Bolshoi Ballet Boss Describes Acid Attack

The Bolshoi Ballet's artistic director has described the horrific acid attack which left him with third-degree burns and could leave him blind.

Sergei Filin, 43, was attacked by a masked man who threw acid into his face as he got out of his car outside his home in Moscow.

Filin, who is currently being treated at a burns unit in the Russian capital, secured the highly coveted artistic director position in March 2011 after dancing at the Bolshoi for 18 years.

Sergie Filin said he feared he would be shot

But in recent weeks, he has been plagued with anonymous threats, which colleagues have said may be due to jealousy from those who lost out on the position.

Heavily bandaged and speaking from his hospital bed, Filin told the Russian Ren TV station how he feared for his life during the attack.

He said: "I got scared, to be honest, I thought he would shoot me. I understood the (courtyard) door didn't open after I dialled the code and I turned away to run but he was faster and got ahead - I had a jacket hood on - and he splashed something into my face from below.

Happier times: Filin with the cast of a Bolshoi's production

"He turned to me, he had his face covered up to his eyes like this, it was a scarf or some bandage, like a mask, a hood and something like a mask, only eyes uncovered."

He added: "Since December 31, I had these attacks, there were calls on my mobiles one after another, and the phones were blocked for any normal contacts.

"So there were continuous calls, it was obviously happening on someone's request, so it served like a warning." 

The theatre's general director, Anatoly Iksanov told Russian TV's Channel One that Filin's personal email account had also been hacked and personal messages were published in an attempt to discredit him.

An insulting Facebook page was also created in the former dancer's name and his tyres were slashed.

Filin dances during a Bolshoi production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake

Katerina Novikova, the theatre's press secretary, told Channel One: "Sergei was constantly receiving threats after he took up this post and his predecessors were under attack before him."

Prior to the attack, Filin was offered a bodyguard by a relative, however his assistant said he turned it down assuming that the threats would not turn violent.

But Filin grew more concerned and on the day of the attack he told Iksanov: "I have a feeling that I am on the front line."

A theatre official has said Filin is likely to be sent overseas for treatment and his recovery may take up to six months.

Since the Bolshoi Theatre's long-standing artistic director Yuri Grigorovich left in 1995 after 30 years, filling the position has proven difficult.

Five artistic directors have been appointed in the last 15 years, of which, one has been fired, two have not had their contracts renewed and one is rumoured to have been pressurised into resigning.

Alexei Ratmansky, the Bolshoi's artistic director from 2004 until 2008, posted on his Facebook page: "The Bolshoi has many ills.

"It's a disgusting cesspool, of those developing friendships with the artists, the speculators and scalpers, the half-crazy fans, ready to bite the throats of the rivals of their favourites, the cynical hackers, the lies in the press and the scandalous interviews of staff."

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Lance Armstrong: I Deserve to Compete Again

Lance Armstrong believes he should be given the opportunity to compete again, saying: "I deserve to be punished. I'm not sure that I deserve a death penalty."

The 41-year-old Texan has confessed to using performance-enhancing drugs during all seven of his Tour de France victories. He was stripped of all results from August 1, 1998 and banned from sport for life.

Armstrong was competing in triathlons, mountain bike events and marathons before he was sanctioned and believes he deserves that opportunity in the future, suggesting a life ban is not right.

He told Oprah Winfrey in the second part of their television interview: "I can't lie to you. I'd love the opportunity to be able to compete, but that isn't the reason that I'm doing this.

"Frankly, this might not be the most popular answer, but I think I deserve it (to be able to compete again).

Armstrong competing before he was sanctioned

"I deserve to be punished. I'm not sure that I deserve a death penalty."

Eleven of Armstrong's former team-mates provided evidence against him in exchange for six-month suspensions.

He added: "If you look at the situation, if you look at that culture, you look at the sport, you see the punishments. I could go back to that time ...you're trading my story for a six-month suspension. That's what people got. What everybody got.

"I got a death penalty. I'm not saying that that's unfair, necessarily, but I'm saying it's different."

After years of denials, Armstrong confirmed that during his record run, from 1999 to 2005, he used blood-boosting agent EPO, blood doping, testosterone, cortisone and human growth hormone.

Armstrong, who was last October stripped of all results dating from August 1, 1998 and banned from sport for life, denied doping during his comeback from retirement in 2009, when he finished third in the Tour, and 2010 and refuted suggestions he paid off cycling's world governing body, the UCI, to cover up a positive test in 2001.

In hindsight he wishes he had co-operated with the United States Anti-Doping Agency investigation which proved his downfall.

Co-operation could have meant a lesser penalty.

Armstrong's long-time sponsors each deserted him in quick succession following the publication of the USADA report, but the most challenging moment was when his own Lance Armstrong Foundation, the charity known now as Livestrong, distanced itself from him.

