US expels Venezuelan diplomats

25 February 2014 Last updated at 17:12 ET

The United States has expelled three Venezuelan diplomats, in response to the expulsion of three of its own consular officials from Caracas.

Just over a week ago, Venezuela had accused the expelled Americans of having links with violent groups.

President Obama said the claims were baseless and false.

At least 13 people have been killed during weeks of protests in Venezuela, although the opposition puts the number of dead at 15.

The US State Department said Ignacio Luis Cajal Avalos, Victor Manuel Pisani Azpurua, and Marcos Jose Garcia Figueredo were considered "personae non-gratae" and had 48 hours to leave the country.

On 16 February, Venezuela said it was expelling three US diplomats for allegedly meeting students who had been involved in violent marches.

But the US State Department soon rejected the accusations in an official press statement, followed by remarks by the President, Barack Obama.

'Legitimate grievances'

He told reporters after a meeting in Mexico that Venezuela had been "making up false accusations" and that the government of President Nicolas Maduro should focus on the "legitimate grievances of the Venezuelan people."

Consular officials Breann Marie McCusker, Jeffrey Gordon Elsen and Kristopher Lee Clark were accused of meeting students in private universities in the last two months.

Washington's diplomatic reprisal came on the same day the Venezuelan government named a new ambassador to the US.

Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said the move illustrated Caracas' willingness to maintain a political and diplomatic rapport with Washington, reports BBC Mundo's Thomas Sparrow in Washington.

On Tuesday, Mr Jaua said Mr Maduro had named Maximilian Arvelaez as the country's new envoy to the US. Mr Arvelaez was previously the ambassador to Brazil.

The recent unrest started in Tachira and the neighbouring state of Merida, when students took to the streets, angered by Venezuela's high crime rate and economic woes, including record inflation and shortages of some staples.

But the government has blamed the shortages on "saboteurs" and "profit-hungry corrupt businessmen".

President Maduro accused opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez of inciting violence, but his arrest triggered further demonstrations.

The government blames Mr Lopez for the unrest and accuses him of conspiring against the government with the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

There have also been large rival demonstrations by supporters of the government.

President Maduro has called for a "national peace conference" to be held on Wednesday.

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FBI probed Ali v Liston title fight

Muhammad Ali's first world title win over Sonny Liston was the subject of a match-fixing investigation by the FBI.

Liston, who was a heavy favourite to win, retired after the seventh round as Ali - then known as Cassius Clay - became world champion at 22.

Fifty years on, it has emerged that the FBI - led by director John Edgar Hoover - suspected Las Vegas gambler Ash Resnick of fixing the bout in Miami, Florida.

No conclusive evidence was found.

Tale of the tape: Fight poster for Sonny Liston v Cassius Clay in 1964

Ali, an Olympic champion and undefeated in 19 fights before meeting Liston, leapt from his stool proclaiming "I'm king of the world" when his opponent failed to come out for round eight.

It was only Liston's second loss in 37 matches and, while he said a shoulder injury prompted the retirement, there was instant suspicion over the fight's outcome.

FBI memos, since obtained by the Washington Times,  were deemed so sensitive at the time that they were addressed directly to Edgar Hoover.

One memo, dated 24 May 1966, outlined an interview with Houston gambler Barnett Magids, who believed Liston would win.

But he spoke to his friend Resnick on the day of the fight and was told not to bet on the champion.

"At about noon on the day of the fight, (Magids) reached Resnick again by phone," the memo read.

"At this time, Resnick said for him to not make any bets, but just go watch the fight on pay TV and he would know why and that he could not talk further at that time.

"Magids did go see the fight on TV and immediately realised that Resnick knew that Liston was going to lose.

"Later, people 'in the know' in Las Vegas told Magids that Resnick and Liston both reportedly made over one million dollars betting against Liston on the fight."

The suspicions were never corroborated and the bout was later named the fourth-greatest sports moment of the 20th Century  by Sports Illustrated.

Ali won the rematch in 1965 and went on to become arguably the greatest sportsman in history. 

Liston, who never held the world title again after losing to Ali, died in 1970. Both Magids and Resnick are also dead.

Ali stands over fallen challenger Liston during their 1965 rematch in Lewiston, Maine

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US plans full Afghanistan pullout

25 February 2014 Last updated at 18:03 ET

President Barack Obama has warned his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai that the US may pull all of its troops out of his country by the year's end.

