Pope Asks Non-Catholics To Unite For Peace

The Pope has called on atheists to unite with believers of all religions and work for "a homemade peace" that can spread across the world.

Speaking to about 70,000 people from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis also made another appeal for the environment to be saved from "human greed and rapacity".

Celebrating his first Christmas as leader of the 1.2 billion-member Catholic Church, he centred his first "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and world) message on the theme of peace.

Pope Francis holds a statue of Jesus at Christmas Eve mass at the Vatican

"Peace is a daily commitment. It is a homemade peace," he said.

"I invite even non-believers to desire peace. (Join us) with your desire, a desire that widens the heart. Let us all unite, either with prayer or with desire, but everyone, for peace."

His words came on the same day that bombers targeted Christians in Iraq, with two bomb blasts killing 22 people in the capital, Baghdad.

Pope Francis called for "social harmony in South Sudan, where current tensions have already caused numerous victims and are threatening peaceful coexistence in that young state".

Thousands gathered at Manger Square near the Church of the Nativity

Thousands are believed to have died in violence divided along ethnic lines between the Nuer and Dinka tribes in the country, which seceded from Sudan in 2011 after decades of war.

A similar message calling for an end to conflicts was delivered by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was also delivering his first Christmas Day address as head of his church.

The Pope also called for dialogue to end the conflicts in Syria, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq, and prayed for a "favourable outcome" to the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.

Pilgrims came from all over the world to experience Christmas at the Vatican.

"(He) is bringing a new era into the Church, a Church that is focusing much more on the poor and that is more austere, more lively," said Dolores Di Benedetto, who came from the Pope's homeland, Argentina, to attend Christmas Eve Mass.

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South Sudan: 'Thousands Dead' In Ethnic Clashes

Mass graves have been uncovered in South Sudan amid evidence ethnic clashes have left thousands dead.

Dozens of bodies were discovered at a burial site in the country's oil-rich Unity State and there were reports of two other mass graves elsewhere.

Violence has flared in a power struggle between President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and his ex-deputy Riek Machar, an ethnic Nuer.

The bodies in the grave are thought to be among 75 Dinkas who have gone missing.

A displaced woman lies on her belongings

Meanwhile, a journalist in the capital, Juba, quoted witnesses as saying more than 200 people, mostly Nuers, had been shot by security forces.

UN humanitarian chief Toby Lanzer said there was "absolutely no doubt"  that thousands of people had been killed.

His comments are the first clear indication of the scale of conflict engulfing the young nation.

Journalist Hannah McNeish, who is in South Sudan, said: "The UN has said there are over 50,000 people who are sheltering at their bases.

South Sudan is the world's newest nation

"I just visited one in Juba which has 10,000 people in, and the conditions are horrendous and squalid.

"There are aid agencies already warning of an outbreak of cholera, there's open defecation everywhere, and these people are also scared – they don't feel safe."

They say there are men trying to come in to kill them, even shooting through the fence, and there are more on the way."

UN soldiers on guard to protect the displaced people

Britain has sent a senior diplomat to South Sudan to assist efforts to restore peace, as the UN voted to boost the size of its force from 7,000 to 12,500.

Reports suggest that British nationals are among an estimated 3,000 foreigners trapped in the city of Bor, which was seized by rebels last week.

President Kiir said that government troops had now retaken control of the city.

UN spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the victims discovered in the grave were reportedly members of the Sudan People's Liberation Army.

She said there were unconfirmed reports of least two more mass graves in Jebel-Kujur and Newside, near Juba.

Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have fled to the countryside, leading to warnings of an imminent humanitarian disaster.

Tens of thousands more civilians have sought protection at badly overstretched UN bases.

At least 20,000 are sheltering at two bases in Juba, and another 17,000 in Bor, capital of the precarious eastern Jonglei state.

"The estimated number of people displaced in the current crisis in South Sudan has risen to 81,000," a UN report said.

"Given the limited access to civilians outside population centres, the number is likely to be significantly higher."                 

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned warring factions that reports of crimes against humanity will be investigated.

Fighting started more than a week ago when President Kiir accused his former deputy of attempting a coup.

Mr Machar has denied the claim and has in turn accused Mr Kiir of carrying out a vicious purge of his rivals.

The country has been blighted by ethnic divisions, corruption and poverty since it won independence in 2011.

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Spacewalk On Christmas Eve For US Astronauts

Two US astronauts have made a rare Christmas Eve spacewalk to repair the International Space Station's cooling system.

It was the second spacewalk in four days for astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Michael Hopkins.

The pair removed a faulty ammonia pump at the International Space Station during Saturday's outing.

It is only the second Christmas Eve spacewalk in NASA history. Pic: Nasa

They have now installed a new  pump in what is hoped will be the final fix at the system.

First, the astronauts bolted down the pump, then worked to connect ammonia fluid lines. Last was a series of electrical connectors. 

"It's like Christmas morning opening up a little present here," Mr Mastracchio said as he checked his toolkit.

Later, as he worked to remove the spare pump from its storage shelf, he commented: "Now it really feels like I'm unwrapping a present."

The ISS flies about 250 miles above Earth. Pic: Nasa

The spacewalk had been originally planned for Monday, but was delayed by one day to give Mr Mastracchio time to switch to another suit.

He inadvertently hit a water switch in the air lock at the end of Saturday's excursion, and a bit of water entered his suit, making it unusable this week. 

It is only the second Christmas Eve spacewalk in NASA history, the previous one in 1999 during a Hubble Space Telescope repair mission.

One of two cooling systems on the US side of the space station - a $100bn project of 15 nations - shut down on December 11 due to a faulty valve. 

The cooling system shut down on December 11. Pic: Nasa

The fault prompted the six-man crew to turn off all non-essential equipment, including experiments.

