Pope Benedict XVI has given his final Sunday blessing at the Vatican before he steps down on February 28.
In his last Angelus in St Peter’s Square, the Pope told thousands of cheering pilgrims his decision did not mean he was abandoning the Church.
Pope Benedict, 85, announced his resignation last week, saying ill-health meant he could not continue.
Cardinals are gathering to choose the next pope amid fears Church sex abuse scandals may overshadow the process.
Speaking from his balcony overlooking St Peter’s Square, Pope Benedict used several different languages to salute the Catholics who had come to bid him farewell at the end of his eight-year reign.
He said he was following God’s wishes in deciding to abdicate.
“The Lord is calling me to climb the mountain – prayer is not an isolation from the world,” he said.
“I am not abandoning the Church and shall continue to serve it in a manner more adapted to my age and strength,” through prayer and meditation, he added.
Pope Benedict will hold his last public appearance as pope in the square on Wednesday before he retires to a life of seclusion and prayer.
Pope Benedict XVI has given his final Sunday blessing at the Vatican before he steps down on February 28
In total 117 Cardinals under the age of 80 from around the world have been called to the conclave to choose his successor.
Some Catholics are calling on Cardinal Keith O’Brien from Scotland and Cardinal Mahony from Los Angeles to refrain from voting in next month’s election.
Cardinal Mahony was stripped of his duties as Archbishop of Los Angeles last month over allegations he protected priests accused of sexual abuse.
Cardinal Keith O’Brien has denied allegations of “inappropriate behavior” going back 30 years.
The Vatican has denounced attempts to condition the freedom of all cardinal electors to choose who they want to lead the Church in future.
On Saturday a statement criticized the media for reporting “misinformation” about alleged intrigue and corruption in the church.
Rapper turned preacher MC Hammer was arrested on Thursday after he was charged with obstructing an officer in the performance of their duties in Dublin, California.
MC Hammer, 50, who legally changed his name from Stanley Kirk Burrell, was booked into Santa Rita Jail on Thursday night before bring cited and released, KTVU TV Oakland reported.
He was arrested after a verbal altercation between him and a policeman at a local shopping centre.
MC Hammer took to Twitter on Friday and then again on Saturday to explain his side of the incident, suggesting he was unfairly treated because he is African American.
“Sometimes in life you choose to <<Fight>> and other times the <<Fight>> chooses you. Dignity is not a crime,” he posted after his release.
According to the star the incident started when a “chubby Elvis looking dude was tapping on my car window, I rolled down the window and he said, <<Are you on parole or probation?>>”.
“While I was handing him my ID he reached in my car and tried to pull me out the car but forgot he was on a steady donut diet.
“It was comical to me until he pulled out his guns, blew his whistle and yelled for help (MallCop)!!! But make no mistake he’s dangerous.”
MC Hammer was arrested on Thursday after he was charged with obstructing an officer in the performance of their duties in Dublin, California
MC Hammer explained he felt threatened and believes he was racially profiled.
“Only thing more dangerous than a scared man with a gun, is a scared man with an agenda, a gun and a badge. I was citied [sic] for obstruction.
“I will now answer his question, contrary to his personal beliefs, all people of color are not on parole or probation fat boy!!!”
MC Hammer, who now travels the world as a Christian preacher, said he was telling people about his experience so they can learn from it.
“Instead of being bitter, I’m taking the opportunity to make this a <<teachable moment>> and <<eye opener>> for my many friends & colleagues,” he tweeted on Saturday.
The rapper also revealed he had been subjected to medical tests when he was booked into jail.
“My biggest concern? What was it that they injected into my arm under the guise of a <<Skin Test>>?”
Ironically MC Hammer was on his way to San Quentin Jail as part of an inmate outreach program that helps inmates transition from incarceration to life post release.
“Disappointment? I was on my way to San Quentin Friday morning to congratulate a group of inmates in The Last Mile,” MC Hammer tweeted yesterday.
The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday refused to release the rapper’s mug shot, KTVU reported.
Michelle Obama showed off her dancing moves during her Friday appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
First Lady Michelle Obama was a crowd favorite on the NBC comedy show and wasn’t afraid to get physical in front of the New York audience at the program’s studio at Rockefeller Center.
While in New York Michelle Obama was also interviewed by Good Morning America host Robin Roberts and health guru Dr Oz, as part of the celebration for the 3 year anniversary of her Let’s Move! campaign to fight childhood obesity.
In his opening monologue for the show, Jimmy Fallon said he planned to ask Michelle Obama if she thought he could pull of bangs, in reference to the hot topic of her new coiffure.
“She’s coming on the show to talk about her Let’s Move! initiative. Next week [New Jersey Governor] Chris Christie will be on the show to talk about his new initiative, Let’s Sit!” Jimmy Fallon joked.
Instead of starting out with an interview, Jimmy Fallon and his famous guest decided to break a sweat.
“In honor of the first lady’s Let’s Move campaign, and to encourage parents everywhere to get up and get moving with their kids, Jimmy Fallon and Michelle Obama present the Evolution of Mom Dancing,” the show’s announcer Steve Higgins said.
Jimmy Fallon donned capri khaki pants and a matronly pink cardigan, with white Keds sneakers and a wig, to get in the mood and show off his dance mom moves with Michelle Obama.
Michelle Obama channeled her mom coolness in black capri jeans, pink ballet slippers and a bright green cardigan.
Michelle Obama showed off her dancing moves during her Friday appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
The mashup of moves performed by the pair included hilarious gestures like “Go Shopping, Get Groceries”, “Raise the Roof”, the “Hip Bump”, “Just the Hands Part of Single Ladies” and the “Driving the Station Wagon”.
After the aerobic exercise, Michelle Obama changed into a brightly colored sleeves, silk dress for her sit down chat.
The first lady dished on her pop culture favorites including her love of Beyoncé and her daughter’s help in introducing her to new music like Elle Varner and Frank Ocean.
