Pope Francis has appointed 19 new cardinals at St Peter’s Basilica ceremony in Rome.
This is the first such appointments of Pope Francis’ papacy.
Cardinals are the most senior Roman Catholic clergymen below the pontiff.
Correspondents say the inclusion of prelates from places such as Haiti and Burkina Faso reflects the Argentine Pope’s commitment to the poor.
Former Pope Benedict XVI – who retired last year – also attended the ceremony at St Peter’s Basilica.
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.
Pope Francis has appointed 19 new cardinals at St Peter’s Basilica ceremony
One by one, the cardinals knelt in front of Pope Francis to receive the hat and gold ring of office.
Mindful of current conflicts in Ukraine, Syria and the Central African Republic, Pope Francis prayed for “peace and reconciliation for people currently experiencing violence and war”.
Sixteen of the new appointees are under 80 – the age limit for participating in the election of future popes.
The new cardinals come from 15 different countries, including Spain, Italy and Germany.
Pope Francis is encouraging cardinals – old and new – to think outside the box in formulating new policies for the Catholic Church.
The new cardinals will join the more than 100-strong College of Cardinals, which has been meeting in plenary session behind closed doors at the Vatican.
A new study suggests dogs can understand their owners’ language.
Using MRI scanner on dogs, researchers from Hungary found that the canine brain reacts to voices in the same way that the human brain does.
Emotionally charged sounds, such as crying or laughter, also prompted similar responses, perhaps explaining why dogs are attuned to human emotions.
The work is published in the journal Current Biology.
Lead author Attila Andics, from the Hungarian Academy of Science’s Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, said: “We think dogs and humans have a very similar mechanism to process emotional information.”
Eleven pet dogs took part in the study; training them took some time.
“We used positive reinforcement strategies – lots of praise,” said Dr. Attila Andics.
“There were 12 sessions of preparatory training, then seven sessions in the scanner room, then these dogs were able to lie motionless for as long as eight minutes. Once they were trained, they were so happy, I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it.”
For comparison, the team looked at the brains of 22 human volunteers in the same MRI scanners.
The scientists played the people and pooches 200 different sounds, ranging from environmental noises, such as car sounds and whistles, to human sounds (but not words) and dog vocalizations.
Using MRI scanner on dogs, researchers from Hungary found that the canine brain reacts to voices in the same way that the human brain does
The researchers found that a similar region – the temporal pole, which is the most anterior part of the temporal lobe – was activated when both the animals and people heard human voices.
“We do know there are voice areas in humans, areas that respond more strongly to human sounds that any other types of sounds,” Dr. Attila Andics explained.
“The location [of the activity] in the dog brain is very similar to where we found it in the human brain. The fact that we found these areas exist at all in the dog brain at all is a surprise – it is the first time we have seen this in a non-primate.”
Emotional sounds, such as crying and laughter also had a similar pattern of activity, with an area near the primary auditory cortex lighting up in dogs and humans.
Likewise, emotionally charged dog vocalizations – such as whimpering or angry barking – also caused a similar reaction in all volunteers,
Dr. Attila Andics said: “We know very well that dogs are very good at tuning into the feelings of their owners, and we know a good dog owner can detect emotional changes in his dog – but we now begin to understand why this can be.”
However, while the dogs responded to the human voice, their reactions were far stronger when it came to canine sounds.
They also seemed less able to distinguish between environmental sounds and vocal noises compared with humans.
About half of the whole auditory cortex lit up in dogs when listening to these noises, compared with 3% of the same area in humans.
Dr. Attila Andics said this would be the focus of his next set of experiments.
According to new reports, the Kiev offices of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych are unguarded, with opposition protesters apparently in full control of the government district.
Ukraine’s capital is now quiet, a day after deal was signed to end a political crisis in which dozens have died.
As parliament met on Saturday, the speaker, Volodymyr Rybak stood down.
Volodymyr Rybak cited ill health as the reason for his resignation.
Despite the deal signed on Friday, thousands of people have remained on the streets of Kiev.
The Kiev offices of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych are unguarded, with opposition protesters apparently in full control of the government district
There is no sign of security forces inside the previously heavily guarded presidential complex, though some government employees arrived for work.
There are unconfirmed reports that President Viktor Yanukovych has left Kiev, with suggestions that he has travelled to Kharkiv in the east, close to the Russian border.
One group of far-right protesters had threatened to take action if he did not resign by Saturday morning.
