REVEALED: Irans's Plan B For A Nuclear Bomb

Iran is developing a second path to a nuclear weapons capability by operating a plant that could produce plutonium, satellite images show for the first time.
The Telegraph can disclose details of activity at a heavily-guarded Iranian facility from which international inspectors have been barred for 18 months.
The images, taken earlier this month, show that Iran has activated the Arak heavy-water production plant.
Heavy water is needed to operate a nuclear reactor that can produce plutonium, which could then be used to make a bomb.
The images show signs of activity at the Arak plant, including a cloud of steam that indicates heavy-water production.
Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency have been unable to visit the facility since August 2011 and Iran has refused repeated requests for information about the site, which is 150 miles south-west of the capital, Tehran.
Western governments and the IAEA have held information about activity at Arak for some time.
But today's exclusive images are the first to put evidence of that activity into the public domain.
The details of Iran's plutonium programme emerged as the world's leading nations resumed talks with Tehran aimed at allaying fears over the country's nuclear ambitions.
The new images also show details of the Fordow complex, which is concealed hundreds of feet beneath a mountain near the holy city of Qom. At talks in Kazakhstan yesterday, world leaders offered to relax sanctions on Iran in exchange for concessions over Fordow, which is heavily protected from aerial attack.
Iran insists that its nuclear facilities are for peaceful use, but Western governments fear that Tehran is seeking a nuclear weapon – or at least the ability to build one.
The striking image of steam over the Arak heavy-water complex is a vivid demonstration that the regime has more than one pathway to a potential nuclear weapon.
Previously, international talks on Iran's nuclear programme have focused on the Islamic Republic's attempts to enrich uranium at plants including Fordow.
But the new images of Arak highlight the progress Iran has made on facilities that could allow it to produce plutonium, potentially giving the country a second option in developing a nuclear weapon.
An Iranian bomb would allow the regime to
dissuade any Western challenge and extend its influence in the Middle East.
Israel fears that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose a mortal threat and encourage more attacks on its territory by Hizbollah militants.
Western intelligence agencies have made covert attempts to set back the
Iranian nuclear programme through sabotage. Some Israeli politicians want to go further and destroy Iran's nuclear plants from the air before the country can build a bomb.
Other images of the area around Arak show that numerous anti-aircraft missile and artillery sites protect the plant, more than are deployed around any other known nuclear site in the country.
The missile defences are most heavily concentrated to the west of the plant, which would be the most direct line of approach for any aircraft delivering a long-range strike from Israel.
The Arak complex has two parts: the heavy-water plant and a nuclear reactor.
Unlike the heavy-water plant, the reactor has been opened to examination by inspectors from the IAEA. During a visit earlier this month, the inspectors noted that cooling and "moderator circuit" pipes at the reactor were "almost complete".
Iran has told the IAEA that it will begin operating the reactor at Arak in the first three months of 2014.
The country still lacks the technology to reprocess plutonium and use it for a weapon.
But North Korea has successfully developed that technology, and some analysts speculate that Iran could do the same.
Mark Fitzpatrick, a former US State Department official at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, suggested that Arak could be part of a process that might trigger Western strikes on Iran.
One option for the Iranian regime would be to acquire the necessary reprocessing technology from North Korea, he said.
"By then, the option of a military strike on an operating reactor would present enormous complications because of the radiation that would be spread," he explained.
"Some think Israel's red line for military action is before Arak comes online."
Amid growing concerns about the Iranian nuclear programme, The Daily Telegraph commissioned today's images from commercial satellite operators. The Arak image was recorded on Feb 9.
The IAEA, which is responsible for inspecting Iran's nuclear sites, says that its inspectors are forced to rely on similar satellite images to monitor Arak.
The Telegraph's images were analysed by Stuart Ray of McKenzie Intelligence Services, a consultancy firm.
He said: "The steam indicates that the heavy-water plant is operational and the extent of the air defence emplacements around the site make it suspicious."
Based on its own analysis of satellite images, the IAEA has reached a similar conclusion. In a report distributed to its board last week, the agency reported "ongoing construction" at the Arak site and active heavy water production.
According to the Institute for Science and International Security, a US think tank, if the heavy-water plant reaches full capacity, it would produce about 20lb of plutonium a year.
That could be enough for two nuclear warheads if the plutonium was reprocessed.

Bradford Vs Swansea

Bradford will assess the fitness of defender Rory McArdle, who returned to training this week after recovering from an ankle injury.

The Bantams will be without striker Andy Gray, who is ineligible because he played for Leeds earlier in the competition.

Swansea defender Chico Flores is ruled out with an ankle problem, and will be replaced by Garry Monk or Kyle Bartley.

Swans boss Michael Laudrup says back-up goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel will start.

Bradford manager Phil Parkinson admits the team's remarkable cup run, in which over £1m is thought to have been generated, has provided a welcome distraction from the objectives set out at the start of the season.

"All along, the league has been our priority. I cannot hide away from that," he said.

"But we are in the final at Wembley and have a chance of getting into Europe.

"So, I can honestly say now, if we had the choice of two things, it would have to be winning the cup.

"We are a League Two team. We have created history by getting this far. It would be truly amazing if we could pull it off."

MATCH PREVIEW

The fans' final, the fairytale final - whatever you want to call it, there's no doubt that the League Cup has come up trumps again in giving us a showpiece ending that's a little bit out of the ordinary.

Will it be a fantastic final though? With such a gulf in league standings between the teams there's always the danger of a one-sided affair, but I think Bradford have proved enough times in their cup run that they can raise their game to take on any opponent - and go the distance.

Four of their seven games in the competition have gone to extra-time, with two famously won on penalties against Wigan and Arsenal. Their incredible record of nine successive shoot-out wins will certainly have Swansea fans feeling nervous if the scores are level with nearly two hours played.

There's a school of thought that the Bantams' best chance of winning in normal or extra-time is via set-pieces, and Aston Villa would testify to the threat Phil Parkinson's team pose there. It'll be interesting to see how the homework Swansea will have done manifests itself at the first corner or wide free-kick they concede.

What with the plunge down the divisions, two spells in administration, and the giant-killing run to the final, Bradford City's is a superb story, but we must remember how special Swansea City's tale is too.