Admitting that the Bravo reality show, Real Housewives, is among her guilty pleasures, she did say she has not yet watched Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.
Despite not watching the TLC show, Michelle Obama did praise cast member June “Mama” Shannon – who recently lost more than 100 lbs.
During her interview, Jimmy Fallon inquired after the first lady’s plan once her husband leaves the White House in 2016.
Jimmy Fallon, 38, asked if she would be interested in a Michelle-Hillary ticket for president in 2016, as speculation swirls that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has her eye on the Oval Office.
“You know, I have my eye actually on another job. And I hear that when Jay Leno retires that The Tonight Show position is going to open and I’m thinking about putting my hat in the ring,” she joked.
Jimmy Fallon quipped: “I got my hat in the ring” about replacing the NBC host.
Michelle Obama’s appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s show was the finale to her busy day doing the media rounds.
Sofia Vergara has canceled her Oscar plans, including an appearance at Madonna’s party, as she is hospitalized for an operation.
The nature of the actress’ condition is not yet known.
Sofia Vergara was in good spirits when she was seen dining out with her fiancé Nick Loeb on Friday night in West Hollywood.
The happy couple enjoyed a low-key evening at the famous BOA Steakhouse and Nick showed his chivalrous side as he collected Sofia from the back entrance.
Sofia Vergara was dressed in a little black dress but kept warm with the help of a matching coat with fur-lined jacket.
She has also been busy filming scenes for her hit sitcom over the past few days.
Sofia Vergara has been documenting the events of filming and rehearsing with her co-stars by posting candid photos to her Twitter and Instagram photos.
After a trip to New York, Sofia Vergara was seen arriving in Los Angeles on Monday evening.
Sofia Vergara has canceled her Oscar plans, including an appearance at Madonna’s party, as she is hospitalized for an operation
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are reportedly expecting a baby girl.
A source close to Kim Kardashian told Us Weekly that the couple are over the moon about the news.
An insider close to the family revealed that Kanye West, 35, was particularly excited as he “always wanted a girl”.
“They’re over the moon!” a source told Us Weekly.
“Kanye always wanted a girl.”
And it seems that if the couple are having a daughter, she will be one stylish celebrity offspring.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are reportedly expecting a baby girl
Kim Kardashian, 32, told Jimmy Kimmel on his late night talk show last month that her partner would most likely be splashing out on specially customized outfits for their impending arrival.
“If anyone knows Kanye, they just know how into fashion he is, and I think he’s going to have things specially made,” Kim Kardashian said.
“So I don’t think hand-me-downs are going to work.”
Kim Kardashian also gushed about how cute Kanye West was about the new addition to the Kardashian and West clans.
“He is so excited,” she said.
“It’s really cute how excited he is.”
Kim Kardashian is expected to give birth to her first child in July this year.
Former Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o explained again how he had been duped into an Internet romance he had with girlfriend Lennay Kekua he never met.
He did his best to turn the page on an embarrassing chapter by talking football.
This time, Manti Te’o even got to see it play out on live television 12 yards away – where three muted flat-screen monitors were in direct view of Te’o.
Manti Te’o answered every question with thoughtful deliberation and tried to provide clarity on a hoax that turned one of the nation’s most inspirational college football players into the butt of national jokes.
“I cared for somebody. That’s what I was taught to do ever since I was young. Somebody needs help, you help them out,” he said.
Later Manti Te’o added: “People doubted me because I took a while to come out. From our point of view, we wanted to let everything come out first, and then let my side come out. The way we did it, I thought, worked best for me.”
Manti Te’o’s news conference was the most anticipated event of the NFL’s second-biggest offseason weekend, which brought the makeshift media room inside Lucas Oil Stadium to a virtual standstill – twice.
The story began with Manti Te’o’s incredible performances after learning his grandmother and what he believed was his girlfriend had died within hours of one another in September.
Manti Te’o said it inspired him to play his best football all season, and it was so compelling that it helped turn Te’o into a Heisman Trophy contender as he was leading the Fighting Irish to an undefeated regular season and into the national championship game.
Former Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o explained again how he had been duped into an Internet romance he had with girlfriend Lennay Kekua he never met
On December 26, Manti Te’o notified Notre Dame officials that he had received a call from his supposedly dead girlfriend’s phone three weeks earlier.
The school investigated and on January 16 – after Deadspin.com broke the story of the fake girlfriend – athletic director Jack Swarbrick announced at a news conference that Manti Te’o had been duped.
Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, 22, later said he created the online persona of Lennay Kekua, a nonexistent woman who Manti Te’o said he fell in love with despite never meeting her in person.
Since then, Manti Te’o had only done a few one-on-one interviews.
On Saturday all that changed as many of the 800 credentialed media members surrounded the podium in rows that went eight deep. Manti Te’o wore a tie-died red-and-black workout shirt.
“It’s pretty crazy,” said Manti Te’o, who has played most of his games on national television and was one of the most recognizable college players last season.
“I’ve been in front of a few cameras before, but never as many as this.”
Only two scenes from the combine over the past 15 years could even compare to what Manti Te’o had to contend with Saturday.
The first came in 2004 when former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett was allowed to participate in the combine after a court ruled he should be allowed to enter the draft after finishing high school only two years earlier.
Carl Pistorius, brother of South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius – who is accused of murdering girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp – is also facing trial over the death of a woman.
Carl Pistorius is charged with culpable homicide over the death of a woman motorcyclist in a traffic accident, his lawyer said.
The case has no relation to the charges against Oscar Pistorius over the shooting of Reeva Steenkamp.
Oscar Pistorius – who was released on bail on Friday – denies murder.
The charges against Carl Pistorius over an accident involving his car in which a woman on a motorcycle died date back to 2010 but have only just emerged, local media reports say.
They were confirmed by Pistorius family lawyer Kenneth Oldwage.
The accident took place in the town of Vanderbijlpark, an hour’s drive south of Johannesburg.
