Gospel Grammy Awards Winners

Tye Tribbett, Tasha Cobbs, Mandisa took
home Grammys during the 56th Annual
Grammy Awards Pre-Telecast Ceremony that
took place today, Sunday, Jan. 26, at the
Nokia Theatre. The ceremony was also
streamed live internationally at
GRAMMY.com/live and CBS.com.
Motown Gospel has a lot to cheer about as
both Tribbett and Cobbs are on their label.
Tribbett was the big winner, taking home two
Grammys. He also served as a presenter
during the ceremony.
Tasha Cobbs, who lost her father last week
received her Grammy for "Break Every
Chain" and gave a heartfelt acceptance
speech. Mandisa's infectious, uplifting album
and song "Overcomer" grabbed two
Grammys as well.
Here is the complete list:
Best Gospel Album " Greater Than"~ Tye
Tribbett
Best Gospel Song~"If He Did It Before (Same
God)"~ Tye Tribbett
Best Gospel/CCM Performance~ Tasha Cobbs
"Break Every Chain"
Best CCM Song: "Overcomer" ~ David Garcia,
Ben Glover , Christopher Stevens
Best CCM Album: "Overcomer"~ Mandisa
The live stream of the Pre-Telecast will
remain on GRAMMY.com as video on demand
for 30 days following the event.
Following the ceremony, the 56th Annual
Grammy Awards will be broadcast live on the
CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m.
ET/PT. The show also will be supported on
radio worldwide via Westwood One, and
covered online at GRAMMY.com and
CBS.com .

NSGF urges security agencies to stop killings by Boko Haram

The Northern States’ Governors Forum,
NSGF, has asked security agencies to end the
killing of defenceless citizens, especially in the
North-East region, where suspected Boko Haram
members have continued their  bloody campaign
since 2009.
The forum’s Chairman and Governor of Niger, Dr
Babangida Aliyu, stated this yesterday in Minna,
noting that members of the forum were seriously
concerned at the renewed attacks, which have
killed 18 persons around Maiduguri.
“The forum is particularly alarmed that the shooting
to dead of 18 persons in Njaba, Mude, Kwaljiri and
Kaya villages in Borno followed the same pattern as
previous midnight attacks on towns and villages in
the region,” he said.
According to a statement signed by the governor’s
Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, Aliyu
described the fresh attacks as horrendous, callous
and inhuman.
He also called on security agencies to halt the
incessant clashes between Fulani herdsmen and
farmers in the region.
The governor commiserated with the families of the
victims and prayed Almighty God to grant eternal
rest to the deceased and quick recovery to those
who sustained injuries during the attacks.
Aliyu called on security agencies to do more to
protect the lives and properties of citizens, and also
ensure that those perpetrating violence in the region
were brought to justice.
He reiterated the pledge of the forum to continue to
work with other tiers of government to bring an end
to security challenges confronting the nation.

Indomie wins award

Indomie Noodles, from the stables of Dufil Prima
Foods Plc, has emerged winner of the Most Trusted
Brand award by Brand Health.
This award comes after it recently bagged the Best
Effort in Brand Consistency Award (FMCG category)
from the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria
(BJAN).
Speaking on the sidelines during the award
presentation, Chief Executive Officer of Brandhealth,
(organizers of the award) Emman Udowoima, said
from time immemorial, one vital thing consumers
value about what they consume or use is trust.
“Trust or lack of it is a habit. It is what we
constantly do. I do not know of anyone or consumer
who wants to be associated with untrustworthiness,
because before an individual or a family takes or
consumes a product – particularly an edible one –
he needs to be assured that it is not one that could
affect his or her health.
“Everyone wants to associate with a brand that is
complete with 100 percent quality, enriched with
great value as it concerns health vitamins. All this
criteria was put out for the general public to assess
and ultimately select their most trusted noodles
brand. The feedback we got afterwards identified
Indomie Instant noodles as most trusted brand
among its contemporaries in the noodles market
segment. The brand beat others convincingly, I
must add,” Udowoina said.
A visibly elated Tope Ashiwaju, Public Relations/
Events Manager, Dufil Prima Foods, thanked the
organizers of the award, saying 2013 was no doubt
an eventful year of hard work and dedication to
utmost quality which did well to earn the brand a
handful of awards based on constant innovations
and unwavering quality. This feat has since given
the company a firm control of the country’s noodles
market.
“Winning the Most Trusted Brand Award for 2
consecutive years as well as the BJAN awards is a
very significant honor as it reflects Dufil’s
commitment to quality, dependability and reliability
which ultimately adds up to great value,” said
Ashiwaju. “Dufil will continue to deliver the best
products consumers have come to know us for
over the years.”

