EU leaders have reached agreement on the 7-year budget for 2014-2020 after marathon talks in Brussels.
The deal was announced by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, who said it was “worth waiting for”.
The new budget amounts to 908 billion euros ($1.2 trillion) in forecast payments. It is the first-ever reduction in the EU’s multi-annual budget.
UK PM David Cameron – who had been pressing for cuts – hailed it as a “good deal for Britain”.
“I think the British public can be proud that we have cut the seven-year credit card limit for the EU for the first time ever,” David Cameron said.
French President Francois Hollande – who had argued against big spending cuts – said it was a “good compromise”.
The agreement came after almost 24 hours of negotiations, as countries such as France and Italy sought to protect spending.
EU leaders have reached agreement on the 7-year budget for 2014-2020 after marathon talks in Brussels
The budget amounts to about 1% of the EU’s overall GDP – it is dwarfed by the combined national budgets.
It must still be approved by the European Parliament, and MEPs had previously said they were prepared to block anything that amounted to an “austerity” budget.
Herman Van Rompuy said the deal amounted to a cut of roughly 34 billion euro in both commitments and payments.
He said EU leaders had met their responsibilities by overcoming sharp differences, and he hoped the European Parliament would meet its responsibilities by passing the budget.
French police have detained a woman accused of defacing iconic Delacroix painting Liberty Leading The People at a branch of the Louvre Museum.
The woman was held after being seen scrawling a graffiti tag on the painting, a Romantic masterpiece painted in 1830 to celebrate a French uprising.
The museum in the northern town of Lens said the work might easily be cleaned but would be examined by a restorer.
The Louvre Lens museum only opened in the former mining town in December.
The painting by Eugene Delacroix, which featured on the pre-euro, 100-franc French banknote and reportedly inspired the Statue of Liberty in New York, is being exhibited in Lens for a year.
French media quoted unnamed legal sources as saying the graffito was a clear reference to a 9/11 conspiracy theory.
The gallery remained closed to the public on Friday.
French police have detained a woman accused of defacing iconic Delacroix painting Liberty Leading The People at a branch of the Louvre Museum
Just before closing time the previous day, a 28-year-old woman scrawled the 30 cm (12 in) graffito on the bottom of the painting and was immediately detained by a museum guard, France’s 20 Minutes news website reported.
The work itself, which commemorates the July Revolution of 1830, measures 325 cm by 260 cm.
The mark may be “easily cleaned” but a restoration expert was being sent from the parent museum in Paris, the museum said in a statement.
No decision has yet been taken on whether the painting will have to be removed, the museum was quoted as saying by French broadcaster France 3.
The local prosecutor, Philippe Peyroux, told AFP news agency that the woman in custody appeared to be “unstable” and that he had requested a psychiatric examination.
He added that the woman, whose identity has not been released, had a “French-sounding name”.
Thousands of people have attended the funeral of Tunisian opposition leader Chokri Belaid, who was killed on Wednesday by a gunman who fled on a motorcycle.
There were minor clashes as Chokri Belaid’s coffin was carried through Tunis, but the event was largely peaceful.
Sporadic protests and clashes have been reported all around Tunisia, and many workers are observing a general strike.
Unions say the Islamist-led government is to blame for the killing, an accusation it denies.
PM Hamadi Jebali has tried to defuse tension by calling for a non-partisan technocratic government. However, his governing Ennahda party has refused to accept this.
Some 3,000 people initially gathered outside the building in the Djebel Jelloud suburb of Tunis where Chokri Belaid’s flower-covered coffin lay.
Crowds chanted slogans accusing the government of murdering Chokri Belaid, 48.
“With our blood and our souls we will sacrifice ourselves for the martyr,” the mourners shouted.
Thousands more people then joined the coffin as it was taken on a funeral procession toward the nearby cemetery of el-Jellaz.
Many more people are expected to take to the streets of the capital after Friday prayers and ahead of the burial in the afternoon.
Hundreds of riot police have been deployed in Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the scene of earlier violence.
Police fired tear gas to break up youths attacking cars close to el-Jellaz cemetery, and also at protesters near the interior ministry.
Elsewhere in Tunis, many shops are shut and most public transport is not running.
This is the first general strike in 35 years.
A number of flights to and from Tunis-Carthage airport have been cancelled.
Thousands of people have attended the funeral of Tunisian opposition leader Chokri Belaid, who was killed on Wednesday by a gunman who fled on a motorcycle
Tunisian state television said universities had been ordered to suspend lectures on Saturday and Sunday, while France said it would close its schools in Tunis.
In the city of Sidi Bouzid, some 10,000 people also gathered to mourn Chokri Belaid.
In the central town of Gafsa, tear gas was fired amid clashes between protesters and security forces, witnesses and local media said.
Tension had been simmering for many months between liberal, secular Tunisians and the Islamist-led government.
Critics say that Ennahda has allowed ultra-conservative Muslim groups to impose their will on a bastion of Arab secularism.
Chokri Belaid was the victim of the first political assassination in Tunisia since the Arab Spring uprising in 2011.
Thousands of people later rallied outside the interior ministry in Tunis, many chanting slogans urging the government to stand down and calling for a new revolution.
In the centre of the capital, a police officer was killed during clashes between police and opposition supporters.
Also on Thursday, demonstrators observing a symbolic funeral for Chokri Belaid outside the governor’s office in Gafsa clashed with police.
One policeman was said to be in a coma on Friday after being dragged from his car and beaten in the town, the AFP news agency reported.
In Sfax, crowds ransacked a number of shops on Thursday.
Tunisian media reported that more than a dozen Ennahda offices across the country were attacked overnight.
Earlier, four opposition groups – including Chokri Belaid’s Popular Front – announced that they were pulling out of the country’s constituent assembly in protest.
