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Sochi closing ceremony: Russia tops medal table as Winter Olympics 2014 come to an end

Clyde K. Valle
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Sochi closing ceremony: Russia tops medal table as Winter Olympics 2014 come to an end

Russia finished on top of the medal table as the 22nd Winter Olympics came to a close in Sochi on Sunday after 17 days of competition.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach officially closed the Games during an extravagant 130-minute ceremony.

South Korea was given the Olympic flag as Pyeongchang hosts the 2018 Games.

Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrated a rush of medals in Sochi with a triumphant closing ceremony on the shores of the Black Sea.

After spending $50 billion to build a mountain ski resort and a cluster of shimmering sports venues from scratch, failure was not an option for the omnipresent Russian president.

At the opening ceremony a fortnight ago, all the talk was of security fears, culls of stray dogs, last-minute glitches and a giant hydraulic snowflake that failed to open.

The 22nd Winter Olympics came to a close in Sochi on Sunday after 17 days of competition
The 22nd Winter Olympics came to a close in Sochi on Sunday after 17 days of competition

But by the closing ceremony – which featured ballet from the Bolshoi, music by Rachmaninov and tributes to Tolstoy and Kandinsky plus the usual protocol – the atmosphere was one of pure celebration swathed in the colors of the Russian flag.

IOC President Thomas Bach declared the most expensive Games in history “a real special experience”.

He also personally thanked Vladimir Putin for his contribution to the “extraordinary success of these Winter Games”.

The opening ceremony had been a pleasingly offbeat romp through Russian art and culture. With its marching bands and 1,000-strong children’s choir singing the national anthem, this was more of a traditional show of strength.

For the Russians who wildly cheered a clean sweep of the podium in the 30 mile cross country skiing and a second gold in the bobsleigh for Alexander Zubkov on the final day of competition, a surge of sporting success helped it go with a swing.

The Russian ice hockey team had limped out of the competition to Finland at the quarter-final stage, leaving Canada to triumph over Sweden in Sunday’s final.

Oleksandr Turchynov named Ukraine’s interim president

Diane A. Wade
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Oleksandr Turchynov named Ukraine’s interim president

Ukraine parliament’s speaker Oleksandr Turchynov has been named as interim president.

Oleksandr Turchynov takes charge following the dismissal of President Viktor Yanukovych on Saturday. He told lawmakers they had until Tuesday to form a new unity government.

Former PM Yulia Tymoshenko, who was freed from jail on Saturday, has ruled out becoming prime minister again.

Her release was one of the conditions of the EU-Ukraine trade pact that Viktor Yanukovych rejected last year.

The move triggered the protests that led to the current crisis.

The health ministry says 88 people, mostly protesters, are now known to have been killed in clashes since February 18.

Thousands of opposition supporters remain in Kiev’s Independence Square, heeding opposition calls not to disperse.

Ukraine parliament’s speaker Oleksandr Turchynov has been named as interim president
Ukraine parliament’s speaker Oleksandr Turchynov has been named as interim president

In response to reports that her name was being mentioned as a possible candidate, Yulia Tymoshenko issued a statement reading: “No-one has agreed or discussed this with me.

“Thank you for your respect but I would like you not to consider my nomination for the post of the head of government.”

Oleksandr Turchynov, a close associate of Yulia Tymoshenko, described forming a unity government as a “priority task”.

“We don’t have much time,” one of the opposition leaders, former world champion boxer Vitaly Klitschko, said as parliament began its debate.

“I want to make Ukraine a modern European country,” he said.

“If I can do that through the president’s position, I will do my best.”

In an address on Saturday, aired before lawmakers voted to remove him, Viktor Yanukovych refused to officially stand down. He is last thought to have been in Kharkiv after travelling there late on Friday night.

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Mohamed Morsi accused of leaking state secrets to Iran

Roy Siemens
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Mohamed Morsi accused of leaking state secrets to Iran

Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsi has been accused by prosecutors of leaking state secrets to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

The claim came during the second hearing of his trial on espionage charges.

Prosecutors allege that he and 35 others were involved in a plot to destabilize Egypt. The trial was later adjourned to February 27.

The deposed Islamist leader is facing four separate trials.

Mohamed Morsi’s supporters say he and other senior Muslim Brotherhood leaders are the victims of politically motivated prosecutions.

The espionage trail opened on February 16 and on Sunday prosecutors detailed the charges against Mohamed Morsi and his co-defendants.

They were specifically accused of “delivering to a foreign country… national defense secrets and providing the Iranian Revolutionary Guards with security reports in order to destabilize the security and stability of the country”, AFP news agency reported.

The statement read in court did not identify the “foreign country”.

Egyptian prosecutors have accused ousted President Mohammed Morsi of leaking state secrets to Iran's Revolutionary Guards
Egyptian prosecutors have accused ousted President Mohammed Morsi of leaking state secrets to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards

Mohamed Morsi is also accused of collaborating with the Palestinian movement Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement. If convicted, he could receive the death penalty.