Meanwhile, the opposition Udar party, led by Vitaly Klitschko, is to submit a resolution to parliament demanding Viktor Yanukovych’s immediate resignation.
Spokeswoman Oksana Zinoviyeva told Reuters the move would allow parliament to set a date for early elections.
On Thursday, police opened fire on protesters who have been occupying Independence Square in central Kiev. The health ministry said 77 people – both protesters and police – had been killed since Tuesday in the worst violence since protests began in November.
One person died in California and other seven – including three newborns – have become ill in Maryland in a Listeria outbreak linked to Hispanic-style cheese.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Friday that the outbreak is linked to semi-soft, Hispanic-style cheese called Caujada en Terron that is sold from a chain of grocery stores in Maryland.
The cheese was made by Roos Foods of Kenton, Delaware. The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued a warning Wednesday to avoid products made by Roos Foods, which also sells cheese under the brand names Santa Rosa de Lima, Amigo, Mexicana, Suyapa, La Chapina, and La Purisima Crema Nica.
The CDC did not name the grocery chain linked to the outbreak.
The CDC said that Listeria outbreak is linked to semi-soft Caujada en Terron cheese that is sold from a chain of grocery stores in Maryland
The illnesses were diagnosed between August 1 and November 27 of last year. Seven of the eight were hospitalized. Five of the illnesses were related to a pregnancy.
Listeriosis is an infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium listeria monocytogenes. Symptoms include fever and muscle aches and diarrhea. Seniors, pregnant women and newborns are particularly vulnerable to the illness.
In 2011, 33 people died in the US after consuming cantaloupe contaminated with Listeria.
President Barack Obama has met exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at the White House, US officials say.
Barack Obma vowed “strong support” for the protection of Tibetans’ human rights in China during the encounter with the Dalai Lama.
China had urged the US to cancel the meeting, saying it would “seriously impair China-US relations”.
Beijing described the Dalai Lama as a separatist, while the spiritual leader said he only advocates greater autonomy for Tibet, not independence.
During their meeting in the White House Map Room, Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama reportedly said they hoped talks would resume between Beijing and the Tibetan spiritual leader’s representatives.
The two men last met in 2011, in talks that angered China. Tibet is governed as an autonomous region in China.
China has been widely accused of repressing political and religious freedoms in Tibet. Beijing rejects this and says economic development has improved Tibetans’ lives.
Barack Obma vowed “strong support” for the protection of Tibetans’ human rights in China during the encounter with the Dalai Lama
China’s response to the meeting was swift, with the country’s Vice-Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui summoning US charge d’affaires Daniel Kritenbrink to protest against the encounter.
“China expresses strong indignation and firm opposition,” Zhang Yesui said, according to the Xinhua news agency.
“The Tibetan issue is the domestic affair of China, and the United States bears no right to interfere,” he added.
“Such a move will gravely sabotage China-US co-operation and relations, and will definitely undermine its own interests.”
Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council, earlier said President Barack Obama met the Dalai Lama “in his capacity as an internationally respected religious and cultural leader”.
“We do not support Tibetan independence,” she said, adding that the US “strongly supports human rights and religious freedom in China.
“We are concerned about continuing tensions and the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibetan areas of China.”
In recent years more than 110 ethnic Tibetans – mostly young monks and nuns living in areas outside Tibet – have set themselves on fire in apparent protest against Beijing’s rule.
China’s government accuses the Dalai Lama of orchestrating the protests, a charge he strongly rejects.
The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, after Chinese troops crushed an attempted uprising in Tibet.
Detroit’s state-appointed emergency manager Kevyn Orr has filed a plan to restructure the city’s debts in the wake of the largest municipal bankruptcy in US history.
The plan, awaiting approval from a bankruptcy judge, includes cuts to pensions and creditors to drive down the $18 billion debt.
Funds would also be devoted to demolishing abandoned city properties.
Detroit initially filed for bankruptcy protection in July 2013.
“We must move swiftly to emerge from bankruptcy so that the financial distress harming the city can end,” state-appointed manager Kevyn Orr said in a statement.
“We maintain that the plan provides the best path forward for all parties to resolve their respective issues and for Detroit to become once again a city in which people want to invest, live and work,” he added.
Detroit’s state-appointed emergency manager has filed a plan to restructure the city’s debts
Specifics of the debt relief plan include:
Creditors, including bond insurers, will receive an estimated 20% of their claims
Police and firefighter retirees will receive at least 90% of their pensions, and cost of living allowances will be eliminated
The Detroit Institute of Arts will keep its city-owned art collection, with assistance from foundations and private donors
$1.5 billion will be allocated over 10 years to city infrastructure and technology upgrades
The plan is reportedly likely to face obstacles moving forward, including court appeals should it be approved in bankruptcy court.
