Actor Steve Martin has become a father for the first time at the age of 67.
Steve Martin and his wife Anne Stringfield, 41, are believed to have welcomed a baby into their lives back in December.
Although the fiercely-private couple had managed to keep their happy news a secret until now, they were recently spotted doting on their child near their Los Angeles home.
A source told the New York Postnewspaper: “They’ve had a baby, and how they kept it a secret nobody knows.
“Steve’s very private. They are thrilled. They worked hard to have the baby.”
Steve Martin – who played a father of 12 in the comedy movie Cheaper By The Dozen – and Anne Stringfield married in July 2007 after three years together.
Their wedding took place at Steve’s Los Angeles home with former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey presiding over the ceremony, while Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels acted as best man.
Guests, who included Tom Hanks and Diane Keaton, did not know the couple were getting married and instead thought they had been invited to a party.
Steve Martin and his wife Anne Stringfield are believed to have welcomed a baby into their lives back in December
Steve Martin was previously married to actress Victoria Tennant for nearly 8 years.
It’s reported that Anne Stringfield – a writer for The New Yorker magazine – encouraged Steve Martin to pen his hugely successful autobiography, Born Standing Up, released in 2007.
The memoir chronicles Steve Martin’s early life, days working for Disneyland, working at low tier coffee shops and clubs as a comedic act and also his later days of the Bird Cage, his relationships, his eventual fame, and the reason why he quit stand-up altogether in 1981.
US cable provider Comcast is to acquire the full ownership of TV and film company NBCUniversal for $16.7 billion.
Comcast will buy the 49% stake in the joint venture that it doesn’t own from US industrial conglomerate General Electric (GE).
It will also buy the well-known 30 Rockefeller Plaza building in New York and another property for $1.4 billion.
Comcast took a majority stake in NBCUniversal in 2009.
NBCUniversal owns the Universal Studios theme parks, TV networks like MSNBC and E! and film studios like Universal Pictures, which made movies like Jaws, ET and Jurassic Park.
GE was planning to shed its stake in the business and the deal accelerates the takeover.
US cable provider Comcast is to acquire the full ownership of TV and film company NBCUniversal for $16.7 billion
“Our decision to acquire GE’s ownership is driven by our sense of optimism for the future prospects of NBCUniversal and our desire to capture future value that we hope to create for our shareholders,” said Brian Roberts, chairman and chief executive of Comcast.
The deal will be funded by $11.4 billion of cash on hand, with the rest funded by debt and stock.
In terms of properties, Comcast is buying NBC’s headquarters in New York and CNBC’s headquarters in New Jersey.
The takeover must still be approved by regulators and is expected to be finalized by the end of the first quarter.
President Barack Obama has urged US Congress to back government action to revive the country’s sluggish economy, in his annual State of the Union speech.
Barack Obama promised “smarter” rather than bigger government for “the many, and not just the few”.
He also called for action on gun violence, climate change and immigration reform.
In the Republican response, Senator Marco Rubio urged Barack Obama to drop his “obsession” with raising taxes.
Speaking in the House of Representatives, Barack Obama told his audience that his generation’s task was “to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth – a rising, thriving middle class”.
“We have cleared away the rubble of crisis, and we can say with renewed confidence that the state of our union is strong,” Barack Obama said in an hour-long address.
Delivering growth and jobs will be the “North Star that guides our efforts”, he added.
But he insisted that nothing he planned would raise the deficit “by a single dime”.
Barack Obama proposed reforms to reduce the cost of Medicare, a federal healthcare programme for pensioners, but argued “we can’t just cut our way to prosperity”.
In his speech, Barack Obama went on to call for federal investment in infrastructure, clean energy and education.
And he vowed to act on climate change himself if Congress failed to enact legislation.
“I urge this Congress to pursue a bipartisan, market-based solution to climate change…,” he said.
“But if Congress won’t act sooner to protect future generations, I will. I will direct my cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change, and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.”
President Barack Obama has urged US Congress to back government action to revive the country’s sluggish economy, in his annual State of the Union speech
Barack Obama also said he would reduce by more than half the number of US troops in Afghanistan over the next year.
He asked Congress to raise the minimum wage, called for legislation to ensure women are paid equally to men, and announced a commission to improve the voting process.
On gun control, Barack Obama said an “overwhelming” majority of Americans supported “common-sense reform” on firearms, including tighter background checks and restrictions on “weapons of war and massive ammunition magazines”.
And he urged gun-control opponents to allow a vote in Congress on his proposals.
“The families of Oak Creek, and Tucson, and Blacksburg, and the countless other communities ripped open by gun violence – they deserve a simple vote,” the president said.
He also praised bipartisan efforts to draw up an immigration reform bill, adding that if he is sent legislation: “I will sign it right away.”
Less than a day after North Korea tested a nuclear device, Barack Obama said the US will “lead the world in taking firm action in response to these threats”.
Barack Obama will take to the road in the coming days to push his economic recovery proposals, stopping in the US states of North Carolina and Georgia and in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois.
Senator Marco Rubio, a possible 2016 Republican presidential candidate, delivered his party’s official riposte.
In it, he attacked Barack Obama’s economic policies and said “more government isn’t going to help you get ahead, it’s going to hold you back”.
The Cuban-American senator, who also made his address in Spanish, referred to the pain felt by residents of the working-class neighborhood in which he grew up.
He told Barack Obama: “I don’t oppose your plans because I want to protect the rich. I oppose your plans because I want to protect my neighbors.”
The Florida senator also warned the president that the “tax increases and the deficit spending you propose will hurt middle-class families”.
Underscoring conservative divisions, immediately after the Rubio speech Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul delivered the Tea Party’s rebuttal to Barack Obama’s address.
He said both parties had failed voters by driving up trillion-dollar deficits.
Former LAPD officer Christopher Dorner is believed to be dead inside a burning cabin last night, likely ending a five-day game of cat and mouse that has claimed at least four lives and captivated the nation.
Christopher Dorner, 33, was believed to be hiding out in the cabin, which burned to the ground after a raging gun battle in which he killed one sheriff’s deputy and wounded another.
The case has gained national attention after Christopher Dorner’s online manifesto was discovered, which included how he was targeting family members of LAPD cops who had wronged him, and shoutouts to celebrities like Charlie Sheen and Larry David.
In a press conference last night, Commander Andrew Smith of the LAPD denied reports that a body had been pulled out of the collapsed cabin, saying that the home is still too hot to search.
If his body is found among the rubble of the home, authorities will likely be looking for identifying marks on the charred remains like tattoos before confirming the identity.
Officials have not yet confirmed that the ex-LAPD cop is dead, but they say he did not leave the cabin before it was engulfed in flames and collapsed.
San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department public information officer Cindy Bachman said during a late night news conference: “They have a very large crime scene to process… At the same time, they’re mourning one of their brothers who was killed today.”
Cindy Bachman added that no one from the sheriff’s department has been able to get into the cabin, saying: “It is not safe to do that.”
Christopher Dorner had taken cover in the small building about 2:00 p.m. local time. At 4:15 p.m., it caught fire after SWAT officers fired several tear gas canisters into the windows.