"The foundation is like my sixth child and to make that decision, and to step aside, was big," said Armstrong, who expressed his wish the charity can thrive without being associated with him.

The disgraced cyclist confessed to chat show host Oprah Winfrey

"I wouldn't at all say [I was] forced out, told to leave. I was aware of the pressure.

"It was the best thing for our organisation, but it hurt like hell. That was the lowest [moment]."

Asked if he feels disgraced, Armstrong said: "Of course, but I also feel humbled. I feel ashamed. This is ugly stuff.

"It's a process. And I think we're at the beginning of the process."

Armstrong confirmed he has been undergoing therapy to deal with his demons.

His competitive desire remains, though. Asked whether he believes his life ban should be overturned, he said: "Selfishly, yes. But realistically I don't think that's going to happen. And I have to live with that."

Winfrey asked Armstrong "Did anyone know the whole truth?" He replied "Yeah," but there was no follow-up to ascertain who.

Armstrong was emotional when discussing his 13-year-old son Luke, with tears welling up in his eyes and hesitated in giving answers, his voice croaking.

He had discovered Luke was defending him at school and had to address the matter.

Armstrong said: "That's when I knew I had to tell him. He'd never asked me. He'd never said 'Dad, is this true?' He trusted me. He heard about it in the hallways.

"I said 'Don't defend me anymore'. I said 'If anyone says anything to you, do not defend me. Just say my dad said he was sorry'.

"He said 'look, I love you, you're my dad, this won't change that'."

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Gaddafi's Son Makes His First Court Appearance

Colonel Gaddafi's son Saif al Islam has appeared in court in Libya for the first time since his capture more than a year ago.

He is accused of meeting an International Criminal Court (ICC) lawyer Melinda Taylor and of being 'involved' with an ICC delegation.

Ms Taylor was arrested and detained for three weeks after meeting al Islam and has since said it proved he could not receive a fair trial in Libya for war crimes and that he should instead be tried at The Hague.

In 2011 UN Security Council resolution 1970 directed Libya to co-operate fully with the ICC in its investigations into Col Gaddafi's violent suppression of civilian demonstrations.

Saif al Islam is charged with being 'involved' with the ICC delegation

But former rebels in Libya reportedly want the trial to be held in their country where al Islam is more likely to face the death penalty. At the Hague he could only be given a prison sentence.

"He is charged with involvement with the ICC delegation which is accused of carrying papers and other things related to the security of the Libyan state," said Taha Baara, a spokesman for the prosecutor.

ICC defence lawyers said the court hearing in Zintan - a part of Libya where the authorities in Tripoli have little influence - was intended to bully the International Court.

"This is yet another disgraceful attempt by Libya to manipulate and intimidate the ICC," said Ben Emmerson, lawyer for Abdullah al Senussi, Gadaffi's former spy chief and al Islam's co-accused.

The ICC is investigating Gaddafi's supression of demonstrations in 2011

"It is proof of the urgent and imperative need for the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Libya for its flagrant, deliberate and grave violations of Security Council resolution 1970."

Baara said the Zintan tribunal would reconvene on May 2.

"Investigations for trying him for war crimes are over and he will be put on trial for that at a later time," Baara said.

Libya has hired human rights lawyers to argue before ICC judges it would give al Islam and al Senussi a fair trial and should be allowed to do so.

Libya has pledged to go along with the ICC's final decision, whatever it may be.

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Algeria Hostage Crisis: Military Operation 'Ends'

An unknown number of hostages are thought to have been killed after Algerian military stormed a gas plant where they were being held by Islamist gunmen.

The nationalities of those killed in the assault is unknown, but David Cameron said Britain should be "prepared for the possibility of further bad news".

The Prime Minister has postponed his speech on Europe on Friday in the Netherlands to stay in the UK to deal with the situation.

Algeria's military launched a raid at the In Amenas complex, near the border with Libya. The country's state news agency APS said the army had ended its operation, reported the Associated Press.

Sky sources said the main accommodation complex had been secured, while a search was ongoing in a gas storage area.

The attackers were wearing military uniforms when they first took over the complex on Wednesday, Sky sources added.

Algerian communications minister Mohammed Said Belaid said Thursday's operation by the army was "successful in neutralising a large number of terrorists and freeing a large number of hostages but unfortunately, we are sorry to say, there were some deaths and injuries".

He added: "We do not yet have a definitive figure. As soon as we have it, we will make it public".

One British citizen is known to have died in the crisis, while several others were caught up in the drama.

Mr Cameron said: "We face a very bad situation at this BP gas compound in Algeria. A number of British citizens have been taken hostage.

The In Amenas gas complex is in eastern Algeria

"Already we know of one who has died. The Algerian armed forces have now attacked the compound."