An estimated $12 billion of Detroit’s $18 billion debt is said to be unsecured, with no taxes or other revenue streams to pay it down.
Ongoing negotiations with stakeholders are also reportedly expected to result in changes to the plan, Kevyn Orr told US media.
The city has seen a dramatic decline in economic activity and population, as the big carmakers – once the city’s main source of employment – shifted production to cheaper locations in the US and overseas.
Detroit is now home to about 700,000 residents, down from the peak of 1.8 million in 1950.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has invited President Barack Obama to join him in talks aimed at resolving the problems between his country and the US.
Nicolas Maduro said the meeting would help “put the truth out on the table”.
He has accused US conservatives and media organizations of plotting to overthrow his government.
Earlier on Friday Venezuela revoked the accreditations of CNN reporters covering the country’s crisis. Eight people have died in recent protests.
In a news conference on Friday, Nicolas Maduro said: “I call for a dialogue between Venezuela and the United States and its government.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has invited President Barack Obama to join him in talks aimed at resolving the problems between his country and the US
“Let’s initiate a high-level dialogue and let’s put the truth out on the table.”
The dialogue will be “difficult and complex”, Nicolas Maduro said, until the American government accepted “the full autonomy and independence of Latin America”.
Last week, Venezuela expelled three US diplomats accused of meeting violent groups linked to the opposition.
Earlier this week, Venezuela had revoked the accreditation of CNN’s Caracas-based reporter, Osmary Hernandez, and those of two other CNN journalists sent to Venezuela to cover a wave of opposition marches.
The government says the protests are part of a coup attempt.
US Secretary of State, John Kerry, denounced the latest action on Friday, saying: “This is not how democracies behave.
“I call on the Venezuelan government to step back from its efforts to stifle dissent through force and respect basic human rights.
“The solution to Venezuela’s problems can only be found through dialogue with all Venezuelans, engaging in a free exchange of opinions in a climate of mutual respect.”
Revenue for the US home automation market is slated to reach 5.5 billion by 2016. In fact, home automation is the greatest technological leap forward in home technology in many decades.
A number of factors are driving home automation – wariness about energy efficiency and a desire to streamline home entertainment both play a role. Consumers are also eager to automate home security in a cost-efficient way. Perhaps this is why the field of home automation reached revenues of approximately 3.5 billion in 2011.
Demand for Home Automation
Venture capital funding is flying into promising home automation start-ups that promise to fuse convenience, security and energy efficiency for tomorrow’s customers. The plan is to deliver advanced functionality to homes across the country via distributed control systems.
Economists claim that home automation is at the high growth point of the financial life cycle. Indeed, home automation is anticipated to keep cresting at the current rate of 10% annual growth or more until 2018. By 2019, a year after this rabid growth settles down, home automation is expected to have generated nearly 20 billion dollars in revenue.
Two US companies lead the stateside transition from just alarm systems into home automation – Leviton and Johnson Controls. That said, all top home automation companies seek to digitally streamline the following areas: HVAC, entertainment, lighting, outdoor upkeep, security and home access. This means that everything from motion sensors and control systems are brought onto the same Smart technology grid as irrigation and wireless temperature control.
Movers and Shakers: Recent Acquisitions
Google made history recently by purchasing home automation start-up Nest for 3.2 billion dollars. Ironically, Nest’s co-founders were both on the original team for iPod development; in addition, the Nest indoor thermostat is still distributed at Apple locations.
Nonetheless, Google promises customers that Nest will continue to function under its own brand, not unlike what Motorola did following a buyout.
Nest ensures, for its part, to continue offering applications for Android and iOS. In other words, security features offered by Nest (Nest Protect), smoke detectors and thermostats will still is compatible with Apple products post-Google acquisition.
Another American juggernaut, Lowes, made history this month at the Consumer Electronics Show by unveiling its groundbreaking Iris home automation system. One piece of Iris’ voice control technology known as iVee allows users to control the temperature of any room in the house with voice commands. For instance, saying “turn up the temperature in the den to 73 degrees” will actually do just that!
Continued Expansion in Home Automation
The field is expected to experience a 47% consolidated annual rate for the next four years. This eye-watering growth is made possible by ubiquitous and increasingly economical internet connections running through basic appliances like refrigerators and lights.
