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US announces six drone test sites

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 31 Desember 2013 | 20.24

30 December 2013 Last updated at 15:20 ET

Georgi and Nina Tushev with a homemade drone

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DIY drones: Enthusiasts making their own aircraft

The US aviation regulator has announced the six states that will host sites for testing commercial use of drones.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) picked Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia.

The sites are part of a programme to develop safety and operational rules for drones by the end of 2015.

Hitherto mainly used by the military, the potential of drones is now being explored by everyone from real estate agents to farmers or delivery services.

The head of the FAA, Michael Huerta, said safety would be the priority as it considers approval for unleashing the unmanned aircraft into US skies.

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Five surprising uses for drones

Help reporters cover stories (the BBC is currently trying them out)
Allow real-estate agents to sell luxury homes by showing off that stunning aerial view
Deliver beer to music festival-goers
Make movies (Part of The Smurfs 2 was filmed with a drone)
Track the Sumatran orangutan and other endangered species

Pilots will be notified through routine announcements about where drones are being flown.

The FAA said in a statement that its decision followed a 10-month process involving proposals from 24 states.

The agency said it had considered geography, climate, location of ground infrastructure, research needs, airspace use, aviation experience and risk.

The sites chosen are:

A set of locations proposed by the University of Alaska in seven zones with varying climates, from Hawaii to Oregon
Griffiss International Airport in central New York state will test how to integrate drones into the congested north-east airspace
North Dakota Department of Commerce will test the human impact of drones and also how the aircraft cope in temperate climates
The state of Nevada will concentrate on standards for air traffic and drone operators
Texas A&M University plans to develop safety requirements for drones and testing for airworthiness
Virginia Tech university will research operational and technical areas of risk for drones

The biggest chunk of the growth in the commercial drone industry is currently expected to be for agriculture and law enforcement.

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Analysis

Tara McKelvey BBC News

For years, people thought drones would never be allowed to fly in the US. Then Jeff Bezos got involved. The Amazon chief executive said his company would start using drones to deliver packages - and even cynics began to think something might happen.

Matt Scassero, a retired US Navy captain who has worked on efforts to expand the use of drones, said he thinks Amazon moved things along. "It adds a lot of interest," he said.

The FAA announcement are signs of progress for Scassero and other drone enthusiasts. It means officials are taking their requests seriously - and things are on track for the drones to fly.

Police and other emergency services could use them for crowd control, taking crime scene photos or for search and rescue missions.

It can cost a police department hundreds of dollars an hour to deploy a helicopter, while an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can be sent into the skies for as little as $25.

Farmers, meanwhile, might find it easier to spray crops or survey livestock with the pilotless aircraft.

The FAA estimates as many as 7,500 aircraft could be in the air five years after widespread airspace access is made legal.

However, the commercial use of drones has drawn criticism from both conservatives and liberals.

In a report last December, the American Civil Liberties Union said that giving drones access to US skies would only ensure "our every move is monitored, tracked, recorded and scrutinised by the authorities".

But lawmakers from winning states were delighted with the selections.

"This is wonderful news for Nevada that creates a huge opportunity for our economy," said Senator Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada.

An industry-commissioned study predicted more than 70,000 jobs - including drone operators - would develop in the first three years after Congress loosens drone restrictions on US skies.

The same study, conducted by the Teal Group research firm, found that the worldwide commercial drone market could top $89bn in the next decade.

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Huge fire after US oil train derails

31 December 2013 Last updated at 02:47 ET

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TV cameras and onlookers filmed some of the explosions

Wagons from a mile-long train carrying crude oil have burst into flames as they derailed after a collision in the US state of North Dakota.

A plume of thick black smoke could be seen many miles away and explosions were heard.

No injuries were reported, but officials are urging people from the nearby town of Casselton - some 2,300 people - to evacuate as a precaution.

An investigation into the incident has been launched.

A spokeswoman for the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services said the last 50 wagons of the train had been uncoupled, but another 56 remained at risk.

The derailment, after a collision involving another goods train, is reported to have happened near an ethanol plant.

Emergency and fire-fighting crews have been sent to the scene.

Cass County sheriff's office said it was "strongly recommending" that residents in parts of Casselton and anyone living five miles (8km) to the south and east evacuate.

Officials have said a change in weather patterns could expose residents to smoke and possible health hazards.

Residents within 10 miles of the scene are being asked to stay indoors.