When Bradford were in the Premier League at the turn of the millennium, the Swans were bouncing between the bottom two divisions, and only avoided a drop to non-league status with a final-day win over Hull just 10 years ago. That game will always be much more important in the history of a club that has reached its first major Wembley final in its centenary year.

Leon Britton and Alan Tate are still at Swansea having played in the 4-2 win against Hull at the old Vetch Field, and might just cast their minds back to that fateful day as they walk around Wembley in their cup final suits.

Yes, Swansea have come a very long way in a short time to become a much-admired Premier League team. They, arguably more than any other top-flight side, need no reminding of the need to avoid complacency.

Here's to that fantastic final then. A capital one, the sponsors would say.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

This will be the first match between Bradford and Swansea in a major cup competition.

The Swans are unbeaten in their last four league encounters with the Bantams, all of which came in League One. However, three of those matches were drawn.

Bradford's last win against Swansea was a 5-1 victory at Valley Parade in the third tier on 30 March 1996.

Bradford City

The Bantams are the second side from the fourth tier of English football to reach the League Cup final. Rochdale also managed the feat in 1962, losing to Division Two Norwich over two legs, although that was during the League Cup's infancy, when many of England's elite clubs declined to enter the competition.

Victory would see Bradford become the sixth club from outside the top flight to win the competition, following in the footsteps of Norwich (second tier, 1962), QPR (third tier, 1967), Swindon (third tier, 1969), Aston Villa (second tier, 1975) and Sheffield Wednesday (second tier, 1991).

Bradford have kept clean sheets in only two of their last 15 League Cup ties.

They have won nine consecutive penalty shootouts - an English record.

Swansea City

The Swans have reached the final of the League Cup for the first time in their history. Prior to this season they had never gone beyond the fourth round of the competition.

Michael Laudrup's men have won twice in eight league and cup games since booking their place in the final.

Swansea's most recent defeat against League Two opposition was a 3-1 loss to Shrewsbury in the second round of the League Cup last season.

They have kept clean sheets in their last three League Cup matches. They have gone 284 minutes since they last conceded in the competition. 

Every Nigerian Billionaire Is Corrupt, Says Former Minister Akinyemi

Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi, on Saturday dropped a bombshell in Akure, the Ondo State capital, saying no Nigeria billionaire could be said to have acquired his wealth without getting involved in illegal deals.
Mr. Akinyemi stated this while responding to questions after he delivered a lecture as part of activities marking the inauguration ceremony of Governor Olusegun Mimiko for a second and final term of office.
"There is no billionaire in Nigeria who made money without evading taxes, inflating contract prices or getting involved in one illegal deal or another," the former minister said. "It is sad that most businessmen are not sincere, they get their wealth through illegal means, there is no one that can be a billionaire without being corrupt in Nigeria."
Speaking on the topic"Leadership, Democracy and Development: A Paradigm Relationship", the former minister said for somebody to become a billionaire in Nigeria, he or she must have indulged, one way or the other, in corrupt practices.
Mr. Akinyemi listed the corrupt practices to include: tax evasion, using government money for personal business and going through illegal means to win contracts from government.
The former minister wondered whether Nigeria is currently operating a democratic system of government saying, "We still need to ask whether on the national scale, we claim to be operating a democratic system in Nigeria. Or is it a civilian system. I will concede without much conviction that we are operating a version of democracy especially in contradiction to the years of military rule."
He continued, "Irrespective of the cynical game between the military and the civilian political elite in the governance of Nigeria, the biggest threat to our putative democracy is not from the military, but from the state of our un-development.
"The real tragedy is that we have bred several generations who have lost hope in today and tomorrow. They have given up on Nigeria because Nigeria has given up on them.
On the way forward, the former minister advised that oppression and marginalization must be discarded by all.
On the way forward, the former minister advised Nigerian leaders to discard oppression and marginalization and work for the benefit of the generality of the citizenry.
He said, "The political elite must make a conscious effort to arrive at a consensus that will be the outcome of negotiation, give and take, compromises among others. The system to be put in place should not reflect temporary advantages secured through a temporary monopoly of power.
"We must find a way to building a nation where no man or woman is oppressed, where no man or woman is maginalised where there is hope for everyone, where a man or a woman through hard work, honesty and integrity will have the opportunity to achieve his dreams. When dream are killed and vision dulled, the nation is finished, "the Guest lecturer submitted.
Present at the event are a former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Christopher Kolade, who chaired the occasion, former Oyo State Governor, Bayo Alao Akala, first Governor of Old Ondo State, Retired Brigadier David Ikpeme, first Civilian Governor of Ondo State, Bamidele Olumilua, Retired Major General Alani Akinriade, Afenifere Leader, Ayo Opadokun, Kunle Olajide, and a former Minister of Information, Alex Akinyele 

Oscar Pistorius Brother Faces Murder Trial

The older brother of South African track star Oscar Pistorius, accused of murdering his girlfriend, is also facing trial for killing a woman in a car accident some five years ago.
Carl Pistorius is charged with culpable homicide after allegedly killing a motorcyclist in a 2008 accident outside of Johannesburg.
A local South African news station (e-News Channel Africa) reported Sunday that Carl Pistorius appeared in court last Thursday, but his trial was delayed until March.
Lawyer Kenny Oldwage said in a statement Sunday that "Carl deeply regrets the accident". He said blood tests conducted by the police at the time proved that he had not been under the influence of alcohol.
Oldwage added that charges brought after the accident were initially dropped, but then reinstated by national prosecutors.
Carl Pistorius has been a constant presence at the court during his younger brother's bail hearing last week.
Oscar Pistorius is accused in the February 14 shooting death his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius, who is known as the "blade runner" for his high-tech artificial legs, says he shot Steenkamp after mistaking her for a burglar. Prosecutors accused him of premeditated murder.
He was released on bail on Friday. 

