Contemporary news
ANOTHER PLANE IS MISSING: AirAsia flight QZ8501 from Indonesia to Singapore missing
An AirAsia flight travelling from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore has lost contact with air traffic control, the company has said.
Indonesian media say 162 people were on board.
“AirAsia Indonesia regrets to confirm that flight QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore has lost contact with air traffic control at 07:24hrs this morning.
At the present time we unfortunately have no further information regarding the status of the passengers and crew members on board, but we will keep all parties informed as more information becomes available.” The company stated.
The aircraft was an Airbus A320-200 with the registration number PK-AXC.
Already, “search and rescue operations are in progress”.
Recall that on 8th of March 2014, Malaysian flight MH370 went missing with 239 people on board and was never found. Then three months later, precisely on 17th July 2014, MH17, another Malaysian flight was shot down killing all 283 passengers.
The missing of the AirAsia flight is another wound in the heart of Asian aviation. Malaysia is about 895.15 Miles away from Indonesia. If you travel with an airplane (which has average speed of 560 miles) between Indonesia to Malaysia,
It takes 1.6 hours to arrive. The whole of Asia mourns again.
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Confirmed: Sahara Reporters Is Working For Boko Haram – Nigerian Army
The Army authorities yesterday accused an online media, Sahara Reporters, of working for the Boko Haram terror group.
The attention of the Nigerian Army was 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”.
In a statement issued by its director of public relations, Brigadier Olaleye Lajide, the Army dismissed a story published on the website of the Nigeria defence where it alleged that a serving officer, Lt Col Wende, petitioned the Army 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”.
They further said “Since the officer (Lt Col Wende) 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.”
SYDNEY SIEGE UPDATES: HERE IS THE HOSTAGE TAKER’S DEMAND
A suspected Islamist gunman was holding hostages inside a chocolate shop in Sydney on Monday and appeared to be making demands to negotiators through Facebook, YouTube and local news media. Five hostages managed to flee the scene of the attack, which terror analysts said had all the hallmarks of an ISIS-inspire lone-wolf attack.
Chris Reason, a journalist with NBC News’ Australian partner Channel 7, said the hostage-taker was “forcing them to stand against windows, sometimes two hours at a time.”
As the standoff entered its 13th hour, New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said nobody appeared to have been injured.
“We have the very best negotiators in the world on the job right now,” he told reporters. “Our plan, our only goal tonight is to get those people that are currently caught in that building out of there safely. For those that may be in that building rest assured we are doing all we can to set you free.”
Asked about reports that hostages were being forced to use Facebook and YouTube to pass on the gunman’s demands, Scipione said: “There’s no place on earth that doesn’t have access to social media. Our plans are built around that.”
He said police were in “contact” with the hostage-taker but added “the means by which we’re communicating is something we’d rather keep close to our chest.”
Scipione said reports of bomb threats in other parts of Sydney had been investigated but there not did not appear to be a danger. “We are only at this stage dealing with one location we are not concerned at this stage about any other,” he added.
The drama began shortly after 9:45 a.m. local time (5:45 p.m. ET Sunday). Lindt Australia Chief Executive Steve Loane told Sky Business there were “probably 30 customers” in the cafe and 10 workers. Police refused to confirm the numbers involved.
Africa stands with Sydney in this trying times. Our prayers are with the families and friends of the hostages. Islamic terrorism is an enemy to all.
Assemblies of God Church Crisis: Court upholds Paul Emeka as GS
The lingering leadership dispute that has factionalized the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria may have been put to rest as an Enugu High Court ruled on Thursday that Rev Prof Paul Emeka remains the authentic General Superintendent of Church.
It declared null and void, the purported meeting held on March 6 presided over by the retired General Superintendent of the Church, Rev Charles Osueke where he (Emeka) was allegedly suspended from office, even as it ordered those occupying offices illegally on account of the suspension to vacate without further delay.
Ruling in a suit brought by Emeka over the breach of his fundamental human rights, the Court presided over by Justice Anthony Onovo, held that he was never removed as the General Superintendent of the church, stressing that the meeting that took the decision was illegal as it was convoked without regard to the constitution of the church or law.
The Judge also frowned seriously over the refusal of a faction of the church led by the Assistant Superintendent, Rev Chidi Okoroafor to an injunction of the court on the matter of March 8 this year where it had ordered a return to status quo pending the determination of the matter.
On March 6, this year, a meeting by a group of members of the church called Ambassadors of the Kingdom presided over by the retired General Superintendent of the Church; Osueke had met and suspended Rev Emeka from office for alleged corruption and embezzlement.