Mr Obama conveyed the message in a phone call to Mr Karzai, who has refused to sign a security agreement.

The US insists this agreement must be in place before it commits to leaving some troops behind for counter-insurgent operations and training.

The US has had troops in Afghanistan since 2001 when it toppled the Taliban.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

America and its Nato allies are increasingly frustrated at President Karzai's unwillingness to sign a security agreement. He says there has to be a peace process with the Taliban first. If he or his successor does not sign, then Washington will pull all US troops out in 2014.

This should not be seen as an empty threat. But it probably is a negotiating ploy designed to put pressure on Mr Karzai or whoever succeeds him. The White House says the longer it takes to sign an agreement, the smaller and less ambitious any post-2014 mission would be.

The prospect of a complete withdrawal would risk leaving a power-vacuum that would be filled by insurgent groups. It would weaken Kabul's already tenuous grip on power and even risk another civil war.

The prospect of a bilateral security agreement is by no means dead but it is starting to look in danger.

Its forces went into the country following the 9/11 attacks on the US. With Afghan and Western allies, they quickly overthrew the Taliban authorities, but have faced insurgent attacks since then.

Correspondents say the disagreement over the bilateral security agreement (BSA) is the latest step in the long and deteriorating relationship between Washington and Mr Karzai, who was once seen as a key US ally.

The BSA, which offers legal protection for US troops and defines a post-2014 Nato training and anti-insurgent mission, was agreed by the two countries last year after months of negotiation.

It was endorsed at a national gathering (Loya Jirga) of Afghan elders in Kabul in November.

'Contingency planning'

But Mr Karzai has refused to sign the deal until a peace process is under way with the Taliban, adding that if he were to sign it, he would become responsible if Afghans were killed by US bombs.

"President Obama told President Karzai that because he has demonstrated that it is unlikely that he will sign the BSA (Bilateral Security Agreement), the United States is moving forward with additional contingency planning," the White House said in a statement.

"Specifically, President Obama has asked the Pentagon to ensure that it has adequate plans in place to accomplish an orderly withdrawal by the end of the year should the United States not keep any troops in Afghanistan after 2014.

"Furthermore, the longer we go without a BSA, the more likely it will be that any post-2014 US mission will be smaller in scale and ambition."

Continue reading the main story

Unsigned security deal - main points

• Jurisdiction: US forces remaining after 2014 reportedly to receive immunity from Afghan courts
• Sovereignty: In October 2013, President Karzai appeared to have secured US agreement not to carry out attacks on Afghan soil without first consulting the Afghan authorities
• Security: The US said in October 2013 that it would not protect Afghanistan from external attack because it could get mired in a war with Pakistan

While Mr Karzai has refused to sign the BSA, some candidates in April's Afghan presidential elections have indicated they would.

Mr Karzai, who has served two terms as Afghanistan's first and only president since the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001, is obliged by law to stand down after the next election.

Analysts say the US statement clearly implies that Mr Karzai's stance will harm his country's security long after he leaves office.

The White House statement came as US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel flew to Brussels for a Nato meeting at which Afghanistan is due to be discussed.

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The withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan is gathering momentum

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'Goldman Sachs' tweeter unmasked

25 February 2014 Last updated at 11:59 ET

The creator of a satirical Twitter account purportedly based on comments overheard in the lifts at Goldman Sachs has been unmasked.

John Lefevre, 34, who lives in Texas and has never even worked for the Wall Street bank, writes @GSElevator, reports the New York Times.

Identified as a former bond executive, last month he sold a book based on the tweets for a six-figure sum.

Goldman Sachs launched an inquiry to find out who was responsible.

Mr Lefevre, whose Twitter account has 628,000 followers, told the New York Times he started it as a "joke to entertain myself"

Continue reading the main story

Chris Hamilton Social media editor, BBC News

---

People love comedy insider accounts like @GSElevator - but this can override any natural caution we might have to stop and question whether the account really is true. Of course, some might say it doesn't matter - they're only comedy accounts. But that's a slippery slope, especially for newsrooms.

We constantly remind our teams to tread carefully with social media accounts. For example, checking for verified ticks that many social media sites use, to look at what's being posted and whether it stacks up, how long the account's been active, who it follows or is a fan of, can it be corroborated from information or confirmation sourced elsewhere.

