Breaking News - Pope Benedict XVI formally resigns to become 'pilgrim'

News in Top Pope Benedict XVI has officially resigned, saying that he now "will simply be a pilgrim" starting his last journey on earth.

The pontiff, aged 85, was earlier flown by helicopter from the Vatican to his retreat at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome.
The college of cardinals, headed by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, is now in charge of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics until a new pope is elected.
Benedict vowed "unconditional obedience and reverence" to his successor.
He stepped down after nearly eight years in office - the first pontiff to do so in 600 years.

A cardinal, who was inside the Clementine Hall of the Vatican to take his leave of Pope Benedict, told me it was one of those moments one can only describe as "electric with emotion".
He said he felt "the gratitude, the appreciation and the love that was flowing between the Pope and the cardinals".
But another Vatican insider admitted that the next pope has to continue the work started by Benedict to counter sexual abuse by clergy.
"Speaking as a Catholic priest myself", he told me, "it's something that blights our Church, that affects our whole role as priests in the Church.

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Breaking News - Benedict XVI: 10 things about the Pope's retirement

Pope Benedict XVI's resignation on Thursday - the first by a Pope for more than 600 years - is forcing the Vatican to consider some unusual questions. Here are 10 answers.

1. Name and title He will be known as Pope emeritus, or Roman pontiff emeritus, the Vatican announced on Tuesday. He will also continue to be known by his papal title of Benedict XVI, rather than reverting to Joseph Ratzinger, and he will continue to be addressed as "Your Holiness" Benedict XVI - in the same way, for example, as US presidents continue to be referred to as "president" after leaving office. "Emeritus" is a Latin word meaning "retired", from the verb "emereri" - to earn one's discharge by service.
2. New home Benedict XVI will leave the Vatican by helicopter before he resigns at 20:00 (19:00 GMT) on Thursday, but he will return in about three months to a new residence - a former convent known as Mater Ecclesiae - in the south-west corner of Vatican City. Reports suggest Vatican gardeners will continue to cultivate a 500 sq m organic fruit and vegetable garden there - the Pope is said to enjoy marmalade made from its oranges. Meanwhile - as Mater Ecclesiae is refurbished - he will stay in the papal residence at Castel

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Breaking News - Benedict XVI resignation: The two-pope problem

  News on Top The Pope's resignation could raise issues of divided loyalties among Church leaders closely allied with his teaching

The Pope has resigned because he felt he was no longer up to the demands the office made on him.

That hasn't happened in 600 years.
In 1294 the hermit Pietro da Morrone, elevated to the papacy with the title of Celestine V because the cardinals couldn't agree on anyone else, felt likewise after only six months in the job, and gave up.
He wanted to return to his hermitage, but Boniface VIII, his successor, thought it wiser to lock him up in a convenient castle for the rest of his life, fearing he might become a rallying-point for the disaffected.
And, as it turned out, there was no shortage of disaffection during Boniface's pontificate.
One of the arguments marshalled by Boniface's many enemies was that, because popes could not resign, he wasn't the legitimate heir to St Peter.
Electing an antipope?

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Breaking News Lulu Xingwana: Minister sorry for Afrikaner slur

News on Top Lulu Xingwana said she withdrew the comments

South African Women's Minister Lulu Xingwana has apologised for saying that Afrikaner men were raised to believe that women and children were their property.

She was speaking to an Australian broadcaster about the Oscar Pistorius murder case.
The comments have been condemned by Afrikaner groups, who want her fired.
The presidency said no individual group should be blamed for violence against women, which affects all communities.
Mr Pistorius denies deliberately shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp earlier this month, saying he thought she was an intruder.
Ms Xingwana told ABC television: "Young Afrikaner men are brought up in the Calvinist religion believing

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Breaking News - Rafael Benitez: Chelsea interim manager angrily confirms exit.

News on Top The 52-year-old has been unpopular with some Blues fans since he took over from
Champions League-winning manager Roberto Di Matteo in November.

The editor of Chelsea Fanzine CFCUK, David Johnstone, reckons Benitez can now expect the protests to ramp up to another level when they host West Brom in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
He said: "If he is there for Saturday's game and if he thinks it was bad last night, he will get it in spades. He might have more than a banner, he might have his P45."
A section of the club's supporters was unable to forgive or forget Benitez for his association with Liverpool, and the acrimonious rivalry formed with then Blues boss Jose Mourinho.
Benitez outwitted "The Special One" in the 2005 and 2007 Champions League semi-finals and the 2006 FA Cup semi-finals, and directed some barbs towards the club.
"I have been in charge in football for 26 years, I won the Champions League, I won the Fifa Club World Cup, the FA Cup, the Italian Super Cup, the Spanish league twice, nine trophies - all the trophies you can win at club level," said Benitez after a comfortable victory at the Riverside.

Chelsea supporters spent most of the night singing "We don't care about Rafa, he doesn't care about us, all we care about is Chelsea FC." It was hardly the worst abuse that the Spaniard has suffered during his short reign, and when he repeated his message afterwards to TV, radio and the written press it made it appear as if his intentions were pre-meditated.
He needed little prompting as the press pack gathered in a busy room, unaware of what was to happen. The Daily Telegraph's Henry Winter caught wind of Benitez's radio interview via Twitter, so after a couple of questions about the match, he lit the firework and stood back. For the next 13 minutes, it was Rafa unleashed.
The curious thing is that after a week where Chelsea lost at Manchester City and Benitez denied reports of a player row, the win over Middlesbrough offered a chance to underline the competitions in which Chelsea could yet triumph this season. Instead, Benitez singled out the fans, and more importantly, the club.

"So this group of fans are not making any favourites with the team and they are singing and wasting time

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Breaking News - Syria conflict: John Kerry set to up US aid to rebels

  The escalating carnage in Syria has increased pressure for western intervention

New US Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting Syrian opposition leaders in Rome, as the US prepares to increase its support for rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad.