He added: "It's a fluid situation, it's ongoing, it's very uncertain. We should be prepared for the possibility of further bad news, very difficult news, in this extremely difficult situation."

Foreign Secretary William Hague is cutting short a visit to Australia to return to the UK to help deal with the crisis.

Earlier, news agencies said some people had been killed in the wake of the strike by the Algerian military, while a number of hostages had reportedly been freed.

Mauritania's ANI news agency reported the deaths citing one of the kidnappers who had earlier taken 41 people, including Britons, captive at the compound.

And French president Francois Hollande said the hostage crisis was unfolding in "terrible conditions".

The official Algerian APS news agency said a number of foreign hostages were freed. Among those who managed to get out was 36-year-old Irishman Stephen McFaul from west Belfast.

His father, Christopher McFaul, told Sky News he was "delighted" by the news but added he felt "sorry for the other hostages that are still there". He also described the last 48 hours as "hell".

Stephen McFaul's son, Dylan, said: "I can't even explain the excitement. I can't wait until he gets home again." He added he would tell him "he's never going back there and I'm not letting him".

Japanese engineering firm JGC Corp said it had been able to contact three of its workers at the plant, but was unable to reach another 14.

File picture of the energy plant

APS said as many as 600 Algerian workers at the site managed to flee the plant, and an American military official said at least one US unarmed drone was flying over the complex.

News agency Reuters spoke to a local resident who said many people were killed in the military operation, which the Algerian government confirmed it was carrying out.

There have been conflicting reports as to the number of casualties, with Reuters citing a local source as saying six foreign hostages and eight rebels were killed.

ANI said the attackers' spokesman had claimed that Algerian forces opened fire as the militants tried to leave the energy complex with hostages.

The Algerian government said it had to act "immediately" to intervene in the crisis, according to Downing Street.

Mr Cameron's spokesman said Britain was not given prior notice of the operation, adding it was ongoing and the situation was "very grave and serious".

Mr Cameron was informed the operation was under way when he telephoned the Algerian prime minister at 11am on Wednesday, the spokesman added.

And the British PM made clear he would have preferred to be informed in advance of the military action, the spokesman went on.

The facility is run jointly by BP, the Norwegian energy firm Statoil and the Algerian state oil company.

On Wednesday a Briton and an Algerian were killed when around 20 gunmen from an al Qaeda-backed group stormed the facility.

Among the UK nationals taken hostage by the group were Scottish nationals, Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond confirmed earlier.

Al Qaeda-linked militant group Katibat Moulathamine - The Masked Ones - said it was behind the attack.

The group said it was retaliating for French military intervention against al Qaeda-backed rebels in neighbouring Mali, where France now has 1,400 troops on the ground.

BP said it was evacuating a group of workers from Algeria in light of the hostage situation at the In Amenas complex.

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White House Delivers Bold Gun Safety Proposals

President Barack Obama says enacting stricter gun laws "will be difficult" but is necessary following the Newtown massacre.

"The world has changed and it's demanding action," Vice President Joe Biden said, acknowledging the political challenges ahead. Mr Biden had been tasked with bringing recommendations to the president.

The president said in a news conference on Wednesday he will sign 23 executive actions, but said they are not a substitute for action in Congress.

As part of his $500m (£311m) plan, he called on federal lawmakers to pass several proposals "right away", including universal background checks for anyone trying to buy a gun. 

Right now, some 40% of US gun purchases are made without background checks.

Mr Obama also asked Congress to restore the expired ban on military-style assault weapons and to enact a 10-bullet limit on high-capacity ammunition magazines. 

And he said Congress has to "help rather than hinder" law enforcement efforts on gun safety, calling on lawmakers to confirm his nominee for the next Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms director, Todd Jones.

Vice President Biden had been tasked with surveying various gun interests

"If there is even one life that can be saved, then we've got an obligation to try. And I'm here to do my part", the president said.

He called on constituents in parts of the country that are traditional gun ownership strongholds - specifically "responsible gun owners" - to make their support for stronger controls known so "the usual suspects" do not solely dominate the debate. 

The announcement promises to set up a bitter fight with a powerful pro-gun lobby that has long warned supporters that Mr Obama wants to take away their guns. The US has the highest rate of gun ownership of any country in the world.

"This is the land of the free and the home of the brave and always will be", Mr Obama said, acknowledging the Constitution's Second Amendment right to bear arms. "But with rights, come responsibilities".

"We live in a society. A government of, for and by the people. We are responsible for each other."

The fundamental rights to life and liberty have been denied to the victims of gun violence, he said.

He added: "Those rights are at stake. We're responsible."

Following his speech the president signed some of the executive actions that do not need Congressional approval. They are reported to include measures to stiffen enforcement of existing laws and launching a national responsible gun ownership campaign. 

Mr Obama was flanked by school children who had sent him letters about guns

The move comes just over a month after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, that took the lives of 20 young children and six school employees.

