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Ceremony marks Ireland's EU presidency

Written By Unknown on Senin, 31 Desember 2012 | 22.40

A ceremony has taken place at Dublin Castle marking the start of Ireland's presidency of the EU, which formally begins tomorrow.

The ceremony was attended by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Cabinet members, MEPs, other politicians, diplomats and the Lord Mayor of Dublin.

Several hundred tourists and members of the public also watched on.

The ceremony also marked 40 years of Irish membership of the EU and the start of Europe's Year of Citizens.

The ceremony included Taoiseach Enda Kenny inspecting a Defence Forces guard of honour.

This was followed by a flag raising ceremony and the playing of Ode to Joy.

Speaking to the assembled guests, Mr Kenny said the Irish presidency would be about stability, jobs and growth.

Mr Kenny said there are real actions to back up each of those words and Ireland would be in the business of solutions, a country driving recovery in Europe.

He called for the presidency to bring new hope, possibility and confidence to our peoples.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said what happens over the next six months would be key to shaping the recovery in Europe.

He said the Government would work hard to restore financial stability right across the continent so as to build the conditions for job-creating growth.

The Government will work to reach agreement on outstanding elements of a banking union and focus on trade, he said.

Asked about German Chancellor Angela Merkel's comments that the eurozone crisis is not over, Mr Gilmore said implementing the decisions on a banking union in the early part of the year is very important and is going to be a priority.

He also singled out what he called the scourge of youth unemployment as a priority, saying the Irish presidency would do everything within its power to tackle it, starting with a Youth Unemployment Package.

Minister for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton said it would be a no-nonsense, no-frills presidency focused on economic renewal for Ireland and Europe and would deliver tangible results.

She said the €60m that will be spent on the presidency is a really important investment.

Ms Creighton said the presidency would bring 30,000 visitors to Ireland during the six months and that the money spent also represents an investment in Ireland's reputation

At the end of the ceremony, children from the Blue Star Programme released 40 balloons into the air over Dublin Castle, to mark the 40 years of Irish membership of the EU.

At the same time, a peal of bells rang out from Christchurch Cathedral.


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Eurozone crisis far from over - Angela Merkel

The eurozone sovereign debt crisis is far from over, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said in her New Year's address.

However, she says that reform measures designed to address the roots of the problem are beginning to bear fruit.

In a taped interview to be broadcast tonight, Ms Merkel urged Germans to be more patient even though the eurozone crisis has already dragged on for three years.

She drew a line linking German prosperity to a prosperous European Union.

"For our prosperity and our solidarity we need to strike the right balance," she said.

"The European sovereign debt crisis shows how important this balance is. The reforms that we've introduced are beginning to have an impact," she said.

Ms Merkel contradicted Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble with those comments.

In an interview on Friday in Bild newspaper, Mr Schaeuble said the worst of the crisis was over.

Germany has been the paymaster in the eurozone crisis, to the anger of many German voters and a growing bloc of conservative lawmakers in Ms Merkel's coalition.

Germans remain wary of eurozone bailout efforts but give Ms Merkel high marks for what they consider to be her judicious handling of the crisis.

Ms Merkel proudly pointed out that unemployment in Germany had fallen to its lowest level since reunification in 1990, while the number of people employed had also risen to record highs.

"That means that many hundreds of thousands of families have a secure future," she said.

"And that means that a lot of young people have the security of training and jobs and thus will get off to a good start in their careers."

But in face of slowing economic growth, she also warned that conditions could be more difficult in 2013 than in 2012.

"I know that many people are naturally concerned going into the new year," she said.

"And the economic environment will not in fact be easier but rather more difficult next year. But we shouldn't let that get us down; rather it should spur us on."


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Renewed appeal over man missing in Dublin

Gardaí in Balbriggan have renewed their appeal for information on the whereabouts of 24-year-old Paul Byrne, who has been missing since the early hours of Christmas Day.

Mr Byrne was last seen at about 3am on 25 December on Sandy Lane in Rush, Co Dublin.

He is 1.65m (5'5") tall, and has blue eyes. He is of thin build and has short, light brown hair.

When last seen he was wearing grey tracksuit bottoms and a short, black jacket with a Ralph Lauren logo on the left side.

Anyone who has seen Mr Byrne or who can assist in locating him is asked to contact Balbriggan Garda Station on 01-8020510, The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800-666-111 or any garda station.


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Police blame dissident republicans for NI bomb

A senior PSNI officer has said that a foiled attempt to murder a police man in east Belfast yesterday was carried out by dissident republicans.

Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said the attack could also have killed the policeman's family.

The officer was about to take his wife and two small children out for Sunday lunch when he checked underneath his car, parked in the driveway of his home, and discovered a viable explosive device.

Constable Hamilton said: "If that officer had not checked under his car we would be looking at a murder, or multiple murders.

"All right minded people need to condemn this, it is a repugnant and inhumane act."

He said the dissident republicans who planted the bomb were anti-peace.

Constable Hamilton said he hoped the device would be useful as evidence because it was discovered and did not engage.

There was a severe threat level across Northern Ireland, he said, and appealed to officers to be vigilant and check under their cars.


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Politicians push US to edge of 'fiscal cliff'

The US Congress comes back today without a deal to avert the "fiscal cliff" and with only a few hours of actual legislative time scheduled in which to act if an agreement materialises.

Negotiations involving Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell appear to offer the last hope for reaching a deal.

This would avoid across-the-board tax increases and draconian cuts in the federal budget that will be triggered at the start of the New Year because of a deficit-reduction law enacted in August 2011.

A Republican Senate leadership aide described discussions between Mr McConnell and Mr Biden as "good talks," saying they lasted late into yesterday evening.

Meanwhile, some Republicans said progress could be better served by open debate rather than "backroom" discussions.

"What we ought to do is put a bill on the Senate floor and let people actually offer amendments and vote on it. We shouldn't be here waiting for people to cut deals in backrooms," Senator John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican, said on "The Early Show" on CBS.

"The American people ought to be able to watch the discussion and debate and how people vote on various issues," he said.

A jolt from the financial markets could also prod the parties into action, as it has occasionally in the past.

"I believe investors will show their displeasure" at the lack of progress in Washington, said Mohannad Aama, managing director at Beam Capital Management, an investment advisory firm in New York.

Despite the uneven progress in Washington, US stock index futures edged higher today, setting up Wall Street to break a five-session losing streak.

Stocks could still fall though on Monday when the cash markets open if there is no sign lawmakers are making headway on a deal.

Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate had hoped to clear the way for swift action yesterday.

But with the two sides still at loggerheads in talks, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid postponed any possible votes and the Senate adjourned until today.

The main sticking point between Republicans and Democrats remains whether to extend existing tax rates for everyone, as Republicans want, or just for those earning below $250,000-$400,000, as Democrats have proposed.

Also at issue were Republican demands for larger cuts in spending than those offered by President Barack Obama.

Hopes for a "grand bargain" of deficit-reduction measures vanished weeks ago as talks stalled.

While Congress has the capacity to move swiftly when motivated, the leaders of the US House of Representatives and the Senate have left themselves little time for what could be a complicated day of procedural manoeuvring in the event of an agreement.

House Speaker John Boehner has insisted that the Senate act first, but that chamber does not begin legislative business until about 12pm local time (5pm Irish time).


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Dublin festival to kick-start The Gathering

The Gathering will officially kick-off with a New Year's Eve festival in Dublin city centre tonight.

It will be the first in a year-long calendar of events organised to celebrate Ireland, its people and its connections, both at home and abroad.

Thousands of people are expected to take to the streets of the capital for the People's Procession of Light, a fireworks display and a countdown concert in College Green, headlined by Imelda May and Bell X1.

Organisers say journalists from around 70 international broadcast and print media organisations have arrived in Dublin to cover the event.

The festival will be broadcast live from 10pm on RTÉ Radio One, and from 10.30pm on RTÉ One Television and online.

Two fireworks displays will also be held in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, at 6pm and again at midnight.

In Co Cork, the start of The Gathering will be marked with a New Year's Day 21-gun salute on Spike Island.

Meanwhile, Derry is also marking the start of its year as the UK city of culture, with a fireworks and pyrotechnics show and music events tonight.


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Up to 41 killed by Pakistani militants

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 30 Desember 2012 | 22.40

Pakistani militants have killed at least 41 people in two separate incidents today challenging assertions that military offensives have broken the back of hardline Islamist groups.

In the north, 21 men working for a government-backed paramilitary force were executed overnight after they were kidnapped last week.

Elsewhere, a suicide bomber driving a vehicle packed with explosives rammed into a bus carrying Shia Muslim pilgrims in southwest Pakistan, killing 20 people.

Over 24 people were injured in the attack today in Baluchistan province's Mastung district.

The blast completely destroyed the bus that was hit and damaged a second bus carrying Shias that was close by.

An eyewitness who was travelling in the second bus told Geo TV that the pilgrims were headed to neighbouring Iran.

Iran, a majority Shia country is a popular religious tourism destination.

Pakistan has experienced a spike in killings over the last year by radical Sunni Muslims targeting Shias who they consider heretics, especially in Baluchistan.


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Minister plans private pension drive

The Minister for Social Protection is to implement plans to get more people signed up to private pensions.

Under the proposals employees will be automatically enrolled in pension schemes.

In recent times there have been warnings about the problems in our pensions system.