HIV: Scientists at MOU make breakthrough

A group of Nigerian scientists have found what
could be a novel treatment for Human Immune-
deficiency Virus, HIV, infection that may slash the
cost of treatment.
The team of scientists, including graduate students
and researchers from the Michael Okpara
University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia state,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and the Federal
Medical Centre, Umuahia, Nigeria have been able to
show that synthetic Aluminum-magnesium silicate
(AMS) has antiretroviral effects that could lay a
perfect track for affordable and effective therapy for
HIV.
Results
Results of their work titled “Assessment of
Antiretroviral Effects of a Synthetic Aluminum-
magnesium Silicate” published in the British Journal
of Medicine & Medical Research and featured on nd
featured on SCIENCEDOMAIN international shows a
significant reduction in the titres of the virus when
HIV positive plasma was incubated with AMS.
Head, Department of Veterinary Medicine at Michael
Okpara University of Agriculture, and the lead
scientist, Professor Maduike Ezeibe, said the
discovery could provide an ultimate cure for the
virus that has defiled so many scientific efforts to
curtail it in the past.
Ezeibe reacted aluminium silicate with magnesium
silicate to obtain the synthetic aluminum-
magnesium silicate devoid of impurities.
Giving further details Ezeibe noted: “Molecules of
aluminum-magnesium silicate have platelets that
possess both negative and positive electrical
charges on their surfaces and their edges. HIV on
the other hand is negatively charged. So the simple
scientific understanding that opposite charges
attracts ensures that the HIV virus binds to the AMS
and is discharged from the body alongside.”
Existing medicine
“AMS is normally used as a stabilizing medicine
that does not really have toxic effect on the patient,
so it makes it a suitable agent for mopping up HIV
virus from the body,” he said.
In the Journal, Ezeibe stated that “possession of
both negative and positive electrical charges makes
AMS a broad spectrum antiviral medicine.”
“AMS, if used in combination of selected antibiotics
and immune stimulant may achieve a ‘cure’ for
HIV,” the lead researcher of the work said.
“When a significant number of particles of invading
viruses adsorb onto its (AMS) molecules instead of
onto their hosts cells, viral infections are
terminated,” Ezeibe noted.
The author noted also that “Adsorbing out HIV
means that millions of new virions usually released
from each infected cell would be inhibited from
establishing new infections in more cells,” adding,
“Thus, HIV would be prevented from overwhelming
the body immune systems and the Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) stage may be
prevented.which case Ezeibe said a cure could be
achieved.

BREAKING NEWS: Blaszczykowski confirms cruciate ligament rupture

Borussia Dortmund winger
Jakub Blaszczykowski has
confirmed that he ruptured
cruciate ligaments in his left
knee against Augsburg.
The Poland captain went down after a heavy
challenge in the second minute and was replaced by
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with just six minutes
gone.
After a scan on Sunday, Blaszczykowski took to his
Facebook account to confirm that the news was as
bad as expected and will now miss the remainder of
the season.
With a picture of his leg being supported by a doctor,
the Pole wrote: "Unfortunately, the assumption has
been confirmed: it is a cruciate ligament injury. On
Thursday I will have surgery and then the struggle for
my comeback begins!"
Die Schwarzgelben can ill-afford to lose the Pole after
their indifferent form continued against Augsburg, with
the visitors twice coming from behind to secure a 2-2
draw at the Signal Iduna Park.
BVB boss Jurgen Klopp was left to bemoan his side's
misfortune after the game, commenting on
Blaszczykowski's injury by lamenting that Borussia
"have only had bad news" so far this season.
The Borussians have lost further ground on leaders
Bayern Munich, sitting third in the Bundesliga with 33
points from 18 games, 14 behind the leaders.

PDP Govs condemn APC’s call for non approval of 2014 Budget

GOVERNORS elected on the platform of
the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP yesterday
lampooned the leadership of All Progressives
Congress, APC for instructing its members in the
National Assembly to stall the passage of the 2014
budget, and screening of the newly nominated
ministerial candidates, describing the action as
unfortunate, unpatriotic and unwarranted.
Addressing Journalists yesterday night at the end of
the meeting which took place at the Katsina
Government House, Chairman of PDP governors
Forum and Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill
Akpabio who noted that it was the opinion of PDP
governors that all the names sent to the Senate by
President Goodluck Jonathan be screened and
cleared, warned that the National Assembly must be
allowed to carry out it’s constitutional role without
any undue interference from any individual or group
of individuals.
It will be recalled thatAPC leaders had on Thursday
directed its members in the national assembly to
stall the passage of the 2014 budget and the
confirmation of service chiefs.
According to him, what was required of the APC was
to support the President in his attempt to address
the challenges of the country especially that of
insecurity which the appointment of service chiefs
would help to solve and not a call that members of
APC at the National assembly should ensure that the
names were not cleared or the 2014 budget
approved.
Akpabio who noted that the governors hail the
appointment of Adamu Muazu as national Chairman
of PDP and efforts by President Jonathan to ensure
peace, however stressed that the new Chairman
has the capacity to ensure total unity in the party by
bringing everyone together, adding that he will lead
the party to victory in the 2015 Presidential election,
He disclosed that as part of moves to nip in the bud
the lingering political crisis in PDP, the PDP
governors have set up a reconciliation committee
that will work with the National leadership of the
party especially Adamu Muazu to help reconcile all
including governors Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers;
Ahmed Abdulfatih of Kwara; Rabiu Kwankwaso of
Kano; Aliyu Wammako of Sokoto and Murtala Nyako
of Adamawa as well as lawmakers, stakeholders
who dumped the PDP for APC.
Present were Governors of Delta, Abia, Niger, Kogi,
Kaduna, Cross River, the host governor, governor
Ibrahim Shema of Katsina, among others.

