Arsene Wenger backs Arsenal to win Premier League title

Arsenal's French manager Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger insists his boys have grown into men after backing English Premier League leader Arsenal to maintain its impressive title challenge in the new year.

Wenger's team has 42 points at the halfway point of the season and returned to the top of the table following a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Newcastle United at St James' Park on Sunday.

Seven of the last nine clubs to head into the new year at the summit have gone on to win the English title in May.

Wenger refused to let himself get carried away after a win that showed his side has the physical and mental attributes to match its undoubted technical skills.

But the Frenchman admits he was impressed by his players' resilience as they coped

admirably with the absence of Mesut Ozil, who Arsenal hopes will only be out in the short-term through injury.

After Olivier Giroud's 11th goal of the season sealed victory, Gunners manager Wenger said: ''Newcastle provided us with a big physical challenge, which we stood up to.

''We showed another aspect of our game today - our resilience. We threw our bodies on the line. Technically we were good but we showed a strong mentality.

''There's something in the team that's special on that front. We've been questioned many times about that but we showed our strength.

''There's a great solidarity and strength in the side. Maybe in past years the young age of the players counted against us in resisting the kind of pressure we were put under here, especially in the final 15 minutes.''

Reflecting on his team's efforts this year, Wenger added: ''We finished well last season and if you look at the bigger picture in 2013 we've been very consistent.

''We believe in ourselves and we're determined to give our best.''

Wenger ruled out an improved January bid for Yohan Cabaye, the Newcastle midfielder who impressed against an Arsenal side in the pre-season.

Newcastle missed a chance to return to the top six after slipping to only its second defeat in 10 games.

W ill Arsenal win Premier League title?

Food Talk: Tomatoes may ‘reduce breast cancer risk’

Eating a diet rich in tomatoes may help protect at-risk postmenopausal women from breast cancer, according to US researchers.

Their study found eating a diet high in tomatoes had a positive effect on the level of hormones that play a role in regulating fat and sugar metabolism.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, examined the effects of tomato-rich and soy-rich diets in a group of 70 postmenopausal women.

For 10 weeks, the women ate tomato products containing at least 25 milligrams of lycopene daily. For a separate 10-week period, the participants consumed at least 40 grams of soy protein daily.

Before each test period began, the women were instructed to abstain from eating both tomato and soy products for two weeks.

When they followed the tomato-rich diet, levels of adiponectin – a hormone involved in regulating blood sugar and fat levels – climbed by 9%. The soy diet was linked to a reduction in adiponectin levels.

Lead author Adana Llanos, assistant professor of epidemiology at Rutgers University, said: “The advantages of eating plenty of tomatoes and tomato-based products, even for a short period, were clearly evident in our findings.

“Based on this data, we believe regular consumption of at least the daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables would promote breast cancer prevention in an at-risk population,” she said.

“The findings demonstrate the importance of obesity prevention,” she added.

Armed youths in DR Congo take state TV journalists hostage

Reporters from Congolese state television RTNC were taken hostage in Kinshasa on Monday by armed youths, police said.

"They are armed with machetes and guns. They have taken reporters hostage. An operation is under way to dislodge them," police spokesman colonel Mwana Mputu told AFP.

Before the station's television feed was cut, two young presenters were seen on screen, appearing frightened but calm, with a young man standing behind them seemingly threatening them.

Residents reported hearing gun shots ringing out from around the RTNC building.

"There's panic in the city, people are asking what is happening," a local resident told AFP, adding that he had seen police and military officers deploy around the RTNC building and the nearby Congolese parliament building.

ARIK MAKES HISTORY, ACQUIRES NEW AIRCRAFT ON 7TH ANNIVERSARY

Arik Air made history recently with the delivery of its 7th Bombardier aircraft while marking its seventh anniversary, bringing its fleet to a total of 26 modern aircraft.

 

The airline's Bombardier is the first new aircraft into Nigeria, 20 years after the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited brought its last airplane into the country. Also Arik is the first of the existing operators to fly to New York, more than 10 years after the last Nigerian carrier landed in the United States.

 

Today, it is the only Nigerian carrier that operates long haul destinations and from all indications, the airline is poised to expand its international operation with the delivery of more aircraft.

 

The ceremony to mark the arrival of the aircraft and 7th anniversary of the company, which took place in Lagos, attracted financiers, aircraft manufacturers, international airlines and technical partners.