Sometimes it's just not possible to come to a definitive conclusion - in which case it's better to proceed very cautiously than take a risk and end up with egg on your face.

It includes tweets such as: "I never give money to homeless people. I can't reward failure in good conscience."

Another example is: "Suit #1: 'Was that an earthquake?' Suit #2: 'No, I just dropped my wallet.'"

And another: "Some chick asked me what I would do with 10 million bucks. I told her I'd wonder where the rest of my money went."

Mr Lefevre expressed surprise that it had taken so long for his identity to be revealed.

Goldman Sachs issued what it said was a tongue-in-cheek statement: "We are pleased to report that the official ban on talking in elevators will be lifted effective immediately."

Mr Lefevre was reportedly offered a job at Goldman Sachs' Hong Kong office in 2010, but the opportunity fell through when a previous employer argued that he was bound by a no-competition agreement.

The former Citigroup worker said he had been inspired to create the account to poke fun at some of the remarks made by people he encountered in the financial industry, including Goldman Sachs employees.

"I went into investment banking and I saw a group of people that aren't as impressive as I thought they were," he told the New York Times, "or as impressive as they thought they were."

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Illustrator and writer Bruce McCall tells the BBC about his satirical book with David Letterman based on the excesses of the super-rich

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Doctor abused 21 sedated patients

25 February 2014 Last updated at 14:09 ET

A Canadian doctor who sexually assaulted 21 sedated patients while they helplessly watched has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Anaesthesiologist George Doodnaught, 65, abused the women, aged 25 to 75, while they were in his care.

The victims testified that they had been conscious when Doodnaught kissed, fondled and assaulted them, but they were unable to move.

All but one of the attacks occurred at North York General Hospital in Toronto.

The assaults - mainly conducted between 2006-10 - were concealed from other medical staff only by a surgical drape.

Victims weep

During the trial, the defence argued that the sedatives had caused the victims to dream they had been sexually assaulted.

Superior Court Justice David McCombs said on Tuesday that the doctor's "reprehensible conduct must be condemned in the strongest terms".

Many of Doodnaught's victims cried as he was sentenced, according to media reports.

The anaesthesiologist was employed at the hospital where the attacks occurred for more than two decades.

At the time of his arrest in 2010, hospital chief of staff Dr David White said it was possible for an anaesthesiologist be alone with a patient.

Doodnaught's lawyer has said he plans to appeal against his conviction, which was delivered in November.

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Obesity rate falls among US toddlers

25 February 2014 Last updated at 17:56 ET

The obesity rate among young US children has fallen by 43% since 2003-2004, the first broad decline in years, a new national study has found.

Obesity among US children ages two to five dropped to 8.4% in 2011-2012 from 13.9%, the survey found.

Scientists have not identified an exact cause but say a decrease in sugary beverage consumption may contribute.

Childhood obesity has been shown to increase risk of obesity, cancer, heart disease and stroke later in life.

'Exciting' findings

The study was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jama) on Tuesday.

"This is the first time we've seen any indication of any significant decrease in any group," author Cynthia Ogden told the New York Times, describing the finding as "exciting".

The study weighed and measured an estimated 9,100 people, including nearly 600 infants and toddlers, in 2011 and 2012.

Greater rates of breastfeeding and less consumption of high-calorie drinks have been posited as two possible causes for the decline.

Overall, however, the survey found no significant changes in obesity rates of older youth or adults over the study period.

Such rates continue to remain high, with a third of US children and teens and more than two-thirds of adults considered obese or overweight.

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Credit Suisse 'aided' US tax evaders

25 February 2014 Last updated at 20:56 ET

Credit Suisse "helped its US customers conceal their Swiss accounts" and avoid billions of dollars in American taxes, a report has alleged.

It claims the bank opened Swiss accounts for more than 22,000 US customers, with assets totalling $12bn (£7.2bn) at their peak.

The report alleges bankers helped clients create offshore shell entities and design transactions to avoid arousing suspicion.

Credit Suisse declined to comment.

"From at least 2001 to 2008, Credit Suisse employed banking practices that facilitated tax evasion by US customers," the report by a US congressional committee said.

It said the practices included "opening undeclared Swiss accounts" or accounts to "mask their US ownership", as well as sending Swiss bankers to the US to recruit new customers and "service existing Swiss accounts without creating paper trails".

US prosecutors are chasing 14 Swiss banks for allegedly helping wealthy Americans dodge US taxes.

