Renowned jazz clarinetist Buddy DeFranco who collaborated with Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday and other top singers and musicians of his era has died at the age of 91, his family said today.
	DeFranco's family told The Associated Press that the famed musician died Wednesday evening at a Florida hospital.
	DeFranco's wife, Joyce, said he had been in declining health in recent years.
	DeFranco, a member of the American Jazz Hall of Fame, performed at venues around the world for 75 years and recorded with musicians including Sinatra, Holliday, Art Tatum, Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett. He conducted the Glenn Miller Orchestra for eight years from 1966 to 1974.
	He was named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master and later named a Living Jazz Legend in a Kennedy Center ceremony.
	DeFranco was recognized 16 times with the Playboy All-Star award for top jazz clarinetist in the world.
	"We have received condolences from around the world," said Joyce DeFranco. She said her husband's ...

Jazz great Buddy DeFranco dies at age 91

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A priest was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head, his diocese said today, marking the latest in series of abductions, attacks and highway robberies against Roman Catholic clerics in an area of southern Guerrero state dominated by drug cartels.
	Rev Gregorio Lopez Gorostieta is the third Catholic priest to have been killed in the region this year, and the first to die since the federal government launched a special, stepped-up security operation in the area following the disappearance of 43 teachers' college students three months ago.
	The motive in Lopez Gorostieta's killing remains unclear; Bishop Maximino Martinez said a group had been seen lurking around the seminary where the priest taught on the outskirts of Ciudad Altamirano, Guerrero, on Sunday and Monday. Lopez Gorostieta was apparently kidnapped by the gang early Monday; his truck was found abandoned two days later.
	"This is another priest added to those who have died for their love of Christ. Enough already of so much 

Third priest killed in dangerous southern Mexico

The Vatican says it has arrested the Femen activist who on Christmas Day bared her chest and snatched the statue of Baby Jesus in the life-size Nativity scene in the center of St Peter's Square.
	Vatican spokesman the Rev Lombardi said today that Ukrainian activist Yana Zhdanova was being held for questioning, and noted that the incident aimed to "intentionally offend the religious feelings" of numerous people. Possible charges include carrying out obscene acts in public, insults and theft.
	A bare-chested Zhdanova grabbed the Baby Jesus statue about an hour after the pope offered his Christmas blessing yesterday. A Vatican guard immediately covered her with his cape and detained her, while Zhdanova, still clutching the figure, shouted "God is woman.

Vatican arrests activist who bared chest in square

An Ohio fire marshal's spokesman says four bodies have been pulled from a burned-out Ohio home where three children were visiting their grandmother.
	The fire was reported early today. Authorities say the single-story house was destroyed.
	Sheriff Vernon Stanford said family members were being informed of what he called "just a tragic, tragic" fire. No identifications have been released.
	There was no immediate word on what may have caused the blaze.

4 bodies found in home where kids visited grandma

China said today that it would help Nepal develop its power industry to alleviate severe electricity outages that can last up to 12 hours a day in the Himalayan nation, where Beijing is trying to increase influence and investment.
	Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said his country would provide funding and human resources to train Nepalese professionals in the hydropower and other sectors. Wang spoke to reporters during his three-day visit to Nepal, which ends tomorrow.
	Nepal is trying to woo investment from its giant neighbors China and India. New Delhi recently offered billions of dollars in both investments and development grants.
	China's state-backed Three Gorges International Corp. Is negotiating with Nepal over construction of a USD 1.6 billion power plant over the Seti River in western Nepal that can generate 750 megawatts of electricity.
	"Nepal has power shortages and electricity is essential for Nepal's efforts to industrialize, to create more jobs, to build its capacity ..

China offers to help electricity-starved Nepal

The Russian Justice Ministry has branded a leading rights group named after Nobel Prize winner Andrei Sakharov a "foreign agent," a stigma that could lead to its closure.
	The ministry said in a statement released today that the Andrei Sakharov Museum and Community Center had been included into the list of "foreign agents."
	Following major protests against his rule in 2011 and 2012, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a law that requires all NGOs receiving foreign funding and found to engage in vaguely defined "political activity" to register as "foreign agents." Those who fail to comply face fines and potential closure.
	Lyudmila Alexeyeva, a Soviet-era dissident and a leading rights campaigner, said in remarks carried by the Interfax news agency the ministry's move could force the Sakharov center to close.

Russia labels leading rights group 'foreign agent'

A major exchange of war prisoners is getting underway in eastern Ukraine, with around 370 expected to be released.
	The pro-Russia rebels are set to release 150 Ukrainian prisoners in exchange for the Ukrainian government releasing 222 captives.
	Russia's Interfax and RIA Novosti news agencies are reporting that the exchange is taking place on neutral ground between the sectors controlled by the insurgents and the government forces.
	The exchange had been tentatively planned for earlier this week, and the failure to conduct it pushed back another round of Ukraine peace talks in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, which was set for today but was adjourned indefinitely.