 

Arik Air used the anniversary event to showcase the new Bombardier CRJ 1000 NG aircraft which flew in from the Bombardier factory in Canada to its hangar at the airport.

 

Group  CEO, Arik Air,  Dr. Michael Arumemi-Ikhide said: "From our humble beginnings seven years ago, Arik’s quest to transform (for the good) the flying experience within our great nation has seen us spread our wings across 19 domestic destinations, eight West and Central African routes, and three long-haul markets covering South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.”

 

According to him,  they remain  conscious of the great work before them, and stand poised to boldly take up the noble challenge laid down by  their chairman,  they are, nevertheless, humbled and encouraged by their  achievements to date including their  ascent to  the  status as Nigeria’s and West Africa’s premier indigenous carrier.

 

He said mindful of the enormous challenge before the airline, he said  the aspiration of the Arik Air is to continue to expand and also actualise its objective of being a global player that would grow in tandem with the ever growing Nigeria’s travelling public.

 

“We remain conscious of the global challenge in the sector and we want to develop the industry not only in Nigeria, but in the West African continent. I want to appreciate friends and colleagues and business partners who have stood behind us for several years. We want to improve the quality of flying and improve the economy of the country. Presently, we have 26 aircraft in our fleet with 70 per cent of them brand new,” he said.

 

Also speaking at the event, Chief of Staff to the President,  Chief Mike Ogiadomhe said that government would continue to support the aviation sector, considering its important in the economy of the country.

 

“We will continue to do what we have to do to make the Nigerian aviation industry compete with those we have in the developed world. We will continue to provide efficient infrastructure and improve safety in the sector. We also want to commend the strategic partners in the sector for helping to grow the sector and early next year,” he said.

 

Former Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia said Arik Air made history with its partnerships, pointing out that its relationship with Lufthansa Technic made the airline and international brand.

He added that  since the airline started operation it has been successful and hoped that it would continue to grow to become one of the few outstanding carriers in Africa.

Nigeria: Did You know? ..IITA Researchers Grow Yam in the Air

Researchers at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have come up with soilless yam propagation as they have successfully grown seed yams in the air using aeroponics technology.

The fete is raising hopes and more options for the propagation of virus- and disease-free planting materials.

In preliminary trials, Dr Norbert Maroya, Project Manager for the Yam Improvement for Incomes and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA) project at IITA, together with a team of scientists successfully propagated yam by directly planting vine cuttings in Aeroponics System (AS) boxes to produce mini-tubers in the air.

Aeroponics System is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium. The technology is widely used by commercial potato seed producers in eastern Africa - like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Southern Africa like Mozambique, Malawi - but successfully growing yam on aeroponics is a novelty for rapidly multiplying the much needed clean seed yam tubers in large quantities.

"With this approach we are optimistic that farmers will begin to have clean seed yams for better harvest," Dr Maroya said

Preliminary results showed that vine rooting in Aeroponics System had at least 95% success rate compared to vine rooting in carbonized rice husk with a maximum rate of 70%. Rooting time was much shorter in aeroponics.

Aeroponics is coming at an opportune time for African farmers. Traditionally, seed yam production is expensive and inefficient. Farmers save about 25 to 30% of their harvest for planting the same area in the following season, meaning less money in their pockets.

Moreover, these saved seeds are often infested with pathogens that significantly reduce farmers' yield year after year.

However with an established Aeroponics System for seed yam propagation at the premises of an interested private investor, seed company or humanitarian nongovernmental organization; yam producers can have access to clean seed yams.

The soilless yam propagation system will increase the productivity of seed and ware yam and effectively reduce diseases and pests incidence and severity (no soilborne or vector-transmitted pests and diseases during the vegetative phase).

Dr Robert Asiedu, IITA Director for Western Africa described the results as "impressive." "Yam is an important crop in Africa and addressing the seeds' constraint will go a long way in improving the livelihoods of farmers who depend on the crop for their livelihood," he added.

In conducting the aeroponics trial, a special structure was built in an existing screen house with Dixon shelf frames using perforated styrofoam box, as support for plant vines, while the developing roots of the plants in the air were enclosed in conditions of total darkness to simulate the situation of soil to the roots. For the plant and tuber to develop, an automated power house system was established for atomizing periodically nutrient enriched water solution in the form of mist to feed the plants.

Ma Christmas Hampers to You

      From Me, Myself and I to YOU!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Nigeria: BPE Says Refineries Privatisation Not Started Yet

The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) yesterday said the privatisation of refineries will only commence after the steering committee chaired by the Minister of Petroleum Resources meets to provide the guidelines for the transaction.