The blaze spread rapidly, but deputies did not appear to budge from their positions.
A single gunshot was heard coming from inside the cabin before the cabin was fully engulfed in flames.
SWAT officers stood down and walked away from the building about 45 minutes later, KCAL-TV reported.
Earlier in the afternoon, hundreds of gunshots could be heard in the woods in San Bernardino National Forest as officers exchanged assault weapons fire with Christopher Dorner, who had promised to “wage war” against police and kill any officers who tried to stop him.
Christopher Dorner, a combat-trained U.S. Navy reserve officer, shot two San Bernardino sheriff’s deputies as he tried to make an escape from the cabin, but was driven back inside under heavy gunfire.
The firefight began when a California Fish and Game warden spotted Christopher Dorner in a stolen pickup on Tuesday morning and tried to stop him. Christopher Dorner opened fire as he fled.
He crashed the truck and then bailed out and he ran through the mountains on foot.
Christopher Dorner was believed to be hiding out in the cabin, which burned to the ground after a raging gun battle in which he killed one sheriff’s deputy and wounded another
Federal agents and San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies pursued Christopher Dorner and engaged him in a running gun battle, KCAL-TV reports.
The Los Angeles Timesreports that Christopher Dorner wounded a deputy while shooting through a window in the cabin.
He reportedly shot a second deputy after he threw a smoke bomb and tried to escape out of the back door of the building.
He was driven back by gunfire from the other officers on the scene.
The heavy gunfire meant a medical evacuation helicopter could not land near the scene.
Police threw smoke bombs to could obscure the roads so the wounded deputies could be driven to a waiting n the back of a pickup to the chopper.
Christopher Dorner has been on the run since Thursday, when he allegedly killed a police officer in Riverside and wounded two others.
He is also wanted for murdering a couple in Irvine on Feburary 3.
Police engaged with Christopher Dorner after he reportedly robbed and tied up a couple in a remote cabin 20 miles from the town of Big Bear, California.
He held the pair hostage for several days – possibly hiding out right under the noses of 150 SWAT officers who were combing the mountains looking for him.
The incident could explain how Christopher Dorner was able to survive the frigid, snowy weekend on the mountain.
He then stole their pickup truck – which is the vehicle that game wardens attempted to stop.
The encounter came as police had scaled back their presence in the mountains 100 miles east of Los Angeles six days after police across Southern California began hunting for him.
He was reportedly hiding out in a campground in the middle of the national forest, far from where police found his burned-out truck on Thursday.
Christopher Dorner purchased scuba gear two days before beginning his alleged spree, it was revealed today.
The development comes as more than 9,000 sick fans have shown their support for the alleged murderer on a Facebook page.
In video footage, Christopher Dorner can be seen purchasing the oxygen tanks at Sports Chalet in Torrance, California, on February 1.
Christopher Dorner, who was a Naval reservist, paid for the equipment in cash and appeared friendly towards the cashier, the surveillance footage shows.
The purchase further backs up how Christopher Dorner, whose online manifesto details how he planned to target the family members of LAPD cops who he feels wronged him, plotted out his revenge plot in advance.
Former LAPD officer Christopher Dorner accused of three murders has been involved in a shoot-out with police in California, reports say.
The fugitive exchanged shots with federal officers in California’s Big Bear Lake region, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Two officers are reported to have been wounded and one airlifted to hospital.
Christopher Dorner, 33, has been on the run since last week, after the murders in southern California.
He had sworn revenge on police officers he blamed for his sacking in 2008.
US television networks showed police and vehicles surrounding a cabin, but it was not clear if Christopher Dorner was inside.
Authorities near Big Bear Lake in the San Bernadino mountains were alerted after Christopher Dorner reportedly broke into a house and tied up two people.
Former LAPD officer Christopher Dorner accused of three murders has been involved in a shoot-out with police in California
John Alleman, an unofficial spokesman for Las Vegas Heart Attack Grill restaurant, which prides itself on “taste worth dying for” – has died of a heart attack at the age of 52.
John Alleman visited the infamous restaurant, which holds the Guinness world record for the “most calorific burger”, on a daily basis and would often stand outside encouraging other people to enter.
He suffered a heart attack last week and was rushed to Sunrise Hospital, where he remained until doctors removed his life support on Monday.
The owner of the hospital-themed restaurant, “Doctor Jon” Basso told the Las Vegas Sun: “I told him if you keep eating like this, it’s going to kill ya.
“He’d say, <<I just love your place, Jon>>. He’s the only person I know who was probably at the restaurant more than I.”
John Alleman was such a valued member of the Heart Attack Grill Community that he was given his own caricature – “Patient John” – that featured on merchandise for the restaurant.
The caricature also appeared on the front of the menu, along with other hospital-themed characters representing staff.
“For the past 18 months if you happen to walk by the Heart Attack Grill you were probably approached by our new spokesman John Alleman,” the restaurant wrote on its Facebook page.
“John truly loved HAG and would spend hours every day getting the word out to anyone who would listen.”
John Alleman lived with his only relative, his brother, Paul, and had never married nor had children. He worked night shifts as a security guard at a high-rise construction site on the Vegas Strip.
The restaurant added on its Facebook page: “John was a fun spirited man who valued laughter above all else.”
“He was loved deeply and will be missed.”
Heart Attack Grill holds the Guinness world record for the most calorific burger
John Alleman is the second Heart Attack Grill spokesman to die; in March 2011, 29-year-old Blair River passed away.
At the time, Jon Basso said River had succumbed to flu-related pneumonia.
The following year, a customer suffered a heart attack while eating a triple bypass burger in the restaurant, and two months later, a customer collapsed while eating a double bypass burger.
Speaking to Eater Vegas last year, Jon Basso said his business was “absolutely honest” and said he warned people against going to the restaurant more than once a month.
“I say it right in the door, <<Caution this establishment is bad for your health>>,” he said.
The Heart Attack Grill’s menu includes “Flatliner Fries” which are cooked in lard, and a Quadruple Bypass Burger, which weighs more than three pounds and contains 9,982 calories.
The restaurant is hospital themed and customers are referred to as “patients”, orders are called “prescriptions” and the waitresses are “nurses”.
Customers weighing more than 350 pounds are invited to unlimited free food provided they weigh themselves on an electronic platform in front of other diners.
Rick Huxley, the bassist of 60s pop group The Dave Clark Five, has died at the age of 72.
Rick Huxley joined the band in 1958 and played on hits including BitsAnd Pieces and Glad All Over.
His death leaves just two original members of the group – drummer and leader Dave Clark and guitarist Lenny Davidson.
Rick Huxley died on Monday and Dave Clark described the news as “devastating”.
The bass player had been battling emphysema after years of heavy smoking, but David Clark said he had recently been given a clean bill of health and his death had come as a shock.
“We’d talk once a week. I spoke to Rick on Friday, he was in great spirits,” David Clark said.
“Rick was a dear friend and an immensely talented musician with an amazing sense of humor, he always made me smile.”
David Clark went on to describe him as a “real gentleman”, adding: “He was very kind and had an amazing sense of humor – he was the funny one in the group, and a very talented musician.”
