NEW YEAR BROADCAST TO THE NATION BY GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, JANUARY 1, 2015.

Dear Great People of our nation,

1. I greet and felicitate with you all as we enter the New Year today. As we mark the beginning of this New Year, 2015, a new nation is being born. A new nation is being born because of the foundations we have all laid, working together for the good and progress of our dear fatherland.

2. I join you all in thanking God Almighty who has brought us this far, for continually bestowing His Grace upon us and for guiding our great nation safely through all the challenges of the past year.

3. This year, as in the year past, I reaffirm my commitment to work to ensure a secure future for our dear country and the generations yet unborn.

4. Last year, we celebrated our hundredth year of nationhood. The year brought us further progress, challenges and fresh opportunities.

5. We have contended with the normal challenges of nation-building and the unusual challenges of terrorism.

6. But we have continued to vigorously confront those who seek to destroy the bonds of unity that hold us together.

7. On this first day of the New Year, I want to pay special tribute to the gallant officers, men and women of our Armed Forces and other security agencies who have been in the forefront of the war against terrorism and violent extremism in our country and sub-region.

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Egypt’s highest court orders a retrial in the case of three al-Jazeera journalists jailed for spreading false news. …read more      

North Korea’s leader says he is open to a top-level summit with the South in a New Year’s address shown on state tv. Paul Chapman reports.

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Dozens of people are killed in a stampede at a New Year celebration in the Chinese city of Shanghai. Paul Chapman reports.

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Pictures of Tanzania’s budding acrobats in training …read more      

Dozens of people are killed in a stampede in the Chinese city of Shanghai during a New Year celebration event. Rough cut (no reporter narration).

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Canadian police say the suspected killer of eight people in Edmonton, Canada had a criminal record dating back to 1987. Gavino Garay reports.

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An estimated 1.6million people turned up to watch more than 10,000 aerial fireworks, 25,000 shooting comets and 100,000 pyrotechnic effects on show during this year’s New Year’s Eve display over Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.

Hundreds of umbrellas and tents began popping up on Sydney’s Blues Point early Wednesday morning as people settled in to wait for the symphonic light display, with huge queues forming overnight to secure a prominent view.

While much of the evening was dedicated to celebrating, floral tributes to Martin Place siege victims Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson were on display amid the evening’s fireworks.

‘It is in memory of the two young and talented people that we lost because of that siege,’ said Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

‘We remember the trauma the hostages experienced, the bravery of the police and we remember the way Sydney responded as we expected – an inclusive, welcoming, multicultural community,’ he said.

Sydney Harbour will be a beacon of celebration as Australia farewells another year, sending 2014 off with an extra round of fireworks.

In the Chinese capital Beijing, eight hours ahead of London, an event will be held in the Olympic Park designed to highlight the capital’s bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Skaters will perform and Olympic medalist figure skater Zhao Hongbo, Paralympics gold medalist swimmer Yang Yang and pianist Lang Lang will appear.
Japan prepared for ‘osechi ryori’, the country’s biggest traditional holiday on New Year’s Day. At midnight, temple bells will strike 108 times, the number of evils, or temptations, as defined by Buddhism.

There will be fireworks and bonfires around the nation as millions of people flock to neighborhood temples and shrines to pray for health and happiness.
In Rio De Janeiro, two hours behind London and Greenwich Mean Time, more than 1million people are expected to flock on Copacabana beach, where …read more      

Russians hope the New Year brings fresh start for an economy that is sliding into recession. Gavino Garay reports.

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President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will deliver a new year’s day broadcast to the nation at 07:00 hours tomorrow.

The broadcast will be transmitted on the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
Other television and radio stations in the country are advised to link up with NTA and FRCN to relay the broadcast to their viewers and listeners.

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