Carl Pistorius, brother of South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius, is also facing trial over the death of a woman
Police conducted tests on Carl Pistorius and he was found to have no alcohol in his blood at the time.
Carl Pistorius is due in court at the end of March, which means his trial may end before his younger brother Oscar’s is due to begin on June 4.
Carl Pistorius was a constant presence at his brother’s four-day bail hearing.
Oscar Pistorius admits shooting Reeva Steenkamp at his home on Valentine’s Day but denies murder, saying he mistook her for an intruder.
Oscar-nominated film Silver Linings Playbook took four awards at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Saturday.
Silver Linings Playbook – up for eight Oscars on Sunday – won best film, best screenplay, best director for David O. Russell and best actress for Jennifer Lawrence at the indy film awards.
John Hawkes took best actor for the part of the late disabled journalist and poet Mark O’Brien in The Sessions.
John Hawkes said he hoped the film would help change perceptions of disability.
“Mark O’Brien said as a disabled man he felt invisible to people. I hope this film can change that a little bit and we all see each other a little more,” he told the audience in his acceptance speech.
His co-star Helen Hunt – who plays a sex therapist in the film based on an article written by Mark O’Brien in 1990 – won best supporting actress.
Up for the same award at the Oscars, Helen Hunt said backstage: “I’m proud of the movie, I can’t believe we got it made.”
Matthew McConaughey, who was also nominated for best actor for Killer Joe, picked up the best supporting actor prize for Magic Mike, which he stars in alongside his mother.
He praised the process of making indy films: “The vitality you get from not having enough money and not having enough time… that’s what I love about independent films.”
Silver Linings Playbook won best film, best screenplay, best director for David O. Russell and best actress for Jennifer Lawrence at the indy film awards
Best foreign film went to Oscar favorite Amour, directed by Michael Haneke.
“I feel wonderful, it comes as a complete surprise,” he said, after collecting his award.
“No-one would think a film dealing with ageing and death (would do so well).”
Best documentary went to The Invisible War, which addresses rape and sexual abuse in the US military.
Producer Amy Ziering made an emotional speech: “This award says to our service members – you are heard, you are not alone and you are no longer invisible.”
Like Silver Linings Playbook, Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom was up for five awards but went away empty-handed.
Accepting the best screenplay award for Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell said: “The last time I held one of these was 19 years ago for best screenplay and best first feature and my son was one year’s old – Matthew’s here today and he gave me this movie.”
David O. Russell’s son has bipolar disorder and was the inspiration for the film, which features Bradley Cooper’s character dealing with the same illness.
Speaking backstage of his Oscar chances, David O. Russell said: “I’m very superstitious so I’m just very happy to be there.”
Beasts of the Southern Wild picked up one award out of a possible four for British cinematographer Ben Richardson.
He said nine-year-old Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis was the reason he took on the job.
“It was incredibly eye-opening, I could just see what she was going to do. Her performance is just incredible,” he said.
The best first feature prize went to Perks of Being a Wallflower, starring Emma Watson.
Presenters included Daniel Radcliffe, Salma Hayek and Jeremy Renner.
Simon Cowell and Carmen Electra have not been pictured together for weeks and now he has confirmed he’s split from the model.
Simon Cowell revealed he was dating Carmen Electra in December.
But now the music mogul has opened up about his love life to reveal he is now back on the market.
Simon Cowell, 53, told the Sunday People: “I’m now a single man. We spent time together and she is so much fun. But I’d like to find a girlfriend.”
He added that he particularly likes British women but doesn’t have his eye on anyone in particular.
Simon Cowell was spotted on numerous dates with Carmen Electra during the latter part of 2012 and two months ago admitted he was smitten with the 40-year-old beauty.
He opened up to Ryan Seacrest about their budding romance, saying: “She’s not my girlfriend. We’re people who date. She’s adorable, isn’t she?”
Simon Cowell and Carmen Electra have not been pictured together for weeks and now he has confirmed he’s split from the model
Carmen Electra, who was once married to basketball star Dennis Rodman and rocker Dave Navarro, previously revealed she had fallen for the British millionaire after she filled in as a guest judge on Britain’s Got Talent.
She said: “He’s so cute. He is adorable. He’s actually a sweetheart… I really liked him. I think he’s really cool.
“Now, obviously, he’s in [Los Angeles] with X Factor and we started to hang out and we became friends … I think he’s a great guy.”
Simon Cowell’s last relationship prior to that was with makeup artist Mezhgan Hussainy, whom he broke off his engagement from last year.
And he has admitted it is his hectic jet set lifestyle which gets in the way of his relationships.
Simon Cowell added to the Sunday People: “I’m happy but I would like a girlfriend.”
Simon Cowell and Carmen Electra were first spotted enjoying a flirtatious dinner at Los Angeles restaurant Cecconi’s in September.
An onlooker said at the time: “They were getting very cosy. They were holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes – and then they started making out.
“They were with other friends at the restaurant but didn’t seem to mind.”
Simon Cowell is currently in Britain until June filming Britain’s Got Talent.
Italy has begun voting in general elections seen as crucial for the country’s effort to tackle its economic problems, as well as for the eurozone.
Estimates published before a ban on polls two weeks ago gave a lead to Pier Luigi Bersani’s centre-left alliance.
It was thought to be a few points ahead of the centre-right bloc led by ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
On Saturday, Silvio Berlusconi gave a TV interview – in what his opponents said was a breach of the campaigning ban.
However, Silvio Berlusconi’s office later said the interview had been granted only with the explicit agreement that it would be broadcast after polls close on Monday.
A centrist coalition led by outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti is also running in the election, held on Sunday and Monday.
And opinion polls suggested there would be a strong turnout for popular comedian Beppe Grillo’s anti-establishment movement.
The election was called two months ahead of schedule, after Silvio Berlusconi’s party withdrew its support for Mario Monti’s technocratic government.
