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19 year old teen sensation Justin Bieber was this morning arrested for drinking under the influence, drag racing in Miami beach and resisting arrest, TMZ reports. "Law enforcement tells us ... Bieber was busted in Miami Beach and it didn't end with DUI ... he was also busted for resisting arrest without violence, drag racing and driving on an expired license. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... they believe Justin was under the influence of both drugs and alcohol. We're told the resisting arrest charge stems from Bieber refusing to take his hands out of his pockets when ordered to do so by cops. Bieber is now in custody and is at the police department where he is being tested -- presumably to more precisely measure his blood alcohol level. Our law enforcement sources say Justin was given a field sobriety test at the scene ... and failed. His next stop will be jail, where he will be booked and processed and bail will be set. We're told Bieber had just left a clu...

The Vatican has confirmed reports that former Pope Benedict XVI defrocked nearly 400 priests for child sex abuse in the last two years of his pontificate - a dramatic increase over previous years. The Vatican revealed on Saturday that almost 400 priests had been officially stripped of their privileges and functions by Benedict XVI in the last two years of his pontificate. "In 2012 there were around 100, while in 2011 there were around 300," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said on Saturday. Lombardi thus confirmed a report by the Associated Press news agency, which said it had gained access to a document showing that 260 priests were defrocked in 2011 and 124 in 2012, a total of 384. This represents a dramatic increase over the 171 priests defrocked in 2008 and 2009. The document was a file put together by the Vatican for a hearing before the United Nations on Thursday. Normally, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which investigates abuses under ...

The presidency has issued a query to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, demanding an explanation for some of the donations the CBN has made under his watch to some universities and organisations. A top presidency official, who sought not to be named, confided in THISDAY yesterday that the federal government was forced to issue the query as a result of its concern over Sanusi's activities, which have portrayed him as working to undermine the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. According to him, Sanusi has engaged in what he described as unprecedented politicisation of his office as well as serial infractions of regulations governing the operations of the central bank. He said the presidency was worried by the way and manner Sanusi had been donating to communities and institutions in the name of the central bank without adherence to due process and regard for the multi-cultural diversities of the Nigerian nation. The CBN governor was a...

The Bauchi State Sharia Commission in recent times has accused several persons of homosexuality in the State. The commission usually relies on the testimony of eye witnesses to secure a conviction before Sharia court. However, yesterday, when the Commission brought six people before the Upper Sharia court for trial, the supposed witnesses were not able to say they saw the accused persons committing the act. The Judge, Justice El-Yaqub Aliyu, quoting from the Hadith said the suspects remained innocent until proper evidence could be established against them. The case was adjourned until January 27th. In a related development, another seven suspects accused of homosexuality in the same court were almost lynched by an angry mob as they were being led back to the Prisons service bus to be conveyed back to the Prison. The suspects, Ibrahim Marafa, Shehu Adamu, Yusuf Adamu, Aliyu Dalhatu, Abdulmalik Tanko, Usman Sabo and Hazif Sabo Abubakar, were arraigned by the state Shariah ...

Nigeria's Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has expressed dissatisfaction with the Federal Government's proposal to the union. ASUP President Chibuzor Asomugha told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the union would discuss it in two weeks' time at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting. Asomugha said that the union's position on the government's proposal would be known after its NEC meeting at a yet to be determined venue. "We are not satisfied with what the government is proposing, in fact, we did not accept it at the meeting held with the minister on Tuesday in Abuja. "Since that is what it can offer, we will convey it to our NEC, to decide the next action. We cannot say when we will suspend the strike until after the NEC meeting. "I cannot say when, but as soon as the NEC meet, maybe in the next two weeks,'' the ASUP president said. The Supervising Minister for Education, Mr Nyeson Wike, on Tue...

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu, has enjoined Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, to appeal to the five PDP governors    who  defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress to reconsider their  action. Mu'azu said that Lamido should do so ahead  of a visit  to the five governors  by  a  committee to be constituted by  the National Working Committee  of the party  to reconcile all aggrieved PDP members. Lamido was a prominent member of  the seven aggrieved PDP governors who  were the linchpin of the now defunct New PDP. The Jigawa governor and his Niger State counterpart, Babangida Aliyu, however, developed cold feet when  the  five other aggrieved governors announced their decision to join the APC. The five are Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Aliyu Wamakko(Sokoto),   Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara ) , Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), and Rabiu Kwakwanso(Kano)....

BAUCHI — 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 Commissi...