GRAPHITTI NEWS : 2014

Monday, December 29, 2014

Twitter Back Online After Limited Blackout

Twitter was back online Monday following a partial outage which the company said was due to a bug.

INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega (Photo: bellanaija.com)

Ahead of the 2015 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Monday announced a major shakeup in the commission.

The United States of Air Crashes (Source: www.statista.com)

Nearly 900 people are dead or missing following air disasters around the world this year, with Southeast Asia taking a particularly heavy hit. Three major events involved weather, two planes were shot down in eastern Ukraine, and one crash was attributed to mechanical problems.

Cameroon’s military has begun cracking down on Nigerian businesses suspected of evading taxes, according to VOA. Cameroon gained total control of West Africa’s Bakassi pensinsula in August 2013, following a prescribed five-year transition from Nigeria. But most of the oil-rich area’s 300,000 inhabitants still are Nigerians.

Members of Indonesia's Marine Police hold a briefing on board a search and rescue craft prior to their heading out to sea to search for the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501, at Pangkal Pinang port in Sumatra Island, Monday Dec. 29, 2014 in Indonesia. Search planes and ships from several countries on Monday were scouring Indonesian waters over which the AirAsia jet disappeared, more than a day into the region's latest aviation mystery. AirAsia Flight 8501 vanished Sunday in airspace thick with storm clouds on its way from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

The disappearance of an AirAsia passenger jet soon after takeoff inevitably brings back memories of the mystery behind Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared nearly 10 months ago and is yet to be found.

NEWS FROM ANOTHER VIEW: Discover Where Nigerians Are Grazing Greener Pastures In The UK

Can you dream big enough in 2015?

Battabox is the news skit service I just thought to share with you. A peep into Nigerian creatives and their outputs! What do you think?

This announcement was not sponsored, it is donated gratis by naijaGRAPHITTI. Battabox is fully acknowledged as copyright owner; all rights reserved.
Season's Greetings everyone.

PHOTOS ‘Thank you, Lord Jesus’: 2 Indonesian Families Praise Christ For Missing Doomed AirAsia Flight

(Screenshot from facebook.com)

A missed email and a sick relative prevented two Indonesian families – of five and 10 members respectively – from catching the AirAsia QZ8501 flight. They had cursed their misfortune, before the news came of the plane having disappeared from radars.

Chandra Susanto, who had been planning a holiday in Singapore with his wife and three children since March, had to cancel it a day before the due date, because his father got ill.

Palestinian authority President Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: majalla.com)

Palestinians plan to submit a final draft of a statehood resolution to the United Nations on Monday calling for a peace deal with Israel within a year and an end to occupation of Palestinian territories by the end of 2017, officials said.

Reuters / Neil Hall

According to official figures from the government’s Family Food report, the poorest 10 percent of the UK population – around 6.4 million people – aren’t eating enough food to maintain their body weight.

LIVE Officials involved in the search said an Australian plane had spotted the objects, which are in an area of interest and will be examined further (Photo: The Independent)

Australian search planes involved in the hunt for the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 have spotted objects in the sea. Officials said the objects are in an area of interest and will be examined further.

He might have been a staunch protector of the British Empire, but the British Prime Minister had a love of the Orient and Islam (Photo: The Independent)

The family of Sir Winston Churchill urged him to “fight against” the desire to convert to Islam, a newly-discovered letter has revealed. The Prime Minister who led Britain to victory in World War Two was apparently so taken with Islam and the culture of the Orient that his family wrote to try and persuade him not to become a Muslim.

Reuters / Yves Herman

Scientists from Cambridge University have created artificial human eggs and sperm for the first time, using human embryonic stem cells and skin cells, RT.com reports.

President Goodluck Jonathan (Photo: ibitimes.com)

President Goodluck Jonathan has asked Nigerians to endure the effects of the current drop in global oil prices, saying the nation will survive it. Mr. Jonathan, while speaking at the Christ Apostolic Church in Abuja on Sunday, said the oil price drop is nothing compared to 2008 to 2009 when oil was sold for US$40 per barrel.

The Federal Government may have rescinded its decision to hire NICON Insurance Plc to insure 125,000 pupils in 104 unity schools across the country. The insurance cover is intended to mitigate the consequences of the Boko Haram insurgency and other forms of insecurity in the country, especially the attack on educational institutions.

Strict health standards are required for dead pigs under Chinese food production laws ©Peter Parks (AFP)

China has dismissed eight officials after pork from pigs infected with a "highly contagious virus" was found to have entered the market, state media said Monday. The country's latest food scandal was revealed in an investigation by state broadcaster China Central Television which said the annual revenue of the tainted pork was more than 20 million yuan (US$3.2 million).

Director of AirAsia Tony Fernandes (C), President Director Air Asia Indonesia Sunu Widiatmoko (R) and the head of Surabaya search and rescue agency Hernanto (L), speak during a press conference in Surabaya, East Java, on December 28, 2014 ©Juni Kriswanto (AFP)

Multinational search teams hunted Monday for any sign of an AirAsia plane missing off Indonesia with 162 people on board, but one top official warned it was likely at the bottom of the sea. Australia, Singapore and Malaysia deployed planes and ships to assist in the search as anguished relatives anxiously waited for news of their loved ones more than a day after Flight QZ8501 disappeared over the Java Sea.