Gervinho warns Juventus: Scudetto race is far from over

Roma forward Gervinho has
sent a warning to Juventus
that his side should not yet
be discounted from the Serie
A title race.
The Bianconeri ended the capital club's unbeaten
league run with a resounding 3-0 win at the start of
January to move eight points clear at the top of the
table.
However, the Giallorossi exacted revenge with a 1-0
win in their Coppa Italia quarter-final, and Gervinho -
who scored the winner in Tuesday's clash - has
made it clear his side will continue to fight for the
Scudetto until the very end.
"Juve are very strong, but the season has a long way
to go yet," the former Arsenal man told Sky Sport
Italia.
"It's true they have a consistent advantage, but we'll
play the head-to-head game at the Stadio Olimpico
and we believe in the Scudetto .
"There are many games to go and the championship
is certainly not over."
Gervinho went on to praise the impact of coach Rudi
Garcia, claiming his old Lille boss has instilled a new
sense of confidence throughout the squad.
"Garcia is great because he manages to give every
single player confidence, involving them all in the
project," the 26-year-old added.

Falcao retains World Cup hope

Falcao has not given up hope
of featuring at the World Cup
despite suffering a serious
knee injury.
The Colombia international was carried from the field
on a stretcher during the Ligue 1 club's 3-0 triumph
over Monts d'Or Azergues in the Coupe de France on
Wednesday.
Monaco confirmed on Thursday that their record
signing will undergo surgery after scans revealed he
had damaged the anterior cruciate in his left knee.
The 27-year-old's hopes of playing at the World Cup
in Brazil later this year would appear to be over, but
Falcao is retaining hope of appearing at the
tournament.
"I want to thank all of you for your messages in the
last hours," he wrote on social networking
site Twitter .
"I have been touched by all the support and love of all
the people around the world.
"I am not going to hide that I am very sad. My heart is
destroyed. But I have faith (that I am) holding right
now to keep my dream alive to be at the World Cup.
"God makes the impossible possible. I believe in
Him."

Manchester City-led consortium take over Melbourne Heart

A consortium led by
Manchester City have taken
over Australian A-League
club Melbourne Heart .
The club sacked coach John Aloisi in December
following a disastrous start to the 2013-14 campaign,
replacing him with predecessor John van't Schip, and
only narrowly avoided setting a new record of 20
consecutive matches without a win after they the
Newcastle Jets last Friday.
But the struggling outfit are now set to receive an
enormous financial boost, and City CEO Ferran
Soriano is setting high targets for their new
acquisition.
"We are excited about the opportunity to make
Melbourne Heart one of the most successful football
clubs in Australia and throughout the region," Soriano
said in a statement.
"We believe the strong sports culture of Melbourne,
combined with the football and commercial expertise
within our consortium, will make for a powerful
combination both on and off the pitch."
According to joint statements released by City and
Heart, Van't Schip and the existing playing staff in
Melbourne are staying put for now, with no major
announcements being made until the middle of the
year.
"The first thing we must do is take the time to listen
and learn and then to develop our strategy for
strengthening the club over time," Soriano added.
Football Federation Australia chief executive David
Gallop said he was delighted with the announcement,
saying it shows how much the A-League is growing.
"Football has moved into the mainstream of Australian
sport and is ideally placed to benefit from the boom in
football across Asia," he said.
"Manchester City and their Australian partners have
made a strategic investment and I welcome them to
our growing competition. It's another sign that the
world is taking notice of Australian football."
Manchester City have also expanded into the USA,
joining forces with the New York Yankess to form
New York City FC, who are set to make their MLS
debut in 2015.