A shelter for those evacuated has been set up in Fargo, about 25 miles away.

Casselton resident Eva Fercho said she first noticed black smoke and then heard two explosions, WDAY News reported.

"I could almost feel the house shake... it was loud," she said.

Correspondents say it is the latest in a string of incidents that have raised alarm about a rise in crude oil traffic on the railways.

In July a train carrying oil from the Bakken oil region in North Dakota derailed near the Canadian town of Lac Megantic, killing more than 40 people.

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US 'will not drop diplomat charges'

31 December 2013 Last updated at 03:06 ET

There are no plans to drop charges against against or apologise for the arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, US sources are quoted as saying in Indian media reports.

The reports say prosecutors are gathering more evidence ahead of a 13 January deadline for her indictment.

Her detention on visa fraud charges and underpaying her housekeeper has led to a diplomatic row and outrage in India.

She denies all the charges and has been released on bail.

India has demanded an apology from the US over her alleged "humiliation".

But Press Trust of India news agency quoted US sources in New York as saying that the US is gathering more evidence against the diplomat ahead of 13 January, the deadline for her indictment.

Ms Khobragade, India's deputy consul general in New York, was arrested in the city on 12 December on suspicion of visa fraud and making false statements, after being accused of paying her Indian maid below the US minimum wage.

She was handcuffed and strip-searched after a complaint from the maid, Sangeeta Richard.

The diplomat, who has been released on bail, denies all the charges and has in turn accused Ms Richard of theft and attempted blackmail.

Delhi had already ordered a series of reprisals against the US.

Security barricades around the US embassy in the city were removed and a visiting US delegation was snubbed by senior Indian politicians and officials. India is also checking the tax status of Americans working at schools in the country.

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Hobbit beats Wolf at US Box Office

30 December 2013 Last updated at 03:55 ET

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug has spent a third week on top of the US box office despite festive competition from The Wolf Of Wall Street.

Starring Sherlock actors Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch, the film took $30m (£18m) over the weekend, bringing its US total to $190m (£11.5m).

Disney animation Frozen was at number two, switching places with Will Ferrell's comedy Anchorman 2 at three.

Martin Scorsese's Wolf of Wall Street was the biggest new release, at five.

Marking the director's fifth collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio, the black comedy is based on stock broker Jordan Belfort's memoir of the same name.

It took $19 million (£11.5m) after opening at number two on Christmas Day with $9.15 million (£5.5m).

Analysts said it had suffered slightly due to its three-hour length - meaning it cannot be shown as many times in a day as its competitors.

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1. Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - $30m

2. Frozen - $28.9m

3. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues - $20.2m

4. American Hustle $19.6m

5. The Wolf Of Wall Street - $19m

Source: Rentrak

But critics have been favourable - with the Washington Post describing DiCaprio's portrayal of the badly-behaved Belfort as the "biggest, loudest role he's ever played".

The only other new entry in the top 10 was Keanu Reeves' samurai film 47 Ronin, which weathered bad reviews to debut at number nine with $9.9m (£6m).

Reuters reported that film company Universal had revised its profit estimates on Christmas Eve after it became apparent the film would not break even.

"Of course it's very disappointing and you don't want to open a picture at this level, but exit polls are decent and we think it will find its way," said Nikki Rocco, president for domestic distribution at the company.

Record year

With two days left to go, the North American Box Office is on track to beat last year's record takings of $10.8bn (£6.5bn), said chart trackers Rentrak.

It estimated ticket sales would top $10.9bn (£6.9bn) by the New Year, boosted by several award-friendly films in the Top 10.

Chief among them is American Hustle, which has already gained seven Golden Globe nominations.

Directed by David O. Russell, it stars Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, who appeared in his Oscar-winning Silver Linings Playbook, alongside Amy Adams and Christian Bale, from the similarly-lauded Russell drama The Fighter.

Based on an undercover investigation into political corruption in the 1970s, it has held the number four spot for two consecutive weeks, taking £19.6m (£11.8m) in the latest chart.

Emma Thompson also has a Golden Globe nomination for her role as Mary Poppins' author PL Travers in Saving Mr Banks, which took sixth place.

Meanwhile, Ben Stiller's feel-good comedy The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty - about an office-bound worker who daydreams himself into extraordinary situations - took seventh place.