During Sunday’s hearing, Mohamed Morsi was held separately in a soundproof glass cage to prevent him shouting and disrupting proceedings.

Mohamed Morsi was ousted by the military last July following mass street protests against his government.

There has since been a severe crackdown on his Muslim Brotherhood group, as well as on other activists seen as hostile to the military-backed government.

The Muslim Brotherhood has been declared a terrorist organization and authorities have punished any public show of support for it.

Other senior Brotherhood figures, including supreme guide Mohammed Badie and his deputy and former presidential candidate Khairat al-Shater, are also facing a raft of charges.

Proceedings in two other trials have already begun.

The first opened in November, with Mohamed Morsi facing charges of inciting the killing of protesters near the presidential palace when he was in office in 2012.

In January, another trial opened concerning Mohamed Morsi’s escape from prison in a jailbreak in 2011, during which police officers were killed.

The fourth trial, which has yet to open, will be on charges of insulting the judiciary.

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Sochi Winter Olympics 2014: Closing ceremony details

Clyde K. Valle
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Sochi Winter Olympics 2014: Closing ceremony details

Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics closing ceremony will be held on February 23 at 20:00 local time, at the Fisht Olympic Stadium.

The closing ceremony will feature the parade of athletes, the extinguishing of the Olympic flame and the official hand over to South Korea.

Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics closing ceremony will be held at the Fisht Olympic Stadium
Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics closing ceremony will be held at the Fisht Olympic Stadium

The 2018 Winter Olympics will take place in Pyeongchang, between February 9 and February 25.

On February 23, Russia celebrates Defender of the Fatherland Day.

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Charlotte Dawson commits suicide as she struggles financially

Lisa.Felice
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Charlotte Dawson commits suicide as she struggles financially

Australian TV personality Charlotte Dawson was found dead at her Woolloomooloo home  in an apparent suicide following a long and very public battle with depression.

Charlotte Dawson’s friends have spoken of a sense of inevitability around her death, revealing that in recent weeks her mental state seemed specially fragile.

It is believed Charlotte Dawson, 47, was struggling financially, having borrowed up to $80,000 from friends as she tried to keep up the rent on her $1200-a-week apartment.

Charlotte Dawson had also been axed from her role on the popular Foxtel TV show Australia’s Next Top Model, and last November parted ways with management company Chic Management after they said her battles with mental illness were “damaging her brand”.

Charlotte Dawson was found dead at her Woolloomooloo home in an apparent suicide
Charlotte Dawson was found dead at her Woolloomooloo home in an apparent suicide

Only a week ago, Charlotte Dawson’s ex-husband Scott Miller had appeared on Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes to talk about his drug addiction and the role it had played in the breakdown of their marriage. Charlotte Dawson, who described Scott Miller as the “love of her life”, said at the time she wasn’t sure if she would be strong enough to watch the interview.

Charlotte Dawson’s body was discovered the morning after Scott Miller’s 39th birthday.

She is understood to have been found by a security guard in her rented waterside apartment in the early hours of yesterday morning. Her body was later formally identified yesterday by Madeline Huett, a friend and former Top Model contestant.

Charlotte Dawson was hospitalized in 2012 after hundreds of social media trolls viciously targeted her on Twitter.

A police media spokesman told news.com.au: “About 11a.m., police from the Kings Cross local area command were called to Cowper Wharf Road after the body of a woman had been located in a unit. No suspicious circumstances at this stage and a report is being prepared for the coroner.”

It is believed her body was discovered after a real estate agent raised the alarm after she couldn’t reach Charlotte Dawson by mobile phone in relation to the auction of her home.

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Thailand: Gunmen attack opposition rally killing 5-year-old girl in Trat

Diane A. Wade
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Thailand: Gunmen attack opposition rally killing 5-year-old girl in Trat

A five-year-old girl has been killed and dozens of other people wounded after gunmen have opened fire on an anti-government rally in eastern Thailand.

Attackers threw explosives and shot at demonstrators at a rally called by the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

The incident took place at a night market in the Khao Saming district of Trat province late on Saturday.

Tensions across Thailand have escalated since a wave of anti-government protests began in November.

The demonstrators want PM Yingluck Shinawatra to resign to make way for an appointed interim government, but she has refused.

On Tuesday several people were killed in clashes that erupted in Bangkok, when police began clearing protest sites.

Attackers threw grenades and sprayed the crowd with bullets at a night market in the Khao Saming district of Trat province
Attackers threw grenades and sprayed the crowd with bullets at a night market in the Khao Saming district of Trat province

The latest attack occurred about 180 miles south-east of Bangkok.

Officials said the five-year-old girl had been standing at a noodle stall when the attackers, in two pick-up trucks, opened fire at the PDRC rally. She died from a gunshot wound to the head.