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Greenpeace Activist Granted Amnesty In Russia

Greenpeace has confirmed that Briton Anthony Perrett has become the first member of the Arctic 30 protest group to be granted amnesty in Russia.

Mr Perrett, from Newport, was one of 28 activists and two freelance journalists arrested when Russian authorities boarded their ship during an anti-drilling protest in September.

The activist, one of six Britons from the Arctic 30 group, says he is looking forward to returning home now that charges against him have been dropped.

"It's time to go home, it's time to get back to Wales, and I just got one big step closer," Mr Perrett said in a statement released by Greenpeace.

British activist Anthony Perrett after hearing he had been granted bail

Mr Perrett also defended his decision to join activists aboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise. They were arrested during their protest at Gazprom's drilling platform in the Pechora Sea.

"I took peaceful action to defend a fragile region under profound threat and instead I was seized by armed commandos at sea and spent two months in detention," he said.

"The Arctic is melting before our eyes and yet the oil companies are lining up to profit from its destruction.

The six British Greenpeace activists who were arrested in Russia

"This is why I took action, to expose them and mobilise people to demand Arctic protection. I am proud of what I did."

A Greenpeace spokesman said the migration service had told Mr Perrett he would be contacted on Boxing Day to collect his visa, meaning he would not be home for Christmas.

The spokesman said it is not known when the rest of the Arctic 30 group will be allowed to leave Russia.

Last week the Russian parliament approved an amnesty decree freeing defendants who have been charged with hooliganism.

Russian special forces arrested the protesters at gunpoint in September

The Arctic 30 group had previously been accused of piracy, but the charge was later downgraded.

Among others released under the amnesty are Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, two members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former oil tycoon who was widely seen by Kremlin critics and Western politicians as a political prisoner, has also been freed.

The amnesty has been largely viewed as the Kremlin's attempt to soothe criticism of Russia's human rights records ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi in February.

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Egypt: 14 Dead In Police Headquarters Explosion

At least 13 people have been killed in an explosion at a police headquarters in the Egyptian city of Mansoura.

The blast injured around 100 others, state media reported.

Investigators are trying to find out whether the blast, which happened at around 1am, was caused by a car bomb of from explosives planted around the five-storey regional security headquarters in the Nile Delta province of Daqahliya.

The blast damaged surrounding buildings and wrecked nearby cars

Most of those killed are understood to have been police officers who were inside the building at the time of the blast. 

The explosion reportedly damaged surrounding buildings and wrecked dozens of vehicles.

Security forces cordoned off the area, closed major entrances and exits to the city and set up checkpoints.

State TV called on residents to rush to hospitals to donate blood.

Egypt's interim government accused the Muslim Brotherhood of orchestrating the attack, branding it a "terrorist organisation".

The movement itself strongly condemned the attack.

The bombing comes just weeks ahead of a referendum on a new constitution billed as the first major step towards democracy after Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi was forced from power in July.

Interim Prime Minister Hazem el Beblawi expressed condolences to the families of the victims and vowed the perpetrators would "not escape justice".

The attack comes a day after an al Qaeda-inspired group called on police and army personnel to desert or face death at the hands of its fighters.

It is the first major attack in the Nile Delta, spreading the carnage to a new area and bringing it closer to Cairo.

Previous violence that has killed scores of people has taken place in Sinai or in Suez Canal-area cities such as Islamilia.

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UAE's First Female Priest Backs Women Bishops

By Zein Ja'Far, Sky News Producer

One of the few female priests in the Middle East, and the first one to be ordained in the United Arab Emirates, has told Sky News she backs the cause of women to become bishops.

The Reverend Jo Henderson, who is based at St Andrew's Church in Abu Dhabi, said: "I do support the fight for women to become bishops.

"I think women have an awful lot to give to the church, a whole different dimension, and I believe it is a natural progression.

"I would expect somebody to enter (the church) at a level and progress through the system."

She also described the UAE as a "melting pot" and said she was excited to be working with Christians from such a diverse range of countries and religious traditions.

Thousands of worshippers visit St Andrew's each week and the church hosts 40-guest congregations ranging from the Ethiopian Orthodox to the Indian Pentecostal and Tamil Christian Fellowship.

St Joseph's Catholic Cathedral - which hosts over 100,000 Catholic expats from around the world - and the Egyptian Coptic Church are just a few metres away.

St Joseph's is the biggest church in Abu Dhabi and Father Gandalf, who works there as the Bishop's secretary, says there are still challenges when it comes to religious freedom in the country.

He said: "The UAE is certainly the country which gives the greatest freedom to Christians in the Arabian Peninsula.

"I hope that the good understanding which exists especially in this country, but even in other countries, means we can live peacefully but we would like to have some more freedom. Freedom of worship, on the whole, we have, but it's limited to our places (of worship)."

There are thought to be around 800,000 Christians in the country with churches in all of the seven Emirates. Christian leaders have praised the religious tolerance of the authorities in comparison to the strict approach taken by neighbouring states - namely Saudi Arabia - who do not allow people to practise Christianity openly.

The Reverend Canon Andy Thompson, who runs St Andrew's, told Sky News: "It just goes to demonstrate how unique the UAE is in their hospitality to the Christian community. It does make them stand out in comparison to other Islamic nations."

But recent turmoil across the Middle East has led prominent figures, most recently Prince Charles, to voice concerns about the security and safety of Christians in the region.

Reverend Canon Thompson said: "The Middle East is a big area with many different countries, with many different styles of government and ethos. So, I think, Prince Charles' comments were very relevant to certain countries in the Middle East, but it certainly doesn't apply to all the countries in the Middle East."

