UN to investigate North Korea human rights abuses
The UN human rights council has set up an inquiry into human rights abuses in North Korea for the first time.
The council unanimously voted for the probe, which will examine allegations of prison camps, slave labour and food deprivation in the country.
North Korea denounced the resolution as a political ploy.
It is highly unlikely the team will be granted access to North Korea, so they will have to rely on satellite imagery and accounts from defectors.
North Korea's human rights record will now be under intense scrutiny, and evidence gathered by the team could be used in future prosecutions for crimes against humanity.
UN special rapporteur Marzuki Darusman, who presented the initial report on North Korea and will be a member of the inquiry, said that a key focus should be the country's prison camps.
"The prison camps could qualify as crimes against humanity," he said. "These are camps which have the purpose of driving the people being detained there towards a slow death."
His report also described "widespread and systematic violations of human rights" including enforced disappearances and using food to control people.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said the UN had evidence indicating that North Korea's political prisons held around 200,000 people, with many subjected to rape, torture and slave labour. The resolution, which was presented by Japan and the European Union, was approved by all 47 members of the council.
"For too long the population of the country has been subjected to widespread and systematic human rights violations and abuses," Ireland's Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore said, speaking on behalf of the EU.
North Korea's ambassador to the UN, Pyong Se-so, called the resolution "a faked document full of political invective, with serious distortions."
He accused the council of seeking to "disgrace the image" of North Korea, adding that his country had "one of the best systems in the world for the protections of human rights".
The inquiry has been welcomed by activists. In a statement, Human Rights Watch described the move as a "landmark step", that would "help expose decades of abuse by the North Korean government".
The probe comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Korean peninsula, following North Korea's third nuclear test in February and the subsequent tightening of UN sanctions.
On Thursday, the North Korean army issued a statement threatening US military bases in Japan, in response to the US flying nuclear-capable B-52 bombers over South Korea as part of a joint military exercise.
"The United States is advised not to forget that our precision target tools have within their range the Anderson Air Force base on Guam where the B-52 takes off, as well as the Japanese mainland where nuclear powered submarines are deployed and the navy bases on Okinawa," a military spokesman was quoted as saying.
Nicolas Sarkozy to be investigated in Bettencourt scandal
French ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy has been placed under formal investigation over claims his 2007 election campaign received illegal donations from France's richest woman.
Mr Sarkozy is accused of accepting thousands of euros from L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, now aged 90.
The former leader denies taking financial advantage of Mrs Bettencourt.
His lawyer said he would file an appeal against the "incoherent and unfair decision", AFP news agency reports.
Magistrate Jean-Michel Gentil, who leads the inquiry, unexpectedly summoned Mr Sarkozy for a face-to-face encounter with Mrs Bettencourt's butler, Pascal Bonnefoy, in the city of Bordeaux.
The judge wanted to determine how often the politician had met Mrs Bettencourt in 2007.
While Mr Sarkozy has maintained he only saw her once during that year, the butler gave a different account on Thursday, the BBC's Christian Fraser, in Paris, reports.
Following the hearing, prosecutors said the ex-president had been placed under formal investigation "for taking advantage of a vulnerable person during 2007 to the detriment of Liliane Bettencourt".
Under French law the court's decision falls short of a formal charge, our correspondent says. Investigators will press ahead with the enquiry before deciding whether he should face a trial.
The former president previously hinted that he was considering another tilt at the presidency in 2017. The outcome of the investigation could determine whether he will make a return to politics, observers say.
Police raided Mr Sarkozy's home and offices last July after he lost his presidential immunity.
He was declared a material witness in November, which meant he was a suspect but had not been formally charged.
Mr Sarkozy met Mrs Bettencourt when he was mayor of the wealthiest suburb in Paris and forged a close friendship with her over the years, our correspondent says.
He was a regular visitor to the family mansion, according to her staff.
It is alleged that staff acting for Mrs Bettencourt gave 150,000 euros (£120,600) in cash to Mr Sarkozy's aides during his successful 2007 campaign to become president. Individual campaign contributions in France are limited to 4,600 euros.
Mrs Bettencourt's former accountant, Claire Thibout, has alleged Mr Sarkozy's campaign treasurer at the time - Eric Woerth, who later became budget minister - collected the cash in person.
She also revealed in a leaked police interview that Mr Sarkozy, while mayor of Neuilly from 1983 to 2002, paid "regular" visits to the Bettencourt house.
But Mr Sarkozy has dismissed as mere gossip claims that he took envelopes stuffed with cash.
"[The Bettencourt] never gave me a single penny and I never asked them for any," the politician was quoted as saying by the Sud-Ouest newspaper.