At least 30 other people are believed to have been injured. Another child is said to be in a critical condition.

PDRC spokesman Suwicharn Suwannakha said the attack happened during a speech by a party leader, Thai newspaper The Nation reported.

Suwicharn Suwannakha said he first heard the explosions and gunfire and then saw chairs in front of the stage scattered.

No group has so far said it carried out the attack.

There has been growing frustration recently from the red shirts over the government’s inability to disperse the protesters, who have been occupying parts of central Bangkok for weeks.

Red-shirt leaders have organized a mass gathering in north-eastern Thailand this weekend to decide how they should fight back against the campaign to unseat the government.

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Yulia Tymoshenko urges opposition supporters to continue protests

Diane A. Wade
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Yulia Tymoshenko urges opposition supporters to continue protests

Yulia Tymoshenko has urged opposition supporters in Kiev’s Independence Square to continue their protests.

Ukraine’s former PM Yulia Tymoshenko, who has a back injury, addressed crowds from a wheelchair after being freed from detention.

“Until you finish this job… nobody has the right to leave,” she said.

Her speech came at the end of a dramatic day that saw President Viktor Yanukovych removed by the parliament and fleeing Kiev, but refusing to stand down.

Yulia Tymoshenko broke down in tears as she told cheering supporters late on Saturday: “You are heroes.

Yulia Tymoshenko has urged opposition supporters in Kiev's Independence Square to continue their protests
Yulia Tymoshenko has urged opposition supporters in Kiev’s Independence Square to continue their protests

“Because nobody could… do what you have done.”  

“We’ve eliminated this cancer, this tumor,” she said.

However, while Yulia Tymoshenko was hailed by many in the audience, she does not enjoy universal support among the opposition.

Before she went into prison in 2011, Yulia Tymoshenko’s popularity ratings were dropping and many Ukrainians blame her in part for the chaos of the post-Orange Revolution years, or see her as a member of Ukraine’s corrupt elite.

Dozens of people walked away in disgust when she appeared on the stage in Independence Square.

A vote by parliament on Friday paved the way for Yulia Tymoshenko’s release.

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Pharrell Williams’ Grammys hat attracts $10,500 within 24 hours in auction

Lisa.Felice
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Pharrell Williams’ Grammys hat attracts $10,500 within 24 hours in auction

Pharrell Williams is auctioning the much talked about hat he wore at this year’s Grammy Awards.

The item, listed as “Pharrell Williams’ mountain hat”, attracted a bid of $10,500 within 24 hours of being put online.

The profits of the sale will go towards the producer’s charity From One Hand To Another.

The charity raises funds for seven to 20 year olds living in at risk communities throughout America.

Pharrell Williams is auctioning the hat he wore at this year's Grammy Awards
Pharrell Williams is auctioning the hat he wore at this year’s Grammy Awards

Pharrell Williams tweeted: “We started my hat auction at $200 (the price I paid for it) and it’s already up to over 10K?”

So far, there have been 11 separate bidders and 64 bids on the hat, with the auction coming to a close on March 2.

The description of the item says that it was designed by Vivienne Westwood and that “the hat comes with a letter of authenticity.”

Pharrell Williams performed at the Grammys with Stevie Wonder, Nile Rogers and Daft Punk and also played at the BRIT Awards.

The singer’s number one single Happy, taken from Despicable Me 2 has been nominated for best song at this year’s Oscar awards.

Pharrell Williams also recently announced that he will release a new solo album next month.

The new album, which will be called G I R L, will be Pharrell Williams’ second record in eight years and is set to be released on March 3.

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Venezuela: Violent clashes at Caracas march

Diane A. Wade
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Venezuela: Violent clashes at Caracas march

Police and opposition demonstrators have clashed in Venezuela at the end of a march that gathered tens of thousands of people in Caracas.

Several people were injured, as police fired tear gas and activists hurled stones in the Altamira district.

Supporters of left-wing President Nicolas Maduro marched in central Caracas and other cities.

Ten people have now died in nearly two weeks of protests, which Nicolas Maduro has called a coup attempt.

Nicolas Maduro says the violence is part of a strategy devised by right-wing groups, with the support of the US, to destabilize his government.

“We have a strong democracy. What we don’t have in Venezuela is a democratic opposition,” Nicolas Maduro told thousands of his supporters in Caracas.

Police and opposition demonstrators have clashed in Venezuela at the end of a march that gathered tens of thousands of people in Caracas
Police and opposition demonstrators have clashed in Venezuela at the end of a march that gathered tens of thousands of people in Caracas

Nicolas Maduro was elected last April, following the death of Hugo Chavez, who was in office for 14 years.

Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, who was defeated in last year’s presidential election, led a march in the capital.

He spoke against the arrest, on Tuesday, of fellow opposition politician Leopoldo Lopez, accused by the government of inciting violence.

Henrique Capriles called on his supporters to carry on protesting, but to avoid any form of violence.

