Spain’s PM Mariano Rajoy has announced the abdication of King Juan Carlos.
King Juan Carlos of Spain, who is 76, has ruled since 1975, taking over after the death of dictator Francisco Franco.
The king’s son, Crown Prince Felipe, 45, will take over the throne.
King Juan Carlos of Spain has ruled since 1975, taking over after the death of dictator Francisco Franco (photo Reuters)
For much of his reign, King Juan Carlos was seen as one of the world’s most popular monarchs, but recently many Spaniards have lost confidence in him.
His reputation has been tarnished by a long-running corruption investigation into his daughter and her husband.
Support for the king fell further when it was discovered he had been on a lavish elephant hunting trip to Botswana in the middle of Spain’s financial crisis.
Mariano Rajoy said the king was stepping down for personal reasons. His health is failing and he has had a number of hip operations in recent years.
The prime minister said King Juan Carlos had been a “tireless defender of our interests”.
“I’m convinced this is the best moment for change,” he added.
Mariano Rajoy said ministers would hold a special meeting on the issue.
Republicans and Democrats have clashed over the deal to swap five Guantanamo Bay detainees for a Taliban-held soldier, with Republicans warning it could put American lives at risk.
Senator John McCain said the detainees, who were transferred to Qatar, were some of the “highest high-risk people”.
Afghanistan also attacked the deal, saying handing prisoners to a third country was against international law.
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, 28, was handed to US forces in Afghanistan on Saturday.
In an emotional address on Sunday, his father, Robert Bergdahl, said he was proud how far his son was willing to go to help the Afghan people, but warned that his recovery would take a long time.
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was the only US soldier being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan
Robert Bergdahl said he and his wife had not yet spoken to their son, who is in a good condition and currently undergoing medical care at a US military hospital in Germany.
Several Republicans have spoken out against the deal, warning that it set a worrying precedent and amounted to negotiating with terrorists.
John McCain said the Taliban released were “possibly responsible for the deaths of thousands” and may have “the ability to re-enter the fight”, in comments to CBS TV.
Republican chairman of the House intelligence committee, Mike Rogers, told CNN that Washington had “now set a price” for al-Qaeda ransom threats.
Chuck Hagel: “No shots were fired – it went as well as it could have.”
Republican representative Adam Kinzinger said he would celebrate Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s return but called the release of the Taliban men “shocking”.
Questions were raised over the legality of the deal, after the Obama administration did not give Congress sufficient notice about the transfer of the Taliban detainees.
However, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who is currently in Afghanistan, dismissed allegations of wrongdoing, saying the military had to act quickly “to essentially save his life”.
“We didn’t negotiate with terrorists… As I said and explained before, Sergeant Bergdahl was a prisoner of war. That’s a normal process in getting your prisoners back,” he told NBC TV.
US National Security Adviser Susan Rice said that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s failing health had created an “acute urgency” to act and therefore made it “necessary and appropriate” not to adhere to the 30-day notification requirement.
The Afghan government, which was not informed of the deal until after the exchange had taken place, condemned it as a “breach of international law” and urged the US and Qatar to “let the men go free”.
The five detainees are thought to be the most senior Afghans held at the US detention facility in Cuba, having been captured during America’s military campaign in 2001.
In a rare public statement on Sunday, Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar described the exchange as a “big victory”.
President Barack Obama said that he had received security guarantees from Qatar – which mediated the deal – “that it will put in place measures to protect our national security”.
They have been banned from leaving Qatar for at least a year.
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, was the only US soldier being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan. He was serving with an infantry regiment in Paktika province, near the Pakistani border, when he went missing on June 30 2009.
The Solar Impulse 2 plane has made its inaugural flight.
The solar-powered plane will be taken on a round-the-world journey in 2015.
The Solar Impulse 2 vehicle lifted off from Payerne airfield in Switzerland at just after 03:35 GMT, returning two hours later.
It is a larger, upgraded version of the aircraft that flew across America last year with adventurers Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg at the controls.
For this maiden flight, test pilot Markus Scherdel was in the cockpit.
He climbed to just under 6,000ft, conducting a number of maneuvers to prove the handling of the aircraft.
The Solar Impulse 2 vehicle lifted off from Payerne airfield in Switzerland at just after 03.35 GMT, returning two hours later (photo Reuters)
Markus Scherdel reported some early vibrations, but overall the mission outcome appeared very positive.