Under the plans drawn up by the Department of Social Protection, a new universal pension scheme will be introduced, to ensure employees have adequate funds when they retire.

The scheme will bring about automatic enrollment and workers will have to pro-actively opt out if they do not want to be part of it.

The National Treasury Management Agency will supervise the scheme so the State will be unable to access the fund for general spending.

It is believed that the Minister will give more details about the plans in the new year and its introduction is to happen when the economy shows signs of a recovery.

A defintive start date is not clear.


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Man remains in custody over Dublin shooting

A man in his 20s remains in garda custody in connection with the shooting of a 35-year-old man in Dublin last Friday.

Christopher Warren, from St Teresa's Gardens, sustained gunshot wounds to the chest.

He was pronounced dead at St James's Hospital shortly after being dropped at the Emergency Department.

A car, believed to have been used to transport him there, was later found abandoned on Cork Street in Dublin south inner city.

The exact location where the shooting took place is not yet known.

The man is being held at Kevin Street Garda Station.

Gardaí have appealed for any witnesses who were in the area between 6pm and 7pm on Friday and who heard or saw anything suspicious to contact them.

They have also appealed to anyone who saw the injured Mr Warren being dropped off at St James' Hospital.

He was dropped off in a blue Mercedes C180 car around 7pm.

Or if anyone saw the car in Cork Street where it was abandoned, to contact them at Mountjoy Garda Station on 01 666 8000.


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Indian woman attacked on bus is cremated

An Indian woman who died from injuries sustained after being gang-raped on a bus in New Delhi has been cremated.

An outpouring of anger and grief was displayed by millions across the country demanding greater protection for women from sexual violence.

The young woman's body was cremated in a private ceremony in New Delhi soon after it arrived in the capital on a special Air India flight from Singapore.

The woman died at a hospital yesterday after being sent for medical treatment.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, head of the ruling Congress party, were at the airport to receive the body and meet family members of the victim who had also arrived on the flight.

Hours after the victim died early yesterday, Indian police charged six men who had been arrested in connection with the attack with murder.

These charges were added to accusations that they beat and gang-raped the woman on a New Delhi bus on 16 December. 

New Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said the six suspects face the death penalty if convicted.

The case has triggered protests across India and raised questions about lax attitudes by police toward sexual crimes.

A statement issued by United Nations spokesman Martin Nesirky said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "offers his sincerest condolences" to the victim's family and "utterly condemns this brutal crime."

Mr Ban said: "Violence against women must never be accepted, never excused, never tolerated," the statement said. "Every girl and woman has the right to be respected, valued and protected."

He urged the Indian government to take steps to deter such crimes and bring perpetrators to justice, and to "strengthen critical services for rape victims," the statement said.

After ten days at a hospital in New Delhi, the victim, who has not been identified, was taken last Thursday to Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

This hospital specialises in multi-organ transplants.

She arrived there in an extremely critical condition, and then took a turn for the worse, with her vital signs deteriorating.

She died with her family and officials of the Indian Embassy by her side.

Following her death, thousands of Indians lit candles, held prayer meetings and marched through various cities and towns, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata last night.

People marched to express their grief and demand stronger protection for women and the death penalty for rape, which is now punishable by a maximum of life imprisonment.

Women face daily harassment across India, ranging from catcalls on the streets, groping and touching in public transport to rape.

The tragedy has forced India to confront the reality that sexually assaulted women are often blamed for the crime.

Victims often feel forced to keep quiet and discouraged from reporting it to authorities for fear of exposing their families to ridicule.

Police often refuse to accept complaints from those who are courageous enough to report the rapes, and the rare prosecutions that reach courts drag on for years.

Prime Minister Singh said yesterday that he was aware of the emotions the attack has stirred.

He added that it was up to all Indians to ensure that the young woman's death will not have been in vain.

The woman and a male friend, who also has not been identified, were on a bus in New Delhi after watching a film on the evening of 16 December.

They were attacked by six men who raped her.

The men beat the couple and inserted an iron rod into the woman's body, resulting in severe organ damage.

Both were then stripped and thrown off the bus, according to police.

Ms Gandhi, the ruling party chief, assured the protesters in a statement that the rape victim's death "deepens our determination to battle the pervasive, the shameful social attitudes and mindset that allow men to rape and molest women and girls with such an impunity."

South Asia director of Human Rights Watch, Meenakshi Ganguly, said the woman's death was a sobering reminder of the widespread sexual violence in India.

Attitudes by Indians toward rape are so entrenched that even politicians and opinion makers have often suggested that women should not go out at night or wear clothes that might be seen as provocative.


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Obama fears fiscal deal failure will hurt markets

Lawmakers in the US are working on a last minute deal to set aside €600bn in tax increases and spending cuts.

President Barack Obama said that financial markets would be affected adversely if US lawmakers fail to agree on a "fiscal cliff" deal before Tuesday.

President  Obama is urging US congress to act quickly to extend tax cuts for middle-class Americans.

Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, the US president Barack Obama said If US Congress does not make that happen, the first bill brought up in the new year would be to reduce taxes for middle-income families.

He said: "If people start seeing that on January 1st this problem still hasn't been solved, that we haven't seen the kind of deficit reduction that we could have had, had the Republicans been willing to take the deal that I gave them ... then obviously that's going to have an adverse reaction in the markets."


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Irish Coastguard saves 161 lives in 2012

Up to 161 lives have been saved by staff and volunteers with the Irish Coastguard so far this year.

The Coastguard, which is a division of the Department of Transport, saw an 8% increase in incidents in 2012, compared to the previous year.

Based on callouts up to St Stephen's Day this year, it has dealt with 1954 incidents.

Up to 2,593 people were also assisted.

The Coastguard reports dealing with 8% more incidents than last year.

As well as employed staff, the coastguard uses 900 volunteers to respond to emergencies.

Together with 2000 RNLI volunteers , 300 on commuinty rescue boats and 500 mountain and cave rescue volunteers, they provide year round 24 hour rescue services on the sea, on lakes, on cliffs and around the coastline.


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ESB working to restore power to homes

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 29 Desember 2012 | 22.40

The Electricity Supply Board has said customers affected by last night's power cuts will have their supply restored today.

Up to 8,000 customers lost power across the country after storm force winds.

Less than 50 homes remain without power.

Ballina and Castlebar in Co Mayo were the worst affected areas.


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Man arrested in connection with Dublin death

A man in his 20s has been arrested in connection with the death of a 35-year-old man in Dublin.

Christopher Warren, from St Teresa's Gardens, sustained gunshot wounds to the chest.

He was pronounced dead at St James's Hospital shortly after being dropped at the Emergency Department.

A car, believed to have been used to transport him there, was later found abandoned on Cork Street in Dublin south inner city.

The exact location where the shooting took place is not yet known.

The man is being held at Kevin Street Garda Station.


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Up to 1,500 sought consular assistance abroad

Figures released today show that Irish diplomatic officials gave assistance to over 1,500 people abroad.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has described the assistance given as "serious consular emergencies", including deaths; arrests; accidents; child abductions and hospitalisations.

The Department says the highest number of emergencies occurred in Spain, Australia, the United States, France, Britain, Turkey, Thailand, Canada, the UAE, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece, Poland and Portugal.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore has urged travellers to have appropriate travel and medical insurance, "to avoid the burden placed on families in the unfortunate event of an accident".

Assistance was provided in 194 cases of death and 290 cases of arrest.

A number of "difficult and protracted" child abduction cases also required Irish diplomatic officials to provide assistance.

During the Euro 2012 finals in Poland, assistance was provided to 180 people and several hundred more were given advice and help with queries.


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Man dies after Kildare shooting

A 33-year-old man has died after being shot in Co Kildare.

The incident happened at a house in Kilmeage, Co Kildare.

He was pronounced dead shortly after being taken to Naas General Hospital with serious gunshot injuries.

The house has been sealed off in Kilmeage.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses or anyone who may have any information to contact the gardaí in Naas on 045 884300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

Detectives have been speaking to a number of people in the house and have recovered a legally held shotgun.

There have been no arrests and gardaí are not ruling out the possibility that the man's death may have been accidental


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Body of a man found on Dublin street

An investigation is being carried out after the body of a man in his 30s was found on a street in Dublin city.

The man was found in the south inner city last night at the junction of Cork Street and Reuben Street shortly before midnight.

Gardaí say a post mortem examination is to be carried out.


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Two dead after Moscow plane crash landing

Two people have been killed after a Russian passenger plane split into three pieces after sliding off a runway and crashing into a highway outside Moscow's Vnukovo airport.

Initial reports said that there were 11 people on board, all crew, and that nobody was killed, but police have said that two people died in the crash.

An Emergency Situations Ministry official said that 12 people were  on board.

It is understood the Tupolev-204 passenger plane was operated by the Russian airliner Red Wings and traveling from Czech Republic.

The cause of the accident is not known.

Light snow was falling in Moscow at the time.


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Property prices rose by 1.1% in November

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 28 Desember 2012 | 22.40

Residential property prices increased by 1.1% in November, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office.

Last month's rise followed a 0.6% decline in October and compare to a 1.5% drop in November 2011 prices.

In the year to November national residential prices fell by 5.7%, compared to an annual rate of decline of 8.1% in October.

In Dublin, property prices rose by 2.4% last month, putting them 3.5% lower than a year ago.