Mr Woerth, who was forced to resign as UMP party treasurer in July as a result of the scandal, is already under formal investigation over the 150,000 euro payment allegations.
The allegations surrounding Mr Sarkozy and Mr Woerth first surfaced in connection with a trial over Mrs Bettencourt's estimated 17bn euro fortune.
Mr Woerth denies any wrongdoing, as does Mrs Bettencourt.
Source-BBC
Xi Jinping heads to Russia in first foreign tour
Xi Jinping is heading to Russia on the first stop of his maiden overseas tour as president of China.
Mr Xi is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the two likely to discuss energy and investment deals.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Xi said the two countries were "most important strategic partners" who spoke a "common language".
He will also visit Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo on his tour, which continues until 30 March.
In South Africa, he will attend the fifth Brics summit from 26-27 March. Brics stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - five key emerging economies.
The choice of Moscow as Mr Xi's first destination is seen as symbolic, and a move from China to counter the US pivot to Asia, correspondents say.
Russia is one of the world's biggest energy producers, and China is the world's top energy consumer. Bilateral trade is booming, reaching a record $88bn (£58bn) last year.
Additionally, Beijing and Moscow have held similar positions over a number of thorny diplomatic issues, from Iran to Syria to North Korea, and some analysts suggest the bond is likely to strengthen.
At a press conference, Mr Xi called Russia China's "friendly neighbour", and said that the fact that he was visiting so soon after assuming presidency was "a testimony to the great importance China places on its relations with Russia."
"China-Russia relations have entered a new phase in which the two countries provide major development opportunities to each other," he said.
China is also Africa's largest trading partner, surpassing the United States and its traditional European partners.
"China-Africa co-operation is comprehensive," Mr Xi said. "It has contributed to Africa's international standing."
Xi Jinping was confirmed as China's president last week, concluding a lengthy transition process that saw him assume the Communist Party leadership in November 2012.
Australia's Kevin Rudd in party leadership vow
Kevin Rudd has ruled out any return to the Australian Labor Party leadership, as ructions continue after Thursday's abortive ballot.
In a statement, Mr Rudd said there were "no circumstances" under which he would seek the party's top job.
His comments came a day after he chose not to contest a vote aimed at ending debate over who should lead the party into September's election.
Since then a number of his supporters have been sacked or stepped down.
Simon Crean, a senior minister whose actions forced Prime Minister Julia Gillard to call the ballot, has been sacked.
Front-bencher and former Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has resigned from the cabinet and at least three other officials have stepped down from senior party roles.
They keep their seats, however, leaving Labor's paper-thin majority intact.
Thursday's dramatic events followed weeks of speculation that Mr Rudd, the former prime minister ousted by Ms Gillard - then his deputy - in 2010, had moved closer to securing the numbers needed to challenge her. Public support for Ms Gillard is low and she looks on course to lose the coming election to the Liberal Party's Tony Abbot. Mr Rudd commands considerably stronger public support, leaving some Labor MPs backing him for the top job.
Minutes before the leadership ballot was due to take place, however, Mr Rudd said he had no plans to stand, saying he did not have the numbers. Ms Gillard was therefore uncontested in the ballot.
On Friday,in the statement on his website, Mr Rudd said his decision to contest the next election as a local MP had not changed.
"Furthermore, Mr Rudd wishes to make 100% clear to all members of the parliamentary Labor Party, including his own supporters, that there are no circumstances under which he will return to the Labor Party leadership in the future," the brief statement read.
Ms Gillard said that Thursday's events had settled the leadership issue conclusively.
"I think political watchers will know that for some period of time there's been an undercurrent in our party and it was dealt with yesterday and brought to an end."
But correspondents said the abortive ballot had only served to further damage the party, highlighting bitter divisions.
The general election is due to take place on 14 September. But the opposition is threatening to move a no-confidence motion in the government to force an early poll.
We've still got a civil war inside the government," Mr Abbott said, calling on independents to support the motion when parliament resumes on 14 May.
Obama: Peace with Palestinians Crucial to Israel's Future
President Barack Obama leaves Israel on Friday, going to Jordan on the next stop of his Mideast trip. Obama told Israelis on Thursday that Palestinians deserve an independent state and Israel's future depends on forging a lasting peace.
Punctuated by frequent applause, and at one point interrupted by a heckler, the speech was aimed at prompting Israel's younger generation to consider their future in an increasingly unstable region.
Obama suggested that future must include risk-taking to achieve lasting peace with an independent and viable Palestinian state living alongside a secure Israel.
"I believe that peace is the only path to true security," he said. "You have the opportunity to be the generation that permanently secures the Zionist dream, or you can face a growing challenge to its future."