He is attending a gathering of the Friends of Syria group of nations that support the Syrian opposition.
Mr Kerry is expected to announce increased "non-lethal" aid for the rebels but not weapons.
The UN estimates 70,000 people have died in the Syrian conflict since 2011.
Mr Kerry says US wants to "accelerate the political transition" in Syria.
Specific promises The main opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) had threatened to boycott the meeting in Rome in frustration at the "the world's silence" at the violence.
But it agreed to attend after the US and UK indicated there would be specific promises of aid.
The increased support is expected to involve food and medical supplies for rebel-controlled areas.
It could also include training, armoured vehicles and night-vision equipment, the New York Times reported, citing senior US officials.

  Mr Kerry has said he wants to "change the calculation" of President Assad

The Obama administration has so far made it clear that it will not supply weapons to the Syrian rebels.
But arms are clearly what the Syrian opposition want and they are becoming ever more frustrated at the level of help they are getting, BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says.
According to UN estimates, more that 70,000 people have been killed in Syria since the revolt against President Assad began nearly two years ago.
Opposition fighters have been constantly outgunned as President Assad's forces deploy tanks, aircraft and missiles against them.

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Breaking News -EU agrees to cap bankers' bonuses

News on Top The new Basel III rules will come into effect next year

European Union officials have struck a provisional deal on new financial rules, including capping bank bonuses.

Under the agreement, bonuses will be capped at a year's salary, but can rise to two year's pay if there is explicit approval from shareholders.
The deal was reached late on Wednesday. EU ministers must approve it, although this is considered a formality.
The UK, which hosts Europe's biggest financial services centre, was opposed to any of caps on bank bonuses.
London argues the rules would drive away talent and restrict growth in the financial sector.
The UK had been trying to rally other governments in the 27 countries in the EU behind its position.
Top bankers and financial traders can earn bonuses multiple times their base salaries. But there has been public outrage over bonuses following the huge bail-outs of banks.
The agreement was reached during eight hours of intense talks in Brussels between members of the European parliament, the European Commission and representatives of the bloc's 27 governments.
Core business Othmar Karas, the European Parliament's chief negotiator, said: "For the first time in the history of EU

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Breaking News Thriving cancer's 'chaos' explained

News on Top The way cancers make a chaotic mess of their genetic code in order to thrive has been explained by UK researchers.

Cancer cells can differ hugely within a tumour - it helps them develop ways to resist drugs and spread round the body.
A study in the journal Nature showed cells that used up their raw materials became "stressed" and made mistakes copying their genetic code.
Scientists said supplying the cancer with more fuel to grow may actually make it less dangerous.
Most normal cells in the human body contain 46 chromosomes, or bundles of genetic code. However, some cancerous cells can have more than 100 chromosomes.
And the pattern is inconsistent - pick a bunch of neighbouring cells and they could each have different chromosome counts.
This diversity helps tumours adapt to become untreatable and colonise new parts of the body. Devising ways of preventing a cancer from becoming diverse is a growing field of research.
Chaos from order Scientists at the Cancer Research UK London Research Institute and the University College London Cancer Institute have been trying to crack how cancers become so diverse in the first place.
It had been thought that when a cancer cell split to create two new cells, the chromosomes were not split evenly between the two.
However, lead researcher Prof Charles Swanton's tests on bowel cancer showed "very little evidence" that

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Breaking News Babies can hear syllables in the womb, says research

News on Top Linguistic processes appear to develop long before birth

Scientists say babies decipher speech as early as three months before birth.

The evidence comes from detailed brain scans of 12 infants born prematurely.
At just 28 weeks' gestation, the babies appeared to discriminate between different syllables like "ga" and "ba" as well as male and female voices.
Writing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the French team said it was unlikely the babies' experience outside the womb would have affected their findings.
The research lends support to the idea that babies develop language skills while still in the womb in response to their parents' voices.
Prof Sophie Scott Speech perception expert at UCL

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Breaking News Bad sleep 'dramatically' alters body.

News on Top A run of poor sleep can have a dramatic effect on the internal workings of the human body, say UK researchers.

The activity of hundreds of genes was altered when people's sleep was cut to less than six hours a day for a week.
Writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers said the results helped explain how poor sleep damaged health.
Heart disease, diabetes, obesity and poor brain function have all been linked to substandard sleep.
What missing hours in bed actually does to alter health, however, is unknown.
So researchers at the University of Surrey analysed the blood of 26 people after they had had plenty of sleep, up to 10 hours each night for a week, and compared the results with samples after a week of fewer than six hours a night.
More than 700 genes were altered by the shift. Each contains the instructions for building a protein, so those that became more active produced more proteins - changing the chemistry of the body.

Prof Colin Smith University of Surrey

Meanwhile the natural body clock was disturbed - some genes naturally wax and wane in activity through the day, but this effect was dulled by sleep deprivation.

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Breaking News New York policeman 'in cannibal plot'

  News on Top Authorities say Gilberto Valle kept files of more than 100 women on his computer

A New York City policeman has been arrested for an alleged plot to kidnap women, rape and torture them and then cook and eat their body parts.

Gilberto Valle is being held in custody without bail on charges that include kidnapping conspiracy and unauthorised use of law enforcement databases.
The authorities were alerted by the suspect's estranged wife.
No women were hurt, but the 28-year-old used police records to gather data on potential victims, officials alleged.
Magistrate Judge Henry Pitman said the charges against the officer were "profoundly disturbing".
Mr Valle, who has served in the police force for six years, sat quietly through the hearing, correspondents say.
His public defence lawyers said the alleged plans were a deviant "fantasy in a sexual world", that had never crossed the line into reality.

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But prosecutors argued the officer had come too close to executing his plans.
Mr Valle, who lives in Queens, was assigned to a police precinct in Manhattan.
'Meeting potential victim'

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Breaking News BP spill trial told it "put profits over safety"

  News on Top The Deepwater Horizon disaster caused one of the worst oil spills in history

BP has been accused of putting profits before safety on the first day of a trial in New Orleans over liability for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The accusation came from the lawyer acting for the plaintiffs' steering committee, which represents thousands of businesses and individuals.
He told US District Judge, Carl Barbier, that BP executives were most focused on cost-cutting.
The trial could result in the biggest civil fine in history of up to $17.6bn.
BP agreed to pay $4.5bn (£2.9bn) last year to settle criminal charges relating to the spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
It has also paid $7.8bn in a settlement with people and businesses affected.
BP and other oil industry firms are pitted against the Department of Justice and the US states that were affected by the spill.
"Production over protection. Profits over safety," Jim Roy said.
The lawyer also attacked the rig's operator, Transocean, saying the company's safety official on the rig had had little training: "His training consisted of a three-day course. Amazingly, he had never been aboard the

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Breaking News Sequester: Obama urges governors to prod Congress to deal.