The voting is taking place amid a deep recession and austerity measures that have caused widespread public resentment.
It is also being closely watched in the eurozone, with the Italian government’s future commitment to austerity measures particularly under scrutiny.
Italy has begun voting in general elections seen as crucial for the country’s effort to tackle its economic problems, as well as for the eurozone
On the first voting day on Sunday, polls across Italy opened 08:00 and will close at 22:00.
The voting will resume again on Monday at 08:00 and finish at 15:00. First results are expected in the early evening.
Some 47 million eligible voters are electing both chambers of parliament – the The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
The electoral system is based on proportional representation and party lists, with a series of thresholds to encourage parties to form coalitions.
Pier Luigi Bersani’s centre-left Democratic Party (PD) has been a consistent frontrunner in the opinion polls at nearly 35%.
Pier Luigi Bersani, a former Communist, has pledged to continue with Mario Monti’s reforms, but suggests current European policy needs to do more to promote growth and jobs.
However, recent weeks have seen a narrowing of his lead over Silvio Berlusconi’s People of Freedom (PdL) alliance, who is critical of austerity measures.
Beppe Grillo’s Five Star Movement (M5S) was running third in the polls.
Oscar Pistorius crushed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp’s skull with a cricket bat before shooting her dead, police have told her family.
Details of the post-mortem examination of South African model Reeva Steenkamp were withheld from last week’s bail application hearing.
Her family, who saw her body before Tuesday’s cremation in Port Elizabeth described horrific injuries from the cricket bat, and entry wounds from 9mm bullets fired by Oscar Pistorius.
They were also briefed about the model’s death by police and lawyers from the state prosecutor’s office.
In a sworn affidavit read to the bail hearing in Pretoria magistrates’ court last week, Oscar Pistorius claimed that he used the bat to break down the toilet door after the shooting, saying he had not realized his girlfriend was in the bathroom.
The bloodstained bat, which is currently being examined by a police forensics team, will be key evidence when Oscar Pistorius goes on trial for premeditated murder.
Oscar Pistorius – who has previously boasted about having a cricket bat, pistol and machine gun at home to defend himself against intruders – claims the bat became blood-spattered at the scene.
Last week the prosecution did not mention any details about the bat and the role they believe it played in Reeva Steenkamp’s death, opting not to disclose their case against Oscar Pistorius. But to secure bail, Oscar Pistorius’ legal team had to detail his defence, which included why he had a blood-spattered cricket bat in his possession on the fatal night.
The Paralympic athlete claims that during the night he heard a noise in the bathroom and feared it was an intruder.
Oscar Pistorius crushed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp’s skull with a cricket bat before shooting her dead, police have told her family
Oscar Pistorius, 26, said he felt “vulnerable” without his prosthetic legs, so he got a gun from under his bed and fired through the bathroom door, shouting at the “intruder” to get out of the house and for Reeva Steenkamp to call the police.
At that point Oscar Pistorius thought she was still in bed.
Oscar Pistorius described his “horror and fear” as he realized Reeva Steenkamp was not in the bed, and said he used the bat to break down the toilet door to find Reeva slumped inside the cubicle.
The sprinter said he called paramedics and then carried Reeva Steenkamp, 29, downstairs, trying to revive her, but she died in his arms.
Yesterday, Reeva Steenmkamp’s father Barry Steenkamp said that the athlete would have to “live with his conscience” if he is lying about how he killed her.
Barry Steenkamp told Afrikaans-language newspaper Beeld: “It doesn’t matter how much money he has and how good his team of lawyers is, he must be able to live with his conscience if he allows his team of lawyers to lie on his behalf.
“He will have to live with his conscience. But if he speaks the truth, I can perhaps someday forgive him. If it does not happen as he tells it, he must suffer.”
In another interview, Reeva Steenkamp’s mother June said: “Everything has been taken away from me in such a terrible way. The only thing that matters now is the truth.”
Oscar Pistorius’ family believe him to be innocent, with his father Henke saying he had “zero doubt” that Reeva Steenkamp’s death was a tragic accident. In an earlier interview, Henke Pistorius said: “When you are a sportsman, you act even more on instinct. It’s instinct, things happen and that’s what you do.
“When you wake up in the middle of the night, and crime is so endemic in South Africa, what do you do if somebody is in the house? Do you think it’s one of your family? No, of course you don’t.”
In a statement yesterday Oscar Pistorius’ family said: “Oscar will never be the same . . . having to live with the knowledge he caused the death of the woman he loved, and that he can never undo the immense pain and loss this has caused Reeva’s family and friends.”
Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren have been pictured together today for the first time in years at a children sport event, sparking rumors they may be rekindling their romance.
It’s been more than three years since Elin Nordegren, 33, smashed her former husband’s SUV with a golf club after news of his rampant cheating surfaced.
And now the two have both showed up at a youth sports event with their kids in Jupiter, Florida, appearing to be one big happy family – at least briefly – before leaving together
According to TMZ, Tiger Woods, 37, got to the sports day first with his son and daughter and about an hour later Elin Nordegren arrived.
When she got there, the pair spent about half an hour chatting and sources say they appeared to enjoy each other’s company.
But it wasn’t long before the famous family started to get noticed, at which point TMZ said they quickly fled – together in Elin Nordegren’s vehicle.
The meeting comes just weeks after reports that Tiger Woods has been attempting to win Elin Nordegren back with a $200 million deal.
The National Enquirer reported last month Tiger Woods was desperate to win his ex-wife back.
Tiger Woods has been attempting to win Elin Nordegren back with a $200 million deal
Elin Nordegren, who won a $110 million divorce settlement from Tiger Woods, is believed to have told him she will consider the proposal – but only if he includes a $350 million anti-cheating clause into the wedding contract.
She is the mother of Tiger Woods’ two young children, Samantha, 5, and Charlie, 3.
A source told the Enquirer the deal was worth more than half of Tiger Wood’s $600 million fortune, adding Elin Nordegren feels it’s enough to keep him from straying.