Chokri Belaid was a respected human rights lawyer and left-wing secular opponent of the government which took power after the overthrow of long-serving ruler Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.
Current President Moncef Marzouki said the assassination should not affect Tunisia’s revolution. He cut short a visit to France and cancelled a trip to Egypt to return home to deal with the crisis.
Amanda Bynes branded Jay-Z “ugly face” on her Twitter page.
It was not long before the message was deleted, which suggests Amanda Bynes either had second thoughts or her account was hacked.
In fact there was a massive cull on Amanda Bynes’ page, with just 13 messages being left by the time she had done deleting.
Amanda Bynes, 26, made no reference to the previous message, with neither an apology or an explanation anywhere to be seen.
Instead she seemed in quite a jubilant mood, as she self-indulgently posted an image of herself posing in front of a mirror while wearing cheesy grin on her face.
Amanda Bynes branded Jay-Z “ugly face” on her Twitter page
Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, has obviously taken the proclamation in his stride, as he has not stooped to the level of responding with a message of his own.
In fact the rapper seemed remarkably at ease as he spent time with wife Beyonce and daughter Blue Ivy Carter in Venice.
It is not the first time Amanda Bynes has landed herself in hot water because of Twitter.
She has caused a stir in the past after posting messages such as “live fast die young”, posted a picture of her breasts at New Year and boasted of her preference for “chocolate men” while she dated rapper Kid Cudi in 2010.
A computer hacker has stolen personal emails and photographs belonging to former US President George H.W. Bush and his family, according to US media.
One photograph posted on the internet showed the 88-year-old Republican politician in bed in hospital, where he was recently treated for bronchitis.
The stolen emails are reported to include addresses and personal details of several members of the Bush family.
A spokesman for George H.W. Bush confirmed that an investigation was underway.
“We do not comment on matters under criminal investigation,” Jim McGrath told the Houston Chronicle.
The hacker broke into email accounts of several members of the Bush family, news website the Smoking Gun reported.
The hacked emails are reported to include messages expressing serious concern about the health of the former president, including a personal note sent by President Barack Obama through an aide.
George H.W. Bush was discharged from hospital on January 14 after a seven-week stay, during which he was treated for a bronchitis-related cough.
A computer hacker has stolen personal emails and photographs belonging to former US President George H.W. Bush and his family
The purloined photos include pictures of his son, former President George W. Bush.
One shows the younger George Bush posing beside a life-size cardboard cut-out of himself with a moustache drawn on it; others are said to show paintings by him, including self-portraits.
The Smoking Gun said it had been in contact with the hacker, who goes by the alias “Guccifer”.
He said he taken “a lot of stuff” including “interesting mails” about the former president’s time in hospital, the website reported.
George H.W. Bush was the 41st US President, serving one term from 1989-1993. He was defeated by Democrat Bill Clinton when he stood for re-election.
Before becoming president he was Ronald Reagan’s vice-president from 1981-1989. He also served as vice-president, CIA director, US ambassador to China and congressman from Texas.
His son George W. Bush served as 43rd president in 2001-2009.
Food Standards Agency (FSA) in UK has announced that the meat of some beef lasagne products recalled by Findus earlier this week was 100% horsemeat.
On Monday, Findus withdrew from retailers its beef lasagne in 320g, 360g and 500g sizes as a precaution.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said the findings were “completely unacceptable”, but Findus said it did not believe it was a food safety issue.
The FSA said companies would now be required to test their beef products.
“In order to get to the bottom of this, we’re going to be requiring every company to test every product line,” said Catherine Brown, the FSA’s chief executive.
“If we find any other cases, we will pursue our investigations vigorously until we find out what’s happened and put a stop to it.”
Catherine Brown said it was “highly likely” that criminal activity was to blame for horsemeat being found in some meals.
The FSA said Findus had tested 18 of its beef lasagne products and found 11 meals containing between 60% and 100% horsemeat.
People have been warned not to eat the products, which were made for Findus by French food supplier Comigel.
The FSA said: “We have no evidence to suggest that this is a food safety risk. However, the FSA has ordered Findus to test the lasagne for the veterinary drug phenylbutazone, or <<bute>>.
“Animals treated with phenylbutazone are not allowed to enter the food chain as [the drug] may pose a risk to human health.
“The Findus beef lasagne was distributed to the main UK supermarkets and smaller convenience stores. Findus has already begun a full recall of these products.
“People who have bought any Findus beef lasagne products are advised not to eat them and return them to the shop they bought them from.”
FSA in UK has announced that the meat of some beef lasagne products recalled by Findus earlier this week was 100 percent horsemeat
Owen Paterson said the presence of unauthorized ingredients “cannot be tolerated”.
“The responsibility for the safety and authenticity of food lies with those who produce it, and who sell or provide it to the final consumer. I know that food producers, retailers and caterers are as concerned as we are at the course of recent events,” he said.
He said the government was working closely with businesses to “root out any illegal activity” and enforce regulations.
Findus said the product was manufactured by a third party supplier and not by Findus. The frozen food company said all its other products had been tested and were not affected.
Findus said in a statement: “We understand this is a very sensitive subject for consumers and we would like to reassure you we have reacted immediately. We do not believe this to be a food safety issue.
“We are confident that we have fully resolved this supply chain issue.
“We would like to take this opportunity to apologize to our customers for any inconvenience caused.”
This week supermarket chains Aldi and Tesco, as well as Findus UK, withdrew some beef products from sale after concerns were raised at their French supplier.
Comigel alerted Findus and Aldi that their products “do not conform to specification”.
They advised them to remove Findus Beef Lasagne and Aldi’s Today’s Special Frozen Beef Lasagne and Today’s Special Frozen Spaghetti Bolognese.
Tesco also decided to withdraw Everyday Value Spaghetti Bolognese.
The Tesco product was produced at the same Comigel site but there was no evidence of contamination, the supermarket said.