Companies like CPI Security and Time Warner Cable, although eager to make an impact on home automation, are largely playing catch-up. In previous years, systems were either overpriced or prohibitively techie via setup and maintenance. The next generation of home automation systems is neither too pricy nor hard to install, which is anticipated to open up home automation to a larger consumer base.
Lowes, for instance, claims that every electrical device on its shelves will eventually be compatible with its home automation system. This means that the device will not only be internet ready – it will also have its own app. When Iris came out in late 2012 the home automation system had over three dozen devices with their own apps; this will extend in the coming years due to partnerships with electronics manufacturers like Honeywell and Whirlpool.
Medals to be won today: Alpine skiing (men’s slalom), biathlon (men’s relay), cross country skiing (women’s mass start), ice hockey (men’s bronze), snowboard (parallel slalom), speed skating (team pursuit).
Lamar Odom said Khloe Kardashian would “always” be his wife, even if they divorce – which he’s hoping doesn’t happen.
During Us Weekly interview, Lamar Odom, 34, said: “I love my wife. She’ll always be my wife, no matter what.”
Khloe Kardashian, 29, filed for divorce in December after four years of marriage.
Lamar Odom said Khloe Kardashian would “always” be his wife, even if they divorce
“Who knows? We don’t know exactly if [the divorce is going through]. Only time will tell. I hope not. But even if we were divorced, she would always be my wife.”
Lamar Odom went on to say that marrying Khloe Kardashian was one of the greatest things he’d ever done.
“Those were some of the best years of my life,” he told Us Weekly.
“Being married and being married to a woman I decided to marry was, besides having children, the most important thing in my life.”
CNN says Venezuela has revoked the accreditation of its Caracas-based reporter, Osmary Hernandez.
Two journalists who had been sent to Venezuela to cover the current crisis had their working permits cancelled.
President Nicolas Maduro had vowed to expel CNN unless it “rectified” its coverage of recent opposition marches.
Eight people have been killed in the protests, according to the government.
Chief Prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz said 137 people had been injured in the current series of protests, which began earlier this month.
Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who called for the marches, was detained on Tuesday during a protest in Caracas.
The government accused him of inciting violence as part of a right-wing coup plot.
CNN says Venezuela has revoked the accreditation of its Caracas-based reporter
CNN is one of several media organizations complaining that their freedom of expression had been restricted by the Venezuelan government.
Last week, the government removed Colombian TV news channel NTN24 from channels offered by Venezuelan cable operators.
On Thursday, during a live broadcast, Nicolas Maduro threatened to “take action” against CNN unless it ceased what he described as “hostile coverage” of events in Venezuela.
“Enough war propaganda, I won’t accept war propaganda against Venezuela. If they don’t rectify themselves, out of Venezuela, CNN, out,” he said.
“They want to say to the world that there’s a civil war in Venezuela.”
CNN says Venezuelan officials asked the two journalists who had their work permits cancelled – Angela Janiot and Rafael Romo – when they would leave the country.
In a statement, CNN said it was still negotiating with the authorities.
“We hope the government reconsiders its decision. Meanwhile, we will carry on covering events in Venezuela in a fair, accurate and balanced manner,” read the statement.
On Sunday, Nicolas Maduro ordered the expulsion of three US diplomats. He accused them of meeting student leaders to conspire against his government.
The three diplomats deny the allegations.
A former union leader and close ally of the late president, Hugo Chavez, Nicolas Maduro was elected by a narrow margin last April.
In the latest episode of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, Alana Thompson’s family must make a scary medical decision about their youngest member, baby Kaitlyn.
As we already know, Anna’s daughter, Kaitlyn, was born with two thumbs on one of her hands.
Now that Kaitlyn is one year old, it’s time to consider removing it.
As Honey Boo Boo explains, she isn’t the only family member with an interesting body part. Mama June has forklift foot, Sugar Bear has his inside parts reversed (his heart is on the wrong side), Anna’s got a weird skinny gene, Jessica’s got shark teeth, and Uncle Poodle’s got nine toes.
Honey Boo Boo’s niece, Kaitlyn, was born with two thumbs on one of her hands
They’ve got two options: leave the thumb there and she grows up with it or remove it. Problem is, Anna wants her baby to have the surgery and Mama June is against it.
June Shannon is afraid that the surgery could go wrong and it could paralyze Kaitlyn’s remaining thumb. She also is fearful of putting such a little baby under anesthesia. But Anna is worried about it being the butt of jokes or the reason Kaitlyn is teased as she grows older.
