"I am not happy in Italian football," says Mourinho

Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho says he is "not happy in Italian football.''

Jose Mourinho

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Jose Mourinho: Courting controversy again.

The former Chelsea coach's remarks could fuel speculation that he wants to return to the Premier League. Mourinho's time in Italy has been characterised by an uneasy relationship with the game's authorities and the media.

His Inter side have been leading Serie A all season but were beaten 2-1 by AS Roma at the weekend, a result that cut their lead to just one point.

Inter face CSKA Moscow in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday night - the competition many believe he has been brought to Inter to win. His side defeated his former club Chelsea in the last round.

The Portuguese told Sky Sports: "I always speak in a very honest way and if I do it about Serie A I will be suspended. My situation is clear. I am very happy at Inter, I am not happy in Italian football.''

When asked to give a reason, he added: "Because I don't like it and they don't like me. Simple.''
ESPN SOCCERNET

Cyprus bishops' tombs vandalised

Cyprus police have arrested a Romanian man suspected of vandalising the tombs of three archbishops in a cemetery in the capital city of Nicosia.

The 34-year old man confessed to removing the marble slabs covering the graves of the churchmen, police said.

The remains of two of the bishops first appeared to have been stolen, but the bones of one of them were in fact buried elsewhere years ago, police say.

The suspect denies removing any human remains from the tombs.

He was arrested after throwing a bag of human excrement at police officers at a Nicosia police station Sunday.

The graves of the men, who led the island's Greek Orthodox church in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, were discovered to have been tampered with after police officers responded to a pre-dawn fire at a Nicosia church.
Cyprus map

An investigation showed that the remains of Kyrillos II were reburied decades ago in his birth village of Prodromos, 80 km south of Nicosia, police say.

Investigators are trying to determine whether the remains of Sofronios III were stolen or reburied by the church elsewhere, police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos was quoted as saying by AP news agency.

The remains of Kyrillos III were left undisturbed.

The suspect had "issues with the church and holy ground", Nicosia police chief Kypros Michaelides was quoted by Reuters as saying.

The 34-year-old Romanian faces charges of religious sacrilege, trespassing and causing malicious damage at grave sites.

The desecration comes less than two weeks after three men were held over the theft of the corpse of a former Cyprus President, Tassos Papadopoulos.

His corpse was stolen three months ago, but recovered after a tip-off.

BBC NEWS

German Bishop Says Pope 'Dismayed' at Clerical Sex Abuse Scandal

Germany's top bishop briefed Pope Benedict XVI on the spiraling cases of clerical sex abuse in the pontiff's native Germany on Friday and said the pope encouraged him to pursue the truth and assist the victims.

The head of Germany's bishops, Archbishop Robert Zollitsch apologized to victims of child abuse by priests today following a meeting with Pope Benedict at the Vatican. He said the pope encouraged him and the church in Germany to tackle the problem.

Archbishop Zollitsch said the church in his country is taking steps to counsel victims and investigate abuse allegations. He added that the pope was greatly dismayed as he was being briefed on the sex abuse scandal in his native Germany.

At least 170 former students from Catholic schools in Germany have come forward recently with claims of physical and sexual abuse, including claims from an all-boys choir once led by the pope's brother.

Archbishop Zollitsch apologized to German victims and pledged to cooperate with prosecutors.

Zollitsch says the Church in Germany wants to unveil the truth and wants an honest clearing up of this and he says even if cases are discovered that date back to tens of years ago, the victims have the right to know.

At least 19 of Germany's 27 dioceses have been affected by the scandal which follows similar cases in Ireland, The Netherlands and Austria. Vatican expert Marco Politi said the recent cases have brought the sexual abuse scandals much closer to the Vatican and to Pope Benedict himself.

"The atmosphere in the Vatican is of great nervousness, anxiety because these last facts, which happened in Germany and in Europe, are devastating," he said.

The latest sex abuse scandals have also renewed debate on priestly celibacy but Pope Benedict said Friday it is a "holy value". He told an international theological conference at a Vatican university that celibacy is an expression of the gift of oneself to God and to others.

VOANews

Scientists to review climate body

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has asked the world's science academies to review work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Work will be co-ordinated by the Inter-Academy Council, which brings together bodies such as the UK's Royal Society.