“The initial results are in line with calculations and simulations,” read a later statement from the team.
Further flights will be conducted in the coming months in order for the experimental machine to attain certification.
The carbon-fiber aircraft has a huge wingspan, which at 72m is wider than a Boeing 747 jet. And yet, the vehicle weighs only 2.3 tonnes.
The tops of the wings are covered by 17,000 solar cells, which drive four brushless electric motors at speeds of up to 90mph.
During the day, the solar cells will recharge lithium batteries, which can then be used to keep the plane’s propellers turning through the night.
The first Solar Impulse plane set a number of world records, including the longest manned solar-powered flight at 26 hours, the first inter-continental flight in a solar-powered plane, and the greatest distance covered on a piloted solar-powered flight. (Autonomous solar-powered drones can stay aloft for weeks).
That last record was set during Bertrand Piccard’s and Andre Borschberg’s epic TransAmerica journey in May, June and July last year.
But as challenging as that effort was, it will be dwarfed by the difficulty and complexity of completing a global flight.
This is because it will have to include passage across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The latter could take all of five days and nights to complete.
Only one pilot can fit in the cockpit. It has a reclining seat to make room for exercising and to permit Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, whoever is at the controls, to take short catnaps.
Former El Salvador’s left-wing rebel leader Salvador Sanchez Ceren has been sworn in as the country’s president.
Salvador Sanchez Ceren, 69, of the FMLN party, becomes the first former guerrilla to lead the Central American country following his March victory.
In his inauguration speech, he promised to fight corruption and violence, and to govern “for everybody”.
El Salvador remains violent and deeply divided despite the end of a civil war in which some 75,000 people died.
Salvador Sanchez Ceren has been sworn in as El Salvador’s president
Salvador Sanchez Ceren narrowly defeated the conservative candidate Norman Quijano by 0.2% in a run-off vote on March 9.
Speaking at his inauguration ceremony in the capital, San Salvador, he pledged “to serve as president of all Salvadorans”.
Salvador Sanchez Ceren added he would lead “with honesty, austerity, efficacy and transparency” in a country with high levels of corruption.
Last month, a Salvadoran judge issued an arrest warrant for a former President, Francisco Flores, who is accused of using $10 million of public money for personal use. He denies any wrongdoing.
Salvador Sanchez Ceren also promised that “security, employment and education” would be the priorities of his government.
El Salvador has one of the highest murder rates in the world, a problem largely blamed on gang violence.
As a rebel leader, Salvador Sanchez Ceren fought US-backed government forces during the civil conflict in which tens of thousands of people also disappeared.
Vitalii Sediuk, who accosted Brad Pitt at Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent premiere in Los Angeles, has been sentenced to 3 years probation and ordered to attend a year’s psychological counseling.
The 25-year-old Ukrainian TV presenter pleaded no contest to battery and unlawful activity charges after the incident on Wednesday.
Vitalii Sediuk has been sentenced to 3 years probation and ordered to attend a year’s psychological counseling
Vitalii Sediuk was ordered to stay 500 yards away from all celebrity events, including awards shows and premieres.
He must also stay away from Brad Pitt and his partner Angelina Jolie.
Vitalii Sediuk had been charged with four counts of battery, assault, unlawful activity and interference at a theatrical event, however two of the charges were dismissed as part of his plea deal.
The Ukrainian presenter, who is known for pulling pranks on celebrities, was also sentenced to 20 days of community service during his 36-month probation.
His lawyer Anthony Willoughby said he expected the restraining orders against his client to be lifted after a year if he behaved.
Vitalii Sediuk is due back in court for a hearing on July 8.
Winston Churchill’s last surviving child, Mary Soames, has died at the age of 91, her family have announced.
Mary Soames passed away on Saturday at her home after a short illness.
She was the youngest of the five children of the wartime prime minister and his wife Clementine.
Mary Soames was the youngest of the five children of Winston Churchill
One of her sons, former Conservative minister Nicholas Soames, said: “She was a truly remarkable and extraordinary woman, who led a very distinguished life.”
Born Mary Spencer-Churchill, she served in the auxiliary territorial service during World War Two, manning anti-aircraft batteries in London, Belgium and Germany.