The wider food contamination controversy arose in mid-January when Irish food inspectors announced they had found horsemeat in some burgers stocked by a number of UK supermarket chains including Tesco, Iceland and Lidl.
Asda has withdrawn products supplied by Newry-based Freeza Meats which was storing meat found to contain a high proportion of horse DNA. Two samples were found to contain 80% horsemeat.
The horsemeat controversy has hit the Irish meat-processing industry, with a number of suppliers on both sides of the border affected.
The survey “aims to identify and understand factors that may lead to the presence of meat species that are not labelled as an ingredient, so that this can be explained, eliminated or correctly labelled”.
US researchers have announced that it may be possible to use a patient’s own skin to repair the damage caused by multiple sclerosis (MS), which is currently incurable.
Nerves struggle to communicate in MS as their insulating covering is attacked by the immune system – causing fatigue and damaging movement.
Animal tests, described in the journal Cell Stem Cell, have now used modified skin cells to repair the insulation.
Experts said there was an “urgent need” for such therapies.
Just like electrical wires, nerves have insulation – but instead of plastic, the body uses a protein called myelin.
However, diseases that result in damage to the myelin, including MS, leave the nerves exposed and electrical signals struggle to travel round the body.
A team of scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center, in the US, used advances in stem-cell research to attempt to repair the myelin.
They took a sample of human skin cells and converted it into stem cells, which are capable of becoming any other type of cell in the body.
The next step was to transform the stem cells into immature versions of cells in the brain that produce myelin.
When these cells had been injected into mice born without any myelin it had had a significant effect, said researchers.
US researchers have announced that it may be possible to use a patient’s own skin to repair brain damage caused by MS
Dr. Steven Goldman explained that “myelin was produced throughout the nervous system” and some mice had achieved “normal life spans”.
He said: “In MS the underlying nerves fibres are still there, the objective is to re-myelinate them.”
However, MS patients would still have the problem of their immune system attacking their myelin.
Any treatment would need to be used alongside other therapies to tame the immune system – or would need to be repeatedly performed.
Dr. Steven Goldman said he could see “no reason to be pessimistic” although further safety tests would be needed and the technique still needed to be refined before being used in people. He expects to begin trials within a couple of years.
Car maker PSA Peugeot Citroen is writing down the value of its assets by 4.1 billion euros ($5.5 billion) to reflect the worsening state of the car market.
Peugeot said new accounting guidelines had prompted the move and that it was reversible when conditions improve.
The statement comes ahead of next week’s earnings and indicates it will report heavy losses for the period.
Global sales at France’s largest car firm fell 16% in 2012 to less than three million.
Peugeot is in the process of cutting 8,000 jobs and closing a factory to stem losses.
PSA Peugeot Citroen is writing down the value of its assets by 4.1 billion euros to reflect the worsening state of the car market
Chief financial officer Jean-Baptise de Chatillon said: “There was a realization in the second half that the crisis was going to be longer than expected… This is purely an accounting adjustment which has nothing to do with operations.”
France’s market regulator last year demanded that companies value their assets more realistically – prompting a 7.4 billion-euro charge from Credit Agricole.
A report in the French newspaper Liberation said the government was examining the possibility of buying a stake in the struggling company as a “last-resort plan”.
Peugeot, a founding member of the main French stock market index, the Cac-40, was demoted last year as a result of its tumbling share price.
David Einhorn, an activist shareholder, is suing Apple, demanding that it share out more of its $137 billion cash pile to its investors.
Apple’s cash pile has grown to that size from $98 billion last March.
US hedge fund manager, David Einhorn, who is behind the unusual move, told the television channel CNBC that Apple had a “Depression-era” mentality, which gave it a tendency to hoard cash and play safe.
Apple called the move “misguided”.
The complaint was filed at a court in New York.
Apple has a number of fights on its hands already. Although it is dominant in both smartphones and tablet computers, competition is hotting up and its share price is falling.
The firm’s shares are now 35% below the record high they reached in September 2012.
David Einhorn, who owns Green Light Capital, told CNBC: “It has sort of a mentality of a depression. In other words, people who have gone through traumas… and Apple has gone through a couple of traumas in its history, they sometimes feel like they can never have enough cash.”
He has also been speaking to the Reuters news agency, which he told he had had meetings with Apple’s senior management on the subject of sharing out the cash pile.
Activist shareholder David Einhorn is suing Apple, demanding that it share out more of its $137 billion cash pile to its investors
David Einhorn said he had recently contacted Apple’s chief executive, Tim Cook after failing to interest the company’s chief financial officer, Peter Oppenheimer, in the matter.
His proposals for releasing funds to shareholders involve “preferred” stock – which pays a fixed dividend over time.
Apple is planning to eliminate these at its shareholder meeting later this month.
Preferred shares rank higher than ordinary shares when it comes to paying out a company’s assets.
David Einhorn has a history of activism.
In 2011, David Einhorn urged Microsoft Corp to get rid of its chief executive Steve Ballmer, accusing him of being “stuck in the past”.
LAPD have launched a huge manhunt for Christopher Dorner, a sacked officer who is suspected of killing three people, including a former colleague.
Christopher Dorner, 33, is alleged to have gunned down a policeman and wounded two others on Thursday morning.
He is also wanted over the shooting deaths of a couple at the weekend.
Police are going door-to-door after finding the suspect’s burned-out truck near a ski area at Big Bear Lake, 80 miles east of Los Angeles.
Fire officials in Big Bear Lake told the Los Angeles Times that fresh tracks spotted in the snow were believed to be Christopher Dorner’s but that it was possible the truck was a diversion.
Nearby schools and other buildings were placed on a security lockdown as a precaution.
Christopher Dorner is said to have implicated himself in a 14-page “manifesto” that made threats against several people, including Los Angeles police employees.