Mr Obama said 900 Americans had been killed by gun violence in the month since that deadly shooting.  

In response to Wednesday's announcement, the National Rifle Association issued a statement saying, "attacking firearms and ignoring children is not a solution".

"Only honest, law-abiding gun owners will be affected and our children will remain vulnerable to the inevitability of more tragedy," the statement said.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said on Wednesday he will begin hearings in two weeks on gun safety proposals.

Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont – a gun owner – said he wants to hold a series of hearings examining violence in popular media and how to keep guns safe, among other topics.

His plan could lead to a slower process in Congress than gun control advocates would like.

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Boeing Dreamliners Grounded By US and Japan

Boeing 787 Dreamliner Timeline

Updated: 4:05am UK, Wednesday 16 January 2013

The turbulent history of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner:

Jan 16, 2013: Japan Air Lines Co Ltd (JAL) follows suit and suspends Dreamliner flights from Japan over safety concerns

Jan 16, 2013: ANA grounds all 17 of its 787s after four of its aircraft suffer problems

Jan 16, 2013: ANA 787 Dreamliner makes emergency landing in Takamatsu, Japan, after smoke appears in cabin

Jan 11, 2013: The Federal Aviation Authority announces a review of the 787 design and systems

Jan 11, 2013: All Nippon Airways (ANA) discovers engine oil leak after a domestic flight lands at Miyazaki

Jan 11, 2013: A separate ANA flight to Matsuyama reported a crack appearing in the pilot's window

Jan 9, 2013: ANA cancels a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight due to a brake problem

Jan 8, 2013: Japan Air Lines (JAL) grounds a jet at Boston Logan International Airport after a 787 leaks 150 litres of fuel

Jan 7, 2013: A fire erupts in a battery pack in another JAL Dreamliner at Boston

Dec 13, 2012: Qatar Airways grounds one of its Dreamliners because of a faulty generator

Dec 5, 2012: The Federal Aviation Administration orders inspections of all 787 Dreamliners in service in the US

Dec 4, 2012: A United Airlines 787 is forced to make an emergency landing in New Orleans after a generator fails

July 23, 2012: ANA grounds five Dreamliners due to an engine component issue

February 22, 2012: Boeing says around 55 Dreamliners may be affected by a flaw in the fuselage

October 26, 2011: The Dreamliner makes its maiden flight with paying passengers on board an ANA jet

September 26, 2011: Boeing delivers its first 787 Dreamliner to Japan's ANA, three years late

June 23, 2010: Boeing postpones the first flight of the Dreamliner because of a structural flaw

December 15, 2009: The passenger jet 787 Dreamliner takes off on its maiden test flight

April 9, 2008: Boeing says there will be a revised plan for the first 787 flight and initial deliveries

December 11, 2008: Boeing announces further delays due to strike action by machinists Sept-Nov

October 19, 2007: Boeing says there will be a six-month delay to deliveries due to assembly issues

July 8, 2007: The first assembled 787 goes on display to media, employees and customers

July 18, 2006: Boeing says it is making "solid progress" on the 787 Dreamliner programme

January 28, 2005: Boeing gives its new commercial airplane an official model designation number - 787

January 29, 2003: Boeing announces the launch of a new aircraft called the 7E7

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Boeing Dreamliners Grounded By Japan Airlines

Two Japanese airlines have grounded all of their Boeing 787 Dreamliners after a sixth problem in less than two weeks.

All Nippon Airlines (ANA) announced it was grounding all 17 of its 787s after one was forced to make an emergency landing in west Japan on Wednesday.

Japan Air Lines Co Ltd (JAL) said it would also suspend all Dreamliner flights scheduled to leave Japan on Wednesday over safety concerns.

Public broadcaster NHK said the ANA aircraft landed in Takamatsu and all passengers on board were evacuated after smoke was seen in the cabin.

ANA spokeswoman Naoko Yamamoto said: "It made an emergency landing at Takamatsu because there was an error message during the flight.

"It is true that the aircraft has recently seen a series of troubles. But we cannot say if this has something in common with previous problems."

A statement later said a battery problem had forced the emergency landing.

A burnt out power unit battery from a Japan Airlines Boeing 787

TV footage showed emergency chutes deployed from the plane at the airport, on Japan's fourth largest island of Shikoku.

ANA said 129 passengers and eight crew were on board. No one was injured. The aircraft was travelling to Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

America's aviation watchdog, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), ordered a comprehensive review of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner after five separate problems with the aircraft in as many days.

On Friday, oil was discovered leaking from another ANA operated Dreamliner at Miyazaki airport in southern Japan.

On the same day, a cracked cockpit window was also discovered on another of its 787s.

Last Wednesday, a domestic flight was halted by ANA because brake parts to the rear left undercarriage needed replacing.