“There are millions of reasons to protest, there are so many problems, so many people suffering. But his movement we have built must be different,” he said.

The opposition’s main grievances are rampant crime, high inflation and the shortage of many staples. It blames the economic problems on the left-wing policies of the past 15 years.

Opposition demonstrators also took part in marches in western Tachira and Merida states.

The current wave of protests began on 12 February. Three people were shot dead at the end of those marches in Caracas by unknown gunmen.

Daily protests have been held in Caracas for the past 11 days.

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Maria von Trapp dead: Last surviving member of Trapp Family Singers dies at 99

Sonia Pantiss
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Maria von Trapp dead: Last surviving member of Trapp Family Singers dies at 99

Maria von Trapp, the last surviving member of the Trapp Family Singers, the group whose story inspired The Sound of Music, has died at the age of 99, her family announced.

Maria von Trapp died at her home in Vermont on Tuesday, her brother, Johannes von Trapp, told the Associated Press.

Johannes von Trapp said she was a “lovely woman who was one of the few truly good people”.

Maria Von Trapp and her family fled Nazi-occupied Austria in 1938 and ended up performing around the US.

Their story eventually inspired the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music, and subsequent 1965 hit film.

It tells the tale of a young woman who leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the seven children of a naval officer widower, Georg von Trapp.

Maria Von Trapp and her family fled Nazi-occupied Austria in 1938 and ended up performing around the US
Maria Von Trapp and her family fled Nazi-occupied Austria in 1938 and ended up performing around the US

Maria von Trapp was the second-oldest daughter of Capt von Trapp – with his first wife – and was portrayed as Louisa in the musical.

Her family moved to the US state of Vermont in 1942 after visiting during a singing tour, and later opened a lodge in the town of Stowe, which they still operate.

Writing in a blog post on the lodge’s website, Maria von Trapp described how it was her ill health as a child that led her father to employ a governess to teach her and her siblings.

“She came to us as my teacher and after three years became our second mother,” she said.

Marianne Dorfer, a family friend who runs the von Trapp Villa Hotel in Salzburg told the Austrian Times that Maria von Trapp had suffered from a weak heart since childhood.

She said it was because of Maria’s ill heath that her father decided to hire a governess.

“That of course then led to one of the most remarkable musical partnerships of the last century,” she added.

The Sound of Music was based loosely on a 1949 book by the governess, who became Capt von Trapp’s second wife and died in 1987.

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Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman: World’s most wanted drug baron arrested in Mexico

Nancy Clayson
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Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman: World’s most wanted drug baron arrested in Mexico

Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman – Mexico’s top drug lord and one of the world’s most wanted drug baron – has been arrested in Mexico.

El Chapo (Shorty) Guzman was the leader of the Sinaloa cartel, which smuggles huge amounts of illegal drugs into the US.

He had been on the run since escaping a high-security prison in a laundry basket in 2001.

Mexican police arrested him in Sinaloa state, in a joint operation with US anti-drugs forces.

Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto used his Twitter account to praise the forces involved in the arrest in the north-western resort of Mazatlan, in Sinaloa state.

Joaquin Guzman was taken to Mexico City and paraded before the media, before boarding a helicopter surrounded by heavily armed troops.

He was taken straight to prison, Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam said.

The US state department had offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest.

US Attorney General Eric Holder described Shorty Guzman’s arrest as “a landmark achievement” for Mexico and “a victory for the citizens of both Mexico and the United States”.

Joaquin El Chapo Guzman was the leader of the Sinaloa cartel, which smuggles huge amounts of illegal drugs into the US
Joaquin El Chapo Guzman was the leader of the Sinaloa cartel, which smuggles huge amounts of illegal drugs into the US (photo Reuters)

Shorty Guzman has been indicted in the US on federal trafficking charges.

The Sinaloa cartel controls much of the flow of cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine to the US.

Joaquin Guzman’s arrest is a big boost for the administration of Enrique Pena Nieto.

Enrique Pena Nieto, who took office just over two years ago, said he intended to change the “war on drugs” policy of his predecessor, Felipe Calderon, which critics say led to a rise in violence throughout Mexico.

But Mexican police and troops have killed or arrested key figures in the drugs cartels since Enrique Pena Nieto came to power.

The US has also arrested several associates and relatives of Shorty Guzman.

In May 2012, the US Treasury Department put two of his sons – Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Ovidio Guzman Lopez – on its blacklist of drugs kingpins.

Their assets were frozen and US nationals and companies were prevented from doing business with them.

Shorty Guzman’s father-in-law, Ines Coronel, was arrested nearly a year ago. He was accused of smuggling drugs into the US.

Joaquin Guzman was born in the town of Badiraguato, probably 56 years ago, and became an important figure in the drug cartels in the 1980s.

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Sochi Winter Olympics 2014: Day 16, February 23

Clyde K. Valle
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Sochi Winter Olympics 2014: Day 16, February 23

Sochi Winter Games: Day 16, February 23

Medals to be won today: Bobsleigh (four-man), cross country skiing (men’s mass start), ice hockey (men’s gold).