An Anglican church built last year in the northern Emirate of Ras al-Khaima is the UAE's largest and accommodates 2,000 people.

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Michelle Obama Helps Kids Track Santa By Phone

Michelle Obama has taken calls from children eagerly checking the progress of Santa's sleigh as he delivers presents around the world.

The First Lady volunteered for the traditional North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) Tracks Santa programme and wished callers a Merry Christmas.

"I see his sleigh with eight tiny reindeer and he is over Sudan - South Sudan. That's in Africa," she told a girl named Ella.

"And right now, he's delivering some gifts. He's going down, swooping down to some little kids who are in South Sudan, OK? That's where he is right now. It's really, really very cool, don't you think?"

Mrs Obama took the calls in the President's home state of Hawaii, where the family are spending their Christmas holiday.

The Norad programme started when department store Sears Roebuck & Co advertised its Santa hotline in a magazine in 1955.

"Hey Kiddies, call me direct on my telephone," said the ad, below which was printed the wrong phone number.

Rather than getting through to the shop, children dialled America's Continental Air Defence Command, which later became Norad.

Instead of telling callers they had the wrong number, Colonel Harry Shoup told staff to check their radar screens and provide children with an update on Santa's location.

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Iraq: Christmas Bombers Target Christians

At least 22 people have been killed in Christmas Day bomb attacks targeting Christians in Iraq.

A car bomb went off near a church during Christmas Mass in Baghdad's southern Dora district, killing at least 15 people and wounding more than 30, a police officer said.

Earlier, a bomb ripped through an outdoor market in the nearby Christian section of Athorien, killing seven people and wounding 16, the officer added.

Both attacks took place in Baghdad's Dora district

A medical official confirmed the casualty figures. 

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, but Iraq's dwindling Christian community, which is estimated at 400,000 to 600,000 people, has often been targeted by al Qaeda and other insurgents.

The latest bombings came amid a massive military operation in Iraq's western desert as authorities try to hunt down insurgents who have stepped up attacks across Iraq, sending violence to levels not seen since 2008.

Christians attending mass in Baghdad's St Joseph Chaldean church

Along with Christians, other targets for extremists include civilians in restaurants, cafes or crowded public areas, as well as Shi'ites and members of the Iraqi security forces, who are targeted in an attempt to undermine confidence in the Shi'ite-led government and stir up sectarian tensions.

The Christmas Day attacks brought the total number of people killed so far this month in Iraq to 426.

According to UN estimates, more than 8,000 people have been killed since the start of the year.

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Taxi Driver Finds - And Hands In - $300,000 Cash

A Las Vegas taxi driver has proved to be the Good Samaritan of the season after returning a bag full of cash found on his back seat.

Gerardo Gamboa thought someone had left a paper bag full of chocolates in his cab, but it turned out to be $300,000 (£184,000) in cold, hard cash.

The taxi driver was making a pick-up on Monday at the Bellagio hotel when a hotel doorman noticed the brown paper bag and handed it to him, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

He checked the bag while at a traffic light and found six bundles of $100 bills.

Mr Gamboa received a cheque from his company as a reward

"Oh my God, this is cash money," was his immediate reaction to the find.

He called his supervisor and took the money to the company's main office.

Las Vegas police and casino officials were able to link the money to a well-known poker player whose identity remains secret.

The cabbie said he had not spoken to the passenger during the journey.

When asked if he had considered keeping the cash, he said: "Oh no, no, not even, not even one second, no."

His bosses praised him for 13 years of loyal, trouble-free service

It is unknown whether he will receive a reward from the poker player, but the cab company has awarded him $1,000 for his honesty.

Singing Mr Gamboa's praises, Bill Shranko of Yellow Checker Star Transportation said, "This guy is just terrific. Not one problem with him in the whole 13 years."

The taxi driver himself said he was satisfied with his decision to turn the money in.

"I did the right thing for myself, for my family, for my company and the city of Las Vegas," he said.

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Antarctic Ice Traps Cruise Ship Tourists

A Russian cruise ship with 74 people on board has got stuck in the ice near Antarctica.

The ship, MV Akademik Shokalskiy, is stranded some 1,500 nautical miles south of Tasmania and 100 nautical miles east of the French base Dumont D'Urville.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which is co-ordinating the search and rescue, was alerted to the ship's situation by Falmouth Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Cornwall which received a distress signal early on Christmas Day morning.

The ship is 1,500 nautical miles from Hobart. Map: AMSA

The Australian authorities have issued a broadcast to icebreaking vessels in the area and three ships are now on their way.

However, the closest vessels are at least two days' sailing time away.

Those on board the ship, which left New Zealand late last month, include explorers, scientists and tourists, as well as crew.

The voyage was planned as part of an expedition to mark the centenary of explorer Douglas Mawson's trip and to get the chance to see Mawson's Huts which have been inaccessible for some time because of an iceberg.

Mawson's Hut in Commonwealth Bay

It is not known how the ship became stuck but the AMSA says the vessel is not in any immediate danger.

Those on board had just returned from a 60km trek across pack ice, one organiser of the voyage told Australia's 9news.

Passengers seem to be taking the adventure in their stride, with Australasian Antarctic expedition leader Chris Turney tweeting: "We're in the ice like the explorers of old! All are well and spirits are high. Happy Christmas from the AA."

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YouTube Most Viewed: The Fox Tops 2013 List

YouTube Most Viewed: The Full List

Updated: 1:27pm UK, Wednesday 11 December 2013

YouTube has revealed the videos that have made the biggest impact worldwide and across the UK in 2013.

