him by dropping his original candidate because of Abe’s appeal “The 2019 gubernatorial candidate of APC will emerge through competitive primaries.” Recall that Senator Magnus Abe has consistently blamed Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi for the crack in the party over the former’s governorship ambition.

Galatasaray Offer Broke Eboue Coaching Job

Former Arsenal star Emmanuel Eboue has been offered a chance to make steady income by his former club Galatasaray after his heart-breaking riches-to-rags story went viral.

The Ivorian defender had revealed how he lost millions of pounds of his earnings and gone from a rich football star to a poor man on the brink of suicide. Turkish giants Galatasaray have now offered the 34-year-old a job as an assistant coach with one of their youth sides. Galatasaray manager Fatish Terim told CNN Turk that he would give the former Arsenal star the role of under-14 assistant coach. Terim said: “We heard news about Eboue in the dressing room, I was informed there, we will do whatever we can to help my friend.” Eboue, who played for Arsenal for seven years between 2004 and 2011, and Gala from 2011 and 2016, had told the Mirror he was seeking divine intervention to prevent him from taking his own life. “I want God to help me,” Eboue told the Mirror. “Only he can help take these thoughts from my mind.” Eboue narrated to the Mirror his heartbreaking story of financial ruin, mostly pointing the finger at his estranged wife Aurelie and his own naivety. Eboue told the British tabloid that he lost all his money to Aurelie, who he claimed also handled his finances, in their divorce settlement and has been ordered to also give up his house in London to the ex-wife.

2017 has been tough for Nigerians, Buhari admits

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday admitted that the year 2017 has been a very tough one for Nigerians and is hopeful that next year will be much better. Speaking while receiving residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) led by the Minister, Mohammed Bello, on a Christmas homage to him at the presidential villa, Abuja, he said it had also been a tormenting one for him personally due to his severe illness. “It has been a tough year for Nigeria and I hope next year will be a much more prosperous one,” he said. He expressed delight at the level of rainfall this year and the fact that many people had gone back to farming and had not regretted doing so. On his sickness, he reiterated that he had not been so sick in his life, saying that he felt much better since he returned from his treatment and was now obeying the orders of his doctors. He said: “It has been a tormenting year. I am thinking I am 75. I thought I was 74 but I was told I was 75. “I have never been so sick. Even the 30 months civil war, I was stumbling under farm of yams or cassava but this sickness, I don’t know, but I came out better because all those who saw me before and when I came back said I look much better. “But I have explained it to the public that as a General, I used to give orders. Now, I take orders. The doctors told me to feed my stomach and sleep for longer hours that is why I am looking much better.” He thanked the community for finding time to pay him the visit and particularly the religious leaders in the territory who he said had been controlling their followers. In his remark, the FCT Minister thanked the president for his support for the federal capital. He also thanked the security agencies whose efforts he observed had led to peace and tranquility in the territory.

Why is Christmas Day on the 25th December?

Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God. The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of Christ (or Jesus). A Mass service (which is sometimes called Communion or Eucharist) is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then came back to life. The 'Christ-Mass' service was the only one that was allowed to take place after sunset (and before sunrise the next day), so people had it at Midnight! So we get the name Christ-Mass, shortened to Christmas. Christmas is now celebrated by people around the world, whether they are Christians or not. It's a time when family and friends come together and remember the good things they have. People, and especially children, also like Christmas as it's a time when you give and receive presents! The Date of Christmas No one knows the real birthday of Jesus! No date is given in the Bible, so why do we celebrate it on the 25th December? The early Christians certainly had many arguments as to when it should be celebrated! Also, the birth of Jesus probably didn't happen in the year 1 but slightly earlier, somewhere between 2 BCE/BC and 7 BCE/BC, possibly in 4 BCE/BC (there isn't a 0 - the years go from 1 BC/BCE to 1!). The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor). A few years later, Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on the 25th December. However, there are many different traditions and theories as to why Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. A very early Christian tradition said that the day when Mary was told that she would have a very special baby, Jesus (called the Annunciation) was on March 25th - and it's still celebrated today on the 25th March. Nine months after the 25th March is the 25th December! March 25th was also the day some early Christians thought the world had been made, and also the day that Jesus died on when he was an adult. The date of March 25th was chosen because people had calculated that was the day on which Jesus died as an adult (the 14th of Nisan in the Jewish calendar) and they thought that Jesus was born and had died on the same day of the year. Some people also think that December 25th might have also been chosen because the Winter Solstice and the ancient pagan Roman midwinter festivals called 'Saturnalia' and 'Dies Natalis Solis Invicti' took place in December around this date - so it was a time when people already celebrated things. The Winter Solstice is the day where there is the shortest time between the sun rising and the sun setting. It happens on December 21st or 22nd. To pagans this meant that the winter was over and spring was coming and they had a festival to celebrate it and worshipped the sun for winning over the darkness of winter. In Scandinavia, and some other parts of northern Europe, the Winter Solstice is known as Yule and is where we get Yule Logs from. In Eastern Europe the mid-winter festival is called Koleda. The Roman Festival of Saturnalia took place between December 17th and 23rd and honoured the Roman god Saturn. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti means 'birthday of the unconquered sun' and was held on December 25th (when the Romans thought the Winter Solstice took place) and was the 'birthday' of the Pagan Sun god Mithra. In the pagan religion of Mithraism, the holy day was Sunday and is where get that word from! The Roman emperor Aurelian created 'Sol Invictus' in 274. But there are records of early Christians connecting 14th Nisan to 25th March and so the 25th December go back to around 200! The Jewish festival of Lights, Hanukkah starts on the 25th of Kislev (the month in the Jewish calendar that occurs at about the same time as December). Hanukkah celebrates when the Jewish people were able to re-dedicate and worship in their Temple, in Jerusalem, again following many years of not being allowed to practice their religion. Jesus was a Jew, so this could be another reason that helped the early Church choose December the 25th for the date of Christmas! Christmas had also been celebrated by the early Church on January 6th, when they also celebrated the Epiphany (which means the revelation that Jesus was God's son) and the Baptism of Jesus. Now Epiphany mainly celebrates the visit of the Wise Men to the baby Jesus, but back then it celebrated both things! Jesus's Baptism was originally seen as more important than his birth, as this was when he started his ministry. But soon people wanted a separate day to celebrate his birth. Most of the world uses the 'Gregorian Calendar' implemented by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. Before that the 'Roman' or Julian Calendar was used (named after Julius Caesar). The Gregorian calendar is more accurate that the Roman calendar which had too many days in a year! When the switch was made 10 days were lost, so that the day that followed the 4th October 1582 was 15th October 1582. In the UK the change of calendars was made in 1752. The day after 2nd September 1752 was 14th September 1752. Many Orthodox and Coptic Churches still use the Julian Calendar and so celebrate Christmas on the 7th January (which is when December 25th would have been on the Julian calendar). And the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates it on the 6th January! In some part of the UK, January 6th is still called 'Old Christmas' as this would have been the day that Christmas would have celebrated on, if the calendar hadn't been changed. Some people didn't want to use the new calendar as they thought it 'cheated' them out of 11 days! Christians believe that Jesus is the light of the world, so the early Christians thought that this was the right time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. They also took over some of the customs from the Winter Solstice and gave them Christian meanings, like Holly, Mistletoe and even Christmas Carols! St Augustine was the person who really started Christmas in the UK by introducing Christianity in the 6th century. He came from countries that used the Roman Calendar, so western countries celebrate Christmas on the 25th December. Then people from Britain and Western Europe took Christmas on the 25th December all over the world! If you'd like to know more about the history behind the dating of Christmas, then read this very good article on Bible History Daily (goes to another site). So when was Jesus Born? There's a strong and practical reason why Jesus might not have been born in the winter, but in the spring or the autumn! It can get very cold in the winter and it's unlikely that the shepherds would have been keeping sheep out on the hills (as those hills can get quite a lot of snow sometimes!). During the spring (in March or April) there's a Jewish festival called 'Passover'. This festival remembers when the Jews had escaped from slavery in Egypt about 1500 years before Jesus was born. Lots of lambs would have been needed during the Passover Festival, to be sacrificed in the Temple in Jerusalem. Jews from all over the Roman Empire traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival, so it would have been a good time for the Romans to take a census. Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem for the census (Bethlehem is about six miles from Jerusalem). In the autumn (in September or October) there's the Jewish festival of 'Sukkot' or 'The Feast of Tabernacles'. It's the festival that's mentioned the most times in the Bible! It is when Jewish people remember that they depended on God for all they had after they had escaped from Egypt and spent 40 years in the desert. It also celebrates the end of the harvest. During the festival, Jews live outside in temporary shelters (the word 'tabernacle' come from a latin word meaning 'booth' or 'hut'). Many people who have studied the Bible, think that Sukkot would be a likely time for the birth of Jesus as it might fit with the description of there being 'no room in the inn'. It also would have been a good time to take the Roman Census as many Jews went to Jerusalem for the festival and they would have brought their own tents/shelters with them! (It wouldn't have been practical for Joseph and Mary to carry their own shelter as Mary was pregnant.) The possibilities for the Star of Bethlehem seems to point either spring or autumn. The possible dating of Jesus birth can also be taken from when Zechariah (who was married to Mary's cousin Elizabeth) was on duty in the Jewish Temple as a Priest and had an amazing experience. There is an excellent article on the dating of Christmas based on the dates of Zechariah's experience, on the blog of theologian, Ian Paul. With those dates, you get Jesus being born in September - which also fits with Sukkot! The year that Jesus was born isn't known. The calendar system we have now was created in the 6th Century by a monk called Dionysius Exiguus. He was actually trying to create a better system for working out when Easter should be celebrated, based on a new calendar with the birth of Jesus being in the year 1. However, he made a mistake in his maths and so got the possible year of Jesus's birth wrong! Most scholars now think that Jesus was born between 2 BCE/BC and 7 BCE/BC, possibly in 4 BCE/BC. Before Dionysius's new calendars, years were normally dated from the reigns of Roman Emperors. The new calendar became more widely used from the 8th Century when the 'Venerable Bede of Northumbria' used it in his 'new' history book! There is no year '0'. Bede started dating things before the year 1 and used 1 BCE/BC as the first year before 1. At that time in Europe, the number 0 didn't exist in maths - it only arrived in Europe in the 11th to 13th centuries! So whenever you celebrate Christmas, remember that you're celebrating a real event that happened about 2000 years ago, that God sent his Son into the world as a Christmas present for everyone! As well as Christmas and the solstice, there are some other festivals that are held in late December. Hanukkah is celebrated by Jews; and the festival of Kwanzaa is celebrated by some Africans and African Americans takes place from December 26th to January 1st.