The Bureau said labour unions are critical stakeholders in the privatisation process and their consent will be sought before the exercise begin, the Bureau's spokesman, Chigbo Anichebe, said in the statement.

An earlier statement issued by the Bureau announced President Goodluck Jonathan's approval for the commencement of the privatisation of the nation's four refineries by the BPE.

The refineries are: Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited I and II; Kaduna Refining & Petrochemical Company Limited (KRPC); and Warri Refining & Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPC).

The President, according to the statement, also approved the constitution of a Steering Committee on the privatisation to be chaired by the Minister of Petroleum Resources and Ministers of Finance, Power, Labour, National Planning, Mines and Steel Development, Justice and as members.

Others include: Chairman of the Extractive Sub Committee of the NCP, SA to the Vice President on Economy, Group Managing Director of NNPC, Director General of BPE, Group Executive Director (Refineries), NNPC; MDs of Refineries Scheduled for Privatization ,and Director (Oil and Gas), BPE.

The Committee's terms of reference include among others, to advise the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) on the best way to privatise the refineries, propose modalities and make recommendations to NCP on labour matters to ensure the successful privatization of the refineries.

NIgeria says 70 killed in battle with Islamist group

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's military said on Tuesday it had killed 50 Islamist rebels as they tried to cross the border into Cameroon, engaging them in a battle on Monday in which 15 of their own troops and five civilians also died.

Nigerian forces have stepped up a military offensive in the volatile northeast in the past few days, after their barracks in the town of Bama came under attack from Boko Haram fighters armed with grenade launchers and anti-aircraft guns on Friday.

The military often says it has inflicted significant casualties on insurgents, while rarely admitting losses among its own troops or civilians. It is usually not possible to verify casualties in the remote areas where fighting occurs.

Defence spokesman Brigadier General Chris Olukolade said the assault targeted insurgents behind the Bama attack and that 20 vehicles used in that raid had been spotted from the air and destroyed.

"Although a good number of the insurgents escaped with bullet wounds, while some have been arrested, over 50 of them died in the course of exchange of fire with ground troops in the operations to apprehend fleeing terrorists," he said.

President Goodluck Jonathan last month extended a state of emergency in areas worst affected by the insurgency.

A military offensive since May had initially wrested control of large parts of the northeast from the Islamists, but they retreated into the hilly area of Gwoza, near the border with Cameroon, from where they have launched deadly counter-attacks.

Ooooh, not again! 

An explosives-laden truck maybe behind Mansoura blasts: Security source

An Egyptian policeman stands guard at the scene of an explosion at a police headquarters building that killed at least a dozen people, wounded more than 100 (Photo: AP)

A high-profile Ministry of Interior security source told MENA that primary information indicates the usage of a truck containing explosive materials in the blast that took place earlier today in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura.

The security source said a massive amount of high explosives was used in the incident, pointing out that experts are still examining the site of the blast to determine whether the vehicle had been remotely detonated or exploded through a timer.

About the injuries, a security source said 71 injured – among whom are 56 police officers – are currently being treated at the Mansoura hospital, while the rest have been discharged after obtaining primary medical aid.

The blast killed 13 and injured 134 in what appears to be the worst terrorist attack on a government site since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July.

Eight policemen, a civilian and three unidentified individuals are among the dead, Egypt's Interior Ministry said in a statement.

   

Hmmm, too sad.

Airplane’s Wing Collides With Building in Johannesburg Before Takeoff

NBC News has reported that a British Airways commercial flight bound for London failed to make it off the tarmac in Johannesburg on Sunday night after one of the craft’s wings slammed into a building near the runaway.

Harriet Tolputt, a representative for international aid agency Oxfam who was on the flight, reported via Twitter that no passengers had sustained injuries during the incident.

Europe keen on buying gas from Iran: Iranian diplomat

A senior Iranian diplomat says European countries want to purchase natural gas from Iran following a breakthrough nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in November.

