Justin Bieber Didn't Buy Any Jet, He Chartered It

According to new reports,JustinBieberdidn't buy any jet, he leased the
private jet. The singer who is worth about $200m shared photos of the
jet which costs around$60m.

TMZ revealed that Bieber posed with the jet and merely chartered it
for a Christmas flight from Canada to NYC.

"TMZ has learned the jet Bieber posed on is a G4, which is for sale
but was not purchased by JB. Sources with direct knowledge of the
aircraft tell us Justin merely chartered it for a Christmas flight
from Canada to NYC. In other words,just a really expensive Uber.

Justin captioned the pic "New jet for Christmas, and she's beautiful"
prompting many to believe he'd just made the biggest purchase of his
life. Not so though it's true that it was new to him, and the 22-seat
ride is undeniably beautiful.

We were always skeptical since Justin's reportedly worth about $200
mil and a brand new G could run up to $60 million. Even for Bieber,
that would be a huge hit.

Biebs pulled this back in April too posing with a Bugatti (it was
Birdman's) and a yacht (it belonged to a FL fam)

The good news? We're told the 1996 G4 is still on the market for just
under $60 million if you've got it like that"

I Don't Expect Your Praises Now; You Will Know My Worth After I'm Gone --Jonathan

The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is arguably the most
widely criticized in the history of democracy in Nigeria, especially
due to the several economic challenges being faced at this time.
Regardless of negative comments about his administration, the
president has said that Nigerians will appreciate the good works he
has done for the country after he might have left office.

The president said this on Tuesday, when he received a delegation from
Bayelsa State who paid him a visit as part of the Christmas
celebration.

"The new year is full of challenges. Everywhere will be hot from the
2nd of January. I am here by the grace of God and the will of
Nigerians," Jonathan said.

He continued: "If I don't do well the shame will be on you. I will do
my best. I don't expect praises now. It's when you leave that people
will begin to compare you with others. I will do my best to address
all the challenges we are having. I will do my best so that when I
leave the people will compare what I have done and what others before
me have done.

"The seat belongs to the country and it is only the country that can
decide who occupies it," he said.

President Jonathan however enjoined the people of Bayelsa state to
pray for the country. He promised that he will continue to do his best
for the country.

Governor of Bayelsa state, Seriake Dickson, while speaking, said the
delegation visited Jonathan to show solidarity with him, as well as
express appreciation to Nigerians for supporting Jonathan thus far.

"We are here to show solidarity and to let everybody know that your
people in Bayelsa are with you. It is in the spirit of Christmas that
we are here on behalf of the people of Bayelsa to wish you, your
government and family compliments of the season and a very happy,
prosperous and victorious 2015," Dickson said.

"We bring you prayers and strong message of solidarity. We are here to
thank Nigerians for their support for your government," he added.
--infonaija

31 Dead, Seven Missing In Philippines Storm

Flash floods and landslides triggered by Tropical Storm Jangmi have
left at least 31 people dead and seven missing in the Philippines,
including in areas still recovering from last year's Typhoon Haiyan,
officials have said.

Jangmi, packing winds of 65 kilometres per hour and gusts of 80 kph,
had dumped heavy rains on southern Mindanao Island.

Floods destroyed bridges and highways, sending thousands of residents
to evacuation centres.

The storm then pushed its way through eastern and central islands,
where most of the deaths occurred on Tuesday.

The government weather bureau said that as of late Tuesday afternoon,
the eye of the storm was 140 kilometres southwest of central Iloilo
City, moving west at 19kph towards western Palawan Island.

Mayor Stephanie Uy-Tan said 12 people died when a landslide buried two
vans and six houses near a mountainside highway in eastern Catbalogan
City.

She said voices could still be heard from one of the vans and that
rescue efforts were ongoing.

Olive Luces, a regional civil defence official, said 11 members of a
family died after a creek-side house where they had gathered was
washed away by flash floods in central Cebu province.

Six other people were missing in the same town.

In eastern Leyte province's Tanauan town, which was devastated last
year by Typhoon Haiyan, army rescuers retrieved five bodies from a
house buried by landslide.