It went further to appoint Okoroafor the acting General Superintendent and advised branches of the church nationwide to severe dealings with Paul and disallow him from using their pulpits anywhere to preach the gospel.
They further accused him of taking the church to court contrary to the stipulations of the church’s constitution.
Perturbed by the development, Emeka had on March 8 rushed to the Enugu High Court, where he filed a suit challenging the action of the group and order for return of status quo ante.
He had described the group as a breach of his fundamental rights to worship and fair hearing, stressing that the meeting where the action was held was unconstitutional as it did not follow laid down rules.
He further sought an order of court declaring every appointment made by the group as illegal as well as the restoration of his rights as the General Superintendent of the Church.
Ruling on the matter yesterday, Justice Onovo agreed that the March 6 meeting was illegal, null and void, stressing that the retired General Superintendent “usurped the powers of the incumbent General Superintendent to preside over the meeting”. He agreed that Paul Emeka’s constitutional and human rights were grossly violated.
The way about of Chidi Okoroafor is not known as he is believed to be hiding in shame.
Source: Vanguard.
JUST IN: SOUTH AFRICA WINS MISS WORLD.
Miss South Africa, Rolene Strauss, was crowned Miss World on Sunday in a competition in London.
“South Africa, this is for you,” she said in an interview after the pageant. “I’m so proud of you and I’m proud to be your representative.”
Strauss won the title over runner-up Miss Hungary, Edina Kulcsár. Miss United States, Elizabeth Safrit, took third place.
Strauss, a fourth-year medical student at University of the Free State, put her studies on hold after being crowned Miss South Africa in March. She inherited the crown from Miss World 2013 Megan Young of the Philippines.
She was born in 1992 in Nelspruit.
EXPOSED: WHAT YOU DIDN’T SEE IN THIS PICTURE.
Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo was recently caught on camera in a disturbing posture with leader of #BringbackOurGirls Campaign, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesiri during the launch of the former’s controversial autobiography, My Watch.
Foremost, it is unAfrican for a man to hold another man’s wife in public this way. In Africa, we have respect for married women.
But here is the question nobody is asking, Why did Obasanjo close his eyes while giving Mrs. Oby the so called ‘holy’ peck?
Or is Africa Thisday the only one who is noticing OBJ’s closed eyes?
Terrorism: Conspiracies & My Thoughts! with Dr. Charles Awuzie
When we explore the political and financial connections of terrorists, we find that these are not merely wayward fanatics operating in isolation, but that their channels penetrate to the upper reaches of power, in the governments of developed and developing countries, and outward into the nether regions of the occult and criminal underworlds.
The terrorist organisations across the world are shadows created by a ‘mega conspiracy’ operating from the criminal/occultic underworld to whom governments and governors are mere puppets. This is the conspiracy of the millennium.
Just for the sake of people who are new to the theories of conspiracy…The world has witnessed about 33 popular theories of conspiracy which turned out to be true ranging from:
*The Mafia: A secret crime society which was virtually unknown until the 1960s, when member Joe Valachi first revealed the society’s secrets to law enforcement officials. What was known was that organised crime existed, but not that the extent of their control included working with the CIA, politicians and the biggest businesses in the world.
Then there was Operation Mockingbird: Also in the 1950s to ’70s, a conspiracy theory that the CIA paid a number of well-known domestic and foreign journalists (from big-name media outlets like Time, The Washington Post, The New York Times, CBS and others) to publish CIA propaganda. The CIA also reportedly funded at least one movie, the animated “Animal Farm,” by George Orwell. The Church Committee finally exposed their activities in 1975.
Nigeria’s President has confirmed that the Nigerian chapter of the terrorist network has penetrated his cabinet. (There’s more to that statement than our minds could understand).
This millennium is witnessing an ‘unexposed’, ‘undisclosed’ and ‘unexpected’ conspiracy…as a result, the target of the conspirators lies vague while the entire world weeps helplessly at the cruel execution of their anti-mankind conspiracy.
This note would have achieved nothing if it fails to challenge you to ask more questions about terrorism…query the recent orchestration of terrorist attacks in the nations which go ‘uninvestigated’…Let our minds dig deeper far beyond our eyes can see and our minds could perceive…
The war on terrorism has lasted for decades yet it seems like the terrorists are on the winning side. World War 1 lasted only for 4 years, 1914-1918. In 1917, America joined the Allies and the next year, the war ended. In this war against terrorism, America is in the forefront yet the end of this war seem very far, why? Is it that America’s military in 1917 is stronger than their military in 2014 or just that this war against terrorism is a global mirage? Is there something the mainstream media is not telling us?