The Hunger Games sequel, Catching Fire, was in eighth, followed by 47 Ronin, and Tyler Perry's Madea Family Christmas completed the top 10.

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US jobless to lose unemployment aid

28 December 2013 Last updated at 18:14 ET

More than a million Americans will lose their unemployment benefits after an emergency federal programme expired on Saturday.

Lawmakers failed to agree on an extension of the scheme before the US Congress began its winter recess.

Former President George W Bush introduced the assistance plan in 2008 at the start of the recession.

Under the programme, jobless people received an average monthly stipend of $1,166 for up to 73 weeks.

The White House says the benefits have kept millions of families out of poverty, but many Republicans argue that the scheme's annual $25bn price tag is too expensive.

The stalemate comes two months after a budget fight in the US Congress led to the partial shutdown of the government.

'Urgent priority'

President Barack Obama has vowed to push for the renewal of the expired programme when Congress reconvenes in early January.

"The president said his administration would, as it has for several weeks now, push Congress to act promptly and in bipartisan fashion to address this urgent economic priority," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

An estimated 1.3 million people will initially be cut off with the end of the "emergency unemployment compensation", US officials say.

Millions more could be affected next year after they lose state benefits, which in many states expire after six months.

The financial aid was designed to help US citizens who lost their jobs during the recession and were unable to find new work while receiving the state benefits.

The US unemployment rate fell to a five-year low of 7% in November, according to the US Labor Department.

But the long-term jobless rate remains a problem for the economy, with some 4.1 million Americans currently out of work for six months or longer.

There has been repeated political wrangling between the Republicans, who control the lower house - the House of Representatives - and the Democrats, who have a majority in the upper house, the Senate.

Because of disagreements between the two houses over federal government spending, the US Congress failed to pass a budget before the fiscal year ended on 30 September.

Both sides eventually struck a last-gasp deal in October to end the federal shutdown and raise the federal debt limit.

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Britney dazzles critics in Las Vegas

30 December 2013 Last updated at 06:35 ET

Pop star Britney Spears has received rave reviews for the opening night of her Las Vegas residency on Friday.

"Spears stomped into town with a 21-hit salute," wrote Marco della Cava in USA Today, noting the show "artfully melded spectacle with stagecraft".

MTV's Sophie Schillaci highlighted the "larger-than-life production, blaring beats and rapid-fire dance moves".

But the LA Times' Mikael Wood observed: "She was wearing a microphone, though it wasn't clear she was using it."

"The singer appeared to be lip-syncing for the majority of her performance.

"That went for high-energy dance numbers such as Womanizer as well as slower-paced ballads like Perfume," said Wood, who went on to praise the event's "elaborate razzle-dazzle".

"The vast majority of the show was lip-synced," agreed Keith Caulfield in Billboard.

"Only occasionally were any seemingly live vocals heard [and] there was a certain thrill in actually hearing Spears breathing into the microphone - however infrequent."

Despite that, Caulfield praised the "non-stop hits bonanza" and pointed out that the tightly-choreographed Gimme More gave Spears "a moment of Vegas redemption" after her infamously lacklustre performance of the song at the MTV Awards, held in the city in 2007.

Britney: Piece Of Me is named after the 32-year-old's tabloid-baiting hit single from 2007.

A retrospective of her 15-year pop career, the 24-strong setlist includes hits such as Toxic, Scream and Shout, Womanizer and Baby ...One More Time, with only two songs culled from her recent, under-performing Britney Jean album.

Among the crowd on opening night were fellow pop stars Katy Perry, Adam Lambert, Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus, who posted several pictures of herself enjoying the show on Twitter.

"If you told me I'd be front row and center on @britneyspears opening night 10 years ago I would've never believed you," she wrote.

Others were less enthusiastic, however.

"Her dancing, touted as the show's linchpin, was lackadaisical and - as has become the norm for Spears - reliant on arm movements," wrote Caryn Ganz in Rolling Stone magazine.

"Spears seemed truly frightened," during the number Slave 4U, Ganz said, "remaining safely on a throne, executing minimal choreography while her dancers did the heavy lifting".

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Spears will perform the Piece Of Me show 100 times over the next two years

"In general, the set design was more imposing than she was," agreed Jon Caramanica in the New York Times.

"Magical things are happening all around her — ornate sets, clever video displays, fiery dancing — but Ms Spears is there mostly to activate memories, to be a souvenir for the eyes."