School principal, 6 other homosexuals stoned in Bauchi court

There was pandemonium at the Upper
Court 4 in Anguwan Jaki, Bauchi State, yesterday,
as an angry mob almost lynched seven suspected
homosexuals brought to court for trial.
One of the suspects was identified as the Principal
of a Government Secondary School in the state.
The development forced security personnel at the
court premises to rescue the suspects by firing
gunshots in the air and using teargas to disperse
the mob.
The suspects are Ibrahim Marafa, Shehu Adamu,
Yusuf Adamu, Aliyu Dalhatu, Abdulmalik Tanko,
Usman Sabo and Hazif Sabo Abubakar.
The angry mob hurled stones at the van carrying
them as it sped dangerously back to prison. A few
people sustained injuries in the process.
The suspects faced charges of allegedly engaging
in gay activities in Bauchi State, an action that
contravenes the Islamic laws which the state is
operating.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Haruna
Mohammed, said the suspects were arrested by the
Bauchi State Sharia Commission.
The atmosphere around the court was tense as the
suspects came out of the court with the mob
reigning abuses and pelting them with stones.
Earlier, inside the rowdy court, counsel to the Sharia
Commission, Danlami Ayuba, told the court that one
of the suspects was identified as Ibrahim Marafa,
the Principal of Government Secondary School,
Mainamaji.
When the case was slated for hearing, counsel to
the suspect, Abdul Musa, said he was not ready and
sought for bail for his client to enable them study
the charges. The bail application was rejected by
the counsel to the Sharia commission.
The presiding judge, El-Yaqub Aliyu, refused to
grant the bail and adjourned the case till Monday to
enable the prosecutors present their witness.
Similarly the State Sharia Commission counsel
paraded six other suspects. When their case was
mentioned, the presiding judge cautioned the Sharia
commission’s counsel to ensure that they had
proper evidence on the accused persons before
arraigning them.

Hat-trick hero Tello hails 'spectacular' Messi

t-t
Barcelona winger Cristian
Tello hailed team-mate
Lionel Messi as
"spectacular" after the
Argentine set up his hat-trick
in Wednesday's win over Levante .
Tello scored his first-ever treble for the Blaugrana as
they came from behind to win 4-1 in the first leg of
their Copa del Rey quarter-final.
Messi notched three assists in one game for the first
time for Barcelona as he made his 400th appearance
for the club, and Tello thanked the Argentine ace for
making his task in front of goal all the more easy.
"I'm very happy with the three goals, but above all the
victory," he was quoted as saying by Sport.
"The truth is I have to give thanks to Messi for leaving
me with just the goalkeeper to beat. It's spectacular
to have a player like that.
"The team went out well in the first half but the goal
affected us. The chances came, only the finishing was
lacking. In the second half we took them.
"It wasn't an easy game, the boss gave us
confidence. I work hard every day to continue getting
chances and to improve."
The second leg takes place at Camp Nou next week.

Swansea City - Tottenham Preview: Hosts desperate for points after winless run

Michael Laudrup's side have not won a Premier
League game since December 4 and face a Spurs
outfit who are unbeaten in the top flight since the
appointment of Tim Sherwood

A run of seven Premier
League games without a win
has left Swansea City
desperate to pick up three
points against Tottenham on
Sunday.
The dismal streak, broken up somewhat by a
memorable 2-1 FA Cup victory over Manchester
United at Old Trafford a fortnight ago, sees Michael
Laudrup's men sit just three points clear of the
Premier League relegation zone.
The likes of West Ham and Crystal Palace, who both
play on Saturday, could heap the pressure on
Swansea to get a result at the Liberty Stadium - and
recent history does not read in their favour.


Source: Goal.com

Wenger: I rate Berbatov but there's no Arsenal bid

The Gunners boss admitted he admires the Bulgarian
but reiterated that he is not a January target, and
insists he is not close to signing anyone in this
window.
Arsene Wenger insists
Arsenal have made no bid for
Fulham striker Dimitar
Berbatov despite admitting
he admires the Bulgarian's
talent.
The Gunners were first linked with Berbatov at the
start of the month as injuries to Olivier Giroud and
Nicklas Bendtner left Wenger extremely light of
options up front.
Goal revealed on Thursday that north London rivals
Tottenham are eyeing a January move for the
Bulgarian as they look to bolster their own attacking
ranks, but Wenger is adamant he has made no move.
"Do I rate Berbatov as a player? Highly. Have we
made any approach to sign him? No," he added.
In October it was revealed that Wenger has agreed
the terms of a new contract to keep him at Arsenal
until the summer of 2016, and he has now hinted he
will stay.
"There's a point where you decide and a point where
you make it public," he said. "You can take that
sentence how you want."

I Go Dye becomes UN Ambassador

Top humour merchant and one of Africa’s
most successful comedians, Francis
Agoda, popularly known as I Go Dye, isn’t
to be addressed any more like an
ordinary individual. The Edo State-born
comedian has had the appellation of
‘Ambassador’ added to his name. At
least, that is the verdict of the United
Nations who bestowed on him the honour
of a United Nations Millennium
Development Goal Ambassador.
The
honour which was presented to him some
days ago was in part, a mandate to
further propagation of the United Nations
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
According to the top rated comedian, who
is renown for his philanthropic gestures,
the honour is an added boost for him to
continue the good works of life for the
good of the humankind. Brimming with
smiles, he said “I feel honoured with this
honour, but it will be more gratifying to
me, when I will see that our leaders create
opportunities for youths to be gainfully
employed. Because as at today, millions
of Africans are suffering, and faced with
uncertainty. The future seems vague and
no hope in sight”.
I Go Dye joins other entertainers like
Benita Nzeribe, D’Banj, Sunny Nneji, J.
Martins, Adokiye, and many others as UN
Ambassadors but I Go Dye is a well
known advocate for good leadership
towards eradication of poverty.