“We can sell our gas to Turkey or Europe. After nuclear talks, Europe is very eager to buy gas from Iran,” Ebrahim Rahimpour, Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs, said Monday.
In November, Iran and the Sextet of world powers clinched a deal for the resolution of Tehran’s nuclear issue.
Under the deal, the six powers have agreed to lift some of the existing sanctions against the Islamic Republic in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period. It was also agreed that no more sanctions would be imposed on Iran within the same timeframe.
Earlier this month, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said five European countries are planning to purchase Iran’s natural gas through a major pipeline that Tehran plans to construct.
On November 26, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu expressed his country’s preparedness to assume the role of an energy corridor for Iran.
In October, Yildiz said Turkey would also raise its gas imports from Iran - currently standing at 10 billion cubic meters a year - if possible.
Yildiz stated that Turkey has seen its energy demand double over the past ten years and that it will double again in the next ten years.
Iran is Turkey’s second biggest gas supplier after Russia. Turkey uses a significant portion of its imported Iranian natural gas to generate electricity.

Nigerian leader accuses predecessor of harming national security

LAGOS - Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday accused one of his mentors and predecessors, Olusegun Obasanjo, of stirring up ethnic hatred against him and of threatening national security.

Obasanjo, twice president and a powerful political godfather who nurtured Jonathan's own rise to power, has progressively fallen out with the current president. In a letter leaked earlier this month he said it would be "morally flawed" for Jonathan to seek a second term in a 2015 poll.

"Your letter is clearly a threat to national security as it may deliberately or inadvertently set the stage for subversion," Jonathan told Obasanjo in a reply published in local media.

"It appears that your letter was designed to incite Nigerians from other geopolitical zones against me and also calculated to promote ethnic disharmony," he said.

The open criticism from Obasanjo, one of Nigeria's most high-profile figures, has deepened a rift within the ruling party over Jonathan's assumed plan to seek another term at the helm of Africa's second biggest economy and top oil exporter.

One week after Obasanjo's letter, some 37 lawmakers defected to the opposition coalition, giving it a slim majority in the lower house of parliament and delivering a blow to any re-election bid by Jonathan.

Jonathan has not said he will run, but his supporters note that he has a constitutional right to. That has upset ruling party northerners, who think it violates an unwritten rule that power should rotate each two terms between the largely Christian south and mostly Muslim north.

Jonathan is a southern Christian - as is Obasanjo - and he became president in 2010 after his predecessor, Umaru Yar'Adua, a northern Muslim, died just three years into his first term. 

The more divisive the election race, the more money is likely to be spent fighting it at a time when Nigeria's fiscal position normally slips, and the greater the risk of violence.

CRITICISM

In his criticism of Jonathan's record, Obasanjo echoed complaints often made by the president's detractors, for instance that he has failed to deal with an Islamist insurgency in the north by treating it purely as a security issue instead of tackling the underlying causes of poverty and isolation.

Jonathan retorted on Monday that his government has invested in alleviating poverty in the north, focusing on education, including the creation of nine northern universities.

The former president likened the current situation to the tenure of General Sani Abacha, whose five years of military rule in the 1990s were marred by human rights abuses and massive looting of funds from Africa's biggest oil producer.

Jonathan dismissed as "baseless" Obasanjo's allegation that he was "clandestinely acquiring weapons" as Abacha once did, in case he cannot secure another term of office by peaceful means.

The president also defended his record on corruption, noting it had flourished during both of Obasanjo's stints in office.

"The seed of corruption in this country was planted a long time ago, but we are doing all we can to drastically reduce (it)," Jonathan said, dismissing as "misconstrued" talk that billions of dollars have gone missing from the state oil firm.

Jonathan denied being biased in favor of his Ijaw ethnic group, a common criticism repeated by Obasanjo.

Despite the current discord in Nigeria's political elite, most analysts believe Jonathan would win the vote if he chooses to run, albeit with a weaker mandate.

Nigeria: Over 70 Percent Fail November/December WAEC Exams

Lagos — Over 70 percent of private candidates who participated in the November/December 2013 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) failed to obtain five credits including English Language and Mathematics.

Giving a breakdown of the results at a news conference in Lagos yesterday, Head of WAEC's National Office in Nigeria, Charles Eguridu, said though 296, 827 candidates sat for the examination, 299,784 of them representing 97.26 percent of the total number who wrote the examinations had their results fully processed and although 161, 721 candidates representing 54.48 percent obtained five credits and above, when narrowed down to those who have five credits and above including Mathematics and English Language which are key subjects, it was discovered that only 86,612 candidates, representing 29.17 percent actually passed the examinations while 70.83 percent failed.

"A total of 86,612 candidates representing 29.17 percent obtained credits in 5 subjects and above including English Language and Mathematics. Based on this, when compared to the November/ December 2011 and 2012 WASSCE (private) there is a marked decline in candidates' performance," Eguridu said.