However, said Hannah Dreier for the Associated Press, the "eye-popping" show kept the 4,500 audience members "on their feet for about 90 minutes".

Dreier added that Spears is hoping to draw a younger demographic to Las Vegas than the usual entertainers in residence - from Elvis in the 1970s to Celine Dion and Bette Midler today.

"She cuts a different figure from the typical Strip headliner," she wrote. "Judging from Friday's show, her fans are more likely to be found at a casino mega-club than in front of a slot machine."

"One could almost make the argument that this show might entertain a non-Britney fan because of its production values, which is likely not the case with other residencies," added Marco della Cava.

"If you don't care for Elton John, not even a $10 million piano would keep you seated for his Vegas hit parade."

Spears is due to perform 50 shows each in 2014 and 2015 at Planet Hollywood's Axis theatre, and casino executives say the run could be extended if it proves a success.

They denied that the star lip-synced throughout the show, saying Spears sang against a pre-recorded track of her vocals to help her through the more physically gruelling parts of the set.

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Life support extended for US girl

30 December 2013 Last updated at 20:19 ET

The family of a US teenager declared brain dead after a routine operation went wrong has won an extension to the court order keeping her alive.

The court order keeping her on life support in California had been due to expire on Monday evening.

Jahi McMath, 13, had a tonsillectomy this month to treat a sleep disorder but she began bleeding heavily after surgery and went into cardiac arrest.

Her family says there is still hope for recovery.

However, the Children's Hospital & Research Center, which carried out the procedure, wants to turn off her ventilator.

On Monday, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo ordered the hospital to maintain Jahi on a ventilator until 7 January.

Jahi's mother, Nailah Winkfield, said she wept when she heard about the ruling.

She said the delay was an answer to a prayer and a sign that she was right to keep fighting.

"Who wants to know the date and the time their child would die?" she said. "I don't care what anyone has to say about what I'm doing... I have to do what is right for me and for Jahi."

Jahi's family believes she is still alive but the hospital in Oakland, California, has argued in court papers that there is no medical treatment they can give to the teenager because she is "practically and legally" dead.

An independent paediatric neurologist from Stanford University supported that view.

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We believe a parent has the right to make decisions concerning the existence of their child"

End Quote Jahi McMath's family statement

In an earlier ruling, a judge at Alameda County Superior Court agreed and issued an order allowing Children's Hospital to remove Jahi from a breathing machine at 17:00 local time on Monday (01:00 GMT on Tuesday).

Hospital spokesman Sam Singer said they would comply with the judge's new order.

The McMaths are hoping that a New York facility will care for their daughter. Two California care homes have already withdrawn offers to accept Jahi.

It is unclear how the girl's operation on 9 December went so badly awry. She was having her tonsils removed to treat her apnoea, a condition that causes sleepers to experience irregular breathing.

Jahi was declared brain dead three days after surgery.

The family said in a statement at the weekend: "We have our strong religious convictions and set of beliefs and we believe that, in this country, a parent has the right to make decisions concerning the existence of their child: not a doctor... and definitely not a doctor who runs the facility that caused the brain death in the first place."

Children's Hospital says it is willing to work with the family to transfer Jahi to another facility, as long as it can legally do so.

"We need to be able to talk to the other facility to understand what it is they are capable of doing," Cynthia Chiarappa, a hospital spokeswoman, said.

"This is not transferring an individual in a vegetative state, but a dead body."

Jahi's family has launched an online fundraising drive, which had collected more than $22,000 (£13,000) by Monday morning, to transfer their daughter to another facility.

The McMaths' lawyer, Chris Dolan, said he was waiting to hear from a hospital in New York, where officials have been considering the case.

"The family is together, and today everybody is praying and being together," Mr Dolan told the Associated Press news agency on Sunday.

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Bombardier sells 10 jets for $259m

30 December 2013 Last updated at 21:56 ET

Canadian aerospace manufacturer Bombardier has announced it has sold 10 Challenger jets for $259m (£157m) to an anonymous buyer.

This was the second order in a week for the firm.

The previous order, worth a little over $280m, was for five Challenger 300s and five Challenger 605 jets.

Bombardier is one of the biggest manufacturers of business jets with brands such as Challenger, Global and Learjet.

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VIDEO: US gripped by freezing temperatures

Bitterly cold weather has gripped several states in the US and temperatures are expected to plummet further.