A former US Navy reservist, he was with the police department between 2005 and 2008, but lost his job for making false statements.
Christopher Dorner is suspected of:
Shooting dead Monica Quan, 28 – the daughter of a former LAPD captain – and her fiancé Keith Lawrence, 27, on Sunday night in their car at their home in Irvine, California
Shooting at two police officers, grazing one, on Thursday morning in Corona, east of Los Angeles
Ambushing two policemen in their patrol car in the town of Riverside a few hours later, killing one and wounding the other
Monica Quan’s father represented Christopher Dorner before a disciplinary tribunal that ruled against the suspect at the time of his dismissal.
According to court documents, Christopher Dorner was fired in 2008 after making a complaint against his field training officer, saying she had kicked a suspect, a schizophrenic man with severe dementia, during an arrest.
LAPD have launched a huge manhunt for Christopher Dorner, a sacked officer who is suspected of killing three people, including a former colleague
Officials have assigned more than 40 protection details to potential targets of the fugitive, and electronic signs that usually list expected commute times urged motorists to call police if they saw Christopher Dorner or his vehicle.
Los Angeles chief of police Charlie Beck told reporters: “Of course he knows what he’s doing – we trained him. It is extremely worrisome and scary, especially to the police officers involved.”
Charlie Beck said that Christopher Dorner has access to multiple weapons, including an assault rifle.
On Thursday morning, jittery Los Angeles police mistakenly fired on a vehicle they thought was similar to one used by Christopher Dorner.
Two women were injured. One was in a stable condition with two gunshot wounds and the other had a minor gunshot wound.
Nevada police are also on alert, as the suspect owns a house 9 miles from the Las Vegas Strip.
Police said earlier that an LAPD badge and identification belonging to Christopher Dorner had been found by a citizen near San Diego’s airport.
San Diego police said a man matching the suspect’s description had tried to steal a boat from one of the city’s marinas on Wednesday night.
When the boat would not start, that person tied up an 81-year-old man on board and fled.
He was last known to be living in La Palma, California.
Christopher Dorner’s rambling “manifesto” extends for more than 11,000 words and contains a number of allegations against former colleagues, together with embittered reflections on his childhood.
The essay warns of “unconventional and asymmetrical warfare to those in LAPD uniform whether on or off duty”.
He also says “unfortunately, this is a necessary evil that I do not enjoy but must partake and complete for substantial change to occur within the LAPD and reclaim my name”.
The profanity-peppered rant ends with praise for a range of public figures and celebrities, from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to the actor Bill Cosby.
UEFA has responded to growing concerns over the high cost of watching football in England by reducing the cheapest ticket for this year’s Champions League final at Wembley to £68 ($108).
European football’s governing body was accused of exploiting supporters when the match was last staged in London two years ago – Barcelona beat Manchester United 3-1 – by charging £176 ($281) for the cheapest ticket.
UEFA will announce later on Friday that it has listened to that criticism and lowered prices for the showpiece match, which takes place on 25 May, after consulting football fans across Europe.
“It is correct we should give the opportunity to everyone to go to the match irrespective of their financial conditions,” a spokesman said.
But many supporters may still view the entry level price of almost £70 as too high – even for what is arguably the biggest game of the season.
Only 13,000 of the 59,000 tickets on general sale will be priced in this new low category. The rest will be sold at much higher prices ranging from £140 to £330.
This year’s competition resumes next week with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Celtic, Arsenal, AC Milan and Bayern Munich all involved in the last 16 ties.
And some fans may still question why 20,000 seats are not being put on sale to the general public. UEFA hold back these tickets for sponsors, commercial partners and officials and administrators from European and world football.
UEFA’s response is nevertheless a sign that football’s authorities may be aware of the increased sensitivity around the cost of watching football – particularly in England where some Premier League clubs have been accused of ripping off away supporters.
UEFA has responded to growing concerns over the high cost of watching football in England by reducing the cheapest ticket for this year’s Champions League final at Wembley to £68
In January, Manchester City fans returned nearly a third of the ticket allocation for their game at Arsenal, saying the £62 price was too high.
Supporters groups have warned the Premier League it risks alienating a generation of fans by charging too much to watch games.
The Premier League says it cannot tell clubs to reduce prices but argues many have become more sophisticated over the past decade, introducing stretched ticketing policies where higher-priced tickets help subsidise cheaper tickets for fans on lower incomes.
Despite that, some campaigners want to see a greater commitment to reduce prices especially at a time when Premier League clubs are poised to see a huge increase in income thanks to the competition’s new improved TV rights deals, which take effect from this August.
The north-east US coast is braced for a big snowstorm that has already caused hundreds of flight cancellations.
The storm is set to cause power cuts and transport chaos as it arrives from the Great Lakes and brings blizzards to parts of New England on Friday.
It is expected to peak on Saturday morning east of Cape Cod.
Schools have already been closed in Boston, where sustained strong winds are set to exacerbate heavy snowfall – as much as two feet in some areas.
The National Weather Service said the combination of two weather systems from the polar and subtropical jet streams would produce a “potentially historic” storm, with weather warnings extending from New Jersey to Maine.
Winds of up to 35 mph with significantly stronger hurricane-strength gusts were expected to create deep drifts.
Airlines have already cancelled hundreds of flights across the region.
In Boston, Mayor Thomas Menino urged businesses to consider allowing staff to stay home to reduce the risk of commuters getting stranded.
“We are hardy New Englanders, let me tell you, and used to these types of storms,” said Thomas Menino.
“But I also want to remind everyone to use common sense and stay off the streets of our city. Basically, stay home.”
The north-east US coast is braced for a big snowstorm that has already caused hundreds of flight cancellations
In New York, where memories of October’s Hurricane Sandy are still fresh in the mind, the famous Staten Island ferry has had its schedule reduced. While schools remain open for now, residents are being advised to prepare for the worst.