Highlights include:

07:00 Cross country skiing – men’s mass start.

Sochi Winter Olympics 2014
Sochi Winter Olympics 2014

09:30 Bobsleigh – four-man third and fourth heats.

12:00 Ice hockey – men’s final.

16:00 Closing ceremony. The last action of the Sochi Olympic Games features speeches, the lowering of the Olympic flag and a ceremonial handing-over to Pyeongchang, South Korea, which will host the next Winter Games in 2018. However, Sochi’s Games are by no means over – the Winter Paralympics begin on March 7 and run until March 16.

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How many children does Bruce Jenner have?

Lisa.Felice
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How many children does Bruce Jenner have?

Former Olympic champion Bruce Jenner has six children from three marriages.

During his first marriage, to Chrystie Crownover, Bruce Jenner had two children, Burton William “Burt” and  Cassandra Lynn “Casey’.

Bruce Jenner was married to Chrystie Crownover from December 15, 1972 to January 2, 1981 during the height of his athletic career.

Burt Jenner was born on September 6, 1978) and Casey Jenner on June 10, 1980. Burt was named after Bruce Jenner’s younger brother who died in car accident.

During his second marriage, to Linda Thompson (1981 to 1985), Bruce Jenner had two sons, Brandon (born June 4, 1981) and Sam “Brody” (born August 21, 1983).

Bruce Jenner has six children from three marriages
Bruce Jenner has six children from three marriages

Brandon and Brody Jenner appeared in their own reality show The Princes of Malibu. Brody Jenner was also on the reality show The Hills.

Bruce Jenner married Kris Kardashian (née Houghton) on April 21, 1991 after five months of dating. He has two girls with Kris: Kendall Nicole Jenner (born November 3, 1995) and Kylie Kristen Jenner (August 10, 1997.)

He also became a stepfather for Kris’ children from her previous marriage to the late lawyer Robert Kardashian: Kourtney Mary Kardashian (born April 18, 1979,) Kimberly Noel Kardashian (born October 21, 1980,) Khloé Alexandra Kardashian (born June 27, 1984,) and Robert Arthur Kardashian Jr. (born March 17, 1987.)

Bruce and Kris Jenner announced their separation in October 2013, though they had actually separated a year earlier.

Yulia Tymoshenko arrives in Kiev’s Independence Square

Diane A. Wade
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Yulia Tymoshenko arrives in Kiev’s Independence Square

Yulia Tymoshenko has arrived in Kiev’s Independence Square to cheers of thousands, hours after being freed from jail.

The former Ukrainian prime minister is addressing the crowds there from her wheelchair.

Just hours earlier, Yulia Tymoshenko was freed following a vote by parliament on Friday demanding her release.

Yulia Tymoshenko has arrived in Kiev’s Independence Square to cheers of thousands, hours after being freed from jail
Yulia Tymoshenko has arrived in Kiev’s Independence Square to cheers of thousands, hours after being freed from jail

Speaking after President Viktor Yanukovych had left the capital Kiev, Yulia Tymoshenko said a “dictatorship has fallen”.

Yulia Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in jail in 2011 after a controversial verdict on her actions as prime minister.

She left the hospital in the eastern city of Kharkiv, where she had been held under prison guard, and flew to Kiev.

Yulia Tymoshenko told journalists at Kiev airport that those behind violence “must be punished”, the Interfax agency reports.

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Jennifer Lopez to star in NBC’s drama Shades of Blue

Lisa.Felice
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Jennifer Lopez to star in NBC’s drama Shades of Blue

Jennifer Lopez is set to star in NBC’s drama Shades of Blue, which has received a 13-episode order from the network.

Jennifer Lopez is set to star in NBC’s drama Shades of Blue
Jennifer Lopez is set to star in NBC’s drama Shades of Blue

Jennifer Lopez will play Harlee McCord, a single mother and detective recruited to work undercover for the FBI’s anti-corruption task force. Part of a close-knit unit known for its conviction record, Harlee McCord has become compromised by her colleagues – all of whom also pitch in to help her raise her daughter – and finds herself faced with the moral dilemma of working against her cop brothers in order to redeem herself.

The series will be written by Adi Hasak, who executive produces with Ryan Seacrest, Nina Wass, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina. Shades of Blue production is planned to begin in 2015 and the series will air in the 2015-16 season.

Danica Patrick would agree to race Richard Petty

Clyde K. Valle
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Danica Patrick would agree to race Richard Petty

After NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying Friday at Daytona International Speedway, Danica Patrick was asked whether she would, in fact, agree to race Richard Petty, something her car owner Tony Stewart suggested.

Richard Petty made critical comments about Danica Patrick’s driving during a recent autograph session in Canada.

He also told Fox News on Friday: “I’m 76 years old, OK?”