Guatemala to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem after Trump's vow to do same

Guatemala will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, the country's President has said, less than three weeks after Donald Trump announced the US would do the same.

The Central American country was one of nine nations that voted earlier this week with the US when the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a non-binding resolution denouncing Mr Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. President Jimmy Morales said on his official Facebook account that after talks with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he decided to instruct his foreign ministry to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He wrote: "We spoke about the excellent relations that we have had as nations since Guatemala supported the creation of the state of Israel. "One of the most important topics was the return of the embassy of Guatemala to Jerusalem. "I have instructed the chancellor to initiate the respective coordination so that it may be." The resolution passed at the UN declared the US action on Jerusalem "null and void". The 128-9 vote was a victory for Palestinians, but fell short of the total they had predicted. Thirty-five nations abstained and 21 stayed away from the vote. The US is an important source of aid to Guatemala, and Mr Trump had threatened to cut off financial help for countries that voted in favour of the UN resolution.

UK church removes pews so that it can host Muslim events

“Church allowed to remove pews to allow Muslim events – after court challenge over plans,” by Laura Mowat, Express, December 23, 2017 (thanks to Milad): A CHURCH has been given the go ahead to remove its pews so they can welcome local Muslim community events. St Thomas Werneth in Oldham has been given the green light to remove the pews so it is able to hold more events within the wider community. In a ruling last month, Geoffrey Tattersall QC said the church would be allowed to remove the pews as the proposals would have “major public benefit outweighing any harm resulting from the loss of the pews”. The area, which is close to Manchester, has an 88 per cent non White-British population. Its website encouraged people of all nationalities to attend the services. They said: “We usually have at least six nationalities represented in the congregation on a given Sunday. “Whatever your background you can be assured of a warm welcome to our services and our Parish life.” The Chancellor of the Diocese of Manchester said: “Its continuing presence is important in enabling social cohesion and contact between local Muslims and Christians. “The purpose of the re-ordering of the Church is to open up the Church for community use, as part of its service and mission to the mainly Muslim community in the parish and to enable the wider community to share its heritage. “The Church wishes to be a place of welcome, growth and engagement for the local communities.” The Venerable Cherry Vann, the Archdeacon of Rochdale said there was significant interfaith work going on in the area and there was a “genuine desire among some of the Muslim leaders to build bridges and work in partnership with the Church. “Moreover there is clearly some goodwill towards the church in the (at present) largely Muslim community in Werneth and it is important that the church has the flexibility and capacity to exercise a ministry of hospitality to those living in the parish through a variety of community-based activities.