Top 10 Trending Videos (Global)

1. Ylvis - The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?), tvnorge, 265,351,182

2. Harlem Shake (original army edition), kennethaakonsen, 95,074,238

3. How Animals Eat Their Food, MisterEpicMann, 88,314,305

4. Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball (Chatroulette Version), SteveKardynal, 67,761,062

5. baby&me / the new evian film, EvianBabies, 66,802,801

6. Volvo Trucks - The Epic Split ft Van Damme, VolvoTrucks, 57,163,518

7. YOLO (feat. Adam Levine & Kendrick Lamar), thelonelyisland, 53,268,881

8. Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise, CarrieNYC, 50,198,668

9. The NFL : A Bad Lip Reading, BadLipReading, 43,945,120

10. Mozart vs Skrillex. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 2, ERB, 41,647,082

Top 10 Music Videos (Global)

1. Psy - GENTLEMAN M/V, officialpsy, 594,477,060

2. Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball, MileyCyrusVEVO, 377,051,906

3. Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop, MileyCyrusVEVO, 297,786,345

4. Katy Perry - Roar (Official), KatyPerryVEVO, 241,176,391

5. P!nk - Just Give Me A Reason ft Nate Ruess, PinkVEVO, 234,306,316

6. Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines ft T.I., Pharrell, RobinThickeVEVO, 226,958,080

7. Rihanna - Stay ft Mikky Ekko, RihannaVEVO, 215,486,472

8. Naughty Boy - La La La feat. Sam Smith, NaughtyBoyVEVO, 196,665,012

9. Selena Gomez - Come & Get It, SelenaGomezVEVO, 178,005,663

10. Avicii - Wake Me Up (Official Video), AviciiOfficialVEVO, 175,985,946

Top 10 Trending Videos (UK)

1. How Animals Eat Their Food - MisterEpicMann

2. My Wedding Speech - Tom Fletcher from McFly

3. Attraction perform their stunning shadow act - week 1 auditions, Britain's Got Talent 2013

4. Will & Jaden Smith, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Alfonso Ribeiro Rap! - The Graham Norton Show, BBC One

5. Welcome To Standing Up School! asdfmovie6

6. Harlem Shake (original army edition)

7. Tom Daley: Something I want to say

8. Francine Lewis with her many impressions - week 2 auditions, Britain's Got Talent 2013

9. People are awesome 2013 (Hadouken! - Levitate)

10. Learn the Alphabet with Peppa Pig!

Top 10 Music Videos (UK)

1. Naughty Boy - La La La ft. Sam Smith

2. PSY - Gentleman M/V

3. Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines ft T.I., Pharrell

4. Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball

5. Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop

6. Avicii - Wake Me Up (Lyric Video)

7. Ylvis - The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) [Official music video HD]

8. Daft Punk - Get Lucky (Official Audio) ft Pharrell Williams

9. Katy Perry - Roar (Official)

10. Rudimental - Waiting All Night feat. Ella Eyre (Official Video)

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US Off-Piste Skier Survives Avalanche Fall

An off-piste skier who was caught on video being dragged into a ravine in Utah and buried in snow has miraculously survived the ordeal.

The unnamed woman lived because she deployed a special air bag in her backpack and other skiers were able to dig her out quickly, witnesses said.

Joe Campanelli was filming the sun-covered Wasatch mountains with his smart phone when the skier descended into a steep gully filled with loose snow in Grizzly Gulch, a short distance from the Alta ski area near Salt Lake City.

"That is not a good slope to ski," Mr Campanelli is heard to say on the recording. Moments later, the slope cracked and he says: "You're in a slide, bud!"

He abruptly stopped recording to go to her help.

The woman was "very lucky" - Pic: Drew Hardesty/Utah Avalanche Centre

His friend, Aaron Rice, said he used an avalanche beacon and a probe to track her down, then dug her out with help from others. She was buried in several feet of snow.

"She was breathing, talking," Mr Rice said. "She said, 'Thank you. I can't believe you got here so quickly.' She was completely shaken up."

The woman was swept about 100 feet down the gully at an angle of about 40 degrees, according to a report on the Utah Avalanche Centre's website.

She was lucky to be alive and escape injury, the centre's Bruce Tremper said, adding that Utah averages about four avalanche deaths a year.

Slopes can be deceptive - Pic: Drew Hardesty/Utah Avalanche Centre

"It's a crapshoot - a game of Russian roulette," he said. "People may perceive a slope to be safe, but there are booby traps all around."

The skier's descent into the gully was so steep and short there was not enough time for the air bag to keep her above the roiling snow.

However, it might have helped keep her from being buried for longer, and under much deeper snow, officials said.

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Sian Green Sues Over New York Taxi Accident

A British tourist who lost part of her leg when a taxi jumped a kerb and hit her in New York has launched a $27.5m (£16.7m) damages claim against the city.

Sian Green filed a notice of claim in November over the incident, which happened at the Rockefeller Center. 

The 24-year-old's lawyer Daniel Marchese said other parties could also face lawsuits.

Ms Green's city claim says the taxi driver's yellow cab licence should have been suspended before the August 20 accident because he had prior driving violations.

New York's Taxi and Limousine Commission has claimed a computer problem, which has since been fixed, was to blame.

Doctors had to amputate the lower part of Ms Green's left leg after she was hit while sightseeing with a friend.

Ms Green was "dismayed" that the taxi driver would not be facing charges

She spent four weeks in a New York hospital following her accident, also sustaining cuts to her right leg.

Immediately after the crash, quick-thinking plumber David Justino used his belt as a tourniquet, tying it around Ms Green's leg, earning praise from medics.

He was also recognised by US celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, who had been filming scenes for his television show nearby and rushed to help.

In November, Ms Green was "incredibly dismayed" to learn that cabbie Mohammed Fasyal Himon, who has said the accident was not his fault, would not be facing criminal charges.

The city's Law Department said it would review her damages claim.

