Greece dissolves parliament for January vote

Vote to take place amid concerns that the austerity-weary country could start unwinding unpopular fiscal reforms.

Prime Minister Samaras has warned that voting for Syriza could lead to Greece being expelled from the eurozone [Reuters]

Greece's parliament has been dissolved ahead of an early election that will be warily watched by markets and international creditors concerned that the austerity-weary country could starting unwinding unpopular fiscal reforms.

Italy rescues migrants from 'drifting ship'

Italian coast guards save at least 728 migrants, mainly Syrians, from cargo ship after its crew apparently disappeared.

The ship had already passed inspection by Greek navy, but failed to detect anything suspicious [AFP]

Italian coast guards have saved at least 728 migrants from a cargo ship near the Greek island of Corfu after its crew apparently disappeared.

Palestinians decide to join ICC

President Abbas signs documents to join ICC a day after resolution to end Israel's occupation was defeated at the UN.

Abbas also signed a raft of 20 other treaties, aligning Palestine with various international organisations [AFP]

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has signed documents necessary for joining international organisations including the International Criminal Court (ICC) at a meeting in Ramallah.
President Abbas signed the documents on Wednesday, a day after a UN Security Council failed to pass a resolution that had aimed to set a deadline for Israel to end its occupation of territories sought by the Palestinians.

Why 2014 Will Be Remembered as the Year the Sports World Turned Upside Down

LeBron James (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

As the year comes to a close, the masters of sports find themselves bruised, battered and in altogether dire straits. Twenty fourteen will be remembered as a turning point, when those in charge of the multibillion-dollar athletic-industrial complex—the commissioners, the network executives, the team owners—saw their control over the levers of power slip in a decisive fashion. They are now a collection of Fantasia Mickey Mouses: sorcerers who are unable to corral and contain their own spells.

Steve Scalise’s Problem is the Republican Party’s Problem

House Speaker John Boehner with House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite).

David Duke is vouching for House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, the Louisiana conservative who is now the third most powerful Republican in the U.S. House. As Scalise faces tough questions and criticism following the revelation that he was a presenter at a gathering of the former Klan leader's European-American Unity and Rights Organization, Duke attests that the congressman is “a fine family man and a good person.”

7 New Year Beauty Resolutions to Add to Your List!

With only a couple of hours to go, we are all in a frenzy catching up with the last activities of 2014 and at the same time gearing up for 2015.

One of the first things that usually happens in the New Year is the ‘New Year Resolution’. The good Lord knows I’ve made resolutions like “wear more makeup” (which I did), “loose weight“, “wear heels” and some others. I was able to achieve some and most of them I wasn’t able to. *covers face*

However, I’ve discovered some achievable ones which I’d love to give a second try in 2015 and which I’m sure a couple of you would love to try out too:

…Elechi lays N80.017bn budget before House of Assembly

From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Abakaliki
Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State yesterday presented N80, 017,929,870 budget estimate for the 2015 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.
This year’s appropriation was N5, 617,004,102 or 6.55 per cent lower than the downward revised budget of N85, 634,933,972 for 2014 fiscal year.