Continue reading the main story

As federal regulators begin to crack down on these banks' illicit practices, it is imperative that they use every legal tool at their disposal to hold these banks fully accountable for wilfully deceiving the US government"

End Quote John McCain US Senator

Credit Suisse's private banking and wealth management division has already put aside 175m Swiss francs (£118m) to fight a US investigation into hidden offshore accounts in Switzerland.

Secretive methods?

The bank has said it was "working towards a resolution" with US authorities but has not given a time-frame of when that resolution might be reached.

The report has also published details of the way, it alleges, the bank worked to keep the accounts concealed from the US authorities.

It said some bankers even applied for US visa waivers, claiming they planned to visit the country for "tourism" instead of "business" purposes.

The report listed one incident where a client was handed bank statements hidden in a Sports Illustrated magazine.

It said the bank also used sponsored events, including the annual "Swiss Ball" in New York and golf tournaments in Florida, to recruit more customers.

Strict action

The committee has called upon US regulators to take strict action against banks that help US customers avoid taxes.

"For too long, international financial institutions like Credit Suisse have profited from their offshore tax haven schemes while depriving the US economy of billions of dollars in tax revenues by facilitating US tax evasion," said Senator John McCain, a member of the subcommittee.

"As federal regulators begin to crack down on these banks' illicit practices, it is imperative that they use every legal tool at their disposal to hold these banks fully accountable for wilfully deceiving the US government and seek penalties that will deter similar misconduct in the future."

The US Justice Department issued a statement saying it was investigating various Swiss banks over the issue.

"We won't hesitate to indict if and when circumstances merit," it said.

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US pair found '$10m buried treasure'

25 February 2014 Last updated at 22:14 ET

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The coins were in uncirculated, mint condition, adding to their worth to collectors

A California couple found a stash of gold coins buried on their property last year valued at as much as $10m (£6m), rare coin dealers have said.

The 1,427 coins, which date from 1847-1894, were never circulated and are in mint condition, numismatist David Hall told the Associated Press.

The unnamed couple found them buried in rusting metal cans under a tree while on a walk last April.

It is seen as the largest haul of buried treasure in US history.

"We've seen shipwrecks in the past where thousands of gold coins were found in very high grade, but a buried treasure of this sort is unheard of," David McCarthy of currency firm Kagin's, who is advising the couple, told Reuters news agency.

"I've never seen this face value in North America and you never see coins in the condition we have here."

The couple live in a rural area of California known as Gold Country for the swarms of prospectors who descended on the region during the 19th Century gold rush.

They found the coins in an area of their land they called Saddle Ridge, and the coin dealers who have seen the haul have taken to calling it the Saddle Ridge Hoard.

It is a mystery who buried the coins - and why.

Mr Hall of Professional Coin Grading Service of Santa Ana, California, which recently authenticated the coins, told the Associated Press the coins' face value adds up to about $27,000. But some of the coins are so rare they could sell for $1m each,

The couple plan to sell the coins on Amazon.

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US singer pleads guilty to murder plot

26 February 2014 Last updated at 06:35 ET

Tim Lambesis, the singer for US metal band As I Lay Dying has pleaded guilty to attempting to hire an undercover agent to murder his estranged wife.

The singer, who initially denied the charge, could face nine years in prison for the attempted contract killing.

Lambesis, 32. whose formed As I Lay Dying in San Diego in 2000, has sold more than a million albums.

He remains free on $2m (£1.25) bail until he is sentenced 2 May in Vista Superior Court, California.

Lambesis had asked a personal trainer at his gym to help him get rid of his wife Meggan, claiming she had restricted his visits with their three adopted children after they separated in September 2012.

He was arrested in May 2013 after prosecutors said he met with a sheriff's deputy posing as a hit man, dubbed "Red", and handed over $1,000 (£600) along with his wife's address and front door security code.

The undercover agent, San Diego County Sheriff's Officer Howard Bradley, testified last year that Lambesis met him at an Oceanside bookstore in May and said he wanted his wife "gone".

Bradley said he asked Lambesis directly if he wanted his wife killed, and the singer replied, "Yes, I do."

As I Lay Dying have released six albums, including 2007's An Ocean Between Us, which reached number eight on the Billboard charts.