That doesn’t mean she’s not worried about the procedure. Anna cries knowing that her daughter has to go through surgery and the possibility something might go wrong. The issue becomes a real source of tension between Mama June and her eldest daughter. But Anna doesn’t back down asserting that the decision is ultimately up to her.
After a visit with the doctor, Anna decides to wait a year.
German cross country skier and biathlete Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle and Italian bobsleigh brakeman William Frullani have been sent home from Sochi 2014 after failing drugs tests.
Both tested positive for methylhexanamine with A and B samples.
Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle, who won gold in 2002 and 2010, finished fourth in two events this year.
Police officer William Frullani, 34, will be replaced in Saturday’s four-man event by Samuele Romanini.
He is a former international decathlete, who competed at the 2006 European Championships.
German cross country skier and biathlete Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle has been sent home from Sochi 2014 after failing drugs tests
It is Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle’s drugs test which is the bigger news, having won gold in the team sprint in the last Olympics in Vancouver and in the 4x5km in Salt Lake City.
“This is the worst nightmare you could imagine. I can’t explain how the doping test could be positive,” the 33-year-old said.
German Olympic Committee secretary general Michael Vesper said: “We stand for a doping-free sport and a zero tolerance.
“We only want clean performances. Every doping case is initially a disappointment but also proof that the system works.”
Before the Games, Russian biathlete Irina Starykh, who was a medal hope for the hosts, withdrew after failing a drugs test.
When Jep Robertson set out to do a little home improvement he called on his father Phil to make sure it would come out correctly to please his wife Jessica.
“When you’ve got a wife as hot as mine, you’ve got to keep her happy and then some,” Phil Robertson’s youngest son Jep said.
“I’m 67 years old and when my sons get in a bind they still call dad to get them out,” complained Phil Robertson.
“We don’t know what we’re doing,” Jep Robertson told his dad.
Jep Robertson is happily married to Jessica
“I’m just trying to get a little pat-pat.”
“A little <<pat-pat>>, son?” Phil Robertson asked.
“I didn’t know these little yuppie girls drive that kind of bargain up in here. What’s next? A four-car garage, a little pat-pat? Honey, go out there and build me a barn and a little pat-pat. Where does it end?”
“When I get a little pat-pat,” answered Jep Robertson.
Satisfied with his son’s answer, Phil and Jep with a little help from Duck Commander employee Justin Martin set out to build a small pathway for Jep’s house.
On the last episode of Duck Dynasty, Willie and Jase Robertson argue over an old GI Joe toy.
This leads them into a debate over who would make a better soldier.
Duck Dynasty paintball game was cut short when Uncle Si Robertson got stuck in a marsh and needed to be rescued
To settle the score, Willie and Jase head out to the woods with their friends and children for a paintball match, but the game is cut short when Uncle Si Robertson gets stuck in a marsh and needs to be rescued.
Meanwhile, Jep Robertson recruits Justin Martin to help him lay a sidewalk in his front yard, but when they run into some problems, Jep must call on Phil to come save the day.
Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! how he got invited to this year’s State of the Union in Washington D.C. and what President Barack Obama thought of his outfit.
Willie Robertson and Barack Obama ran into each other when the A&E star attended the State of the Union and caught up after first meeting at last year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
The Duck Dynasty star said he was getting ready to get on an elevator when he was told he couldn’t just yet because the president was coming.
“The president’s walking down the hall. And he sees me and he goes, <<Willie, what’s up?>>” Willie Robertson recalled.
“I’m like, <<Hey, what’s up?>> So we’re talking, and we’re having this conversation.”
Barack Obama even teased Willie Robertson about his outfit, since the Duck Dynasty star was not as formally-attired for the State of the Union as he was for the Correspondents’ Dinner.
Willie and Korie Robertson on Jimmy Kimmel Live
“The last time I met him, at the Correspondents’ Dinner, I had a tux on,” Willie Robertson explains.
“He’s like, <<Where’s the tux?>> I’m like, <<This is my State of the Union attire>>.”
Willie Robertson also revealed how he even got invited to go to the State of the Union in the first place, something that left a number of political pundits scratching their heads.
“So, my buddy, Vance McAllister wins this special election,” Willie Robertson begins, laughing as he starts his story.
“He’s only in for a year and then he has to run again, so he calls me up and he says, <<Willie, State of the Union man. I may only be here for a year, you want to roll?>> I said <<Let’s go, man, let’s do it>>. We’re literally high-fiving in the back of it like, <<Can you believe it? We’re here>>.”