Apartment prices in Dublin are 13% lower than they were in November 2011, while house prices are down 3%.

Across the rest of the country, property prices increased by 0.3% but were 7.2% lower than in November 2011.

Overall, national property prices are 49% lower than they were at their highest level in February 2007. The decline in Dublin is 55%, while prices in the rest of Ireland are down 47% from their peak.


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Weather warnings issued as strong winds expected

Two weather warnings have been issued by Met Éireann.

One alerts people to gusts of up to 130 km/h - equivalent to 80 m/h for a time today and tonight in Co Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo.

A second warning of gusts of up to 115 km/h - equivalent to 70 m/h - an hour covers Leinster, and counties Cavan, Limerick, Monaghan, Roscommon, Tipperary and Waterford.

The Road Safety Authority is advising pedestrians to take extra care when near traffic or crossing the road and to be aware that a sudden gust of wind could blow them into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

The Authority also urges motorists to allow extra space between their vehicles and cyclists or motorcyclists.

Motorists are also urged to be prepared for the prospect of coming across fallen trees and debris on roads particularly overnight and tomorrow morning.

AA Roadwatch says that high-sided vehicles are vulnerable on open or exposed roads.

The Department of Transport advises people to keep away from cliffs, piers and any other coastal areas.


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Man appears in court over Sandra Collins murder

A 48-year-old man has appeared before a special sitting of Ballina District Court in Co Mayo, charged with the murder of Sandra Collins.

He has been named as Martin Early, with an address at Bannagher, Carrowmore-Lacken near Killala.

He has been remanded in custody to appear before Harristown District Court on Friday, 4 January.

The family of Sandra Collins were in court today. 

Ms Collins, 29, went missing on 4 December 2000.

She had left her aunt's house where she was living to go to a nearby takeaway.

An investigation was launched and there have been a number of appeals.

Gardaí renewed an appeal for information on the tenth anniversary of her disappearance and significant progress was made.

Martin Early was arrested yesterday evening while was on a return home from the UK where he was working.


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State papers reveal pro-life amendment concerns

Newly released State papers from 1982 reveal serious concerns within the Government of the time about the proposed pro-life amendment to the constitution.

The files, released under the 30 year rule, show worries about the effect on medical treatment for pregnant women, and highlighted the possibility of legal challenges under the European Convention on Human Rights.

1982 saw two general elections, and two changes of Government, as Charles Haughey replaced Garret FitzGerald in March, only to lose power again in December.

Mr Haughey's first Attorney General, Patrick Connolly, warned that existing law was not clear on which operations were allowed if the life of the mother was in serious danger, and warned of "worrying ambiguities" in the attitude of the Pro Life Amendment Campaign on this issue.

His successor, John Murray, did not think the proposed wording would diminish the rights of the mother - instead, he warned that making the right to life of the unborn subject to the right to life of the mother could "open the door" to abortion unless the courts interpreted the wording narrowly.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, suggested the proposed amendment could be challenged at the European Court of Human Rights, while officials said legislation would be needed to clarify the legal position if the amendment was accepted - legislation that is still controversial 30 years later.


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Obama to meet congressional leaders today

US President Barack Obama and congressional leaders are set to meet for the first time since November with no sign of progress in resolving their differences over the federal budget and low expectations for a "fiscal cliff" deal before 1 January 2013.

Instead, members of Congress are increasingly looking at the period immediately after the 31 Deccember deadline to come up with a retroactive fix to avoid the steep tax hikes and sharp spending cuts.

Economists have said the changes could plunge the country into another recession.

With taxes on all Americans set to rise when the low tax rates established by President George W Bush expire on 31 December, lawmakers would be able to come back in January and take a more politically palatable vote on cutting some of the tax rates.

Pessimism on the deadline being met was shared by many market analysts.

Noting that the US House of Representatives was not even convening until Sunday, Daiwa Securities economist Emily Nicols said "markets still expect a deal even if it does go into January."

The new factor in the mix was involvement by Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who said yesterday he had held conversations with Mr Obama and expected a new proposal from the president that he would consider.

The White House spent much of yesterday stifling expectations for any new offer from Mr Obama, beyond the limited fallback plan he outlined in vague terms on 21 December, which would protect what he described as "middle class Americans" from the tax hikes, extend unemployment insurance and lay the "groundwork for further work" on deficit reduction and tax reform.

The major sticking point is Republican opposition to tax hikes on anyone, particularly in the absence of heavy cuts in spending for so-called entitlement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, the government-run health programs for senior citizens and the poor.

Democrats in Congress want to keep lower tax rates for most Americans but raise them on those earning above $250,000 a year.

"The wealthy have got to kick in," said Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan this morning on CNN. "The tough part is in the House, where they have taken this very extreme position" of "protecting the wealthy at all costs."

"It's feeling very much to me like an optical meeting than a substantive meeting," said Republican Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, noting that it was not a sign of urgency to set a meeting for mid-afternoon with a deadline just days away.

"Any time you announce a meeting publicly in Washington, it's usually for political theater purposes," South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said on Fox News last night.

"When the president calls congressional leaders to the White House, it's all political theater or they've got a deal. My bet is all political theater," said Mr Graham, adding that he did not believe an agreement could be reached before the deadline.


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US army general Schwarzkopf dies at 78

Retired army general H Norman Schwarzkopf, who commanded the US-led international coalition that drove Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait in 1991 has died.

He was 78.

A sister of Mr Schwarzkopf, Ruth Barenbaum of Middlebury, Vermont, said that he died in Tampa, Florida, from complications from pneumonia.

He and his wife, Brenda, had three children Cynthia, Jessica and Christian.

A much-decorated combat soldier in Vietnam, Mr Schwarzkopf was known popularly as "Stormin' Norman" for a notoriously explosive temper.

He served in his last military assignment in Tampa as commander-in-chief of US Central Command, the headquarters responsible for American military and security concerns in nearly 20 countries from the eastern Mediterranean and Africa to Pakistan.

Mr Schwarzkopf became "CINC-Centcom" in 1988 and when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait three years later to punish it for allegedly stealing Iraqi oil reserves, he commanded Operation Desert Storm, the coalition of some 30 countries organised by US President George HW Bush that succeeded in driving the Iraqis out.

"General Norm Schwarzkopf, to me, epitomised the `duty, service, country' creed that has defended our freedom and seen this great nation through our most trying international crises," Mr Bush said in a statement on Thursday.

"More than that, he was a good and decent man - and a dear friend."

At the peak of his post-war national celebrity, Mr Schwarzkopf - a self-proclaimed political independent - rejected suggestions that he run for office, and remained far more private than other generals, although he did serve briefly as a military commentator for US network NBC.

While focused primarily in his later years on charitable enterprises, he campaigned for US President George W Bush in 2000 but was ambivalent about the 2003 invasion of Iraq, saying he doubted victory would be as easy as the White House and Pentagon predicted.

Initially Mr Schwarzkopf had endorsed the invasion, saying he was convinced that former Secretary of State Colin Powell had given the United Nations powerful evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

After that proved false, he said decisions to go to war should depend on what UN weapons inspectors found.

He seldom spoke up during the conflict, but in late 2004, he sharply criticised then-Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the Pentagon for mistakes that included inadequate training for Army reservists sent to Iraq and for erroneous judgments about Iraq.


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Pakistan Taliban outlines conditions for ceasefire

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 27 Desember 2012 | 22.40

The Pakistani Taliban has outlined conditions for a ceasefire, including the adoption of Islamic law, a spokesman has said.

However, a senior government official described the offer as "preposterous".

The Taliban, in a letter printed by the Pakistan daily The News, also demanded that Pakistan stop its involvement in the war pitting Afghan insurgents against the Kabul government and refocuses on a war of "revenge" against India.

The letter comes as the focus in Afghanistan shifts from a military push by NATO troops to potential peace talks, and amid speculation of a rift between top Pakistan Taliban leaders.

The militants accused Pakistan's army of acting as "mercenaries" for the US.

The conditions, confirmed by spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan in a phone call to Reuters, also said Pakistan should rewrite its laws and constitution according to Islamic law.

The spokesman said: "We are ready to cease fire with Pakistan as long as they meet our demands, that an Islamic system should be put into place, they should fix their foreign policy and stop agreeing to American's demands."

NATO troops are due to hand over control of most operations in Afghanistan to Afghan forces next year and officials have been eager to start peace talks with the Taliban there.

But the Taliban insurgency in both Pakistan and Afghanistan is fragmented and senior commanders often disagree with each other over strategy.


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Winter storm wreaks havoc in US

A massive winter storm system has brought havoc to southern and central areas of the United States.

There have been more than 30 tornadoes, as well as blizzards and snow storms.

Residents have said they are very concerned by the dangers posed by the tornados and blizzards following the deaths of six people in storm-related accidents.

Two passengers in a car on an Arkansas motorway died when the vehicle crossed the centre line and struck another vehicle.

In Oklahoma, the Highway Patrol said a 76-year-old woman died when a truck crossed into oncoming traffic and hit the car she was in. The Highway Patrol earlier reported that a 28-year-old woman was killed in another crash.

The storm's winds were also blamed for toppling a tree onto a truck in Texas, killing the driver, and a tree onto a house in Louisiana, killing a man.

Weather warnings have been issued from the Deep South, through Ohio in the midwest and up to Maine in New England.

Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo has warned electricity, water and other utilities in the state that they will be held accountable for their operations during the latest storm.