Iran Announces Nuclear Expansion

Iran says it has found major new uranium deposits and is planning to expand its nuclear power programme.
It said 16 sites had been identified as suitable for the construction of new power plants over the next 15 years.
Iran said the find - which has not been independently confirmed - would treble the size of known uranium deposits.
Under UN sanctions, Iran is banned from importing nuclear material. It is due to hold talks with Western powers on Tuesday about its nuclear programme.
The US and its allies are widely believed to be planning to offer Iran some relief from sanctions at the talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
France confirmed a "substantial" new offer would be made, French news agency AFP quoted the foreign ministry as saying.
Three rounds of meetings in Moscow ended last June in stalemate.
Iran denies charges that it is secretly developing atomic weapons and insists that as a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) it is entitled to develop a nuclear power programme.
But tightening sanctions have squeezed Iran's economy, with oil revenue slashed, a currency that has nosedived in value, and growing unemployment.
As a result of years of study, 16 new sites had been identified as suitable for the construction of nuclear power plants, said the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) in reports carried by Iranian news agencies.
The sites - on Iran's north and south coasts, Khuzestan province and north-western Iran -were chosen in part for their resistance to earthquakes and military strikes, it said.
In separate reports, the AEOI praised experts' "round-the-clock efforts" for having resulted in the discovery of uranium deposits, "multiplying the current amount of its resources".
According to media reports, discoveries over the past 18 months have trebled Iran's reserves of raw uranium, which now stand at 4,400 tonnes.
"This made it possible for the Islamic Republic of Iran to move to a more advanced level in the field of nuclear industry among those countries that possess nuclear technology," Iranian news agency Irna quoted the AEOI as saying.
There is no independent verification of the find but Western experts had reportedly previously estimated that Iran might be coming close to using up its supplies of raw uranium.
The developments come as Iran gears up for another round of talks with the so-called P5+1 grouping of nations. These comprise the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, UK, France, China, and Russia - plus Germany.
The group has called on Iran to scale back its uranium enrichment - needed both for power plant fuel and, in higher purities, for the creation of a nuclear weapon.
But Iran had "fulfilled its NPT obligations" and would "defend its rights including its nuclear rights", said its top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, in remarks quoted by semi-official Iranian news agency Isna.
"If the 5+1 want to enter constructive talks, then they should enter with a new strategy and proposals. We hope the 5+1... enter on a path that can win the Iranian people's trust," he said.
Only 10 days ago, Iran announced an upgrade to Iranian enrichment machines or centrifuges - believed to be able to enrich two or three times faster than the old equipment.
Western powers have hinted that they will make Iran an offer that includes significant new elements which media reports have speculated could include an easing of sanctions on Iranian trade in precious metals.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), "overall, credible" evidence exists that until 2003, and possibly since then, Iran conducted nuclear weapons research.
The IAEA has also expressed concern about extensive changes at Iran's Parchin military base, where the agency suspects that explosives tests relevant to nuclear weapons have taken place in the past - a charge Iran denies.
Iran has so far resisted pressure to allow the IAEA access to Parchin. 

Vatican Attacks Resignation Gossip

The Vatican's chief spokesperson has criticised the media for reporting "misinformation" about the Church.
Father Federico Lombardi said some were trying to profit from a time of disorientation in the Catholic Church to spread "gossip" and "slander".
Father Lombardi made the comments in an editorial on the Vatican radio website.
Pope Benedict XVI's resignation, the first by a pope in nearly 600 years, takes effect on Thursday. His decision surprised many within the Church.
There have been recent articles in the Italian and international media suggesting intrigue and corruption in the Church.
An unconfirmed report in one of Italy's biggest newspapers, La Repubblica, suggested that the Pope had resigned shortly after being presented with a dossier detailing a network of Vatican priests, "united by sexual orientation" who were being blackmailed.
Without giving credence to such allegations or addressing the report specifically, the Vatican spokesman said those putting themselves in positions of judgement had no authority to do so.
"Whoever has money, sex and power at the forefront of their mind sees the world through these parameters and cannot see beyond, even when looking at the Church," he said.
"Their view cannot look to the heights or go in-depth to understand the spiritual dimensions and motivations of existence," he added.
Last year, the Pope appointed three retired cardinals to conduct an investigation into a scandal that became known as Vatileaks. The Pope's former butler Paolo Gabriele was convicted and later pardoned for stealing documents from his office.
Referring to the upcoming conclave, during which the next leader of the Catholic Church will be chosen, Father Lombardi also suggested that the media was exerting "unacceptable pressure to condition the vote of one or other member of the college of cardinals".
The BBC's Vatican correspondent, David Willey, says that this is probably directed towards attempts by the American media to dissuade US cardinals alleged to have covered up clerical sexual abuse scandals from travelling to take part in the vote.
Later on Saturday, the Pope is due to hold a farewell meeting with the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. 

Arsène Wenger Angrily Hits Out Over Contract Rumours Ahead Of Champions League Tie

Arsène Wenger has reacted with fury to suggestions that he is preparing to stay at Arsenal beyond 2014, and is about to be offered a new contract.
In one of most extraordinary press conferences of his 16-year tenure in north London a visibly angry Wenger asked why a journalist was looking at him, refused to answer questions on his side's defeat to Blackburn and launched an impassioned defence of his record in the FA Cup.
It had been suggested that Arsenal were preparing to offer Wenger an extension to his current contract, something the Frenchman described as "lies".
"That (new deal) is the wrong information. It only has one intention: to harm."
"If it is good information which comes from nowhere it is all right, but this is wrong information that comes from nowhere and it is completely wrong."
The Arsenal manager then asked why one of the journalists present was looking at him, to which the reporter replied "because it's your press conference."
Arsenal lost 1-0 at home to the Championship side, but Wenger believes his team have been insulted by anyone deeming them as a second string.
"I've been accused of not taking the FA Cup seriously," he said. "I've won it 4 times. Tell me who has won it more than me. Tell me, one name.
"I've been accused of not putting out a strong enough team - this is an insult to those who started the game, 11 internationals."
Arsenal now face the daunting prospect of a Champions League last 16 tie against Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, a team that has conceded only seven goals all season.
"We are fully focussed on tomorrow's game, Wenger said. "You can't compare the FA Cup with the Champions League. We must focus on our own quality and we have to put into our heads that we have 180 minutes to qualify.
'It is vital to keep a clean sheet. Nil-nil is not a disaster at home, but of course we will try to score goals. We have a way to play that everyone in the team knows. We must play with a positive mentality
Wenger stressed his team must take no notice of the negative headlines if they are to progress over two legs against the German side.
"We know well what is going on here. What is important is to forget what people say and focus on our strengths," he said.
"We play for Arsenal in the last 16 of the Champions league, we have qualified for a long, long time.
"What is important is not what people say it is what happens on the pitch.
"We live in a democracy of experts and opinions, but we have to live with that and cope with that and show we have the mental strength to deal with any opinion. There are a lot of experts who are not necessarily always right."
Wenger added: "There is a lot of superficial analysis. We have to accept we take the blame for going out (of the FA Cup), but you have to put things into perspective.
"You have to really analyse it, just because one guy says one thing, everybody has to go the same way."

