US Blind Judge Makes History, Joins Supreme Court

Richard Bernstein, a blind judge based in the US, officially joins the
Michigan Supreme Court in a few days. But he has been working off the
clock since November, preparing for 10 cases in an extraordinary way -
memorizing the key points of every brief read to him by an aide. APhas
more:

Bernstein, 41, has been blind since birth. After winning the election,
an assistant at his family's Detroit-area law firm began reading
briefs to him for mid-January arguments, including a medical marijuana
case and a labor dispute covering thousands of state employees.

"It would be much easier if I could read and write like everyone else,
but that's not how I was created," Bernstein said. "No question, it
requires a lot more work, but the flip side is it requires you to
operate at the highest level of preparedness. ... This is what I've done
my entire life. This goes all the way back to grade school for me."

Michigan has never had a blind judge on its highest court, and few
other states have. In Missouri, Justice Richard Teitelman has been
legally blind since age 13. Judge David Tatel, who is blind, sits on a
federal appeals court in Washington, D.C.

"Every new justice has to make a transition from whatever life he or
she had before," Chief Justice Robert Young Jr. said. "His will be
different than others, but he's extraordinarily successful and very
driven. You don't enter Ironman competitions without having a steel
backbone."

Four Sisters, 2 To 6 Years, Die In Fire In Anambra

Four siblings perished in a fire at Umuele Umudim, Nnewi, Anambra
State on December 25, according to 24/7URepots. The victims, all
girls, were from two to six years old.

The mysterious fire allegedly started in the Ofomata family's
three-bedroom apartment located on the ground floor of a sto-rey
building. Ifeoma (2), Goodness and Mercy (twins, 3), and Chioma
Ofomata's (6) father Mr. Anthony Ofomata, 57, had gone to work, while
their mother Chineme-rem had gone to have a share of Christmas rice
gift meant for widows in the community.

Mr. Ofomata, a vulcanizer, says he was returning from work with their
two other male children, Kosy (8), and Ebu-ka (5), when he saw flames
and a crowd of sympathyzers near his residence who tried to get
through the iron burglary proofs on doors and windows to rescue the
four girls.

Unfortunately, the attempts to save the girls' lives were futile.
Eyewitnesses say they managed to burst through the door to the
apartment only to find the lifeless bodies mangled together at one
corner.

The father alleged he did not know his wife was going to get out of
their apartment leaving the girls alone. The mother explained the door
was actually locked from outside to restrict the girls' movement, and
it wasn't the first time the children were locked inside. Speaking to
the police, she said there were no inflammable mate-rials in the
apartment, and she does not know what could have caused the fire.

Investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire.

Fake Woman Breasts Serve As Concealment Method For Drug Trafficking

Mr. Hamza Umar is Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA), in-charge of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja,
Lagos. In a recent interview with Thisday, he speaks on breakthroughs
his command has recorded, methods being devised by suspected
traffickers to courier hard drugs in and outside the country, among
others. Excerpt:

What method have suspects devised to traffic these hard drugs?

.They do a lot of methods. One is concealment, as you know. Two, they
do ingestion. Three, they do what we call insertion. This insertion is
what they hide in private parts, while some put them in their anus.
They also, conceal it in their hair, wigs or fake breasts. You will
see a lady and you will say this one is blessed, but there is no
blessing in that and instead, it is a concealment method.

NATO Holds Ceremony Closing Afghan Mission

NATO has held a ceremony in Kabul formally ending its war in
Afghanistan, officials said, after 13 years of conflict and gradual
troop withdrawals that have left the country in the grip of worsening
conflicts with armed groups.

The event was carried out on Sunday in secret due to the threat of
Taliban strikes in the Afghan capital, which has been hit by repeated
suicide bombings and gun attacks over recent years.

On January 1, the US-led International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF) combat mission will be replaced by a NATO "training and
support" mission.

"Resolute Support will serve as the bedrock of an enduring
partnership" between NATO and Afghanistan, Campbell told an audience
of Afghan and international military officers and officials, as well
as diplomats and journalists.

He paid tribute to the international and Afghan troops who have died
fighting in the conflict saying: "The road before us remains
challenging but we will triumph".

The closing of NATO's combat mission comes at the end of the country's
deadliest year during the war, which saw at least 4,600 Afghan
soldiers and police killed and many other civilian deaths.