She accompanied her father on several of his most important trips, including to the 1945 Potsdam Conference, where Winston Churchill, Stalin and President Harry Truman discussed the future of post-war Germany and Europe.
Mary Soames enjoyed a lifetime of public service and through both birth and marriage, had life long association with the Conservative Party.
Her late husband, Christopher Soames, was a prominent Conservative politician who served as a minister under Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home and Margaret Thatcher.
In later life, Lady Mary Soames became a patron of several leading charities and was a successful author. She published a biography of her mother and edited a collection of her parents’ letters.
President Barack Obama has announced that he received security guarantees from Qatar over five Guantanamo Bay prisoners who were transferred to secure the release of US soldier Bowe Bergdahl in Afghanistan.
Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, 28, was handed to US forces after being held for nearly five years by the Taliban.
He has left Afghanistan and is en route to a US military hospital in Germany.
Five Afghan detainees were released from the US prison in Cuba and handed to Qatar, which mediated the deal.
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who is said to be in good condition, was the only US soldier being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
His parents said they were “joyful and relieved” to hear of their son’s release.
Barack Obama was joined at the White House by Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s parents, Robert and Jani (photo AP)
Hours after the release, President Barack Obama told reporters the Qatari government had given the US assurances “that it will put in place measures to protect our national security”.
He also thanked the Qatari authorities for their role in acting as a go-between during indirect US-Taliban negotiations that led to the deal.
The exchanged prisoners are thought to be the most senior Afghans still held at Guantanamo. Under the deal, they will be banned from leaving Qatar for at least a year.
The Taliban said they welcomed their release with “great happiness”.
“While Sgt. Bergdahl was gone he was never forgotten,” Barack Obama said, adding that the US had an “ironclad commitment” to bringing home its prisoners of war.
He was joined by Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s parents, Robert and Jani, at the White House on Saturday. They offered thanks to those who took part in securing their son’s freedom.
In an emotional speech, Robert Bergdahl said his son was having trouble speaking English after his rescue.
Officials said the Taliban had handed Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl over on Saturday evening, local time, in eastern Afghanistan, in an exchange that involved several dozen US special forces.
Bowe Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, was captured on June 30 2009, about two months after arriving in eastern Afghanistan.
In January, the US military obtained a new video of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, giving his family renewed hope of his eventual return.
Six climbers are presumed dead after they went missing on Mount Rainier in the north-western Washington.
Mount Rainier National Park spokeswoman Fawn Bauer said camping gear had been found and distress signals heard from the group’s avalanche beacons.
She said there was little chance for survival.
The group, from Seattle’s Alpine Ascents International, was last heard from on Wednesday.
There were two guides and four clients in the party, which began a five-day expedition last Monday.
Six climbers are presumed dead after they went missing on Mount Rainier
Fawn Bauer told Reuters the camping gear was found more than 3,000ft below the group’s last known position and the group may have been caught in an avalanche.
“We don’t believe there was a viable chance for survival,” she said.
The search effort has been suspended.
Fawn Bauer said: “It would expose our rangers to pretty extreme conditions, so we are not able to do any kind of ground searching of that area. And, in all honesty, we may never be able to get on the ground there.”
The last contact was via satellite phone on Wednesday at an elevation of 12,800ft.
At that time a rain system was sweeping through.
When the party failed to return on Friday a helicopter was dispatched.
Mount Rainier stands at 14,410ft and attracts thousands of climbers each year.
Chinese army general Wang Guanzhonghas accused Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe and US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel of having “provocative” speeches against China at an Asian security forum in Singapore.
He said Chuck Hagel and Shinzo Abe’s comments at this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue summit were “unacceptable”.
Chuck Hagel had earlier said China was “destabilizing” the South China Sea.
Meanwhile, PM Shinzo Abe had vowed to give greater support to South-East Asian countries.
The forum, which brings together the US and South-East Asian countries, comes amid growing tensions between China, Vietnam and the Philippines, with Japan-China ties also strained over disputed islands in the East China Sea.
General Wang Guanzhonghas accused Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe and US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel of having provocative speeches against China
Apparently deviating from his prepared speech, Wang Guanzhong accused PM Shinzo Abe and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel of coordinating and encouraging each other to attack China in their remarks.