The IPCC has been under pressure over errors in its last major assessment of climate science in 2007.

Mr Ban said the overall concept of man-made climate change was robust, and action to curb emissions badly needed.

The Inter-Academy Council will convene a panel of experts to conduct the review, and will be run independently of UN agencies.

One issue that was raised at the UN news conference was how independent the scientists on the Inter-Academy Council's review panel will be from the scientists who contributed work to the IPCC in the first place
Richard Black

Read Richard Black's reaction in Earth Watch

"Let me be clear - the threat posed by climate change is real," said Mr Ban, speaking at UN headquarters in New York.

"I have seen no credible evidence that challenges the main conclusions of [the IPCC's 2007] report."

Nevertheless, he said, there had been "a few errors" in the 3,000-page report (known as AR4), and there was a need "to ensure full transparency, accuracy and objectivity".

Inside and out

Robbert Dijkgraaf, the council's co-chair, said the review panel will be chosen so that it includes both inside knowledge of the IPCC and outside perspectives.

"The panel will look forward and will definitely not go over all the vast amount of data in climate science," he said.

REVIEW'S TERMS OF REFERENCE
Analyse the IPCC process, including links with other UN agencies
Review the use of non-peer reviewed sources, and quality control on data
Assess how procedures handle "the full range of scientific views"
Review how the IPCC communicates with the public and the media

"It will see what are the [IPCC's] procedures, and how can they be improved, so we can avoid certain types of errors."

But Roger Pielke Jr, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado who has recently criticised the IPCC over its assessment of the costs of climate-related disasters, said the terms of reference appeared to have some significant omissions.

"How will it deal with allegations of breakdowns in procedures in the AR4?", he asked.

"The terms of reference say nothing about looking at the AR4 procedures, but it would be difficult to do a serious evaluation without actually evaluating experience," he told BBC News.

"Should it ignore the AR4 issues, then it will risk being called a whitewash."

Prof Pielke also suggested the panel might look at apparent conflicts of interest within the IPCC's staff.

Lessons learned

The conflict of interest charge has been levelled against the IPCC's chair, Rajendra Pachauri, over his business interests.

But standing alongside Mr Ban, he welcomed the review.

"The IPCC stands firmly behind the rigour and reliability of its Fourth Assessment Report from 2007, but we recognise that we can improve," he said.

"We have listened and learned from our critics, and we intend to take every action we can to ensure that our reports are as robust as possible."

The review was demanded by world governments at last month's meeting of the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) Governing Council.

The Inter-Academy Council has been asked to finalise its conclusions by August, in time that its recommendations can be discussed and adopted at October's IPCC meeting.

Richard.Black-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk

President Bachelet: Earthquake Unparalleled in Chilean History

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet says the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that shattered the central part of the country and displaced some 2 million people is an emergency "unparalleled in the history of Chile."

Security forces said Monday they have arrested dozens of people for violating curfew and looting around the southern city of Concepcion and Maule regions.

President Bachelet sent 10,000 soldiers to the earthquake region to restore order, and she announced an agreement with supermarket chains to distribute food free-of-charge.

Ms. Bachelet also promised deliveries of food, water and shelter for the thousands of people living on the streets.

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet (L) delivers a press conference at La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago on 28 Feb 2010, next to a member of the Emergency Committee, a day after a huge 8.8-magnitude earthquake rocked the country.
AFP
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet (L) delivers a press conference at La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago on 28 Feb 2010, next to a member of the Emergency Committee, a day after a huge 8.8-magnitude earthquake rocked the country.

The president was reluctant to ask for international aid when the quake first hit, but appealed for assistance as the death toll rose to more than 700. Officials expect the number to rise as rescue workers continue to tear through the rubble.

Rescuers are still trying to reach people trapped in a toppled apartment building in Concepcion, the country's second-largest city. Searchers believe as many as 50 people may be trapped alive in the building.

Looters ransacked stores in Concepcion Sunday, stealing food and electrical appliances. Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse a crowd of looters at one supermarket.

Saturday's early morning quake toppled buildings, overturned cars, damaged roads and bridges and brought down utility lines.

