A New Planet (9th) may be unveiled by Scientists shortly to replace Pluto

An artist's rendering shows the distant view from "Planet Nine" back towards the sun,

in this handout photo provided by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

in Pasadena, California, Jan. 20, 2016.

One of the scientists responsible for demoting Pluto in our solar system may have found a replacement.  

California Institute of Technology Astronomers, Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin have run the numbers and say they are convinced they have found a giant planet way out in the farthest reaches of our sun's gravitational reach.  

The scientists say they have not seen the planet, but have determined that something they call a "distant eccentric planet" is pushing around a bunch of smaller objects out in deep space.  They do know, by its gravitational effects, it is huge, likely at least 10 times bigger than Earth.  That is almost as large as Neptune

They have not given it a name, but say that if it is out there telescopes should be able to see it within the next few years.  

Asian Markets Slump on another Trading Day

Oil resumed its slide in Asia Thursday, reversing earlier gains as the supply glut and weak demand that sent prices to more than 12-year lows showed no sign of letting up.

The commodity has taken a hammering so far in 2016, with both main contracts already down about 25 percent.

Asian markets swung wildly but ended lower, continuing their recent slide over concerns about plummeting oil prices and a slowing global economy.

Tokyo closed down nearly 2.5 percent, erasing gains made earlier in the day. Shanghai dropped over 3 percent. Hong Kong ended down nearly 2 percent.

Experts blame the sell-off on investor pessimism over plunging oil prices, China's economic slowdown, and a gloomy outlook for the overall global economy this year.

Crude oil prices, which have been falling since 2014, rose slightly in Asia Thursday. But concerns remain about an oversupply.

Anxiety in the Air as World Economic Forum kicks off in Davos

A prevailing sense of anxiety was in the air in the Swiss ski resort of Davos as the World Economic Forum kicked off Wednesday with delegates fretting about the turbulence in financial markets, slowdown in China and plunging oil prices.

As global stock markets suffered another day of hefty losses and oil prices sank to fresh 12-year lows, there was a high degree of concern about the outlook for the global economy this year.

High on the agenda was plunging oil prices and how they are connected to the downturn in Chinese economy.

Naira crashes further to N295 to dollar at parallel market

The naira continued its slide against the dollar at the parallel market on Wednesday trading at N295 to the dollar. It was traded N290 to the dollar at the same segment in Lagos on Tuesday.

The naira exchange rate was, however, stable at N197 to the dollar at the official market on Wednesday. The naira has depreciated steadily since Monday when the apex bank stopped the weekly sale of foreign exchange to Bureau de Change operators in the bid to sanitise the market.

Traders at the market said that they were concerned about the depreciating naira exchange rate in the black market. They, however, expressed optimism that the policy might impact positively on the market in the long run.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele announced the new foreign exchange policy at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday.

He said that the new policy was to stop “rent seeking activities’’ in the market.

Kim Jong-un celebrates his birthday

Kim Jong-un turns 33 on today, and from the North Korean leader's perspective, he has plenty to celebrate: Everyone's talking about him again.

After several years of being overshadowed by the more imminent threat of the Islamic State and jockeying with Iran for the title of scariest nuclear regime, North Korea is back on the international agenda.

Governments around the world rushed to condemn Wednesday's nuclear test regardless of whether it involved a hydrogen bomb, as Pyongyang claimed, or an atomic device in line with its three previous tests - and the UN Security Council called an emergency meeting.

In the United States, presidential hopefuls piled on with denunciations of Kim. Hillary Clinton called him a "bully," Marco Rubio said he was a "lunatic," and Ted Cruz dubbed him a "megalomaniacal maniac."

Kim, like his father, Kim Jong Il, is often viewed as a caricature: a rotund man with a bad haircut and a worse standard outfit, who spews invective at the outside world while watching basketball games in his luxurious palaces.

Malawian Pastor Acquires Third Private Jet

A Malawian Pastor, known as Prophet Shepherd Bushiri, the leader and founder of the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church had acquired a jet in a space of three years.

Mr Bushiri is thought to be the richest man in Malawi and has recently revealed that he plans to open a bank and mobile company in South Africa, the paper adds.

Speaking to Nyasa times via phone, Bushiri could not hide his excitement and explained that his recent decision to buy the jet simply represent the vision he has.

“Am a man of God; I believe I need to live by example. I teach the word that strengthens the faith of ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,’ and that’s exactly what am doing now. I am what God says I am and not how other people judge me.

Pictures of the new jet were seen on his Facebook page.

The latest jet is reportedly a Gulf Stream III jet, which costs $37m (£25m).

When criticised for spending money that could have been used to help the poor by one follower on Facebook, Prophet Shepherd Bushiri replied:

"When are you going to sell your phone which you have used to type here and give the money to the poor?" 

US donates 24 armoured vehicles to Nigeria

The US has handed over 24 armoured vehicles worth $11m (£7.5m) to Nigeria’s military in Lagos.

"These vehicles provide increased protection from improvised explosive devices, roadside bombs, and small arms fire, while offering more maneuverability and better fuel economy than other types of armored personnel carriers,” US defence attache to Nigeria Colonel Patrick Doyle said in a statement.

The US mission to Nigeria said the equipment "represents part of the continuing US commitment to Nigeria and its neighbours to counter Boko Haram’s senseless acts of terror and promote regional security".

It said the US is also providing the military with advisers, intelligence, training and logistical support.