Essential services were criticised for being slow to restart following damage caused by Superstorm Sandy in October.

The latest weather system has forced the cancellation of about 200 flights, crippled transport networks and has knocked out electricity to almost 200,000 people.


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Obama returns to Washington for fiscal cliff talks

US President Barack Obama returns to Washington today, after cutting short his Christmas holiday in Hawaii.

He will attempt to revive budget talks aimed at dealing with the fiscal cliff.

The fiscal cliff is a series of spending cuts and steep tax rises that will come into effect on the first day of the New Year unless politicians in Washington reach a deal.

Economists warn that introduction of the measures could send the US economy back into recession.

The growing worries and pessimism have already hit US stocks - the benchmark S&P index suffered its worst drop last week over the gridlock surrounding the talks.

Meanwhile, the US Treasury has said it will take "extraordinary measures" to delay reaching a statutory year-end borrowing limit of $16.4 trillion and avert a potential US default.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said uncertainty over the outcome of the fiscal cliff negotiations made it difficult to determine how much time those measures would buy.

Congress is not expected to return until Friday.


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Bhutto's son launches political career

The 24-year-old son of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has launched his political career with a fiery speech on the fifth anniversary of his mother's assassination.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's speech comes several months before national elections are expected to be held.

He is too young to participate in the elections himself, but is likely to be a key asset for the ruling Pakistan People's Party.

Mr Zardari was made party chairman after his mother's death but has mainly played a background role as he completed his studies in the United Kingdom.

His father, President Asif Ali Zardari, is co-chairman of the party.

Father and son spoke before thousands of cheering supporters in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh village in southern Sindh province, site of the Bhutto family mausoleum.


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Syria envoy calls for National Unity Government

The international envoy to Syria has called for the formation of a Syrian National Unity Government with full executive powers until elections can be held in a bid to end the crisis there.

Speaking in Damascus, Lakhdar Brahimi said that there needed to be real change and a swift political end to the crisis.

"This situation in Syria now forms a huge danger, not only for Syrian people, but for the neighbouring countries, and for the world," he said.

"Time is not in the favour of anyone, and I hope that everyone who has the ability to help in getting Syria out of this adversity that Syria finds itself in, should not spare any effort," he added.

Earlier today, Syrian diplomats entered Russia's foreign ministry in Moscow for talks following a diplomatic push by Mr Brahimi this week.

Mr Brahimi will fly to Moscow on Saturday for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on how to end Syria's 21-month-old conflict.

More than 44,000 Syrians have been killed in a revolt against four decades of Assad family rule, a conflict that began with peaceful protests in March last year, but which has descended into civil war.


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70% of householders paid charge, says minister

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has said that 70% of those liable to pay the household charge had done so.

In a statement today, Mr Hogan said end of year figures giving the numbers who had paid the household charge show how wrong critics were about how much would be collected.

The minister thanked and commended those who had registered the more than 1.1 million properties.

"Twelve months ago when this charge was introduced there was plenty of doom merchants who said the charge would not be collected and people wouldn't pay. How wrong they were," Mr Hogan said.

"70% of those liable to pay the charge have done so and I commend all those households for doing the right thing.

"We had elected representatives who actively encouraged people to break the law and not pay the charge" the minister added.

"These self-same people are now calling for more funding for local authorities and at the same time encouraging people not to pay."

The minister said the charge had resulted in the collection of more than €113m which would be reallocated to local authorities through the Local Government Fund.

Local Government Management Agency Chief Executive Paul McSweeney described the figures as a great result.

Speaking on RTÉ's News at One he said: "We are still seeing an increase of about half a million to €600,000 per week, so about 4,500 to 5,000 properties per week are still being registered."

On New Year's Day, the household charge will be abolished and will be replaced with the Local Property Tax.

For liable persons who did not pay the household charge in 2012, and who pay the charge to the Local Government Management Agency by 30 April 2013, arrears will be capped at €130.

From 1 July next year, any outstanding household charge will be increased to €200 and added to Local Property Tax due on the property.


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Syrian military police commander defects

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 26 Desember 2012 | 22.40

The commander of Syria's military police has defected from the army.

He is reported to have declared allegiance to the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, according to a video and a Syrian security source.

The Dubai-based Arab TV station Al-Arabiya broadcast a statement from Major General Abdul Aziz al-Shalal, speaking from the Turkish-Syrian border:

"I have defected because of the deviation of the army from its primary duty of protecting the country and its transformation into gangs of killing and destruction," the officer said in a video.

It comes as opposition fighters continued to gain ground in battles against regime forces across the country.

He is the highest ranking military police officer to defect since the start of the conflict in Syria nearly two years ago.

Wearing a camouflage uniform with red officer insignia on the shoulder, General Shalal spoke from a desk in a room in an undisclosed location. 

"The army has destroyed cities and villages and has committed massacres against an unarmed population that took to the streets to demand freedom. Long live free Syria," he added.

Some rebel sources said he had fled to Turkey. It was not clear when the officer changed sides.

A Syrian security source confirmed the defection but played down its significance.

"Shalal did defect but he was due to retire in a month and he only defected to play hero," the source said.


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Egypt's new constitution is signed into law

Egypt is facing parliamentary elections within the next two months, after voters approved a draft constitution by a majority of two thirds.

The document, which has been signed into law by President Mohammed Mursi, has been criticised for favouring Islamists and failing to protect the rights of women or minority groups.

A third of eligible voters took part in the ballot.

Mr Mursi said the text - Egypt's first constitution since former president Hosni Mubarak's fall - offers enough protection for minorities, and adopting it quickly is necessary to end two years of turmoil and political uncertainty that has wrecked the economy.

Murad Ali, a senior official in the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, said: "I hope all national powers will now start working together to build a new Egypt.

"I see this as the best constitution in Egypt's history."

In a sign that weeks of unrest have taken a further toll on the economy, the government ordered new restrictions on foreign currency apparently designed to prevent capital flight.

Leaving or entering with more than $10,000 cash is now banned.


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Death of poet Dennis O'Driscoll

The death has taken place of the poet, Dennis O'Driscoll.

Mr O'Driscoll, who was originally from Thurles in Co Tipperary, was 58.

He was the author of nine volumes of poetry, as well as being an essayist and critic.

His work has appeared in the Harvard Anthology of Modern Irish Poetry and Faber's 20th Century Irish Poems.

He also published a book of interviews with Seamus Heaney.


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Dublin firefighters tackle two blazes

Emergency services dealt with two fires in the Dublin area overnight.

A large fire broke out at an apartment block at Marine Parade in Sandycove at about 1.20am.

Several units of the fire brigade attended the blaze.

Four pump appliances, two aerial appliances and water tankers were used by firefighters.

Nobody was injured in the fire.

Separately, a child was taken to hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation after a house fire in Tallaght.

The fire started at Grangeview Walk at about 4.20am.

Three people were in the house at the time.

Two units of the fire brigade were called to the scene.

Dublin Fire Brigade said it was a busy night for fire and ambulance services.


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Christmas Day calls, texts to Childline top 1,000

Childline dealt with an average of 50 communications an hour from children on Christmas Day.

The listening service is run by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for all young people in Ireland. 

It said that, in some cases, children and young people felt they could not talk to their families.

Childline volunteers heard and responded to 1,212 calls, texts and messages from children yesterday.

It said that while it had been another difficult financial year, the ISPCC had been determined to maintain Childline's current services to try to ensure that as many children as possible were heard.

National Childline Manager Margie Roe said: "Children contacted Childline on Christmas Day for a variety of reasons but many of the calls, as with throughout the year, were from those experiencing family difficulties, loneliness and mental health issues.

"In some cases these children and young people feel they can't talk to family and are not sure who to turn to.

"In these instances it is vital that services like Childline are there to offer listening support," she added.

Separately, the Samaritans charity said yesterday was one of the busiest Christmas Days it has ever had with a large number of calls to its helpline.

Chairman Pio Fenton said overall 2012 was the busiest year to date for the organisation, with an average of 1,100 calls a day to its helpline.

He added that in addition to those ringing in distress, some people called to thank the service for helping them out throughout the year.


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70% of retailers re-open for sales

Retail outlets across the country have re-opened their doors for the post-Christmas Day sales.

For the first time, 70% of retailers in urban areas will open for business on St Stephen's Day.

Retailers reported long queues outside their premises this morning. 

Clothing retailer Next opened its doors at 6am.

It follows a busy pre-Christmas shopping period - retailers reported a 2% to 2.5% increase in sales last weekend compared with the same period last year.

Mild weather, improved consumer confidence, and an increase in shoppers travelling from Northern Ireland, as well as the fact that Christmas Day fell on a Tuesday, are credited with causing the boost.

People are also travelling to St Stephen's Day sporting and cultural events.

A Sunday service is operating on Dublin Bus routes, with the Luas running until 11.30pm.

There are no rail or DART services in operation today.

Bus Éireann's Expressway services, and commuter services including in the greater Dublin, Cork and Limerick areas are operating on a reduced timetable.


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Cardinal Brady reiterates anti-abortion stance

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 25 Desember 2012 | 22.40

Cardinal Seán Brady has urged everyone who believes that the right to life is fundamental to tell legislators that no government is entitled to remove that right from an innocent person.

In his Christmas message, the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland said there is no more important value than upholding the right to life in all circumstances.