Compared with the two previous exams, the result showed that there is a drastic fall in the performance of candidates. 139, 827 candidates representing 36.07 percent of those who sat for the same examination in 2011 got five credits including Mathematics and English Language while 150,615 candidates representing 37.97 percent who sat for the 2012 exams scored five credits including Mathematics and English Language. In other words, there is seven percent decline in the 2013 result when compared to 2011 and about nine percent decline when compared to the 2012 result. Eguridu said the mandate of the examination body does not extend to what could be responsible for failure in its examinations but to serve as a public assessor.

However in a post-briefing interview, the WAEC boss cited factors such as under funding of the education sector, lack of qualitative teaching, parents' nonchalant attitude towards monitoring their children's performance as well as the emergence of ICT as probable factors that could have brought about decline.

US Citizens Sue Saudi Arabia for 9/11 al-Qaeda Attack Compensation

US citizens are now able to sue Saudi Arabia for compensation over the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks after an appeals court in New York ruled that victims and their families would be able to seek liability from the Middle Eastern state.

Following the 9/11 attacks, a number of victims and their families tried to sue Saudi Arabia after claiming the region aided al-Qaeda, led by Osama Bin Laden at the time, and therefore should be entitled to compensation.

The plaintiffs suing Saudi Arabia include family members of John O'Neill, a former federal counter-terrorism agent who had led investigations of Bin Laden and was working as the chief of security for New York's World Trade Center when the attacks occurred.

The appeals court said that previously a lower-court judge "rested on an error of law" in rejecting a request to reopen the cases against the country's government and an affiliated charity.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi High Commission for Relief of Bosnia and Herzegovina had previously won a ruling on the grounds that a foreign government is immune from suit.

However the appeals court said on 19 December that the same court had made inconsistent rulings on whether the terrorism claims propounded in the case fall under sovereign-immunity rule.

"We conclude that the circumstances of this case are extraordinary," said the three-judge panel.

In a 2009 cable obtained by whistleblower group Wikileaks, the then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Saudi Arabia was reluctant to stem the flow of money to a number of militant Islamic groups.

Saudi Arabia is the world's biggest source of funds for Islamic terrorist groups such as the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan's Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The 2009 cable added that Saudi Arabia is the most "significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide."

The plaintiffs' lawyer Jerry S. Goldman said in a statement that "this is a big step forward in the process of obtaining fair justice for the victims of this tragedy."

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI: Where to Watch Live, Preview and Team News

Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in the second of the five One Day Internationals (ODI) matches scheduled between the two sides at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Where to Watch Live

Play is scheduled to start at 11:00am GMT. Live coverage of the game will be available in the UK on Zee Cinema. Follow live text commentary of the game on ESPN Cricinfo.

Overview

Pakistan come into the second match of the series after registering an 11- run victory over Sri Lanka in a nail-biting finish during the first ODI. Misbah-ul-Haq saw his men post a total past 300 as the hosts made 322 for the loss of five wickets.

Opener Ahmed Shehzad was dismissed early after he made 11 runs. However, Sharjeel Khan and Mohammad Hafeez forged a partnership of 83 runs for the first wicket. Khan made 66 before being sent back to the pavilion by Seekkuge Prasanna.

Sohaib Maqsood joined Hafeez in the middle and the duo made sure Pakistan reached a total over 300 as their partnership of 140 runs saw Misbah and his men post a huge total. Hafeez made 122 while Maqsood was run out after adding 73 runs to the overall tally.

Shahid Afridi's quick 34 of 12 deliveries, which included three sixes and two boundaries, saw Pakistan reach their total of 322.

In reply, the visitors were given a good start by openers Kusal Perera and Tillakaratne Dilshan before the latter was dismissed for 30. The Sri Lankan batsmen failed to post a big score as they kept losing wickets at frequent intervals, resulting in a defeat.

Pakistan lead the five-match ODI series 1-0 and Sri Lanka would be looking to level the series by registering a win in the second match.

Team News

Pakistan

Probable Lineup: Sharjeel Khan, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal (wk), Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Bilawal Bhatti, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan

Sri Lanka

Probable Line-Up: Kusal Perera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews(c), Thisara Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Sachithra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal

Apollo Theatre Collapse: Investigation Starts

Apollo Theatre Collapse Causes Injuries.

Nearly 80 people were injured, seven seriously, when part of a theatre ceiling collapsed during a packed West End show in London.