A 65-year-old man died due to drowning in southern Compostela Valley
province, while another resident remains missing after crossing a
swollen river.

In central Bohol province, an 80-year old man drowned to death, while
a 10-year-old girl died in a landslide that hit her home in southern
Butuan City, officials said.
--Aljazeera

2015: INEC Releases Names Of Presidential Candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the
names of the presidential candidates and their running mates for the
2015 elections.

Only 11 parties submitted names of candidates to run for the
presidency out of the 26 registered political parties in the country,
according to the commission.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) submitted the names of President
Goodluck Jonathan and his vice, Namadi Sambo. The Labour Party (LP)
and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have adopted the PDP
candidate.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) submitted the names of Muhammadu
Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo as presidential and vice presidential
candidates.

Kowa Party registered Oluremi Sonaiya and Saidu Bobboi, Ambrose Albert
and Haruna Shaba were registered as candidates of the Hope Democratic
Party. Ganiyu Galadima and Balarabe Ahmed were registers as candidates
of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Rafiu Salau and Clinton
Cliff Akuchie for Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Godson Okoye and
Haruna Adamu, for United Democratic Party (UDP).

Others are Nani Ibrahim Ahmad and Obianuju Murphy-Uzohue of African
Democratic Congress, Martin Onovo and Ibrahim Mohammed of National
Conscience Party, NCP, Tunde Anifowoshe-Kelani and Paul Ishaka Ofomile
of Action Alliance and Chekwas Okorie and Bello Umar of United
Progressive Party.
--infonaija

Man Returns Stolen Tablet When He Couldn't Make It Work

A man has been fined for stealing a tablet computer from a charity
store and returning it eight days later because he couldn't get it to
work. UPIreports:

Christopher Hooson, 33, was recorded by CCTV camerastaking the Android
tablet from the window display at the Jonny Kennedy store in Whitley
Bay, England. Store workers recognized him from the footage when he
came back eight days later to return the tablet, which prosecutors
said he was unable to work because he did not have the necessary
"equipment."

Prosecutor Lynne Russell said the tablet taken during the Nov. 11
theft was valued at about $78.

"He was taken to the police station. He admitted taking the item. He
said he saw it in the window and thought it would be cheap or free, as
it was in a charity shop, so took it," Russell said. "He took it and
realized it didn't work without further equipment, so returned it to
the shop." Hooson initially told the court the theft was an accident.
"I didn't intend to steal it. I forgot I had it in my bag, so I
returned it when I noticed."

Hooson, who admitted his version of events "sounds ridiculous,"
eventually admitted during questioning by District Judge Bernard
Begley that his story was not true. "It's not very nice to steal from
a charity shop. At least some sense eventually returned to you and you
returned the item. However, it is a particularly mean offense," Begley
said.

Longest Living Conjoined Twins Ever Celebrate Their 63rd Birthday

Ronnie and Donnie Galyon surpassed the world record for longest living
conjoined twins and celebrated their 63rd birthday recently, Ohio,
USA.

The Galyon twins turned 63 on Oct. 28 are yet to receive their
official certificate from the Guinness World Records confirming
they're the longest-living conjoined twins in history.

Ronnie and Donnie are joined at the waist and face each other. They
have four arms and four legs and separate hearts and stomachs but
share a lower digestive tract, a groin, a rectum and man-hood, over
which Donnie has control.

The twins were born healthy in October 1951 but stayed in the hospital
for two years as doctors tried to figure out how to separate them.When
experts said they could not guarantee both babies would survive an
operation to part them, the parents said they would stay as they were.

The boys did not go to school as teachers asked them to leave because
they were too distracting to the other students. From the age of four
to 39, they supported their family by performing in carnival sideshows
in the U.S. and circuses throughout Central and South America.

Cisse Gets Three-Game Ban For Violent Conduct

Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse has received a three-match suspension
after accepting an FA charge of violent conduct.

This follows an incident during the Magpies 3-2 win over Everton on
Sunday involving defender Seamus Coleman. The Senegalese is believed
to have elbowed Coleman passed unnoticed by the match officials.

