There are so many tears this Christmas – Pope

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1wogjmz" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://ift.tt/1wogjmz" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><b><br/> </b> <b><br/> </b> <b>Pope Francis condemned this year’s “brutal” religious persecution in the Middle East while urging peace in Nigeria, Ukraine and other world troublespots in his annual Christmas “urbi et orbi” message.</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Calling also for an end to violence against “vast numbers of children”, and noting last week’s deadly attack in Pakistan, he said: “Truly there are so many tears this Christmas.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Speaking to a packed crowd outside Saint Peter’s Basilica, the popular Argentine pontiff also made a strong call to end violence wrought against children amid “indifference and tears.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />His second traditional “urbi et orbi” message (to the city and to the world) comes at the close of a year plagued by war and violent religious fundamentalism, notably in Iraq, Syria, Nigeria and most recently against school-children in Pakistan.<br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“Truly there are so many tears this Christmas,” he said in the message broadcast across the world.<br/><br /><br/><br />Without naming the jihadist Islamic State (IS) group, he said Christians in Iraq and Syria “for too long now have suffered the effects of ongoing conflict” and “together with those belonging to other ethnic and religious groups, are suffering a brutal persecution.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />There were “too many displaced persons, exiles and refugees, adults and elderly, from this region and the whole world.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Killings and hostage-takings from the Middle East to Nigeria and elsewhere must stop, he said.<br/><br /><br/><br />Visibly moved and departing from his text, the 78-year-old head of the Roman Catholic church noted “the children massacred by bombardments, including where the son of God was born” — in the Holy Land — and their “powerless silence that cries under the sword.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Denouncing “indifference”, he explicitly condemned abortion, deploring the children “killed before seeing the light”.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>- Children killed in Pakistan -</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“May Jesus save the vast numbers of children who are victims of violence, made objects of trade and trafficking, or forced to become soldiers.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“May he give comfort to the families of the children killed in Pakistan last week”, he added, referring to the 149 people, including 133 school-children, killed in Peshawar by the Taliban.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />In Baghdad, where an estimated 150,000 Iraqi Christians have fled jihadist violence since June, Christmas celebrations were dampened by events.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“We do not have any feelings of joy,” said Rayan Dania Sabri at Baghdad’s Church of the Ascension. “How can we be joyful when there are thousands still living in camps and schools in poor conditions?”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Turning to trouble-spots elsewhere across the globe, the softly-spoken Francis urged Ukrainians also to “overcome tensions, conquer hatred and violence and set out on a new journey of fraternity and reconciliation”.'<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He called for peace in “the whole Middle East” and continued efforts towards “dialogue” between Israelis and Palestinians.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Peace too was essential in Africa, particularly in Nigeria “where more blood is being shed”, as well as in Libya, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.<br/><br /><br/><br />He noted the victims of Ebola in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea and thanked those who were “courageously” assisting the sick.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II also was expected to pay tribute to the “selflessness” of medical staff and aid workers fighting the Ebola epidemic in her own annual Christmas Day broadcast.<br/><br /><br/><br /><b><br/> </b> <b>- ‘Peace in Jerusalem’ -</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />In Sierra Leone, all public Christmas festivities were cancelled as a result of the Ebola crisis, with soldiers deployed over the holiday season to prevent spontaneous street celebrations, officials said.<br/><br /><br/><br />In his Christmas message, which was fairly brief, the pontiff traditionally calls for remedies to the world’s woes.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Francis however has put an end to a longstanding tradition of popes wishing a happy Christmas in dozens of languages.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />At a Christmas Eve mass, he urged Roman Catholics to have greater empathy towards family and friends, saying the world needs “tenderness” and “warmth”.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />In Syria, Christians in the war-torn city of Homs were enjoying their first Christmas in three years in the Hamidiyeh neighbourhood, with a brightly coloured tree and a manger made from rubble set up in the middle of the ruins.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Francis sent a video message to South Koreans recalling his trip to the country in August in which he said: “The great celebration in honour of the (Catholic) martyrs (in the 18th and 19th centuries in Korea), and the encounters with young people remain fresh in my memory.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Cubans prepared to celebrate Christmas, a resurgent holiday banned for 38 years by the communist government, with an early gift from US President Barack Obama: a historic rapprochement.<br/><br /><br/><br />In Bethlehem on Christmas Eve hectic preparations preceded celebrations on the West Bank town’s biggest night of the year, culminating in midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity built over the spot where Christians believe the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Scouts playing bagpipes and drums marched to the church in a procession led by Jerusalem’s Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal, the top Catholic cleric in the Holy Land.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />In his homily, Twal called for “peace in Jerusalem”, where violent clashes between Israelis and Palestinians rocked the city for months, and “equality and mutual respect” among all faiths.<br/><br /><br/><br />He also asked for the rebuilding of Gaza, which was ravaged this summer during a 50-day war between Hamas and Israel in which more than 2,200 people died.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