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Japanese tourists in US police chase

26 February 2014 Last updated at 06:50 ET By News from Elsewhere... ...as found by BBC Monitoring

A frazzled Japanese couple have been subjected to a high speed car chase with police and held at gunpoint on their first day on holiday in the US, after apparently misunderstanding traffic signals, it's been reported.

Officers in the US state of Utah say they spotted the car driving slowly and erratically on the motorway and signalled for it to pull over. But the woman driving reportedly panicked at the police cars' lights and sirens and sped off, trailed by three patrol cars, the Japan Times reports.

The chase ended 11km (6 miles) later, after the car drove over a row of tyre spikes. The motorway was closed in both directions as police feared a confrontation with an armed criminal.

The Japanese couple, unable to understand the police commands, were then pulled out of the car at gunpoint, as their seven-year-old son sat crying in the backseat.

The situation was finally diffused after police tracked down a Japanese-speaking officer elsewhere in the state. But one officer was not entirely convinced that the woman didn't know what to do. "Red and blue lights are a pretty universal signal," says Highway Patrol commander Brad Horne. "Regardless of nationality and language, when we put lights on, people pull over and stop."

Use #NewsfromElsewhere to stay up-to-date with our reports via Twitter.

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Canada strips Conrad Black of award

1 February 2014 Last updated at 04:07 ET

Canada has stripped former media baron, Conrad Black, of the Order of Canada, its highest honour.

Lord Black was also removed from the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.

He served three years in prison in the US for fraud and obstruction of justice, and was released in 2012.

Lord Black of Crossharbour remains a member of the UK House of Lords. He was awarded the Order of Canada, which recognises a lifetime of achievement, in 1990.

In a statement on Friday, the Canadian government said it had accepted a recommendation by the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada to remove Lord Black as an officer of the order.

The Queen's Privy Council is a board of prominent Canadians appointed to advise the head of state, the Queen, although for non-ministers it is normally only honorary.

Lord Black, who was born in Montreal and now lives in Toronto, hosts a Canadian television show.

He once controlled Hollinger International, which published the Daily Telegraph and the Chicago Sun-Times.

In 2007 he was found guilty in the US of conspiring with other executives to siphon off millions of dollars from the sale of newspapers as they unwound Hollinger.

Some of those convictions were later overturned, and his sentence shortened to 42 months.

He moved back to Canada following his release from a Florida prison in May 2012.

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Canada 'spied on airport travellers'

31 January 2014 Last updated at 06:25 ET

Canada's electronic spy agency collected data from travellers passing through a major airport, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reports.

The CSEC collected information captured from unsuspecting passengers' wireless devices by the airport's free wi-fi system over two-weeks, the report says.

The revelations come from documents leaked by Edward Snowden, CBC says.

The CSEC is prohibited by law from targeting Canadians or anyone in Canada without an appropriate warrant.

Its primary mission is to collect foreign intelligence by intercepting overseas phone and internet traffic.

The CSEC (Communications Security Establishment Canada), in a statement to CBC, reiterated that it is "mandated to collect foreign signals to protect Canada and Canadians.

"And in order to fulfil that key foreign intelligence role for the country, CSEC is legally authorised to collect and analyse metadata."

Metadata is the information about a communication - such as the date and location of a call or email - rather than the details of what was actually said or written.

'Hot spots'

The leaked document indicates the 2012 passenger tracking operation was a trial run of a powerful new software programme being developed jointly with the US's National Security Agency (NSA), CBC reports.

It is now fully operational, CBC News quotes sources as saying.

Experts told the broadcaster that information captured from travellers' devices would have enabled the agency to track them for a week or more as they showed up in other wi-fi "hot spots" around Canada, such as other airports, hotels or restaurants.

Such was the volume of data that CSEC could even track the travellers' movements back to the days before they arrived at the airport, the experts say.

The document does not specify which airport was targeted or explain how CSEC was able to access the data.

Two airports - Vancouver and Toronto - and Boingo, an independent supplier of wi-fi services at other Canadian airports, have denied any involvement in supplying wi-fi information.

Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor, is currently living in Russia having fled the US in May 2013 after leaking thousands of documents that revealed extensive internet and phone surveillance by the US and other intelligence services.

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US diocese in bankruptcy move

31 January 2014 Last updated at 11:24 ET

A Roman Catholic diocese in the US state of Montana has filed for bankruptcy protection, amid claims hundreds of children were abused.

Two 2011 lawsuits against the diocese in Helena, the state capital, allege that 362 children were abused between 1940-1980.