The source claimed: “Tiger didn’t even balk at the demand. Even though his accountants think he’s crazy, he’s ready to sign the pre-nup and set a wedding date.”
France’s President Francois Hollande has said his country’s forces are engaged in the “final phase” of the fight against militants in northern Mali.
Francois Hollande said there had been heavy fighting in the Ifoghas mountains, where members of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) were thought to be hiding.
The president also praised Chadian troops for their efforts in the same area.
Thirteen Chadian soldiers and some 65 militants were killed in clashes on Friday, according to the Chadian army.
Chad’s government has promised to deploy 2,000 troops as part of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (Afisma).
Speaking in Paris on Saturday, Francois Hollande said “heavy fighting” was taking place in the far north of Mali, near the Algerian border.
“This is the final phase of the process since it is in that massif [the Ifoghas mountains] that AQIM forces have probably regrouped,” he said.
“Our Chadian friends launched an attack yesterday which was very harsh with significant loss of life,” Francois Hollande added.
“I want to praise what the Chadians are doing.”
France’s President Francois Hollande has said his country’s forces are engaged in the “final phase” of the fight against militants in northern Mali
The latest fighting was between Islamists militants and ethnic Tuareg in the In-Khalil area, near the border town of Tessalit.
The MNLA – a secular Tuareg group which seeks an independent homeland in the Sahara and Sahel regions of Mali, Libya, Algeria, Niger and Burkina Faso – was at one time allied to the Islamists but now supports the French-led offensive.
France has deployed 4,000 troops since January 11 to help the Malian government eject Islamist militants who seized control of the north of the country last year.
The French-led forces faced little resistance during the initial offensive, when they recaptured major towns of Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu.
Meanwhile, more help for the French and African forces is being offered by the United States, which is sending Predator drones to Niger.
The unarmed drones would be used to overfly the zone of combat in Mali and provide information about deployments, US officials said.
Iran has announced it found major new uranium deposits and is planning to expand its nuclear power programme.
Iran said 16 sites had been identified as suitable for the construction of new power plants over the next 15 years.
It said the find – which has not been independently confirmed – would treble the size of known uranium deposits.
Under UN sanctions, Iran is banned from importing nuclear material. It is due to hold talks with Western powers on Tuesday about its nuclear programme.
The US and its allies are widely believed to be planning to offer Iran some relief from sanctions at the talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
France confirmed a “substantial” new offer would be made, French news agency AFP quoted the foreign ministry as saying.
Three rounds of meetings in Moscow ended last June in stalemate.
Iran denies charges that it is secretly developing atomic weapons and insists that as a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) it is entitled to develop a nuclear power programme.
But tightening sanctions have squeezed Iran’s economy, with oil revenue slashed, a currency that has nosedived in value, and growing unemployment.
As a result of years of study, 16 new sites had been identified as suitable for the construction of nuclear power plants, said the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) in reports carried by Iranian news agencies.
The sites – on Iran’s north and south coasts, Khuzestan province and north-western Iran – were chosen in part for their resistance to earthquakes and military strikes, it said.
In separate reports, the AEOI praised experts’ “round-the-clock efforts” for having resulted in the discovery of uranium deposits, “multiplying the current amount of its resources”.
According to media reports, discoveries over the past 18 months have trebled Iran’s reserves of raw uranium, which now stand at 4,400 tonnes.
Iran has announced it found major new uranium deposits and is planning to expand its nuclear power programme
“This made it possible for the Islamic Republic of Iran to move to a more advanced level in the field of nuclear industry among those countries that possess nuclear technology,” Iranian news agency Irna quoted the AEOI as saying.
There is no independent verification of the find but Western experts had reportedly previously estimated that Iran might be coming close to using up its supplies of raw uranium.
The developments come as Iran gears up for another round of talks with the so-called P5+1 grouping of nations. These comprise the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the US, UK, France, China, and Russia – plus Germany.
The group has called on Iran to scale back its uranium enrichment – needed both for power plant fuel and, in higher purities, for the creation of a nuclear weapon.
But Iran had “fulfilled its NPT obligations” and would “defend its rights including its nuclear rights”, said its top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, in remarks quoted by semi-official Iranian news agency Isna.
“If the 5+1 want to enter constructive talks, then they should enter with a new strategy and proposals. We hope the 5+1… enter on a path that can win the Iranian people’s trust,” he said.
Only 10 days ago, Iran announced an upgrade to Iranian enrichment machines or centrifuges – believed to be able to enrich two or three times faster than the old equipment.
Western powers have hinted that they will make Iran an offer that includes significant new elements which media reports have speculated could include an easing of sanctions on Iranian trade in precious metals.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), “overall, credible” evidence exists that until 2003, and possibly since then, Iran conducted nuclear weapons research.
The IAEA has also expressed concern about extensive changes at Iran’s Parchin military base, where the agency suspects that explosives tests relevant to nuclear weapons have taken place in the past – a charge Iran denies.
Iran has so far resisted pressure to allow the IAEA access to Parchin.
Gerard Depardieu has been formally registered as a permanent resident of the central Russian town of Saransk.
Gerard Depardieu, 64, sought Russian citizenship after the French government criticized his decision to move abroad to avoid higher taxes.
The French actor is now registered as living at No 1, Democracy Street in Saransk, in the region of Mordovia.
After the ceremony, Gerard Depardieu beamed and proclaimed a few words in Russian.
“Glory! Glory to Saransk, glory to Mordovia, glory to Russia!” he said.
Gerard Depardieu was quoted as telling Russian television that his registered new address, on Demokraticheskaya [Democratic] Street, was quite “symbolic”.
On Friday, after visiting Moscow’s famed Bolshoi Theatre and the Illuzion cinema, Gerard Depardieu said he was very familiar with Russian culture.
“I love it very much. I also know your composers. I can say that I was born with Russian culture.”