There are so many tears this Christmas – Pope

Pope Francis condemned this year’s “brutal” religious persecution in the Middle East while urging peace in Nigeria, Ukraine and other ...

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Christmas Tragedy: Medical doctor dies in inferno

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1wogj6f" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://ift.tt/1wogj6f" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />It was a sad Christmas morning for residents of Oke Ibukun Street, off Araromi, in Akure, Ondo State capital, who woke up to a raging fire that razed a clinic, Universal Medical Clinic (Specialist Children Clinic) and killing one Dr. David Oguntuase, said to be the owner of the clinic.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />It was gathered that the fire began at 12.30 am on Thursday, but no one was able to determine the actual cause of the fire.<br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Sympathisers could not hold back their tears as they watched the remains of the doctor in the midst of the building, burnt beyond recognition.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />It was learnt that the doctor worked as a Consultant Pediatrician at the Federal Medical Centre in Owo while he maintained the private clinic in Akure.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Some residents were said to have made frantic efforts to rescue the building, but their efforts to get the firemen to the scene failed, as none of the fire officers came to the scene in spite of the calls made to them.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />A resident, Ajayi Olorunlogbon, explained that but for the efforts of neighbors around, the fire could have spread to other houses.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Officers of the Fire Service in the state could not be reached, but Police Public Relations Officer, Wole Ogodo, confirmed the incident, and said the state police command had begun an investigation into the cause of the fire.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “The doctor was consumed in an inferno in his clinic and we have commenced our investigation, while his corpse had be taken to the morgue for autopsy.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Ogodo added that the wife of the late doctor, Wuraola Oguntuase, came to report the incident at the A-Division Police Station in Akure.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

Christmas Tragedy: Medical doctor dies in inferno

It was a sad Christmas morning for residents of Oke Ibukun Street, off Araromi, in Akure, Ondo State capital, who woke up to a raging fire...

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Kashamu attacks Obasanjo, presents book on Jonathan

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br/><br /><br/><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1Aa6cZ3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://ift.tt/1Aa6cZ3" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Barely two weeks after a former President Olusegun Obasanjo unveiled his autobiography, My Watch, the Chairman, Organisation and Mobilisation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West, Buruji Kashamu, has presented a book to counter the ex-president’s book.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Some sections in My Watch pointedly faulted the leadership style of President Goodluck Jonathan.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The book presented by Kashamu, ‘No enemy to Fight, Goodluck Jonathan on the Marble’, contains Jonathan’s quotable quotes since 2011 till May 1, 2013.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />It was presented to the public on Wednesday at Ijebu-Igbo in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Kashamu’s hometown.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The 171-page book which was jointly edited by a Special Adviser to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy, Mr. Oronto Douglas, and Akpodigha Filatei, contains 12 chapters and published in 2013.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Kashamu, who the former president also called out in his autobiography, said the presentation of ‘My Watch’, despite a court order, was ill-timed and aimed at rubbishing the achievements of Jonathan.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “The motive and timing of its publication are suspect. It was targeted at rubbishing the achievements of the President and scoring cheap political points.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on December 7, restrained Obasanjo from publishing the autobiography.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The former nation’s number one man, however, presented the book on Tuesday, December 9, saying the judge ordered that the book should not be presented on Thursday, December 11, which was initially picked as the date of presentation in Lagos.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The judge, Valentine Ashi, consequently ordered that the book be confiscated for allegedly flouting the court order, the action, Obasanjo had appealed.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Our correspondent gathered that Obasanjo, in the controversial book, had also accused Kashamu of being indicted in the United States of America for a drug-related offence.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

Kashamu attacks Obasanjo, presents book on Jonathan

Barely two weeks after a former President Olusegun Obasanjo unveiled his autobiography, My Watch, the Chairman, Organisation and Mobilisat...