Jerry Buss, Longtime Los Angeles Lakers Owner, Dead At 79 After Battle With Cancer

Longtime Lakers owner Jerry Buss died Monday morning, according to the Los Angeles Times.
He was 79.
Buss had been in the hospital receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. A self-made millionaire, Buss purchased the Lakers in 1979. Ten of the Lakers’ 17 NBA championships came under his stewardship.
After word came out that Buss was in the hospital, current and former Lakers players were vocal in their support of their boss.
"Dr. Jerry Buss, thinking about u & wish I could be there, get well soon. I can't wait 2 see u on 4/2/13 #LoveYou #Lakers" Shaquille O'Neal tweeted on Friday. O'Neil is having his Lakers jersey retired on April 2.
"He means everything to me," Kobe Bryant said to USA Today in a story published Friday. "He took a chance on a 17-year-old kid coming out of Philadelphia when nobody really saw that potential. He believed in me the entire way."

Pope Benedict Had Surgery To Replace Pacemaker Batteries Three Months Ago

Pope Benedict XVI underwent surgery to replace the batteries in his pacemaker three months before announcing the first papal resignation for nearly 600 years, the Vatican has confirmed.
Responding to a report in the Italian press that said the operation had been carried out in great secrecy at the Pius XI clinic in Rome, the Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said the surgery had been routine and unconnected to Benedict's decision to step down.
It was reportedly the first official acknowledgement that the 85-year-old pontiff has a pacemaker, a fact already known to some Vatican observers.
Lombardi insisted, as he did on Monday, that the pope's shock resignation had not been prompted by any specific illness. Benedict had had the pacemaker ever since he was a cardinal, he added.
"It was a routine replacement of the batteries,"

Lombardi said, declining to give a date for the operation, which took place just under three months ago. "It is absolutely not a relevant procedure."
In a front-page report, the Italian daily Il Sole 24 Ore said the pope had recovered sufficiently well from the operation to be able to deliver his Sunday service the day after. But, it claimed, the surgery had given him pause for thought over whether or not he could continue.
A day after his shock announcement, the pope was said to be preparing for his engagements over the next few days. He has changed his plans for Ash Wednesday, shifting a scheduled visit to a church on the Aventine hill to St Peter's to accommodate the crowds of people expected to greet him.
Despite having no vote in the conclave due to begin next month to choose his successor, there has been speculation that Benedict may try to exert influence over the process. The Vatican insisted, however, that he would play no role in the selection of the 266th pope. "He will not interfere in any way," Lombardi told journalists.
Rejecting concern over how Benedict, whose future title is still unclear, would fit alongside his successor, Lombardi added: "The pope has said in his declaration that he will use his time for prayer and reflection, and will not have any responsibility for guidance of the church or any administrative or government responsibility. This is absolutely clear and this is the sense of the resignation."

Lady In Leather Beyonce Sets The Stage On Fire As She's Joined By Bandmates In Show-Stopping Half-Time Super Bowl Performance

She was under pressure to deliver a brilliant performance at Sunday's Super Bowl following the recent lip syncing controversy at President Obama's Inauguration.
And Beyonce took to the stage with trademark style, with an all-singing, all-dancing spectacular greatest hits set for the half time show, which culminated in her being joined on stage by Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.
The 31-year-old singer sported a plunging leather Rubin Singer corset and skirt which she stripped off to reveal a lace underlay during a slick, energetic show packed with special effects at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

 

Beyonce looked striking in a plunging leather corset as she performed a medley of her hits with Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams at the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday

 

 

Beyoncé pulled a variety of amusing facial expressions during the performance

Beyoncé beamed from ear to ear as she waved at the audience

Beyonce lay back on the stage at one point, while fans clamoured around her as they watched inside the lit up silhouette

Light show spectacular: Beyonce's striking Super Bowl performance from the air

WICKED! Celebrity Saudi Preacher Who Raped And Tortured His Five-Year-Old Daughter To Death

Lama suffered multiple injuries including a crushed skull, broken ribs and back, bruising and burns. She had been raped repeatedly and died of her injuries in October

A Saudi preacher who tortured his five-year-old daughter to death has been released after agreeing to pay 'blood money', activists said.
Lama al-Ghamdi died in October having suffered multiple injuries including a crushed skull, broken ribs and left arm, extensive bruising and burns.
The child had also been repeatedly raped and the burned.
Her father Fayhan al-Ghamdi, a prominent Islamist preacher who regularly appears on television in Saudi Arabia, served only a few months in jail despite admitting having used a cane and cables to inflict the injuries.
Activists from the group Women to Drive said the preacher had doubted Lama's virginity and had her checked up by a medic.
Randa al-Kaleeb, a social worker from the hospital where Lama was admitted, said the girl's back was broken and that she had been repeatedly raped.
Her injuries were then burned.
Rather than the death penalty or a long prison sentence, the judge in the case ruled the prosecution could only seek 'blood money', according to activists.

Saudi preacher Fayhan Ghamd was given a £31,000 fine despite admitting beating his daughter with a cable

The money is compensation for the next of kin under Islamic law.
Activists said the judge ruled the few months al-Ghamdi spent in prison since his arrest in November was sufficient punishment.
He has reportedly agreed to pay £31,000 ($50,000), which is believed to have gone to Lama's mother.
The amount is half that would have been paid if Lama had been a boy.
Activists say under Islamic laws a father cannot be executed for murdering his children. Husbands can also not be executed for murdering their wives, the group say.
Three Saudi activists, including Manal al-Sharif, who started the women's right to drive campaign, have raised objections to the ruling.
A social media campaign is now gaining momentum after the ruling was publicised.
Manal al-Sharif has launched a campaign on Twitter using the hashtag 'Ana Lama', which is translated as I am Lama, calling for better protection for children and women.
Local reports say public anger in Saudi Arabia is also growing and authorities have said they will create a 24-hour hotline to take calls about child abuse.