“Due to potential power outages and transportation difficulties, New Yorkers are advised to stock up on potential supplies, including medicine,” said NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
With up to a foot of snow expected over the next two days, Michael Bloomberg said snow ploughs and 250,000 tonnes of salt were being readied for use.
International experts have identified the creature that gave rise to all the placental mammals – a huge group that includes whales, elephants, dogs, bats and us.
The international effort mapped out thousands of physical traits and genetic clues to trace the lineage.
Their results indicate that all placental mammals arose from a small, furry, insect-eating animal.
A report in Science resolves the debate as to when the creature lived; it came about after the demise of dinosaurs.
That had been a hotly debated question over years of research.
Placental mammals – as opposed to the kind that lay eggs, such as the platypus, or carry young in pouches, such as the kangaroo – are an extraordinarily diverse group of animals with more than 5,000 species today. They include examples that fly, swim and run, and range in weight from a couple of grams to hundreds of tonnes.
A wealth of fossil evidence had pointed to the notion that the group, or clade, grew in an “explosion” of species shortly after the dinosaurs’ end about 65 million years ago.
But a range of genetic studies that look for fairly regular changes in genetic makeup suggested that the group arose as long as 100 million years ago, with mammals such as early rodents sharing the Earth with the dinosaurs.
Deciphering the very distant past on the basis of fossils and animals that are around today is inherently a subjective business.
“Comparative anatomy” – in which, for example, the forelimbs of a number of fossils are compared to establish which are most closely related – was the entire toolbox for the earliest palaeontologists. The era of genetics ushered in a more incisive tool to compare similarities across species.
But the new work tackles the question of placental mammals in unprecedented detail, developing a database of physical and genetic data some 10 times larger than any used previously – and taking a decidedly modern take on it.
“Anatomy and research in palaeontology had a very 19th Century veneer to it – that we would sit in small groups in a lab with a fossil describing it,” said lead author of the study Maureen O’Leary of Stony Brook University in New York, US.
“That is a very effective and important part of what we do, but by trying to bring this into the 21st Century and using new software, we were able to really band together as a group of experts and tackle a much larger problem,” she said.
International experts have identified the creature that gave rise to all the placental mammals
To build the database, the team gathered more than 4,500 details of phenotype – diet, lengths of limbs, shapes of teeth, length of fur if any, and so on – from 86 different species that are around today, and from 40 fossils of extinct animals.
To that they added some 12,000 detailed images and genetic information for all of the current species, putting all the data into what Dr. Maureen O’Leary called “a supermatrix – essentially like a spreadsheet, filled with observations and images, to create a really rich description of mammals we’d sampled”.
That, in essence, allows not just one or a few researchers to log details and make comparisons of, for example, fossil or genetic data; it becomes a problem shared – in this case, among 23 co-authors.
“That really wasn’t possible until we developed this software called Morphobank. Our experts in China or Brazil or Canada or the US or just across the hall could all be working in one place at the same time,” Dr. Maureen O’Leary said.
By noting which traits have been preserved down the lineage and how they are expressed, the team was able to feed their phenotypic and genetic data into standard software that makes relationship and age estimates – suggesting the ancestral animal lived just 200,000 years after the extinction event that saw the end of the dinosaurs.
It also yields informed guesses as to the traits of the ancestral animal that gave rise to them all – incorporating those traits into an artist’s conception of what it would have looked like.
The result resolves a long-standing debate, but Dr. Maureen O’Leary said it could also contribute to a new way of tackling such debates.
“I think that it will go a long way toward showing people a way forward for using all the data… both DNA and anatomy. I think that had been an intimidating kind of project because of its scale,” she said.
“Now that we can do that…we are sort of iteratively working and refining the <<Tree of Life>> in that way.”
British PM David Cameron says he will not accept an European Union budget deal unless further cuts are made in negotiations in Brussels.
EU leaders are gathering for a two-day summit to try to strike a seven-year spending deal, after a previous meeting in November failed.
But David Cameron said the figures being proposed “need to come down. And if they don’t… there won’t be a deal”.
The European Commission head called for “a spirit of responsibility” in talks.
Jose Manuel Barroso said: “Further delays will send out a very negative message at this time of fragile economic recovery. The risk is that positions will harden and will be even more difficult to overcome.”
The formal meeting has been delayed by several hours, apparently to allow more time for discussions on a compromise.
David Cameron has met his counterparts from Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden – leaders who are potential allies in the tough negotiations.
High EU expenditure at a time of cutbacks and austerity across the continent is the main issue dividing the 27 member states.
The Commission – the EU’s executive body – had originally wanted a budget ceiling of 1.025 trillion euros ($1.4 trillion) for 2014-2020, a 5% increase. In November that ceiling was trimmed back to 973 billion euros, equivalent to 943 billion euros in actual payments.
But with other EU spending commitments included, that would still give an overall budget of 1.011tn euros.
British PM David Cameron says he will not accept an European Union budget deal unless further cuts are made in negotiations in Brussels
The UK, Germany and other northern European nations want to lower EU spending to mirror the cuts being made by national governments across the Continent.
An EU source says any extra cut would probably be made to growth-related spending in areas such as energy, transport, the digital economy and research.
The biggest spending areas – agriculture and regional development – are largely ring-fenced because of strong national interests, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Whatever is agreed has still to go to the European Parliament, and MEPs are big backers of EU spending.
Scheduled to begin at noon on Thursday, the summit has been put back to 19:30. “We needed more time to work on the compromise proposal,” an unnamed EU official told AFP news agency.
A grouping led by France and Italy wants to maintain spending but target it more at investment likely to create jobs.
The split in the EU reflects the gap between richer European countries and those that rely most on EU funding.
The argument for higher spending is supported by many countries that are net beneficiaries, including Poland, Hungary and Spain.
