Surgery Begins for Texas Girl Battling Rare Obesity

Alexis Shapiro, a 12-year-old Texas girl battling a rare form of obesity caused by brain surgery two years ago, was headed into a Cincinnati Children's Hospital operating room Friday for life-changing weight-loss surgery.

Dr. Thomas Inge, a pediatric obesity expert at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, examines Alexis Shapiro, 12, before she receives life-changing weight-loss surgery on Friday. A brain tumor two years ago left Alexis with a rare condition that damaged her metabolism, causing her to gain massive amounts of weight. Gastric bypass surgery should help correct the problem, Inge said.

Alex Ferguson congratulates Arsene Wenger on managerial milestone

Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson spoke of his admiration for Arsenal on Friday as he congratulated old foe Arsene Wenger for reaching his 1,000th game in charge.

The pair, now friends, had an intense rivalry as managers and did not speak to each other for five years after a match at Old Trafford in October 2004 ended a record 49 match unbeaten run by Arsenal.

"I congratulate Arsene in reaching this momentous landmark," the Scot said in a statement issued on Friday by the League Managers Association ahead of Arsenal's Premier League match at leaders Chelsea on Saturday.

"Having also reached the same milestone at one club, I cannot emphasise enough the level of dedication, resilience as well as sacrifice required and for that I have for the utmost admiration. Over the years we enjoyed some fantastic battles and you could say we had survived together and respected each other's efforts to play good football. I always enjoy watching Arsene's sides - Arsenal play the right way," added Ferguson.

Immigration Stampede: Minister Wanted To Make Money Selfishly – Wala

A Public Affairs Analyst, Ibrahim Wala, has blamed the failure of Nigeria’s political leadership for the deaths of young job seekers at the ill-fated Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment exercise.

Wala, who had embarked on a protest to the headquarters of the Immigration Service, revealed that by his personal discovery, the Nigerian Immigration Service was side-lined by the Ministry of Interior in the process of their recruitment.

He said that the Comptroller-General of the Immigration had no prior idea that the event was going to hold, expressing his anger at the refusal of the CG to speak out on the real issued behind the incident.

He accused the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, of high handedness in handling the affairs of the Immigration Service and for being a major culprit in the unfortunate incident, saying that if journalism was what it should be in Nigeria, then investigations should have gone beyond what it was.

Australia says suspected debris of Malaysian plane may have sunk

The international team hunting for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean has not turned up anything so far, and Australia's Deputy Prime Minister said the suspected debris may have sunk.

Aircraft and ships have renewed a search in the Andaman Sea between India and Thailand, going over areas that have already been exhaustively swept to find some clue to unlock one of the most inexplicable mysteries in modern aviation.

The Boeing 777 went missing almost two weeks ago off the Malaysian coast with 239 people aboard. There has been no confirmed sign of wreckage but two objects seen floating deep south in the Indian Ocean were considered a credibe lead and set off a huge hunt on Thursday.

Mourinho to contest charge of improper conduct

  Mourinho says on Friday, "I don't accept the charge," without explaining further. (Getty Images)

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says he will contest a charge of improper conduct handed to him by the English Football Association for going on to the pitch and approaching the referee during a Premier League match.

Mourinho says on Friday, "I don't accept the charge," without explaining further.

Mourinho was ordered from the touchline after going on to the pitch and protesting the red card issued to Chelsea midfielder Ramires in the final stages of the 1-0 loss to Aston Villa on Saturday. Willian was also dismissed for Chelsea in the match.

The Portuguese coach previously has said that he was one of a number of people to spill onto the pitch from the benches and was only trying to cool tempers. 

(ibnlive)

Turkish lawyers seek to quash overnight Twitter ban

Turkey’s lawyers’ association has asked a court to overturn the country’s ban onTwitter.

Turkey blocked access to the social media network overnight, hours after prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to “rip out the roots” of the website.

Links to audio recordings and documents implicating Mr Erdogan and other top officials in corruption have been posted on Twitter ahead of crucial local elections on March 30th.

Turkey’s main opposition party also said it would seek a cancellation of the ban.

Jennifer Aniston, fiance Justin Theroux might elope

Actress Aniston is planning reportedly to elope with fiance Justin Theroux as she wants her big day to be fun. 

The 45-year-old 'Friends' star is apparently eager to tie the knot with Theroux in front of the couple's close friends, reported Us magazine.

"Justin and Jen might be eloping. She would love for her big day to be this spring," a source said. The actress reportedly does not want her wedding to be "too stuffy".

"Jen would fly people out, someplace warm. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, is a possibility. She loves it there," the source added. Aniston has been in a relationship with Theroux since May 2011. The 'Wanderlust' co-stars got engaged in August 2012.       ibnlive.in.com

Arsene Wenger is Arsenal's greatest manager - Groves

The Frenchman, who has led the Gunners to three Premier League titles and four FA Cups, is set to take charge of the north London club for the 1000th time on Saturday

Arsene Wenger has been hailed as Arsenal's greatest manager by ex-player Perry Groves.

The Frenchaman was appointed as Gunners boss in 1996 and has led the club to three Premier League titles and four FA Cup triumphs, as well as final appearances in the Champions League and the Uefa Cup.

Arsenal have gone nearly nine years without a trophy, since a penalty shoot-out triumph against Manchester United in the 2005 FA Cup final, but this season sees Wenger's side challenging firmly on two fronts.

Alessio: Pirlo the world's best free-kick taker

The Bianconeri assistant has lauded the midfielder's ability to find the net from set pieces, while at the same time saluting his side's display at the Artemio Franchi

Juventus assistant coach Angelo Alessio has hailed Andrea Pirlo as the best free-kick taker in the world in the wake of his winner in Thursday's 1-0 Europa League win over Fiorentina.