As the Government prepares legislation giving effect to the X Case judgment, Dr Brady warned that we approach a defining moment regarding Ireland's attitude to respect and care for human life.

The death in October of Indian woman Savita Halappanavar, who was denied an abortion of her dying foetus, has intensified the debate around abortion.

"I hope that everyone who believes that the right to life is fundamental will make their voice heard in a reasonable, but forthright, way to their representatives," Cardinal Sean Brady said in his Christmas message.

"No government has the right to remove that right from an innocent person."

The Supreme Court ruled in 1992 that abortion was permitted when a woman's life was at risk but successive governments have avoided legislating for it because it is so divisive.

The death of Ms Halappanavar, who repeatedly asked for an abortion while she was miscarrying in University Hospital Galway, highlighted the lack of clarity in the law that leaves doctors in a legally risky position.

Ms Halappanavar's death re-ignited the abortion debate and prompted large protests by groups both in favour of and against abortion.

Cardinal Brady said public representatives will decide whether a caring and compassionate society is defined by providing the best possible care and protection to a woman struggling to cope with an unwanted pregnancy, or by the deliberate destruction of another human life.

The cardinal criticised the failure to prioritise the elimination of child poverty in the reform of the tax and welfare system, remarking that in any jurisdiction a failure on such a fundamental rights issue is unworthy of a society which claims to have a paramount concern for children.

That comment was a thinly-disguised challenge to the Government to deliver on its commitments in the Children's Referendum campaign.

The cardinal, who has faced calls this year to resign over accusations he failed to warn parents their children were being sexually abused, said in his Christmas message that he wanted relations with the Government to improve.

"My hope is that the year ahead will see the relationship between faith and public life in our country move beyond the sometimes negative, exaggerated caricatures of the past."

Communities need to stick together - Jackson

The Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Michael Jackson, has said that Christmas provides us with small beginnings for a big picture and that from the familiar we need to start looking for the extraordinary.

In his Christmas Day sermon, Dr Jackson said to many in Ireland today the familiar is unappealing as austerity digs deeper and with the prospect of a "wide range of embattled positions" lying ahead in the abortion debate.

Dr Jackson said in Northern Ireland there is constantly need for communities not to drift apart internally and in their relationships with others.

The archbishop warned that the same danger is becoming more acute in parts of the Republic as we approach the centennial commemorations of the 1916 Rising.

Dr Jackson said all of this may seem far from the Christmas story, but it is our calling to embrace the familiar in the name of Jesus Christ and to do likewise in the service and the leadership we give to others.


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Jacob Zuma pays visit to Mandela in hospital

South African President Jacob Zuma who has visited Nelson Mandela in hospital, has said doctors are happy with the progress that the 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader is making.

President Zuma said Mr Mandela was in good spirits after more than two weeks in hospital, and was happy to receive visitors on Christmas Day.

"We found him in good spirits. He was happy to have visitors on this special day and is looking much better. The doctors are happy with the progress that he is making," said Mr Zuma.

Mr Mandela, a Nobel Peace laureate, has been in hospital in Pretoria after being admitted for routine tests. He then underwent surgery to remove gallstones.

Mr Mandela, who came to power in historic elections in 1994 after decades struggling against apartheid, remains a symbol of resistance to racism and injustice at home and around the world.

He has a history of lung problems dating back to when he contracted tuberculosis while in jail as a political prisoner. But this is his longest stay in hospital since he was released from prison in 1990.

He spent time in a Johannesburg hospital in 2011 with a respiratory condition, and again in February this year because of abdominal pains though he was released the following day after a keyhole examination showed there was nothing serious.

Mr Zuma, who has just been re-elected as president of the ruling African National Congress party, last week described Mandela's condition as serious.

"The Mandela family truly appreciates all the support they are receiving from the public. That is what keeps them going at this difficult time," said Mr Zuma.

Periodic statements from the presidency continue to stress that the veteran politician is responding to treatment. No date has been given for his release from hospital.

Mr Mandela spent 27 years in prison, including 18 years on the windswept Robben Island off Cape Town.

After his release, he used his popularity to push for reconciliation between whites and blacks. This reconciliation is the bedrock of the post-apartheid "Rainbow Nation".

Sworn in as South Africa's first black president in 1994, Mr Mandela stepped down in 1999 after one term in office and has largely been absent from public life for the last decade.

His fragile health has prevented him from making any public appearances in South Africa, though he has continued to receive high-profile domestic and international visitors, including former US president Bill Clinton in July.


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Egypt expected to announce referendum results

Egypt is expected to announce the official results of a vote on its new draft constitution this evening.

The results were postponed as the country's Supreme Elections Committee investigated appeals and allegations of voting fraud.

Unofficial tallies indicate that more than 60% of those who voted approved the document, which is backed by President Mohammed Mursi and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Opposition groups says the draft is too Islamist and fails to guarantee personal freedoms and the rights of women and minorities.

"The Supreme Elections Committee will announce on Tuesday at 7pm (5pm Irish time) the results of the referendum on the new constitution," judge Samir Abu el-Matti told state radio and TV late last night.

Mr Matti also said that the committee, which is led by judges, had spent the last two days investigating opposition and rights' groups accusations of voting fraud.

President Mursi's critics said the vote, conducted in two stages in a process that ended on Saturday, had been marred by a litany of irregularities, and have demanded a full inquiry.

The opposition, a loose alliance of socialists, liberal-minded Muslims and Christians, have also noted that less than a third of those eligible turned out to vote, undermining the legitimacy of the new constitution.

If the Yes vote is confirmed, a parliamentary election will follow in about two months, setting the stage for Islamists to renew their battle with more secular-minded opponents.

Opposition politician Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel peace prize winner, urged President Mursi to form an all-inclusive government together with the liberal camp in order to patch up divisions and steer Egypt out of trouble in a democratic way.

"I am ready to join hands with President Mursi on condition that he forms a national (unity) government and speaks as president for all Egyptians," he told the daily Al-Shorouk.

Mr ElBaradei, the former head of the United Nations nuclear agency, said a new assembly should rewrite the draft - a call unlikely to be heeded by Mr Mursi, who is keen to push it through quickly.

The head of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, Saad al-Katatni, wrote on Facebook that the group's members were "extending our hands to all political parties and all national forces", adding: "We will all start a new page."

But the opposition National Salvation Front say the new constitution only deepens a rift between the liberals and Islamists who combined to overthrow Mubarak, and that they will keep challenging it through protests and other democratic means.

"We do not consider this constitution legitimate," liberal politician Amr Hamzawy said on Sunday, arguing that it violated personal freedoms.

The run-up to the referendum was marred by protests triggered by President Mursi's decision to award himself broad powers on 22 November. At least ten people were killed in clashes in Cairo and violence also flared in Egypt's second city, Alexandria.


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Pope condemns slaughter of 'defenceless' in Syria

Pope Benedict XVI has delivered his twice-yearly 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing and message to tens of thousands of people gathered in St Peter's Square and millions across the world.

The 85-year-old Pontiff said people should never lose hope for peace.

He also condemned the slaughter of the "defenceless" in Syria and urged Israelis and Palestinians to find the courage to negotiate.

Delivering Christmas greetings in 65 languages, Pope Benedict used the Biblical analogy of the "good soil" to underscore his view that the hope represented by Christmas should never die, even in the most dire situations.

"This good earth exists, and today too, in 2012, from this earth truth has sprung up!

"Consequently, there is hope in the world, a hope in which we can trust, even at the most difficult times and in the most difficult situations," he said.

In his virtual tour of the some of the world's trouble spots, he reserved his toughest words for Syria, Nigeria and Mali.

"Yes, may peace spring up for the people of Syria, deeply wounded and divided by a conflict which does not spare even the defenceless and reaps innocent victims," he said.

"Once again I appeal for an end to the bloodshed, easier access for the relief of refugees and the displaced, and dialogue in the pursuit of a political solution to the conflict."

The leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics also condemned conflicts in Mali and Nigeria, two countries where Islamist groups have waged violent campaigns.

"May the birth of Christ favour the return of peace in Mali and that of concord in Nigeria, where savage acts of terrorism continue to reap victims, particularly among Christians," he said.

Late last night, the pontiff presided over a Christmas Eve mass in St Peter's Basilica, where he urged people to find room for God in their fast-paced lives filled with the latest technological gadgets.

"Do we have time and space for him? Do we not actually turn away God himself? We begin to do so when we have no time for him," he said.

"The faster we can move, the more efficient our time-saving appliances become, the less time we have. And God? The question of God never seems urgent. Our time is already completely full," he said.

He said societies had reached the point where many people's thinking processes did not leave any room even for the existence of God.

"There is no room for him. Not even in our feelings and desires is there any room for him. We want ourselves. We want what we can seize hold of, we want happiness that is within our reach, we want our plans and purposes to succeed. We are so 'full' of ourselves that there is no room left for God."

Elsewhere, thousands of Christian Pilgrims attended Christmas Eve mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, which is built on the spot where believers say Jesus was born.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also attended the mass.


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US police investigate shootings of firefighters

Police in New York state are continuing to investigate a shooting yesterday in which two firefighters died and two others were seriously injured.

The gunman 62-year-old William Spengler is believed to have staged a deliberate ambush after starting a fire in the town of Webster.

Spengler, who had spent 17 years in prison for murder, was found dead at the scene.

His sister is unaccounted for, and police fear she may have died in the fire which engulfed seven houses.