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Shagari, others reject Sokoto PDP gov primary results

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1Aa6LCa" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://ift.tt/1Aa6LCa" width="400"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party in Sokoto State on Thursday rejected the results of the state’s governorship primary conducted on December 8.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the three-man electoral panel, which conducted the election and declared the results, was headed by Senator Usman Dukku.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The election was won by Senator Abdallah Wali, who polled 547 votes, while the state’s Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mukhtari Shagari, got a vote, even though he withdrew from the race.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Senator Abubakar Gada got 193 votes, while the former Minister of Transport as well as Sports, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, got no vote, as they boycotted the poll.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Shagari, Suleiman and Gada had petitioned the national leadership of the party, calling for the cancellation of the results and the conduct of fresh polls.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />They cited some irregularities, which they alleged, marred the elections, alleging that, it was illegal as ”ghost” delegates were substituted with the original 984 accredited delegates.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The state chairman of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, recently told newsmen that the election results subsisted.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />”As far as we are concerned, there was an election which was won by Wali, and we are ready for the 2015 general polls even now, ” Milgoma added.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />However, addressing newsmen in Sokoto on Thursday, a faction of the state executive committee of the party dissociated themselves from the election.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The group spoke through the state’s organising secretary of the party, Alhaji Usman Yabo.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Yabo said, ”As far as we are concerned, there was no governorship primary in Sokoto State, and we are hereby dissociating ourselves from its results.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />”We are calling on the national leadership of the party to dispassionately and urgently attend to the petitions which arose from it and we want it cancelled.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />NAN<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

Shagari, others reject Sokoto PDP gov primary results

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party in Sokoto State on Thursday rejected the results of the state’s governorship primary conducted o...

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Airlines hike fares, passengers stranded in Lagos airports

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br/><br /><br/><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1HHKID7" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="http://ift.tt/1HHKID7" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Hundreds of intending passengers were on Thursday stranded at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammad airport, Lagos over hike in fares by airline operators.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The operators capitalised on the Christmas rush to increase their fares.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the air ticket for an hour flight currently ranged from N30, 000 to N43, 000, depending on the carrier, which was against N18,000 to N30,000 a few days ago.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Officials of some of the airlines said the rush for tickets was more pronounced on Lagos, Enugu, Abuja, Owerri, Calabar and Port Harcourt routes.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The carriers currently operating commercial services in the country are Arik Air, Aero Contractors, IRS Airlines, Med-View Air and Overland.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Findings at the Lagos airports as well as enquiries from airline representatives showed that the average fare on the Lagos-Enugu route, which is less than 45 minutes, was N35, 000 as against N20, 000 about two months ago.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Similarly, the Lagos-Abuja route attracted an average ticket price of N40, 000, which cost about N24, 000 some weeks back.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />On the Lagos-Port Harcourt and Lagos-Owerri routes, it costs between N38, 000 and N45,000.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />NAN recalls that, Mr Yakubu Dati, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, had on December 11, advised Nigerians to make use of passenger service portals.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Dati believed this would help them plan their trips ahead in order to avoid last-minute stress.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He explained said the platforms empowered passengers with tools to make the travelling experience seamless for them during periods when there was an upsurge in demand for air transports.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Some of the passengers, who spoke to NAN, wondered why fares were always increased during the festive periods.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />A traveller, Mr Olumide Faleti, who was heading to Enugu from Abuja, said, “It is funny how things operate here. This is a time to share and not to exploit your passengers.’’<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />According to him, domestic airlines should learn to introduce low cost promotional fares to attract travellers instead of exploiting passengers as a result of the season.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He regretted the dearth of local carriers in the sector, adding that the few in the business were cashing on the development to the detriment of their customers.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Another passenger, Dr Mayowa Olawale, said before now, he had been searching for low cost fares online but could not get any.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“I’m on my way to Abuja, where my parents reside. I searched on the Internet for promotional fares but was disappointed when I found out that all the carriers going my way had their ticket prices above N35,000,” he said.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />(NAN)<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

Airlines hike fares, passengers stranded in Lagos airports

Hundreds of intending passengers were on Thursday stranded at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammad airport, Lagos over hike in fares ...

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