  News on Top Obama called for "just a little bit of compromise" to head off the deep budget cuts

President Barack Obama has urged US governors to prod Congress to strike a budget deal averting a raft of deep budget cuts set to hit on Friday.

He warned the $85bn (£56bn) cuts would put thousands of teachers out of work and bring economic uncertainty.
The president has called on Congress to pass revenue rises and some budget cuts to avoid the automatic reductions.
The Democratic president will travel to Virginia on Tuesday to discuss the cuts' impact on the defence industry.
"These cuts do not have to happen," Mr Obama told a bipartisan assembly of governors at the White House on Monday. "Congress can turn them off any time with just a little bit of compromise."
Unless Congress acts, the automatic cuts are set to take effect on Friday, part of a total $1.2tn in reductions over 10 years.
Republicans say they will not agree to a deal that includes a tax rise.
 

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Breaking News Italy election: Deadlock after protest vote.

News on Top Italy's parliamentary elections have ended in stalemate and the possibility of a hung parliament.

With all domestic votes counted, Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left bloc has narrowly beaten ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi in the lower house but has failed to secure a majority in the Senate.
Control of both houses is needed to govern and a Berlusconi official said the election was "too close to call".
A protest movement led by comedian Beppe Grillo won a quarter of the vote.
The outcome of the election, which comes amid a deep recession and tough austerity measures, was so close that the margin of victory given in interior ministry figures was less than 1% in both houses of parliament.

The interior ministry in Rome is where the numbers are being crunched in this election.
As the statistics poured in from constituencies down the length of Italy journalists peered at screens that predicted possible political paralysis.
The graphs showed the centre-left's votes in blue, and Silvio Berlusconi's in gold.
And you could quickly see that he had struck electoral gold in Lombardy, which boasts a huge cache of Senate seats.
With the balance of forces playing out as they are, it is hard to see a stable government emerging quickly and

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Breaking News Students warned not to get involved in money laundering.

News on Top Students are among those who have been tricked into a money-laundering fraud

Fraud experts are warning that hundreds of thousands of people are in danger of being duped into laundering money for fraudsters.

They are being recruited as unwitting "money mules" who allow their own bank accounts to be used to disguise the proceeds of crime.
The study was carried out by Financial Fraud Action, which tackles fraud on behalf of banks.
It said that students and jobseekers could be especially vulnerable.
Some 19% of students who had been approached had agreed to become money mules.
"It's a very serious problem," warns DCI Dave Carter, an investigator from Financial Fraud Action.
"Almost every single criminal transaction that goes on depends on money mules, to turn the money from crime into something the criminals can spend themselves."
How it works

Kayleigh Rance job-seeker

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Breaking News Dementia 'affects 80% of care home residents'

News on Top The number of people with dementia is on the rise

More than 320,000 of the 400,000 people living in care homes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland now have dementia or severe memory problems, the Alzheimer's Society charity estimates.

It said the figure was almost 30% higher than previous estimates because of the rise in the ageing population and improvements in data collection.
Of 2,000 adults surveyed, 70% said they would be scared about going to a home.
Another two-thirds felt the sector was not doing enough to tackle abuse.
And just 41% of 1,100 family members and carers surveyed thought their loved ones' quality of life was good
What is dementia?
Dementia is an umbrella term describing a serious deterioration in mental functions, such as memory, language, orientation and judgement.
There are many types, but Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for two-thirds of cases, is the most well-known.

Alzheimer's Society chief executive Jeremy Hughes said: "Society has such low expectation of care homes that people are settling for average.

"Throughout our lives we demand the best for ourselves and our children. Why do we expect less for our parents?
"We need government and care homes to work together to lift up expectations so people know they have the right to demand the best."
David Rogers, of the Local Government Association, which represents councils, said: "This report shows the lack of confidence in a care system which is buckling under the weight of rapidly growing demand and years of underfunding.

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Breaking News Lord Rennard claims: Police to meet Lib Dem officials.

News on Top Lord Rennard has described the allegations as a "total distortion" of his character

Liberal Democrat officials are to meet Metropolitan Police officers to discuss allegations made against the party's former chief executive Lord Rennard.

The Met said it was working with the party to establish whether any criminal activity had taken place.
A number of women have accused the peer of sexually inappropriate behaviour. Lord Rennard denies the allegations.
The Lib Dems are carrying out their own investigations. Lord Rennard has told of his "shock" at the allegations.
Election shadow The question of how to handle the claims against Lord Rennard will be considered not only by the party but by the Specialist Investigations Command of the Metropolitan Police.
The meeting between the Met and Lib Dem officials on Tuesday follows a complaint by Labour MP John Mann.

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Breaking News Litvinenko inquest: Government makes secrecy request

News on Top Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned in 2006 after meeting Russian contacts

A coroner is to hear an application by the government to keep some information secret at the forthcoming inquest into the death of Alexander Litvinenko.

The former Russian security service officer was poisoned by radioactive polonium in London in 2006.
Tuesday's hearing will consider an application for a broad Public Interest Immunity (PII) certificate.
It is expected to be opposed by lawyers for Mr Litvinenko's widow as well as media organisations.
The PII certificate would exclude some information from the inquest when it opens later this year.
They are usually issued on the grounds of national security.
At an earlier pre-inquest hearing the lawyer for Mr Litvinenko's widow said the Russian had been a paid agent of MI6 and argued the inquest should examine the secret service's relationship with him.
Sir Robert Owen, a judge acting as the coroner, has said he would examine what was known of threats to Mr Litvinenko's life and also whether the Russian state was responsible for his death.