'Unity bank promo not a lottery'

The Head, North West zone of the bank,
Lawan Sayyadi has said that Unity bank’s  promo
was not a lottery he said this Wednesday when a
middle aged wife of Kano based Journalist identified
as Hasiya Bello Makama emerged the star winner
of the Unity Bank Savings Promo for North West
Zone.
Hasiya Makama who is non academic staff of
Bayero University Kano went home with a brand
new Kia car, valued at N1.8m, at the ceremony
organized by the Bank.The promo that was tagged
“Aim, Save and Win” attracted customers across
the 7 state of the north west .
Presenting the car key to the winner, Head, North
West zone of the bank, Lawan Sayyadi explained
that the exercise was initiated to inculcate the
culture of savings, pointing out that “the exercise
was not a lottery, but rather a way of saying thank
you to customers.”
Mr.Sayyadi said that the Savings Promo was also
an opportunity for existing customers and
prospective customers of the bank to grow any of
their savings accounts by a minimum amount for a
period of 45 days.
He revealed that, “…in return they stand a chance to
win fantastic prizes, cars, sound proof generators,
scholarships for kids, LED TVs, empowerment tools
for artisans and lots more.”
Sayyadi further disclosed that in line with their
corporate social responsibility, the bank built many
schools across the zone, adding that a number of
prison inmates were trained on skilled job to live a
better life outside gulag.
The highly elated  house wife of the Public Relations
Officer of the Kano state Ministry of Finance,
Muhammad Galadima, thanked God the Almighty for
giving her the chance to win the promo.
Mrs. Makama revealed that she opened a saving
account with the bank fourteen years ago, maintain
that “ it was a gift I rarely expect and I so much
treasure and appreciate mercy from God”.
Consolation prizes won by several other customers
include motor bicycle, LED TV set, school bags and
umbrella.  Also on the prize table was the sum of
N1m scholarship scheme for school children.

De Bruyne undergoes Wolfsburg medical

Chelsea winger Kevin De
Bruyne has undergone a
medical ahead of his January
move to Wolfsburg.
The Belgium international
has found it hard to break into the Blues first team
after returning to the club from a loan spell at Werder
Bremen last summer.
He has been heavily linked with a return to the
Bundesliga and Vfl sporting director Klaus Allofs, who
brought him to the Weserstadion last term, says his
move is imminent.
"We are nearing the completion," he told Allgemeine
Zeitung .
Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has
confirmed that the 22-year-old will soon be leaving
Stamford Bridge.
"Kevin De Bruyne is more than probably leaving. It's
not closed but it's close," he told reporters at a press
conference.
De Bruyne, who is expected to fetch Chelsea around
€20 million, is likely to be presented to Wolfsburg fans
on Sunday.

APC governors meet in Lagos

State governors in the All Progressives
Congress (APC) on Thursday night in Lagos urged
the National Assembly to see the ongoing
realignment going on there as normal.
Reading the commuique after holding a meeting,
Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo, said the governors
wanted the two houses in the assembly to protect
the rights and privileges of members to choose
parties of their choice.
Okorocha, who is the Chairman, APC Governors
Forum, said the forum also wanted the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make
adequate preparations for the forthcoming polls in
Ekiti and Osun.
According to Okorocha, the governors want INEC to
ensure that the elections are free and fair.
He said that the forum was also concerned about
recent developments in Rivers in relation to the
reported cases of police brutality.
Okorocha said that the forum was unhappy with the
conduct of the police in the state.
The governor, in his own comments on the
resignation of the national chairman of the Peoples’
Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, told
journalists that it would not affect the gains of the
APC.
He said that none of those who defected to the APC
would go back to the PDP, even with Tukur’s exit.
“The reason why they left was not because of
Tukur, they left because PDP has not fulfilled the
aspirations of the people, ” he said
NAN reports that Govs. Babatunde Fashola of
Lagos, Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti),Rauf Aregbesola
(Osun), Tanko Al Makura (Nasarawa) and Ibikunle
Amosun (Ogun) were among those at the meeting.
Gov. Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) and Gov. Abiola
Ajimobi (Oyo ) were also present.(NAN)

'The power is unbelievable' - Henry, Fabregas and Reus test PUMA's new evoPower

PUMA release stunning footage of three
superstars of world football testing their new
evoPOWER boot.