Others, mostly the big net contributors, argue it is unacceptable at a time of austerity.
Germany, the UK, France and Italy are the biggest net contributors to the budget, which amounts to about 1% of the EU’s overall GDP.
Analysts say failure to reach an agreement on its seven-year budget would mean the EU falling back on more expensive annual budgets.
CIA chief nominee John Brennan will face a grilling soon at a Senate confirmation hearing.
The session comes as lawmakers were to receive secret papers setting out the rationale for drone strikes on Americans working with al-Qaeda abroad.
Members of President Barack Obama’s own Democratic party are concerned about John Brennan’s role in US drone policy.
He was a top CIA official under President George W. Bush.
John Brennan, 57, is also likely to face questions about his position on harsh interrogation techniques, such as waterboarding, that were used by the CIA while he was a senior official there.
Correspondents say that despite these concerns there has been no suggestion that members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence object to John Brennan’s nomination.
He is expected to be confirmed by the panel and later by the full Senate.
A vote to confirm former Republican Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel as secretary of defence has been delayed amid opposition from some member of his own party.
John Brennan could face tough questions from Senator Ron Wyden, a Democratic member of the panel, who has vowed to press the nominee on drones.
Senator Wyden told MSNBC: “To make very clear, I am going to push for more declassification of these key kinds of [drone] programmes, and I think we can do that consistent with national security.”
CIA chief nominee John Brennan will face a grilling soon at a Senate confirmation hearing
On the eve of Thursday’s hearing, the committee released John Brennan’s answers to some preliminary questions.
John Brennan said he “had significant concerns and personal objections” about extreme interrogation techniques used by the CIA, adding he was “aware of the program but did not play a role in its creation, execution, or oversight”.
On drones, John Brennan said no new legislation was necessary for the US to conduct operations against al-Qaeda anywhere in the world.
He said individuals were targeted for killing “on a case-by-case basis through a coordinated interagency process” involving intelligence, military, diplomatic and other agencies.
John Brennan also acknowledged “instances when, regrettably and despite our best efforts, civilians have been killed”.
“It is exceedingly rare, and much rarer than many allege,” he added.
John Brennan’s hearing comes a day after the Department of Justice sent Congress documents laying out the legal rationale for targeting and killing US citizens who are suspected of working with terror groups.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the Senate committee, said: “It is critical for the committee’s oversight function to fully understand the legal basis for all intelligence and counterterrorism operations.”
The justice department acted after NBC News published a leaked internal memo explaining some of the legal arguments.
John Brennan is believed to have been deeply involved.
The CIA has carried out drone strikes in Yemen, where three American citizens linked to al-Qaeda have been killed: Anwar al-Awlaki, his 16-year-old-son and Samir Khan.
Recent opinion polls have suggested that the US public generally supports the drone programme, especially when compared with the possibility of ground assault.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who has opposed the appointment of Chuck Hagel as defence secretary, said: “The drone programme to me is a logical use of how you deal with an enemy combatant.”
John Brennan was considered for the top post at the intelligence agency in 2008.
But he withdrew his name from consideration amid protests over public statements he made on the CIA’s use of “enhanced interrogation techniques” such as waterboarding, which are viewed by many as torture.
Soul star Cecil Womack died last week in Africa at the age of 65, his brother Bobby has confirmed.
Cecil Womack was best known for the 1988 hit Teardrops, which he recorded with his second wife Linda Cooke under the name Womack and Womack.
He also wrote hits for stars including Teddy Pendergrass, The O’Jays and his first wife, Motown singer Mary Wells.
“I was terribly upset when I heard about my brother’s passing, and I still am,” wrote Bobby Womack on Facebook.
“We made music together for a long time, but we’ve had many differences over the years.
“Thankfully we got a chance to reunite last year after a very long separation – and little did I know that it would be the last time I would see him.
“I can only pass along what I have now learned, which is to not let anything – money, success, etc, come between you and your family.”
Born in Ohio, Cecil Womack began his career in gospel group The Womack Brothers, alongside his elder siblings Bobby, Harry, Friendly and Curtis.
They toured with soul star Sam Cooke, who took them under his wing. He eventually persuaded them to start recording secular music and changed their name to The Valentinos.
Several hit records followed, including It’s All Over Now – later a UK number one for The Rolling Stones.
Cecil Womack died last week in Africa at the age of 65
When Sam Cooke was shot dead at the age of 33, the band disintegrated.
Bobby Womack courted controversy by marrying Sam Cooke’s wife, Barbara, two months later. Cecil Womack compounded the scandal by proposing to Sam Cooke’s daughter Linda, then aged 12.
She turned him down, later telling told the Independent newspaper the proposal was simply a “beautiful gesture”, with Cecil Womack “stepping in to protect me” after the death of her father.
For many years, the couple led separate lives. Cecile Womack married My Guy singer Mary Wells and fathered three children. Linda Cooke endured further controversy after a teenage fling with her stepfather, Cecil Womack’s brother, Bobby, by then a successful solo star, was forced to flee the family home at gunpoint.
In 1976, Cecil Womack and Mary Wells divorced, and he quickly rekindled his relationship with Linda Cooke, marrying her a year later in Las Vegas.
Marriage led to a songwriting partnership that produced hits including Love TKO for Teddy Pendergrass and New Day for George Benson.
The duo released their first album as Womack And Womack in 1983, spawning the UK top 20 hit Love Wars, and further singles Baby I’m Scared of You and TKO – a new version of the Teddy Pendergrass song.
However Teardrops, from their fourth album Conscience, is perhaps their best known recording.
A staple of 80s FM radio, it reached number three in the UK charts, with its staccato hook “Footsteps on the dance floor, remind me baby of you”.
It has since been covered by artists as varied as Elton John, the Sugababes and Mercury prize-winners The xx.