Cisse has accepted the charge and will now serve a three-match
suspension which starts with immediate effect.

The 29-year-old has scored nine times this season and has been named
in Senegal's squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in
Equatorial Guinea.

Ninth-placed Newcastle host Burnley on New Year's Day.

Justin Bieber Hit The Ground Hard While Skating

Justin Bieberwas skating on the streets of NYC, causing the fans and
tourists to gather outside Madison Square Garden.

The singer was accompanied by his rumored girlfriend,Hailey Baldwin.
Justin had a hard time showing his skills on the stairs, so he he
ended up on the floor after failing to finish a difficult move.

Justin didn't let the incident bother him, he took to Twitter to
thanks his beliebers. He wrote'Fun day in nyc. Love all my beliebers'.
--GistReel

Jonathan Pockets N43.23m As Salary In 3 Years --Presidency

FOR presiding over the affairs of Nigeria as its president in the last
three years, President Goodluck Jonathan has pocketed N43.23 million
as salary.

In the same vein, he had within the last three years,paid N626.422
million as tax to the country.

The years which the president earned the salary and paid the tax,
according to document from the Federal Inland. Revenue Service,FIRS,
he released to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,
were 2011,2012 and 2013.

The document which was placed at the INEC office at Area 10, Abuja,
showed that the president, in 2011,2012 and 2013, received the said
amount.

The document showed that the president yearly salary stands at N14,
410, 290. 48 yearly.

The document tagged: "To whom it may concern", indicated that the
president's source of income was "employment".

The clearance which was stamped and received in the Legal Services
Department of INEC on December 18 2014 reads: "This is to certify that
Dr. JONATHAN, Ebele Goodluck (Presidency) has paid income tax
assessment for the past three years.

Meanwhile, the Code of Conduct Bureau has cleared Vice President
Namadi Sambo to contest the 2015 general elections.

The letter of clearance was issued by the chairman of CCB, Mr. Sam
Saba, to Sambo for the 2011 general elections.

It reads: "This is to certify that Arc. Namadi Sambo, the Vice
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has never breached any
of the Code of Conduct for public officers as contained in 5th
schedule to (sic) the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
(1999), and has been declaring his assets as and when due.

He is therefore cleared to contest the 2011 Presidential election."
--Vanguard

AirAsia Flight QZ8501 Crash: 40 Bodies From Missing Plane Found And 'Emergency Slide And Plane Door' Spotted

At least 40 bodies have been spotted and six recovered from missing
AirAsia Flight QZ8501 amid reports that the plane door and emergency
slide belonging to the passenger jet have been found and a "shadow"
spotted on the seabed.

Around 10 objects have been found in the Java Sea, roughly six miles
from where the plane lost contact with air traffic control, including
what Indonesian air force officials claim are items resembling a plane
door and emergency slide and the shadow of what appeared to be the
outline of the Flight QZ8501 just under the water.

Rescue efforts are being hampered by 20 knot winds and strong waves,
however, additional ships are en route to discovery site according to
Indonesia's defence minister Ng Eng Hen.

A press conference held this evening (local time) said that permitting
weather conditions recovery teams would continue through the night
with additional divers and underwater survey ships arriving to help.

First Lieutenant Tri Wibowo, who was on board a Hercules during the
first search operation, described finding the debris: "We thought that
the passengers were still alive and waved at us for help. But when we
approached closer [we saw] they were already dead."

"As we approached, the body seemed bloated," he told national
Indonesian newspaperKompas.

National Search and Rescue Director SB Supriyadi later told reporters
in Pangkalan Bun that bodies had been brought onto an Indonesian ship.
The bodies, found off the coast of Borneo about 105 miles south of the
town, were not reportedly wearing life jackets.

Indonesian navy spokesman Manahan Simorangkir told AFP: "Based on the
navy radio, it has been reported that the warship Bung Tomo has
retrieved 40 bodies and the number is growing".

The bodies are due to be identified at Bhayangkara Hospital, Surabaya,
east Java, although the condition of the bodies remains unclear that
may affect identification.