Obama said it would be easier for him to offer unconditional support for Israel. Instead, he offered his advice as a friend deeply concerned about and committed to Israel's future.
He said Israel faces sweeping political changes in the Arab world and changing demographics in the Middle East.
By committing to a lasting peace with Palestinians, Israelis could reverse an "undertow of isolation" and blunt the impact of extremists.
"No single step can change overnight what lies in hearts and minds of millions," Obama said. "No single step is going to erase years of history and propaganda. But progress with the Palestinians is a powerful way to begin while sidelining extremists who thrive on conflict and thrive on division. It would make a difference."
Obama added that Israel's security must be central to any settlement and Israel will always have the support of the United States.
"Today I want to tell you, particularly the young people so that there is no mistake here," he said. "So long as there is a United States of America - atem lo levad - you are not alone."
Earlier in the occupied West Bank, Obama met with President Mahmoud Abbas. He urged Palestinians and Israelis not to remain frozen by "old positions" blocking direct negotiations.
President Abbas called Israeli settlement policy the major hurdle to a two-state solution.
"It is the duty of the Israeli government to at least halt the activity, so that we can speak of issues, and when we define our borders and their borders together, each side will know its territory in which it can do whatever it pleases," said Abbas.
On Friday, Obama visits the Yad Vashem memorial to Holocaust victims and lays wreaths at the graves of Israeli leaders. He also returns to the West Bank to visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
He then leaves for Jordan and talks with King Abdullah about Mideast peace efforts, Syria, and political and economic reform.
Source-VOA
Lindsay Lohan given rehab over Los Angeles car crash
Lindsay Lohan has been given 90 days in rehab for charges relating to a car crash last June in Los Angeles.
She accepted a deal to avoid the case going to trial after her sports car crashed into a truck on the Pacific Coast Highway last summer.
She pleaded no contest to reckless driving and lying to police. A charge of obstructing an officer was dropped.
The actress, 26, also has to carry out 30 days community service and 18 months of psychological therapy sessions.
She was fined by Superior Court judge James R. Dabney, who gave Lindsay Lohan until a court date on 2 May to enrol in a rehab programme,
The actress arrived nearly an hour late for Monday's court hearing and had her probation extended by two years.
Plea deal
If she sticks to the plea deal, she may be able to avoid 180 days in jail for violating probation in a separate case.
She was sentenced to four months in jail in 2011 over the theft of a $2,500 gold necklace from a shop in Los Angeles the year before.
Out of court, Lohan has struggled to regain her stature in Hollywood after appearing in films like Freaky Friday and Mean Girls as a teenager in 2003 and 2004.
In 2007 she was arrested twice for driving under the influence and sentenced to several short jail terms and rehab for failing to perform community service and missing counselling sessions.
She missed the premiere of Machete in 2010 because of her court troubles and her acting return in 2012's TV movie Liz & Dick was widely panned by critics and viewers.
Her next project is The Canyons, a film that also features porn actor James Deen.
Nuggets beat Thunder for first 13-game win streak
Ty Lawson scored 25 points, Andre Miller had 20 points and nine assists and the Denver Nuggets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 114-104 Tuesday night to win a 13th straight game for the first time since joining the NBA.
The Nuggets trailed by one at halftime but took control in the third quarter and never let Oklahoma City reclaim the lead. Denver moved within 3 1/2 games of the Thunder in the Northwest Division and became the first team this season to beat Oklahoma City three times.
It's also a big win in the chase for home-court advantage in the playoffs for Denver, which is tied with Miami for the NBA's best home record at 30-3.
Kevin Durant had 34 points and Russell Westbrook chipped in 25 for Oklahoma City, which lost at home for just the fifth time this season.
The Thunder gave up a season-worst 72 points in the paint - Denver's specialty - as both teams struggled throughout the game from 3-point range. The Nuggets had 66 and 60 points in the lane in wins against Oklahoma City in Denver earlier this season.
Denver's previous longest winning streak in the NBA was 12 straight games in 1982. The franchise won 15 in a row in the ABA.
The Nuggets trailed 66-65 at halftime, but took the lead on Danilo Gallinari's 3-pointer and then followed Westbrook's tying, two-handed dunk off an inbound alley-oop pass by charging ahead with a 12-2 run. Andre Iguodala's right-handed, fast-break slam - created by Gallinari's steal - put Denver up 80-70 midway through the third and prompted Scott Brooks' second timeout to try and end the surge.
After back-to-back Thunder baskets, the Nuggets added to their cushion with seven straight points - a Lawson 3-pointer, a Corey Brewer jumper and then an 18-footer by Lawson - to make it 87-74 with 2:59 left in the third.