Homeless shelters in Maine are struggling to cope with the extra demand for places, while drivers in North Dakota have been advised to stay off the roads unless their journey is absolutely necessary.

Wendy Urquhart reports.

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Slovakia takes Guantanamo Uighurs

31 December 2013 Last updated at 08:09 ET

Three Chinese Muslim Uighurs have been flown to Slovakia from the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, the Slovak interior ministry says.

The three are now in the capital Bratislava, a ministry official told the BBC. None of them are terror suspects, the ministry stressed.

Slovakia - a member of the EU and Nato - also accepted three inmates from Guantanamo in 2010.

The US says all the Uighur prisoners have now been released from Guantanamo.

Since 2001 the prison has housed suspects detained by US forces during operations against al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

"As in the case of the first transport, the persons in this transport have never been suspected nor accused of terrorism. The transport is a follow-up to the agreement of 2009 [with the US]," the Slovak ministry statement said.

A US Department of Defense statement named the latest three Uighurs as Yusef Abbas, Saidullah Khalik and Hajiakbar Abdul Ghuper.

"These three are the last ethnic Uighur Chinese nationals to be transferred," the statement said, adding that they "are voluntarily resettling in Slovakia".

The US refuses to repatriate Uighur detainees to China because of the risk that they could be mistreated. China has cracked down hard on Uighur dissidents who oppose rule from Beijing.

Prisoner transfers

The latest release brings down the total of Guantanamo detainees to 155. Many have been held there for more than a decade, and many were cleared for release years ago.

More than 100 inmates went on hunger strike earlier this year.

According to a prisoner list published on the Wikileaks website, 22 Chinese Uighurs were imprisoned at Guantanamo by US forces after capture in Afghanistan.

In April US President Barack Obama renewed his call to close the prison, saying "it is inefficient, it hurts us in terms of our international standing".

Previously six Uighurs have been sent from Guantanamo to the Pacific island nation of Palau, while 11 others have gone to Bermuda, Albania and Switzerland.

The Uighurs are a mainly Muslim, Turkic-speaking minority based in western China's Xinjiang region.

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India steps up US diplomatic row

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 29 Desember 2013 | 20.24

28 December 2013 Last updated at 12:01 ET

India is checking the tax status of Americans working at schools in the country, after the arrest this month of an Indian diplomat in New York.

Devyani Khobragade was handcuffed and strip-searched while in custody.

Her detention on charges of visa fraud and underpayment of her housekeeper sparked outrage in India.

India would no longer turn a blind eye to tax violations by diplomats' spouses taking up work in the country, Reuters cited an unnamed official as saying.

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The story so far...

23 June: Maid Sangeeta Richard goes missing. Ms Khobragade informs Office of the Foreign Missions and New York police
8 July: India revokes Ms Richard's passport, says she's staying in the US illegally; Ms Khobragade accuses her of theft and attempt to blackmail
4 September: US state department asks Indian embassy to inquire into Ms Richard's allegations disputing her terms of employment
8 October: Indian embassy writes to state department explaining facts of the case and accusing Ms Richard of "seeking to subvert both Indian and US laws"
19 November: A Delhi court issues warrant for arrest of Ms Richard
6 December: India forwards the warrant to the US embassy in Delhi and the state department
10 December: Ms Richard's husband and children fly to the US
12 December: Ms Khobragade arrested in New York, produced in court and released on a $250,000 bond

Delhi has also withdrawn some privileges enjoyed by American diplomats and their families in the country, added the official.

"Spouses and children have no more immunity. So if there is a parking offence or... something else happening in Bangalore etcetera, they would be held liable."

The US embassy declined to comment on the latest steps.

While US Secretary of State John Kerry has expressed his "regret" over Ms Khobragade's arrest, the state department has said it will not drop charges, as requested by India.

Delhi has also demanded an apology from the US over the diplomat's alleged "humiliation".

India's deputy consul general in New York was arrested in the city on 12 December on suspicion of visa fraud and making false statements, after being accused of paying her Indian maid below the US minimum wage.

She was handcuffed and strip-searched after a complaint from the maid, Sangeeta Richard.

Continue reading the main story

What is diplomatic immunity?