Eastern Ukraine prisoner exchange underway

Ukraine has suspended train and bus services to the Russia-annexed Crimean Peninsula, citing security concerns.
	The state railways company said that trains bound for Crimea's regional capital of Simferopol and the port of Sevastopol will run only to stations on the mainland near Crimea starting tomorrow.
	The company said the move was taken to ensure "traffic safety."
	In a separate statement, the Infrastructure Ministry issued a directive to bus companies to stop bus services to Crimea starting today.
	Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula in March following the ouster of Ukraine's former Moscow-friendly president after months of protests. A pro-Russia insurgency erupted in eastern Ukraine the following month. Ukraine and the West have accused Moscow of fueling the rebellion with troops and weapons, accusations Moscow has denied.

Ukraine cuts train and bus services to Crimea

Police say an elderly Chinese man has driven his car through a crowd of pedestrians outside a popular Beijing sports stadium, injuring eight people.
	The Beijing police said in a statement today that the man was a city resident and had been angry about a court ruling against him.
	The Beijing Times website said his car had the word "injustice" painted on it as it drove through the crowd today morning. The man was wearing a piece of fabric on his head bearing the same word.
	His car finally came to a stop after slamming into other vehicles at the south gate of Workers' Stadium.

Man drives into crowd of pedestrians in Beijing

An airstrike by US-led coalition forces today killed three Afghan villagers who were "heavily armed" but not part of the Taliban insurgency, an Afghan official said.
	The governor of eastern Logar province, Neyaz Mohammad Amiri, said that the coalition had told local authorities that the dead were Taliban insurgents, but that villagers in the remote Ab Josh area disputed that claim, saying the dead were civilians who were protecting their land from nomads.
	"The reason the coalition forces fired on them is that they were heavily armed," Amiri said. "Of course it was a mistake by the coalition forces, but at the same time I blame the villagers for carrying the heavy weapons."
	He said that Afghan security forces had been deployed to Ab Josh two days ago to mediate a clash between the villagers and Kuchi nomads, who have a reputation for violence and are often armed with machine guns and heavier weapons.
	Security in Logar has deteriorated in recent months as the insurgents have spread .

Coalition strike kills 3 armed Afghan villagers

Israel's supreme court has ordered Israeli authorities to demolish one of the oldest and most contentious Jewish settlement outposts in the West Bank.
	The court yesterday said the hilltop outpost of Amona must be evacuated within two years.
	Amona was established in 1995 on private Palestinian land without Israeli government permission.
	In 2006, Israeli police demolished nine homes at the outpost, setting off a bloody clash of settlers and supporters against police and soldiers. Several dozen trailers have remained.
	The government put off dismantling the rest of the outpost, despite court deadlines. Settlers also claimed to have retroactively bought some of the land where the outpost sits, though the Palestinian landowners claim some of those sales were fictitious.
	Palestinians want to establish a state in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Israeli court orders state to raze West Bank outpost

Three South Korean workers died today after apparently inhaling toxic gas at a construction site for a nuclear plant being built by South Korea's monopoly nuclear power company, which has come under recent threats by hackers, a company official said.
	The accident at the construction site in the southeastern city of Ulsan came as the state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co was on high alert over a series of threats by hackers who claim they can disable the control systems of its plants.
	Choi Hee-ye, a company spokeswoman, said there was no reason to believe that today's accident was linked to the cyberattack threats.
	The victims were working at the construction site when they fell unconscious and were taken to a hospital, where they later died, Choi said.
	The company has yet to determine the cause of the accident, although the leaking of nitrogen was suspected, she said, adding that it wasn't immediately clear how nitrogen was used in the construction process.
	Construction of ..

3 SKorea workers die at nuke plant construction site

Philippine communist rebels have freed two soldiers after four months of captivity as a goodwill gesture prior to a possible resumption of peace talks with the government.
	Rebel spokesman Jorge Madlos said today they will release three more soldiers by January. Madlos spoke to journalists at a rebel camp in southern Surigao del Sur province, where the rebels marked the 46th anniversary of the underground Communist Party of the Philippines.
	It's one of Asia's longest running rebellions.
	Regional military spokesman Maj Ezra Balagtey confirmed that the two soldiers were released unharmed.
	Their release could pave the way for talks to resume next month. They broke off in 2011 due to disagreements over the release of several jailed rebel leaders.

Philippine rebels free 2 captive soldiers

South Korean prosecutors today arrested a government official who allegedly leaked information about an investigation into former Korean Air Lines executive Cho Hyun-ah, who forced a flight to return over a bag of macadamia nuts.
	The transport ministry official was sent to a Seoul detention facility after a local court issued a warrant for his arrest, according to the Seoul Western Prosecutors' Office and court officials. The official was suspected of providing the information to a Korean Air Lines executive, who allegedly tried to cover up the incident.
	Cho, the daughter of Korean Air's chairman, resigned as vice president at the airline earlier this month amid mounting public criticism that she forced a December 5 plane bound for South Korea from New York to return to a gate and kicked off a flight attendant because the nuts were served in a bag, not on a plate.
	Earlier this week, prosecutors asked a court to issue warrants to arrest both Cho and the executive who allegedly tried 

S Korean official arrested over nut rage incident

Russia and four other ex-Soviet nations have completed the creation of a new economic alliance intended to bolster their integration, but the ambitious grouping immediately showed signs of fracture as the leader of Belarus sharply criticized Moscow.
	The Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, comes to existence on January 1. In addition to free trade, it's to coordinate the members' financial systems and regulate their industrial and agricultural policies along with labor markets and transportation networks.
	Russia had tried to encourage Ukraine to join, but its former pro-Moscow president was ousted in February following months of protests. Russia then annexed Ukraine's Black Sea Crimean Peninsula, and a pro-Russia mutiny has engulfed eastern Ukraine.
	Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the new union will have a combined economic output of USD 4.5 trillion and bring together 170 million people.
	"The Eurasian integration .