A tsunami triggered by the quake devastated some Chilean coastal towns and Robinson Crusoe Island, where the wave surged almost three kilometers into the town of San Juan Bautista.

The surge of water raced across the Pacific Ocean, prompting warnings and evacuations from Hawaii to Japan, but did little damage.

Argentina and other parts of South America also felt the earthquake.

The U.S. Geological Survey says an earthquake with a magnitude of 8 or more is classified as a "great" earthquake that can cause tremendous damage.
VOA News

International Community Pledges Support for Chile Following Quake

The international community is offering support to Chile in the wake of Saturday's devastating earthquake.

The European Union pledged $4 million in immediate aid to the South American nation. EU Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso described the money as a "first step" to "relieve suffering and to meet the immediate needs."

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon expressed his condolences for the loss of life in the earthquake. He said he is seeking an assessment on the situation from the U.N.'s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean which is based in Chile's capital, Santiago.

In the U.S., White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the Obama administration also stands ready to help. He said officials are closely monitoring the situation, including the potential for a tsunami.

The British Red Cross released more than $75,000 from its disaster fund to support relief efforts in Chile. Aid groups, including Oxfam and Save the Children, are also organizing emergency teams and appealing for donations.

The U.S. State Department has provided a phone number for Americans seeking information about family and loved ones in Chile. That number is 1-888-404-4747.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had been scheduled to travel to Chile as part of a South American visit next week. A department spokeswoman, Megan Mattson, said Saturday that no decision on changing the secretary's trip has been made.
VOA News

Israeli Troops Clash With Palestinians in Biblical Hebron

Israeli troops have clashed with Palestinians in the West Bank for the fifth straight day. Religious tensions are running high.

Palestinian youths threw stones at Israeli soldiers in the biblical West Bank town of Hebron; troops responded with tear gas and stun grenades. It was the fifth day of clashes in Hebron, which is home to the Tomb of the Patriarchs. Abraham, the common forefather of both Jews and Arabs, is buried there and the site is a flashpoint of Jewish-Muslim tensions.

Palestinians declared Friday, the Muslim Sabbath, a day of protest in response to Israel's declaration of the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem as "National Heritage Sites." Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad prayed at the Tomb of the Patriarchs on Friday and charged Israel with annexing the site. He vowed that the site would one day be controlled by a Palestinian state.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of trying to ignite a "religious war," and protesters took to the streets of Hebron.

One stone thrower told Israeli TV that Israel must give up control of the Tomb of the Patriarchs. He said it is a Muslim holy place which must be returned to the Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to ease tensions. Mr. Netanyahu said nothing has changed at the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Israel would continue to guarantee freedom of worship for Jews and Muslims alike.

But in a strong rebuke from the United States, the State Department said Israel's decision on the holy places is "provocative" and harms efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
VOA News

Civilians die in Afghan offensive

Nato has confirmed that two rockets fired at militants during its offensive in Helmand, south Afghanistan, missed their target and killed 12 civilians.

The rockets struck a house in Marjah as thousands of Nato troops continued their operations to oust the Taliban.

Nato's commander Gen Stanley McChrystal said that "we deeply regret this tragic loss of life".

Coalition forces are aiming to build on gains in Operation Moshtarak, tackling snipers and booby-traps on day two.

A third Nato death related to the operation has also been confirmed.

Operation Moshtarak, meaning "together" in the Dari language, is the biggest coalition attack since the Taliban fell in 2001.

The operation is also the first big test of US President Barack Obama's new "surge" strategy for Afghanistan.

Rocket system suspended

Civilian casualties have been a key concern for the Nato-led offensive.
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ABC's Miguel Marquez embedded with US Marines as they journey into Marjah

The regions targeted were leafleted well in advance to try to minimise casualties.

President Hamid Karzai has called for an investigation into the civilian deaths, his office said.

ANALYSIS
Frank Gardner
Frank Gardner,
BBC News, Kandahar

Building by building, compound by compound, US Marines and British troops are trying to clear Marjah and Nad Ali district of hundreds, possibly thousands, of booby traps planted by insurgents. The US military told me they had started receiving tip-offs from local residents about where the bombs were hidden.

Many of those residents are believed to be cautious about welcoming government forces for fear they will soon depart again. Tribal councils are being held in both districts with the aim of persuading the population to back their government and not the Taliban.