The band’s successes included a number one in January 1964 with Glad All Over; and two songs which reached number two with Bits And Pieces later that year and Everybody Knows in 1967.
They also appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in the early 1960s, not long after The Beatles did the same.
Rick Huxley, the bassist of 60s pop group The Dave Clark Five, has died at the age of 72
Rick Huxley attended when The Dave Clark Five were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame by actor and fan Tom Hanks in 2008.
A band featuring Joan Jett, John Fogerty, John Mellencamp and Billy Joel performed some of their biggest hits.
Saxophone player Denis Payton died in December 2006 and singer and keyboard player Mike Smith died in 2008.
Rick Huxley, who was from Dartford in Kent, stayed in the group until it split in 1970 and then pursued a career in property and in the music business.
Drinking large quantities of Coca-Cola was a “substantial factor” in the death of 30-year-old Natasha Harris in New Zealand, a coroner has said.
Natasha Harris, who died three years ago after a cardiac arrest, drank up to 10 litres of the fizzy drink each day.
This is twice the recommended safe limit of caffeine and more than 11 times the recommended sugar intake.
Coca-Cola had argued that it could not be proved its product had contributed to Natasha Harris’ death.
The mother of eight, from the southern city of Invercargill, had suffered for years from ill health.
Her family said she had developed an addiction to Coca-Cola and would get withdrawal symptoms, including “the shakes”, if she went without her favorite drink.
Natasha Harris drank Coke throughout her waking hours and her teeth had been removed because of decay.
Coroner David Crerar said her Coca-Cola consumption had given rise to cardiac arrhythmia, a condition when the heart beats too fast or too slow.
“I find that when all the available evidence is considered, were it not for the consumption of very large quantities of Coke by Natasha Harris, it is unlikely that she would have died when she died and how she died,” David Crerar’s finding said.
Drinking large quantities of Coca-Cola was a “substantial factor” in the death of 30-year-old Natasha Harris in New Zealand
The coroner calculated that drinking 10 litres (17.5 pints) of Coke amounted to more than 1 kg (2.2 lb) of sugar and 970 mg of caffeine, Television New Zealand (TVNZ) reports.
David Crerar said that Coca-Cola could not be held responsible for the health of consumers who drank excessive quantities of its product.
But he called on soft drinks companies to display clearer warnings on their beverages about the risks of too much sugar and caffeine.
Natasha Harris and her family should have heeded the warning signs about her ill health, the coroner added.
“The fact she had her teeth extracted several years before her death because of what her family believed was Coke induced tooth decay, and the fact that one or more of her children were born without enamel on their teeth, should have been treated by her, and by her family, as a warning,” TVNZ quotes his statement as saying.
Outgoing Pentagon chief Leon Panetta has declared today that North Korean military ambitions are a “serious threat” to the US.
In a speech made after Pyongyang carried out its third nuclear test, Leon Panetta likened the North to Iran, describing them as “rogue states”.
In New York, the UN Security Council “strongly condemned” the nuclear test.
The council said it would begin work on measures against North Korea, after UN chief Ban Ki-moon said the test was a “clear and grave violation”.
Earlier, Pyongyang said “even stronger” action might follow, saying its test was a response to US “hostility”.
Nuclear test monitors in Vienna say the underground explosion had double the force of the last test, in 2009, despite the use of a device said by the North to be smaller.
If a smaller device was indeed tested, analysts said this could take Pyongyang closer to building a warhead small enough to arm a missile.
UN sanctions on North Korea were expanded after the secretive communist state launched a rocket in December, in a move condemned by the UN as a banned test of missile technology.
North Korea’s latest nuclear test comes as senators in Washington prepare for the first votes on whether to confirm Chuck Hagel as successor to current Defence Secretary Leon Panetta.
In a farewell speech at the Pentagon, Leon Panetta said the US would continue to be tested by unpredictable regimes in years to come.
“We’re going to have to deal with weapons of mass destruction and the proliferation. We’re going to have to continue with rogue states like Iran and North Korea.
“We just saw what North Korea’s done in these last few weeks – a missile test and now a nuclear test. They represent a serious threat to the United States of America. We’ve got to be prepared to deal with that.”
Outgoing Pentagon chief Leon Panetta has declared today that North Korean military ambitions are a “serious threat” to the US
President Barack Obama, who is to make his State of the Union speech later, called the test a “highly provocative act” and called for “swift” and “credible” international action in response.
China, North Korea’s main ally and a veto-wielding member of the Security Council, summoned North Korea’s ambassador to Beijing to express its concern over the test.
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi delivered a “stern representation”‘ to Ji Jae Ryong and expressed China’s “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition” to the test, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.
Earlier, it urged the North to honor its commitment to denuclearization and “not take any actions which might worsen the situation”.
The test was condemned by North Korea’s immediate neighbors, South Korea and Japan, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for a revival of talks on the North’s nuclear arms programme.
In a defiant message to the UN’s disarmament forum, the North said it would never bow to resolutions on its nuclear programme and blamed the failure of diplomacy on the US.
“The US and their followers are sadly mistaken if they miscalculate the DPRK [North Korea] would respect the entirely unreasonable resolutions against it,” the North’s envoy, Jon Yong Ryong, told the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.
North Korea confirmed the test after international monitors recorded seismic activity consistent with a powerful underground explosion at 11:57 on Tuesday.
Activity had been observed at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site for several months.
State-run KCNA news agency said the test was “carried out at a high level in a safe and perfect manner using a miniaturized and lighter nuclear device with greater explosive force than previously”.
North Korea said the nuclear test was a response to the “reckless hostility of the United States”.
“The latest nuclear test was only the first action, with which we exercised as much self-restraint as possible,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“If the US further complicates the situation with continued hostility, we will be left with no choice but to take even stronger second or third rounds of action.”
The Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization said the “explosion-like event” was twice as big as the 2009 test, which was in turn bigger than that in 2006.
It is the first such test under new leader Kim Jong-un, who took over the leadership after his father Kim Jong-il died in December 2011.
The Vatican has acknowledged that Pope Benedict XVI has had a pacemaker for years, one day after his resignation.
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi reiterated that Pope Benedict was not stepping down because of any specific illness.
The Pope’s last public appearance will be his final mass in Saint Peter’s Square on February 27, Federico Lombardi said.
The pontiff would have no role in the running of the church after his resignation, he added.
The unexpected development – the first papal resignation in nearly 600 years – surprised governments, Vatican-watchers and even the Pope’s closest aides.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 after John Paul II’s death.
In theory there has never been anything stopping Pope Benedict or any of his predecessors from stepping aside.
Under the Catholic Church’s governing code, Canon Law, the only conditions for the validity of such a resignation are that it be made freely and be properly published.
But resignation is extremely rare: the last pontiff to step aside was Pope Gregory XII, who resigned in 1415 amid a schism within the Church.
According to a report in Il Sole 24 newspaper, the Pope had surgery to replace a pacemaker just under three months ago.
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi reiterated that Pope Benedict was not stepping down because of any specific illness
At a news conference at the Vatican, Father Federico Lombardi confirmed that the batteries in the pacemaker, which had been fitted several years ago, had been replaced in the routine operation.