An Indonesian Navy helicopter assists in the search for missing
AirAsia flight QZ8501 near Batam, south of Singapore

The CEO of AirAsia Tony Fernandes tweeted: "My heart is filled with
sadness for all the families involved in QZ 8501. On behalf of AirAsia
my condolences". He has arrived in Surabaya to see families and is
reported as appearing "utterly dejected."

The company has released a statement confirming the find and offering
"sincere sympathies" to the families of passengers and crew members.

Indonesia's vice-president is due to give a press conference in
Jakarta shortly, as the president travels to Surabaya to meet families
and view the crash site.
akarta's Air Force base commander Rear Marshal Dwi Putranto (C) and
Indonesian Air Force crew show pieces recovered from the wreck

Search and Rescue Agency chief Henry Bambang Soelistyo told reporters
"more than one" body had been recovered.

During the press conference, held at around 2pm local time, he said
that search teams had seen a shadow underneath the water, allegedly in
the shape of a plane.

Yusef Latif, a spokesperson for the Indonesian Search and Rescue team,
said an Indonesian military aircraft saw white, red and black objects,
including what appears to be a life jacket. AirAsia's livery is red
and white.

Relatives of the families were visibly upset when local TV channels
aired footage of the discovery, some of which appeared to show not
only the debris but also a floating body.

Very difficult to hear the screaming and crying relatives. They've
been waiting for a miracle, but had to watch the worst possible news.--
Alice Budisatrijo (@alicebudi) December 30, 2014

BBC news teams based in Surabaya allegedly heard screaming and crying
from inside the relatives crisis centre.

Asian TV News station Channel NewsAsia has apologised after they
"inadvertently" aired images of the bodies taken from local channels.

My heart is filled with sadness for all the families involved in QZ
8501. On behalf of AirAsia my condolences ... http://t.co /OJGobL93cR--
Tony Fernandes (@tonyfernandes) December 30, 2014
--The Independent

INEC Redeploys RECs In 36 States, FCT

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has redeployed
its resident electoral commissioners in 36 states and the FCT as part
of its preparations for 2015 general elections.

According to the commission's daily bulletin issued on Monday in
Abuja, the deployment is contained in a letter dated December 24 and
signed by INEC secretary, Augusta Ogakwu.

"The commissioners were directed to conclude all handing and taking
over formalities by December 31, 2014," it said.

According to the bulletin, O.E. Onukaogu has been deployed from Abia
to Enugu State; Tukur Sa'ad from Adamawa to Bauchi State and Ahmed
Makama from Bauchi State to Taraba.

Accordingly, Mike Igini has been deployed from Edo to Delta; Selina
Oko from Ebonyi to Abia; Edwin Nwatarali from Enugu State to Anambra
and Sadiq Abubakar from Kaduna State to Sokoto State.

Similarly, Jibrin Zarewa from Kano State to Kebbi; Hussaini Mahuta
from Kastina to Kaduna; Abubakar Wara from Kebbi to Zamfara; Emmanuel
Onucheyo from Kogi to Kwara and Rufus Akeju from Lagos to Oyo State.

Abdullahi Danyaya from Niger to Nasarawa; Timothy Ibitoye from Osun to
Ogun; A.L. Ogunmola from Oyo to Osun; Barito Kphagih from Rivers to
Bayelsa and Haliru Tambuwal from Sokoto to Jigawa.

Kassim Geidam from Yobe to Gombe; Ibrahim Marafa from Zamfara to
Kastina State; Aniedi Ikoiwak from Akwa Ibom to Delta; Habu Zarma from
Gombe to Yobe and Akin Orebiyi from Ogun to Lagos.

Hussaini Halilu Pai from Kogi to FCT; Kwanga Mbatsavbee from Benue to
Plateau; Sylvester Ezeani from Anambra to Cross-River; Minkaila
Abdullahi from Jigawa to Kano State and Lawrence Azubuike from Imo to
Ebonyi.

Sam Olumekun from Ondo State to Ekiti; Istifanus Dafwang from Plateau
to Benue; Gesila Khan from Bayelsa to Rivers; Samuel Madaki from
Taraba to Borno and Gabriel Ada from Cross-Rivers to Imo.