Plaintiffs claim the diocese protected the offenders or turned a blind eye.

The filing precedes proposed settlements reached during confidential mediation sessions, US media report.

A Montana bankruptcy court will be responsible for approving disbursement of a reported $15m (£9m) in compensation for identified victims, plus an undisclosed amount to be set aside for those plaintiffs who come forward at a later date.

The bankruptcy reorganisation will help resolve the abuse claims, diocese spokesman Dan Bartleson said on Friday.

He said that victims would have the opportunity to vote on the proposed settlement.

Several of the diocese's 16 insurers have filed lawsuits challenging the claims, however, saying they should not have to pay out for alleged abuse which occurred before the policies went into effect.

The diocese, which covers western Montana, employs an estimated 200 people across its parishes, social-service programmes and schools.

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Ohio man buried atop prized Harley

31 January 2014 Last updated at 14:03 ET

An avid motorcycle rider in the US state of Ohio has been buried with his Harley-Davidson in a transparent casket.

Billy Standley was embalmed and laid to rest atop a 1977 Electra Glide cruiser in a Plexiglass casket.

An extra-large cemetery plot was required to fulfil his final wishes.

Standley's family described the deceased, 82, as a "quirky" man who had been planning the unusual send-off for years.

The father-of-four succumbed to lung cancer on 26 January and was laid to rest on Friday.

Five embalmers prepared the body - wearing black leathers and a helmet, and equipped with a metal back brace and straps - to ensure Standley stays astride his motorcycle after burial.

His two sons constructed the large see-through casket prior to his death, which he reportedly proudly displayed for visitors.

"He'd done right by us all these years, and at least we could see he goes out the way he wanted to," Standley's son, Pete, told the Dayton Daily News.

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Bloomberg named UN climate envoy

31 January 2014 Last updated at 15:01 ET

Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has been appointed as UN special envoy for cities and climate change.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon wants Mr Bloomberg to "raise political will and mobilise action" on climate change, a UN spokesman said.

He will also work to bring "concrete solutions" to a major climate summit in New York in September.

As New York City mayor, Mr Bloomberg accused US politicians of a failure of leadership on climate change.

He later hinted at a link between Hurricane Sandy and global warming.

Samantha Power, US ambassador to the UN, welcomed Mr Bloomberg's appointment, posting on Twitter: "Mayor @MikeBloomberg knows how to get things done. We need more leaders like him here @UN."

Mr Bloomberg, a former news tycoon, made combating climate change a major focus of his 12 years as mayor of New York City.

The UN will host a one-day climate change summit in New York on 23 September 2014.

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Obama eases stance on migrant reform

31 January 2014 Last updated at 17:23 ET

President Obama has suggested he would be open to an immigration overhaul that would not provide a special path to citizenship for most illegal migrants.

But he said he favours legislation that includes such a measure.

Cross-party talks on reform appear set to resume, after House Republican leaders on Thursday backed legal status, if not citizenship, for undocumented migrants.

He said he was "not sure" how far apart he and Republicans were on the issue.

More than 11 million people are believed to reside in the US without proper documentation.

Won't 'prejudge'

Mr Obama's remarks were broadcast a day after Republican leaders in the House of Representatives released a broad document described as a statement of their negotiating principles on immigration. But they have yet to file legislation filling out the details.

In an interview with CNN broadcast on Friday, Mr Obama said he did not want to "prejudge" potential legislation, though he reiterated his preference for a cross-party bill passed last year in the Senate that would create a path to citizenship for many people who came to the US illegally.

But he suggested he would be open to a bill that articulated some of the policy principles described in a statement released on Thursday by the Republican House leadership.

He said he was "encouraged" by what he had heard from House Speaker John Boehner, the top Republican officeholder.

"If the speaker proposes something that says right away folks aren't being deported, families aren't being separated, we're able to track top young students to provide the skills or start businesses here and then there's a regular process of citizenship, I'm not sure how wide the divide ends up being," he said. "That's why I don't want to prejudge it."

The Republican leaders in the House of Representatives on Thursday proposed allowing illegal immigrants who had come to the US as children to earn citizenship after graduating from university or serving in the military, enabling others to earn legal status - but not citizenship - after paying fines and back taxes, increasing the number of visas for workers in high-skill fields, and other measures.