“That hasn’t affected his decision [to resign] in any way and simply he felt that his strength was diminishing with the advancement of age,” he said.
Earlier the pontiff’s brother, Georg Ratzinger, said the Pope had been advised by his doctor not to take any more transatlantic trips and had been considering stepping down for months.
“When he got to the second half of his 80s, he felt that his age was showing and that he was gradually losing the abilities he may have had and that it takes to fulfill this office properly,” he said.
He said the resignation therefore was part of a “natural process”.
The Vatican now says it expects a new pontiff to be elected before Easter.
Father Federico Lombardi said the Pope would continue with his diary as usual until the day he officially retires on February 28.
He is due to officiate at an Ash Wednesday service at the Vatican.
“The last general audience [on 27 February] will be held in the square since a lot of people will come,” AFP news agency quotes Father Lombardi as saying.
After that the Vatican has said he will retire to the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo before moving into a renovated monastery used by cloistered nuns for “a period of prayer and reflection”.
“He’ll stay in Rome and will certainly have some duties and of course will continue to educate himself intellectually and theologically,” said Georg Ratzinger.
“Where he’s needed he will make himself available, but he will not want to want to intervene in the affairs of his successor,” he said.
At 78, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was one of the oldest popes in history at his election.
Giuseppe Orsi, chief executive of the Italian aerospace and defence firm, Finmeccanica, has been arrested on corruption charges.
Giuseppe Orsi has been under investigation for embezzlement for several months. He has always denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors allege he profited illegally from the sale of 12 helicopters to India.
Shares in the company did not open for trade in Milan.
In a statement, Finmeccanica expressed solidarity with Giuseppe Orsi and said: “Finmeccanica confirms that management activity and the initiatives it has undertaken are continuing in an orderly fashion.”
Italy’s Prime Minister, Mario Monti, said in an interview with Italian television: “Magistrates will do their work. I’m sure they will do it thoroughly and in the best way possible.”
He added: “There is a problem with the governance of Finmeccanica at the moment and we will face up to it.”
Giuseppe Orsi, chief executive of the Italian aerospace and defence firm, Finmeccanica, has been arrested on corruption charges
Arrest warrants have been issued for two people living in Switzerland.
India’s foreign ministry said it had not been informed of the raid.
“We had asked the government of Italy through our mission in Rome for details of the investigation, but were told that it is a judicial process and the government of Italy is unable to share any information,” said foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin.
“That remains the position even today.”
For Italy, it is the latest in a string of corporate scandals – including risky trades at the bank Monti Paschi di Siena and allegations of bribery at the oil services group Saipem.
Asian markets have had a mixed reaction to the nuclear test carried out by North Korea, its third since 2006.
South Korea’s Kospi index dipped 0.3%. Analysts said the test was widely anticipated and was unlikely to have a major impact on investor sentiment.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index held on its earlier gains of nearly 2%
Japanese shares were boosted after the yen continued to dip, raising hopes of a profit boost for the country’s leading exporters.
“This is kind of a known – unknown event,” Jasper Kim, said founder of Seoul-based Asia-Pacific Global Research Group.
“Everyone knew that North Korea would conduct a nuclear test, the only questions were when, and how successful it would be.”
“The markets have already factored in the test,” he added.
Markets in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan were closed for Lunar New Year holidays.
The yen fell after a US official voiced support for Japan’s recent policy moves to try and spur economic growth.
The moves have seen the yen slide more than 15% since November, leading to concerns that some countries may oppose Japan’s aggressive stance.
Asian markets have had a mixed reaction to the nuclear test carried out by North Korea
The fear was that such criticism might prompt Japan to tone down its policy and the currency could rise again.
Analysts said that the support from US Treasury Under Secretary Lael Brainard, especially ahead of the meeting of the G20 group of nations later this week, had helped allay those fears.
The finance ministers and central bank officials from the G20 nations are scheduled to meet in Moscow and currency policies are expected to be a key topic of discussion.
“Investors were worried that finance ministers would criticize the recent weakness in the yen,” said Hiroichi Nishi of SMBC Nikko Securities.
“While currency moves have been sensitive to officials’ comments in general, people thought any comment from the G20 would trigger yen buying.
“But such worries are receding as she [Lael Brainard] said she supports Japan’s efforts to end deflation,” he added.
The Japanese currency fell nearly 2% to 94.25 yen against the US dollar and to 126.4 yen versus the euro in early Asian trade on Tuesday.
A weak yen bodes well for Japan’s exporters as it not only makes their goods less expensive to foreign buyers but also boosts profits when they repatriate their foreign earnings back home.
Fashion designer Alfred Fiandaca, who was responsible for many of Ann Romney’s campaign outfits, has died at the age of 72.
Alfred Fiandaca – whose designs were favored by Ann Romney during the 2012 Presidential race – died Saturday of a major stroke in West Palm Beach, Florida.
He divided his time between Boston, New York and Palm Beach, and is survived by his daughter, son and spouse, Carl Bartels.
After founding his eponymous line in 1960, Alfred Fiandaca opened up his first shop in Boston, Massachusetts.
His tailored skirt suits and elegant dresses soon attracted the attention of political figures in Washington, among them Joan Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson.
Actresses Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn also wore his creations.
Ann Romney, 63, had been a supporter of his ever since her husband Mitt was governor of Massachusetts.
On the campaign trail, relatively unknown Alfred Fiandaca earned recognition for being the go-to designer for the Republican candidate’s wife.
Fashion designer Alfred Fiandaca, who was responsible for many of Ann Romney’s campaign outfits, has died at the age of 72
Ann Romney wore a crisp cream-colored skirt suit from his fall 2006 collection to the first presidential debate.
And the edgy black leather skirt suit she sported on the Jay Leno show was also one of his creations.
Although Alfred Fiandaca was a Democrat, he had no qualms about dressing the wife of the former Republican hopeful, both of whom he counted as friends.
In an interview with New York Magazine last year, Alfred Fiandaca’s rep described him as “apolitical”, noting that he had dressed just as many Democrats as Republicans.
Alfred Fiandaca’s designs are sold in boutiques in Boston and Palm Beach, as well as an atelier in Manhattan’s Garment District.
He was known among friends and in social circles in New York and Palm Beach for his outgoing and friendly demeanor.
A third-generation member of the garment trade, Alfred Fiandaca began cutting clothes when he was only nine.
His glamorous designs have earned him recognition in the art world as well as the fashion world.
In 2000, the Massachusetts College of Art presented an exhibition on Alfred Fiandaca’s forty years of work, as well as creating a scholarship in his name.
President Barack Obama is set to make gun control – as well as taxes and spending – a key part of his 2013 State of the Union speech after the first lady invited the parents of the slain Chicago teenager who has become the poster child for gun violence in the president’s home city.
Barack Obama is also expected to press Congress for additional tax hikes, fewer spending cuts, outreach for military families and immigration reform, which is shaping up to be a key part of his second term agenda.
The agenda Barack Obama will outline will include more money for infrastructure, clean energy technologies and manufacturing jobs, as well as expanding access to early childhood education.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Barack Obama would outline “his plan to create jobs and grow the middle class” as the nation struggles with persistently high unemployment.