PUMA revealed their new
evoPOWER boot to the world
of football on January 17
along with a spectacular new
video showing some of the
game’s biggest stars
involved in the testing process.
Filmed at secret testing centres in Barcelona and
Dortmund, Cesc Fabregas and Marco Reus take shots
wearing the new footwear - with extraordinary
results.
Former Arsenal and Barcelona striker Thierry Henry,
meanwhile, is provided with unique insight into the
technology behind the boots from a PUMA expert.
“Control and accuracy, with that power, is
unmatched,” the technician tells Henry.
“The power, it’s unbelievable,” replies the Frenchman.
Asked whether the game is ready for evoPOWER,
Henry adds: “I believe so. Let's put the boots to the
final test.“

Britain, France warn over rape threat in India

Britain and France have
revised their travel advisories for India to warn
visitors about the risk of sexual attacks following
two new rape cases involving German and Danish
tourists in recent weeks.
A 51-year-old Danish tourist was robbed and gang-
raped at knife-point in New Delhi on Tuesday after
she lost the way back to her hotel and stopped to
ask directions near the backpacker’s area of the
city.
A day before, an 18-year-old German charity
worker told police in southern India she had been
raped on an overnight train by an Indian passenger.
“Women travellers should exercise caution when
travelling in India even if they are travelling in a
group,” the British advisory posted on the
government website said.
The French foreign office also advised its citizens to
exercise “utmost caution” in an advisory updated
on Thursday.
“Several recent incidents show that foreign women
or expatriates can be the victims of such incidents
in India,” it said.
In early January, a 33-year-old Polish woman was
allegedly drugged and raped as she travelled to the
Indian capital in a taxi with her two-year-daughter.
The series of attacks have shone a fresh spotlight
on the country’s record on sexual violence and its
reputation as a dangerous destination for foreign
female travellers.
On Friday, police in southern Chennai told AFP that a
22-year-old carpenter arrested over the rape of the
German traveller had been remanded in custody for
15 days.
The teenaged victim told police she had taken an
overnight train on January 10 from the southern
port of Mangalore to Chennai and was sleeping on a
lower berth when she was attacked by a fellow
passenger.
In the Danish gang-rape case, three men have been
arrested and police are seeking another five
suspects.
In December 2012, a 23-year-old student was
gang-raped on a moving bus in the capital in an
attack that sent shock waves across the nation. She
later died of her injuries.
Though cases of sexual violence against foreigners
are not new, the attention on rape in the national
media has shone on a light on the frequency of
attacks across the country.
Three Nepalese men were handed life sentences
last month for raping a US tourist, while six Indians
were handed similar punishment last July over the
gang-rape of a Swiss cyclist.

Manchester City quadruple a matter of time- Kompany

The Belgian believes Manuel Pellegrini's men will win
four trophies in a single season sooner or later, and
hailed the Chilean's attacking focus since arriving in
the summer.
Vincent Kompany believes
Manchester City will win four
major trophies in a
campaign, even if they
cannot do it this season.
City put one foot in the Capital One Cup final last week
when they thrashed West Ham 6-0 in the first leg of
their semi-final, while they also qualified for the FA
Cup fourth round with a 5-0 win over Blackburn
Rovers on Wednesday, sit second in the Premier
League and remain in contention in the Champions
League.

Dozens hurt by bomb at Thai protest march

A bomb attack
wounded dozens of people at an opposition protest
march in Thailand’s capital on Friday, sending
tensions soaring following weeks of mass rallies
aimed at overthrowing the government.
The kingdom has been periodically rocked by
political bloodshed since former prime minister
Thaksin Shinawatra was overthrown by royalist
generals in a coup seven years ago.
His sister, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, has
faced more than two months of street
demonstrations aimed at forcing her government
from office and installing an unelected “people’s
council”.
The authorities and the demonstrators both blamed
each other for the blast, which was apparently
caused by a grenade-type device thrown from a
nearby building.
The anti-government movement said the explosion
happened shortly before rally leader Suthep
Thaugsuban was due to pass.
“The bomb went off about 30 metres (100 feet) from
Suthep,” protest spokesman Akanat Promphan told
AFP. “Then his bodyguards escorted him back to a
rally stage.”
Television footage showed several people lying on
the ground as ambulances rushed away the
wounded. Protesters were seen searching nearby
buildings for the attackers.
The city’s Erawan emergency centre said 31 people
were hurt, including one with severe injuries.
Eight people have been killed and hundreds
wounded in street violence since the protests
began.
Demonstrators, backed by the country’s royalist
establishment, have occupied major intersections in
the capital since Monday in what they have dubbed
the “Bangkok shutdown”.
There have been a series of drive-by shootings at
rally sites and grenade attacks on the houses of
opposition politicians that both the demonstrators
and the government have blamed on each other.
“Yingluck must take responsibility,” one of the
protest leaders, Satit Wonghnongtaey, said on stage
soon after the blast.
“This government, Yingluck and Red Shirt thugs are
creating violence,” he said, referring to a rival pro-
Thaksin protest movement whose rallies in 2010
were suppressed in a bloody military crackdown.
The government and the Red Shirts denied the
claim, saying the protesters were trying to incite
violence.
“A movement has been set up to create a situation
of bomb attacks against leaders’ houses and
protesters,” Deputy Prime Minister Surapong
Tovichakchaikul told reporters.
The government has urged police to detain rally
leader Suthep, who faces an insurrection charge —
in theory punishable by death — in connection with
the protests.
Yingluck’s supporters fear the attacks aim to
provoke another military or judicial coup to remove
her from power.
The protests were triggered by a failed amnesty bill
that could have allowed her brother Thaksin to
return without going to jail for a past corruption
conviction.
The demonstrators accuse the billionaire telecoms
tycoon-turned-politician of controlling his sister’s
government from his base in Dubai.
Thaksin has strong electoral support in northern
Thailand, but he is reviled by many southerners,
Bangkok’s middle class and members of the
royalist establishment.
Yingluck has called an election for February 2 in an
effort to defuse the deepening crisis but the main
opposition Democrat Party is boycotting the polls,
which they fear will only return the Shinawatra
family to power.
“I think the election will be the answer,” Yingluck
told foreign reporters on Friday before the blast,
saying that her family was “one of the victims”.
“We just do our job. So that is why (an) election will
be the only way to clear out our family,” she said.
Yingluck is also facing several legal moves which
experts say could potentially bring down her
government.
On Thursday the National Anti-Corruption
Commission launched an investigation into possible
negligence of duty by Yingluck in connection with a
controversial subsidy scheme for rice farmers.