About 12,500 foreign troops staying in Afghanistan will not be
involved in direct fighting, but will assist the Afghan army and
police in the battle against the Taliban, who ruled from 1996 until
2001.

When numbers peaked in 2011, about 130,000 troops from 50 nations were
part of the NATO military alliance.

A NATO official said US General John Campbell, the ISAF commander,
would lead Sunday's ceremony at the force's headquarters in Kabul.

"In just a few days, our combat mission in Afghanistan will be over,"
US President Barack Obama said in his Christmas Day address. "Our
longest war will come to a responsible end".

Winners Has Six Million Members In 147 Countries --Oyedepo

The President of Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), Bishop David
Oyedepo, says the ministry has six million members in 147 nations
across the world.

Oyedepo made the disclosure on Saturday at a breakfast meeting with
members of Omu-Aran Government Secondary School Old Boys Association
at the Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara.

Oyedepo, the Chancellor of Landmark and Covenant Universities and also
a member of OGSSOBA, said that the figure was ascertained at the
recent convention of the church.

He advised members of old boys association to rededicate themselves to
arresting infrastructure decay in all colleges and institutions across
the length and breadth of the country.

Oyedepo said the task of improving the facilities in schools had gone
beyond the sole responsibility of government, urging the old boys to
be partners in progress.

"No amount is too small or too big toward the growth, progress and
development of the schools," he said.

Mr Segun Adeniyi, the newly elected president of the association,
described Oyedepo as a living legend of the nation's education sector.

He said that Oyedepo remained a role model to both the current and old
students of Government Secondary School in Omu-Aran.

Adeniyi appealed to all members of the association to identify with
the aspiration of the school in order to make it a model among its
peers.

He commended the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Alhaji Jibril
Haruna, for successfully organising the election and giving the
association a new constitution.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Adeniyi was elected the new
president at the association's annual general meeting held at the
school's "Hall of Fame" in Omu-Aran on Friday.
Haruna, who is the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tertiary
Education, Science and Technology in Kwara, said he was grateful for
the opportunity given to him to serve.

He also pledged total support to the new executive members which he
urged to fully commence preparation for the celebration of the
association's 50th anniversary coming up in May, 2015.
--PUNCH

Barack Obama Caught Staring At B*tt Of 16-Year-Old Brazilian Delegate Mayora Taveras

The President got caught checking out some Brazilian cheeks in Italy --
which wouldn't be so surprising if the cheeks in question weren't
allegedly attached to a teenage girl.

Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy stole sneaky looks
at the assets of Brazil's junior G8 delegate Mayora Tavares --who is
reportedly 16 years of age- at the G8 summit.

For The Record

Tottenham remains unbeaten against Man United in 5 top flight matches
in a row for the first time in 40 years (1972-1974).

Nigerian Army Accuses Sahara Reporters Of Being Boko Haram's Media Arm

The Nigerian Army in a statement released on its website yesterday
December 27th accused online media hub, Sahara Reporters of being the
propaganda media for terrorism & Boko Haram in Nigeria. Find the
military statement below...

The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a publication on
the website of Sahara Reporters with the caption "Nigerian Army
Presents Unverified "Lt Col" To Refute Petition Against Military
Hierarchy". It is noteworthy but sad and unfortunate that Sahara
Reporters has committed itself to support for terrorism and fighting
Nigeria, its people, its military and particularly the Nigerian Army."

Before Sahara Reporters published their purported document described
as petition from Lt Col Wende, a serving Commanding Officer, the
Nigerian Army conducted a thorough investigation on the document
involving other security and intelligence agencies. The process
confirmed that the serving officer was not the author of the petition.
Yesterday, the officer dissociated himself from the so-called petition
in a press conference he personally attended. While reputable media
organizations were on hand to engage the officer, Sahara Reporters
being a faceless medium, preferred to remain faceless and was not
represented. Sahara Reporters sadly, but predictably, and in
fulfilment of its support for terrorism published in its website a
fabrication in which it referred to the officer as "unverified". How
absurd!

Sahara Reporters has strived hard to present itself as a propaganda
medium for terrorism and Boko Haram in particular. It is with this in
mind, that the Nigerian Army conducted a press conference in Maiduguri
in which the officer who appeared for the press conference is Lt Col
Wende, a serving officer of the Nigerian Army. Since the officer has
clearly dissociated himself from the document, it makes sense that the
so-called petition is the handiwork of Sahara Reporters. With time,
terrorism in Nigeria and Sahara Reporters will be defeated by the
collective will of the good people of Nigeria.