The document was greeted sceptically by conservative Republicans in the House rank-and-file and the Senate and by Democrats and liberals who demand an easier path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

The proposal was a shift for the party, which had previously opposed concessions to illegal immigrants.

Analysts say it represents an effort by the party to win support from Hispanic voters, a fast-growing voting bloc that in recent years has overwhelmingly backed the Democrats.

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Christie 'knew about traffic jam'

31 January 2014 Last updated at 19:31 ET

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Chris Christie avoided questions from the press as he left Howard Stern's 60th birthday party

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie knew about the closures of local lanes leading to a busy bridge to New York City while they were happening, a lawyer for a former ally has said.

David Wildstein said he had evidence to show Mr Christie knew about the lane closures, which caused a huge traffic jam at the George Washington Bridge.

Documents suggest the traffic jam was orchestrated by Mr Christie's aides.

Mr Christie on Friday reiterated he had "no prior knowledge" of the closures.

The scandal has damaged Mr Christie's standing as a potential candidate for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

'Evidence exists'

In a letter to the general counsel of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages the George Washington Bridge and other bridges and tunnels between the two states, Mr Wildstein's lawyer wrote, "Evidence exists... tying Mr Christie to having knowledge of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed."

The letter written by New Jersey lawyer Alan Zegas described the lane closure as occurring under "the Christie administration's order", and said Mr Wildstein suggested Mr Christie had not spoken truthfully in a January news conference.

Mr Christie said then that he had been "blindsided" by the revelations his aides were involved in the traffic jam.

"I had no knowledge or involvement in this issue, in its planning or execution," the governor said.

The four-day September traffic jam in the streets of Fort Lee, New Jersey, which sits at the foot of the bridge, is believed to have been orchestrated by Mr Christie's aides to punish its Democratic mayor for his refusal to endorse the governor in his 2013 re-election campaign.

The traffic jam was caused when workers closed off two local lanes from Fort Lee onto the bridge, ostensibly to conduct a traffic study.

State legislators and federal prosecutors have launched inquiries into the matter, and Mr Christie has pledged to co-operate.

Mr Wildstein, a high school friend of Mr Christie, was a senior political appointee on the Port Authority until he resigned in December as the probe into the traffic jam began gathering steam.

'No prior knowledge'

In January, Mr Christie sacked Bridget Anne Kelly, his deputy chief of staff.

"Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee," Ms Kelly wrote on 13 August to Mr Wildstein, according to a copy of the email obtained by the news media in January.

"Got it," Mr Wildstein replied.

Mr Wildstein has refused to testify in legislative inquiries into the matter, citing his constitutional protection against self-incrimination.

In a statement released by his office to the news media on Friday, Mr Christie said Mr Wildstein's lawyer "confirms what the governor has said all along - he had absolutely no prior knowledge of the lane closures before they happened".

According to the statement, Mr Christie believed only that a traffic study was under way until he read "otherwise" on the morning of 8 January, when his aides' involvement was revealed in the news media.

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Felony charges in US rock toppling

31 January 2014 Last updated at 20:45 ET

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The men were sacked by the Boy Scouts of America after the video of the incident spread across the internet and provoked an outcry

US Prosecutors have filed felony charges against two ex-scout leaders who toppled over an ancient rock formation at a state park last year.

Dave Hall filmed Glenn Taylor pushing over the 170 million-year-old sandstone rock in Utah's Goblin Valley State Park in October and celebrating.

Mr Taylor, 45, was charged with criminal mischief and Mr Hall, 42, with aiding criminal mischief.

The men said the rock was in danger of falling and hurting someone.

If convicted, the men face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 (£3,042) in fines.

A video of the incident on an 11 October outing spread on YouTube and provoked an immediate outcry.

They were fired by the Boy Scouts of America several days later.

The men are due in court on 18 March, the Salt Lake City Tribune reported.

Emery County Attorney David Blackwell told the Associated Press he was trying to negotiate a plea deal.

Mr Taylor's lawyer said he would defend his client against "an overcharge". Mr Hall declined to comment.

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'No objections' to Keystone pipeline

31 January 2014 Last updated at 21:49 ET

The US state department has raised no major environmental objections to the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada, according to a new report.

Crucially, it found the proposed pipeline was unlikely to accelerate the pace of Canadian oil sands development.

But environmentalists say the pipeline would lead to increased carbon emissions, contribute to global warming, and risk spills on its route.

President Barack Obama has yet to decide whether he will permit it.