And a JAL jet was also grounded at Boston Logan International airport in the US following an engine fuel leak.

Another JAL 787 filled with smoke shortly after passengers and crew had disembarked last Monday.

Japanese authorities announced on Monday they would investigate the fuel leak.

Japan is the biggest market so far for the Dreamliner, with ANA and Japan Airlines Co flying 24 of the 50 Dreamliners delivered to date.

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French President: Mali Operation Going Well

French President Francois Hollande has told Sky News he believes France's military intervention in Mali is progressing well.

The French military has revealed it plans to more than double its current force in the West African state.

Speakling in Abu Dhabi, Mr Hollande said: "We have obtained results. We have a goal, it's very simple; to obtain the withdrawal of terrorists and to push them abroad.

"We want the African (countries') armies to come as soon as possible to take their place. I know that the British government is behind us."

French Mirage 2000 D jets on their way to Africa

Earlier he said French forces had carried out further air strikes overnight in Mali "which hit their targets".

"For now, we have 750 men and the number will increase so that as soon as possible we can leave the place to the African forces," he said.

Foreign Office minister Mark Simmonds said the situation in Mali is a "grave concern" to the UK amid fears the rebel-held north could become a "springboard for extremism".

But he stressed David Cameron had offered only limited military support to Mr Hollande.

Troops from other West African countries will join the action

"The Prime Minister has made categorically clear that the initial supporting deployment will be for a period of one week," he told the Commons.

"He has also made clear that there will be no combat troops from the UK involved and we have no plans to provide more military assistance."

The UK has offered two C-17 Globemaster transport planes to help out. One carrying French military personnel and supplies flew into the capital Bamako on Tuesday.

The US is also providing intelligence-gathering assistance to the French and the UN has now backed the military action.

The first of the C-17 Globemaster planes to arrive in Mali

It says more than 30,000 people have fled the fighting and accused the Islamists of stopping thousands of them from travelling south to government-held zones.

The Mali government appealed for France's help last week when the rebels, who have links to al Qaeda, began moving south.

Hundreds of French troops were deployed after they overran the strategically important town of Konna - about halfway between Mali's northern and southern borders - last Thursday.

On Tuesday afternoon hundreds of Malian and French troops headed for the western town of Diabaly, which Islamists seized the day before, prompting overnight airstrikes from French fighter jets.

The rebels want to turn Mali into an Islamist state

"Several hundred Malian and French soldiers left Niono (south of Diabaly) to take" back the town, said a local government official in Niono.

It will be the first time French ground troops have fought with the Islamists. So far only fighter jets have been used to target their bases.

"Our French brothers are currently with us in Niono on their way to Diabaly. Tomorrow we will take back Diabaly with the French," a Malian security source said on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, a convoy of some 30 French tanks left Bamako on Tuesday afternoon, headed in a northern direction, an AFP journalist said.

They were seen leaving the city's airport, where they had been stationed, but their destination could not be confirmed.

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Syrian Regime 'Using Banned Cluster Bombs'

By Tom Rayner, Middle East News Editor

The Syrian regime has used rocket launchers to fire banned cluster bombs on least two occasions in the last two months, according to a new report.

An investigation published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) claims to have evidence of Syrian forces using BM-21 Grad multi-barrel rocket launchers to fire the Egyptian-made munitions near the city of Idlib in December and at Latamneh, a town just northwest of Hama, earlier this month.

The report claims the 122mm rockets filled with cluster sub-munitions were made by the Egyptian state-owned Arab Organisation for Industrialisation and are designed as both anti-personnel and anti-vehicle devices.

Human Rights Watch investigators believe this is first recorded use of such weapons in the Syrian conflict.

Steve Goose, director of the arms division at HRW, said: "Syria is escalating and expanding its use of cluster munitions, despite international condemnation of its embrace of this banned weapon.

"It is now resorting to a notoriously indiscriminate type of cluster munition that gravely threatens civilian populations."

Last November, a Sky News team led by Special Correspondent Alex Crawford also discovered scores of unexploded Russian-made cluster bombs in the town of Tal Rafaat, near the Turkish border.

Idlib is among the country's worst-hit areas

A total of 111 countries have signed the international treaty banning the use of cluster munitions.

It comes as rebel coordination committees have reported barrels loaded with explosives being dropped from warplanes above Dar'aa - the city where the uprisings against President Bashar al Assad began in March 2011.

The so-called 'barrel bombs' are effectively home-made devices packed with shrapnel, leading some munitions experts to speculate that regime stocks may be running low.

The use of such indiscriminate weapons will only contribute to the ongoing problem of civilians being forced to flee their homes in Syria.

Another report published on Monday by the International Rescue Committee claims the situation in the country is "steadily worsening" and says international aid is currently "drastically insufficient" to deal with the crisis.