A form of legal immunity that ensures diplomats are exempt from prosecution under the host country's laws
Agreed as international law in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961)
Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963) a consul is afforded a variation of diplomatic immunity called consular immunity
It guarantees immunity from the host country's laws only with respect to acts related to consular duties

The diplomat, who has been released on bail, denies all the charges and has in turn accused Ms Richard of theft and attempted blackmail.

Delhi had already ordered a series of reprisals against the US. Security barricades around the US embassy in the city were removed and a visiting US delegation was snubbed by senior Indian politicians and officials.

According to documents filed in a New York court, Ms Khobragade wrote on a visa application that the maid would be paid $4,500 a month, but she was paid under $573 - less than the New York state minimum wage.

If found guilty, Ms Khobragade faces a maximum sentence of 10 years for visa fraud and five years for making false statements.

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VIDEO: 'We have no power, no heat, no water'

The BBC's Lucy Hockings reports on the conditions in Quebec where, like many other households in Canada and the northern US, she is facing a Christmas without electricity.

Nearly 400,000 customers in eastern Canada and 390,000 in the US are still without power, with Michigan worst hit.

In Toronto, a utility has said power may not be restored for most residents until Thursday, and that some may be without electricity until the weekend.

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VIDEO: Man dressed as Santa shot in back

A man dressed as Santa Claus is recovering after being shot in the back with a pellet gun in Washington DC as he was giving out gifts.

Fire Department spokesman Timothy Wilson said the man was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Someone dressed as fictional Christmas grump The Grinch continued with the planned toy giveaway.

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NSA surveillance lawful, judge says

27 December 2013 Last updated at 13:23 ET

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The surveillance programme was leaked by former National Security Agency contractor, Edward Snowden

A US federal judge has ruled that mass government surveillance of the phone network is legal, a week after another court said the opposite.

New York District Judge William Pauley described the snooping as a "counter-punch" against al-Qaeda.

He said the National Security Agency (NSA) programme might even have prevented the 9/11 attacks.

Last week a Washington DC federal judge ruled the surveillance was "likely unconstitutional" and "Orwellian".

But in Friday's decision, Judge Pauley, of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, said "the balance of equities and the public interest tilt firmly in favour of the Government's position".

'Extremely disappointed'

In his 53-page ruling, he concluded: "The right to be free from searches and seizures is fundamental, but not absolute."

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Accessing internet company data
Tapping fibre optic cables
Eavesdropping on phones
Targeted spying

He also noted: "Every day, people voluntarily surrender personal and seemingly-private information to trans-national corporations, which exploit that data for profit.

"Few think twice about it, even though it is far more intrusive than bulk telephony metadata collection.

"There is no evidence that the Government has used any of the bulk telephony metadata it collected for any purpose other than investigating and disrupting terrorist attacks."

Judge Pauley dismissed a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which told the BBC it would appeal.

"We are extremely disappointed with this decision, which misinterprets the relevant statutes, understates the privacy implications of the government's surveillance and misapplies a narrow and outdated precedent to read away core constitutional protections," said the civil rights organisation's deputy legal director, Jameel Jaffer.

The Obama administration, which has been on the defensive over the NSA revelations, welcomed the ruling.

"We are pleased the court found the NSA's bulk telephony metadata collection program to be lawful," US Department of Justice spokesman Peter Carr told the BBC.

'Arbitrary invasion'

Friday's ruling contradicts that on 16 December by Washington DC federal Judge Richard Leon, who said the NSA's surveillance was "indiscriminate" and an "arbitrary invasion".

His 68-page decision backed a conservative activist's legal challenge on the merits of the Fourth Amendment, the clause in the US constitution barring unreasonable search and seizure by the government.

Judge Leon suspended his ruling pending an appeal by the justice department, enabling the programme to continue for now.

The NSA's snooping was leaked in June by Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the agency. He fled to Russia, which granted him temporary asylum.

Under the programme, America's electronic surveillance agency orders Verizon - one of the largest phone companies in the US - to hand over its metadata.

This includes telephone numbers, times and dates of calls, calling card numbers and the serial numbers of phones, from millions of calls Verizon processes in which at least one party is in the US.

The disclosures about the NSA's tracking of the communications by ordinary citizens as well as world leaders, such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, have dismayed civil rights activists and diplomats.

In his end-of-year news conference, President Barack Obama hinted at a possible review of such snooping.

In light of "disclosures that have taken place", there might be "another way of skinning the cat", he said earlier this week.

Mr Obama is expected to announce next month whether he will act on a White House-appointed panel's advice to rein in the NSA.