President Barack Obama is set to make gun control, as well as taxes and spending, a key part of his 2013 State of the Union speech
President Barack Obama’s talking points:
Gun control: A mission since December’s Sandy Hook massacre, Barack Obama has pushed for intensified background checks and a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Immigration reform: Barack Obama’s proposed plan would put 11 million undocumented residents on the path to American citizenship.
Tax hikes: The president is looking to ramp up tax hikes on the wealthy in an effort to repair the economy while stabilizing the middle class.
Military families: Barack Obama is expected to call for increased outreach to those closest to those fighting overseas
Clean energy initiatives: The development of and investments in clean energy has long been a priority of the Obama administration as part of his ongoing effort to bolster the economy.
Pope Benedict XVI is to resign from his office at the end of this month. The Pontiff says he is too old to continue at the age of 85.
The move has come as a shock, but in theory, there has never been anything stopping Pope Benedict XVI – or any of his predecessors – taking a piece of paper out of his writing desk and drafting a letter of resignation to hand to the College of Cardinals, the supreme electoral body of the Catholic Church.
Under Canon Law, the only conditions for the validity of such a resignation are that it be made freely and be properly published.
But no pope has done this in modern times, until now.
In 2005, it was revealed that Pope John Paul II had considered resigning five years previously, when he was 80. In his will and testament, he had said he hoped God “would help me to recognize how long I must continue this service”.
There has also been persistent speculation by historians that during World War II, Pope Pius XII drew up a document stating that if he were to be kidnapped by the Nazis he was to be considered to have resigned, and a successor should be chosen.
As the Vatican has delayed the full release of its archives relating to Pius’s pontificate, because of a dispute over his reaction to the Nazi Holocaust, there is no means of verifying whether this is true.
Going back further in time, the last case of a pope resigning dates back a further five centuries. Pope Gregory XII – who reigned from 1406 to 1415 – did so to end what was called the Western Schism.
There were three rival claimants to the papal throne at that time – the Roman Pope Gregory XII, the Avignon Pope Benedict XIII, and the Antipope John XXIII. Before resigning, Gregory XII formally convened a Church Council and authorized it to elect his successor.
Pope Benedict XVI is to resign from his office at the end of this month
The only other significant example of a papal resignation dates back even further in time.
In 1294, Pope Celestine V, only five months after his election, issued a solemn decree declaring it permissible for a pope to resign and then did so.
He lived for two further years as a hermit, and was later declared a saint. The decree that he issued ended any doubt among canon lawyers about the validity of a papal resignation.
But Pope Benedict’s decision to lay down his high office will come as a genuine shock to Catholics all over the world.
He has presided over the Catholic Church during a period when repeated accusations of sex abuse were made against the clergy.
But throughout that time, the Vatican vigorously defended Benedict’s papacy and his record during the period when he was Cardinal Archbishop of Munich and subsequently head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), the watchdog Vatican department responsible for disciplining priests guilty of bad conduct.
Some earlier popes who stood down
Martin I (649-655): Exiled to Crimea by Roman emperor Constans II, where he was imprisoned and tortured – after his death he was made a saint
Benedict V (964): Forced to stand down by Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, who had another preferred candidate
Benedict IX (1032-45): Sold papacy to his godfather, then had change of mind and tried to seize it back – he was later excommunicated
Pope Benedict XVI is to resign on February 28, 2013, at the age of 85. He is thought to the first pontiff to have stepped down since Gregory XII in 1415.
Canon Law states: “If it happens that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that the resignation is made freely and properly manifested but not that it is accepted by anyone.”
Pope Benedict’s resignation has set in motion the centuries-old process of electing a new pope.
The Dean of the College of Cardinals, the 85-year-old Italian Angelo Sodano, would be responsible for the convoking a meeting of cardinals for the papal election – or Conclave.
Popes are chosen by the College of Cardinals – the Church’s most senior officials, appointed by the Pope and usually ordained bishops – who are summoned to a meeting.
There are currently 203 cardinals from 69 countries. The rules of the Conclave were changed in 1975 to exclude all cardinals over the age of 80 and the maximum number of cardinal electors is 120. During the forthcoming Conclave, there will be 117 cardinals who are younger than 80 and thereby eligible to vote.
Sixty-seven of these were appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, and 50 by his predecessor John Paul II. About half (61) are European, and 21 are Italian. There will also be 19 Latin Americans, 14 North Americans, 11 Africans, 11 Asians and one cardinal from Oceania among the voters.
During the time between the Pope’s resignation and the election of his successor, the college of cardinals will govern the Church, headed by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, as the cardinal camerlengo – or chamberlain.
It is his job to supervise the whole election process, with secret votes being held twice daily inside the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. During the Conclave, cardinals reside within the Vatican and are not permitted any contact with the outside world.
During this period all the cardinals – retirees included – will begin to discuss in strict secrecy the merits of likely candidates.
The cardinals do not have to choose one of their own number – theoretically any baptized male Catholic can be elected pope – but tradition says that they will almost certainly give the job to a cardinal.
The Vatican talks about the cardinals being guided by the Holy Spirit. But although open campaigning is forbidden, a papal election is still a highly political process.
The coalition-builders have about two weeks to forge alliances and senior cardinals who may themselves have little chance of becoming pope can still exert a considerable influence over the others.
The election of a pope is conducted in conditions of secrecy unique in the modern world.
The cardinals are shut away in the Vatican until they reach agreement – the meaning of the word conclave indicating that they are literally locked up “with a key”.
The election process can take days. In previous centuries it has gone on for weeks or months and some cardinals have even died during conclaves.
The process is designed to prevent any of the details of the voting emerging, either during or after the conclave. The threat of excommunication hangs over anyone tempted to break this silence.
John Paul II changed the rules of the Conclave so a Pope could be elected by simple majority. But Benedict XVI changed the requirements back so that a two-thirds-plus-one vote is required, meaning the man elected is likely to be a compromise candidate.
Before the voting begins in the Sistine Chapel, the entire area is checked by security experts to ensure there are no hidden microphones or cameras.
Once the conclave has begun, the cardinals eat, vote and sleep within closed-off areas until a new pope has been chosen.
They are allowed no contact with the outside world – barring a medical emergency. All radios and television sets are removed, no newspapers or magazines are allowed in, and mobile phones are banned.
Two doctors are allowed into the conclave, as well as priests who are able to hear confessions in various languages and housekeeping staff.
Pope Benedict XVI is to resign on February 28, 2013, at the age of 85
All these staff have to swear an oath promising to observe perpetual secrecy, and undertake not to use sound or video recording equipment.
Voting is held in the Sistine Chapel, “where everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God, in whose sight each person will one day be judged”.
On the day the conclave begins, the cardinals celebrate Mass in the morning before walking in procession to the chapel.
Once the cardinals are inside the conclave area, they have to swear an oath of secrecy. Then, the Latin command “extra omnes” (“everyone out”) instructs all those not involved in the election to leave before the doors are closed.
The cardinals have the option of holding a single ballot on the afternoon of the first day. From the second day, two ballots are held in the morning and two in the afternoon.