During a trip to Nigeria in the 1990s, Linda Cooke and Cecil Womack discovered ancestral ties to the Zekkariyas tribe, and began calling themselves Zeriiya and Zekkariyas respectively.
They later moved to Africa, and recorded an album with their seven children as The House of Zekkariyas. The final Womack and Womack album, Circular Motion, came out in 2007.
Cecil Womack died on February 1 in Africa. His family confirmed his death on Thursday.
Justin Timberlake is back and to prove it he’s released the artwork for The 20/20 Experience, as well as its full track listing.
The cover comes after a sneak peek of his Suit and Tie video and ahead of his Grammy performance.
While Justin Timberlake, 32, is known to make his fans swoon, his latest album cover doesn’t show much of the former N-Sync singer’s face.
As one might expect however he does appear wearing a shirt and tie, while covering his face is what looks like opticians equipment, which ties in with the album’s title.
Justin Timberlake took to Twitter to share the exciting news: “I wanted you guys to see this first!!! #albumcover #tracklist.”
However, fans may be slightly discouraged to discover the album only features ten songs in total.
The packaging, which will appear on albums worldwide, was photographed by Tom Munro.
Last weekend Justin Timberlake, who is married to Jessica Biel took to the stage for the first time in years to perform a string of new and old material.
Justin Timberlake began his performance at the DirecTV Super Saturday Night with his first solo single, Like I Love You which he accompanied on acoustic guitar.
For an hour and a half he kept the A-list guests on their feet as he powered through a selection of his well known and as yet unreleased songs.
Justin Timberlake is back and to prove it he’s released the artwork for The 20-20 Experience, as well as its full track listing
Sources at the party say that the new material, taken from Justin Timberlake’s forthcoming LP The 20/20 Experience was well received.
Jay-Z, who appears on the first single from the new album, joined him on stage much to the delight of those watching.
On Sunday Justin Timberlake will have his national television musical performance debut during the 55th Grammy Awards broadcast.
He will then perform at his sold-out concert at the Palladium in Los Angeles later that same evening.
The 20/20 Experience is due for release on March 18, 2013 on RCA Records.
Justin Timberlake The 20/20 Experience track listing
A New Zealand school girl repeatedly mistaken for missing Madeleine McCann has given Scotland Yard a DNA sample to confirm that she is not the youngster.
She has been consistently pointed out as the youngster, who went missing in May 2007 while on holiday with her parents and twin siblings.
The New Zealand girl bears a striking resemblance to Madeleine McCann, and is believed to have a mark on her right eye similar to the distinctive one on the British girl’s iris.
Police launched a five-day investigation in January when a Queenstown retailer became suspicious of a man and the young girl.
The sample was requested following a reported sighting of Madeleine McCann on New Year’s Eve.
The DNA sample is a conclusive way of proving her identity, according to Detective Senior Sergeant Kallum Croudis of Dunedin police, News.com.au reported.
A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: “This is not a line of inquiry, but just to corroborate what police in New Zealand are saying we have requested DNA.”
A New Zealand school girl repeatedly mistaken for missing Madeleine McCann has given Scotland Yard a DNA sample to confirm that she is not the youngster
Madeleine McCann was nearly four when she vanished from her family’s Portuguese holiday apartment in Praia da Luz as her parents, Gerry and Kate, ate dinner at a nearby tapas restaurant with friends.
The case led to a worldwide search amidst fears the girl had been snatched, but despite a number of leads coming to light no trace of Madeleine McCann has every been conclusively found.
Since the disappearance, officials have from time to time issued digitally altered images showing what she might look like over the passage of time.
Portuguese police stopped formally investigating the case in July 2008, but Madeleine McCann’s family have never given up their quest to track down their missing daughter.
Jay Leno jumped at the chance to enjoy a kiss with beautiful supermodel Bar Rafaeli when she appeared on his chat show on Thursday.
However, after closing his eyes to recreate Go Daddy Super Bowl advert Jay Leno got a nasty shock – when he instead found himself kissing the geeky extra.
An excited Jay Leno had told Bar Rafaeli: “Hey Bar that Go Daddy super bowl advert you did that was great it was one of my favorites.
“I was wondering, any chance we could recreate the ad?”
To which the Israeli model replied: “Sure pucker up!”
But as Jay Leno closed his eyes it wasn’t Bar Rafaeli who came forward, but the ruddy faced guy she kissed in the advert.
After closing his eyes to recreate Go Daddy Super Bowl advert Jay Leno got a nasty shock
Jay Leno kissed Jesse Heiman, somewhat reluctantly, before opening his eyes and feigning shock.
On the show Bar Rafaeli said of the now infamous kiss: “He’s a very nice guy.”
Amnesty International and the Open Society Justice Initiative have urged the Haitian authorities not to drop a rights case against former ruler Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier.
The international human rights groups said Jean-Claude Duvalier “must not evade justice” for alleged crimes against humanity.
In January 2012, a judge ruled that the alleged abuses had expired under Haiti’s statute of limitations.
An appeal hearing against that decision is due to begin on Thursday.
Jean-Claude Duvalier unexpectedly returned to Haiti in 2011 after 25 years in exile, prompting the Haitian authorities to open an investigation into crimes allegedly committed during his 1971-86 rule.
Baby Doc Duvalier has denied all the accusations against him.
A judge decided that he should stand trial for embezzling public funds but ruled that the statute of limitations had run out on charges of murder, arbitrary arrest, torture and disappearances.
Alleged victims and their relatives have appealed against this ruling.
Amnesty International and the Open Society Justice Initiative have urged the Haitian authorities not to drop a rights case against former ruler Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier
A first hearing was postponed when Jean-Claude Duvalier failed to appear in court on 31 January. He has been ordered to attend Thursday’s hearing.
International law requires that he should stand trial for alleged crimes against humanity, the Open Society Justice Initiative said.