Among the task force's sweeping recommendations were that the spy agency should no longer store the data.

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Lawyer David Rivkin and Glenn Greenwald, the former Guardian columnist, put their arguments forward

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Newtown shooting report 'painful'

27 December 2013 Last updated at 19:43 ET

US police have released thousands of documents related to their investigation into the killing of 26 people at a school in Connecticut.

Officials described as "painful" some of the details in the report, which includes photos and transcripts.

It reveals new facts about the life of gunman Adam Lanza, 20, said to have suffered from mental health issues.

Lanza turned a gun on himself after opening fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown in December 2012.

Before killing 20 children and six adults with a semi-automatic rifle, he shot dead his own mother at the family home. She had bought him the weapons used in the rampage.

Last month, Connecticut police published a summary of their findings, showing that Lanza had "an obsession" with the 1999 Columbine massacre, during which two teenagers killed 12 students and a teacher.

Investigators also found that Lanza had acted alone and planned the shooting, which took less than 11 minutes.

'Destruction and war'

The final report contains evidence that Lanza's mother discussed her son's "disabilities" with a friend the day before the Sandy Hook attack.

One of the gunman's former teachers said Lanza's creative writing was "so graphic that it could not be shared". The student would "write 10 pages obsessing over battles, destruction and war".

The findings also reveal autopsy reports and new information about how the shooting unfolded.

A teacher hiding in a closet said he heard janitor Rick Thorne challenge Lanza. Mr Thorne, who survived the attack, apparently yelled "Put the gun down".

Among the audiovisual material released on Friday were photos of items found in Lanza's home, including numerous rounds of ammunition, gun magazines, shooting earplugs and a gun safe with a rifle in it.

The files were heavily redacted to protect the students' identity and to withhold gruesome details of the crime.

The Newtown shooting prompted a renewed US campaign for stricter firearms controls.

While no legislation was passed at a national level, some states - including Connecticut and Colorado - imposed tougher gun laws. Other states loosened restrictions.

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Nine-year-old climbs Argentine peak

27 December 2013 Last updated at 19:53 ET

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Tyler Armstrong: "Most nine-year-olds my age usually play video games"

A nine-year-old boy from the United States has become the youngest person to reach the summit of Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas.

Tyler Armstrong climbed the mountain, in the Argentine Andes, with his father and Tibetan sherpa Lhawang Dhondup.

"Any kid can really do this, all they have to do is try. And set their mind to the goal," he said after reaching the peak, on Christmas Eve.

Last year, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro - Africa's highest peak.

More than 100 people have died attempting to conquer Aconcagua, which rises 6,962m (22,841ft) above sea level.

"You can really see the world's atmosphere up there. All the clouds are under you, and it's really cold," said Tyler.

His father, Kevin Armstrong, told AP that his son trained twice a day for six months before attempting to climb Aconcagua.

"Most people think we as parents are pushing Tyler to do this, when it's completely the opposite," he said.

Because of his age, Tyler needed special authorisation from a judge in Argentina to make the attempt.

His father said the judge took into account the fact that the team were raising money for muscular dystrophy research.

The youngest person to have conquered the mountain before him was 10-year-old Matthew Moniz, also from the United States, in 2008.

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Libya 'frees' US military personnel

27 December 2013 Last updated at 23:37 ET

Libyan authorities have freed four US military personnel briefly detained on Friday, US officials have said.

The US citizens were reportedly arrested near the city of Sabratha, west of the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

Images purporting to show two of the Americans' passports and embassy ID cards were posted on social media.

The head of Sabratha's military council said the US military staff were travelling in two SUVs when they were stopped at a checkpoint.

The State Department announced on Friday evening that the four had been detained while reviewing evacuation routes for embassy staff.

But little more than an hour later unnamed US officials said they had been released. The reasons for their detention remain unclear.

The Americans were allegedly armed and carried communications equipment.

One of their cars was said to have been set on fire afterwards.

US diplomats have operated in the country under very tight security since last year's attack on the US consulate in the city of Benghazi, in which US ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed.

The security situation in and around Benghazi has been worsening in recent months, with militants blamed for almost daily attacks.

Last week, seven people were killed at a security checkpoint near Benghazi in the first known suicide bomb attack in Libya since the fall of Col Gaddafi two years ago.

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VIDEO: Nine-year-old scales Argentine peak