Manuel Pellegrini: Uefa bans Man City boss for two matches.

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has been given an immediate two-match touchline ban by Uefa for criticising the referee after his side's Champions League match against Barcelona.

Pellegrini said after the 2-0 home loss that Swedish official Jonas Eriksson was "not impartial to both teams".
He was charged with misconduct and will be in the stands for the second leg on 12 March, plus one more match.
A further one-game ban is suspended for two years, but Pellegrini can appeal.

Manuel Pellegrini

Playing career: 1973-86 - Universidad de Chile (451 appearances, 1 goal); 1973-86 - Chile national team (28 appearances, 1 goal)
Major teams managed: River Plate 2002-03, Villarreal 2004-09, Real Madrid 2009-10, Malaga 2010-13, Manchester City 2013-present
Managerial honours: Argentina Primera Division 2002-3, Intertoto Cup 2004

"The City manager will be banned for his team's round-of-16 second leg against Barcelona in Spain on 12 March," Uefa said in a statement.

"This means that Pellegrini may follow the game from the stands only; he may not enter the dressing room, tunnel or technical area before or during the match; and he may not communicate directly or indirectly with his players and/or technical staff during the game."

Breaking News: Ukrainian ex-leader Viktor Yanukovych vows fightback.

Viktor Yanukovych has vowed to fight for Ukraine, in his first public appearance since being ousted as president last week.

Speaking in Russia, he said he was "not overthrown" but was compelled to leave Ukraine after threats to his life.

In the latest flare-up, Ukraine accused Russian troops of seizing two airports in Crimea - charges denied by Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a rapid return to normality in Ukraine.
Mr Putin spoke to Western leaders to emphasise "the extreme importance of not allowing a further escalation of violence", the Kremlin said.

715 new planets discovered by NASA.

Our galactic neighborhood just got a lot bigger. NASA on Wednesday announced the discovery of 715 new planets, by far the biggest batch of planets ever unveiled at once.

By way of comparison, about 1,000 planets total had been identified in our galaxy before Wednesday.

Four of those planets are in what NASA calls the "habitable zone," meaning they have the makeup to potentially support life.

The planets, which orbit 305 different stars, were discovered by the Kepler space telescope and were verified using a new technique that scientists expect to make new planetary discoveries more frequent and more detailed.

"We've been able to open the bottleneck to access the mother lode and deliver to you more than 20 times as many planets as has ever been found and announced at once," said Jack Lissauer, a planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center in California.

Launched in March 2009, the Kepler space observatory was the first NASA mission to find planets similar to Earth that are in, or near, habitable zones -- defined as planets that are the right distance from a star for a moderate temperature that might sustain liquid water.

Tuesday's planets all were verified using data from the first two years of Kepler's voyage, meaning there may be many more to come.

"Kepler has really been a game-changer for our understanding of the incredible diversity of planets and planetary systems in our galaxy," said Douglas Hudgins, a scientist with NASA's astrophysics division.

The new technique is called "verification by multiplicity," and relies in part on the logic of probability. Instead of searching blindly, the team focused on stars that the technique suggests are likely to have more than one planet in their orbit.

NASA says 95% of the planets discovered by Kepler are smaller than Neptune, which is four times as big as Earth.

'Secrets of the Vatican' exposes moral crises facing Catholic Church's new pope.

The Roman Catholic Church is enjoying some of its best press in decades, and hundreds of thousands of alienated Catholics are returning, thanks in large part to the new, and in some cases revolutionary, leadership of Pope Francis.
But, says a new documentary by PBS’ "Frontline," “Secrets of the Vatican,” the morally wrenching controversies that threatened to destroy the church's credibility, starting about the time Pope John Paul II died in 2005, have not fully subsided. Further, the success of Francis’ papacy will depend on how quickly and thoroughly he addresses them.
"Secrets of the Vatican," airing tonight at 9 p.m. ET on most PBS stations (check local listings), takes an unsparing look at the state of the church Pope Francis inherited from his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, successor to Pope John Paul II and the first head of the church to resign in 600 years.

ICT News: Facebook to add voice calls to WhatsApp.

Co Founder of WhatsApp Jan Koum

WhatsApp, the globally popular texting app that Facebook just acquired for a whopping $19 billion, is adding phone calls to its list of services.

At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum said the voice service will be free and begin rolling out to users within the next few months.

Currently, WhatsApp offers unlimited text and voice-mail messages between users. Its service is free for the first year, then costs 99 cents annually.