The Italy international slammed home a stunning 71st-minute set piece to lead the Bianconeri to a 2-1 aggregate triumph over Fiorentina and seal their place in the last eight of the Europa League.

The 34-year-old playmaker had done the very same thing in a 1-0 Serie A success against Genoa last Sunday, leaving Alessio in awe of Pirlo's dead-ball talents.

Indian among nine killed in Taliban attack in Kabul

Kabul: An Indian was among the nine people killed in a deadly Taliban attack in a popular hotel in Kabul, sources said on Friday. Four of the attackers were also killed.

Two women from Canada and New Zealand and two men from India and Pakistan were among four foreigners killed in the attack on the Serena Hotel, Xinhua reported.

"Nine people were killed in last night's (Thursday) Taliban attack on the Serena Hotel, besides four gunmen," an Afghan security source said.

Earlier reports suggested three people were injured in the firing.

Six people were seriously wounded in the attack before the attackers were gunned down.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack.

Turkey blocks Twitter after PM vows to ‘wipe out’ social network

irishtimes

Turkey’s courts have blocked access to Twitter days before elections as prime minister Tayyip Erdogan battles a corruption scandal that has seen social media platforms awash with alleged evidence of government wrongdoing.

The ban came hours after a defiant Mr Erdogan, on the campaign trail ahead of key March 30th local elections, vowed to “wipe out” Twitter and said he did not care what the international community had to say about it. Erdogan’s ruling AK Party has already tightened Internet controls, handed government more influence over the courts, and reassigned thousands of police and hundreds of prosecutors and judges as it fights a corruption scandal he has cast as a plot by political enemies to oust him.

Stoke City: "Lord" Odemwingie's form not enough for World Cup spot, says Nigeria boss

CAN SUPER EAGLE FLY TO BRAZIL: Stoke City's Peter Odemwingie hopes to win a place in Nigeria's World Cup squad, but still has work to do to get boss Stephen Keshi's plans.

NIGERIA boss Stephen Keshi has warned Stoke City forward Peter Odemwingie he is far from guaranteed a place at the World Cup, despite his Premier League goals.

Odemwingie has been in fine fettle for the Potters since joining from Cardiff City in January, but has not played for Nigeria since a public spat with head coach Keshi in 2012.

The front man took to Twitter to vent his frustration about being substituted in a match against Rwanda - sparking a feud which saw him miss the 2013 African Cup of Nations.

Zuma ‘benefited unduly’ from $23-million property renovations, report finds

South African President Jacob Zuma “benefited unduly” from a $23 million state-funded security upgrade to his private home that included a swimming pool, cattle enclosure and amphitheatre, the public protector said on Wednesday.

In a damning report released six weeks before an election, South Africa’s top anti-corruption watchdog accused Zuma of conduct “inconsistent with his office” and said he should repay a reasonable part of the cost of the unnecessary renovations.

“The President tacitly accepted the implementation of all measures at his residence and has unduly benefitted from the enormous capital investment in the non-security installations at his private residence,” Public Protector Thuli Madonsela said in her report.

Nigerian Government Cancels Immigration Job Screening That Killed 20 Jobseekers

The Nigerian government, today, announced it has canceled a recruitment exercise that  killed over 20 applicants at job screening centers across Nigeria.

The announcement was made by Nigeria’s minister of information, Labaran Maku who told reporters after  the weekly Federal Executive Council that a panel has been set up to conduct another recruitment exercise.

 However, the minister did not say if anyone will be punished for the criminal conduct that led to the death of innocent jobseekers last Saturday.

There has been an increased clamor for the minister in charge of the recruitment exec rise be fired.  However, Presidency source told SaharaReporters that the minister, Abba Moro is a close ally and nominee of the Senate President, David Mark making it impossible for President Jonathan to fire him from office.

(Sahara)

Nigeria Immigration: Jonathan gives job slots to families of dead job seekers

Following the public outcry that trailed the death of about 19 job seekers during last Saturdays’ Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved three vacancy slot for the family of each of the 19 job seekers that died during the exercise.

But one of the three slots must be a female.

The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of FEC presided over by President Good luck Jonathan.

According to him, all the injured job seekers are also to be given automatic job in the immigration service.

He said that the last Saturday recruitment exercise has been cancelled while a fresh one will be conducted under the Chairmanship of the Federal Civil Service Commission with an inter-ministerial panel.

The Government, he said, has also stopped all government agencies, apart from Army and Police, from carrying out such physical recruitment exercise.

More Later......

nation

2015: Court Dismisses Suit Seeking to Stop Jonathan's Re-Election Bid

A Federal High Court in Kaduna yesterday struck out a suit seeking to restrain President Goodluck Jonathan from seeking a re-election in the 2015 election.

The suit was filed by two chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Richard Mneaga and Shuaibu Lill.

The plaintiffs had sought among other things, for an order to disqualify Jonathan from presenting himself as the presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2015 election.

The also wanted the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restrain the PDP from accepting the nomination of Jonathan as its presidential candidate in the 2015 election. In the suit, filed on October 7, 2013, the plaintiffs insisted that Jonathan had completed his eight years in office as president of the country, beginning from May 29, 2007.

Pistorius aware of gun rules against intruders, court hears

Oscar Pistorius was aware of gun safety rules restricting the use of lethal force against intruders, a gun dealer testified on Monday as the Paralympian’s trial for killing his girlfriend entered its third week.

Gun licenser Sean Rens told the court in Pretoria that the 27-year-old athlete, who stands accused of intentionally shooting dead his girlfriend, had scored highly on a test for gun owners.

“Always know your target and what lies behind,” was one of the answers Pistorius correctly gave when asked about firearm safety rules, Rens said.