Jacob Jatau from Nasarawa to FCT; Baba Yusuf from Borno to Adamawa;
Segun Agbaje from Ekiti to Ondo State; Nasir Ayilara from Kwara to
Niger and Austine Okojie from Edo to Akwa-Ibom.
--(NAN)

Cross River Govt Set To Privatize Calabar Carnival

GOVERNOR Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, weekend, said that the
state government was putting plans in motion to privatize the popular
Carnival Calabar, describing the festival as a big boost to the
economy of the state.

Calabar Carnival'14:View amazing images of the biggest street party in
Africa here.

Imoke at the carnival, urged whoever would success him to ensure that
the carnival was sustained in the years ahead.

Speaking at the grand finale of the 10th year anniversary of Carnival
Calabar, which was flagged off at the Millennium Park, the governor
said that the carnival has grown in leaps and bounds, becoming the
biggest street party in Africa.

According to him, for the first time in the history of the carnival,
the state government did not advertise the carnival, yet the crowd
that thronged Calabar to witness it was unprecedented.

He said, "This year's carnival is my last carnival as the governor of
this state. But I believe it will continue in the years ahead. It has
truly become the ambassador event for Africa. We are planning to
privatize it. There must be continuity in leadership which is very
critical for us. Once we can do that, I believe we will continue to
deliver great performances and improve on what we have already done
over the years."

Imoke was accompanied to the Millennium Park, where he cut the tape to
signal the commencement of the carnival by his wife, the deputy
governor and his wife, the Minister of Culture, Tourism and National
Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, the duo of Peter and Paul Okoye of
P-Square fame, Senator Ben Ajade, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP
governorship candidate for 2015 election in the state. Also, present
were Nollywood stars including Kate Henshaw, Jim Iyke and Angela Okoro
among others.

This year's carnival attracted a huge number of tourists and local fun
seekers from across the world. Prominent among them were the Israeli
ambassador to Nigeria and the Rwandan Minister of Sport and Culture,
Ambassador Joseph Habineza.

As usual, the 12 kilometers carnival route was a bevy of activities as
the five traditional bands dressed in different colourful attires
entertained spectators while dancing and partying all the way.
--Vanguard

Ebola Case Confirmed In Glasgow Hospital

A healthcare worker who has just returned from West Africa has been
diagnosed with Ebola and is being treated in hospital in Glasgow.

The woman, who arrived from Sierra Leone on Sunday night, is in
isolation at Glasgow's Gartnavel Hospital.

All possible contacts with the case are being investigated, including
on flights to Scotland via Heathrow.

UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt confirmed that the woman would be
taken to a specialist unit in London.

She will be flown from Glasgow and taken to the Royal Free Hospital in
north London"as soon as we possibly can," Mr Hunt said.

The hospital has a specialist isolation unit and treated William
Pooley, the British nurse who contracted and recovered from Ebola.

Low risk

Mr Hunt said the government was doing "absolutely everything it needs
to be" to keep the UK safe.
He insisted NHS processes "worked well" after the woman starting
exhibiting symptoms.

The health secretary added: "We are also reviewing our procedures and
protocols for all the other NHS workers who are working at the moment
in Sierra Leone."

Charity Save the Children confirmed the woman was an NHS health worker
who was working with them at the Ebola Treatment Centre in Kerry Town,
Sierra Leone.

The organisation's humanitarian director, Michael von Bertele, said:
"Save the Children is working closely with the UK government, Scottish
government and Public Health England to look into the circumstances
surrounding the case."

At a news conference in Glasgow, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
stressed that the risk to the general public was very low.

She added that the patient was thought to have had contact with only
one other person since arriving in the city, but that all passengers
on the flights the woman took will be traced.

Ms Sturgeon said: "Apart from other passengers on the flights and
obviously the hospital staff since this patient's admittance to
hospital, she, the patient is thought to have had contact with only
one other person in Scotland since returning to Scotland last night
and that person will also be contacted and given appropriate
reassurance."