“It’s been 25 years since I’ve been in a race car. But I’ll take that challenge.”

Richard Petty is an outspoken critic of Danica Patrick
Richard Petty is an outspoken critic of Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick’s response was: “All right.”

“I think Tony said he was getting the cars ready, right? At the end of the day, I think the most important thing is my team owner, Tony Stewart, believes in me. That’s the most important thing.”

Danica Patrick then was asked if the race with Richard Petty could take place on a racing simulator.

“No,” she said, and with that her press conference ended.

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Viktor Yanukovych describes Kiev events as coup in TV address

Diane A. Wade
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Viktor Yanukovych describes Kiev events as coup in TV address

In an address televised before Ukraine’s parliament vote to impeach him, Viktor Yanukovych described events in Kiev as a “coup”.

Viktor Yanukovych insisted he was the “lawfully elected president” and compared the actions of the opposition to the rise to power of the Nazis in 1930s Germany.

In his address Viktor Yanukovych also called a raft of votes in Ukraine’s parliament on Friday “illegitimate”, claiming that lawmakers had been “beaten, pelted with stones and intimidated”.

However, he did admit that that some had left his Party of the Regions, calling them “traitors”.

President Viktor Yanukovych also said his ally, parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Rybak, was forced to resign because he had been physically beaten.

He added that both Volodymyr Rybak’s car and his own had been fired at.

In an address televised before Ukraine’s parliament vote to impeach him, Viktor Yanukovych described events in Kiev as a coup
In an address televised before Ukraine’s parliament vote to impeach him, Viktor Yanukovych described events in Kiev as a coup

Volodymyr Rybak resigned on Saturday morning citing ill health and was replaced by Oleksandr Turchynov, a Yulia Tymoshenko ally.

Another Yulia Tymoshenko ally, Arsen Avakov, was appointed interim interior minister, replacing Vitaly Zakharchenko, who was sacked on Friday after being blamed for the deaths of civilians in last week’s crackdown on protests.

Before Saturday’s vote to oust Viktor Yanukovych, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the Ukrainian opposition of being led by “armed extremists and pogromists” whose actions were a threat to Ukraine’s sovereignty and constitutional order.

Also before the vote, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski – one of three EU ministers that mediated between the two sides this week – tweeted that there had been “no coup in Kiev”.

Radoslaw Sikorski, along with the German and French foreign ministers, presided over talks that led to a pact on Friday between Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders which now seems to have been overtaken by events.

The deal followed several days of violence in which dozens of people died in a police crackdown on months of protest. It called for the restoration of the 2004 constitution and the formation of a national unity government.

The agreement failed to end the protests overnight with huge crowds remaining in the Maidan calling for Viktor Yanukovych’s resignation.

Ukraine’s parliament votes to remove President Viktor Yanukovych

Diane A. Wade
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Ukraine’s parliament votes to remove President Viktor Yanukovych

Ukraine’s parliament has voted to oust President Viktor Yanukovych and hold early presidential elections on May 25.

The vote came after the opposition seized several official buildings in the capital Kiev and parliament appointed high-level officials.

Viktor Yanukovych described events as a “coup” and vowed not to stand down.

Also on Saturday afternoon, prominent opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko was released from detention, hours after parliament authorized the move.

Correspondents say Yulia Tymoshenko was driven away in a car after leaving a hospital in the eastern city of Kharkiv where she was being held under prison guard.

Yulia Tymoshenko is now reported to be heading to Kiev’s Independence Square – also called the Maidan – which has been the focal point of anti-government protests.

Lawmakers had voted to pave the way for Yulia Tymoshenko’s release on Friday. She was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011 after being convicted of abuse of power over her actions during her tenure as prime minister.

Ukraine’s parliament has voted to oust President Viktor Yanukovych and hold early presidential elections on May 25
Ukraine’s parliament has voted to oust President Viktor Yanukovych and hold early presidential elections on May 25

Yulia Tymoshenko’s supporters have always maintained this was simply Viktor Yanukovych taking out his most prominent opponent, and her release has always been a key demand of the protest movement.

The opposition is now in effective control of the capital Kiev, with Viktor Yanukovych arriving in Kharkiv, near the Russian border, late on Friday night.

The Interfax news agency reported parliament speaker Oleksandr Turchynov as saying Viktor Yanukovych had been stopped by border police in an attempt to flee to Russia and was now somewhere in the Donetsk region.

Earlier on Saturday, protesters walked unchallenged into the president’s office and residential compounds.

Ukraine’s army released a statement on Saturday afternoon saying it would not get “involved in the domestic political conflict”.

The vote to “remove Viktor Yanukovych from the post of president of Ukraine” was passed by 328 MPs.

Such ballots, passed by what is called constitutional majority, are binding and enter into force with immediate effect.

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Yulia Tymoshenko released from jail

Diane A. Wade
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Yulia Tymoshenko released from jail

Ukraine’s former PM Yulia Tymoshenko has been freed from jail.