"It was a trap set by Mr Spengler, who laid in wait and shot first responders," Webster Police Chief Gerald Pickering told a news conference.

Spengler was convicted of manslaughter in 1981 for beating his 92-year-old grandmother to death with a hammer, according to New York State Department of Corrections records. After prison he spent eight years on parole.

"We don't have an easy reason" for the attack on the firefighters, Mr Pickering said, "but just looking at the history ... obviously this was an individual with a lot of problems."

Spengler opened fire at around 5.45am (10.45am Irish time) after two of the firefighters arrived at the house in a fire truck and two others responded in their own cars, Chief Pickering said.

Mr Pickering appeared to wipe tears from his eyes at an earlier news conference when he identified the dead firefighters as Lieutenant Michael Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka. Mr Chiapperini was also a police lieutenant.

The injured firefighters, one of whom was in critical condition, were identified as Joseph Hofsetter and Theodore Scardino. Off-duty Police Officer John Ritter was hit by gunfire as he drove past the scene.

Mr Pickering said police had found several types of weapons, including a rifle used to shoot the firefighters. As a convicted felon it was illegal for Spengler to own guns.


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Three children killed in UK crash

Three children have died and two adults have been injured following a crash on a busy UK motorway.

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said the three children - two boys and one girl - were travelling in a vehicle on the M6 that had crashed and overturned.

They suffered serious injuries and could not be saved, a spokesman said.

Two women who were also in the car were treated at the scene before being taken to hospital.

The M6 motorway is closed both north and southbound between junction 14 and 15 after the incident.

Northbound traffic is being diverted, leaving at junction 14 and rejoining at junction 15 following the diversion, via the A34 and A500.

The accident came as flooding is again causing severe disruption across Britain, with many major road and rail routes blocked.

The situation is expected to worsen, in some areas, with heavy rain forecast during the day.

The worst affected areas will be southwest England and areas along the south coast from Cornwall to Kent, along with Wales and northern Scotland, areas which have already seen flooding in the last few days.

David Jordan, the UK Environment Agency's director of operations, said: "Although the rain is set to ease a little in the coming days, the ground is still very wet and river levels remain high, so we would ask people to keep up to date with the latest warnings and stay prepared for flooding."

The agency has issued 166 flood warnings across England and Wales, urging people to take immediate action against expected flooding.

It also has put 266 flood alerts in place, warning residents to be prepared.

Twelve flood warnings were issued in Scotland, along with seven flood alerts.

The EA said around 470 properties have flooded since Wednesday, while Floodline revealed it has received 18,000 calls during the recent wet weather.

In Devon and Cornwall, 245 properties flooded over the weekend and although a number of people were evacuated, most have now returned home.

Officials said the rivers Severn, Trent, Avon and Thames are at most risk of flooding.

Matt Dobson, a meteorologist for MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "There will be showers sweeping from west to east across the UK today, and while they will not be as persistent as recent days, they will still be heavy.

"The ground is saturated after a good dose of rain yesterday, so the areas that have been hit by flooding won't welcome more with more local flooding certainly possible.

"Up to 10mm will fall in the worst affected areas such as Devon and Cornwall as well as Wales and southern coastal areas of Hampshire, Dorset, Kent and Sussex.

"But there will be bursts of sunshine between the showers.

"There will also be thunderstorms and lightening sweeping up over Dorset and brisk winds across the south-west."


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Official referendum results due in Egypt

Written By Unknown on Senin, 24 Desember 2012 | 22.40

An official result is expected in Egypt's referendum on the new constitution.

Unofficial results suggest over 60% of voters have backed the document which is supported by Islamists and President Mohammed Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood organisation.

If the result stands, elections must take place within three months.

In the meantime, legislative powers would remain with President Mursi.

Opposition groups say there have been major irregularities and violations during the referendum process.

A spokesman for the opposition National Salvation Front, Khaled Dawoud said President Mursi had reneged on promises made to unite the country.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian President will have little time to savour victory in pushing through a new constitution.

It may have cost the Islamist leader broader support for urgent austerity measures needed to fix the creaking economy.

By fast-tracking the constitution through to a referendum that the opposition said was divisive, he may have squandered any chance of building a consensus on tax rises and spending cuts that are essential to rein in a crushing budget deficit.

Unofficial tallies from Mr Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood showed the charter was approved by a 64% majority.

Opponents have said that he lost the vote in much of the capital.

Across the nation he is said to have alienated liberals, Christians and others worried by the text that was drafted by an Islamist-dominated assembly.

Opponents say such divisions will fuel more unrest in a nation whose economy has been pummelled by turbulence since Hosni Mubarak was overthrown almost two years ago.

There are fears that the political turmoil has scared off investors and tourists that are both vital sources of capital.

Without broad support, Mr Mursi's government will find it harder to implement reforms needed to secure a $4.8bn (€3.6bn) loan from the International Monetary Fund.

The Muslim Brotherhood's party, which propelled Mursi to office, may also face a tougher fight in a parliamentary election expected in about two months.


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Train, rail and air services expect busy day

The country's roads, airports and train stations are expected to be busy again today as  180,000 people make their way home for Christmas.

People are being urged to allow extra time for their journeys.

Iarnród Éireann estimate that up to 70,000 people will travel by rail today.

The organisation expects up to 400,000 people will have taken trains.

Bus Éireann has said that up to 60,000 people are expected to travel today. 

The bus organisation says that inter-city services will end by 7pm and local services by 9pm.

Up to 620,000 have travelled through Dublin Airport over the Christmas period.

More than 50,000 are expected to arrive at the airport today.

Shannon Airport is open tomorrow with two flights due to land for refuelling.

Up to 35,000 will travel through this airport for the festive period.


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Santa Claus delivering presents in Pacific region

Santa Claus has departed from the North Pole and has begun his worldwide delivery. The first stop was The Line Islands that are part of the Republic of Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean.

Currently, Santa is delivering toys in Australia where he finds it challenging as his suit is more suited to cold weather rather than the hot sun.

Earlier, he thanked his elves saying that he was delighted with all their hard work in preparing all the toys for children worldwide.

The strongest elves lifted the sacks of presents onto the sleigh.

Elves have made a special request that all children leave some snacks or even a glass of water out for Santa before they go to bed. 

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland Santa asked children to leave out carrots and cabbage for Rudolph.

Santa's trip can be followed thanks to Rudolph's shiny nose which works as a radar.

Rudolph's radar can be followed in this location.

There is a space ship monitoring website which is normally reserved for space ship monitoring here. 

The moment that radar indicates Santa has lifted off, satellites positioned in geo-synchronous orbit at 22,300 miles from the Earth's surface are equipped with infrared sensors, which enable them to detect heat.

Amazingly, Rudolph's bright red nose gives off an infrared signature, which allows satellites to detect Rudolph and Santa.


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UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi meets Syria's president

Special envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi met with President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus to discuss a solution to the country's 21-month-old conflict.

Mr Brahimi told journalists after the meeting that he discussed the situation in Syria overall.

He said that he gave his views on how to solve the crisis.

Mr Brahimi said conditions in the country were still poor, he travelled to Syria by road from Lebanon after fighting closed Damascus Airport.

Opposition activists in Syria say up to 90 people were killed and dozens injured in an air strike by government forces in the rebel held town of Halfaya in Hama province yesterday.

The attack was on a bakery in the town.

In defiant remarks, Syrian Information Minister Umran Ahid al-Za'bi said rebels and their foreign allies should "forget" trying to topple Assad.

He appeared to move away from the conciliatory tone of the Syrian vice president, who said last week that neither side could win the war and called for a national unity government.


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Two charged over cannabis seizure

Two men have appeared in court charged in connection with the seizure of cannabis.

The two men from Vietnam, Long Van Vuong, 52, and Lam Trong Guong, 36, of no fixed abode were charged under the misuse of drugs act.

They were charged with possession of cannabis, possession of cannabis for sale and supply and cultivation of cannabis plants without a licence.

The men were arrested after a search of an industrial unit at Nangor Road in Dublin led to the seizure of cannabis plants with an estimated street value of €1m.

Judge John Coughlan remanded the pair in custody to appear in court again on 31 December.

There was no application for bail.


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Gerry McEntee hits out at 'faceless' critics

The brother of the late Minister of State, Shane McEntee, has criticised anonymous attacks made on him following the recent Budget.

Speaking at his funeral in Co Meath, Gerry McEntee hit out at what he called "the faceless people" who sent anonymous texts and posted criticism on websites.

His comments were greeted by applause from the congregation.

Shane McEntee has been laid to rest at Nobber Cemetery in Co Meath, where Taoiseach Enda Kenny delivered a graveside oration.

Up to 3,000 people attended the funeral.

In his homily, Fr Michael Sheerin spoke about how sensitive the minister was.

Fr Sheerin also spoke about the irreparable loss to the late minister's family; his wife Kathleen, children Aoife, Helen, Sally and Vincent, as well as his mother Madge.

Among the large congregation were President Michael D Higgins and his wife, Sabina, as well as the Tánaiste, Eamon Gilmore, and most Cabinet colleagues.

Mr McEntee, a farmer from Castletown near Navan in Co Meath, was first elected to the Dáil in 2005 in the by-election caused by the appointment of John Bruton to the post of EU Ambassador in Washington.

He retained his seat in Meath East in 2007 and 2011, when he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, with responsibility for Food, Food Safety and Horticulture.