Amnesty International has also argued that such crimes are not subject to a statute of limitations.
“With the case of Jean-Claude Duvalier, it is the whole credibility of the Haitian justice system which is at stake,” Amnesty said.
“Only by respecting the procedures in the appeal case, including thoroughly examining all evidence and hearing all the victims, will the court be able to demonstrate the professionalism and independence of the Haitian justice system.”
Jean-Claude Duvalier was just 19 when he inherited the title of president-for-life from his father, Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier, who had ruled Haiti since 1957.
Like his father, Jean-Claude Duvalier relied on a brutal militia known as the Tontons Macoutes to control the country.
In 1986 Jean-Claude Duvalier was forced from power by a popular uprising and US diplomatic pressure, and went into exile in France.
Vine, Twitter’s new mobile video-sharing app, has had its age rating increased after it was flooded with explicit videos.
The age limit has been raised from 12+ on Apple’s store to 17+, which is the highest rating.
Vine was launched last month and within days hundreds of explicit videos were uploaded, leading to complaints from angry users.
Twitter was forced to apologize just weeks after the launch when a six-second pornographic clip was promoted as an “editor’s pick”.
The new rating is used for videos with “frequent/ intense sexual content or nudity”.
Vine users are asked to confirm they are over 17 by clicking on a window, but that is the only age verification system in place.
Vine, Twitter’s new mobile video-sharing app, has had its age rating increased after it was flooded with explicit videos
Videos are not vetted before being uploaded but it has been announced that users will be able to block or report items they find offensive.
Vine – dubbed the Instagram for video – is designed to encourage members to share clips recorded on their smartphones.
It extends Twitter’s 140-character ethos to video, with clips limited to just six seconds.
When the explicit video appeared in January, children’s charities said it was an example of how easily children can stumble on pornographic images.
Twitter blamed human error and had the video removed.
A spokesman said at the time: “A human error resulted in a video with adult content becoming one of the videos in Editor’s Picks, and upon realizing this mistake we removed the video immediately.
“We apologize to our users for the error.”
Twitter has also restricted searchable items. Users can no longer get results by searching words such as p***, sex and naked.
A new study found that those who wrote about their rows now and again were more satisfied with married life.
Just three 7-minute essays a year, written from someone else’s perspective, made a difference.
A little homework also boosted feelings of love, passion, intimacy, trust and commitment, the journal Psychological Science reports.
It is thought writing from an outsider’s viewpoint helped people see conflict through fresh eyes.
Researcher Eli Finkel said: “I don’t want it to sound like magic but you can get pretty impressive results with a minimal intervention.”
Experts said the exercise could help a lot of people – as long as they don’t bear grudges and are able to distance themselves from the situation.
Prof. Eli Finkel, of Northwestern University, Illinois, tracked the marriages of 120 couples for two years.
Some had been married for just a few weeks when the study began, others for more than 50 years.
In the second year of the study, half were asked to think about a recent row and write about it from the perspective of a neutral party.
They were encouraged to write about how they could distance themselves in future.
A new study found that those who wrote about their rows now and again were more satisfied with married life
Prof. Eli Finkel estimated each essay took 7 minutes – adding up to 21 minutes over the year.
As previous studies have shown, marital satisfaction fell over the course of the first year.
In those who didn’t do the writing task, it continued to drop during the second year.
But in those who did their homework, satisfaction stabilized. While they didn’t argue any less, their rows caused them less upset.
And there were other benefits. Eli Finkel said: “Not only did the effect emerge for marital satisfaction, it also emerged for other relationship processes – like passion and sexual desire.
“These effects emerged whether people were married for one month, 50 years, or anywhere in between.
“A high-quality marriage is one of the strongest predictors of happiness and health.
“From that perspective, participating in a seven-minute writing exercise three times a year has to be one of the best investments married people can make.”
Over 40,000 firms, including energy providers, banks and hospitals could be required to report cyber-break-ins under new rules proposed by the EU.
It is part of a move to intensify global efforts to fight cybercrime.
Digital agenda commissioner Neelie Kroes said that Europe needed to improve how it dealt with cybersecurity.
But firms are concerned that reporting online attacks and security breaches might damage their reputations.
The EU is keen that member states share information about attacks and shore up their cyber-defences.
Under the proposals, each country would have to appoint a Computer Emergency Response Team and create an authority to whom companies would report breaches.
Over 40,000 firms, including energy providers, banks and hospitals could be required to report cyber-break-ins under new rules proposed by the EU
These new bodies would decide whether to make the breaches public and whether to fine companies.
Announcing the changes, Neelie Kroes said: “Europe needs resilient networks and systems and failing to act would impose significant costs on consumers, businesses and society.”
According to the EU, only one in four European companies has a regularly-reviewed, formal ICT security policy. Even among ICT companies, the figure is only one in two, it said.
Jacinto Nicolas Fuentes German, who is suspected of being a leader of Colombia’s Urabenos criminal gang, has been arrested in Peru.
Peruvian police detained Jacinto Nicolas Fuentes German in Lima, after a joint intelligence operation with Colombia, Peru’s police chief, General Raul Salazar said.
Jacinto Fuentes Fuentes German, known as Don Leo, entered Peru illegally last month, they added.
The Urabenos gang controls much of the drug trade in northern Colombia, with many ex-paramilitaries in its ranks.
According to the Colombian authorities, Jacinto Nicolas Fuentes German took over running part of the Urabenos after one of the most wanted drug dealers, Henry de Jesus Lopez, was arrested in December in Argentina.
Jacinto Nicolas Fuentes German had been in prison in 2008 after being arrested with a group of armed men, but was subsequently released, Colombian media reported.
Jacinto Nicolas Fuentes German, who is suspected of being a leader of Colombia’s Urabenos criminal gang, has been arrested in Peru