Dr. Charles Awuzie is a dynamic bible expositor, a conference speaker and blogger. He writes from Johannesburg, South Africa. Follow him on twitter @pastorcharlesc.
BUHARI, BOKO HARAM AND 2015. FFK’s VIEW.
One of Nigeria’s political intellectuals, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode got his facebook followers re-considering the credibility of General Muhammadu Buhari who emerged as the APC flagbearer earlier today. On his facebook wall this afternoon, Femi Fani-Kayode, FFK wrote as reproduced below:
“Major General Mohammadu Buhari has emerged as the APC flagbearer and President Goodluck Jonathan has emerged for the PDP. Now the battle for the soul and future of our nation begins. The forces of light shall surely prevail over the forces of darkness and God’s counsel alone shall stand over Nigeria. I stand with Jonathan. Let’s get it on.
”Jihadi groups killed more than 5,000 people last month, with Iraq topping the league table of deaths, followed by Nigeria, Afghanistan and Syria.
In 664 incidents recorded in November by the BBC World Service and researched jointly with King’s College London, the overall death toll was 5,042, or an average of 168 deaths per day and nearly twice the number of people who were killed in the 11 September 2001 attacks on America.
After Iraq, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Syria, Yemen was fifth in the deadly league table, tying with Somalia, with 37 incidents each”- DORO ADEBENTLEY 11 December, Facebook.
All this and some people still say they want Buhari as President? A man who said, only last year, that ”an attack on Boko Haram is an attack on the north”? A man who said, in 2001, that he wants to ”spread sharia throughout the federation”? A man who said, in 2001, that muslims should only vote for muslims”? A man who said, in 2001, that ”why should christians be concerned when muslims cut off their limbs under sharia”?. A man who said, in 2001, that ”after all the limbs that are being cut off are muslim ones and not christian so why should the christians bother about it”?
This is the man that some Nigerians are clamouring for to be their President? May God open their eyes and protect them from themselves. May He grant them wisdom and discernment.”
Also, a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-rufai reportedly said that General Buhari was ‘unelectable’ as age was no longer on his side.
BOKO HARAM CLAIMS THE LIFE OF ANOTHER BRAVE SOLDIER
Kufreh Inyang got married to his beautiful wife barely 2 years ago. It was a celebration of love. Their marriage was blessed with a child.
But just when life was about becoming sweet for Kufreh and his new home, he was drafted to the volatile Northern Nigeria to fight the dreaded #BokoHaram insurgents. And the evil bullets of Boko Haram claimed the life of this brave soldier.
He was somebody’s sweetheart, he was a little child’s daddy, he was an old woman’s son.
Please drop an RIP for this brave soldier and share this to celebrate the life of this great African who died defending other Africans.
TERROR: 50 female bombers mandated to kill 100,000 persons by December – Civilian JTF.
A female suicide bomber arrested by a vigilante group in the North East, popularly known as the Civilian JTF, has revealed that 50 female suicide bombers have been unleashed on Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, with the mandate of hitting no fewer than 100,000 people before the end of December 2014.
The female suicide bomber, who was handed over to security operatives, according to members of the Civilian JTF, was unable to detonate the bomb strapped to her before she was arrested.
Also, troops on Tuesday morning repelled what could have been a deadly attack by the Boko Haram insurgents in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the insurgents came into the town at about 5am, but met a strong Army, which battled them out.
It could be observed, however, that tension was very high in Maiduguri, to the effect that students of the University of Maiduguri had to undergo serious checks by security operatives before they were allowed into the campus.
A ban on students entering the campus with vehicles was also imposed, as only lecturers were allowed into the institution with their vehicles after rigorous checking and identification.
The Civilian JTF also were put on red alert, as rumour had it that female suicide bombers now prowl Maiduguri with the intention of detonating bombs at large gatherings.
It will be recalled that already, four female suicide bombers had claimed the lives of over 100 people in two incidents at the Maiduguri Monday Market recently.
Speaking to one of the security operatives at the Gate Two of the University of Maiduguri, he said a successful attack on Konduga meant the insurgents could easily take over Maiduguri as they attempted to do in Damaturu, Yobe State on Monday.
According to him, the soldiers were doing everything possible to ensure that the insurgents did not get the slightest opportunity of launching an attack on Maiduguri.
AFRICA THISDAY 