Russia, 4-ex-Soviet nations finalize new alliance

Supporters of Russia's most prominent opposition leader are preparing to protest near the Kremlin despite government efforts to hamper their plans by Internet censorship.
	Last week, prosecutors asked a court to sentence Alexei Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's chief foe, to 10 years in prison for allegedly defrauding a cosmetics company, charges he dismissed as ludicrous.
	Navalny's supporters set up a group on Facebook to organize a protest outside the Kremlin on January 15, the day of the verdict. But the Russian communications oversight agency said it immediately requested that Facebook block the group, which it did over the weekend.
	Access to the Facebook page in Russia has remained blocked, but Navalny supporters continued Tuesday to discuss the protest plans on Twitter and other platforms. Facebook had no immediate comment.

Russian opposition faces Internet censorship

Gunmen attacked the African Union's main base in the Somali capital of Mogadishu leading to an exchange of gunfire between militants and soldiers that killed at least nine people, including three soldiers, an official with the mission in Somalia said.
	Three militants were captured during the Christmas day lunch hour attack on the African Union Mission to Somalia's Halane base camp, the group said in a statement.
	AMISOM said the gunmen, some of whom were disguised in Somali army uniforms, breached the base camp and attempted to gain access to critical infrastructure yesterday, during which five of them were killed and three others captured.
	Three AMISOM soldiers and a civilian contractor unfortunately lost their lives, AMISOM said.
	Somali extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack and said they were targeting a Christmas party at the base, which also houses Western embassies and UN offices.
	At least eight men entered the AU base near the Mogadishu airport, AU .

Militants attack African Union base; 9 dead

President Barack Obama celebrated Christmas by singing carols and opening gifts with his family at their vacation home in Hawaii.
	The White House says Obama started the holiday on Christmas Eve by having dinner with friends, his wife and their two daughters. Obama also telephoned troops from each branch of the military who are stationed overseas for the holidays.
	The White House says Obama thanked the troops for their service and the sacrifice they and their families make. In an annual tradition, Obama and first lady Michelle Obama were to visit with troops and their families at a Marine Corps base in Hawaii late yesterday.
	The visit comes as the US marks the end of combat operations in Afghanistan.

Obama's Christmas in Hawaii: Carols, calls to US troops

Japan's Emperor Akihito said he "ardently" hoped Japan will strive hard as a peaceful country, as he celebrated his 81th birthday ahead of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II next year.
	Akihito said he hoped Japan will move forward to play a friendship role with its Asian neighbours as well as the rest of the world. His comment, made at a customary news conference last week, was released Tuesday.
	"I ardently hope that Japan will be able to go forward in the world as a stable, peaceful and sound nation, in mutual support not only with neighbouring countries but with as many of the world's countries as possible," Akihito said.
	Akihito is to visit Palau, one of harsh battlefields in the Pacific during World War II, next year to mourn for the war-dead for the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
	His commitment to peace as the son of Emperor Hirohito, in whose name Japan waged war, is often highlighted at a time Japan's right-wing government of Prime Minister Shinzo 

Japan's emperor turns 81, renews peace commitment

San Diego police say a 40-year-old man died after a border inspector shot him with a stun gun at the nation's busiest crossing.
	Police said today that the man jumped over a counter and attacked an inspector after being escorted to a separate area for questioning at the San Ysidro port of entry between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, and. A records check revealed he was wanted on a felony charge.
	Police say the man attacked as authorities tried to take him into custody yesterday. He was attempting to enter the US on foot.
	Four Customs and Border Protection officers suffered moderate injuries and were hospitalized.
	Authorities attempted to resuscitate the man, who was pronounced dead at a hospital. Police said he wouldn't be identified until family was notified.

Man shot with stun gun dies at border crossing

Russia today offered sympathy to North Korea amid the Sony hacking scandal, saying the movie that sparked the dispute was so scandalous that Pyongyang's anger was "quite understandable."
	Washington failed to offer any proof to back its claims of Pyongyang's involvement in the hacking, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said at a briefing, adding that the US threats of retaliation were "counterproductive."
	The US has blamed Pyongyang for the recent cyberattack on Sony Pictures, which produced 'The Interview', a comedy depicting the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Pyongyang has denied a role in the hacking, but also praised it as a "righteous deed."
	Sony initially decided not to release the film because of threats against US cinemas, but released the movie online yesterday.
	Russia's ties with the communist North soured after the 1991 Soviet collapse, but have improved under President Vladimir Putin's watch.
	Moscow has taken part in ...

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