Eyewitnesses described "chaos and panic" as chunks of plaster and masonry crashed on to people seated in the stalls 40 minutes into a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

They said there was a loud creaking before the cave-in, which left the Apollo Theatre engulfed in thick dust and debris. One witness reported hearing an actor yell "watch out" to the audience.

Structural engineers and a district surveyor from Westminster City Council  are due to carry out a structural assessment of the building this morning.

Nimax Theatres , which owns the Apollo, described the collapse as a "shocking and upsetting incident", and said its thoughts were "with the audience and staff".

Police commandeered three London buses to take the injured to hospital, many of whom were described as "walking wounded". A makeshift triage centre was set up at the nearby Gielgud Theatre.

London Ambulance Service said it treated 76 patients, of whom 58 were taken to four hospitals. Of those, 51 had suffered minor injuries and seven more serious injuries.

Chief Superintendent Paul Rickett, of the Metropolitan Police, said there was "no suggestion at this stage that (the collapse) was as a result of a criminal act".

There were around 720 people watching the show when disaster struck.

Martin Bostock, who was in the lower stalls with his family, received a head injury after he was hit by falling debris.

He told Sky News: "It was just terrifying and awful. I think the front part of the balcony fell down. At first we thought it was part of the show. Then I got hit on the head.

"It was complete chaos in the theatre. We got out with cuts and bruises. I think most people did."

School worker Hannah George, 29, said: "I heard someone scream and you heard a shriek - then a chunk of the ceiling collapsed.

"It actually missed the balcony and must have hit people down below in the stalls - you couldn't see anything down there.

"Very quickly ushers held the doors open. It wasn't every man for himself, it was very ordered. There were people in front going, 'You OK?' and trying to get people out.

"There were people coming out who were more seriously injured. There were loads of people coming out shaking, and a fellow next to me had quite a badly bleeding arm and a ripped shirt."

The collapse reportedly took place as a reference was made to waves crashing on Brighton rocks, leading some in the audience to believe the noise was part of the show.

Mark Haddon, author of the book which the play is based on, tweeted: "I hope that those who were seriously injured are ok. I'm sorry, too, that so many people went through such a terrifying experience. I'm hugely relieved that no-one has died."

Mark Tait, an actor in the production, tweeted: "Thoughts are with all the audience. Horrific and unbelievable."

The theatre - a Grade II-listed building - was completed in 1901 and seats 755 people.

Sport: Manchester United Identify Brazilian Alternative to Leighton Baines

Manchester United Identify Brazilian Alternative to Leighton Baines

Manchester United are considering possible alternatives to Everton's Leighton Baines as Portuguese reports suggests Porto left back Alex Sandro is being monitored by the club.

Everton were resilient in their attempts to retain the services of their left back during the summer, rejecting two bids from United before David Moyes eventually admitted defeat.

The England international has not played since the his side's 3-3 draw with Liverpool last month and could possibly find his route back into the first team blocked by Bryan Oviedo, who has shone in the defender's absence.

Moyes may have also turned his attention away from his former player as Portuguese publication A Bola suggest the Scot has now identified Porto full back Sandro as a long term replacement for Patrice Evra.

While United's regular stand in captain remains a fan favourite at Old Trafford he is approaching the end of his current contract with no sign of fresh talks on the horizon.

The Manchester United boss was pictured watching on from the stands during Atletico Madrid's 2-0 win over Porto in the Champions League last week, reportedly casting an eye over the Spanish side's 22-year-old midfielder Koke.

But A Bola suggest the former Everton manager was also keeping a close eye on 22-year-old Sandro, as he considers making the Brazil international Evra's replacement on the left hand side of his defence.

In addition to the Frenchman's uncertain future at Old Trafford, the lack of dependable cover in that position may be a concern for Moyes. The manager has opted to deploy Alexander Buttner at left back when resting Evra, but the Dutchman's performances have failed to impress, suggesting a more long term solution is required.

Fabio da Silva remains an option within the ranks, but Moyes' reluctance to play the Brazilian despite his impressive loan spell at Queens Park Rangers last season suggests his days at Old Trafford may be numbered.

Bangui Christian-Muslim Clashes Killed 1,000 – Amnesty

Bangui Christian-Muslim Clashes Killed 1,000 – Amnesty

At least 1,000 people were killed in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, in just two days of violence earlier this month, according to Amnesty International. The figure is significantly higher than an earlier UN estimate.