Glasgow Ebola case

Patient flight details - 28 December

Flight AT596from Freetown, Sierra Leone, to Casablanca

Flight AT0800 from Casablanca to London Heathrow

Flight BA1478 from London Heathrow to Glasgow, arriving 23:30

Alisdair MacConachie, of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: "She's
being managed in an isolation facility by staff who are comfortable
managing patients in such a situation. She herself is quite stable and
is not showing any great clinical concern at the minute."

NHS Scotland said infectious diseases procedures had been put into
effect at the Brownlee Unit for Infectious Diseases at Gartnavel.

Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with the bodily fluids - such
as blood, vomit or faeces - of an infected person.

The patient returned to Scotland from Sierra Leone late on Sunday via
Casablanca and London Heathrow, arriving into Glasgow Airport on a
British Airways flight at about 23:30.

While public health experts have emphasised that the risks are
negligible, a telephone helpline has been set up for anyone who was on
the BA 1478 Heathrow to Glasgow flight. The number is:08000 858531

The woman had been admitted to hospital early on Monday morning after
feeling unwell and was placed into isolation at 07.50.

What are the symptoms?

The Ebola virus causes a range of painful and debilitating symptoms
The early symptoms are a sudden fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache
and sore throat.

This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash and bleeding - both
internal and external - which can be seen in the gums, eyes, nose and
in the stools.

Patients tend to die from dehydration and multiple organ failure.

A British Airways spokesman said: "We are working closely with the
health authorities in England and Scotland and will offer assistance
with any information they require.

"The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top
priority and the risk to people on board that individual flight is
extremely low."

Ms Sturgeon has chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government
Resilience Committee (SGoRR) and has also spoken to Prime Minister
David Cameron.

Mr Hunt is to chair a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee on
Monday evening.

Ms Sturgeon said: "Our first thoughts at this time must be with the
patient diagnosed with Ebola and their friends and family. I wish them
a speedy recovery.

"Scotland has been preparing for this possibility from the beginning
of the outbreak in West Africa and I am confident that we are well
prepared."
--BBC

Cameroon Launches Air Strikes On Boko Haram

Cameroon says its military has carried out the first round of air
strikes against Boko Haram in northern Nigeria, after the group
overran a military base, and attacked five villages.

Army spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Didier Badjeck, confirmed that
about 1,000 militants attacked the villages, including Amchide, and
seized the nearby Achigachia military base, where they raised their
black flag.

He also confirmed the Cameroonian President, Paul Biya, had ordered
the Air Force to intervene, and force the militants out.

He said that the air strikes would be a lesson to Boko Haram that it
faced a hard reaction if it attacked Cameroon again, as the government
is determined to use all its capability to protect its territory.

Cameroon's Information Minister, Issa Bakary said that at least 34
militants were killed after the army raided one of their bases in
Cameroon, while another seven were killed in a separate clash which
also claimed the life of a soldier.

He said that the multiple attacks showed that Boko Haram had adopted a
new strategy aimed at "distracting Cameroonian troops on different
fronts, making them more vulnerable in the face of the mobility and
unpredictability of their attacks".

About a week before this, Cameroon said it had dismantled a Boko Haram
training camp on its territory, and had seized 84 children who were
being trained there.

2015: Buhari Fails To Submit Academic Qualifications To INEC

Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji
Muhammadu Buhari, did not present his academic qualifications to the
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, even as he prepares
for the 2015 presidential contest.

Unlike his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, counterpart, President
Goodluck Jonathan, whose academic certificates were conspicously
displayed by the commission upon presentation, Buhari's credentials
were visibly without trace at the commission's office at Area 10,
Abuja.

The former Head of State, explained in an affidavit he deposed, which
he submitted to the commission that all his academic credentials were
with the Secretary, Military Board.

The affidavit deposed at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High
Court, Abuja and dated November 24,2014, was stamped and received at
INEC headquarters on December 18, 2014.

In the affidavit, Buhari said: "All my academic qualifications
(documents) as filled in my presidential form, President APC/001/2015,
are currently with the Secretary Military Boards as at the time of
this affidavit."

He added: "The affidavit is made in good faith and for record purpose."
--Vanguard