Prominent South East Asian businessman Fernandes, the owner of English football club Queens Park Rangers, is the CEO of AirAsia. He described the missing plane as his 'worst nightmare' on Twitter

President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday admitted that Nigeria’s problems were increasing, instead of abating. Noting that the situation would have been worse if not for the prayers of Nigerians, Jonathan said he was optimistic that God would, in the same way he tackled the problems of the Israelites, do same for Nigeria.

Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo (Photo: The Punch)

Ahead of the 2015 general elections, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo has told the Independent National Electoral Commission that his Bachelors and Masters degrees certificates in Architecture from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, have been consumed by fire.

Idris Elba Responded Perfectly To The People Who Don’t Want A Black Bond — “Isn’t 007 Supposed To Be Handsome?”

Idris Elba (Photo: AP)

Earlier this month, the Sony email hack revealed that British actor Idris Elba was being considered to star as the next James Bond, according to Buzzfeed.

VIDEO Only In Russia: Divers Drink Champagne, Dance Around New Year Tree Underwater

A group of divers in Russia's Far East decided to be the first to celebrate the coming of 2015 – by drinking champagne and swimming in circles around a New Year tree at the bottom of a nearly frozen bay, RT.com reports.

Pope John Paul II (L) greets Mehmet Ali Agca at Rebibbia prison on December 27, 1983 in Rome. Agca attempted to kill pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981 (AFP Photo / STR)

The Turkish gunman who shot and wounded John Paul II in 1981 laid white flowers Saturday on the saint's tomb in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican officials said.

Dr. David Akintayo Oguntuase

The family of Dr. David Akintayo Oguntuase, Head of Paediatrics at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, who was found dead on his clinic in Akure, Ondo State, after it was razed by fire in the eve of Christmas, has said the medical practitioner was murdered.

Sheik Ahmad Mahmud Gumi

Revered Kaduna Islamic scholar, Sheik Ahmad Mahmud Gumi has called on Nigerians to avoid any form of violence in the forthcoming general elections particularly the presidential election. Sheik Gumi said both President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP and former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari of the APC are not worth dying for. He also called on well-meaning Nigerians and electorates not to allow politics to suppress their conscience.

Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the PDP-led Federal Government of trying to suppress the audit report on the missing US$20 billion oil money, saying the deadline for the release of the report, which was set by the government itself, has come and gone.

Mr Weah comfortably beat off a challenge from Robert Sirleaf, the son of President Sirleaf

Former world soccer player of the year George Weah has won a seat in Liberia's Senate to represent the capital, boosting his political fortunes ahead of a presidential election in 2017.

Protesters, demanding justice for Akai Gurley, march towards New York Police Department's (NYPD) 75th Precinct from the site of his shooting death in Brooklyn, New York December 27, 2014. (Reuters / Stephanie Keith)

A wave of peaceful protests, aimed at denouncing police violence, swept across the US on Saturday, with the number of protesters peaking in Los Angeles, where there were over 5,000 in the “Millions March for First Amendment Rights.”

Bed bugs (AFP Photo)

Scientists from Simon Fraser University in Canada have invented an effective bait-and-trap against bed bugs that uses chemical attractants, or pheromones. In order to test the trap, a team member had to endure up to 180,000 bites from the nasty insects.

An AirAsia flight - which was an Airbus A320-200 with the registration number PK-AXC (pictured above) - that departed Surabaya early Sunday morning was meant to land at Changi Airport

A massive search and rescue operation is under way for missing Air Asia flight bound for Singapore from Indonesia which lost contact with air traffic control after flying through bad weather.

Van Gaal: Touchline Rants Pointless

Louis van Gaal, pictured, prefers to relay messages to his players through his assistant Ryan Giggs (Photo: Press Association)

Louis van Gaal believes other Barclays Premier League managers are wasting their time by shouting and bawling at their players from the touchline.

Source: Mail Online Sport

Do-Or-Die Approach To 2015 Polls Is A Threat For Democracy – Obong Of Calabar

Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V shaking VP Namadi Sambo at an event in Abuja (Photo: efikeburutu.com)

The Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V, has warned that the do-or-die approach to 2015 polls by politicians constituted a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

The Efik monarch made the observation in Adiabo in Odukpani Local Government Area while interacting with some journalists.

Best Christmas Present Ever? Joe Riquelme STUNS His Parent With The Perfect Gift – Pays Off Their Mortgage

There are Christmas miracles after all.

Perez Hilton/Daily Mail report for Joe Riquelme's parents, the miracle has taken the form of a plain white envelope containing a handwritten note from their son telling them he had paid off their mortgage.