He said it was “unimaginable” to receive such “unwanted criticisms against China”.
In a keynote address on Friday, Shinzo Abe outlined his vision for a more robust role in resolving territorial disputes in the region.
He also offered to provide coastal boats to neighboring countries wary of Beijing’s tactics.
Chinese officials responded at the time by saying Shinzo Abe was using the “myth” of a China threat to strengthen Japan’s security policy.
Chuck Hagel later weighed in, accusing China of threatening the region’s long-term progress by undertaking “destabilizing, unilateral actions asserting its claims in the South China Sea”.
He warned the US would “not look the other way” when nations ignored international rules.
Tensions have flared recently, with China declaring an air defense zone in the East China Sea and adopting a more confrontational stance over the disputed islands in the South China Sea, correspondents say.
They say that although some ASEAN members will be reluctant to antagonize China because of their economic and political ties, others are likely to welcome an increased role from Japan.
Beijing claims a U-shaped swathe of the South China Sea that covers areas other South-East Asian nations say are their territory.
FIF is facing new allegations of corruption over its controversial decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
The Sunday Times has obtained millions of secret documents – emails, letters and bank transfers – which it alleges are proof that the disgraced Qatari football official Mohamed Bin Hammam made payments totaling $5 million to football officials in return for their support for the Qatar bid.
Qatar 2022 and Mohamed Bin Hammam have always strenuously denied the former FIFA vice-president actively lobbied on their behalf in the run-up to the vote in December 2010.
But, according to emails obtained by the Sunday Times, it is now clear that Mohamed Bin Hammam, 65, was lobbying on Qatar’s behalf at least a year before the decision.
The documents also show how Mohamed Bin Hammam was making payments direct to football officials in Africa to allegedly buy their support for Qatar in the contest.
Qatar strongly denies any wrongdoing and insists that Mohamed Bin Hammam never had any official role supporting the bid and always acted independently from the Qatar 2022 campaign.
Mohamed Bin Hammam allegedly made payments totaling $5 million to football officials in return for their support for the Qatar bid
When approached by the Sunday Times to respond to their claims, Mohamed Bin Hammam’s son Hamad Al Abdulla declined to comment on his behalf.
Although the vast majority of the officials did not have a vote, the Sunday Times alleges Mohamed Bin Hammam’s strategy was to win a groundswell of support for the Qatari bid which would then influence the four African FIFA executive committee members who were able to take part in the election.
The Sunday Times also alleges that it has documents which prove Mohamed Bin Hammam paid 305,000 Euros ($410,000) to cover the legal expenses of another former FIFA executive committee member from Oceania, Reynald Temarii.
Reynald Temarii, from Tahiti, was unable to vote in the contest as he had already been suspended by FIFA after he was caught out by a Sunday Times sting asking bogus American bid officials for money in return for his support.
But the paper now alleges that Mohamed Bin Hammam provided him with financial assistance to allow him to appeal against the FIFA suspension, delaying his removal from the executive committee and blocking his deputy David Chung from voting in the 2022 election.
The publication claims that had David Chung been allowed to vote he would have supported Qatar’s rivals Australia. Instead there was no representative from Oceania allowed to vote, a decision which may have influenced the outcome in Qatar’s favor.
The paper also makes fresh allegations about the relationship between Mohamed Bin Hammam and his disgraced FIFA ally Jack Warner, from Trinidad.
Although Jack Warner was forced to resign as a FIFA vice-president in 2011, after it was proved he helped Mohamed Bin Hammam bribe Caribbean football officials in return for their support in his bid to oust the long-standing FIFA president Sepp Blatter, the paper says it has evidence which shows more than $1.6 million was paid by Bin Hammam to Warner, including $450,000 in the period before the vote.
The new allegations will place FIFA under fresh pressure to re-run the vote for the 2022 World Cup, which was held in conjunction with the vote for the 2018 tournament.
FIFA’s chief investigator Michael Garcia is already conducting a long-running inquiry into allegations of corruption and wrongdoing during the 2018/22 decisions. He is due to meet senior officials from the Qatar 2022 organizing committee in Oman on Monday.
According to court documents, Jodi Arias has failed to convince Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens that she should be spared the death penalty for killing ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander.