On Friday, a spokesman said the White House would await further review from other US government agencies and the public.

"The president has clearly stated that the project will be in the national interest only if it does not significantly exacerbate the problem of carbon pollution," Matt Lehrich said.

In an environmental impact statement released on Friday, the US state department said that approval of the project "is unlikely to significantly impact the rate of extraction in the oil sands or the continued demand for heavy crude oil at refineries in the United States based on expected oil prices".

Political debate

Continue reading the main story

The Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is as dry as its name implies. An 11-volume tome which reaches no firm conclusions, it's being seized upon not so much for what it says as for what it doesn't say.

With a heavy dose of pragmatism, the report points out that oil reserves in this particular part of northern Alberta are likely to be developed whether the Keystone XL pipeline is approved or not. It makes the point that alternative methods of conveying oil from Canada to America's Gulf coast - for example by rail or barge - would probably have as great an impact on the environment as a pipe beneath the ground.

But it doesn't explicitly say that the long-delayed project would lead to an increase in greenhouse gases - and supporters are seizing on that as a sign that the Obama administration will eventually back it, despite the consternation that would cause among environmentalists.

The report does not directly recommend approval of the 1,408km (875 mile) pipeline, which would carry oil from the western Canadian tar sands region to Nebraska.

Rather, it is described as a technical assessment of the project's environmental impact.

If it is approved by the White House and permitted for construction, it would connect to already-built US pipelines to transport more than 830,000 barrels of crude oil daily to Texas refineries.

It would be built by TransCanada Corp, which first applied for a permit from the US government in 2008.

TransCanada chief executive Russ Girling said on Friday he was "very pleased" with the report's findings.

The project, estimated at $7bn (£4.26bn), has become a source of significant political debate, with environmental advocacy groups saying it would contribute to global warming and pleading with Mr Obama to block it.

Environmental groups say oil extracted from tar sands produces more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional crude oil and must be more extensively refined to be turned into fuel.

The pipeline would also threaten leaks and spills along its route through the US, its opponents say.

Meanwhile, the opposition Republicans have long supported the initiative, saying it would boost the US economy, create jobs, and reduce North America's dependence on foreign oil.

The approval process has been mired in Washington politics, with the Republicans aiming to force Mr Obama's hand.

"This report from the Obama administration once again confirms that there is no reason for the White House to continue stalling construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline," Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement. "So, Mr. President, no more stalling- no more excuses. Please pick up that pen you've been talking so much about and make this happen. Americans need these jobs."

The White House stalled the project in 2011 amid concerns it would damage the environment along the route, and Mr Obama has yet to endorse it.

The US state department approval is required for the initiative as the pipeline crosses the US border.

National interest

Now, other US agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency have 90 days to comment before the state department issues its final recommendation to Mr Obama.

A decision is not expected for several months.

Environmental groups condemned the report.

The National Resources Defense Council said it was "absolutely not in our national interest" to allow its construction.

"Piping the dirtiest oil on the planet through the heart of America would endanger our farms, our communities, our fresh water and our climate," the council's international programme director, Susan Casey-Lefkowitz, said.

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Dry California cannot deliver water

1 February 2014 Last updated at 05:38 ET

California's water agency has announced it may for the first time be unable to deliver water to local agencies, amid a worsening drought.

Two-thirds of state residents and 1m acres (404,500 hectares) of farmland get part or all of their drinking and irrigation supplies from the agency.

A state-wide drought was declared earlier this month, as the largest reservoirs sank to record low levels.

Forecasters have warned 2014 could be California's driest year on record.

The extreme conditions have already caused a wildfire that destroyed homes in the Los Angeles area.

Previous extremely dry years led to catastrophic wildfire seasons in California in 2003 and 2007.

'Drought is real'

It is the first time in the water agency's history that it has predicted a so-called "zero allocation", which will affect around 25m people.

State governor Jerry Brown said the announcement was a "stark reminder that California's drought is real".

He urged residents to conserve water, suggesting they avoid flushing toilets unnecessarily and to turn off the tap while shaving.

Meanwhile a spokesman for the state's farming federation called the news "a terrible blow".

The water originates from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

It is delivered to local agencies via a vast network of reservoirs, pipelines, aqueducts and pumping stations.

The 29 agencies that draw from the state's water-delivery system have other sources, Associated Press reports, although these too have been badly hit.

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