Simone Gbagbo, Côte d'Ivoire 's former first lady, sits in the dock at the Court of Justice in Abidjan on December 26, 2014 for the start of her trial ©Sia Kambou (AFP)

Côte d'Ivoire's former first lady Simone Gbagbo went on trial Friday for "attempting to undermine the security of the state" in events leading to a bloody 2010-2011 crisis that left thousands dead. Gbagbo, who has been held for three years and is also wanted by an international court for crimes against humanity, entered the Abidjan court where she is standing trial with 82 others, to cheers and applause from the public.

Free Xmas Cash Nightmare: Hong Kong Couple Arrested For Scavenging US$1.9mn

Christmas joy was short-lived for two people, who scavenged almost US$2 million dollars in cash after a security van’s faulty backdoor scattered money all over the road. The two have been arrested after piles of bills were found under their beds.

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has risen to 7,693 out of 19,695 cases recorded, the World Health Organization said Friday.

Reuters / Thomas Peter

For the first time since 1955 people in Japan have spent more this year through March than they saved, as wages in real terms are at an almost five- year low.

Blogger Films How Homeless Man Spent US$100 On Charity, Raises Over US$94k In Crowdfunding

A blogger gave a homeless guy US$100 – and filmed an unexpected twist, as the man decided to help others with the money. The video went viral, and a crowdfunding campaign to get the homeless man back on his feet has raised over US$94k and counting, according to RT.com.

Prophet T. B. Joshua of SCOAN (Photo: vanguardngr.com)

Prophet T. B. Joshua has invited to Lagos the bereaved families of the South African victims of a fatal church building collapse for a trip of "spiritual and emotional support", a spokesman said Tuesday.

Reuters / Ints Kalnins

Not quite the Biblical Noah’s Ark, but possibly the next best thing. Moscow State University has secured Russia’s largest-ever scientific grant to collect the DNA of every living and extinct creature for the world’s first database of its kind, according to RT.com.

DISGRACED: Haruko Obokata, 31, a researcher at Japan's Riken institute, wipes away tears during a press conference in Osaka, western Japan, on April 9, 2014 ©- (Jiji Press/AFP)

Japan's top research institute on Friday hammered the final nail in the coffin of what was once billed as a ground-breaking stem cell study, dismissing it as flawed and saying the work could have been fabricated.

The man who discovered Ebola says a European team of specialists trained to tackle viral outbreaks is needed (Photo: Press Association)

The UK and the rest of Europe must form a group of specialists ready to tackle outbreaks like Ebola, the man who discovered the disease almost 40 years ago has said.

To consolidate on its ongoing Season of Surprises campaign, Nigeria’s largest telecoms firm, MTN, has continued the selection of winners in the customer reward promo.

Comrade Issa Aremu Vice President, Nigeria Labour Congress making his speech at the EHINGBETI SUMMIT 2014 Summit, Lagos.

Secretary General of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Comrade Issa Aremu, has expressed concern over non-payment of workers' salaries by many state governors.

Jimoh Ibrahim (Photo: nigeriabestforum.com)

To control the consequences of the Boko Haram insurgency and other forms of insecurity in the country, the Federal Government has hired NICON Insurance PLC to insure 125,000 secondary pupils in 104 Unity Schools across the country.

Adam Sandler (Photo: lifetimetv.co.uk)

Adam Sandler has topped Forbes’ list of Hollywood’s most overpaid actors for a second consecutive year.

Chaos Ensues As Armored Truck Spills US$4.5 Million On Road In Hong Kong Currency

Hong Kong shoppers and commuters thought Christmas had arrived early on Wednesday afternoon after hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of cash spilled onto a busy road following an accident apparently involving a security van.

Reuters/Baz Ratner

In yet another safety lab snafu at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as a dozen workers are being assessed for possible exposure to the Ebola virus. The incident occurred as a sample of the pathogen was transferred between labs.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has sanitizing gel squirted on his hands during a visit to a western area emergency response center, in Freetown, on December 19, 2014 ©Evan Schneider (UN/AFP)

Sierra Leone's government has declared a five-day lockdown in the country's north to step up efforts to contain the Ebola epidemic, while making an exception for Christmas. "Muslims and Christians are not allowed to hold services in mosques and churches throughout the lockdown except for Christians on Christmas Day (Thursday)," Alie Kamara, resident minister for the Northern Region, according to AFP.

Christmas is no doubt one of the biggest holidays in the world. Celebrated in virtually all continents of the world, December 25, when the holiday is marked, is a period for merry making across cultures, languages and nations.

Christmas has its origin with the birth of Jesus Christ. Although there is some controversy within Christian faith over the veracity of December 25 being the actual date of birth of Jesus Christ, nothing has yet taken the shine off the celebration worldwide. It still remains the period to take a long vacation or close business for the year.
Nigerian Tribune and GRAPHITTI NEWS report:

AFP Photo/Fabrice Coffrini

A team of Swiss scientists set out on a quest to learn if using smartphones actually makes us smarter. Their study revealed that using a touchscreen device affects a part of the brain that processes touch. In a study published in the journal Current Biology, Swiss researchers said that people who use smartphones have an enhanced somatosensory cortex.

I wish you well throughout this festive period and pray for a very productive, prosperous 2015 for you as reach further and higher than the outgoing year.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Friday, December 26, 2014

Thursday, December 25, 2014