The ballot paper is rectangular. Printed on the upper half are the words “Eligio in Summum Pontificem” (“I elect as Supreme Pontiff”). Below is a space for the name of the person chosen. The cardinals are instructed to write the name in a way that does not identify them, and to fold the paper twice.
After all the votes have been cast, the papers are mixed, counted and opened.
As the papers are counted, one of the scrutineers calls out the names of those cardinals who have received votes. He pierces each paper with a needle – through the word “Eligio” – placing all the ballots on a single thread.
The ballot papers are then burned – giving off the smoke visible to onlookers outside which traditionally turns from black to white once a new pope has been chosen.
Damp straw was once added to the stove to turn the smoke black, but over the years there has often been confusion over the color of the smoke. More recently a dye has been used.
If a second vote is to take place immediately, the ballots from the first vote are put on one side and then burned together with those from the second vote. The process continues until one candidate has achieved the required majority.
Pope John Paul II changed the rules of election in 1996. Previously, a candidate had to secure a majority of two-thirds plus one to be elected pope.
John Paul II ruled that the voting could shift to a simple majority after about 12 days of inconclusive voting.
In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI passed a decree reverting back to the two-thirds plus one vote majority, thus encouraging cardinals to reach consensus, rather than one bloc backing a candidate with more than half the votes and then holding out for 12 days to ensure his election.
If after three days of balloting nobody has gained the two-thirds majority, voting is suspended for a maximum of one day to allow a pause for prayer, informal discussion and what is described as “a brief spiritual exhortation” by the senior cardinal in the Order of Deacons.
At the end of the election, a document is drawn up giving the results of the voting at each session, and handed over to the new pope. It is kept in an archive in a sealed envelope, which can be opened only on the orders of the pope.
The only clue about what is going on inside the Sistine Chapel is the smoke that emerges twice a day from burning the ballot papers. Black signals failure. The traditional white smoke means a new pope has been chosen.
After the election of the new pope has been signaled by white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel chimney, there will be a short delay before his identity is finally revealed to the world.
Once one candidate has attained the required majority, he is then asked: “Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?”
Having given his consent, the new pope is asked: “By what name do you wish to be called?”
After he has chosen a name, the other cardinals then approach the new pope to make an act of homage and obedience.
The new pope also has to be fitted into his new robes. The papal tailor will have prepared garments to dress a pope of any size – small, medium or large – but some last-minute adjustments may be required.
Then, from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, the traditional announcement will echo around the square: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum… habemus papam!” – “I announce to you a great joy… we have a pope!”
His name is then revealed, and the newly-elected pontiff will make his first public appearance.
After saying a few words, the pope will give the traditional blessing of Urbi et Orbi – “to the city and the world” – and a new pontificate will have begun.
President Barack Obama has presented the Medal of Honor to former Staff Sgt Clinton Romesha for his heroism during a huge firefight in Afghanistan.
Sgt Clinton Romesha, 31, led a battle against hundreds of Taliban fighters four years ago.
About 50 US soldiers were at Combat Outpost Keating near Pakistan when it was almost overrun by insurgents.
Clinton Romesha is the fourth living veteran of Afghanistan or Iraq to receive America’s highest military award.
The father-of-three lives with his family in Minot, North Dakota, and works in oil-field safety.
According to the Army’s official narrative, at about 06:00 on 3 October 2009, some 400 Taliban fighters targeted Combat Outpost Keating in Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, while many key US officers were off base.
The outpost was surrounded on four sides by insurgents who had occupied the high ground and began to attack with rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), mortars, heavy machine-gun fire and small-arms fire.
Sgt Clinton Romesha is said to have frequently exposed himself to withering enemy fire as he led the fightback.
He killed a team of machine-gun fighters, and was peppered with shrapnel when an RPG landed close to his position.
Ignoring his wounds, Sgt Clinton Romesha then killed more enemy fighters, including a nest of machine-gunners and a sniper.
He then killed three Taliban fighters as they were breaching the outpost’s perimeter.
President Barack Obama has presented the Medal of Honor to former Staff Sgt Clinton Romesha for his heroism during a huge firefight in Afghanistan
Sgt Clinton Romesha also led a team to secure an ammunition supply point and then turned his attention to defending a vulnerable entry point.
From there, he was able to pinpoint the origin of enemy fire at a nearby village, Urmul, and at an Afghan National Police checkpoint that had been seized by the insurgents.
According to the official narrative, he helped to direct air support and 120 mm mortars to target the enemy positions.
Finally, Sgt Clinton Romesha helped wounded troops to withdraw to a safe location and recovered the bodies of two soldiers who died in the attack.
Eight US soldiers were killed and other 22 were wounded, including Sgt Clinton Romesha.
The official citation says that Sgt Clinton Romesha personally killed 10 Taliban fighters and was instrumental in the deaths of another 35.
Last month, after learning he would get the award, Clinton Romesha told a news conference: “You’re not going to back down in the face of adversity like that. We were just going to win, plain and simple.”
It seems Karrueche Tran has finally moved on after her split from Chris Brown as she showed off her latest boyfriend J. Ryan La Cour at the Grammys on Sunday.
Karrueche Tran dragged self-styled public relations mogul J. Ryan La Cour along as they partied with the likes of Drake and Diddy in Los Angeles.
The couple enjoyed refreshments at the star-studded bash held by drink giants Hennessy at the trendy Hyde nightclub.
Karrueche Tran smiled for the cameras for a series of photos posted online by the charismatic young professional on his Twitter page.
It will surely be a relief to the model and designer’s legion of fans, as even in recent weeks she has been speaking about Chris Brown, who she dated between 2010 and 2012.
It seems Karrueche Tran has finally moved on after her split from Chris Brown as she showed off her latest boyfriend J. Ryan La Cour at the Grammys on Sunday
Just last month Karrueche Tran said: “At the end of the day, he will always be a friend. We’ll always care about each other.
“We won’t allow that to interfere. Our business is business.
“It’s a lot going on but it could be a lot worse, and that’s how I look at life. I take it for what it is.
“I move forward, grow from it and at this point, that’s what I’m doing.
“I’m not gonna sit and dwell and become consumed in that negativity because I could very much be that person, especially when things are so public and so thrown in my face.
“But like I said, things can be much worse. So I’m good.”
Meanwhile Chris Brown was at another part of town whisking away his lover Rihanna, who he was convicted of beating back in 2009, in his fancy sports car.
Luxury smartphone maker Vertu has launched Vertu Ti, its first Android-operated handset.
The Vertu Ti costs 7,900 euros and is made at the firm’s headquarters in Church Crookham, Hampshire.
The device had a titanium frame and sapphire screen but was not 4G-enabled, said its designer Hutch Hutchison.
Until last year the company was owned by Nokia and specialized in highly priced handsets designed for the Symbian operating system.
Vertu had chosen Android over Windows as an operating system because it was more established, said chief executive Perry Oosting.
“You need to be part of an ecosystem,” he said.
“Your device will have to integrate with other devices. I think the Windows phone will have success but it is still a relatively small market share. At the moment it doesn’t have the global reach of Android – which is about 60% of the market.”