Stevie Wonder's Daughter Is Engaged

Stevie Wonder's daughter and backing singer Aisha Morris is engaged.
The Superstition hitmaker was performing a pre-Super Bowl concert in New Orleans, Louisiana on Saturday night (02Feb13) when he suddenly stopped the show and announced the exciting news to the crowd.
The identity of the 38 year old's fiance remains unknown, but Wonder was so disappointed he missed out on the proposal, he asked his future son-in-law to do it again.
A source tells the New York Post, "Stevie said he wanted her fiance to re-propose to her so her father could hear it. It was a lovely moment."
After the big announcement, the superstar played a full set on the eve of the American football championships showpiece, including Higher Ground, How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), and Isn't She Lovely, which was inspired by his daughter when she was a child.

Justin Timberlake Insults Britney Spears

Justin Timberlake allegedly called Britney Spears a "bitch" on stage on Saturday night.
The 32-year-old singer - who married his girlfriend of four years Jessica Biel in Italy in October - reportedly blasted his ex-girlfriend for cheating on him in 2002 before singing his hit Cry Me A River, which was written about her, on stage at a pre-Super Bowl bash in New Orleans in aid of a children's charity.
Before performing the Grammy Award-winning track, Justin told the crowd: "Sometimes in life, you think you found the one. But then one day you find out, that she is just some bitch," according to HollywoodLife.com.
Justin ended his three-year romance with Britney, 31, after she allegedly cheated on him with her then choreographer Wade Robson and the song is about their high profile break-up.
Justin was later joined on stage by Jay-Z at the concert, which was his first full show in five years and helped to benefit the Shriners Hospitals For Children and was hosted by cable company DirectTV at the DTV Superfan Stadium.
Guests at the star-studded invite-only event included Paul McCartney and his third wife, Nancy Shevell, Twilight Saga star Peter Facinelli, Modern Family actress Sofia Vergara, Nashville star Hayden Panettiere and David Arquette.
It is not known whether Justin's Total Recall star wife Jessica attended the bash.
Britney, who has two children Sean Preston, seven, and Jayden James, six, from her previous marriage to Kevin Federline, recently broke off her engagement to Jason Trawick.

Frank Ocean Will Not Press Charges Against Chris Brown

Frank Ocean has revealed that he will not be pressing charges against Chris Brown after their alleged brawl.
The singer was allegedly punched by the 23-year-old Turn Up The Music hitmaker, who accused Frank of blocking his car from leaving Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, but he later decided to forgive Chris and not to press charges.
A source close to Chris told HollywoodLife.com: "Chris was never worried about anything going down or having to go to jail over what was a misunderstanding. He was never worried and there's always two sides to every story. Just because Frank stayed there and talked to police doesn't mean anything. It's all good.
"It is what it is. It was a misunderstanding and Chris respects Frank and all. This was some petty shit that was blown out of whack in the media. Everything that you think you heard didn't even happen and Chris and Frank know that. That's why Frank just let it go.
"It's all gravity. Chris has no beef with anybody. Frank is cool. Everybody's cool and in the end, it's all about respect anyway."
In a recent post on his official blog, Frank, 25, revealed he was not pressing charges.
He wrote: "As a child I thought if someone jumped me it would result in me murdering or mutilating a man. But as a man I am not a killer. I'm an artist and a modern person. I'll choose sanity. No criminal charges. No civil lawsuit. Forgiveness, albeit difficult, is wisdom. Peace, albeit trite, is what I want in my short life. Peace."
The Sweet Life hitmaker took to Twitter shortly after the brawl to say he was "jumped" by Chris and claimed his hand injury may affect his live performance at the Grammy Awards on 10 February.
Frank's music producer Michael Uzowuru, claims that Chris is facing "demons".
His blog states that Chris' friend cornered Frank and pinned him up against a wall "while Chris was trying to beat the living 'shit' out of [him]."
He claims Frank fought back, throwing elbows and punches of his own but they eventually stopped after being screamed at by their entourages.
"I don't know what type of demons Chris is facing, but I hope he clears them all and finds a new life rooted in love and light," Frank further wrote.
Chris is still on probation for beating up his on/off girlfriend Rihanna in 2009 and any new charge could affect this.

Photographer Held For Photos Of Genitals

Tokyo-based Singaporean photographer Leslie Kee was arrested on Monday on suspicion of obscenity after selling books containing pictures of male genitals at a gallery in Tokyo, police said.
The 41-year-old photographer, known for his pictures of Japanese pop stars including Ayumi Hamasaki, Yumi Matsutoya and Kumi Koda, was arrested along with two Japanese publishing firm employees.
The trio sold seven copies of a book "containing many photographs explicitly showing male genitals and others" to two customers at the gallery in the upscale shopping and entertainment district of Minami Aoyama, a Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson said.
The a copy of the book was priced at around $65, he added.
The trio could be jailed up to two years and/or fined up to $27 000 if convicted of the obscenity charge.
Under Japanese law pictures of genitals must be obscured, a process usually done through pixellation, which has given rise to its own genre of pornography.

Egypt Jails Christians Over Soldier Clash

An Egyptian court on Monday sentenced two Coptic Christians to three years in prison for seizing a soldier's rifle during a deadly October 2011 crackdown on Coptic protesters, a judicial source said.
The Cairo court said Maikel Adel Nagib Farag and Medhat Shaker stole a soldier's assault rifle during the crackdown on an 9 October protest in which more than 20 demonstrators were killed.
The Copts had been protesting outside state television headquarters in Cairo against an arson attack on a church when soldiers tried to disperse them, leading to clashes in which soldiers shot and crushed protesters with armoured cars.
The military, then in power, was reported in the Egyptian press to have convicted and jailed three of its soldiers for manslaughter during the incident, although it has not confirmed the sentences.
The military said an undisclosed number of its soldiers were killed in the clashes.
Copts suffered a spike in sectarian attacks during the military-led transition between an uprising that overthrew president Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 and the June 2012 election of Islamist leader Mohamed Morsi as his successor.
The 9 October clashes were especially shocking to the minority, which comprises 6% to 10% of Egypt's 83 million people, because it involved soldiers and not sectarian elements.