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US Budget Deal Should Avoid New Shutdown

Congressional negotiators have staged a rare show of bipartisanship to reach a modest US budget agreement, which should eliminate the threat of another partial government shutdown early next year.

The plan - expected to be approved by both houses of Congress - restores about $63bn (£38bn) in automatic spending cuts from programmes ranging from parks to the Defense Department.

Spending increases would be offset by a variety of increased fees and other provisions elsewhere in the budget totalling about $85bn (£52bn) over a decade, leaving enough for a largely symbolic cut of about $23bn in the nation's debt, now standing at $17trn and growing.

The White House quickly issued a statement from President Barack Obama praising the deal as a "good first step".

He urged lawmakers in both parties to follow up and "actually pass a budget based on this agreement so I can sign it into law and our economy can continue growing and creating jobs without more Washington headwinds".

National Parks were closed during October's shutdown

While bipartisan approval is expected in Congress, there remains grumbling from liberals over the omission of an extension of long-term unemployment benefits while Tea Party-aligned groups are pushing Republicans to oppose it.

But there is confidence there is enough support behind the agreement to prevent a repeat of the partial shutdown, which marred the start of the US federal budget year on October 1.

That fight centred on Republican attempts to block funding for the President's overhaul to the health care system.

The country also came close to the first-ever federal default when Congress could not reach agreement on raising the debt ceiling.

Republicans eventually relented and agreed to a short-term deal to fund the federal government and raise the debt ceiling when it became clear that Americans were deeply angered over their tactics.

Announcement of the new deal came from the two negotiators, Democrat Senator Patty Murray and Republican Paul Ryan.

Ms Murray said: "We have broken through the partisanship and gridlock" that could have produced a government shutdown in January.

While Tuesday's agreement would have little impact on deficits, it holds the potential for avoiding politically charged budget clashes for the next year or two.

Many Americans were angry about the shutdown

But the plan does nothing to address three of the big drivers of American deficit spending - the Medicare government health insurance programme for the elderly, the Medicaid aid programme for the poor and the Social Security government pension system.

Conservatives are upset that the plan rolls back automatic spending cuts, known as the sequester, while liberals are angered about the requirement that federal employees will have to pay more toward their pension accounts.

Significantly for Democrats, they failed in their bid to include an extension of benefits for workers unemployed longer than 26 weeks.

The programme expires on December 28, when payments will be cut off for an estimated 1.3 million individuals.

Officials said that under the agreement, an estimated $63bn in automatic spending cuts would be restored through the end of the next budget year, which runs to September 30, 2015.

The offsetting $85bn in deficit cuts would play out over a decade.

It calls for newly-hired federal workers to make larger contributions to their own pensions, as well as an increase in a federal airport security fee that would add $5 to the cost of a typical round-trip flight.

The annual increase in military retirement benefits for those under age 62 would be slowed.

More savings would come from extending an existing 2% cut in payments to providers who treat Medicare patients.

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Ukraine Protests: Police Pull Back From Camp

Ukrainian police have pulled back after an overnight confrontation in which they attempted to remove barricades and tents from a protest camp.

Buses carrying police drove away from Kiev's Independence Square early Wednesday to cheers from protesters.

Another group of officers that had been stationed outside the Kiev city hall building, which has been occupied by protesters for weeks, also left.

Arseny Yatsenyuk, a top opposition leader who has called for millions to come out in protest, said: "This is a great victory."

US official Victoria Nuland handed out bread to riot police and protesters

Protesters have been gathering around the clock to demand the resignation of the government in a crisis that threatens the leadership of President Viktor Yanukovych.

Interior minister Vitaly Zakharchenko had said there would be "no storming of the square" as he appealed for calm.

He said: "No one will violate your rights to protest peacefully, but do not ignore the rights ... of other citizens."

Thousands of officers had moved in on the anti-government protesters' camp in the centre of the Ukrainian capital at around 1am on Wednesday.

There were clashes as the protesters put up fierce resistance for hours, pushing back at the police lines to keep them away from key sites in the camp.

Protesters shouted "Shame!", ''We will stand!" and sang the Ukrainian national anthem. Ukrainian singer Ruslana, who is with the protesters, was heard appealing to police through a loud hailer: "Don't hurt us."

By dawn the police had regained control of a large section of the square, reportedly using heavy equipment to bulldoze tents and put them in a rubbish truck.

US Secretary of State John Kerry voiced the country's "disgust" at Ukraine's repression of demonstrators.

Activists linked hands and sang the national anthem as police gathered

"(Washington) expresses its disgust with the decision of Ukrainian authorities to meet the peaceful protest in Kiev's Maidan Square with riot police, bulldozers and batons, rather than with respect for democratic rights and human dignity," he said.

"This response is neither acceptable nor does it befit a democracy."

Later Victoria Nuland, the US Assistant Secretary of State, handed sandwiches to both protesters and riot police in Kiev's Independence Square, along with US ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey R Pyatt.

Ms Nuland said she had held "tough but realistic" talks with Mr Yanukovych, and said she had told him that police action against demonstrators was "absolutely inadmissible".

Opposition leader Vitali Klitschko, who is a reigning world heavyweight boxing champion, had urged Ukrainians to rush to the centre of the capital to defend democracy.

"We will say no to a police state, no to a dictatorship," he told protesters in the square.

Police appeared to receive hundreds of reinforcements

Protesters have been demonstrating against the government's decision to pull out of negotiations on a trade pact with the European Union and rebuild economic ties with Russia.

European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton had earlier visited the camp after first meeting Mr Yanukovych and then opposition leaders.

She issued a statement in response to the police's actions, saying: "I observe with sadness that police use force to remove peaceful people from the centre of Kiev.