The last pre-inquest hearing contained a major revelation - namely that Alexander Litvinenko had been a paid agent of MI6.
It raised the question over whether this work was linked to his death.
That has pushed Litvinenko's relationship with British intelligence much higher up the agenda.
But how much will we learn about that relationship?
That's the subject of Tuesday's hearing in which the government is applying for a broad Public Interest Immunity Certificate which would mean that information considered sensitive could be excluded.

He has also agreed that a group representing Russian state prosecutors can be accepted as a party to the inquest process.

A legal review, ahead of the inquest, has heard that Mr Litvinenko was working alongside Spanish spies for MI6 in the days before his death.
British government documents that implied Russia was behind the 43-year old's murder were also revealed.
Moscow has previously denied any involvement in Mr Litvinenko's death.
The inquest is due to begin on 1 May.

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Breaking News Oscar Pistorius reports to South Africa authorities..

  News on Top Members of the media waited in vain outside a police station in Pretoria

Oscar Pistorius has reported to the authorities in the South Africa, despite not being required to under the bail terms set by a judge last week.

Mr Pistorius visited correctional officers in the capital, Pretoria, spokeswoman Lunice Johnston said.
Earlier, prosecutors said a probation officer would go to his home twice a week before his trial began on 4 June.
The 26-year-old has admitted shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on 14 February, but denies murdering her.
Prosecutors say the pair had an argument before Ms Steenkamp, 29, was killed, but Mr Pistorius says he mistook her for an intruder.
'Committed to legal process' A large number of local and international journalists gathered outside the Brooklyn police station in Pretoria on Monday morning, hoping to catch sight of Mr Pistorius.
Earlier reports had said the double-amputee athlete would have to sign in with police on Mondays and Fridays between 07:00 (05:00 GMT) and 13:00 (11:00 GMT).

[Mr Pistorius] takes the conditions very seriously and he will comply with all those conditions”

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DR Congo:Eight Have been killed first factions 'clash' between M23 rebel group.

News on Top At least eight people have been killed in the first clashes between rival factions of the M23 rebel group in DR Congo, sources have told the BBC.

The violence was linked to a power-struggle between M23 political leader Jean-Marie Runiga and military chief Sultani Makenga, the sources said.
On Sunday, regional leaders signed a UN-brokered accord to end conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
About 80,000 people have been displaced in fighting since May 2012.
The M23 launched a rebellion against the DR Congo government, briefly seizing Goma, the main city in the east, in November.
Both Rwanda and Uganda strongly deny claims they back the rebels.
The BBC's Ignatius Bahizi reports from neighbouring Uganda that the rival M23 factions exchanged gunfire in the town of Rutshuru, 70km (43 miles) north of Goma.

Congolese sources told him eight people had been killed - including six civilians.
But one source told the BBC Great Lakes Service that 19 people were killed - nine civilians and six fighters, including two majors.
The M23 denied that it was hit by dissent, our reporter says.
It blamed the violence on the FDLR rebel group, which is made up of Rwandans accused of involvement in the 1994 genocide that left about 800,000 people dead, he says.
The M23 is involved in separate peace talks with the DR Congo government in Uganda.
In January, it declared a unilateral ceasefire.

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Breaking News French children kidnapped in Cameroon..

  News on Top French authorities are trying to verify the authenticity of the vide

A video published on YouTube appears to show seven members of a French family, including four children, abducted by Islamists in Cameroon.

The video shows an armed man reading a statement in front of two men, a woman and four children.
Claiming to be from the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram, the alleged kidnappers demand the release of prisoners in Cameroon and Nigeria.
The family were snatched last Tuesday by gunmen on motorbikes.
Following the abduction, the French government said it believed the couple, their children aged five, eight, 10 and 12, and an uncle were taken across the border into Nigeria, probably by Boko Haram.
The family live in the Cameroonian capital, Yaounde, where the father worked for the French gas group

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Breaking News Oscar Pistorius brother Carl also facing homicide trial.

News on Top The brother of South African athlete Oscar Pistorius - accused of murdering his girlfriend - is also facing trial over the death of a woman. Carl Pistorius is charged with culpable homicide over the death of a woman motorcyclist in a traffic accident in 2008, his lawyer said.

The case has no relation to the charges against Oscar Pistorius over the shooting of Reeva Steenkamp.
The Paralympic star - who was released on bail on Friday - denies murder.
The charge against Carl Pistorius over an accident involving his car in which a woman on a motorcycle died has only just emerged.
It was confirmed to the BBC by Pistorius family lawyer Kenny Oldwage, who said Carl appeared in court the day before his brother's judgement in the bail hearing last week.
He is due to appear again in March.
'Regret' "There is no doubt that Carl is innocent and the charge will be challenged in court," Mr Oldwage said in a

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Breaking News Egypt elections: ElBaradei warns of chaos

News on Top Key Egyptian opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei has urged President Mohammed Morsi not to go ahead with elections.

Mr ElBaradei said the elections risked bringing chaos and instability, and possibly military intervention.
On Saturday, Mr Morsi brought forward the start of the parliamentary elections to 22 April, reportedly Coptic Christians complained that it clashed with Easter festivities.
Mr ElBaradei told the BBC his party would "not participate in a sham poll".
He said he expected other groups in the opposition National Salvation Front (NSF) coalition to follow suit with a boycott when they meet on Tuesday.
'Polarised' Mr ElBaradei told the BBC's Jim Muir: "We need to send a message loud and clear to the people here and outside of Egypt that this is not a democracy, that we have not participated in an uprising two years ago to end up with a recycling of the [Hosni] Mubarak regime.
"Torture is still there, abduction is still there, a lack of social justice is still there."
He said elections should not be held in April in a society that was "completely polarised".
To do so, he said, would risk setting the country on a "road to total chaos and instability" and that the intervention of the army might then be common sense, to stabilise the situation until the political process could be resumed.

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Breaking News :France's military operation in Mali in 'final phase'

News on Top French President Francois Hollande has said his country's forces are engaged in the "final phase" of the fight against militants in northern Mali.