Seleka, a Muslim-militia outfit, ousted Christian President Francois Bozize in March and installed their leader Michel Djotodia as the country's interim president.

This sparked a sectarian conflict as Anti-Balaka, the Christian militias loyal to Bozize, raided Muslim neighbourhoods and killed about 60 Muslim men.

Following this, Seleka men unleashed retaliatory attacks, killing 1,000 people in Bangui.

Earlier, the UN had estimated that about 450 people were killed in Bangui, while another 150 died in separate incidents in different parts of the country.

"The de-facto government forces, known as ex-Seleka, retaliated on a larger scale against Christians in the wake of the attack, killing nearly 1,000 men over a two-day period and systematically looting civilian homes. A small number of women and children were also killed," the Amnesty report said.

Violence has also spread to other parts of the country. Bossango, 300 km north of Bangui, also wears a deserted look, following the religious tensions in the country, Pakistan's Dawn reports.

Residents of Bossangoa have fled to a big camp near the archbishop's office.

"Spontaneously and in waves, in the past two months, 40,000 Christians in Bossangoa and surrounding villages have gathered around the archbishopric, crammed onto only four hectares," an official from the aid group Action Against Hunger said.

A mere 800 metres away, thousands of Muslims have also camped on the grounds of the Liberte school.

The Amnesty report says that civilians are being massacred and war crimes continue to be committed in the country, despite the presence of French and African Union troops which are engaged in trying to disarm the militia.

As many as 1,600 French troops are deployed in CAR, while the African Union has authorised increase in the number of its troops to 6,000.

"The brutal killings in the Central African Republic are creating a cycle of murder and reprisal that threatens to spin out of control," Peter Bouckaert, author of a Human Rights Watch report on CAR violence, told the BBC.

The watchdog also urged the UN to send a peacekeeping mission to CAR.

"The UN Security Council needs to act quickly to bring this evolving catastrophe to a halt," said Bouckaert, adding: "The potential for further mass violence is shockingly high."

I pray for Universal Peace and Unity.

Meet the bizarre insect whose unique camouflage makes it look just like a LEAF

           


This bizarre leaf-like insect can boast some of the best camouflage in the natural world.

The eye-catching 'leaf insect' (Phyllium philippinicus), has a vibrant, bright green coloration which makes it almost impossible to spot amongst greenery.

With their flat bodies and unique colour, the creatures have a defence structure the envy of the insect world.

The bizarre insects even have light brown lines around the borders of their bodies to increase their camouflaged appearance.

The leaf insect is native to the Philippines, but widely bred in captivity across the world.

They are one of the more popular pet insect species, and are even kept in the UK.

Hmmm, what a creature! .......Our God is good, all the time.

Boy Undergoes Five-Organ Transplant Operation

A three-year-old boy born with a rare condition that forces his intestines through a hole in his abdomen should make a full recovery after a five-organ transplant, doctors have said.

Adonis Ortiz received a new liver, pancreas, stomach and small and large intestines during the surgery at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital.

His surgeon says there is no sign that his body is rejecting the organs and that Adonis's prognosis is good.

The youngster has been undergoing operations since he was three months old.

His mother Aracelis said: "Everything that they always kept telling me was that he has a 50/50 chance. Nobody would ever give me any other percentage until now.

"So, to hear that he has like an 80 to 85% chance, it's a lot better than 50."

She said she was grateful to the medical team and to the families that decided to donate organs for Adonis.

She said: "I would love to meet them because part of their child is in mine, so their child didn't really die completely, part of their child is still alive and that's a really big gift.

"I know that must have been a horrible decision to make. They gave my baby a second chance.

"I'm really thankful, I'm dying to meet them and send them pictures and everything and say thank you."

The family is now looking forward to a Christmas that they were not certain Adonis would make.

Transplant surgeon Rodrigo Vianna said the procedure was extremely unusual.

He said: "The number is pretty small in the US, about 50 kids a year.

"But at this age maybe only 10 to 15 patients a year go through this in the entire country, so it's rare to have it."

Adonis's mother says she was impressed by her son's resilience.

She said: "He is really strong. After all his surgeries, he comes out with a smile.

"I'm like, how do you come out with a smile? They just chopped you up."

....Did you know?

Well, with God everything is possible!

Brits Evacuated From South Sudan Amid Fighting

Britons are being evacuated from South Sudan as fighting spreads through the state after an apparent coup at the weekend.