Gerard Depardieu was granted Russian citizenship by a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin on 3 January.
The central Russian region of Mordovia Gerard Depardieu will call home is known for its Stalin-era prison camps.
Gerard Depardieu has been formally registered as a permanent resident of the central Russian town of Saransk
Gerard Depardieu’s highly publicized tax row began last year after French President Francois Hollande said he would raise taxes to 75% for those earning more than 1 million euros ($1.3 million).
He accused the socialist government of punishing “success, creation and talent”, and announced in early December that he would move to Belgium.
French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault branded Gerard Depardieu’s decision to move abroad as “shabby and unpatriotic”.
Gerard Depardieu, described by President Vladimir Putin as a friend, has developed close ties with Russia, which has a flat 13% personal income tax rate.
He currently appears in an advertisement for Sovietsky Bank’s credit card and is prominently featured on the bank’s home page.
In 2011, Gerard Depardieu played the lead role in the film Rasputin, a Franco-Russian production about the life of eccentric monk Grigory Rasputin.
Germany’s development minister has suggested food tainted with horsemeat should be distributed to the poor.
Dirk Niebel said he supported the proposal by a member of the governing CDU party, and concluded: “We can’t just throw away good food.”
The opposition dismissed the idea, but a priest said it should be considered.
Meanwhile, traces of horse DNA have been found in six tons of minced beef and 2,400 packs of lasagne bolognese seized from a company in Italy.
The products were packaged by Italian group Primia, which is based in the town of San Giovanni in Persiceto, near the city of Bologna.
The health ministry said Primia had used meat from another company in Brescia and originally supplied by two other companies, also based there.
It is the first positive test in Italy since the scandal erupted last month.
Earlier, the Italian authorities said they had found no traces of horsemeat in beef products seized this week from the Swiss food giant, Nestle.
The health ministry said the 26 tons of cooked and frozen mince beef meals would be returned. A Nestle spokesman welcomed the decision.
On Monday, Nestle announced that it was withdrawing two types of beef pasta meals from supermarkets in Italy and Spain after test revealed traces of horse DNA.
A problem was identified with a supplier in Germany, H J Schypke, it said.
Another German supplier, Dreistem, has been blamed for recalls of tinned goulash sold by the Lidl in Germany and Scandinavia, while a third, Vossko, has been accused by Liechtenstein’s Hiclona of supplying beef tainted by horse for a pasta product withdrawn in Austria and Germany. All three companies have blamed their own suppliers.
On Friday evening, Germany’s consumer affairs ministry announced that it had now found traces of horse DNA in 67 of 830 food products tested.
Germany’s development minister has suggested food tainted with horsemeat should be distributed to the poor
On Saturday, a prominent member of the governing CDU party, Hartwig Fischer, told Bild newspaper that products tainted with horsemeat should be distributed to the poor.
The opposition has dismissed the idea as “absurd” and an insult to poor people, but Prelate Bernhard Felmberg, the senior representative of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), has backed the proposal.
“We as a Church find the throw-away mentality in our society concerning. How and whether to distribute the products in question would have to be examined,” the priest said.
“But to throw away food that could be consumed without risk is equally bad as false labelling and cannot be a solution.”
Meanwhile, France’s agriculture ministry said several horse carcasses containing the drug phenylbutazone, also known as bute, had probably entered the human food chain.
A ministry spokesman told the AFP news agency that it was alerted by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) that six carcasses had been exported to France in January, but that the meat had already been processed. There was only a “minor” health risk, he added.
Earlier, three major French food companies have agreed to use only French beef in their products.
Findus – one of the firms at the heart of the scandal – and retailers Carrefour and Intermarche announced at the French Agricultural Salon that they would start using labels saying “100% French” from March.
French President Francois Hollande has said he wants mandatory labelling of the origin of meat used in processed food products. However, only a change in European Union legislation can compel manufacturers.
European agriculture ministers are expected to discuss origin labelling and meat traceability at a meeting in Brussels on Monday.
American blues guitarist and leading figure in the Chicago blues scene Magic Slim has died at the age of 75.
Magic Slim had more than 30 albums to his credit since releasing his debut, Born On a Bad Sign, in 1977.
“There’s probably not another bluesman who had quite the repertoire that Slim had,” said his manager, Martin Salzman.
Magic Slim died in hospital in Philadelphia where he was being treated for various ailments, Martin Salzman confirmed.
Born Morris Holt to Mississippi farmers in August 1937, Magic Slim gave up the piano and turned to guitar after losing a finger in a cotton gin accident when he was 13.
He made his first trip to Chicago in 1955, starting off as the bass player for a friend and mentor known as Magic Sam, who allowed the younger musician to take his nickname.
American blues guitarist and leading figure in the Chicago blues scene Magic Slim has died at the age of 75
Magic Slim cut his first single, Scufflin, in 1966 and became a Chicago blues fixture in his own right, developing a guitar style that blended a distinct vibrato with a slide-guitar-like sound formed with his bare fingers against the strings.
The guitarist was recognized as much for his powerful, gruff vocals as his musicianship and was known for playing with picks on both the thumb and index finger of his right hand.
A heavy smoker who suffered from emphysema and heart problems, he cut short a tour with his band, the Teardrops, in late January, Martin Salzman said.
While Magic Slim lived in recent years with his family in Nebraska, “Chicago was always like home to him,” his manager said.
Evidence that Apple has been working on a smart watch concept since at least 2011 has emerged in a US Patent Office filing.
The document describes a flexible touchscreen display which would communicate with a smartphone or other electronic device.
It coincides with a report from a tech consultancy suggesting there is huge pent up demand for such a gadget.
But ABI Research warns that battery life issues still need to be addressed.
It says assuming such problems can be resolved, about 485 million wearable computing devices might ship by 2018, providing a significant growth opportunity for Apple and the wider consumer electronics industry.
Not all published patents lead to actual products, but Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times have all published reports this month saying sources had confirmed Apple was experimenting with a watch-like device.