"We want to make sure people always have the ability to stay in touch with their friends and loved ones really affordably," Koum said in a speech at Mobile World Congress.

As reported by multiple news outlets, Koum also announced that WhatsApp now has 465 million monthly users and 330 million daily users. The latter is 15 million more than what was made public last week when Facebook announced the purchase.

Voice service will come first to Apple devices and Google's Android operating system, with Windows phones and Blackberry to follow.

The move puts WhatsApp in competition not only with other messaging apps that offer voice but chat tools such as Skype and even mobile carriers. WhatsApp's unlimited texting has already helped establish it in places where smartphones and fancy data plans are less common.

It has 40 million users in India and another 38 million in Brazil, two countries highly coveted by tech companies such as Facebook for their large populations and emerging mobile customer base. WhatsApp hasn't released figures for the United States, where it is less popular.

Last week, Facebook shocked the business world when it announced it was buying WhatsApp for up to $19 billion in cash and stock -- by far the social network's largest acquisition to date.

ICT News: BlackBerry unveils new Q20 phone.

BlackBerry is no longer focusing on beating the iPhone and Android, but that doesn't mean it's giving up on smartphones entirely.

The ailing firm unveiled its new Q20 smartphone on Tuesday, a device that tries to marry two separate mobile technology worlds. It comes with a physical keyboard, an old-school trackpad, and menu, send, back and end buttons. But it also has an iPhone 4-like 3.5-inch touchscreen.
The Q20 will likely appeal to longtime BlackBerry users who have resisted transitioning to touchscreen-only phones. But drawing new customers is another matter.

"The Q20 is a good way to shore up the base, which is important, but what it doesn't do is provide a compelling reason for new people to switch from Android or iPhone to BlackBerry," said David Braun, CEO of strategic consulting firm Capstone.
The Q20 will be available "in the second half of 2014," BlackBerry said. Pricing details have yet to be announced.

The news comes as BlackBerry attempts to reverse its years-long decline with a new collection of devices, a renewed focus on business customers and a push in software and services that can run on phones made by its competitors.
The task won't be easy. BlackBerry's recent financial results have been awful, with the company posting a whopping $4.4 billion loss for the quarter that ended in November.

Leading the transition effort is new CEO John Chen, who turned around the once-struggling software maker Sybase and sold it to SAP (SAP) in 2010.
"We have engineered a new strategy to stabilize the company and restore our customers' confidence in BlackBerry," Chen said in a statement Tuesday.

Breaking News: Gunmen seize parliament in Ukraine's southern Crimea region.

Dozens of armed men have seized the regional government administration building and parliament in Ukraine's southern Crimea region, where pro-Russian demonstrators have faced off against rival protesters

Some 50 gunmen are occupying the buildings in the city of Simferopol since early morning, the press secretary to the head of the region told CNN on Thursday.

A Russian flag is flying over the parliament building, said Violetta Limona, press secretary to Crimea premier Anatolii Mohyliov.

She added parliament and government employees were told to stay away from the buildings as Mohyliov tried to negotate with the gunmen.

The men, however, refused to listen, sayig he didn't have the authority, said Refat Chubarov, a member of the Crimean Parliament.

Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said he has ordered police in the country to be prepared.

Hillary Clinton may run for president in America, poll shows.

An overwhelming majority of Democrats want Hillary Clinton to run for president in 2016.
More than 80 percent of Democrats surveyed said they would like the former secretary of state to run, while 13 percent would not, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll released Wednesday. Five percent were undecided. A majority of independents (52 percent) said they would support a Clinton candidacy as well.
The same poll found that a minority (about 40 percent) of Democrats want Vice President Joe Biden to run, while just 22 percent of Democrats said they want Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren to enter the race. (Some 56 percent said they don't know enough about Warren to decide.)

On the Republican side, about 40 percent said they would like to see former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul run for president.
According to the survey, conducted Feb. 19-23, more Republicans (41 percent) said they would rather not see scandal-plagued New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie run for president than those that said they would (31 percent).

Breaking News: Killers of UK soldier Lee Rigby sentenced. Michael Adebolajo gets whole life term and Michael Adebowale 45 years.

One of the men who murdered soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, south-east London, has been ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison.

Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, drove into Fusilier Rigby with a car before hacking him to death in May last year.