Willie Robertson and his wife Korie, who joined him on the ABC late-night show, also said that the politicians mostly asked them about Uncle Siand whether he’s really like he is on the show.
Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition protesters have agreed to an early presidential poll before the end of the year.
The election is part of a deal to end the country’s political crisis.
The deal has not been published, but Viktor Yanukovych referred to a national unity government and constitutional changes reducing the president’s power.
The compromise came after hours of talks between mediated by three European foreign ministers.
The German and Polish ministers met protesters in Kiev’s Independence Square before announcing their leaders backed the deal.
The agreement was later signed by opposition leaders and Viktor Yanukovych at the presidential administration headquarters in Kiev.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski tweeted that the deal was a “good compromise for Ukraine” which would open the way “to reform and to Europe”.
Ukrainian broadcaster ICTV said it had seen a copy of the agreement, which included three main proposals:
The 2004 constitution will be restored within 48 hours, and a national unity government will be formed within 10 days
Constitutional reform balancing the powers of president, government and parliament will be started immediately and completed by September
A presidential election will be held after the new constitution is adopted but no later than December 2014
Despite the agreement, isolated outbursts of violence were reported in central Kiev on Friday morning.
Ukrainian health ministry said 77 people had been killed since Tuesday, and another 577 were injured
The police said they had traded gunfire with protesters, and Ukrainian media said riot police were patrolling inside parliament during a session.
Lawmakers once again began the session with scuffles, as the speaker tried to adjourn a debate about constitutional reform.
Viktor Yanukovych announced the deal early on Friday, but initially gave no details.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said there had been an agreement that nobody would publicize the deal until it had been confirmed.
However, the president later gave more details and said in a statement that he would initiate the process of constitutional reform and call an early election.
The deal came after the bloodiest day since the unrest began.
Police opened fire early on Thursday after protesters tried to push them away from the makeshift camps they have been occupying in central Kiev.
The health ministry said 77 people had been killed since Tuesday, and another 577 were injured.
But activists suggested the death toll was likely to be much higher.
On Friday the US State Department issued a travel warning advising its citizens to “defer non-essential travel” to Ukraine, saying that it had authorized “the departure of all family members of US government personnel from Ukraine”.
Somalia’s presidential palace in the capital Mogadishu has been attack by a huge car bomb.
The bomb has blown a hole in the wall of the presidential palace, followed by a fierce gun battle inside, officials say.
It is not clear how many people died in the attack.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has told the UN envoy to Somalia he was not harmed, envoy Nick Kay has tweeted.
The al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab has said it carried out the attack, which it said was still ongoing.
This is the first time that al-Shabab fighters have entered the presidential palace, known as Villa Somalia.
The heavily guarded complex is home to the president, prime minister, speaker of parliament, other ministers and a mosque, which was hit during the attack.
Villa Somalia, a heavily guarded complex, is home to the president, prime minister, speaker of parliament, other ministers and a mosque
Some of the attackers were wearing suicide vests, police sources have said.
Senior police officer Abdikadir Ahmed told the Reuters news agency fighting was underway in the house of a military commander within the presidential compound, near the palace.
“The car bomb hit and exploded and other al-Shabab cars with armed men drove inside the palace, and heavy fighting is still going on,” he said.
Security Minister Abdi Karim Hussein said that some of the attackers had been killed and others captured. He also said all of the country’s leaders were safe.
Al-Shabab military spokesman Sheikh Abdul Aziz Abu Musab said militants were still in control of some buildings inside the presidential compound.
“Our commandos have attacked the so-called presidential palace in order to kill or arrest those who are inside,” he told the AFP news agency.
Nick Kay said the attack on Villa Somalia had “failed”.
“Sadly some lives lost. I condemn strongly this terrorism,” he said.
Al-Shabab was driven out of Mogadishu in 2011 but it still controls many smaller towns and rural areas of the country.
Some 22,000 African Union troops are helping the government battle al-Shabab
A longer cut of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is to be released in US and UK cinemas for a single week.
The more stringently-rated version will “feature up to 763 entirely new jokes”.
Director Adam McKay joked: “If you’re a hardcore Anchorman fan, go see this. If you’re not, stay very far away.”
The sequel to the cult 2004 film, starring Will Ferrell as 1970s news anchor Ron Burgundy, has taken $169 million worldwide.