The US Patent Office only revealed Apple’s filing on Thursday, but the document dates back to August 2011.
The mooted device is likened to a “slap wrap” – a thin strip of metal covered in fabric which snapped around the user’s wrist to form a bracelet.
The toy was popular with teenagers in the late-1980s, but fell out of favor after complaints that it lost its ability to retain its shape over time,. There were also complaints that some users had experienced injuries after the fabric wore away to reveal a sharp metal edge.
Apple puts a hi-tech spin on the idea proposing a “slap bracelet” featuring a flexible circuit board and display, a touch sensitive user interface and a two-way communication chip, which would curl around the user’s skin.
It suggests the gadget could detect which part of its surface was covered so that its readout would be limited to the exposed screen, with information flowing over the join.
Evidence that Apple has been working on a smart watch concept since at least 2011 has emerged in a US Patent Office filing
Apple suggests lights along the device’s edge could be programmed to blink when the user receives an alert, before displaying the details on its screen.
It says the user could then provide a brief response or use the bracelet to command a wirelessly connected smartphone, tablet or laptop to carry out another function such as adjusting the order of a song playlist or reviewing what recent calls had been made.
Apple acknowledges that the relatively thin nature of a wrist band would limit its uses, but suggests a wider armband could also be developed.
“At the width of a few inches the display can function to temporarily view and manipulate the screen of the portable device it is in communication with,” says the paper.
“This might be desirable when the portable electronic device is stored in an inconvenient location such as a cargo pocket, or the bottom of a backpack.
“A larger display is also more desirable for map viewing… as a traveller or explorer can easily reference the information with a flick of the wrist while exploring.”
ABI Research notes that several companies already sell smart watches – such as Fossil, Pebble and Sony – while others (including Samsung and Martian) are known to be working on such products,
For the time being, however, it says the sector is dominated instead by activity trackers – such as Nike’s Fuelband and the Garmin Forerunner – which account for an estimated 61% of the wearable tech market.
Some of these devices do tell the time, but they only offer limited functionality beyond monitoring exercise or the owner’s sleep pattern.
The consultants instead suggest a much wider range of uses giving the example of linking the watch to a home automation system so that “a quick shake of your wrist can turn off/on room lights”.
The idea of a smartwatch has been around for years – but the firm says technology only recently caught up with our imagination.
“Moore’s law has driven silicon to the point where it’s small enough and powerful enough to drive applications that mean things to consumers,” said ABI’s chief research officer, Stuart Carlaw.
“Bluetooth Smart has also brought us high-bandwidth, low-energy connectivity at a less than a dollar a chip and takes up little space while offering robust performance.
“But one note of caution is that when we look at wearable technologies the use of power becomes an issue. You don’t want to have to be plugging in four or five products a night to recharge – energy harvesting or wireless recharging technologies are going to become incredibly important.”
Apple’s patent confirms the company is aware of the problem.
It suggests harvesting energy from the movement of the user’s arms and only coming out of standby mode when a sensor detects the device has been rotated to face a certain way.
It adds that the use of an AMOLED (active matrix light emitting diode) display would also help since it can allow individual pixels to be turned off, allowing the watch to only activate the parts which are facing the owner’s eyes.
Chef Paula Deen shocked on Friday morning after a rather bizarre appearance on the Today show.
A spokesperson for Paula Deen, 66, has denied speculation she was drunk on air.
Paula Deen put on quite a show with racy dance moves and raunchy jokes about cooking “chicken balls”.
She also rattled on about how a skunk sprayed her before the show.
Paula Deen shocked on Friday morning after a rather bizarre appearance on the Today show
Paula Deen’s representative told TMZ on Friday afternoon that she is not a drinker (she insisted her mojito be “virgin” when presented with a cocktail on the show).
A source told Radar “she wasn’t drinking on the set”, adding Paula Deen was simply “really, really tired” after attending a food festival the night before.
Paula Deen is no stranger to controversy or using colorful language when it comes to her own cooking show.
Last year a raunchy blooper reel showed Paula Deen’s foul mouth as she declared her food “smelt like stinky coochie”.
Posted on the New York Post’s website, the video was a series of outtakes from her Food Network show, Paula Deen’s Home Cooking, in which she seasoned her dishes with some colorful language.
The Vatican has criticized the media for reporting “misinformation” about the Catholic Church in many of Pope Benedict XVI resignation articles.
Vatican’s chief spokesperson Father Federico Lombardi said some were trying to profit from a time of disorientation in the Catholic Church to spread “gossip” and “calumny”.
Federico Lombardi made the comments on Vatican radio.
Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation, the first by a pope in nearly 600 years, takes effect on Thursday, February 28. His decision surprised many within the Church.
There have been recent articles in the Italian and international media of intrigue, and corruption in the Church.
One unconfirmed report suggested Pope Benedict had resigned after being presented with a dossier detailing a network of priests who were being blackmailed
One unconfirmed report suggested Pope Benedict had resigned after being presented with a dossier detailing a network of priests who were being blackmailed.
But the Vatican spokesman said those who were putting themselves in a position of judgement had no authority to do so.
“Whoever has money, sex and power at the forefront of the mind sees the world through these parameters and cannot see beyond these even when looking at the Church,” he said.
“Their view cannot look to the heights or go in-depth to understand the spiritual dimensions and motivations of existence,” he added.
Inaki Urdangarin, King Juan Carlos of Spain’s son-in-law, is being questioned by a judge in Mallorca over a growing corruption scandal that has embarrassed the royal family.
Inaki Urdangarin, the Duke of Palma, is suspected of misusing millions of euros in public funds that were given to a charitable foundation he ran.
The duke has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crime. It is the second time he has been questioned.
A crowd of protesters jeered as he arrived at the court in Palma.
Inaki Urdangarin, 45, and his former business partner Diego Torres are suspected of siphoning off money given by regional governments to the non-profit Noos Institute to organize sporting events.