Muhammad Ali's Daughter denies Ali Near Death

Muhammad Ali's daughter has dismissed rumours of the heavyweight boxing legend dubbed The Greatest being near death, saying he was at home watching the Super Bowl.
May May Ali said she talked to her father on the phone on Sunday morning and he was fine.
She said he was watching the Super Bowl at home in Arizona, wearing a Baltimore Ravens jersey.
"He's fine, in fact he was talking well this morning," she said. "These rumours pop up every once in a while but there's nothing to them."
The rumours were started by a British tabloid newspaper report quoting Ali's brother, Rahman, as saying the 71-year-old former champion, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, was near death.
Rahman, though, said he had not seen his brother since last summer and had no contact with the family.
The report was widely repeated on the internet, drawing expressions of condolences on Twitter and Facebook.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wants To Be First Iranian In Space

Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has made the strange declaration that he is ready to risk of being the county's first astronaut sent into space.
"I'm ready to be the first Iranian to sacrifice myself for our country's scientists," he told space scientists in Tehran.
Anousheh Ansari was the first Iranian to make a journey into space aboard a Soyuz TMA-9 capsule from Baikonur, Kazakhastan, in September 2006. The 40-year-old telecommunications entrepreneur paid a reported 20 million dollars for a space station visit. Her journey became an inspiration to women in male-dominated Iran.
Iran sent a monkey into space last Monday, describing the launch a successful step toward Tehran's plan to send an astronaut into space within the next five to six years. The monkey named "Pishgam," which means pioneer in Farsi, safely returned to Earth.
In 2010, Iran said it launched an Explorer rocket into space carrying a mouse, a turtle and worms.
Iran's space officials say Iran will launch a bigger rocket carrying a larger animal to obtain greater safety assurances before sending a man into space.
Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi said Iran will soon send a satellite into space from its Imam Khomeini space centre, which is still under construction.
Iran already has a major satellite launch complex near Semnan, east of Tehran. A satellite monitoring facility is located outside Mahdasht, west of the Iranian capital.
Iran says it wants to put its own satellites into orbit to monitor natural disasters in the earthquake-prone nation, improve telecommunications and expand military surveillance in the region.

Childless Couple Jailed Over Baby Smuggled From Africa

A childless couple who desperately tried to start a family for more than a decade have been jailed for smuggling in a baby from Africa.
Kacou Miessan, 44, and wife Raymonde, 39, tried to conceive unsuccessfully for 13 years including failed IVF treatment.
The married couple were so set on being parents that Mrs Miessan travelled to her native Sierra Leone and returned a few months later in May last year clutching a baby boy.
Although the couple claimed the baby was found in a bin, it is not known where they actually found him, Canterbury Crown Court heard.
Mrs Miessan registered the birth in her home country. Because she was a French national from Sierra Leone, she was able to get a passport for him before the family began a new life in Ashford, Kent.
James Bilsland, prosecuting, told the court she had lied to the authorities about giving birth when in fact she had never been pregnant.
When the couple had a row with a relative over subletting of property, another judge made the discovery that the child had been brought into Britain illegally.
The couple were confronted and told police Mrs Miessan's own mother found the child in a street bin – still attached to his umbilical cord – and offered it to her.
But when the district judge asked Mr Miessan if the child had been brought to the UK illegally, he confessed.
The couple were jailed for 12 months last week by Judge Adele Williams.
She told them: ''The mischief in this offence was that you disguised the child's identity, travelling across international borders on a false ID. It is a very serious matter.
"You told lies about the child's identity and subverted all the proper and necessary checks and procedures."
At Canterbury Crown Court last month, the Miessans admitted smuggling the child into the UK with fake documents.
The baby has now been taken into care and a High Court judge has ruled that he is to be offered for adoption.
DNA tests disclosed that the child's parents are likely to be from South Africa or Namibia, the court was told.
The court heard Mrs Miessan told investigators: "We did it to help him. We are sorry we didn't do it by the rules.
"We intended to give something good back by giving [the baby] a good life."
Mrs Miessan had told police that in her home country: "No one was safe. Everybody's life is precious.
"There were loads of children who were abandoned. I am sorry that I laugh because it's a good job I only came back with one.
"If I had been able to I would have brought in more because there were loads of children who were abandoned ... there were loads of children dead."
She added: "It is true that I lied to the authorities but to me it was to save a child from death, give him an identity, a name, an education. Now he has been taken away from me."
Mrs Miessan said that when she was with the baby, she received a call from her husband asking her to get the baby to speak down the telephone.
Her husband said: "I wanted to hear his voice. I say something stupid to her like: 'Please make him cry so I can hear his voice', so I can use my telephone to record his voice. At least I will always have his voice on my telephone."
Mr Miessan, who was a father for eight weeks before the truth was discovered, added: "we said that we were going to take care of him, give him a very good education as far as we can. I was going to try to save some money for him so that he can go to university. I wanted the best for him."
He added: "For us it's not enough because we want to stay with him not only for one hour a day but I want to stay and look at him. I want to change his nappy. I want to give him his food. I will do anything.
"We didn't do this to harm [the baby], to do something wrong. We done it to help him to get a better life. I just don't know what is going to happen to him now.
"It is true we didn't do it the right way but we didn't want to deceive anyone. For us it was [the baby], it's not like we did it for some kind of return, to claim some benefits."
Puneet Rai, defending Mr Miessan, said: "From the outset he has been open and honest about what had occurred.
"He was at pains to emphasise the joy this child had brought to them."
Christopher Harding, defending Mrs Miessan, said: "Because of the failure of the IVF treatment this was in effect an act of desperation.
"They have now already suffered by the loss of this child."

Israel will Regret Syria Aggression Warns Iran

Israel will regret its latest "aggression against Syria", according to Saeed Jalili, Tehran's security chief.
Speaking during a visit to Damascus, the Syrian capital, Mr Jalili, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said: "Just like it regretted all its wars ... the Zionist entity will regret its aggression against Syria.
"The Syrian people and government are serious about this, and the Muslim world supports Syria.
"Syria is at the forefront of the Mus
world's confrontation with the Zionist entity," he added, in reference to Israel.
In Munich on Sunday, Ehud Barak, the Israeli defence minister, implicitly confirmed that the Jewish state had staged an air strike on Syria, following reports of an air raid which Damascus said targeted a military complex near the capital.
Mr Barak told the Munich Security Conference that the strike was "another proof that when we say something we mean it."
Wednesday's air strike targeted surface-to-air missiles and an adjacent military complex believed to house chemical agents, according to a US official.
Tehran has provided Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime with unequivocal support throughout the country's 22-month conflict, which the UN says has left more than 60,000 people dead.
Analysts have warned of the potential regional spillover of the conflict, which has divided the international community into two camps.
One Russia-led camp has backed Mr Assad, the other, led by the United States, has supported the revolt.