Mr McEntee was a farmer for 15 years before becoming a full-time politician, as well as an agricultural sales representative.

He was involved in the GAA and had trained a number of football teams, including the Meath minors.

A book of condolences has been opened at the Department of Agriculture.


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Two charged men over Dublin cannabis seizure

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 23 Desember 2012 | 22.40

Two men have been charged in connection with the seizure of €1m worth of cannabis in Dublin.

Around 1,200 cannabis plants were discovered at an industrial unit at the Willow Business Park off the Nangor Road on Friday evening.

The men, in their 30s and 40s, are due to appear in court tomorrow morning.


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South Korea says North's missile could reach US

South Korean officials have said North Korea is likely to have the missile technology to fire a warhead more than 10,000km.

The new technology, which was successfully tested earlier this month, would put the west coast of the US within range.

North Korea said the 12 December launch put a weather satellite in orbit.

However, critics say it was aimed at developing the kind of technology needed to mount a nuclear warhead on a long-range missile.

North Korea is banned from testing missile or nuclear technology under UN sanctions imposed after its 2006 and 2009 nuclear weapons tests and the UN Security Council condemned the launch.

South Korea retrieved and analysed parts of the first-stage rocket that dropped in the waters off its west coast.

"As a result of analysing the material of Unha-3 (North Korea's rocket), we judged North Korea had secured a range of more than 10,000km in case the warhead is 500-600kg," a South Korean Defence Ministry official told a news briefing.

North Korea's previous missile tests ended in failure.

It has spent decades and scarce resources to try to develop technology capable of striking targets as far away as the US and it is also working to build a nuclear arsenal.

However experts believe the North is still years away from mastering the technology needed to miniaturise a nuclear bomb to mount on a missile.

South Korean defence officials also said there was no confirmation whether the North had the re-entry technology needed for a payload to survive the heat and vibration without disintegrating.

Despite international condemnation, the launch this month was seen as a major boost domestically to the credibility of the North's young leader, Kim Jong-un, who took over when his father died last year.


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Egypt's constitution 'approved' in vote

Egyptian state media has reported that a constitution drafted by an Islamist-dominated assembly has been approved by a majority in a referendum.

The Muslim Brotherhood said an unofficial tally showed 64% of voters backed the constitution after two rounds of voting that ended with a final ballot yesterday.

An opposition official also said that its unofficial count showed the result was a 'yes' vote.

The referendum committee may not declare official results for the two rounds until tomorrow, after hearing appeals.

If the outcome is confirmed, a parliamentary election will follow in about two months.

President Mohammed Mursi's Islamist backers say the constitution is vital for the transition to democracy, nearly two years after the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak.

They say it will provide the stability needed to help a fragile economy.

The constitution was "a historic opportunity to unite all national powers on the basis of mutual respect and honest dialogue for the sake of stabilising the nation," the Muslim Brotherhood said in a statement.

However the opposition accuses Mr Mursi of pushing through a text that favours Islamists and ignores the rights of Christians, who make up about 10% of the population, as well as women. They say it will lead to further unrest.

"According to our calculations, the final result of the second round is 71% voting 'yes' and the overall result (of the two rounds) is 63.8%," said a Brotherhood official.

The opposition said voting in both rounds was marred by abuses.

However, an official said the overall vote favoured the constitution, with nearly 70% in favour in the second round, in line with the Islamists' estimate.

"They are ruling the country, running the vote and influencing the people, so what else could we expect," said a senior official from the main opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front.

The vote was split over two days as many judges had refused to supervise the ballot, making a single day of voting impossible.


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Monti available to lead Italy again

Italian caretaker Prime Minister Mario Monti has said that he would be ready to offer his leadership to political forces that adopt his agenda of reforms the country needs.

Speaking at an end-of-year news conference, Mr Monti stressed that he was not now entering any political movement.

The former European Commissioner said that he was more concerned about his policy prescriptions being followed than personalities.

Nonetheless, he said that if a political force or coalition offered a credible programme that he supported he would "be ready to offer my encouragement, advice and, if necessary, leadership".

Asked if that meant he was ready to stand as prime minister again, he said: "If a credible political force asked me to run as prime minister for them I would consider it."

Mr Monti said he hoped the next government will have an ample parliamentary majority.

He told reporters that he believed the classic left-right divide was no longer adequate to tackle the problems facing Italy.

Mr Monti resigned last week after his technocrat government lost the support of the centre-right People of Freedom party.

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved parliament yesterday after Mr Monti's decision, with elections due in February.


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Fatal house fire in Co Carlow

A 50-year-old woman has died in a house fire in Hacketstown in Co Carlow.

The woman's 20-year-old son found the house on fire when he returned home at 4.30am.

He managed to get his mother out of the house, but she was later pronounced dead.

Gardaí have said that it appears the fire started accidentally.

The woman's body has been taken to Waterford Regional Hospital for a post mortem examination.

The scene has preserved for a technical examination.


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ESB crews restore power after overnight outages

Electricity supply has been restored to nearly all homes after overnight power cuts due to gale-force winds and hurricane-strength gusts.

ESB Networks spokeswoman Bevan Cody said repair crews are making good progress and they hope to have power restored in all areas this afternoon.

Some of the areas left without electricity overnight included Drogheda, Ennis, Limerick, Longford, Monaghan, Tipperary and Waterford.

Owen Sherlock of Met Éireann said winds reached speeds of up to 130km/h, which brought down power lines and trees.

Gardaí have warned motorists of dangerous driving conditions in many areas.

There are reports of debris and fallen trees in many parts of the country including; Dublin, Meath, Laois, Kilkenny, Cavan and Galway.

Met Éireann has said that the winds will ease this afternoon, but those travelling home for Christmas should take extra time for their journeys.

Elsewhere, high winds have disrupted road travel in Northern Ireland and fallen trees have blocked roads in Armagh and Down.

Power NI said the electricity network has coped well with the weather.

Severe flooding caused by heavy rain is disrupting plans for people travelling to southwest England and Wales.

Some rail services have been suspended and there is a severe flood warning in Cornwall.

With more rain falling today, there are more than 500 flood warnings and alerts in England and Wales and about 30 in Scotland.


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Retailers set to enjoy busy weekend

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 22 Desember 2012 | 22.40

Retailers are expecting this weekend to be one of the busiest shopping weekends of the past five years.

As hundreds of thousands of people do their Christmas shopping today, Retail Excellence Ireland said traders can move into 2013 with optimism.

David Fitzsimons of Retail Excellence Ireland said that there are several reasons why today will be a busy day.

He said: "The weather is clement and people have postponed spending because they were waiting to get the Budget out of the way.

"A lot of people have taken Monday off, so it is kind of like a long weekend, and a lot of people have just left their shopping late.

"We are seeing huge footfall down from Belfast because of the exchange rate and also because of some of the trouble up there.

"People got paid this week, so all the signs are good for a very, very busy and productive retail day today."

Elsewhere, thousands of people have begun travelling home for Christmas and up to 400,000 journeys will be made on Intercity trains during the Christmas period.

With Christmas Eve falling on Monday, Irish Rail expects an even spread of passengers over the weekend.

There are no rail services on Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day.

There will be changed timetables over Christmas, so Irish Rail is advising people to check timetables before travelling.

In Britain, flooding is causing disruption for shoppers and those on the move.

Many rail passengers in the southeast of England have been advised not to travel as several lines have been flooded.


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Two held after €1m Dublin cannabis seizure

Two men have been arrested after cannabis plants worth an estimated €1m were seized in Co Dublin.

The cannabis plants were seized when gardaí raided an industrial unit on the Nangor Road yesterday evening.

The men arrested are in their 30s and 40s and are being held at Ballyfermot Garda Station.

The raid was part of Operation Nitrogen, which is led by the Garda National Drugs Unit.


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Pope Benedict pardons former Vatican butler

Pope Benedict has pardoned his former butler, Paolo Gabriele, who was convicted in October of leaking sensitive documents that alleged corruption in the Holy See.

The Vatican said the Pope visited Mr Gabriele in the Vatican's jail this morning to tell him personally of the pardon.

Mr Gabriele was then released and has already returned to his family.

He was convicted of aggravated theft on 6 October and had been serving an 18-month sentence in a Vatican jail cell.

Mr Gabriele was arrested in May after Vatican police found many documents that had been stolen from the Pope's office.

He gave them to the media in what became known as "Vatileaks".

The case became a major embarrassment for the Vatican.

The Vatican said the Pope had also pardoned a second Vatican employee, Claudio Sciarpelletti, who was convicted of aiding and abetting Mr Gabriele.


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Egyptians voting in constitutional referendum

Polling stations have opened in Egypt in the second and final round of a referendum on a new constitution.

The constitution was drafted by an assembly dominated by Islamists and the opposition says it is polarising the country.

Unofficial results from the first round vote last week showed an approval rate for the constitution of 57%.

Analysts expect that the last stage of voting will give another yes vote.

The vote has been staggered because many judges needed to supervise the vote have boycotted the polls to protest against the referendum in sympathy with the opposition.

About half of the 51m eligible voters are covered in each round.

Polls are scheduled to close at 7pm (5pm Irish time), but could be kept open longer as they were last week.

The opposition said voting in the first round was littered with abuses. Officials overseeing the poll said there were no major irregularities.