It follows a vote by parliament to release her after President Viktor Yanukovych fled the capital Kiev.

Speaking after her release, the Ukrainian opposition leader said “the dictatorship has fallen”.

Yulia Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in jail in 2011 after a controversial verdict on her actions as prime minister.

Ukraine’s former PM Yulia Tymoshenko has been freed from jail
Ukraine’s former PM Yulia Tymoshenko has been freed from jail

The glamorous, fiery orator who helped lead the Orange Revolution – Ukraine’s revolt against a controversial election in 2004 – was convicted of criminally exceeding her powers when she agreed a gas deal with Russia which was seen to have disadvantaged her own country.

Yulia Tymoshenko has always insisted the charges were untrue, inspired by Viktor Yanukovych, the man she helped oust in 2004 who returned to defeat her in the 2010 presidential election.

The EU had demanded her release as one of the conditions of the EU-Ukraine trade pact that President Viktor Yanukovych rejected last year – triggering the protests that led to the current crisis.

Olha Lappo, spokeswoman for the Fatherland party Yulia Tymoshenko leads, said she was heading from prison in the eastern city of Kharkiv to the capital Kiev to join protesters there.

Yulia Tymoshenko’s release was made possible by a European-brokered peace deal between her President Viktor Yanukovych and the opposition on Friday.

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Christina Aguilera Pregnant with Second Child

Lisa.Felice
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Christina Aguilera is pregnant with her second child, Us Weekly reported.

The happy news comes nearly a week after Christina Aguilera, 32, announced her engagement to Matt Rutler, her boyfriend of three years.

Production assistant Matt Rutler had been plotting a proposal before Christina Aguilera discovered the baby news.

The pregnancy “wasn’t expected, but it also wasn’t unwelcome. They are all very excited though! Christina loves being a mom,” a source told Us Weekly.

The baby-to-be will join big brother Max, Christina Aguilera’s 6-year-old with ex-husband Jordan Bratman.

A second insider reveals that Matt Rutler had been “working on the ring for over a year,” and was hatching his proposal plan for several months, finally popping the question two days before Valentine’s Day.

Dmitry Kozak dismisses assault on Pussy Riot in Sochi

Nancy Clayson
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Dmitry Kozak dismisses assault on Pussy Riot in Sochi

Russian Deputy PM Dmitry Kozak has dismissed the Sochi attack on protest group Pussy Riot.

Five members of punk group Pussy Riot and a cameraman were attacked by Cossack security patrols as they performed under a sign advertising the Winter Olympics on Wednesday.

Footage showed the Cossacks whipping band members, pulling off their ski masks, and throwing them to the ground.

“The girls came here specifically to provoke this conflict,” Dmitry Kozak said.

“They had been searching for it for some time and finally they had this conflict with local inhabitants.”

Security in Sochi was a major concern before the Olympic Games following two suicide bomb attacks in Volgograd, in which 34 people died.

But Dmitry Kozak said he had always had confidence in security staff ensuring the Games remained safe.

Five members of punk group Pussy Riot and a cameraman were attacked by Cossack security patrols in Sochi
Five members of punk group Pussy Riot and a cameraman were attacked by Cossack security patrols in Sochi

The security procedures included hiring Cossack patrols to help police during the Olympics.

“We were certain that our security forces would be able to complete the tasks given to them,” he said.

“Security threats today are of a global nature, with terrorist organizations, so of course we were concerned about that.

“The Olympic Games became a target for the terrorists, but our law enforcement agencies and our special forces, in co-operation with all the countries of the world, all the special services in the world, including Great Britain, joined in the effort to prevent terrorism. All of us have fulfilled this task brilliantly.”

Dmitry Kozak also dismissed allegations of corruption and embezzlement in relation to money spent on the Games, which are estimated to have cost $50 billion.

“We had tough control over the budget money,” he said.

“According to the results of the investigation we did not find any major incidents of corruption.

“We ask anyone who says that there is to provide specific fact of the corruption. If they do we will carry out investigations and, if proved, the culprits will be punished. But so far we do not have this information, so it is just speculation.”

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Matteo Renzi sworn in as Italy’s prime minister

Diane A. Wade
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Matteo Renzi sworn in as Italy’s prime minister

A new Italian government led by Matteo Renzi has been sworn in Rome ceremony.

Centre-left Matteo Renzi, 39, will be the youngest prime minister in Italy’s history, and one of its least experienced.

Matteo Renzi, nicknamed Il Rottamatore (the Scrapper) rose to prominence as the mayor of Florence, but has never been elected to parliament or served in a national government.

He has chosen a comparatively young cabinet team, about half of them women.

Unemployment in Italy currently stands at a nearly 13% – and above 40% among the young.

Matteo Renzi has promised to overhaul the jobs market and the tax and education systems within four months, but our correspondent adds that he leads an awkward coalition that will not make his task easy.