Adebolajo was given a whole-life term; Adebowale was ordered to serve at least 45 years.
The pair were absent during sentencing after a scuffle in the dock.
As the judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, they started shouting and scuffling with court security guards. They had to be forced to the ground and were removed from court.

Sentencing the killers in their absence, the judge said they had been convicted on "overwhelming" evidence of the "barbaric" murder of Fusilier Rigby.
Adebolajo was the leader of the "joint enterprise", the judge said, but Adebowale played his part "enthusiastically".
Mr Justice Sweeney said the pair carried out the murder "in a way that would generate maximum media coverage".
"He had done absolutely nothing to deserve what you did to him", the judge said.

Boko Haram Attack

Barely 24 hours after the soldiers manning the check point close to the main gate of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State were withdrawn, Boko Haram terrorists, numbering more than 50, yesterday, invaded the school at 1.30 am, killing more than 43 students and staff while abducting 16 female students.
The insurgents who went on a killing spree without any challenge from security agents also burnt down all the students’ hostels, the classrooms, and about 40 houses including the council’s secretariat complex,  high court, government and private establishments as well as telecommunication masts.
he governor’s media aide, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego confirmed that on Monday before the attack, the few soldiers stationed close to the school were redeployed without any cogent reason.

The college was the fourth educational institution attacked in the state in the last eight months. Buni Yadi is about 65 kilometres from Damaturu, the state capital, while Gujba town which witnessed a deadly attack at the College of Agriculture, last year where over 40 students were killed, is located south and about 35 kilometres from the state capital.
Inusa Danboyi, an SSS 3 student of the college was one of those killed. His father, Mallam Danboyi who wept uncontrollably at the morgue of General Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital, Damaturu, where he had gone to collect his son’s corpse said: “Inusa is my son, and an SSS 3 student who aspired to get western education and was even preparing for his final SSS 3 examination. But see what fate had in stock for him”.
Fear has now gripped Damaturu town following the massacre and the abduction of the students as the residents wondered why the security agents could not contain the insurgents, who appeared to be succeeding in their mission. Many parents are also saying they would seek admission for their children, especially female students in other regions of the country where there is peace.

One of the victims who did not want his name mentioned told Vanguard at the specialist hospital that “the insurgents who invaded the school gathered all the girls in one room, where they started preaching against western education and warned all of us not to return to the school, and after killing most of the female students who are mostly SSS 3 students, they absconded with over 16 girls”.

source: Vanguard Newspaper

Justin Bieber security guard, driver arrested in alleged camera theft.

One of Justin Bieber's security guards and a driver were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of stealing a photographer's camera in Sandy Springs, Georgia.

The photographer was waiting outside of a suburban Atlanta arcade that Bieber was in when the guard confronted the photographer, according to Steve Rose, a spokesman for the Sandy Springs Police Department.

The photographer left and was then followed by the bodyguard and another man driving a Cadillac Escalade, the spokesman said. The men stopped the photographer's car in an adjacent parking lot.

The security guard then took the camera from the photographer and fled to the home that Bieber is currently renting in Sandy Springs, Rose said.

A police officer stopped the bodyguard and the driver in the driveway of the home, spotted the camera and took both men into custody.

They have since been identified by police as 32-year-old Hugo Hesny, the guard, and 49-year-old Terrance Johnson, the driver.

Both face felony theft charges for the camera, estimated to be worth $10,000.

Bieber was not involved in the incident.

A representative for the singer declined to comment on the news.

CNN first learned of the arrests on Twitter.

Source:CNN

Ejigbo pepper Killing: Police parades 10 suspects.

The Nigeria Police Force has paraded ten suspects arrested in connection with the torture, murder and sodomy of three females accused of stealing pepper in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State.

The Police PPRO, Mr. Frank Mba, who briefed the press, also declared four other suspects at large wanted while promising that justice will be ensured in the prosecution of the suspects.

The event which is popularly known as the Ejigbo 3 took place in February 2013.

 

Source: Vanguard Newspaper

Jose Mourinho: Ibrahimovic move to Chelsea 'impossible', but Falcao can't stay at Monaco.

Jose Mourinho believes it would be "impossible" for Chelsea to woo Zlatan Ibrahimovic away from Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

The Sweden international has been in sensational form for PSG, most recently scoring a hat trick in a 4-2 win over Toulouse on Sunday.

Mourinho freely admits he remains in contact with Ibrahimovic, whom he coached at Inter, but says there is little chance of a reunion at Stamford Bridge.