West Brom Striker Peter Odemwingie Given A Few Days Off Following Transfer Deadline Day Farce

West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie has been told not to return to training until next week.
The 31-year-old tried to force a move to QPR on transfer deadline day.
Odemwingie arrived at Loftus Road but West Brom said no fee had been agreed and he was not free to discuss personal terms.
Speaking outside the West Brom training ground on Friday, Odemwingie said: "I have been given a few days off and will be back in training next week."
Odemwingie met with club board members Dan Ashworth and Richard Garlick and head coach Steve Clarke on Friday morning and will miss Sunday's game against Tottenham Hotspur.
Afterwards, a statement from the club said: "After the events of the past week, the club decided it is in the best interests of all parties that Peter is not involved in Sunday's game and he was given permission to return home."
However, although Odemwingie regrets his actions in travelling to London, he insists his long-term future remains away from The Hawthorns.
"I am a very emotional person who sometimes doesn't think," he told Sky Sports News on Friday.
"I will still leave the club. It is only a matter of time."
Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace accused Odemwingie of acting unprofessionally over the apparent attempt to open talks without the club's permission.
But although Odemwingie admitted he was perhaps a "little unprofessional" he defended himself by claiming the circumstances were not so different to when he joined West Brom from Lokomotiv Moscow in 2010 for £2.5m.
He also put Thursday's actions down to a misunderstanding.
"I came to this club (West Brom) in a wholly unprofessional way. I wasn't given any written permission by Lokomotiv Moscow but I arrived at this club. I did a medical, I don't think everything went so professional when I arrived," he added.
Clarifying his comments, he said: "I'm saying that these things don't matter so much when adults are dealing with each other.
"I think there was a misunderstanding somewhere because I could have held my goodbyes to the [West Brom] players if I was told it is not going to happen."
Odemwingie felt he had been given the go-ahead from West Brom to complete his move to QPR, but conceded he did not have written permission.
He had appeared optimistic that a deal could be reached when he was interviewed on his arrival in west London on Thursday.
"I hope they will be happy with what they get and, of course, they want to get in players themselves. I just hope that everything will be sorted out in the next few hours," he told Sky Sports News at the time.
But Odemwingie said on Friday: "They [West Brom] didn't give me written permission, but you know we are in England and when you're gentlemen you understand each other so easily.
"In my opinion, everything was done right and at the last moment, I don't know what really happened, but I think other people can answer this question as well.
"We were almost there, the club were angry that I went there and it was on TV. They weren't angry that I went there, but when it came up on TV that's when they said that this deal is off and why did I do that.
"So I understand the club to be honest, it was a bit unprofessional but we all know our positions and we were almost there.
"I understand I have to honour any contract but the club know I have wanted to leave for some time now.
"They feel I can overcome that but they are not the ones who know their own heart. They believe while I am struggling I can keep performing on the pitch."
QPR manager Harry Redknapp said he felt sorry for the situation Odemwingie found himself in.
"The whole thing was a bit of a mess. I felt genuinely sorry for him. I think there was a mistake. He travelled down and I think he thought the deal was done and that is why he turned up.
"I think he thought 'I better get down, have the medical, sign the forms' - it was just a mistake.
"It is now difficult as he has to go back to West Brom and get on with his life.
"It wasn't easy. He is not a bad lad, he is a nice, nice boy and that is what disturbed me last night, that he got himself into that situation and there was nothing sort of malicious in it.
"I don't think the deal would have been problem, it is just a player (Junior Hoilett) was going to go on loan the other way and decided he didn't want to go."

South Korean Student Allegedly Drugged And Raped In India

A South Korean student holidaying on her own in India was allegedly drugged and raped by the son of a hotel owner as she visited a tiger reserve in central India, police have said.
The 23-year-old college student has filed a police case saying she was raped on January 14 after returning to the hotel from a safari at the Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh state.
"The incident happened last month but she said she did not have the courage to report it right away. She approached us on Thursday and we have registered a case against the accused," inspector Prakash Kulkarni told AFP.
Kulkarni, a police officer in Aurangabad city of Maharashtra state where the complaint was made, said the case had been transferred to his counterparts in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.
The incident comes on the heels of the brutal gang-rape of a student in New Delhi in December that has triggered an outpouring of criticism of the police and inadequate safety for women in Indian society.
The physiotherapy student died 13 days after the assault, which happened on a bus she had boarded with her boyfriend as they returned home from watching a film in an upmarket shopping mall.
The South Korean woman had come to India last month on a tourist visa, the Times of India newspaper reported.
The paper said the woman had been offered a bottle of beer by the suspect after she returned to the hotel in the evening.
"She said she lost consciousness but woke up in the middle of night to find the suspect sexually assaulting her. She claims she forced him out of the room and locked the door," it said.
As many as 24,206 rape cases were reported in the country in 2011 although activists warn these statistics are a gross under-representation due to the social stigma attached with such crimes.
Travel advisories by the US and other foreign embassies warn women not to travel alone in India, saying they are "at risk and should exercise vigilance".