OLAJIDE LALEYE
Brigadier General
Director, Army Public Relations

Justin Bieber Buys Self Jet As Gift For Christmas

Justin Bieber just took self-gifting into the stratosphere. Literally.

Despite the likelihood that he found himself on Santa's naughty list
this year, the pop star showed off his new gift, a G6 jet,on his
Instagram page on Christmas Day.

"New jet for Christmas, and she's beautiful," Bieber wrote, posing in
the plane's cabin.

While it's unclear if Bieber bought the plane outright or purchased a
part ownership, a popular and slightly more affordable option among
the rich and famous, one thing's for sure: "She's a beauty."

The jet isn't Bieber's only tricked-out transportation toy this year.
In October, the team at West Coast Customs built the singer a
"Batmobile"-themed SUV.

Prostitute Who Cuts Off Male Organs And Sells To Ritualists Nabbed In Imo

A 23 year old lady, Uche Agunta, has been arrested and is being held
custody at the Imo State Police Command. She was arrested for
allegedly hunting male organs which are used for money rituals. The
Nigerian Daily Sunhas more:

The secondary school dropout has been long successful in carrying out
the task by luring men with s*x and at the height of ecstasy, using a
razor blade to cut off their private organs. Sun Newspaper interviewed
Uche. She explained how she was caught when she tried to cut a 38 year
old man's manhood.

"I am a prostitute and I smoke. I have a gang and we specialise in
sleeping with men and cut-ting their manhood during s*x. We use the
manhood for money rituals. I have killed seven men in the hotel in
Owerri. They had s*x with me after they have paid me N3, 000 or N5,
000. I would be on top of the man and in the process I would bring out
blade and cut off his manhood.

I do hand over the manhood to our gang leader. They always promise to
pay us N150, 000 for each manhood we could sup-ply, and which they
used for money ritual.I dropped out at JSS 3. I stopped going to
school when I lost my fa-ther, but my mother is still alive. I joined
a gang where some ladies initiated me into a cult. Our main concern is
going after male organ for ritual.

I have given birth to three children. I sold the first and second
children for N200, 000 each. The third child is a boy and he is
staying with my mother. On November 2014, the man met me at Oyima
Street, Owerri. He gave me N2,000 to have s*x with me. It was around
3.00pm. The victim took me to the hotel in Owerri and he was having
s*x with me.

'Jonathan Is Not On Twitter, Has The Second Largest Followership On Facebook'

A presidential source has disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan
is not on twitter contrary to an earlier report by an online news site
that claimed that the president operates the @JGoodlucktweets account.

But upon investigation, it was revealed that the Twitter profile in
question @JGoodlucktweets though pro-Jonathan, is not the twitter
profile of the President neither is it listed on any of the
President's official platforms.

"The president is not on twitter, he does not operate any account like
that. His facebook account is verified where he engage Nigerians and
the world. In fact, one of his aides granted an interview to a
national daily in 2013 explaining why the President is not on
Twitter," the source said.

President Jonathan is verified on Facebook where he has a following of
almost 2 million followers. He has the second largest following of any
President after US President, Barrack Obama and he regularly engages
with Nigerians through that medium.

The @JGoodlucktweets was last updated on November 11 while the
verified facebook account boast of the president's Christmas message
on December 25.
--Vanguard

For The Record

Chelsea ends the year top of the Premier League table for the 4th
time, after 04/05,05/06, and 09/10. They've won the league in all 3 of
these seasons.

Primary School Teacher Steals Blood From 21 Pupils

Mothers would be scared after reading this!! A primary school teacher
who illegally draw blood from 21 pupils during a break period, she had
stored the blood in bottles and threaten the pupils with assault and
death if they reported the incidents to their parents. You must be
wondering what she wanted to do with the blood.

She refused to tell. She had separated them into her classroom on
different dates at break time where she would ask them to stand in a
queue as she pricked each of them with a needle drawing blood from
their fingers and shoulders.

Luck ran out on her when one of the pupils couldn't open a cattle pen
because of the pain on his fingers and it was there the little boy
confessed and she was arrested.