It is alleged that some of the money ended up in companies controlled by the duke and in offshore bank accounts.
The events allegedly happened between 2004 and 2006, when Inaki Urdangarin stepped down as head of the institute.
Diego Torres – who was questioned by the judge last week – has also denied any wrongdoing.
Inaki Urdangarin, King Juan Carlos of Spain’s son-in-law, is being questioned by a judge in Mallorca over a growing corruption scandal that has embarrassed the royal family
Inaki Urdangarin, a former Olympic handball player, is married to King Juan Carlos’s second child, Princess Cristina. He was suspended from official royal engagements in December last year.
Anti-corruption campaigners have urged the judge to formally name Princess Cristina as a suspect, alleging that she may also have been involved.
The Spanish monarchy has tried to distance itself from the scandal.
But emails published by Spanish newspapers last week appear to show that King Juan Carlos took a close interest in his son-in-law’s business affairs.
Support for the royal family has diminished in recent years, amid criticism that is out of touch with ordinary Spaniards as they struggle with a severe economic crisis.
Last week Pere Navarro of the Catalan Socialist Party became the first prominent politician to call on King Juan Carlos to abdicate in favor of his son, Crown Prince Felipe.
King Juan Carlos is credited with guiding Spain’s transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.
Jennifer Lawrence has admitted to feeling like a “fat” actress by Hollywood standards, but she has proved her high-fashion model credentials in her first shoot for Dior.
As the new face for Miss Dior, Jennifer Lawrence, 22, cuts an elegant and graceful figure in the snaps shot by Willy Vanderperre.
In one shot Jennifer Lawrence is seen peering over her shoulder, with a veil covering her face and a large satin bow tied around her neck.
With full lashes, shaped brows and a flawless complexion Jennifer Lawrence looks every inch the A-list star.
In another picture she is seen tilting her head backwards showing off a bejeweled statement necklace.
Jennifer Lawrence has stepped into the shoes of Mila Kunis, as the face of the handbag line.
While the news of her appointment was revealed in October last year these new images have been released just days ahead of the Oscars.
Jennifer Lawrence has been nominated for the Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her role in Silver Linings Playbook.
Jennifer Lawrence has proved her high-fashion model credentials in her first shoot for Dior
Italian media claims Pope Benedict XVI resignation has been linked to a secret dossier from three cardinals claiming a “gay network” inside the Vatican.
The cardinals uncovered an underground network of senior clergy who have organized gay homosexual parties and faced blackmail, according to newspaper La Repubblica.
The paper claims the explosive allegations were made in a report into the so-called “Vatileaks” scandal which was presented to Pope Benedict on or around December 17.
Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi has refused to confirm or deny the details of the report which came in two volumes, “hard-bound in red” with the title “pontifical secret”.
The dossier was compiled by Spanish cardinal, Julián Herranz; Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi, a former archbishop of Palermo; and the Slovak cardinal Jozef Tomko.
The cardinals launched the probe after Pope Benedict’s butler, Paolo Gabriele, was arrested and charged with stealing and leaking papal correspondence revealing how the Vatican was a centre of intrigue and infighting.
Now La Repubblica claims the Pope quit because could not face the repercussions of dealing with the 300-page dossier – the first Pontiff to resign in 600 years.
The paper says that the investigation alleges a gay lobby exists within the Church, and has some sort of control on the careers of those in the Vatican.
The report is quoted as saying: “The cardinals were said to have uncovered an underground gay network, whose members organize sexual meetings in several venues in Rome and Vatican City, leaving them prone to blackmail.
“They included a villa outside the Italian capital, a sauna in a Rome suburb, a beauty parlor in the centre, and a former university residence that was in use by a provincial Italian archbishop.”
La Repubblica says that the cardinals described a number of “factions” in their report, including one in which individuals were “united by sexual orientation”.
The newspaper also alleges the dossier states that members of this group were blackmailed by laymen with whom they entertain relationships of a “worldly nature”.
Italian media claims Pope Benedict XVI resignation has been linked to a secret dossier from three cardinals claiming a “gay network” inside the Vatican
La Repubblica quoted an unnamed source said to be close to the report’s authors: “Everything revolves around the non-observance of the sixth and seventh commandments.”
The seventh commandment forbids theft, while the sixth forbids adultery, but is linked in Catholic doctrine to the proscribing of homosexual acts, explained the Guardian.
Father Federico Lombardi said in a statement: “Neither the cardinals’ commission nor I will make comments to confirm or deny the things that are said about this matter.
“Let each one assume his or her own responsibilities. We shall not be following up on the observations that are made about this.”
Federico Lombardi has indicated that Pope Benedict would meet with the three cardinals before stepping down on February 28, in one of his final private audiences.
Pope Benedict announced his decision earlier this month saying he simply no longer has the “strength of mind and body” to carry on.
The dossier will stay in a secret papal safe and delivered to Pope Benedict’s successor when the Pontiff leaves office, claims La Repubblica.
In 2010, Nigerian clergyman Ghinedu Ehiem, who was part of one of the Vatican’s prestigious choirs, was dismissed after police wiretaps found him negotiating for male prostitutes.
In 2007, a senior Vatican official was suspended after he was filmed in a television “sting” while apparently making sexual overtures to a younger man.
Italian newspapers have been rife for days with unsourced reports about the contents of the dossier that three cardinals prepared for Pope Benedict after investigating the origins of the leaks.
Now Monsignor Ettore Balestrero, a senior member of the Vatican’s secretariat of state, has been sent 6,000 miles away to Colombia in South America as the fallout continues.
Father Federico Lombardi said Ettore Balestrero’s transfer had been months in the works, was a clear promotion and had nothing to do with what the Vatican considers baseless reporting.
Given the rivalries, turf battles and allegations of corruption exposed by the leaks themselves, there is some speculation that cardinals entering the conclave might want to know the contents of the dossier before choosing a new pope.