In its recommendations, the IRC says the international community must prepare for the major issues connected to the displacement of civilians to "last well beyond the end of the Assad government and persist regardless of the political outcome".

Recent winter storms that have brought snow, high winds and freezing conditions have led to deteriorating conditions in refugee camps in Turkey and Jordan.

Latest figures from the UN Refugee Agency show 597,240 people have registered or are awaiting registration with the agency.

Some countries have higher estimates, noting many have found accommodation without registering.

Around 60,000 have people are believed to have been killed since the uprising began.

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Obama Makes Case For Raising Debt Ceiling

President Barack Obama has urged Congress to raise the country's debt limit, saying America is "not a deadbeat nation" and needs to pay its bills.

Mr Obama addressed reporters at the White House Monday in what is likely the final news conference of his first term to discuss his upcoming battle with Republicans over the country's debt ceiling.

Raising the debt limit "is not a question of authorising more spending," Mr Obama said. "It simply allows the country to pay for spending Congress has already approved."

"If congressional Republicans refuse to pay the bills on time it would be a self-inflicted wound on the economy," he added.

The president also addressed other issues on his agenda, including the administration's efforts to curb gun violence in the wake of last month's shooting massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.

Mr Obama said he will meet Vice President Joe Biden, who will recommend a series "sensible, common sense steps" that can be taken. The president said he will present specifics later in the week.

Mr Biden led a panel tasked with creating proposals to reduce violence after the December shooting that killed 20 children and six educators.

The president said stronger background checks, a meaningful ban on assault weapons and limits on high-capacity ammunition magazines are all ideas he thinks make sense. He added that he is not sure how many of those measures can pass Congress.

On the debt ceiling, Mr Obama said Republicans who want to dramatically cut spending in return for raising US borrowing limits "will not collect a ransom in exchange for not crashing the economy".

He said: "The full faith and credit of the United States of America is not a bargaining chip. And they better decide quickly because time is running short."

"We are not a deadbeat nation," he declared.

Until the partisan fight over the debt ceiling broke out in 2011, the limit on borrowing had been increased by Congress as a matter of course.

But with a surge in Tea Party Republicans elected to the House of Representatives in 2010, the opposition party has sought to use the power over the debt to enforce its desires for smaller government and spending cuts.

Mr Obama said he was willing to consider future deficit cuts, but only if they are done independently from a vote to raise the $16.4trn (£10.2trn) debt limit.

The president spoke less than a week before his inauguration for a second term, and several days after he signed legislation that narrowly averted a "fiscal cliff" of automatic spending cuts and across-the-board tax increases.

Combined with other bills he signed earlier in the term, he said he and Congress have reduced deficits by about $2.5trn over a decade, somewhat less than the $4trn he said is necessary to get them down to a manageable size.

Failure to raise the debt limit would put the United States into a first-ever default, a step that Mr Obama said could "blow up the economy".

Congressional Democrats have recently urged the president to lift the debt limit unilaterally. He said - as he has before - that he will not do it, that Congress had voted for the spending that resulted in federal borrowing, and should now agree to pay the bill.

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Egypt: Hosni Mubarak Gets Retrial Over Deaths

Ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has won an appeal over his life sentence for failing to prevent the deaths of hundreds of protesters.

The 84-year-old was convicted and jailed in June last year after some 900 protesters lost their lives in the 2011 uprising that toppled his 29-year regime.

He, and his former security chief Habib al Adli, who is also serving a life sentence on the same charges, will be retried.

The reasoning for the decision was not explained by the court, but it was met with cheers from Mubarak supporters at the building.

Mubarak, who appeared in the dock on a stretcher during his trial, was moved to a Cairo hospital last month after slipping in a prison bathroom.

His health has deteriorated since he was jailed. The state news agency reported him clinically dead at one point as he slipped into a coma following a stroke.

He recovered, but was reportedly deeply depressed by the election of the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi as president.

Mohamed Abdel Razek, one of the former leader's lawyers, said: "The retrial will be based on the same evidence used in the previous trial. No new evidence will be added to the case."

He added that the new panel of judges could consider Mubarak's health when issuing a verdict.

No dates have been set for any of the retrials. Mubarak remains in custody.

Mubarak's two sons, Gamal and Alaa, are in prison while on trial for alleged insider trading and using their influence to buy state land at a fraction of its market price.

The pair were acquitted of corruption charges in the same case as their father - but will be retried after Judge Abdel Rahman accepted an appeal by prosecutors against the not guilty verdicts.

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Mali: British Military Plane Leaves For Mission

The first British military plane destined to assist the French operation in Mali has left for the initial stage of its mission, Sky sources say.

The RAF C17 is stopping off in Paris first to load before a 10-hour flight to the West African country and will not arrive there before tomorrow, the sources added.

It comes after Downing Street confirmed the Prime Minister had agreed to provide "logistical military assistance" to the French.