Initially, Zhuwau appeared before a Mutoko magistrate facing 21 counts
of contravening Section 19 (1) (a) of the Anatomical Donations and
Post-Mortem Examinations Act, which criminalises removing tissue from
the bodies of living persons or alternatively 21 counts of assault.

Zhuwau was eventually sentenced to five years, but immediately made an
application seeking leave to appeal against both conviction and
sentence.

AirAsia Flight Carrying 162 From Indonesia To Singapore Goes Missing

An AirAsia flight carrying 155 people from the Indonesian city of
Surabaya to Singapore lost contact with air traffic control early
Sunday morning, officials in the region and the low-cost airline said.

Reuters reported that the flight QZ 8501, an Airbus A320-200, lost
contact with the Jakarta air traffic control tower at 6:17 am local
time (about 6: 17 pm (Saturday)Nigerian time), Indonesian Transport
Ministry official Hadi Mustofa said

According to NBC news, The plane carrying 162 aboard went missing on
Sunday en route from Indonesia to Singapore after the pilot asked to
change course due to weather. AirAsia said most on board were
Indonesian and that there were six foreigners -- three South Koreans
and one each from Singapore, France and Malaysia.

It had 155 passengers and crew on board, another Indonesian Transport
official said.

"Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. we must stay
strong,"AirAsia Chief Executive Tony Fernandes said on Twitter. He
later announced he was traveling to Surabaya, saying most of the
passengers are from there.

CNN aviation analyst Mary Schiavo questioned whether weather would
have been a factor in what happened to the plane.

"Ordinarily, the pilots would get the updated weather from air traffic
control and, of course, their onboard radar," said Schiavo, a former
inspector general for the U.S. Department of Transportation. "So
whether there was (bad) weather in the area would not be a
mystery,"she said.

CNN reports that AirAsia is a Malaysia-based airline that is popular
in the region as a budget carrier. It has about 100 destinations, with
affiliate companies in several Asian countries.

The missing plane is said to be operated by AirAsia's Indonesian
affiliate, in which the Malaysian company holds a 48.9% stake,
according to its website.

Malaysia Airlines, who had twin flight disasters has tweeted in
solidarity in support of the airline.

Months ago, an exclusive footage from the scene of the crash of MH17,
the Malaysian Airlines passenger plane, in Ukraine was released by the
Russian news site Lifenews.ru.

Former World Footballer Of The Year George Weah Elected To Liberian Senate In Landslide Victory

Former World Footballer of the Year George Weah elected to Liberian
senate in landslide victory

Experts believe former AC Milan and Chelsea FC star is preparing for
second presidential run in 2016.

George Weah, the former world footballer of the year, has been elected
to the Liberian senate in a landslide victory over Robert Sirleaf, the
son of the current president.

Weah, a former AC Milan and Chelsea FC forward, won 78% of the vote in
Montserrado district, which includes Liberia's capital, Monrovia,
beating the son of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who took 11% of
the vote, said the country's national elections commission.

The Ebola outbreak forced authorities in the West African state to
cancel the election when it was initially scheduled in October, and
fears of the disease caused a low turnout in yesterday's election.

"Results from all 4,701 polling places in the country have already
been counted and tallied. The recorded voter turnout for the election
is 479,936, which represents 25.2% of the total number of registered
voters," the election commission chairman, Jerome Korkoya, said in a
statement.

George Weah holds aloft the European player of the year award in 1996(Getty)

Weah, who is the only African to have won Fifa's top accolade for
players, previously ran for the Liberian presidency in 2005, when he
lost to Sirleaf.

He was also unsuccessful in a 2011 bid for the vice-presidency. He is
expected to use his senate seat as a platform to run for the
presidency again in 2016.

The Ebola outbreak, which has killed more than 3,000 Liberians, has
also hampered the country's efforts to rebuild after successive civil
wars which ended in 2003.

At polling stations yesterday, voters had their temperature taken,
were made to stand one metre away from one another, and had to wash
their hands before and after casting their ballot, reports the BBC.

Other winners yesterday include Jewel Taylor, the former wife of
ex-president Charles Taylor, who was convicted by an international
criminal court in 2012 on charges including war crimes and crimes
against humanity.

Former rebel leader Prince Johnson - whose forces captured, tortured
and killed president Samuel Doe during the civil war in 1990 -
retained his Nimba county seat.

Weah won the European and Fifa World Player of the Year awards in
1995, and was awarded the African Player of the Year award in 1989,
1994 and 1995.