Buhari cautions Supreme Council of Sharia

President Muhammadu Buhari has warned the Supreme Council of Sharia to watch against making baseless and divisive statements. This was in reaction to the organization’s claim that the President had let Muslims down by his failure to attend the emergency summit of Organization of Islamic Countries called by Turkey to discuss US declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city. Buhari spoke in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Saturday through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu. He said the allegation by the Supreme Council of Sharia “was totally misleading and baseless.” Shehu explained that the President had to go to France to attend the Climate Change Summit because he had earlier given a firm commitment to President Emmanuel Macron. According to Shehu, the President sent the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to represent him at the Turkey meeting of OIC. He explained, “The Paris summit on climate change wasn’t a junket. It was also about the problems of the Lake Chad region which affects Nigeria as well as the neighbouring countries. “About 30 million lives are involved. Without the drying up of the lake, we would probably not have had the acute poverty that nurtured the environment for Boko Haram terrorism. “As a respectable religious organisation , an organisation that we hold in high esteem, the Supreme Council for Shari’ah could have helped themselves and the nation by checking the facts before the outburst, which sadly, was repeatedly aired by the international radio”

Trump slams Nigerians for not returning to their ‘huts’ after seeing America

United States’ President Donald Trump described Nigerians as people living in huts which they would not want to return to whenever they visit America, the New York Times reported Saturday. The paper published accounts of some administration officials who were present at a meeting about the administration’s immigration policy in June. Mr. Trump has pushed controversial immigration policies since becoming American president in January. Amongst his first policies was to ban visits from several countries — mostly from the middle east. The policy has been overturned and upheld by different American courts. The Times reported that Mr. Trump had a ready-made excuse for almost all the countries his controversial immigration policy targeted. He said he was banning people from Afghanistan because the country was a terrorist haven. When asked about why he was restricting people from Haiti, he described them Although some administration officials acknowledged that the meeting took place, they denied that the president used “AIDS” and “huts” at the meeting. Nigeria was eventually not included in the list of countries whose nationals were banned from entering America.

Israeli abuse against Palestinian minors rises: report

Bethlehem, occupied West Bank - Fadel Tamimi feared for the worst as he rushed into the hospital.