According to a senior Nato officer joint Afghan-Nato patrol bases will soon be set up in the area, and 900 newly trained Afghan police are poised to come into re-establish government control.

The office said in a statement that it believed at least 10 of those killed were from the same family.

Nato said in a statement: "Two rockets from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launched at insurgents firing upon Afghan and [Nato] forces impacted approximately 300 metres (980ft) off their intended target, killing 12 civilians."

Gen McChrystal said: "The current operation in Central Helmand is aimed at restoring security and stability to this vital area of Afghanistan.

"It's regrettable that in the course of our joint efforts, innocent lives were lost.

"We extend our heartfelt sympathies and will ensure we do all we can to avoid future incidents."

The use of the the rocket system involved has been suspended pending a review.

The BBC's Frank Gardner in Kandahar says the deaths are very damaging for a campaign aimed at protecting the local population and driving a wedge between them and the insurgents.

MARJAH: 'TALIBAN STRONGHOLD'
Town and district about 40km (25 miles) south-west of Lashkar Gah
Population of town estimated at 80,000; Marjah district: 125,000
An area of lush vegetation and farmland
Last remaining major Taliban stronghold in southern Helmand
Considered a centre for assembling roadside bombs
Lucrative supply centre for opium poppies, a Taliban revenue source
Estimates of Taliban numbers ranged from 400 to 1,000

A question of trust
In pictures: Moshtarak
Details of the operation
Operation Moshtarak: Diary

He says it is exactly the kind of incident that Afghanistan leaders had said must be avoided and which they know can play straight into the Taliban's hands.

The Ministry of Defence has said that British troops were not involved in the incident.

Meanwhile, US, UK and Afghan forces have faced gun battles and numerous booby-traps on day two of the offensive in Marjah and Nad Ali in Helmand province.

In Marjah, US Marine commander Brig Gen Larry Nicholson told Agence France-Presse his forces had "blown up a lot of IEDs" and come up against "a lot of sniper fire".

He said it could take up to 30 days to make the area safe.

Marines were fired upon during a ceremony to raise the Afghan flag in Marjah.

Another Marines spokesman, Lt Josh Diddams, told Associated Press US forces were in the "majority of the city".

"We're starting to come across areas where the insurgents have actually taken up defensive positions. Initially it was more hit and run."

Nato officers and Afghan troops are holding shuras (meetings) with tribal leaders, and plan to bring in hundreds of Afghan police in the coming days to help secure the captured areas.

Casualties

Operation Moshtarak began before dawn on Saturday when more than 15,000 troops flew into central Helmand.
HAVE YOUR SAY

The "surge" approach drove most of the insurgents out of Iraq and there is no reason why it shouldn't work in Afghanistan

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American forces, led by 4,000 Marines, are focusing on Marjah, while 4,000 British troops are in Nad Ali.

A large Afghan force, as well as Canadians, Danes and Estonians, is also involved.

Three Isaf deaths related to Operation Moshtarak have been confirmed.

On Saturday, a British soldier, Lance Sergeant David Greenhalgh of 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, died in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack, while a US soldier was killed by gunfire in Marjah.

On Sunday, another service member was killed in an IED attack.

At least 20 Taliban fighters were killed and another 11 detained on Saturday, an Afghan commander said.

'Going well'

At a Ministry of Defence briefing in London on Sunday, Maj Gen Gordon Messenger said the operation overall had so far "gone to plan".

"Nothing has stopped the mission from progressing," he said, although UK troops had taken small-arms fire.

AFP quoted President Obama's top security adviser, Gen James Jones, as also saying the offensive was "going well".

President Obama will be briefed on Sunday by the US commander in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley McChrystal.

OPERATION MOSHTARAK: DAY TWO - 14 FEBRUARY 2010
Map of operations (Source: MoD)
1: British forces find cache of IEDs, along with tunnels and ammunition dumps in this area
2: UK/Danish troops continue to disrupt Taliban movements; small arms contacts reported
3: US and UK forces operating either side of Canal 56 crossings consolidate their hold on the area
4: Bulk of British operations going on in this area; clearing and holding village-by-village
5: US forces continue air and ground assaults; On the outskirts of Marjah two rockets miss their targets, striking a house and killing 12 civilians
Source: UK Ministry of Defence
BBC News

Haiti marks one month on from the earthquake

Haiti has held ceremonies for the victims of the devastating earthquake which hit the country a month ago, killing at least 217,000 people.