It will return to cinemas for seven days from February 28 and will be rated 15 in the UK and R (restricted) in the US.
The restricted rating means that viewers under the age of 17 are not admitted unless they are accompanied by an adult.
A longer cut of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is to be released in US and UK cinemas for a single week
Anchorman 2, which sees Will Ferrell reunite with the original cast including Paul Rudd, Christina Applegate and Steve Carell, received largely favorable reviews on its release as a PG-13 film in December.
Speaking on the Tonight Show, Will Ferrell said: “Originally the movie was four hours long, and they played around with the idea of splitting it into two movies.
“It’s the same movie, it’s 20 minutes longer, there’s a musical number we had to cut from the original one, little treats like that.”
A film being released as a longer cut is not wholly unusual, though it is often limited to home sales coming under the guise of a “director’s cut”.
Recent examples include the film sequel Riddick, starring Vin Diesel, Ridley Scott’s The Counselor, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and cult film Iron Sky.
More than 200 copies of Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl and associated books have been vandalized in public libraries in Tokyo, Japanese officials say.
Pages have been ripped from at least 265 copies of the diary and other related books, they added.
It is not clear who is behind the vandalism. A US Jewish rights group has called for a police investigation.
Anne Frank’s diary was written during World War Two, while the teenager hid from the Nazis in occupied Amsterdam.
The book made her a symbol of the suffering of Jews during the war.
Japan has no history of Jewish settlement and no real history of anti-Semitism.
More than 200 copies of Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl and associated books have been vandalized in public libraries in Tokyo
Toshihiro Obayashi, a library official in West Tokyo’s Suginsami area, said: “Each and every book which comes up under the index of Anne Frank has been damaged at our library.”
The Simon Wiesenthal Centre, a global Jewish human rights organization, said in a statement that it was shocked and concerned by the incidents, and called for the authorities to investigate.
“The geographic scope of these incidents strongly suggest an organised effort to denigrate the memory of the most famous of the 1.5 million Jewish children murdered by the Nazis in the World War Two Holocaust,” associate dean Abraham Cooper said.
“Anne Frank is studied and revered by millions of Japanese,” Abraham Cooper added.
“Only people imbued with bigotry and hatred would seek to destroy Anne’s historic words of courage, hope and love in the face of impending doom.”
The book was added to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Memory of the World Register in 2009.
Anne Frank’s diary was translated into Japanese in December 1952 and topped the bestseller lists in 1953.
Former stockbroker Andrew Greene is suing the producers of Wolf of Wall Street for $25 million claiming he has been depicted as a “depraved” drug-fuelled criminal.
Andrew Greene has filed court papers in New York claiming the character Nicky “Rugrat” Koskoff is based on him.
He worked at Stratton Oakmont, the brokerage house founded by Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio.
Paramount and Red Granite Pictures have not commented on the case.
Andrew Greene said his name was used in Jordan Belfort’s memoir, on which the film is based.
In the movie, Rugrat Koskoff – nicknamed for the toupee he wears – assumes significant control at Stratton Oakmont following Belfort’s resignation.
Andrew Greene is suing the producers of Wolf of Wall Street for $25 million claiming he has been depicted as a “depraved” drug-fuelled criminal
The role is played by actor PJ Byrne in the motion picture.
In the claim, Andrew Greene said he worked at Stratton Oakmont between 1993 and 1996 as the head of the firm’s corporate finance department and a member of the board of directors.
He alleges the film-makers – including director Martin Scorsese – changed the character’s name from “Wigwam” to “Rugrat”.
The papers, printed in The Hollywood Reporter, said: “The motion picture contains various scenes wherein Mr. Greene’s character is portrayed as a criminal, drug user, degenerate, depraved, and/or devoid of any morality or ethics.”
Andrew Greene has said he did not consent to his image, likeness and characterization being used in Wolf of Wall Street.
He has also claimed the movie contains libelous statements that have “permanently damaged” him by portraying him as a “criminal and drug user with misogynistic tendencies.
In one scene, the claim states, “investigators ask whether his hair is real. Characters are also seen attempting to grab the toupee.”
“Mr. Greene’s character is shown doing cocaine on company premises during business hours in another scene,” it adds.
TheWolf of Wall Street has been a major box office hit and has been nominated for five Oscars, including best picture and best actor for Leonardo DiCaprio.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych says he has reached a deal with the opposition to end the crisis, after all-night talks mediated by three EU foreign ministers.
Viktor Yanukovych’s statement said the agreement would be signed later.