He said there had been heavy fighting in the Ifoghas mountains, where members of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) were thought to be hiding.
Mr Hollande also praised Chadian troops for their efforts in the same area.
Thirteen Chadian soldiers and some 65 militants were killed in clashes on Friday, according to the Chadian army.
Chad's government has promised to deploy 2,000 troops as part of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (Afisma).
US drones

Speaking in Paris on Saturday, President Hollande said "heavy fighting" was taking place in the far north of Mali, near the Algerian border.
Our Chadian friends launched an attack yesterday which was very harsh with significant loss of life”

Francois Hollande President of France

"This is the final phase of the process since it is in that massif [the Ifoghas mountains] that AQIM forces have probably regrouped," he said.

"Our Chadian friends launched an attack yesterday which was very harsh with significant loss of life," Mr

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Breaking News DR Congo: African leaders sign peace deal.

News on Top The M23 rebels briefly seized control of the city of Goma in November last year

Regional African leaders have signed a UN-brokered accord which aims to bring peace to the troubled eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The deal was signed in the presence of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
He said he hoped it would bring "an era of peace and stability" to the region.
As many as 800,000 people have been displaced since the March 23 rebel group took up arms against the Kinshasa government last May.
"It is only the beginning of a comprehensive approach that will require sustained engagement," Mr Ban said.
The agreement, signed by leaders and representatives of 11 countries of the Great Lakes region, may lead to the establishment of a special UN intervention brigade in eastern Congo, along with political efforts to bring

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Breaking News Nigerian Student in Benin Turns Girlfriend To Snake For Money Ritual

News on Top At about 3pm yesterday, a Nigerian guy who schools in Houdegbe North American University Benin Republic(HNAUB) was arrested, due to his action of turning a fellow female student to a snake using supernatural powers.
The guys are said to be 100 Level Business Administration Students of the above named University, to cut the explanation short, they’re freshers who wanted to make quick money,they wanted to drive exotic cars and oppress their fellow students who happened to struggle hard to complete their education. This culprit

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Breaking News Mancini Swears When Asked About the Speculation Over His Future at the Etihad Stadium:

News on Top Roberto Mancini flew off the handle this morning in his Manchester City press conference after being asked about his future as manager at the club.

Here’s what Mancini said:
“F*cking hell, I can not continue to answer these questions every week. We still have two months to go. Then you get clarity. But I can not keep going. This is normal for you, it is your job. No worries. But I can not continue to respond to the name of the manager

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Breaking News A British man dies in Egyptian resort

News on Top A British man has died in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, the Foreign Office has confirmed.

Local police said a 50-year-old man had drowned while he was swimming off the Red Sea coast on Friday.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Egypt on 22 February. We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."
Sharm el-Sheikh is one of the most popular Red Sea holiday destinations.

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Breaking News :Tunisian interior minister to form new government

 

News on Top Tunisian interior minister Ali Larayedh has been tasked with forming a new government after prime minister Hamadi Jebali resigned amid a major political crisis.

President Moncef Marzouki made the announcement after meeting with Mr Larayedh, who had earlier been put forward as the ruling party's candidate for prime minister.
"He is the official candidate of Ennahda for prime minister," said Mouadh Ghannouchi, son of Ennahda chief Rached Ghannouchi.
On Wednesday the presidency said the Islamists were entitled to choose the new premier because they have the most seats in the national assembly.
Mr Larayedh will have 15 days to put together a new government team, which will then be submitted to parliament for approval.
Ennahda, which was already leading a coalition, has promised to build as broadly based a government as possible.
With its 89 MPs, it should have no difficulty getting the 109 votes needed for a majority.
Mr Larayedh, who was imprisoned and tortured under the regime of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, has been interior minister since the dictator was ousted in 2011.
A moderate member of the party, he is seen as a man of dialogue.
The other prospective candidates were said to have been agriculture minister Mohamed Ben Salem, justice minister Noureddine Bhiri and health minister Abdellatif Mekki.
Mr Jebali resigned on Tuesday after his plan to form a non-partisan government, announced in the wake of public outrage over the murder of leftist politician and government critic Chokri Belaid, was rejected by

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Breaking News: US deploys 100 troops to Neighbour Niger over -Mali conflict.

News on Top France intervened in Mali amid fears militants would take over Bamako

The US has deployed 100 troops to Niger to assist French forces in neighbouring Mali, the US president has said.

The armed troops will provide intelligence support, President Barack Obama informed Congress on Friday.
France deployed troops to Mali in January to counter al-Qaeda-linked Islamist militants.
The US and Niger signed a status of forces agreement last month, and the US is weighing a base for surveillance drones there, US media have reported.
A senior Niger official said in January that US Ambassador Bisa Williams requested permission to establish a drone base in a meeting with Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou, the Reuters news agency reported.
Last month, the US and Niger struck an agreement on the status of US forces as the two nations "define

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Breaking News "Kenya election" Hatred leaflets in Kisumu and Mombasa.

  There were tensions last month in Kisumu during party primary elections

News on Top Kenyan police have found leaflets inciting violence being distributed in some areas with less than two weeks to go to general elections.

The police chief said they were intended to spread "fear and panic".
They have been circulating in Kimusu, home to Prime Minister and presidential contender Raila Odinga, and the coastal city of Mombasa.
Following post-election violence five years go, the authorities have been trying to crack down on hate speech.
Hate leaflets, as they are called, were widely distributed after the disputed December 2007 elections. More than 1,000 people were killed in the six weeks of unrest which also forced some 300,000 people from their homes.
Eight candidates are standing for president on 4 March, but Mr Odinga and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta are considered the two frontrunners.
Mr Kenyatta's candidacy has been controversial as he and his running mate, William Ruto, have been c

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Breaking News Oscar Pistorius granted bail in Reeva Steenkamp case.

News on Top South African athlete Oscar Pistorius, who faces murder charges over the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, has been granted bail after a four-day hearing.

Magistrate Desmond Nair said the state had not made a case that he would flee, or that he had a violent character.
The Paralympic champion denies murder, saying he shot Reeva Steenkamp thinking she was an intruder at his home.
The next hearing in the case has been set for 4 June. Bail was set at 1m rand (£74,000; $113,000).
He was ordered to hand over his passport, avoid his home in Pretoria and report to a police station between

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Breaking News France urges citizens to leave north Cameroon after kidnap.