"The authorities didn't need to act under the coverage of night to engage with the society by using police.

"Dialogue with political forces and society and use of arguments is always better than the argument of force."

Mr Yanukovych had previously attempted to calm the situation by calling for the release of the demonstrators arrested in the protests and vowing that Ukraine is still interested in integrating with Europe.

His efforts, however, stopped far short of opposition demands that his government resign, and the two sides appeared no closer to a resolution that would chart out a secure future for their economically troubled nation.

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Pope Francis Named Time Person Of The Year

Time magazine has named Pope Francis as its Person of the Year.

The US magazine chose the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church as the most influential figure of the year in its annual review.

The 76-year-old Argentinian was picked from a varied shortlist that included Syrian leader Bashar al Assad, NSA leaker Edward Snowden, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and twerking superstar Miley Cyrus.

Francis became the 266th leader of the world's Roman Catholics in March this year, following the surprise abdication of Benedict XVI.

Time called the Pope a "septuagenarian superstar" and said he had taken "the name of a humble saint and then called for a church of healing".

Edward Snowden was runner-up

Managing editor Nancy Gibbs said Pope Francis had changed the tone, the perception and focus of one of the world's largest institutions in an extraordinary way.

She wrote: "For pulling the papacy out of the palace and into the streets, for committing the world's largest church to confronting its deepest needs and for balancing judgement with mercy, Pope Francis is Time's 2013 Person of the Year.

"Rarely has a new player on the world stage captured so much attention so quickly - young and old, faithful and cynical - as Pope Francis.

"In his nine months in office, he has placed himself at the very centre of the central conversations of our time: about wealth and poverty, fairness and justice, transparency, modernity, globalisation, the role of women, the nature of marriage, the temptations of power."

Former NSA contractor Snowden, whose intelligence leaks caused a media sensation worldwide and led to him seeking sanctuary in Russia, was named the runner-up. 

The other names on the shortlist were Texas senator and darling of the Tea Party Ted Cruz; US president Barack Obama, who won last year; Iran's new president Hassan Rouhani; US health secretary Kathleen Sebelius; and gay rights activist Edith Windsor.

Time has been choosing a Person of the Year since 1927, when it nominated pioneering aviator Charles Lindbergh.

The magazine insists it chooses the most influential person "for better or for worse" - previous winners have included dictators like Hitler and Stalin as well as figures usually seen as forces for good, such as Mahatma Gandhi and Lech Walesa.

Previous papal winners include Pope John Paul II in 1994 and John XXIII in 1962.

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US Mega Millions Jackpot Hits Whopping $400m

The US Mega Millions jackpot has reached an estimated $400m (£244m) for the next draw which takes place on Friday.

The growing amount comes after no one won Tuesday's top prize of $344m (£210m), lottery organisers said.

While Friday the 13th may be considered unlucky for some, those ticket-buyers taking part in the draw will be hoping it is their lucky day.

The winner can choose how he or she takes the money.

If they chose to take a cash prize rather than an annuity - a regular monthly payment - they will get the equivalent of £132m, according to the Mega Millions.

Tuesday's top prize had a cash payout option of $184m (£112m), according to the lottery, which is played in the majority of US states.

The winning numbers from that draw were: 5, 12, 22, 41, 65 and 13, Mega Millions said.

There have been no jackpot winners in more than two months, pushing the purse steadily higher, although it remains well below the record-setting £401m won on March 30, 2012.

There were three winning tickets for it - from Illinois, Kansas and Maryland - with all three ticket winners coming forward within a month.

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World Leaders Pay Final Respects To Mandela

Winnie Mandela, ex-wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, has viewed his body as it lies in state at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

Hundreds of other dignitaries including his widow Graca Machel, Jacob Zuma, Robert Mugabe and Naomi Campbell are also lining up to pay their respects to the iconic South African anti-apartheid campaigner.

Ms Mandela (L) and Ms Machel say goodbye to the former leader

Thousands of South Africans had lined the streets of Pretoria to pay their respects as Mr Mandela's body was taken to lie in state in a glass-topped coffin.

Members of the public formed a guard of honour as his coffin passed by fronted by a fleet of police outriders, at the start of what will be three days of mourning in the executive capital.

President Zuma is followed by Graca Machel (in black) Mandela's widow

The coffin was draped in the multi-coloured South African flag as it arrived at the grand setting of the Union Buildings, seat of power in the country's capital and the place where the former leader was sworn in as president.

The same procession around Pretoria will take place each morning until Friday, with the coffin being returned to the military hospital each evening.

As the procession passed, mourners sang tributes to the former South African leader, who died last week at the age of 95.

President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe files past to pay his respects

Mandela's grandson Mandla and Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula led mourners into the viewing area. Soldiers set down the coffin and removed the flag.

Members of Mr Mandela's family and VIPs are paying their respects before the public are allowed in to view the body.

South African apartheid-era president FW de Klerk bids farewell

With worries about crowds, three sites have been set up in Pretoria from where mourners will be shuttled in to the Union Buildings and back.

People making their way to the sites told Sky's Alex Crawford they thanked Mr Mandela for their freedom.

Model Naomi Campbell (L) after paying her final respects to Mr Mandela

"South Africa is mourning for the greatest icon that ever lived," one mourner said. "We are sad, we are crying; today we are going to witness him, we are going to see him and we are going to pray for him."

People have been told their mobile phones will have to be switched off and be put out of sight before they will be allowed to file past the body. No photos will be allowed.

A public memorial service was also held at St Martin-in-the-Fields church in London at the request of the South African High Commission.

The two share strong links and were the scene of freedom vigils for Mr Mandela during his incarceration.

