Posters critical of Pope Francis appear around Rome: the Pope has been accused of being without mercy.

Posters of a stern-looking Pope Francis
appeared on walls around Rome on Saturday,
condemning his actions against some conservative
Catholics and asking, "Where is your mercy?"

Written in local Roman dialect, the posters lamented that
the Pope had "removed priests; decapitated the Knights
of Malta" and "ignored Cardinals," echoing some of the
major complaints some conservative Catholics have
about Pope Francis' recent decisions.

The posters were not signed by any group.

On the day the posters appeared,  the Pope finalized a
months-long battle with the Knights of Malta by
appointing a Special Delegate from the Vatican and
giving him "all necessary powers" to help renew the
traditional Catholic Order.

The Knights of Malta have a unique "sovereign" standing
within the Catholic Church, similar to that of a separate
country, and they had contested the legality of the Pope's
intervention into their order.

Last month the Pope forced the resignation of the head of
the Knights of Malta, former Grand Master Matthew
Festing, who had publicly opposed him.

The reference in the poster to "decapitation of the Knights
of Malta" refers to this battle.

Criticism of the pontiff

Within a few hours of their appearance, the posters had
been taken down or covered over by "Illegal Posting"
signs from the City of Rome.

Conservative criticism of Pope Francis has intensified
since November, when he refused to answer an official
letter sent to him by four cardinals. The letter criticized
his move to allow divorced and remarried Catholics to
receive communion.

That issue has divided many in the Catholic Church and
has left bishops around the world arguing about the
Pope's intentions and how to implement the directive.

One of the signers of that letter, known as a dubia, was
conservative US Cardinal Raymond Burke, whom the
Pope removed as the head of the Vatican's Supreme
Court in 2014 and named as his papal liaison to the
Knights of Malta.

On Saturday, the Pope once again effectively sidelined
Cardinal Burke by appointing Archbishop Angelo Becciu
as his "special delegate" to the Knights and his
"exclusive spokesman" in relations between the order
and the Vatican.

CNN

Breaking news : President Buhari postpones return indefinitely

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday extended his 10 -
day vacation which he started penultimate week .

The extension was contained in a three-paragraph statement
made available to journalists by his Special Adviser on
Media and Publicity, Mr . Femi Adesina .

Adesina said the extension was necessary to allow the
President complete the series of medical tests recommended
by his doctors and get the results .

Although he said Buhari had already dispatched a letter to
the National Assembly on the extension , he did not specify
the duration of the extension .

The statement read , “ President Muhammadu Buhari has
written to the National Assembly today , February 5, 2017 ,
informing of his desire to extend his leave in order to
complete and receive the results of a series of tests
recommended by his doctors .

“ The President had planned to return to Abuja this
( Sunday ) evening , but was advised to complete the test
cycle before returning .

The notice has since been dispatched
to the Senate President , and Speaker , House of
Representatives .

“ Mr. President expresses his sincere gratitude to Nigerians
for their concern , prayers and kind wishes . ”

Buhari had left Nigeria penultimate Thursday for London,
United Kingdom , where he was scheduled to undergo
medical checkups .

Shortly after he left , there were reports that he had passed
on in a London hospital .

The Presidency has since denied the reports .

Punch

Get motivated :A Very Special Bank Account

Imagine you had a bank account that deposited $86,400 each
morning.

The account carries over no balance from day to day,
allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels
whatever part of the amount you had failed to use during the day.

What would you do? Draw out every dollar each day!

We all have such a bank. Its name is Time. Every morning, it
credits you with 86,400 seconds.

Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever time you have failed to use wisely.

It carries over no balance from day to day.

It allows no overdraft so you can’t
borrow against yourself or use more time than you have.

Each day, the account starts fresh. Each night, it destroys an unused time.

If you fail to use the day’s deposits, it’s your loss and you can’t
appeal to get it back.

There is never any borrowing time. You can’t take a loan out on
your time or against someone else’s.

The time you have is the time you have and that is that.

Time management is yours to decide how you spend the time, just as with money you decide how you spend the money.

It is never the case of us not having enough time to do things, but the case of whether we want to do them and where they fall in our priorities.

Chelsea thrash Arsenal 3-1

Eden Hazard scored a sublime solo goal as Premier League
leaders Chelsea thrust a dagger into Arsenal ’s title
aspirations with a 3- 1 victory at Stamford Bridge on
Saturday .

The Belgian winger left a trail of defenders in his wake to
double Chelsea’s lead in the 53 rd minute , in between a
contentious header by Marcos Alonso and a late lob from
Arsenal old boy Cesc Fabregas .

It was Chelsea’ s 11 th home victory in succession and their
16 th win in 18 league games , stretching their lead over
third -place Arsenal to a huge 12 points with 14 games of
the season remaining.

Chelsea have been close to unplayable since Antonio Conte
changed their system during their 3- 0 loss at Arsenal on
September 24 and it seems only a matter of time until they
are crowned champions .

For Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger , who watched from
the stands as he served the third game of a four - match
touchline ban , his side ’s season is following a wearily
familiar pattern.

Arsenal have lost their last five games at the Bridge and
had conceded 13 unanswered goals prior to Olivier Giroud ’ s
stoppage -time consolation .

They have lost four of their last nine league games and
once again face the prospect of a run-in given suspense only
by the tussle for Champions League places .

With a raft of midfielders unavailable , Wenger was obliged
to start with Alex Oxlade - Chamberlain alongside Francis
Coquelin in the middle , while Theo Walcott replaced Giroud
in attack.

Arsenal had conceded two goals in the first 13 minutes of
Tuesday ’s 2 -1 loss at home to Watford .