Francois Hollande spoke about the kidnapping while on a trip to Greece. (AFP)

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The kidnapping of seven members of a French family in northern Cameroon on Tuesday has resulted in France urging its citizens on Wednesday to evacuate the area.

The Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram is suspected by officials of carrying out the kidnap of the family -- a couple, their children aged five, eight, 10 and 12 and an uncle.

The seven were snatched in northern Cameroon by six gunmen on three motorbikes on Tuesday and officials said they had been taken across the border into Nigeria.

The French foreign ministry in a notice urged citizens in the far north “to leave the area as quickly as possible” and advised against travel to areas bordering Nigeria until further notice.

The ministry could not say how many French citizens are believed to be in the north but 6,200 in total are registered as living in Cameroon.

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian pointed the finger at Boko Haram but said it was not clear whether the kidnapping was linked to France’s intervention against Islamist rebels in Mali.

“We believe that the Boko Haram sect carried out this kidnapping, but we don’t yet have a claim of

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Breaking News France asks nationals to leave north Cameroon.

News on Top France has urged its citizens to leave north Cameroon "as quickly as possible" after seven of its nationals were kidnapped by gunmen on Tuesday.

French President Francois Hollande said he suspected militant Islamists from neighbouring Nigeria of being behind the abductions.
He added that the seven tourists, including four children, had probably been taken to northern Nigeria.
The abductions come amid a French-led intervention against Islamists in Mali.
At least eight French nationals are already being held by Islamist groups in Africa.
The French foreign ministry said on its website citizens were "officially advised not to go to the far north of Cameroon (the shores of Lake Chad in the South Maroua), and the border with Nigeria, until further notice".
Mr Hollande said gunmen from Nigeria's Boko Haram group may have been behind the kidnapping.

If everything is confirmed, this signifies that the fight against terrorist groups is a necessity

"I see the hand of Boko Haram in that part of Cameroon, and that is worrying enough for us to mobilise," Mr Hollande said.

'Revenge attacks' Boko Haram has not yet commented on the allegation.
Mr Hollande said everything possible was being done to rescue the seven, all from the same family.
They had been returning from a visit to Waza National Park when they were attacked by men on motorcycles, Cameroonian officials said.
Boko Haram has staged many attacks across northern Nigeria in recent years, targeting churches, government buildings and the security forces.
"If everything is confirmed, this signifies that the fight against terrorist groups is a necessity," said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, quoted by the Associated Press news agency.
"There is a battle to be led by the international community against terrorist groups and narco-terrorists."

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Breaking News Winners Announced in Apps4Africa.

News on Top Washington — Three winners were selected for the Apps4Africa 2012 Business Challenge contest, which awards cash prizes and mentoring to innovative African startup companies who develop sustainable technology-based solutions to youth unemployment.
The Apps4Africa competition awarded $10,000 each to three winners, selected from among nearly 300 applications from 27 countries by an international panel of judges, the U.S. Department of State announced February 20. The program was created by Appfrica International and the State Department and is sponsored by the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs in partnership with the private sector and nongovernmental organizations.
One winner, Titus Mawano from Uganda, developed Ffene, a low-cost business management platform that will allow businesses to reduce the overhead costs of administrative tasks and free up resources for growth initiatives. The platform can be used for accounting, customer relationship management, product management and generation of reports.
Ghana’s William Edem Senyo and Heather Cochran developed the crowdsourcing platform SliceBiz, which has created a framework to help middle-class investors in Africa easily put their money into high-growth startup companies with proven potential to give a high return on their investment.
“The solution SliceBiz is offering is to leverage Web/mobile (& offline) platforms to create a connection between startups looking for funding and business-savvy young professionals/middle class looking to invest,” Apps4Africa said.
Francis Onwumere, Opeyemi Obembe, and Ernest Ojeh from Nigeria created a project management and business collaboration tool called Prowork that will help businesses create and assign tasks and track project status in real time through the Web, SMS and mobile technology.

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Breaking News Zambia seizes Chinese owned mine.

News on Top The Zambian government has taken over the running of a Chinese-owned coal mine after revoking its licence because of safety lapses.

The Zambian mining minister, Yamfwa Mukanga, said that the government had cancelled all three licences held by Collum Coal mine.

He said the government would "continue operating them until a suitable investor is found".

China has invested more than $2bn in the Zambian mining industry.

According to Beijing, China has created 50,000 jobs in Zambia, with trade between the two countries reaching $3.5bn in 2011.

Mr Mukanga said the mine had a poor safety, health and environmental record.

"Collum coal mine has failed to consistently provide employees with approved personal protective

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Breaking News Barcelona need "magical" Nou Camp

News on Top Gerard Pique admits Barcelona will need a "magical" Champions League night at the Nou Camp to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit against AC Milan.

Goals from Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari at the San Siro put Milan in control of the last 16 tie.
"It's a really bad result. We played badly and can't make any excuses. We must learn," said defender Pique.
"We will look to respond on one of those magical nights at the Nou Camp. We will try to win the return game."
The Spaniards were far from their usual fluent and creative selves as Milan, seven-time winners of the competition, provided a tactical masterclass in the art of containing talents such as Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta.
Barcelona, 12 points clear at the top of La Liga, were favourites to progress to the quarter-finals at the expense of a Milan side who are third in Serie A, 11 points behind leaders Juventus.
But victory puts the Rossoneri in a strong position ahead of the return leg on 12 March and gives the Italians a chance of avenging last season's Champions League quarter-final defeat by Barcelona.
"When they scored the first we lost control," added Pique. "This is a difficult place to play and Milan are a club with a big history."
Spain international Iniesta promised it would be a "different story" when the two sides meet in the Catalan

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The Nigerian Nollwood Actor Justic Esiri had Died

News on Top The legendary actor, who had acted in many blockbusters, passed away Tuesday night; though report about the immediate cause of his death is still sketchy. He was aged 70.