A plane has been sent to the state to remove more than 150 British citizens who have contacted the Foreign Office wanting to leave the country.

Embassy staff were among those being evacuated although the Foreign Office emphasised that it would be keeping open its embassy in the capital, Juba.

The United Nations has estimated that up to 500 people have been killed in fighting between rival factions following a coup attempt against President Salva Kiir by soldiers loyal to his former deputy.

Some 10 senior government ministers were arrested at the beginning of the week but fighting continues amid increasing political tensions.

South Sudan won its independent from the north in 2011 but has struggled with corruption and ethnic violence since.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that around 20,000 people have taken refuge with the UN in Juba.

The Foreign Office has advised against all travel to within 40km of South Sudan's northern border with Sudan, Jonglei State and Juba, and all but essential travel to the rest of South Sudan.

A spokeswoman said: "A UK aircraft is en route to Juba to evacuate British nationals who wish to leave from Juba airport on Thursday 19 December.

Pope refurbish Catholic image but real reforms await

Pope Francis has turned around the way the Catholic Church is seen but his promise of Vatican reform awaits next year and key problems remain, observers said on Tuesday, as the pontiff celebrated his 77th birthday.

After years of stagnation and turbulence, the first ever Latin American pope has brought a down-to-earth style to the papacy and has shown a willingness to tackle issues like the Vatican's secretive finances.

Francis has also established himself as a global voice on the side of the dispossessed with his critique of unfettered capitalism -- earning the label of "Marxist" from conservative commentators in the United States.

In the Vatican's own sluggish view of time, he has moved quickly in his first months, installing a council of cardinals to advise him and calling for a less "Vatican-centric" Church with more power for bishops.

He has accumulated 10 million followers on Twitter under the @pontifex handle, nearing rock star popularity, and has been named "Person of the Year" by Time and the US gay rights magazine The Advocate.

"He puts himself at the level of ordinary people without formalism and without barriers," said Marco Politi, a Vatican expert and author of biographies of the two previous popes, John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

The change of mood has been all the more remarkable given the strife in the Church before his election in March, including outrage over child sex abuse scandals and divisions between the Vatican and local churches.

Those issues have hardly gone away, however.

Analysts warn that progressives in the Church and its many critics who have hoped for a raft of reforms of Catholic teachings will be disappointed.

Francis remains a moral conservative, although a compassionate one, who is virtually certain to stick to doctrine on hot-button issues like abortion and contraception, or priestly celibacy and women priests.

Even the pope's widely-praised comment about gay people -- "Who am I to judge?" -- is seen as showing a new tolerance but is unlikely to alter the Church's fundamental condemnation of homosexual acts as a sin.

"Exaggerated expectations will necessarily lead to new disappointments," German cardinal Walter Kasper was quoted as saying in a new biography of the pope by Rome-based Argentine journalist Elisabetta Pique.

"The new pope can renew the Church but he cannot invent a new Church," Kasper said, adding that progressives and conservatives alike would be "disappointed".

Francis has begun consultations on reforming the Vatican administration and the Vatican's scandal-tainted bank, the Institute for Works of Religion, and has set up a committee on child abuse.

On the issue of abuses and cover-ups by Catholic clergymen dating back decades, which continues to anger many Catholics and non-Catholics alike, two events next month could give an indication of the pope's direction.

One will be the assembly on January 8 of the Legion of Christ, a troubled conservative religious order whose late founder Father Marcial Maciel was discovered to be a sexual predator and which has been placed under Vatican tutelage as more abuse cases have emerged.

Then on January 16, the Vatican will send representatives to Geneva to testify at a meeting of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child over its handling of abuse cases after saying it was not legally competent over the actions of clergymen.

Some experts believe Pope Francis may be trying to do too much and creating confusion among ordinary Catholics with multiple interviews and ad lib speeches.

"Pilot and navigator, accelerator and brake: Pope Bergoglio's driving is like that," said Vatican expert Sandro Magister, using Francis's surname from birth.

He added that the pontiff's style had led to "misunderstandings and over-the-top expectations".

And while his public image is that of a kindly parish priest, the Vatican gossip is that he can sometimes be brusque and authoritarian behind the walls.

With the new pope's popularity recently growing among many non-Catholics as well, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi has expressed concern that the attention on his person could overshadow his actual message.

Delivering his Christmas greetings to the Vatican press corps, Lombardi said: "Many of us are fascinated by this extraordinary personality but the pope wants people not to look at him but to look at Jesus".