They almost caught Chelsea cold here , Alex Iwobi curling
wide after Thibaut Courtois overhit a pass towards David
Luiz .

But after Gary Cahill had headed into the ground and over
the bar at the other end, Chelsea went ahead in the 13 th
minute with a goal that left Arsenal fans fuming .
– Bellerin forced off –

Pedro sent a cross into the box from the right that Diego
Costa headed against the bar at the near post , sending the
ball spinning into the air .

As Hector Bellerin got himself in position to head it away,
and with Walcott watching on impassively , Alonso flew in ,
cleaning his fellow Spaniard out with his forearm and
heading the ball home .

Referee Martin Atkinson allowed the goal to stand and
Arsenal ’ s disappointment was compounded by the sight of a
dazed Bellerin being led down the tunnel , with Gabriel
taking his place .

Chelsea were buoyant , Costa driving a shot into the side -
netting and Pedro forcing Petr Cech to push the ball behind
from Alonso ’s accurate cut -back .

But Arsenal ended the first half strongly , Courtois
producing a stunning one -handed save to turn Gabriel’ s
header over the bar and then dropping onto a tame effort
by Mesut Ozil .

It took a last-ditch tackle by Laurent Koscielny to prevent
Hazard scampering clear early in the second half , but when
the Chelsea number 10 picked up the ball in the 53 rd
minute , there was no getting it back .

After striding onto a loose ball in the centre circle, he beat
Koscielny, shrugged off Coquelin, leaving him flat on his
back , and then outfoxed Koscielny again before squeezing a
shot past Cech.

On the touchline , Conte celebrated with characteristic
abandon .

There were flickers from Arsenal , Courtois clawing away a
deft header from substitute Danny Welbeck , before
Fabregas lobbed in from 25 yards after Cech shanked the
ball straight to him .

Giroud reduced the arrears, heading in from Nacho
Monreal ’s cross .

AFP

BREAKING NEWS : US court suspends Trump’s travel ban

US authorities on Saturday suspended President Donald
Trump ’s controversial ban on travelers from seven Muslim
countries, following a court ruling that blocked its
enforcement .

“ We have reversed the provisional revocation of visas ,” a
US State Department spokesman told AFP .

“ Those individuals with visas that were not physically
cancelled may now travel if the visa is otherwise valid ,” the
official said .

The State Department official added that the Trump
administration is “ working closely with the Department of
Homeland Security and our legal teams ” pending a full
review of a complaint filed by Washington state ’s attorney
general , which filed the challenge .

Punch

Punch news headlines today 2/2/2017

US official hopes Trump border wall finished in two years

Tiger Woods struggles in Dubai

How Nigerian soldiers impregnate, abandon teenagers in
northeast

Trump attacks Australian PM during phone call

Nigerian soldier jailed for killing civilian

Ex-militants give condition for Niger Delta development

Okorocha is motor park governor, says Obiano

Hijab: Muslim women lament harassment

Crouch scores his 100th EPL goal as Everton hold Stoke

UPDATED: Shell profit more than doubles to $4.6bn

Worst leadership is in the church, says Adeboye

Delta community gives Chevron 14-day ultimatum to
provide electricity

Arms cash: Obanikoro returns N30m, to pay N417m

$15m: Court dismisses Patience Jonathan's suit against
SERAP

SAN's N30m transferred to Justice Ademola's wife
account 'Bankers

661 rifles: Wanted customs officers surrender

Army summons soldier, commander for assaulting
actress

FG's request for Dasuki secret trial undemocratic '
Fayose

Ambode endorses death penalty for kidnappers

Lagos Assembly cuts short break

Wike, Peterside express shock over Rivers CP's death

Nnamani can't be S'East APC leader 'Muoghalu

Protest, lawmakers' crisis force Mimiko to shift budget
presentation

We confiscated N420.1bn stolen oil, diesel in 2016 ' Navy

FG creates task force on increasing food prices

Adhere to NHIS Act, HMCAN tells management

Drama as APC, PDP lawyers clash at Edo tribunal

UK deports 41 Nigerians for immigration offences

Police budget too small to curb crime 'IG

Is CBN right not to change current forex policy

FG says warning strikes are threats, unacceptable,
Labour kicks

Three soldiers, 41 B'Haram fighters killed in Borno '
Army

N1.1bn suit: Ex-FCT minister Mohammed's son sent to
prison

Trials of Akpobolokemi: Two judges, one law

Time to resolve lingering electricity crisis

FG to raise VAT on champagne, other luxury items

CBN to penalise banks with cash problems

Investment inflow to Nigeria drops to 10-year low

Arik Air passengers stranded at Abuja airport

Coping with personal economic recession

Steps for optimising your business

Non-passage of PIB affecting interest in oil sector

Nigerian, Brazilian firms float new airline

FG targets solar power for industrial centres

Workers ground TCN, resist MD's removal by Fashola

FG may launch $1bn Eurobond sale this week ' Adeosun

NNPC, Sahara vessels to deliver cooking gas

Oro hails FG's decision on maritime university

How to avoid debt on your credit card

WORD BANQUET INT'L(WOBIC) 1ST FEBRUARY WED 2017 TODAY'S PRAYER

      DEAR SUFFICIENT FATHER,

I Thank You for giving me insight and participation in the depth of the riches of Your wisdom and knowledge(Rom11:33) and for loving me not of how I serve You or how Holy I think I am but because of Christ(Deut7:8)!

This Month, I choose to walk in the light of Your countenance (Ps85:15).

This month is my month of  HEAVENLY LIGHT!(1Thess5:5).
Amen...
HAPPY NEW MONTH OF HEAVENLY LIGHT!