Real Madrid will need 100 points to win La Liga

Jose Mourinho was
euphoric. "When I am gone,
you won't be able to forget me," he told the media. "I
will be remembered as the coach who won 100 points
and this Madrid team will go down in history as the
team that won 100 points."
Real Madrid romped to a first title in four years in
Mourinho's second season at the club and the
Portuguese pictured the start of something special.
However, one year on and his side not only lost out to
Barcelona in La Liga, but Tito Vilanova's team rubbed
salt in the wounds as they matched the Special One's
special achievement by winning with 100 points
themselves.
Both Vilanova and Mourinho have since left their
respective posts but, in their absence, the title looks
set to be won once more with a century of points. At
the halfway stage, Gerardo Martino's Barcelona and
Diego Simeone's Atletico are both on target with 50
points apiece following their teams' goalless draw at
the Vicente Calderon last weekend, while Carlo
Ancelotti's Real Madrid sit just three back, with 47,
after their 19 fixtures.

Puma launch high performance evoPOWER boot

Puma have announced the
launch of evoPOWER, their
new boot that will be worn by
stars such as Cesc
Fabregas, Marco Reus and
Mario Balotelli as Europe's
major leagues reach an exciting conclusion.
Launched in Barcelona on January 17, the evoPOWER
is designed to enhance a player's natural kicking
ability, and also optimise power and accuracy when
striking the ball.
EvoPOWER features Puma's most advanced
technology to date, including the Gradual Stability
Frame (GSF), which allows the boot to bend both ways
and be as close to the biomechanics of a bare foot as
possible.
Fabregas and Reus assisted Puma in the testing of
the new footwear, to prove the power and accuracy of
the new design.
Barcelona star Fabregas said: “Taking inspiration for
a football boot from an actual foot sounds like the
most obvious thing in the world, but in all the time I’ve
spent in football, it’s the first time I’ve heard of this
being done.
"When you try on these new boots, they are actually
quite different to what we have worn before. They are
so much more flexible - the way they bend with the
natural shape of your foot really helps you to shoot
harder.”
Borussia Dortmund attacker Reus added: “Shooting
from distance is a key part of my game, in open play
and free kicks. Having a boot that maximises power
in these instances is necessary to help you capitalise
on these moments, and this evoPOWER boot gives
me a lot of confidence.
"I like the thought behind it and have tested it a lot.
You can feel a genuine difference – so much so, it
actually surprised me. This is a very exciting new
boot PUMA have created.”
Balotelli was delighted with the feel of the boot,
stating: “I’m new to the Puma family, and the football
boots they produce were one of the reasons for me
signing the deal. The evoPOWER boot impressed me
from the first day I tried it in training, I hadn’t really
seen a boot like it before. What Puma say about it is
true: the flexibility helps create a better contact with
the ball and generate really good shooting power.”
The evoPOWER boot and the full range of evoPOWER
accessories and apparel are launched on February 1.