Liberals, Christians and others quit the drafting assembly, which was dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist allies of President Mohammed Mursi, saying their voices were not being heard.

Television footage showed some early queues at polling stations in areas of the country covered by this stage of the poll.

If the constitution is approved, a parliamentary election will follow in about two months.


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Russia says neither side will win Syrian civil war

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said neither side can win the war in Syria, and that China and Russia would be unable to persuade President Bashar al-Assad to quit if they tried.

Russia has been backtracking since the Kremlin's Middle East envoy was quoted this month as saying the rebels could defeat Mr Assad and that Russia was preparing for a possible evacuation of its nationals.

It was seen as the strongest sign yet that it was positioning itself for a post-Assad Syria.

"Listen, no one is going to win this war," Mr Lavrov told reporters aboard a government plane en route to Moscow after a Russia-European Union summit in Brussels.

Russia has angered the West and some Arab states by vetoing, along with China, three UN Security Council resolutions meant to put pressure on Mr Assad to end the bloodshed.

More than 40,000 people have died since his government began a crackdown on protests in March 2011.

Russia contends it is not trying to prop Mr Assad up, but Mr Lavrov reiterated that it has no intention of helping remove him - and said it anyway lacks the influence to make that happen.

"Assad is not going anywhere, no matter what anyone tells him, be it China or Russia," he said.

"Some regional powers suggested that we tell Assad we were ready to accommodate him. And we replied: 'Why do we have to do it? If you have these plans, go to him directly yourselves'."

Mr Lavrov suggested Russia would not object "if there are those who are ready to give him some guarantees, if this stops the bloodshed - but only if it could stop the bloodshed, which does not seem to be a clear fact".

"Western intelligence services have serious fears and forecasts that the toppling of Assad would not resolve the problem, that fighting would move to a new stage," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia was not concerned about Syria's current rulers staying in power but feared the government and its opponents might simply swap roles and fight on forever.

If "the number one priority is to end bloodshed and save lives, we need to simply put the 'Assad problem' aside," Mr Lavrov said.

"And make everyone declare a truce, bring in UN observers, and sit the warring parties at the negotiation table without preliminary terms like the resignation of Syria's president."

He said international envoy Lakhdar Brahimi would visit Russia before the end of the year.

Mr Brahimi has twice this month met with Russian and US diplomats but the talks produced no signs of progress in ending their disagreements over Syria.

Russia says the solution must be based on a deal reached in Geneva in June that called for a transitional government.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at the time that the declaration made clear Mr Assad should step down, but Mr Lavrov said it did nothing of the kind.

In his latest remarks, Mr Lavrov suggested that, by supporting rebels, Western countries were undermining their own goal of ensuring Syria's chemical weapons are not used.

"In our confidential conversations, our US partners acknowledge that the main threat [connected to chemical weapons] is their capture by rebels," he said.

"We tell them: 'Guys, but you are supporting the opposition and its armed resistance'."

Mr Lavrov said that, for now, the chemical arsenal was "under control", adding: "The Syrian authorities have concentrated those reserves, previously scattered across the country, in one or two centres."

He did not say when that had taken place or give any details.

US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta expressed concern this month that Mr Assad's government was considering using chemical weapons as rebels intensified their push, but he said on 11 December that there had been no new moves in recent days indicating that.


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Two dead as looting spreads in Argentina

Two people have been killed in Argentina after looters broke into supermarkets in several cities, stirring memories of the country's devastating economic crisis 11 years ago.

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to stop dozens of stone-throwing youths from looting a supermarket owned by French retailer Carrefour near the capital.

The violence came a day after the unrest erupted in the Patagonian ski resort of Bariloche.

Government officials condemned the violence and sent 400 military police to the southern city.

Raiders stormed a supermarket owned by the local unit of Wal-Mart and made off with flat-screen televisions and other goods.

The violence spread to the central city of Rosario, where two people were killed, and to the northern province of Chaco.

About 250 people were arrested in total in four different provinces and police battled to avert fresh incidents in the urban sprawl that encircles Buenos Aires.

"When you see that they're taking flat-screens, you know it's not hunger," said Daniel Scioli, Governor of Buenos Aires province and an ally of President Cristina Fernandez.


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Significant increase in number of burglaries

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 21 Desember 2012 | 22.40

There has been a significant increase in the number of burglary and related offences, according to the latest crime figures.

Figures from the Central Statistics Office show the number of burglaries rose by almost 8% - or 2,099 - in the period to September, compared to the same time last year.

While overall homicide offences - which include dangerous driving leading to death - are down, the number of murders and cases of manslaughter increased.

There were three more cases of murder and manslaughter offences in the 12 month period to September this year compared with same period the previous year.

The number of attempted murder and assaults are down by 9.5%.

Fraud offences are up by just over 6% - at 325 - while weapons and explosive offences are down over 17%.

Public order offences are also down by 12%.

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter described the new statistics as "generally very positive".

"The gardaí are making an impact on crime and we can be confident that this forms a good basis for ensuring community safety into 2013," he said.


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Latest attempt to avert 'US fiscal cliff' fails

The latest attempt to avert the so-called fiscal cliff, which many economists say threatens to send the United States back into recession, has failed.

A vote on a Republican bill to limit tax rises to those earning more than $1m a year was abandoned last night in the House of Representatives, due to a lack of support.

President Barack Obama has pledged to work with Congress to avoid the tax increases and spending cuts due to come into force at the end of the year if a deal cannot be reached.

The dramatic twist threw into disarray attempts to head off $600 billion worth of indiscriminate tax hikes and spending cuts that could push the US economy into recession next year.

The move also casts doubts over John Boehner's future as House of Representatives speaker after failing to control unruly conservatives in his caucus.

The Ohio congressman had hoped to demonstrate Republican unity by passing a bill through the House, known as "Plan B", that would limit income-tax increases to those earning $1m and more, a far smaller slice of taxpayers than Mr Obama wants to pay higher taxes.

But Mr Boehner cancelled the vote after failing to round up enough support from his party because many conservative Republicans are opposed to tax hikes on even the richest wage-earning Americans.

"The House did not take up the tax measure today because it did not have sufficient support from our members to pass," Mr Boehner said in a statement after huddling with other Republican leaders.

The bill, had it passed, would have put Republicans on record as supporting a tax increase on those who earn more than $1m per year, breaking with decades of orthodoxy.

It won the blessing of influential anti-tax activist Grover Norquist, but other conservative groups fiercely opposed it and many rank-and-file members said they would not support it.

Mr Obama wants to raise taxes on families earning more than $400,000, a much lower threshold.

Mr Obama and Mr Boehner aim to reach a deal before the New Year, when taxes will automatically rise for nearly all Americans and the government will have to scale back spending on domestic and military programmes.

Economists say the combined $600bn hit to the economy could push the US economy into recession.

Mr Boehner said Mr Obama now must first pass a bill through the Democratic-controlled Senate before he holds another vote in the House.

With Republicans in chaos, Mr Boehner will almost certainly need support from House Democrats to pass a deal before the end of the year.

Alternatively, he could wait until the new year to hold a vote. At that point, tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003 will have expired for all Americans, and it presumably would be easier to pass a bill that would restore tax cuts for most.

Opinion polls show that more Americans would blame Republicans rather than Mr Obama if they do not reach a deal before then.


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Death announced of Minister of State Shane McEntee

The Government has announced the sudden death of Fine Gael Minister of State Shane McEntee. He was 56.

In a statement, the Government said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with Shane's family and friends at this deeply sad time."

Mr McEntee, a farmer from Castletown near Navan in Co Meath, was first elected to the Dáil in 2005, in the by-election caused by the appointment of John Bruton to the post of EU Ambassador in Washington.

He retained his seat in Meath East in 2007 and 2011, when he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, with responsibility for Food, Food Safety and Horticulture.

Mr McEntee was a farmer for 15 years before becoming a full-time politician, as well as an agricultural sales representative.

He was involved in the GAA and had trained a number of football teams, including the Meath minors.

He is survived by his wife Kathleen and children Vincent, Helen and Sally.

President Michael D Higgins said Mr McEntee would be missed by his family and friends, colleagues in political life and the wider community.

He said Mr McEntee had "made an enormous contribution to community and public life throughout his career in farming and agriculture, as a TD representing the people of Meath in Dáil Éireann and to the world of sport through his involvement with the GAA".

In a statement, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he was devastated at Mr McEntee's death.

"Since his election to the Dáil, Shane has been a dedicated servant of the people of Meath. As Minister of State, he brought great energy, diligence and enthusiasm to his role.

"On a personal level Shane McEntee was a loyal friend and colleague and my thoughts and prayers go out to Kathleen and their family at this very sad time."

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore also expressed his sympathy to the family Mr McEntee.

"Shane was a passionate advocate for his Meath East constituents, particularly for the farming community," he said.

"His good nature and warm personality will be sadly missed by his parliamentary colleagues from across the political divide."

Minister for Agriculture and the Marine Simon Coveney said: 'I'm deeply shocked and deeply saddened by the death of Shane McEntee.

"My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family at what must be an awful and difficult time".

Fianna Fáil leader Mícheál Martin said Mr McEntee was a true gentleman who commanded the genuine affection and respect of people on all sides of the House.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said his thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at this sad time.

IFA President John Bryan said the farming community was shocked beyond belief at the death.

"He worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents and the farming community to find solutions," he said.


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