Matteo Renzi is the youngest prime minister in Italy's history, and one of its least experienced
Matteo Renzi is the youngest prime minister in Italy’s history, and one of its least experienced

The new prime minister has named the chief economist at the Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Pier Carlo Padoan, as his finance minister.

Angelino Alfano, who heads the New Centre Right party, one of the Democratic Party’s coalition partners, remains as interior minister.

The government will have to win a vote of confidence in parliament, expected on Monday, before it starts work officially.

On Friday, Matteo Renzi formally accepted the mandate to lead a new government and named his cabinet.

Announcing his team, he said: “It’s a government that will start to work from tomorrow morning.”

The swearing-in took place on Saturday in the ornate presidential palace in Rome as the new prime minister and his cabinet – with the exception of Pier Carlo Padoan, who had not returned from Australia in time for the ceremony – took the oath of office from President Giorgio Napolitano.

Matteo Renzi ousted prime minister and party colleague Enrico Letta, who had led Italy for just 10 months, in a vote at a party meeting on February 13.

He argued that a change of government was needed to end “uncertainty”. He had accused Enrico Letta of a lack of action on improving the economic situation, with unemployment at its highest level in 40 years and the economy shrinking by 9% in seven years.

Matteo Renzi also accused Enrico Letta of failing to implement promised reforms of what is seen as an often corrupt and wasteful bureaucracy.

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Charlotte Dawson found dead at her home in Sydney

Lisa.Felice
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Charlotte Dawson found dead at her home in Sydney

Australian TV presenter Charlotte Dawson has been found dead at her home in Sydney.

Police say there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of 47-year-old Charlotte Dawson, who had a long history of depression.

Charlotte Dawson, a former model from New Zealand, was also a high-profile victim of cyber bullying.

New Zealand PM John Key said he was “shocked” and “saddened” by her death.

Charlotte Dawson, a former model from New Zealand, was also a high-profile victim of cyber bullying
Charlotte Dawson, a former model from New Zealand, was also a high-profile victim of cyber bullying

Charlotte Dawson was best known for hosting reality TV show The Contender Australia, and for her role as a judge on Australia’s Next Top Model.

In 2012, Charlotte Dawson was admitted to hospital after being targeted by cyber bullies on Twitter.

She went on to become an outspoken campaigner against internet trolls.

Charlotte Dawson, who left her native New Zealand at the age of 16 to pursue a modeling career, has been described by her friends as outrageous, outspoken and fragile.

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Yulia Tymoshenko to be freed as Ukraine’s parliament votes without president’s approval

Diane A. Wade
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Yulia Tymoshenko to be freed as Ukraine’s parliament votes without president’s approval

In fast-moving events on Saturday, Ukraine’s parliament voted for opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko to be released immediately.

Former PM Yulia Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011 for abuse of power. Her supporters had always maintained this was simply Viktor Yanukovych taking out his most prominent opponent.

Also in parliament, speaker Volodymyr Rybak resigned, citing ill health. He has been replaced by Oleksandr Turchynov, an ally of Yulia Tymoshenko.

Another Yulia Tymoshenko ally, Arsen Avakov, has been appointed interim interior minister. He replaces Vitaly Zakharchenko, who was sacked on Friday after being blamed for the deaths of civilians in last week’s crackdown on protests.

Former PM Yulia Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011 for abuse of power
Former PM Yulia Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011 for abuse of power

Vitaly Klitschko, leader of the opposition Udar party, repeated his demand for President Viktor Yanukovych’s immediate resignation.

Meanwhile presidential aide Hanna Herman said Viktor Yanukovych had travelled to Kharkiv in the east, close to the Russian border, from where he was to give a televised address.

A gathering of deputies from the south-east and Crimea – traditionally Russian-leaning areas – is taking place there, but Hanna Herman said the president had “no intention” of attending, nor of leaving the country.

An opposition figure has announced to crowds in Independence Square that President Viktor Yanukovych has resigned. This has not been confirmed, but the crowds reacted with huge cheers. The presidential website appears to have gone down.

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Why cardinals wear red

James J. Williams
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Why cardinals wear red

Pope Francis has appointed 19 new cardinals at a ceremony in Rome – the first such appointments of his papacy.

Cardinals are the most senior Roman Catholic clergymen below the pontiff.

The new cardinals received the traditional red hat and robes at the ceremony, known as a consistory, which was conducted in Latin and followed ancient tradition.

Cardinals wear red robes, along with scarlet zucchetto and biretta
Cardinals wear red robes, along with scarlet zucchetto and biretta

Cardinals wear red robes, along with scarlet zucchetto (skullcap) and biretta (four cornered hat with tassel).

Red signifies the color of blood and symbolizes their commitment to defend the church.

During daily business, a cardinal’s robes are edged with red to signify his dignity and respect.

On official occasions, the cardinal’s robes are entirely red.

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