Thousands prayed at the exact time the quake struck, on 12 January.

Earlier, Catholic and Voodoo leaders joined other religious figures for a service near the ruined National Palace in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

More than a million Haitians remain homeless, just as the rainy season is due to begin.


HAITI QUAKE
Magnitude seven quake strikes south-west of Port-au-Prince at 1653 local time (2153 GMT), 12 January
Government now reports between 217,000 and 230,000 dead, 300,000 injured
About three million affected, one million homeless, 250,000 homes destroyed
Quake sparks massive international aid effort - more than $500m (£320m) donated from US
UN says 53 million tonnes of rubble must be removed
US has assigned 13,000 military personnel

In pictures: Haiti mourns
Aid effort one month on
Audio slideshow: Haiti's camps
'Neglected' quake-hit town

Haiti's President Rene Preval has vowed that his country will live on.

"Haiti will not die, Haiti must not die," he told mourners at the main service in Port-au-Prince. "Wipe away your tears to rebuild Haiti.

"Today, allow me as citizen Rene Preval, the man, the father of a family, to address you to say that I cannot find the words to speak of this immense pain.

"It is in your courage that we will find the strength to go on."

Other prayer services were held across the country, including one at the site of a mass grave north of the capital which is believed to hold tens of thousands of victims.

To the north of the capital, in Titanyen, mourners prayed on top of a mass grave where tens of thousands of people were hastily buried after the earthquake.

The BBC's Mike Wooldridge says the act of national reflection comes as one of the largest humanitarian operations ever mounted grapples with challenges on many fronts.

He says a heavy downpour on the eve of the anniversary provided a foretaste of the misery that lies ahead for the many people who still have only the flimsiest shelter in impromptu camps, if the pace of getting out more tents and stronger shelter materials is not stepped up before the start of the rainy season.


AT THE SCENE
Mike Wooldridge
By Mike Wooldridge, BBC News, Titanyen

Amid scrub-covered hills to the north of Port-au-Prince, some 50 worshippers led by a Haitian bishop celebrated mass on the graves where tens of thousands of the earthquake victims lie buried.

A small wooden table atop one of the mass graves in the scrub-covered low hills served as the altar.

Swinging incense above the graves and sprinkling water on them, the bishop said he aimed to give dignity to their hasty burial.

"Tend to your brothers and sisters, calling out from under the ground," he said.

In the biggest of the camps that sprang up in the capital after the earthquake, people are still living under sheeting strung across wooden poles.

The government says the seasonal rains could be the biggest threat now to the nation's attempts at recovery.

The European Union has proposed a military mission to step up the provision of shelter before the rains worsen.

The UN aid co-ordinator for Haiti, former-US President Bill Clinton, said Haiti could get through the crisis with the help of international donors.

"Though conditions are improving each day, countless people remain in urgent need of shelter and building materials, water and sanitation, food and clothing, and essential medical supplies," he said in a statement.

The White House warned that the situation in Haiti "remains dire", but added that the US "continues to stand with our Haitian friends as they recover".

This week's Haitian government figures suggesting up to 230,000 dead means the quake toll is approaching that of the 2004 Asian tsunami, which killed 250,000 people.

BBC News

Volkswagen recalls 200,000 cars in Brazil

Volkswagen (VW) is recalling nearly 200,000 cars in Brazil because of a rear wheel problem.

The company wants to determine whether rear wheel bearings are sufficiently greased on the Novo Gol and Novo Voyage models made before July 2009.

VW says there is a possibility that a lack of lubrication could cause wheels to lock. In extreme cases they could loosen and even fall off.

The vehicles were made in Brazil for the local market, VW's third-largest.

This latest recall comes a day after car maker Honda added another 437,700 cars, mainly in North America, to its existing global safety recall over airbag inflation problems.

On Tuesday, Toyota announced the recall of about 436,000 hybrid vehicles worldwide, including its latest Prius model, to fix brake problems.
BBC News