Esiti, Member of the Order of the Niger, MON, is famous for his role as the village headmaster in the then popular television series of the same name.
Born on 20 November 1942 in Oria-Abraka, Deltta State! Esiri attended Urhobo College Effurun in the

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Manchester United's Phil Jones wait to faces Real madrid

News on Top Manchester United's Phil Jones faces a nervous wait to determine the severity of an ankle injury suffered during Monday's 2-1 FA Cup win over Reading.

The England international, 20, left Old Trafford on crutches after a first-half tackle on Jobi McAnuff.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson suggested that Jones would miss Saturday's Premier League trip to Queens Park Rangers.
"We'll have to assess it [on Tuesday]," Ferguson said.
Jones did an impressive job against Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo when United secured a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu in their Champions League last-16 first-leg clash.
Ferguson is hoping that the versatile former Blackburn man, who was playing at right-back against Reading, will be fit for the second leg against Madrid at Old Trafford on 5 March.

Nani at Manchester United

• Games 227
• Goals 50
• Yellow cards 24
• Red cards 2

"We'll have to assess him. It's an ankle injury obviously so I'd imagine he'll not be ready for Saturday

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News on Top Spurs stars furious with Villas-Boas as manager faces squad backlash.

Andre Villas-Boas is already under pressure at Tottenham after the squad reportedly held showdown talks with their Portuguese boss.
The Spurs players are unhappy with Villas-Boas' training and tactics, according to The Sun.
The manager has scrapped his gruelling double sessions after complaints his players were left too tired for their Premier League matches.

 

 

Sidelined? Spurs players are reportedly unhappy with Ande Villas-Boas (right)

But the squad remains unhappy with Villas-Boas' negative style of football and would rather a return to previous boss Harry Redknapp's tactical approach.
Tottenham have made a steady if unspectacular start to their league campaign and are unbeaten since losing to Newcastle on the opening weekend.
They travel to Manchester United on Saturday night amid reports that some of the club's staff are also unhappy with Villas-Boas.

 

 

Tough times: Villas-Boas' training methods have been called into question

The 34-year-old, who only took over in July, axed chief scout Ian Broomfield earlier this month and is said to have had a bust-up with technical co-ordinator Tim Sherwood.
The former midfielder feels he has been sidelined and could be tempted to move to Blackburn Rovers after Steve Kean resigned on Friday.
The situation at White Hart Lane will be familiar to Chelsea fans after Villas-Boas caused disharmony among the squad during his tenure.

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Conjoined twins speak on their sex lives

News On Top One thing we know for sure about the sexuality of conjoined twins: People who aren’t conjoined are fascinated by it. At least it seems that way, judging by the number of reporters calling to ask about the sex lives of conjoined twins. Although there are no real studies of the sex lives of conjoined twins, we can safely assume that conjoined twins want — and occasionally feel conflicted about wanting — sex, as we all do.

But not as conflicted as we singletons seem to feel about them having sex. Typically, people who are close to conjoined twins come to adjust and see them as different but normal; they seem fairly untroubled by the idea of conjoined twins pursuing sex and romance. But those who are watching from afar cannot abide.
The best example of this would probably be the story of Chang and Eng Bunker, “the Siamese Twins,” so called because they were from Siam (now Thailand). Chang and Eng were joined by just a bit of liver and some skin. One April day in 1843, Chang married Adelaide Yates, while brother Eng married sister Sallie Yates. Based on the fact that Chang and Adelaide had 10 children, and Eng and Sallie 12, it’s fair to say the brothers had sex.

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Nigerian man Charles Omisore: banned from Using public toilet in Central London

News on Top A thief who preyed on the gay community in Soho for more than a decade has been banned from every public toilet in central London.

Charles Omishore, 32,  pick-pocketed men while engaging in sexual activity in bars, public toilets and the rose garden in Hyde Park.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court  granted an ASBO banning him from the West End, a central part of Camden and any purpose-built public toilet in the whole of Westminster or Camden for the next five years.
Westminster Council’s cabinet member for community protection, Cllr Nickie Aiken, said:
“We suspect Omishore has been getting away with this for so long because his victims have been reluctant to come forward and report attacks and thefts. A crime is a crime, and victims should feel they are able to report it, whatever the circumstances.
“Our landmark ASBO finally rids central London of this predatory offender, and we will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to theft, drug use and intimidating behaviour in the West End.”
Westminster City Council’s crime reduction team and the Soho Safer Neighbourhood Team are now circulating public awareness posters around the West End with photos and information about Omishore,

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Chai! Wickedness!!! Man pours pot of boiling stew on his girlfriend

News on Top A 27-year-old woman, Mary Sunday, has been in the hospital bed at Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital seven months after she was allegedly attacked by her fiancé, Corporal Isaac Gbanwuan, with a pot of boiling stew and a lighted stove. It was learnt that Sunday had lost her ears due to the attack.
Before the attack, which took place in August 2012, Sunday, was to report for training at the Police Academy, Kano as a cadet officer. Still nursing severe burns to her neck, chest and upper arms, Sunday can barely sit or walk straight. She holds her head stiffly and talks with difficulty as she recalled the events that led to her present state to PUNCH Metro on Wednesday.
She said, “I have known Gbanwuan for a while, while I was still a student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, but it wasn’t until our marriage introduction in 2011 that I moved in with him at the Pedro Police Barracks, Lagos.
“On the day I was assaulted, Gbanwuan and I went to see our doctor. We had some health issues. While we were on our way back home, I made a phone call. Immediately we got home, Gbanwuan started querying me. He accused me of keeping lovers and claimed the person I called was my lover.
“I tried to explain to him that it was my sister I called, but Gbanwuam was not listening. He began to beat

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The North Korea nuclear test prompts stern warnings from Neighbors.

News on Top South Korea sent a stern warning to North Korea on Thursday, two days after the North tested a nuclear bomb saying it could strike the isolated state.
“We warn that the North should not take the South for granted,” South Koreans authorities said, as it believes that an attack by the North was imminent just as it deployed a new cruise missile to drive home
its point.
North Korea conducted its third nuclear test on Tuesday, in defiance of UN resolutions, pushing it further

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News on Top Syrian opposition to discuss offer to negotiate with al-Assad's regime.