His 15-year-old son, Mohammed, had just been brought there after being shot point-blank in the face by Israeli forces, during last week's protests in Nabi Saleh. "I met him at the hospital after he was injured. My wife fainted three times when she saw him," Tamimi told Al Jazeera. "The situation was so horrible." The bullet entered the teen's face below his nose, breaking his jaw before getting lodged in his skull. After undergoing a complex surgery, he was placed in a medically-induced coma.Seventy hours later, Mohammed woke up. "We didn't think he would make it. I felt like I had lost my son," said Fadel. Mohammed is one of at least seven Palestinian minors to have suffered serious injuries by Israeli forces since protests broke out across the occupied Palestinian territories, following a US decision earlier this month to formally recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, according to a new report by Defense for Children International - Palestine (DCIP). Since US President Donald Trump's announcement on December 6, the group has also documented a spike in military detentions of Palestinian children, with the number of minors held in one Ramallah-based detention centre more than doubling compared with the previous month. 'Trigger-happy Israeli soldiers' According to the UN, at least 345 Palestinian children were injured between December 5-18 in the wake of Trump's declaration. A separate tally by the Palestinian Red Crescent said that nearly 3,600 Palestinians were injured during protests, 729 of whom were wounded with rubber bullets and at least 192 by live rounds. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Ayed Abu Eqtaish, DCIP's accountability programme director, said the most worrying aspect of Israel's crackdown on recent protests was its "misuse of so-called less lethal crowd-control weapons". These include rubber bullets, sponge bullets and tear gas. In its report, the DCIP documented two cases in which a Palestinian minor was seriously injured by a rubber bullet. The first one is about a 15-year-old, identified by DCIP as Qassem K, who was shot with a rubber bullet during clashes in Nablus on December 20. The bullet fractured his skull, resulting in a "critical" injury, the group said. Mohammed Tamimi was the second serious case. DCIP said the bullet caused "severe bleeding in his brain" before being removed after two operations. Following the initial shock, the teen's family is now calmer. "The doctors say he is getting better," said Fadel, adding that Mohammed had begun to eat and drink. "His situation was so bad that my wife and I did not believe we would receive any good news about his condition. But I am so thankful that we did not lose him." 'So painful' The use of rubber bullets as a crowd-control weapon was abandoned in Israel and Jerusalem more than a decade ago, after an investigation into the killings of at least 12 Palestinian citizens of Israel in 2000. They were replaced by sponge-tipped, plastic bullets. However, the use of both rubber and plastic ammunition has been criticised by rights groups for causing serious injuries and deaths. In the occupied West Bank, meanwhile, Israeli forces continue to use rubber bullets, despite banning them in Israel and Jerusalem. Eqtaish, of DCIP, said Israeli forces often violate their own regulations on these weapons by shooting Palestinians at close-range and above the waist, which "leads to serious, sometimes permanent, injuries and may even result in death". According to the group's report, two 14-year-old Palestinians were also severely wounded by Israeli forces in the besieged Gaza Strip after they were shot in the head with a tear gas canister. One of the teens, Mohammed al-Farani, experienced internal bleeding in his brain and doctors were forced to remove his right eye. "It was so painful, I don't know how to describe it. There was a lot of blood running down my face," Farani was quoted by DCIP as saying. While Eqtaish said that Israel has typically relied on "crowd-control weapons" to quash protests over Trump's controversial move, at least three Palestinian children were also injured by live ammunition. Two of these children were shot in the face, the report said, with one 16-year-old suffering "skull fractures and vision loss" after being shot above his right eye. Eqtaish said the group was "deeply concerned" about Israel's "excessive use of force employed by trigger-happy Israeli soldiers", adding that these violations occur "in a climate of impunity that encourages such a heavy-handed approach". Without soldiers facing accountability, Israel "signals tacit approval for killing or seriously injuring children", said Eqtaish. 'Detentions and ill-treatment of minors' According to DCIP's report, there was also a significant uptick in children being put under Israeli military detention since the latest wave of protests erupted. Eqtaish said 77 Palestinian minors arrived at Israel's Ofer military prison, located in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, in the first 19 days of December, compared with 35 in all of November. "The majority of cases we document involves the ill-treatment, sometimes amounting to torture, of Palestinian minors and their denial of basic, fair trial rights in Israel's military court system," said Eqtaish. One prominent case that received widespread attention was that of Fawzi al-Junaidi. A photo showing the 16-year-old blindfolded and being dragged by more than 20 soldiers in Hebron went viral, and became a symbol for Israel's use of excessive force on Palestinians. Junaidi, who is now facing charges of throwing stones, was arrested a few days after protests broke out. Mohammed, Fawzi's father, told Al Jazeera the family was finally able to speak to him on Friday, and said his son had been "tortured a lot". Fawzi told a DCIP lawyer he was "repeatedly beaten and verbally abused" for almost two hours. "When I arrived at the checkpoint I remember my face bleeding, mostly my lips because of the beating. They took me to a room, knocked me down to the floor, and began kicking me all over my body," Fawzi told the group. According to its report, out of 520 cases of Palestinian children being detained by Israel between 2012 and 2016, 72 percent experienced physical violence and 66 percent "faced verbal abuse and humiliation". Ahed Tamimi, Mohammed Tamimi's 16-year-old cousin, was also detained in an overnight raid on her home on December 19, followed by her mother and cousin. Eqtaish said about 45 percent of all children are detained during night raids. Israel's detention and ill-treatment of Palestinian minors often rupture the cohesion of Palestinian families. Fawzi started working after school at age 11 to help his family, after his father sustained a leg injury that left him disabled and his mother developed a terminal illness. Last year, he dropped out of school completely. "Fawzi breathed life into our family. He sacrificed his schooling and much of his life so that we could continue as a family," said Mohammed al-Junaidi. "He is suffering so much now. They hurt him. I feel so sad for him, but I can't do anything for him. We have no choice but to rely on God's mercy." According to the UN, Palestinians experience an almost 100 percent conviction rate in Israel's military courts. As of November, 311 Palestinian children were being held in Israeli prisons, according to Palestinian prisoners' rights group Addameer.