"Zlatan to Chelsea? It’s impossible," Mourinho told Canal Football Club. "He’s happy at Paris. I know because he is my friend and we are in touch.

"PSG, with all its wealth, would never open the door. That’s mission impossible."

However, Mourinho did suggest a move for Monaco striker Falcao could be a possibility in the future.

"I have a team, but no striker. Falcao does not have a team. A player like him can't play in front of 3,000 people. Monaco is a club to end [your career with]," he said.

The Stamford Bridge boss also ruled out the possibility of a swap deal involving Edinson Cavani and Eden Hazard.

"Eden is our boy," the manager said. "We want him to stay for 10 years. We want to build the team around him. He’s a player with the style of football that we want to have in our team."

Breaking News: Ondo state Speaker Hon. Adesina Samuel Ajayi dies of cancer.

The  Ondo State Government has announced the death of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Adesina Samuel Ajayi, representing Odigbo Constituency 11.

Dr. Rotimi Adelola, the Secretary to the State Government in a statement, said the death occurred in the course of a protracted battle with Cancer of the Urinary Bladder.

The late speaker during his life time, the statement said,was a bridge builder, a man of integrity and a reliable team player who placed the interest of the state above personal consideration.

“The Ondo state government received the news of the death of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Honourable Adesina Samuel Ajayi with disbelief but in total submission to the will of God. All hopes were that the late Speaker will pull through his health challenge which has seen him taking time off official function for some time.

That death took him at this time can be no less of a shock to the government and people of the State, as the prayers of all was for full recovery,” Adelola said.

The statement added that the Government commiserates with the immediate family of the late Speaker, his colleagues in the state legislature, members of his constituency in Odigbo Local Government Area of the State and indeed the entire people of the state on the sad
loss.

“We mourn his passage and can only pray for fortitude and strength from above to bear this irreparable loss,” the statement added.

Source: Vanguard Newspaper.

Breaking News:Anti-gay bill sign by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

Uganda's leader has signed into law a bill toughening penalties for gay people but without a clause criminalising those who do not report them.

A proposed sentence of up to 14 years for first-time offenders has also been removed.
US President Barack Obama had cautioned the bill would be a backward step.
Mr Museveni had previously agreed to put the bill on hold pending US scientific advice.
Homosexual acts are already illegal in Uganda. 

In December, a gay rights campaigner spoke of her fears about the legislation

The new law allows life imprisonment as the penalty for acts of "aggravated homosexuality" and also criminalises the "promotion" of homosexuality".
The bill passed by parliament in December made it a crime not to report gay people - in effect making it impossible to live as openly gay - but this clause has been removed from the legislation signed by the president.

“Start Quote

Homosexuality is just bad behaviour, that should not be allowed in our society”

MP David Bahati

Lesbians are covered by the bill for the first time.

Gay activists say they will challenge the new laws in court.
The bill originally proposed the death penalty for some homosexual acts, but that was later removed amid international criticism.

'Very scared'

Government officials clapped after Mr Museveni signed the bill at a news conference at State House.
The BBC's Catherine Byaruhanga, in Uganda, says it is rare for the president to assent to bills so publicly.
But the anti-gay bill has become so controversial that the media were invited to witness its signing, she says.

Earlier, government spokesman spokesman Ofwono Opondo told the Reuters news agency Mr Museveni wanted "to demonstrate Uganda's independence in the face of Western pressure and provocation".
The sponsor of the bill, MP David Bahati, insisted homosexuality was a "behaviour that can be learned and can be unlearned".
"Homosexuality is just bad behaviour that should not be allowed in our society," he told the BBC's Newsday programme.
But a gay rights activist in Uganda told the programme that he was "very scared" about the new bill.

"I didn't even go to work today [Monday]. I'm locked up in the house. And I don't know what's going to happen now."
Our correspondent says although Mr Museveni had been apprehensive about signing the bill, he could not convince his party, religious groups and many of his citizens that it was not needed.
His signature is an apparent U-turn from a recent pledge to hold off, pending advice from the US.
In a statement, Mr Museveni had said: "I... encourage the US government to help us by working with our scientists to study whether, indeed, there are people who are born homosexual.

"When that is proved, we can review this legislation."
President Obama described it as "more than an affront, and a danger to, Uganda's gay community. It will be a step backwards for all Ugandans."
He warned it could "complicate" Washington's relations with Uganda, which receives a reported $400m (£240m) in annual aid from the US.

Source: BBC