Head of design Hutch Hutchison said that Vertu was not interested in being a tech pioneer.
“Vertu will never be at the bleeding edge of technology,” he said.
“It has to be about relevant technology and craftsmanship – it’s not a disposable product.”
Luxury smartphone maker Vertu has launched Vertu Ti, its first Android-operated handset
The firm is also not focused on the mass market, with just 326,000 Vertu smartphone owners worldwide after 10 years in the industry.
“We don’t make massive numbers of phones and the price point is reflective of that,” said Perry Oosting.
Each device is assembled by hand. The name and signature of the person who assembled the phone is laser inscribed onto the inside lid of the SIM card holder.
Vertu handsets can only be purchased in 500 retail outlets, 70 of which are the company’s own boutiques, around the world.
Each device has a “concierge” button that connects the caller with a global team who can provide localized advice and help with events and restaurant bookings.
Weighing 180 g (6oz), the Vertu Ti is heavier than most current generation smartphones – the Samsung Galaxy S3 weighs 118 g and the iPhone 5 is 112 g.
One reason for this is that it has been designed for intense durability. One handset – and its screen – remained intact and working after being accidentally run over by a delivery truck.
“People think sapphire is just posh glass,” said Hutch Hutchison.
“But sapphire is to glass what steel is to blancmange. The only thing that scratches it is a diamond.”
Vertu does not release figures but says sales have increased every year for the past 10 – with the exception of 2008, when the bank Lehman Brothers collapsed.
It also says China is its biggest market.
Other luxury brands such as Tag Heuer and Goldvish are also now competing in the niche yet lucrative space for handsets costing thousands of pounds.
However some experts believe the wider market is moving towards lower-end smartphones.
Huawei has just launched a budget Windows device in Africa and there are rumors of a cheap version of the iPhone 5.
According to researchers, dogs are more capable of understanding situations from a human’s point of view than has previously been recognized.
They found dogs were four times more likely to steal food they had been forbidden, when lights were turned off so humans in the room could not see.
This suggested the dogs were able to alter their behavior when they knew their owners’ perspective had changed.
The study, published in Animal Cognition, conducted tests on 84 dogs.
The experiments had been trying to find whether dogs could adapt their behavior in response to the changed circumstances of their human owners.
It wanted to see if dogs had a “flexible understanding” that could show they understood the viewpoint of a human.
It found that when the lights were turned off, dogs in a room with their human owners were much more likely to disobey and steal forbidden food.
The study says it is “unlikely that the dogs simply forgot that the human was in the room” when there was no light. Instead it seems as though the dogs were able to differentiate between when the human was unable or able to see them.
The experiments had been designed with enough variations to avoid false associations – such as dogs beginning to associate sudden darkness with someone giving them food, researchers said.
According to researchers, dogs are more capable of understanding situations from a human’s point of view than has previously been recognized
Dr. Juliane Kaminski, from the University of Portsmouth’s psychology department, said the study was “incredible because it implies dogs understand the human can’t see them, meaning they might understand the human perspective”.
This could also be important in understanding the capacities of dogs that have to interact closely with humans, such as guide dogs for the blind and sniffer dogs.
Previous studies have suggested that although humans might think that they can recognize different expressions on their dogs’ faces, this is often inaccurate and a projection of human emotions.
“Humans constantly attribute certain qualities and emotions to other living things. We know that our own dog is clever or sensitive, but that’s us thinking, not them,” said Dr. Juliane Kaminski.
“These results suggest humans might be right, where dogs are concerned, but we still can’t be completely sure if the results mean dogs have a truly flexible understanding of the mind and others’ minds. It has always been assumed only humans had this ability.”
Pope Benedict XVI will not interfere in choosing his successor after his shock decision to resign at the end of the month, the pontiff’s brother has said.
Georg Ratzinger said the Pope would only “make himself available” if he were needed.
Pope Benedict XVI said on Monday he would resign after nearly eight years as the head of the Catholic Church because he was too old to continue at the age of 85.
The Vatican now says it expects a new Pope to be elected before Easter.
The unexpected development – the first papal resignation in nearly 600 years – surprised governments, Vatican-watchers and even Benedict’s closest aides.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 after John Paul II’s death.
In theory there has never been anything stopping Pope Benedict or any of his predecessors from stepping aside.
Under the Catholic Church’s governing code, Canon Law, the only conditions for the validity of such a resignation are that it be made freely and be properly published.
But resignation is extremely rare: the last Pope to step aside was Pope Gregory XII, who resigned in 1415 amid a schism within the Church.
Georg Ratzinger said his brother had been advised by his doctor not to take any more transatlantic trips and had been considering stepping down for months.
He said the resignation therefore was part of a “natural process”.
And he added: “Where he’s needed he will make himself available, but he will not want to want to intervene in the affairs of his successor.”
The next Pope will be chosen by members of a 117-strong conclave held in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican.
Analysts say Europeans are still among the favorites, including the current Archbishop of Milan, Angelo Scola, and Christoph Schoenbron – a former Austrian student of Benedict.
But strong candidates could emerge from Africa and Latin America, which both have very large Catholic populations. Among the names being mentioned are Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson and Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria.
Pope Benedict XVI will not interfere in choosing his successor after his shock decision to resign at the end of the month
Pope Benedict XVI was to retire to the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo when he leaves office, the Vatican said, before moving into a renovated monastery used by cloistered nuns for “a period of prayer and reflection”.
At 78, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was one of the oldest popes in history at his election.
He took the helm as one of the fiercest storms the Catholic Church has faced in decades – the scandal of child sex abuse by priests – was breaking.
The pontiff said in his Monday’s statement: “After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.
“I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering.”
A theological conservative before and during his time as Pope, he has taken traditional positions on homosexuality and women priests, while urging abstinence and continuing opposition to the use of contraceptives.
His attempts at inter-faith relations were mixed, with Muslims, Jews and Protestants all taking offence at various times, despite his efforts to reach out and make visits to key holy sites, including those in Jerusalem.
Pope Benedict XVI
At 78, one of the oldest new popes in history when elected in 2005
Born in Germany in 1927, joined Hitler Youth during WWII and was conscripted as an anti-aircraft gunner but deserted
As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger spent 24 years in charge of Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith – once known as the Holy Office of the Inquisition
A theological conservative, with uncompromising views on homosexuality and women priests
Possible successors
Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana, 64
Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Canada, 68
Archbishop Angelo Scola of Milan, 71
Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria, 80
Archbishop Christoph Schoenborn of Vienna, 67
Archbishop Odilo Pedro Scherer of Sao Paulo, 63
Gianfranco Ravasi – President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, 70
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, 55
North Korea confirms it has successfully carried out its third underground nuclear test, a move that has drawn international condemnation.
Pyongyang said the test involved a “miniaturized” device and was carried out in a “perfect manner”.
The confirmation came three hours after seismic activity was detected at North Korea’s nuclear test site.
President Barack Obama called for “swift” and “credible” international action in response.
He said the “provocative” nuclear test did not make North Korea more secure, adding that Washington would remain vigilant and steadfast in its defence commitments to its allies in Asia.