Oklahoma City got as close as 102-97 when Westbrook hit a 17-foot jumper from the left elbow with 4:08 to play, but Miller had back-to-back jumpers as Denver answered right back with five straight points. Miller closed it out from the foul line after that.
Miller scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, hitting five of six foul shots in the final 69 seconds.
The Nuggets had six players score in double figures, getting 13 apiece from Kenneth Faried and Gallinari, 11 from Corey Brewer and 10 from Iguodala. Faried also grabbed 15 rebounds as Denver overcame a 14-6 first-quarter rebounding deficit to beat Oklahoma City 52-45 on the glass.
Wilson Chandler, who tied his career-high with 35 points in a win at Chicago a night earlier, did not return after separating his left shoulder in the fourth quarter.
Asia currencies gain as Cyprus bailout fears hurt euro
Asian currencies have continued to strengthen as uncertainty over the developments in Cyprus hurt the euro.
On Tuesday, Cyprus rejected a controversial levy on bank deposits, proposed by the EU and IMF as part of their bailout package for the country.
Fears that Cyprus's two biggest banks may collapse if a bailout is not agreed have seen investors ditch the euro and turn to relatively safer assets.
The Japanese yen, Australian dollar and US dollar all rose against the euro.
The Japanese currency gained as much as 1.4%. It was trading at near 122.22 yen to a euro in Asian trade.
Meanwhile, the Australian dollar hit a ten-week high of A$1.24 against the single currency, while the US dollar was trading at near four-month high of $1.2843.
Analysts said that investors were worried about how Cyprus's crisis may unfold in the coming days, especially if any strict conditions may be imposed as part of a potential bailout.
Until this plays out and until that cloud is dealt with, it's going to be hard to get too optimistic on the outlook in the near term”
Michael Turner Royal Bank of Canada
This leaves Pandora's Box wide open," said Mike Moran, senior currency strategist at Standard Chartered.
"If policymakers initially thought it was OK to tax depositors as heavily as they first suggested, one just doesn't know what plan B or C might be."
Mr Moran added that the given the uncertainty surrounding the crisis, the euro was likely to weaken further.
"Unless we have a swift resolution, this will weigh on the outlook for the currency," he said.
'Negative press'
The EU and the IMF had asked Cyprus to impose a levy on bank deposits as part of a 10bn euro (£8.7bn; $13bn) bailout package.
According to the original proposal, announced over the weekend, savers with deposits of up to 100,000 euros (£86,000; $130,000) would have had to pay a one-off levy of 6.75%, while those over that amount would have been charged at 9.9%.
The pact was widely criticised and saw customers make a rush to withdraw money.
On Tuesday, the Cypriot finance ministry announced a change in the plan that would exempt savers with less than 20,000 euros in deposits. But it said those over 100,000 euros would still be charged at 9.9%.
The plan was still rejected by the parliament with no MP voting for it.
Meanwhile, the country's banks have been ordered to remain shut until Thursday, amid concerns of a run on bank accounts.
Obama On His Way to Israel, West Bank, Jordan
U.S. President Barack Obama is on his way to what the White House calls a very important visit to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan.
This is Mr. Obama's first official visit to Israel. He will be joined by Secretary of State John Kerry as a new Israeli government featuring pro-settlement ministers takes office.
Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes says there is no substitute for Mr. Obama delivering his message of support for Israel's security directly to the Israeli people.
Rhodes also says the United States has made a significant investment in the Palestinian Authority, which he calls the legitimate leadership of the Palestinian people.
But Palestinians say they have been disappointed with Mr. Obama so far, and see little reason for optimism in his second term.
Mr. Obama also will stop in Jordan, where the United States has been helping officials cope with the flood of Syrian refugees.
French Hostage in Mali Reported Executed
An African news agency says al-Qaida's North African branch has executed a French hostage in retaliation for France's military intervention in Mali.
Mauritania's ANI news agency Tuesday said the execution of hostage Philippe Verdon was relayed in a telephone call to the news agency, which has close links to Islamist militants in the region. The agency quoted a spokesman for al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, as saying the execution took place March 10.
The killing has not been confirmed, and the French Foreign Ministry declined comment late Tuesday.
Verdon was one of two French hostages kidnapped in November 2011 in the northern Mali town of Hombori. He was reported to be on a business trip
Earlier Tuesday, French radio broadcast an interview with Verdon's father, in which he complained about the lack of information on the status of his hostage son. Jean-Pierre Verdon said neither French officials nor militants had supplied information on his son, and he called the lack of news "insufferable."