Jodi Arias has failed to convince Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens that she should be spared the death penalty
The documents show that Judge Sherry Stephens dismissed claims by Jodi Arias’ attorneys that her defense was hurt when a member of the defense team was prevented from visiting Arizona jails.
There was no evidence that Jodi Arias “suffered any prejudice” from the incident, Sherry Stephens said in a ruling filed Friday, Reuters reported.
A woman who helps gather information to fight death sentences was barred for a week from the county jails in March after she was accused of smuggling out a drawing by Jodi Arias, Reuters said.
Jodi Arias, 33, was convicted in 2013 of killing 30-year-old Travis Alexander in June 2008. The same jury found her eligible for the death penalty but couldn’t agree on an actual sentence.
A new jury for the penalty phase will be picked September 8.
Jodi Arias contended that she killed Travis Alexander in self-defense and that the relationship was abusive.
Glee star Jenna Ushkowitz and her partner Michael Trevino have split after three years of dating.
Jenna Ushkowitz, 28, confirmed the breakup herself while attending the premiere of Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy’s HBO film The Normal Heart in Beverly Hills, California, on May 19. When a photographer asked if the pair were still an item, she replied: “No, we’re not together anymore.”
According to one insider, the relationship has been over for some time.
Jenna Ushkowitz and Michael Trevino have split after three years of dating
Jenna Ushkowitz signed autographs for fans during the interaction, and kept her head down.
“That’s okay, no worries,” she added, smiling, when the photographer apologized.
“We’re wonderful.”
Jenna Ushkowitz and Vampire Diaries star Michael Trevino, 29, made their first public appearance together at the 2011 SAG Awards. Last January, Jenna Ushkowitz posted a throwback picture of the pair on the SAG red carpet in honor of Michael Trevino’s birthday.
“Happy birthday to my best friend, the one who has taught me how to laugh and love more and more everyday,” she gushed.
Edson Cholbi Nascimento, usually known as Edinho and the son of the Brazilian football legend Pele, has been sentenced to 33 years in jail for laundering money raised from drug trafficking.
Edinho, 43, is a retired footballer who played goalkeeper for Pele’s old club, Santos, in the 1990s.
He was first arrested in 2005 and has served a sentence for drug trafficking offences and links with a notorious drug dealer in the city of Santos.
He says he is a drug addict but denies the trafficking charges.
The ruling was issued by a judge in the nearby coastal city of Praia Grande, in Sao Paulo state.
Edinho has been sentenced to 33 years in jail for laundering money raised from drug trafficking.
Brazilian media have not been able to contact Edinho, but they say he is expected to appeal.
Edinho works as a goalkeeping coach at Santos.
Pele, or Edson Arantes do Nascimento, played all his professional career in Brazil for Santos.
Playing for Brazil, Pele won the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and was acclaimed as the greatest footballer of his generation.
He retired in 1974, but made a comeback a year later for New York Cosmos.
Edinho is Pele’s third son from his first marriage. He was five when the family moved to New York to play for Cosmos.
When he returned to Brazil he decided to pursue a career in professional football – as a goalkeeper, much to his father’s surprise.
He was Santos’ goalkeeper in 1995 when the team reached the Brazilian league final, losing the title to Botafogo.
His detention and alleged involvement with drug gangs took most people in Brazil by surprise.
Pele, now 73, went to visit his son several times in jail.
Edinho said that his father was his idol.
Four other people have also been convicted for many laundering, including a man accused of controlling much of the drug trafficking in the region – Ronaldo Duarte Barsotti, known as Naldinho.
Bryan Cranston teased Breaking Bad fans by suggesting that character Walter White may not be dead.
In an interview with CNN, when Bryan Cranston was asked whether we had seen the last of Walter White, he replied: “Hey, you never saw bags zip up or anything.”
Presenter Ashley Banfield asked: “Is he dead?”, to which Bryan Cranston replied: “I don’t know.”
Bryan Cranston teased Breaking Bad fans by suggesting that character Walter White may not be dead
In response to whether the character would appear anywhere else again, Bryan Cranston added: “Never say never.”
Bryan Cranston’s co-star Aaron Paul revealed a few weeks ago that he’d found it difficult to come to terms with no longer playing his character Jesse Pinkman.
“It took a minute,” he said.
“It was hard for me to say goodbye to Jesse. I love him.”