I can't stop PDP members from defecting to APC- Tambuwal

Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal has said that he cannot stop
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members in the
House from defecting to All Progressives Congress,
APC.
Tambuwal spoke as the former Chief Justice of
Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore said that Nigeria made
a costly mistake by adopting the American
presidential system of government.
Belgore speaks
Belgore who was the Chairman at the 11th Daily
Trust Dialogue yesterday in Abuja in his remarks
also deplored high level of impunity and corruption
in the country.
He said: “We made a great mistake by trying to
copy the United States of America, when culturally
and fundamentally we are different from USA
citizens. A lot of anomalies exist in our constitution.
“Our country is known as Federal Republic of
Nigeria. This is an anomaly. We have Igwes, Obas,
Alafins, and Emirs, who are very relevant to our
peaceful co-existence. We do not need to copy
America to grow as a country.
“Nigeria can have a constitution that can survive, if
we look inwards, culture, manner and way of life.
We must have a re-look at our past, liaise it with
the present so that we can build a powerful future.
Impunity and corruption
“Due to constant changes in governance, Nigeria
has never experienced stability to allow it move
rapidly forward. There is impunity and corruption in
high places, which have led to instability.” He
pointed out that “no two democracies are the same,
whether presidential or parliamentary.’’
Belgore said the problem with Nigeria was
corruption, saying some chief judges were now
romancing with their governors.
*Tambuwal
“Some chief judges don’t even sit at all. They follow
the governors all about. The governor will be
opening a clinic in a village and you will read in the
newspapers the next day that he was ‘accompanied
by the Chief Judge’. These things should not be
happening at all.
“People who should not be lawyers are now made
Senior Advocate, it is disastrous.
“Nigeria is richly blessed with natural resources
and highly populated with very literate people but
are constrained by constant attempts by some
foreign powerful countries to destabilise it and
make it very difficult to govern,” he lamented.
Tambuwal
Also speaking at the Dialogue, Speaker of the House
of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal said he
cannot stop members of the PDP in the House from
defecting to other political parties.
Tambuwal spoke through the deputy spokesperson
of the House, Victor Ogene on the theme,
“Incumbency and impunity in politics-safeguarding
our democracy beyond 2015.”
He faulted those that criticised reading the letter
written by members who defected from the PDP to
the APC that it was an “encouragement of impunity.”
Tambuwal said: “All of us know that no fewer than
four governors had defected from their political
parties and issues were not made out of it. If some
members representing different federal
constituency decide to defect, I don’t think it is right
for anybody to expect Mr. Speaker not to read the
correspondences that comes to his table. He is first
and foremost an embodiment and expression of the
will of all members of the house.”
Other speakers
In their different presentations, former President of
the Civil Liberties Organisation, Ms. Ayo Obe; former
Chairman of the Transition Monitoring group, Festus
Okoye and a senior fellow at Centre for Democracy,
Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim expressed fears over the
success of the 2015 general elections.
Okoye said the present dangers facing the country
ahead of the 2015 general elections were “the
empowering of militant groups and elements, the
influx of small arms, the official backing of oil
thieves, insurgency and the deliberate and
contrived creation of an atmosphere of fear and
insecurity.
“This is self-evident in the acts and utterances of
some incumbents and their cronies suggesting that
they will ‘break the pot’ if they perceive that they
may not win the 2015 elections.
“Conversely, there is the desperation of those that
want to be incumbents in 2015 using desperate
means and measures to get to power and they are
also ready to break the pot if they cannot win.”
With the recent events in the country, Obe warned
that the season of political violence might be lurking
in the corner.
“As we face 2015, it seems as though the Jonathan
presidency has been more engaged in battling local
terrorism gone international in the form of Boko
Haram and the issue of political murder has not
regained the heights it attained in the past; but as
we approach the next round of elections, the early
alarm raised by the Northern
Governors Forum over the Kwankwaso attack
betrays a nervousness that the season of election-
oriented political violence may be stirring again.
“Particularly now, that in some cases, it will be
possible to hide political assassination under cover
of terrorist attack.”
Obe noted that the intervention of Jonathan when
Dokubo was arrested in Benin Republic had further
strengthened the belief that Dokubo was enjoying
the protection of presidency in making inflammatory
remarks.
“When one considers the kind of mild comments for
which the likes of former FCT Minister, Nasir el-
Rufai or Dr. Emmanuel Fashakin have been detained
for questioning by the secuiryt agencies, it is
difficult for ordinary citizens to reach any other
conclusion than that Dokubo is enjoying the kind of
impunity that only the certainty of protection
afforded by the incumbent can provide.
“We do not know at this point, whether President
Jonathan will contest in 2015, or whether the
Nigerian people will vote for him if he emerges as
the presidential candidate of his party in the coming
elections.
“But the impunity enjoyed by Dokubo which cannot
be separated from the powers of the president with
regard to the security agencies leaves little
opportunity for those who might wish to distinguish
the electoral fortunes of the President from
Dokubo’s utterances.”
Obe warned that if nothing was done to address the
ills in Nigeria, they were likely to become worse and
could “create the fertile ground in which a thousand
lesser acts of wrongdoing will flourish”.
“So if we want to secure democracy beyond 2015, I
suggest that we need to take action on these
cancers now”, she added.