Irish band U2's lead singer Bono (2L) and his wife Alison Hewson

Speakers at the service included Sir Sydney Kentridge QC and Lord Joffe of Lidington, who both represented Mr Mandela at his treason trials, and campaigner and African National Congress veteran Mama Thembi Nobhadula.

Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the founder of South Africa's Inkatha party, said there was something "unique" about his friendship with Mr Mandela.

The Union Building's amphitheatre where Mr Mandela's coffin lies in state

Despite the Inkatha party being at virtual war with Mr Mandela's African National Congress, Chief Buthelezi said he campaigned tirelessly for Mr Mandela's release.

Speaking to Sky's Jeremy Thompson, he said: "That was the mischief of many politicians who separated us. But I thank God they did not succeed because our friendship existed up until this point.

People lined the streets as the hearse made its way through Pretoria

"There was something very unique about our friendship. I campaigned for his release more than anyone else in this country. I challenge anyone to prove to the contrary."

The lying in state will end with Mr Mandela's remains being transported to the Eastern Cape and his ancestral home of Qunu at the weekend ahead of his funeral.

Women sing tributes to Mr Mandela as the cortege passes by

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the Queen will be represented by the Prince of Wales at the funeral which will take place on Sunday December 15.

Nelson Mandela left it to the South African people to decide how to celebrate his life and legacy.

Mandela: "I would just like a simple stone on which is written, 'Mandela'."

He said once when asked how he wished to be remembered: "It would be very egotistical of me to say how I would like to be remembered.

"I'd leave that entirely to South Africans. I would just like a simple stone on which is written, 'Mandela'."

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Mandela Memorial: Deaf Signer Was 'Fake'

South Africa's deaf federation has claimed that an interpreter using sign language during the Mandela memorial was a "fake".

Concerns over the male interpreter had been raised by deaf people watching the service at Johannesburg's FNB Stadium on Tuesday.

Bruno Druchen, national director of the Deaf Federation of South Africa, said the unidentified man, who was on stage alongside world leaders including US President Barack Obama, "was moving his hands around but there was no meaning in what he used his hands for".

Sign language experts have said there was no meaning to the man's gestures

South African parliament member Wilma Newhoudt, a member of the ruling party, also said the man communicated nothing with his hand and arm movements.

Both Mr Druchen and Ms Newhoudt are deaf.

The revelation also raises concerns over security for world leaders

Three sign language experts said the man was not signing in South African or American sign languages.

South African sign language covers all of the country's 11 official languages, according to the federation.

Nicole Du Toit, an official sign language interpreter who also watched the broadcast, said the man on stage was an "embarrassment".

The man has not been identified

She said: "It was horrible, an absolute circus, really really bad.

"Only he can understand those gestures."

Delphin Hlungwane, an official South African sign language interpreter with DeafSA, said authorities were trying to track the man down.

The man also failed to indicate that the crowd was booing Jacob Zuma

She said: "There was zero percent accuracy. He couldn't even get the basics right. He couldn't even say thank you.

"You're supposed to indicate with your facial expressions, even if it's not an exact sign. He didn't indicate that (booing of Jacob Zuma) at all. It just passed him by.

"Nobody knows who he is. Even at this hour we still don't have his name."

Paul Breckell, chief executive of Action on Hearing Loss, said: "The use of appropriately qualified communication support is crucial to ensure that deaf people can engage with and access the same opportunities as hearing people.

"Sign Language, be it British, International or South African, is a visual and expressive language yet the limited number of signs, the amount of repetition, lack of facial expressions and huge gaps in translation meant that deaf or hard of hearing people across the world were completely excluded from one of the biggest events in recent history."

The memorial was also affected by faulty public transport which prevented some mourners from getting to the event and a faulty audio system that prevented some of the crowd from hearing leaders' speeches.

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Archbishop Tutu Burgled After Mandela Memorial

Burglars broke into the home of South African peace icon Desmond Tutu as he was in Soweto to speak at Nelson Mandela's memorial.

It was reportedly the second time in three months the former Archbishop has been targeted by thieves. His home was burgled in August as he and his wife slept inside. The burglars took a number of small possessions, though both were unhurt.

"I can confirm that there was a burglary last night," Tutu aide Roger Friedman said.

A statement from the South African Police Service said the robbery of Tutu's home in Cape Town happened on Tuesday evening.

"At this stage, we cannot give further details, as the investigation into the matter is still ongoing," the statement said.

"No arrests have been made as yet."

The 82-year-old social-rights activist was attending the memorial ceremony at the FNB Stadium to honour Mr Mandela.

Police did not disclose what items were stolen.

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Movie Buffs Mourn The Loss Of Silent Films

Most of America's feature-length silent films have been lost because of decay and neglect over the past 100 years, according to a study.

James Hall, Clara Bow and Jack Oakie in The Fleet's In

Of the nearly 11,000 silent films made between 1912 and 1930, only 14% still exist in their original format, the Library of Congress research found.

And 11% of those that survive only exist as foreign versions or on lower-quality formats, meaning an original 20th century art form has all but disappeared.

Silent films were at their peak between in the early part of the century when - before network radio or television - going to the cinema was the most popular form of entertainment.

Anna May Wong in the Thief Of Baghdad

Around 46 million people - out of a population of 116 million people - went to the cinema in the US during the 1920s, according to the report.

Historian and archivist David Pierce, who carried out the study for the library, said few defunct art forms have the resonance of silent films.

"It's a lost style of storytelling, and the best of the films are as effective with audiences today as they were when they were initially released," he said.

Gloria Swanson who successfully moved from silent to speaking parts

"When you take away dialogue from a narrative story, it actually puts quite a challenge upon the creative people involved to tell the story entirely in a visual fashion.

"And it's that limitation, I think, which makes the films so effective."