News on Top Syria's main opposition grouping was on Thursday to discuss the divisive issue of whether it should negotiate with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Moaz al-Khatib, the head of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, recently offered to hold talks with government officials without ``blood on their hands.’’
His proposal has drawn criticism from members of the opposition group who insist that al-Assad must leave power. Al-Khatib said it was not a move to ``surrender’’ but that his aim was to ease the suffering of the Syrian people.

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Court Remand's laborer for alleged possession of explosive materials.

News on Top  An Ilorin Magistrates' Court on Thursday ordered that a 35-year-old labourer, Abdulahi Mohammed, be remanded in prison for allegedly being in possession of 15 pieces of explosive materials.
The Magistrate, Silifat Sambo, ordered that the accused be remanded in Okekura prison, Ilorin following request from the Prosecuting Police Officer, Isaac Yakub. Sambo, thereafter, adjourned the case to February 27, for mention.

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The Carnival Triumph passengers docked in Mobile, Alabama

News on Top All 3,200 passengers have now disembarked from a crippled cruise ship that reached the US coast four days after an engine fire knocked out power.

The Carnival Triumph docked in Mobile, Alabama, at 21:15 (03:15 GMT Friday).
Disembarking the passengers took more than four hours and many still face a long bus journey home or to the port of departure, Galveston.
Passengers had reported sewage on the floors, poor sanitation and access to toilets, and lengthy queues for food.
Some lined the decks as the 900-ft (275m) ship docked, waving and cheering at people on shore.
Chants of "Let me off, let me off!" could be heard coming from the ship as they waited to disembark.
One homemade sign read: "Sweet Home Alabama!" and another: "The ship's afloat, so is the sewage."
Disembarking passenger Brittany Ferguson said: "I'm feeling awesome just to see land and buildings. The scariest part was just not knowing when we'd get back."
Carnival Corp which operates the ship, was also the owner of Costa Concordia, the cruise ship that ran aground off the Italian coast and sank last year, killing 32 people.
'Nightmare' The Carnival Triumph took six hours to be towed through the 30-mile (50km) channel to the docks at

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United Kingdom "UK": retail sales fall unexpectedly in January

 

News on Top  Heavy snowfall put people off from going out to the shops, the ONS suggests

UK retail sales fell unexpectedly in January, confounding economists' expectations for a rise.

Volumes fell 0.6% from December 2012, hurt by heavy snowfall, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
Volumes also fell 0.6% from a year ago, the first annual fall in 17 months.
The ONS highlighted weak sales in the food sector, which dropped 2.6% year-on-year to the lowest level since April 2004. It also said small stores had fared worse than large stores.
Smaller retailers in the food sector suggested that the heavy snow seen in the second half of January had affected sales.
In contrast, larger retailers suggested that some of the increase they saw came from a rise in online sales.
In the food sector, the proportion of online sales rose 27% on the year. That meant that online sales now make up a record 3.7% of all food sales.

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South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius: in court on murder charge

News on Top South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has appeared in court to face a murder charge after his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, was shot at his home near Pretoria.

Mr Pistorius held his head in his hands and was in tears as the charge was read out in the magistrates' court.
Prosecutors argued for a case of "premeditated murder".
An application for bail was postponed till next week and Mr Pistorius will remain in police custody.
Family members reached forward to touch his shoulder as he stood and left the courtroom in Pretoria.
Dozens of reporters were also in court, where chief magistrate Desmond Nair was presiding.

The BBC's Andrew Harding, in court, says the defendant cut a lonely figure, with his head forward and breathing heavily through tears.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued for a "premeditated murder" charge. Mr Pistorius slumped forward at the mention of the words.
Media access was discussed and the magistrate ruled that there should be no live recording for the bail hearings.
Mr Pistorius's team had argued against such coverage and cited his "extremely traumatised state of mind".
Members of Mr Pistorius's family, including sister Aimee, brother Carl and father Henke, are in the courtroom.
Mr Pistorius had earlier arrived at court in the back of a police vehicle, hiding his face with a jacket and

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"News on Top" Meteor fall 'injures hundreds' in central Russia

News on Top A meteor crashing in the Urals of central Russia has reportedly injured at least 400 people, as the shockwave blew out windows and rocked buildings.

Most of those hurt suffered minor cuts and bruises but some received head injuries, Russian media report.
A fireball was seen streaking through the sky above the city of Yekaterinburg, followed by loud bangs.
The meteor is believed to have landed in a lake near Chebarkul, a town in the neighbouring Chelyabinsk region.
Much of the impact was felt in the city of Chelyabinsk, some 200km (125 miles) south of Yekaterinburg.

Viktor Prokofiev Yekaterinburg resident

"We saw a big burst of light, then went outside to see what it was and we heard a really loud thundering sound," Chelyabinsk resident Sergey Hametov told AP news agency by phone.

Officials say a large meteor partially burned up in the lower atmosphere, resulting in fragments falling earthwards.
Thousands of rescue workers have been dispatched to the area to provide help to the injured, the emergencies ministry said.
The Chelyabinsk region, about 1,500km (930 miles) east of Moscow, is home to many factories, a nuclear power plant and the Mayak atomic waste storage and treatment centre.
'Blinding'

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Man Utd v Real Madrid : Jose Mourinho says tie is wide open

News on |Top Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho played down the significance of conceding an away goal to Manchester United in their last-16 Champions League encounter.
The tie stands at 1-1, after Cristiano Ronaldo's header cancelled out Danny Welbeck's opener in Madrid.
Real boss Mourinho said: "Everything is open for the second leg and I think this will go to the last minute.
"If you ask me for a percentage, it's 50/50. We can score more than one goal over there at Old Trafford."
In an open first half, Welbeck's header put United in front after away team's post Fabio Coentrao had hit the post, but Ronaldo scored against his old club with a towering leap before the break.
There were further opportunities for Coentrao and Robin van Persie in the second half but the away goal gives United a slender advantage going into the return fixture on 5 March.
United's David de Gea was the busier of the two keepers and as the game wore on it appeared United were content to settle for a draw.

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