As previously confirmed, Aaron Paul said a forthcoming Breaking Bad spin-off – called Better Call Saul – would star Bob Odenkirk as lawyer Saul Goodman, who featured in the original show.
“It would be nice to play Jesse Pinkman again in his happier times,” he said.
Better Call Saul will be aired on Netflix in November 2014.
Lizzie Velasquez suffers from a rare medical condition that is so rare that only two other people are known to have it.
She has zero percent body fat and has never weighed more than 64 pounds.
Roman Arispe is Lizzie Velasquez’s best friend and college roommate (photo Lizzie Velasquez)
Although 25-year-old Lizzie Velasquez is not anorexic, she is unable to gain weight and is required to eat many small meals and snacks throughout the day. Her daily energy intake of about 5,000 calories compares with the US average of 3,770.
Roman Arispe is her best friend and college roommate. He met Lizzie Velasquez 8 years ago. He is a research analyst and lives in Texas.
Meriam Ibrahim, who was sentenced to death for having abandoned the Islamic faith, are to freed by Sudanese authorities, a foreign ministry official says.
The woman, who gave birth to a daughter in custody, will be freed in a few days.
Abdullahi Alzareg, an under-secretary at the foreign ministry, said Sudan guaranteed religious freedom and was committed to protecting the woman.
A Sudanese court annulled Meriam Ibrahim’s Christian marriage to Daniel Wani and sentenced her to 100 lashes for adultery because the union was not considered valid under Islamic law
Khartoum has been facing international condemnation over the death sentence.
Meriam Ibrahim, 27, was brought up as an Orthodox Christian, but a Sudanese judge ruled earlier this month that she should be regarded as Muslim because that had been her father’s faith.
She refused to renounce her Christianity and was sentenced to death by hanging for apostasy.
On Wednesday, Meriam Ibrahim gave birth to a daughter in her prison cell – the second child from her marriage in 2011 to Daniel Wani, a US citizen.
The court said Meriam Ibrahim would be allowed to nurse her baby for two years before the sentence was carried out.
The court had earlier annulled Meriam Ibrahim’s Christian marriage and sentenced her to 100 lashes for adultery because the union was not considered valid under Islamic law.
Sudan has a majority Muslim population and Islamic law has been in force there since the ’80s.
Riot police in Turkey have used tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Istanbul and Ankara on the first anniversary of Gezi Park protests.
According to local reports, 25,000 police have been deployed at Istanbul’s Taksim Square, the epicenter of the 2013 rallies.
PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier urged youths to not join Saturday’s protests.
Protests against plans to redevelop Gezi Park in Istanbul turned into mass rallies against PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan last year after a heavy-handed police response.
Riot police in Turkey have used tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Istanbul and Ankara on the first anniversary of Gezi Park protests (photo AP)
A number of people were killed in the unrest, with thousands more injured.
Clashes broke out in Istanbul on Saturday after protesters marched on Taksim Square despite a government ban on gatherings in force there.
Riot police, water cannon and armored vehicles were deployed to block access to the square and nearby Gezi Park. A number of demonstrators have also reportedly been arrested.
Security forces also fired tear gas at demonstrators in central Ankara.
Earlier on Saturday, Istanbul officers kicked and detained a CNN reporter during a live broadcast from Taksim Square.
Ivan Watson said in a Twitter post that he and his film crew were “released after half an hour”.
The main organizers behind last year’s Gezi Park protests – Taksim Solidarity – had called for a demonstration to mark the one-year anniversary.
Rallies were also expected to take place in several other Turkish cities, including Izmir and Antakya.
US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who has been held by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly five years, has been freed in deal that includes the release of five Afghan detainees, US officials say.
The 28-year-old soldier was handed over to US forces in good health, the officials said.
The five Afghan detainees have been released from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
They were handed over to Qatar, which mediated the transfer.
Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl has been held by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly five years
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was the only US soldier being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Officials said he was in good condition and able to walk. He is expected to be transferred to Bagram Air Field, the main US base in Afghanistan, and then on to the United States.
President Barack Obama said in a statement that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s recovery “is a reminder of America’s unwavering commitment to leave no man or woman in uniform behind on the battlefield”.
Officials said the Taliban had handed him over on Saturday evening, local time, in eastern Afghanistan. Several dozen US special forces were involved in the exchange, they said, which took place near the Pakistani border.