Famous films now considered lost include Cleopatra from 1917, The Great Gatsby from 1926, Lon Chaney's London After Midnight from 1927, and The Patriot from 1928.

Jack Hoxie in one of the first westerns, Western Whirlwind

Films featuring early stars, including Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford still exist thanks to organisations such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Library of Congress and other archives preserving early films for decades.

But, the study reveals, for every classic that survives, a half dozen have been lost.

Librarian of Congress James Billington wrote in the report that the nation has already lost much of the creative record from an era that brought American movies to the heights of cinematic achievement.

"The loss of American silent-era feature films constitutes an alarming and irretrievable loss to our nation's cultural record," he wrote.

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Japanese WW2 'Mega-Sub' Found Off Hawaii

A World War Two Japanese "mega-submarine" lost when it was scuttled by US forces has been seen for the first time since 1946 after it was discovered off the coast of Hawaii.

The 400ft I-400 Sen-Toku class submarine - the largest submarine built until the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines in the 1960s - was found on August 1 off the island of Oahu.

A submersible operated by the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL) captured footage of the vessel in more than 2,300ft of water.

Veteran undersea explorer Terry Kerby said: "The I-400 has been on our 'to find' list for some time. It was the first of its kind of only three built, so it is a unique and very historic submarine.

A deck gun is visible on the I-400

"Finding it where we did was totally unexpected. All our research pointed to it being further out to sea.

"It was a thrill when the view of a giant submarine appeared out of the darkness."

The I-400 could carry up to three folding-wing Seiran float-plane bombers launched by catapults from the surface, before it dived under the water again to avoid detection.

Each aircraft could carry a 1,800lb bomb to attack the US mainland, but they were never used.

Only three of the submarines, which had a range of 37,500 miles, were ever completed.

At the end of World War Two the US Navy captured five Japanese submarines, including the I-400, and brought them to Pearl Harbour for inspection.

When the Soviet Union demanded access to the submarines in 1946 under the terms of treaties that ended the war, the US Navy sank the submarines off the coast of O'ahu and claimed to have no information of their precise location.

Using side-scan and multi-beam sonar data, the HURL has now successfully located four of the five lost submarines.

The I-400 was identified by its aircraft launch ramp, deck crane, torpedo tube configuration and stern running lights.

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Ukrainian PM Warns Protesters Of More Force

By Katie Stallard, Sky News Correspondent, in Kiev

Opposition leaders in Ukraine have vowed to continue mass street protests and blockades of government buildings, as the country's prime minister threatened to respond with force.

During a raucous parliamentary session, at times shouted down by opposition cries of "shame" and "revolution", Mykola Azarov apologised for the riot police action, but warned against continued protests, which he said bore signs of a coup d'etat.

In a pointed speech to the chamber he said: "We have extended our hand to you, but if we encounter a fist, I will be frank, we have enough force."

What started as a reaction to the president's refusal to sign an EU trade deal last week, has evolved into a concerted attempt to overthrow the government, fuelled by allegations of police brutality against protesters.

The country's notorious 'berkut' riot police moved in on what had been a dwindling protest camp in the early hours of Saturday morning, beating protesters and journalists.

Hundreds of thousands have surged onto the streets since in the biggest display of mass discontent since the 2004 Orange Revolution, which forced the current president, Victor Yanukovich, from power.

Protesters, particularly from the younger generation, see President Yanukovich's action as a fundamental shift away from a path towards a modern, European Ukraine, back into the hands of their former Soviet masters in Russia.

Boxer Vitali Klitschko walks past police outside parliament

In short, they believe they are fighting for the future of their country.

Mr Yanukovich has insisted that he remains open to negotiation with the EU, but Ukraine's battered economy cannot afford the deal in its current form, particularly given the likely punitive trade and gas sanctions that would follow from Russia as an immediate consequence.

Mr Yanukovich left for China on Tuesday in pursuit of much-needed finance agreements, with aides denying it was a strategic mistake as the country descended deeper into political and financial turmoil.

His government survived a no-confidence vote in parliament, but the vast majority of pro-government deputies either abstained or did not vote, in an implicit warning of discontent in the ranks.

At least two members of Mr Yanukovich's Regions Party have already defected over the handling of the protests.

Outside, riot police squared up to protesters who continue to mass outside parliament and the presidential administration buildings.

They have already taken control of Kiev's City Hall, which they have re-named "Revolution HQ" and the capital's symbolically important Independence Square, heart of the 2004 Orange Revolution.

Protesters have been involved in clashes with police

Volunteers have built barricades and parked vans draped with the national flag across roads leading to the square, in an attempt to stop police advancing towards it.

Protesters have set up tents and are distributing donations of food, water and warm clothes, in a sign they are digging in for the long haul despite freezing December temperatures.

"The Orange Revolution laid the foundation for this," said self-employed businessman Yegor Kitov, 45.

"But this movement is stronger because, while then it was political parties that were organising the people, now we are organising ourselves."

Ukraine's Central Bank, meanwhile, has been forced to reassure people that their savings are safe, as the country's currency, bonds and share prices come under severe pressure.

Ukraine faces gas bills and debt repayments next year of more than £10bn. The cost of insuring its debt against default rose to its highest level since January 2010.

The finance minister issued a recorded message via state television insisting the country could continue to meet its debt repayments.

"Ukraine is a reliable borrower and is flawlessly fulfilling, and will fulfil, all of its obligations on time," Yuri Kolobov said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry declined a visit to Kiev for a ministerial conference this week, but urged Ukraine's government to "listen to the voices of its people".

These protests do not represent all of Ukraine - the view in the Russian-speaking industrial regions to the east is very different - but they have nevertheless exposed a faultline in a country still deeply divided between East and West.

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