Meanwhile, France has now called a meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the conflict in Mali.

David Cameron spoke to Francois Hollande on Saturday evening as France attempted to contain al Qaeda-linked rebels in the north of the West African country.

French fighter jets and attack helicopters launched fresh strikes on Islamist strongholds in northern Mali on Sunday.

French troops prepare to board a flight to Mali from a base in Chad

Prominent Islamist leader Abdel Krim  - nicknamed "Kojak" - is reported to have been killed in the strikes.

A 600-strong multi-national West African force, authorised by the UN Security Council to help the Mali government reclaim control of the north of the country, is also on its way to the capital Bamako. It will be commanded by General Shehu Abdulkadir of Nigeria.

In addition, Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal and Togo have all pledged around 500 troops this weekend, while Benin has said it will send 300 soldiers.

French military strikes on the country have already claimed the lives of at least 100 rebels in a fight over the strategic town of Konna.

Eleven Malian soldiers are reported to have been killed and a further 60 wounded in the recent fighting.

Mr Hollande has raised his country's terror threat level amid fears of retaliatory attacks in France.

The UN's Sahel envoy Romano Prodi, left, and President Dioncounda Traore

He said France "has to take all necessary precautions" in the face of a terrorist threat, including "surveillance of our public buildings and our transport network".

A Downing Street spokesman said last night: "The Prime Minister spoke to President Hollande this evening to discuss the deteriorating situation in Mali and how the UK can support French military assistance provided to the Malian government to contain rebel and extremist groups in the north of the country.

"The Prime Minister has agreed that the UK will provide logistical military assistance to help transport foreign troops and equipment quickly to Mali.

"We will not be deploying any British personnel in a combat role.

"Both leaders agreed that the situation in Mali poses a real threat to international security given terrorist activity there.

"They discussed the need to work with the Malian government, regional neighbours and international partners to prevent a new terrorist haven developing on Europe's doorstep and to reinvigorate the UN led political process once the rebel advance has been halted.

Islamist rebels seized a swathe of northern Mali last spring

"The National Security Council, which was already due to meet on Tuesday, will now consider the situation in Mali and discuss what needs to be done to secure a lasting political settlement in Mali."

One French pilot has died in the military action after hundreds of French soldiers were deployed in the country.

Mr Hollande took action in Mali at the request of interim President Dioncounda Traore, who has declared a state of emergency.

Western governments expressed alarm on Thursday after an al Qaeda-linked rebel alliance captured Konna, a gateway towards the capital Bamako 600km (375 miles) south.

The Malian army has said it was attacking the "last pockets of resistance" by insurgents in Konna after they recaptured it with the help of the French.

Mr Hollande said the "terrorist groups, drug traffickers and extremists" in northern Mali "show a brutality that threatens us all." He vowed that the operation would last "as long as necessary".

The West African regional bloc ECOWAS has now authorised the immediate deployment of troops to Mali.

French Mirage 2000 D aircraft en route to the Mali operation

The bloc's commission president, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, said it made the decision "in light of the urgency of the situation".

For the past nine months, the Islamic militants have controlled a large swathe of northern Mali, a lawless desert region where kidnapping has flourished.

Mr Hollande said the operation was aimed in part at protecting 6,000 French citizens in Mali, including seven who are being held captive.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Senegal and Nigeria also responded to an appeal from Mali's president for help to counter the militants.

Late last year, the 15 nations in West Africa, including Mali, agreed on a proposal for the military to take back the north, and sought backing from the UN.

The Security Council authorised the intervention but imposed certain conditions, including the training of Mali's military, which has been accused of serious human rights abuses since a military coup last year sent the nation into disarray.

Al Qaeda's affiliate in Africa has been a shadowy presence for years in the forests and deserts of poverty-stricken Mali.

Most Malians adhere to a moderate form of Islam, but in recent months the terrorist group and its allies have taken advantage of political instability, taking territory they use to stock weapons and train forces.

The Islamists have insisted they want to impose Sharia only in northern Mali, though there long have been fears they could push further south.

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Service In Memory Of Costa Concordia Dead

By Robert Nisbet, in Porto Santo

Relatives of the 32 people who died when the Costa Concordia ran aground will mark a year since the disaster with a series of events near the rusting wreckage.

A service will be held at the church on the island of Giglio, where many of the survivors were treated after they were forced to abandon the listing ship after 9pm on January 13, 2012.

The 952-foot-long cruise liner, which is twice the weight of the Titanic, hit Le Scole reef after the captain sailed within a few hundred yards of the island.

Captain Francesco Schettino is under investigation for manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning the vessel before all the passengers were evacuated.

He remains under house arrest, but has not been formally charged.

The ship had 4,252 passengers and crew and was on a six port cruise when the captain decided to stage a "sail-past" to honour a retired seaman who lives on Giglio, off the coast of Tuscany.