Beyoncé Admits To Using Prerecorded Track At Inauguration

Beyonce faced the music at a news conference Thursday before the Super Bowl, admitting that she sang along to a prerecorded track when she performed the national anthem on Inauguration Day.
The singer said she’s a “perfectionist” and wanted her performance for President Barack Obama to be memorable. She called the day “emotional.”
“I practice until my feet bleed and I did not have time to rehearse with the orchestra,” she said. “Due to no proper sound check, I did not feel comfortable taking a risk. It was about the president and the inauguration, and I wanted to make him and my country proud, so I decided to sing along with my prerecorded track, which is very common in the music industry.
And I’m very proud of my performance.”
She opened her news conference in New Orleans with a live rendition of the national anthem that mirrored the one on Inauguration Day. She asked those at the conference to stand before she belted “The Star Spangled Banner,” and after, she said with a laugh: “Any questions?”
And despite her performance, there were. When pressed about whether any sound was coming from her voice when she sang for the president, she said she was singing along to the track and not mimicking. And when asked if she would be singing live at the Super Bowl, she said, “I will absolutely be singing live.
“This is what I was born to do.”
The superstar hadn’t spoken publicly since it was alleged that she lip-synched at the inauguration last week. Her critically praised performance came under scrutiny less than a day later when a representative from the U.S. Marine Band said she wasn’t singing live and the band’s accompanying performance was taped. Shortly after, the group backed off its initial statement and said no one could tell if she was singing live or not.
The halftime performance became a main focus of her press conference, even though she’d likely rather concentrate on questions about her set list for Sunday and her upcoming HBO documentary, “Life Is but a Dream,” which was shown for the media just before Beyonce spoke.
Beyonce has teased photos and video of herself preparing for the show, which will perhaps be the biggest audience of her career. Last year, Madonna’s halftime performance was the most-watched Super Bowl halftime performance ever, with an average of 114 million viewers. It garnered more viewers than the game itself, which was the most-watched U.S. TV event in history.

Dog On Death Row For Being 'Gay' Saved After Viral Facebook Campaign

Peering forlornly from behind a wire fence, this dog was hours away from being put down - because his owner thought he was 'gay'.
He abandoned the healthy bulldog-mix hound at an overcrowded animal shelter in America, where he was due to be put down yesterday.
But, at the eleventh hour, the dog was saved thanks to a Facebook campaign which went viral.
Thousands volunteered to take him in, but in the end he was adopted by Stephanie Fryns, a veterinary technician, who called him Elton. According to a regular visitor at the shelter in Jackson, Tennessee, Elton’s old owner had noticed him ‘hunched over’ another male dog – so assumed he was homosexual.
She wrote on Facebook: ‘His owner threw him away because he refuses to have a “gay” dog!
‘Don’t let this gorgeous dog die [because] his owner is ignorant of normal dog behaviour!
‘He’s in kennel 10L and he will be put down tomorrow because there is no room at the inn!’ The story went viral across the internet, and animal lovers and rescue groups from around the US began trying to help the animal.
Minutes after the shelter opened yesterday morning, there was a happy ending thanks to Miss Fryns.
The shelter’s boss said: ‘I have had about ten million calls this morning. He’s been adopted already. He’s gone. He’s in good hands.’
Miss Fryns, who owns four other dogs, said she had seen Elton on an adoption website and planned to rescue him even before his story went viral.
She said he weighed 50lbs, and ‘was pretty friendly so far. He’s pretty scared of everything, which is understandable. But he loved the car ride.’
She added that bulldog and bulldog mixes are often abandoned in Tennessee shelters because of illegal dog fights held in the state.
Experts say a male dog mounting another male dog is not a sign of sexual orientation but rather a sign of the animal’s attempts to show dominance.

Turkey Raises Security Levels After Deadly Bombing At US Embassy

A suspected suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at the entrance of the U.S. Embassy in the Turkish capital on Friday, killing himself and one other person, officials said.
U.S. Ambassador Francis Ricciardione told reporters that a guard at the gate was killed in the 1:15 p.m. blast, and a Turkish citizen was wounded.
The bomb appeared to have exploded inside the security checkpoint at the side entrance of the embassy, but did not do damage inside the embassy itself. Footage showed that the door had been blown off its hinges and debris littered the ground and across the road. An Associated Press journalist saw a body in the street in front of an embassy side entrance.
Police swarmed the area and several ambulances were dispatched. An AP journalist saw one woman who appeared to be seriously injured being carried into an ambulance.
The police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government rules, said police had examined security cameras around the embassy and had identified two people who could have been the suicide bomber.
The embassy building is heavily protected. It is near an area where several other embassies are located, including that of Germany and France. Police sealed off the area and journalists were being kept away.
The phones were not being answered at the embassy. In a statement, it thanked Turkey for "its solidarity and outrage over the incident."
There was no claim of responsibility, but Kurdish rebels and Islamic militants are active in Turkey. Kurdish rebels, who are fighting for autonomy in the Kurdish-dominated southeast, have dramatically stepped up attacks in Turkey over the last year.
As well, homegrown Islamic militants tied to al-Qaida have carried out suicide bombings in Istanbul. In a 2003 attack on the British consulate, a suspected Islamic militant rammed an explosive-laden pickup truck into the main gate, killing 58, including the British consul-general.
In 2008, an attack blamed on al-Qaida-affiliated militants outside the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul left three assailants and three policemen dead.
Turkey has become a harsh critic of the regime in Syria, where a vicious civil war has left at least 60,000 people dead. The first of six Patriot missile batteries being deployed to Turkey to protect against attack from Syria was declared operational and placed under NATO command on Saturday and others were expected to be operational in the coming days.

Tasty Nacho: Wenger Delight At Monreal Deal

Arsene Wenger expects Nacho Monreal to be a tasty addition to Arsenal's squad after the Spaniard's deadline day move.
The Gunners paid £8.5million for the Malaga left-back, 26, after Kieran Gibbs picked up a thigh injury during the 2-2 draw against Liverpool.
Gibbs could be sidelined for up to two months and Wenger was delighted to bag long-term target Monreal.
The Frenchman said: "Our scouts have followed his progress for a while and of course we had a blow with the Gibbs injury, which is a bit longer than expected.
"We expected two to three weeks, now it will be four to six, so we were in a position where we had to make a quick decision. That explains our buy."
He added: "I believe we need two left-backs. You cannot play every single game with the same player. We had two before, we have two again now.
Wenger reveals how he has tracked his new signing and expects him to fit in well
"If Gibbs is out for four to six weeks, from six it can easily go to eight (before he is competitive again) and that means two months in a very decisive period, so it is vital to have another left back."
Monreal will be cup-tied for the Champions League having helped Malaga qualify for the knockout stages.
Wenger is sure the Spaniard can have a big impact on the Premier League.
He said: "We believe he can integrate our style of play and adapt very quickly to that.
"He has the characteristics to play our game because he is very mobile, has a good left foot and is very good in combination play. It is of course vital in our style of play."