However, the French foreign minister voiced caution, saying the deal was not definitive, and the opposition has not confirmed Viktor Yanukovych’s claim.
Protesters and police are still locked in a stand-off in Kiev, a day after dozens were killed in violent clashes.
Hours after Viktor Yanukovych announced the deal, more violence was reported in central Kiev.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych says he has reached a deal with the opposition to end the crisis
The police said they had traded gunfire with protesters, and Ukrainian media said riot police were patrolling inside parliament during a session.
The protests first erupted in late November when President Viktor Yanukovych rejected a landmark association and trade deal with the EU in favor of closer ties with Russia.
Thursday was the bloodiest day since the unrest began.
Police opened fire after protesters tried to push them away from the makeshift camps they have been occupying in central Kiev.
The health ministry said 77 people had been killed since Tuesday, and another 577 were injured. But activists suggested the death toll was likely to be much higher.
Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will meet President Barack Obama at the White House on Friday, US officials say.
China has urged the US to cancel the meeting, saying it will “seriously impair China-US relations”.
China describes the Dalai Lama as a separatist, while the spiritual leader says he only advocates greater autonomy for Tibet, not independence.
Officials say the US does not support Tibetan independence but is concerned about human rights in China.
The two men last met in 2011, in talks that angered China.
Tibet is governed as an autonomous region in China.
China has been widely accused of repressing political and religious freedoms in Tibet. Beijing rejects this and says economic development has improved Tibetans’ lives.
Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will meet President Barack Obama at the White House on Friday
Barack Obama will host the Dalai Lama in a private meeting in the White House Map Room on Friday morning, US officials said.
The president traditionally hosts foreign leaders in the Oval Office, so the decision to use the Map Room is viewed as an attempt to give the visit a lower-profile.
Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council, said Barack Obama would meet the Dalai Lama “in his capacity as an internationally respected religious and cultural leader”.
“We do not support Tibetan independence,” she said, adding that the US “strongly supports human rights and religious freedom in China.
“We are concerned about continuing tensions and the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibetan areas of China.”
Meanwhile, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that Beijing was “firmly opposed” to the meeting.
“The US leader’s meeting with the Dalai is a gross interference in China’s internal affairs, a severe violation of codes of international relations and will seriously impair China-US relations,” she said in a statement.
China had “already lodged solemn representations” with the US on the matter, Hua Chunying added.
In recent years more than 110 ethnic Tibetans – mostly young monks and nuns living in areas outside Tibet – have set themselves on fire in apparent protest against Beijing’s rule.
The Chinese government accuses the Dalai Lama of orchestrating the protests, a charge he strongly rejects.
The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, after Chinese troops crushed an attempted uprising in Tibet.
Eleven people on board of a Libyan military plane carrying doctors and patients died after the aircraft has crashed in Tunisia, officials say.
The Antonov plane came down in a field near Grombalia, about 25 miles south of Tunis.
The plane was carrying three doctors, two patients and six crew, a Tunisian rescue worker said.
The Antonov plane came down in a field near Grombalia, about 25 miles south of Tunis
Correspondents say that Libyans often travel to Tunisia for medical treatment.
The crash is said to have resulted from engine failure.
“The whole plane was completely burnt out. The emergency services went to the crash site and recovered the charred bodies,” said emergency services spokesman Mongi El Kadhi.
Shell has agreed to sell its Australian downstream business to oil trading firm Vitol for $2.6 billion.
The sale includes Shell’s refinery in Geelong, 870 service stations, its bulk fuels and chemicals unit and part of its lubricants business.
However, Shell’s aviation business is excluded from the deal.
The oil giant is looking to dispose off assets as part of a strategy that will see the company “changing emphasis” in 2014.
The asset sales also come at a time when its profits have been declining.
Shell has agreed to sell its Australian downstream business to oil trading firm Vitol for $2.6 billion
Last month, Shell posted “clean” profits – which strip out the impact of oil price movements – of $2.9 billion for the October-to-December quarter, down from $5.6 billion during the same period a year ago.
“Australia remains important to Shell, but we are making tough portfolio choices to improve the company’s overall competitiveness,” Ben van Beurden, chief executive of Shell said in a statement.
Recent disinvestments by Shell include the sale of refineries in the UK, Germany, France, Norway and the Czech Republic.
The company has also offloaded its downstream businesses in Egypt, Spain, Greece, Finland and Sweden.
Shell said that majority of its downstream staff in Australia will continue to work under its new owner.
Shell and Vitol deal is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close within this year.