The United Nations had warned of “significant consequences” if Pyongyang went ahead.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the test as a “clear and grave violation” of UN resolutions and a “deeply destabilizing” provocation.
The Security Council is to hold an emergency meeting at 14:00 GMT on Tuesday in New York, diplomats say.
North Korea previously conducted nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009. It announced in January that it would conduct a third as a response to UN sanctions that were expanded after its December rocket launch.
Confirmation of the test came in a statement from state-run KCNA news agency.
“It was confirmed that the nuclear test that was carried out at a high level in a safe and perfect manner using a miniaturized and lighter nuclear device with greater explosive force than previously did not pose any negative impact on the surrounding ecological environment,” KCNA said.
North Korea confirms it has successfully carried out its third underground nuclear test, a move that has drawn international condemnation
The claim to have tested a “miniaturized” device is likely to alarm observers. The US and North Korea’s neighbors fear Pyongyang’s ultimate goal is to produce a nuclear device small enough to fit on a long-range missile, something it is not yet believed to have mastered.
In December it put a satellite into space using a three-stage rocket – a move condemned by the UN as a banned test of missile technology.
North Korea said the nuclear test – which comes on the eve of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address – was to “to protect our national security and sovereignty against the reckless hostility of the United States”.
It is the first such test under new leader Kim Jong-un, who took over the leadership after his father Kim Jong-il died in December 2011.
Activity had been observed at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site for several months.
Seismic activity was then detected by monitoring agencies from several nations at 11:57 a.m. A shallow earthquake with a magnitude of 4.9 was recorded, the US Geological Survey said.
Both South Korea and Japan convened emergency meetings of their national security teams shortly afterwards.
“This is an unacceptable threat to the security of the Korean peninsula and north-east Asia, and a challenge to the whole international community,” South Korea’s presidential national security adviser Chun Young-woo said.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his government would “consider every possible way to address this issue”.
The US, South Korea and Japan had all warned Pyongyang not to go ahead with the test. China, North Korea’s closest ally and biggest trading partner, had also called for restraint.
Turkish police investigating the murder of Sarai Sierra have honed in on five people after collecting 51 DNA samples, it was revealed today.
Though authorities will not have results for two weeks, they have managed to narrow it down to a small group of Sarai Sierra’s internet contacts as well as the homeless people who were at the scene when her body was found.
One person who is believed to be talking to investigators is Ammer Reduron, who Sarai Sierra connected with on Instagram in the months before her trip and stayed with while she was in Amsterdam.
Little is known about the 31-year-old Dutch national, but last year he posted on a site similar to Craigslist that he lives in an immigrant ghetto in Amsterdam called Zuidoost.
Last week, Ammer Reduron claimed he was not a suspect and admitted Sarai Sierra stayed with him when she went to Amsterdam on a side trip – also saying her husband Steven knew this and was OK with it as the two were friends.
“Taking care of her,” he said last week.
“Meaning showing my city and being a good friend to her. She had a wonderful time here.”
Turkish police investigating the murder of Sarai Sierra have honed in on five people after collecting 51 DNA samples
On his Facebook, Ammer Reduron “checks in” at Amsterdam airport on January 15, which is purportedly when he went to pick up Sarai Sierra.
On January 23 – ten days before her body was found in Istanbul, Sarai Sierra’s sister Christina Jiminez become Facebook friends with him.
Aware that he is under the intense scrutiny of both the FBI and the media, he denounced them both on his Instagram site, alongside a picture of two toy pigs placed in an assimilated sex position.
“Media writes, goes home, gets paid, pay bills and don’t give a sh*t only about some juicy stories with no real or fact checked stories. Police should do their work. If you fart on the planet the FBI is on yo [sic] ass with some satellite sh*t.”
Police however, are giving little away as to what they have uncovered in the investigation.
Mystery has surrounded the death of 33-year-old Sarai Sierra since her body was found at a run-down area of Istanbul on February 2. She failed to make the flight back to New York on January 22.
PepsiCo Inc. has launched new drink KickStart that has Mountain Dew flavor but is made with 5% juice and Vitamins B and C, along with an extra jolt of caffeine.
PepsiCo is hoping to boost sales by reaching Mountain Dew fans at a new time of day: morning.
The company said it doesn’t consider KickStart to be an energy drink, noting that it still has far less caffeine than drinks like Monster and Red Bull and none of the mysterious ingredients that have raised concerns among lawmakers and consumer advocates.
But KickStart, which comes in flavors such as “energizing orange citrus” and “energizing fruit punch”, could nevertheless give the company a side-door into the fast-growing energy drink market without getting tangled in any of its controversies.
The drink comes in the same 16-ounce cans as popular energy drinks made by Monster Beverage Corp., which also offers options with juice content. And the TV ad features young men skateboarding, reminiscent of the marketing themes used by energy drink makers.
Simon Lowden, chief marketing officer for PepsiCo’s Americas beverages, says the idea for KickStart came about after the company learned through consumer research that Mountain Dew fans were looking for an alternative to traditional morning drinks such as coffee, tea and juice.
“They didn’t really see anything that fit their needs,” he said.
PepsiCo has launched KickStart that has Mountain Dew flavor but is made with 5 percent juice and Vitamins B and C, along with an extra jolt of caffeine
Simon Lowden said KickStart was developed independently from a Taco Bell breakfast drink introduced last year that combines Mountain Dew and orange juice. PepsiCo says KickStart, which is carbonated, is also not a soda because its 5 percent juice content qualifies it to be considered a “juice drink” under guidelines set by the FDA. A spokeswoman for the FDA said the agency doesn’t have definitions for what qualifies as a soda or an energy drink.
With the growth of energy drinks such as Monster and Red Bull expected to slow, KickStart could also signal the emergence of a new category that plays off the promise of energy and other health benefits, said John Sicher, publisher of the trade journal Beverage Digest.
In a nod to the growing concerns about sugary drinks, for example, KickStart also uses artificial sweeteners to reduce its caloric content to about half that of regular soda; a can has 80 calories.
“It’s a very interesting experiment capturing a number of attributes,” John Sicher said, likening it to Starbucks’ Refreshers drinks, which promise ‘natural energy’ from green coffee extract.
The promise of “energy” has been a big seller in the beverage industry in recent years, with the energy drink market increasing 17% in 2011 even as broader soft drink consumption has continued to decline, according to Beverage Digest.
PepsiCo and the Coca-Cola Co. have largely watched that growth from the sidelines, however, with players such as Monster Beverage and Red Bull dominating the market.
But the surging popularity of energy drinks has also led to sharper scrutiny. This summer, New York’s attorney general launched an investigation into the marketing prices of energy drink makers including Monster and PepsiCo, which also makes Amp. Lawmakers and consumer advocacy groups have also called on the FDA to investigate the safety of the high levels of caffeine in energy drinks for younger people.
Although KickStart may look like an energy drink, it has far less caffeine, at 92 milligrams for a 16-ounce can. A comparable amount of regular Mountain Dew would have 72 milligrams of caffeine while a can of PepsiCo’s Amp energy drink has 142 milligrams, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
By comparison, a 16-ounce cup of Starbucks coffee has 330 milligrams of caffeine.