Once aboard the US helicopter, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl wrote the letters SF – meaning special operations forces – followed by a question mark on a paper plate and showed them to the pilots, who replied: “Yes, we’ve been looking for you for a long time.”
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, had been held since June 30, 2009.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl would be given “all the support he needs to help him recover from this ordeal, and we are grateful that he will soon be reunited with his family”.
He thanked the emir of Qatar for his role in enabling the transfer to take place.
On the five Guantanamo detainees, Chuck Hagel said: “The United States has co-ordinated closely with Qatar to ensure that security measures are in place and the national security of the United States will not be compromised.”
Golfer Phil Mickelson and Las Vegas gambler William Walters are being investigated by the FBI over a possible insider trading involving billionaire investor Carl Icahn.
The inquiry is reportedly examining whether Phil Mickelson and William Walters may have traded shares illegally, based on information provided by Carl Icahn.
Phil Mickelson’s lawyers say he is not the target of an investigation.
Carl Icahn, 78, denies giving insider information. William Walters has not yet commented.
Phil Mickelson, 43, has won five major championships and is one of the US’s highest-paid sportsmen.
Phil Mickelson has won five major championships and is one of the US’s highest-paid sportsmen
The FBI, along with the Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors in Manhattan, are said to be looking into trading in two different stocks.
The investigation, which began three years ago, is focusing on trades in cleaning products company Clorox.
Carl Icahn, a billionaire investor and prominent activist, was mounting a takeover bid for Clorox around the time that Phil Mickelson and William Walters placed their trades, the New York Times reports.
“We do not know of any investigation,” Carl Icahn told Reuters news agency, saying he was proud of his 50-year “unblemished record”.
Investigators are also reportedly looking into trades that Phil Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion, and William Walters made relating to Dean Foods, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The New York Times quotes sources saying federal authorities are looking into trades placed in August 2012 just before the company announced quarterly results.
Those trades appeared to have no connection to Carl Icahn, the newspaper added.
The FBI and other federal agencies have not commented publicly on the allegations.
None of the men have been directly accused of any wrongdoing.
The leader of Malawi’s Democratic Progressive Party, Peter Mutharika, has been sworn in as the country’s president after the High Court rejected a request for a recount following allegations of vote-rigging.
He urged the 11 other presidential candidates to “join me in rebuilding the country”.
Outgoing President Joyce Banda had alleged ballot fraud but has now admitted defeat.
Malawi is one of the world’s poorest nations.
Peter Mutharika has been sworn in as Malawi’s president after the High Court rejected a request for a recount following allegations of vote-rigging
It is heavily dependent on aid, which provides 40% of the government’s budget.
A protester died on Friday as police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse an angry crowd demanding a recount of last week’s ballot in the south-eastern town of Mangochi.
Peter Mutharika is the brother of the late President Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office in 2012, and had served as his foreign minister.
He obtained 36.4% of the vote, according to the electoral commission, and said he felt “very humbled” to become Malawi’s fifth president.
“It’s obvious we are facing serious problems in this country. All of us together, let us build the country which is almost on the verge of collapse,” he said.
Former preacher Lazarus Chakwera came second in the election with 27.8% of the vote. He represented the Malawi Congress Party, which governed from independence in 1964 until the first multi-party poll in 1994.
Joyce Banda, who came to power after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika two years ago, was third with 20.2% of the vote. Her administration had been hit by a corruption scandal dubbed “cashgate”, which led donors to cut aid.
She had attempted to have the polls declared “null and void” on the grounds of “serious irregularities”.
However, Joyce Banda made no mention of this in a statement congratulating Peter Mutharika on his victory in a “closely contested election” and urging “all Malawians to support the newly elected president… and his government as they take on this foundation of progress and endeavor to develop Malawi even further”.
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) had asked for a 30-day extension to declare the results so that a recount could be carried out.
However, the High Court refused to delay the release of results and ordered the commission to make its announcement on Friday.
Ash clouds thrown up by Indonesia’s Mount Sangeang Api volcano have forced airlines to cancel all flights to and from the northern Australian city of Darwin.
Mount Sangeang Api began erupting on Friday and plumes of ash have been sweeping south towards Australia.
Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia have all cancelled flights. Services between Australia and the province of Bali have also been hit.
The authorities say other airports could be affected in the coming days.
Hundreds of passengers have been caught up, with disruption expected to continue until at least Sunday.
Ash clouds thrown up by Indonesia’s Mount Sangeang Api volcano have forced airlines to cancel all flights to and from the northern Australian city of Darwin (photo AP)
“The volcano is undergoing a sustained, rather significant eruption at the moment,” Emile Jansons, manager of the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre told Reuters news agency.
“For the last 10 hours we’ve been observing large masses of volcanic ash being generated.
“Nobody has a very good handle on what this volcano is likely to do in the next 24 hours or beyond.”
Some flights between Perth and Bali were cancelled on Saturday.
Volcanic ash can be extremely dangerous to aircraft as the fine particles can damage engines.
The cloud is now sweeping south towards as Alice Springs, officials say.
Deputy PM Warren Truss said it could take days for Australian services to return to normal.
“Depending on wind and other weather conditions, the ash has the potential to affect flights to and from other airports, including Brisbane, during coming days,” he said.
The island of Sangeang Api has no permanent residents after they vacated following an eruption in 1988. Farmers nearby have reportedly been told to leave the area.
Indonesia lies across a series of geological fault-lines and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
There are about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia.
James Cameron and Cirque Du Soleil have announced a touring arena show based on the director’s 3D blockbuster Avatar.
Cirque Du Soleil’s Avatar show is expected to begin a global tour in late 2015, before the release of three Avatar sequels currently in pre-production.
2009’s Avatar is Hollywood’s highest grossing film ever.
James Cameron previously worked with Cirque Du Soleil in 2012, executive producing its 3D film Worlds Away.
Cirque Du Soleil’s Avatar show is expected to begin a global tour in late 2015, before the release of three Avatar sequels currently in pre-production
“Over the years, I have discovered the extraordinary talents and imaginations of both the artists and the creative forces behind Cirque du Soleil,” he said.
“I know we share the common goal of bringing audiences to another level of entertainment experiences. I look forward to doing just that on this project.”
James Cameron and Cirque Du Soleil president and CEO Daniel Lamarre announced their plans at the C2MTL-Commerce and Creativity Conference in Montreal.
Daniel Lamarre said he was “thrilled” the circus company was getting to “explore the very inspirational Avatar realm for the live stage”.
The live show is going to be a co-production between James Cameron and Jon Landau’s company Lightstorm Entertainment, Cirque Du Soleil and Twentieth Century Fox which financed and distributed Avatar.
“Avatar remains a phenomenon that continues to inspire people around the globe, and combining it with the live event ingenuity of Cirque de Soleil is a perfect synthesis of imagination and talent,” said the film company’s chief Jim Gianopulos.
Avatar has made $2.7 billion worldwide and been awarded three Oscars, two BAFTAs and two Golden Globes.
The three sequels are expected to hit cinemas between December 2016 and December 2018 and will start filming later this year.
It is the first time Cirque Du Soleil has used a film for inspiration, although it has produced hit shows using the music of Michael Jackson and The Beatles.
Flipping Vegas is a reality television series on A&E that premiered on June 18, 2011.
The reality show features Scott Yancey and his wife Amie Yancey as they buy, fix and flip houses in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Flipping Vegas airs on Saturdays on A&E.
Amie Yancey works at the Goliath Company as an agent, investor, and interior designer.
Flipping Vegas features Scott Yancey and his wife Amie Yancey as they buy, fix and flip houses in Las Vegas
She was born in Canada, and is now based in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she works for the real estate brokerage and development company owned by her husband, Scott Yancey.
Amie Yancey has sold more than 600 new homes since moving to Las Vegas with her husband in 2004.
She is known for her ability to redecorate and redesign the properties Scott Yancey acquires quickly and cost-effectively, often coming in under-budget.
Amie Yancey grew up on a ranch and is something of a daredevil. She is an avid dirt biker, and also loves spelunking and other outdoor adventures sports. She has owned eight motorcycles and loves drag racing at stoplights in her Porsche, cave diving in the Caribbean, as well as sitting on a beach with her husband.
Flipping Vegas has had three seasons on A&E. The show has been highly controversial for the network, as it has been called fake by many other real estate firms.