Captain Schettino insists the cruise company had permitted the route on several other occasions, and that his actions in steering the stricken ship onto an underwater ledge spared the lives of many others.

Today's commemoration will include a symbolic launch of lanterns into the sea at the moment the ship hit the rock which gouged a 230-foot gash in the hull.

The Concordia shortly after it struck rocks

A plaque will be added to the recovered boulder which will then be returned to the seabed.

Some survivors, who were offered 11,000 euros compensation by Costa Cruises, were asked not to attend today's event because the small island is already crowded with victims' relatives and media.

Many are now seeking civil claims against the American parent company Carnival.

The operation to right the ship is now running over budget and behind schedule because of the enormous technical challenges faced by the salvage team.

Over 400 engineers are planning to attach giant metal floats to either side of the ship - some 11 storeys high - before using a series of pullies to slowly stand the vessel.

She will then be towed to a port, possibly in Sicily, where it could take two years to dismantle the ship and sell remnants for scrap.

The salvage cost, to be mostly covered by insurance payouts, has now risen by $100m over $400m and is described as the biggest operation of its kind ever attempted.

The delay has been caused by environmental fears, the hard nature of the bedrock, and the position of the ship which must now be slowly shifted on its axis.

It should be refloated by the end of September at the latest.

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Britain Sends Planes To Help French Fight In Mali

Britain will provide transport planes to assist the French military operation in Mali, Downing Street has confirmed.

David Cameron spoke with Francois Hollande on Saturday evening as France attempted to contain al Qaeda-linked rebels in the north of the West African country.

French military strikes on the country have already claimed the lives of at least 100 rebels in a fight over the strategic town of Konna.

Eleven Malian soldiers are reported to have been killed and a further 60 wounded in the recent fighting.

Mr Hollande has raised his country's terror threat level amid fears of retaliatory attacks in France.

He said that France "has to take all necessary precautions" in the face of a terrorist threat, including "surveillance of our public buildings and our transport network".

The UN's Sahel envoy Romano Prodi, left, and President Dioncounda Traore

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister spoke to President Hollande this evening to discuss the deteriorating situation in Mali and how the UK can support French military assistance provided to the Malian government to contain rebel and extremist groups in the north of the country.

"The Prime Minister has agreed that the UK will provide logistical military assistance to help transport foreign troops and equipment quickly to Mali.

"We will not be deploying any British personnel in a combat role.

"Both leaders agreed that the situation in Mali poses a real threat to international security given terrorist activity there.

Hundreds of French troops have been deployed in Mali

"They discussed the need to work with the Malian government, regional neighbours and international partners to prevent a new terrorist haven developing on Europe's doorstep and to reinvigorate the UN led political process once the rebel advance has been halted.

"The National Security Council, which was already due to meet on Tuesday, will now consider the situation in Mali and and discuss what needs to be done to secure a lasting political settlement in Mali."

One French pilot has died in the military action after hundreds of French soldiers were deployed in the country.

Mr Hollande took action in Mali  at the request of interim President Dioncounda Traore, who has declared a state of emergency.

Western governments expressed alarm on Thursday after an al Qaeda-linked rebel alliance captured Konna, a gateway towards the capital Bamako 600km (375 miles) south.

The Malian army has said it was attacking the "last pockets of resistance" by insurgents in Konna after they recaptured it with the help of the French.

Islamist rebels seized a swathe of northern Mali last spring

Mr Hollande said the "terrorist groups, drug traffickers and extremists" in northern Mali "show a brutality that threatens us all." He vowed that the operation would last "as long as necessary".

The West African regional bloc ECOWAS has now authorised the immediate deployment of troops to Mali.

The bloc's commission president Kadre Desire Ouedraogo said it made the decision "in light of the urgency of the situation".

For the past nine months, the Islamic militants have controlled a large swathe of northern Mali, a lawless desert region where kidnapping has flourished.

Mr Hollande said the operation was aimed in part at protecting 6,000 French citizens in Mali, including seven who are being held captive.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Senegal and Nigeria also responded to an appeal from Mali's president for help to counter the militants.

The Malian army is getting international support

Late last year, the 15 nations in West Africa, including Mali, agreed on a proposal for the military to take back the north, and sought backing from the UN.

The Security Council authorised the intervention but imposed certain conditions, including the training of Mali's military, which has been accused of serious human rights abuses since a military coup last year sent the nation into disarray.

Al Qaeda's affiliate in Africa has been a shadowy presence for years in the forests and deserts of poverty-stricken Mali.

Most Malians adhere to a moderate form of Islam, but in recent months the terrorist group and its allies have taken advantage of political instability, taking territory they use to stock weapons and train forces.

The Islamists have insisted they want to impose Sharia only in northern Mali, though there long have been fears they could push further south.

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