Venezuela Prison Riot Kills Dozens Of Inmates

Up to 50 people have been killed and scores more injured in clashes at a prison in Venezuela, according to hospital officials and local media.

Television footage showed National Guard troops surrounding the Uribana prison as inmates in bloody clothes were taken out of the building.

Relatives of the prisoners, most of them women in tears, waited outside.

Iris Varela, the government minister responsible for Venezuela's jails and prisons, said the riot at the Uribana prison in northwest Lara state began after inmates objected to prison authorities planning to confiscate weapons.

She said that inmates fought with troops brought in to calm the situation and with each other as rival gangs battled for control of the prison.

Hospital official Ruy Medina said many of the dozens of casualties had suffered gunshot wounds.

The South American nation's 34 prisons were designed to hold just one-third of the 50,000 inmates now in them, according to local prison advocacy groups.

Many of the prisoners are armed and hundreds are killed each year in riots and gang fights.

In 2011, there was a month-long siege at El Rodeo prison, just outside the capital of Caracas, in which 22 people died before 5,000 soldiers were able to restore order.

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Apple: Kutcher At Steve Jobs Film Premiere

Ashton Kutcher has revealed playing Apple's legendary co-founder Steve Jobs was an honour - but also terrifying - at the film's world premiere.

The biopic covers the 30 years from Jobs' teenage years to his time in charge of one of the most powerful and iconic technology brands across the globe.

jOBS was shown for the first time at the Sundance Festival in Utah, 15 months after the Apple boss died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 56.

At the premiere, 34-year-old Kutcher talked about his preparations to try and master Jobs' posture, hand gestures and eccentricities, saying his "painstaking research" included watching more than 100 hours of footage of the Apple innovator.

"To be playing a guy who so freshly is in people's minds, where everywhere you go you can run into people who met him or knew him or had seen a video of him... that's terrifying because everyone is an appropriate critic," Kutcher said.

"Everyone can tear you apart. Everyone can look at any detail, a piece of clothing or a speech pattern and go 'No, no, this is not what it was,' and that's really scary."

Kutcher is interviewed at the premiere of jOBS

The film received applause from the audience, but it has not gone down as well with one of the people who worked most closely with Jobs.

Hours before the screening, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said the movie appeared to misrepresent aspects of his and Jobs' personalities and their early vision for the company.

Wozniak was commenting after seeing a brief clip of an early scene that was released online on Thursday.

"Totally wrong... The ideas of computers affecting society did not come from Jobs," Wozniak, who started Apple with Jobs and Ronald Wayne in a California garage in 1976, told technology blog Gizmodo.com.

Kutcher said he hoped Wozniak would look more kindly on the movie when he had seen the whole two hours.

"I hope that when he sees the film, he feels that he was portrayed accurately, that the film accurately represents who he was and how he was, and more importantly, inspires people to go and build things," he said.

jOBS is one of two films in production about Steve Jobs.

The other, based on Walter Isaacson's official biography Steve Jobs, is being developed by screen writer Aaron Sorkin of The West Wing and The Social Network fame.

Wozniak is known to be involved with the other film, though no release date or casting has been announced.

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Anti-Doping Chief: Armstrong Lied On Oprah

The head of the US Anti-Doping Agency has claimed shamed cyclist Lance Armstrong lied during a TV interview with Oprah Winfrey.

In an interview with CBS show 60 Minutes, which will air on Sunday, Mr Tygart said Armstrong was not telling the truth when he claimed he was clean of performance enhancing drugs when he made his comeback in 2009.

He said the 41-year-old has until February 6 to "cooperate fully" with USADA if he wants to lessen a lifetime ban from sports.

A report issued by the agency last year - on which it based Armstrong's lifetime ban and the forfeiture of all his cycling results since 1998 - found the variation of his blood values after making his comeback made it a "one to a million chance that it was due to something other than doping", Mr Tygart said.

He added that Armstrong could be motivated to lie about his comeback because under the statute of limitations for criminal fraud he would still be open to prosecution.

It comes after a lawyer for the cyclist told USADA his client will co-operate with their efforts to "clean up cycling".

Armstrong admitted last week in a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey that he took a variety of performance-enhancing drugs as he won seven Tour de France titles.

In letters sent this week between lawyers for Armstrong and the USADA, the agency's attorney William Bock asked that Armstrong testify under oath by February 6.

But Armstrong's attorney, Tim Herman, responded that Armstrong could make that deadline and called for the cycling union and the World Anti-Doping Agency to take up efforts to stamp out doping.

"As you have candidly confirmed, USADA has no authority to investigate, prosecute or otherwise involve itself with the other 95% of cycling competitors," he wrote.

"Thus, in order to achieve the goal of 'cleaning up cycling,' it must be WADA and the UCI who have overall authority to do so."

The letter said the disgraced cyclist was prepared to appear before a "truth and reconciliation" commission to be held by the International Cycling Union.

Armstrong told to Winfrey that he had used a banned "cocktail" of the blood-boosting agent EPO, blood transfusions and testosterone.

He had already been banned from cycling for life, stripped of his Tour titles and lost his Olympic gold medal - won in the 2000 games in Sydney - after USADA found him to be a central figure in "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen".

It is thought Armstrong's full co-operation could lead to a reduction of his ban, perhaps to eight years.

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Adrian Donohoe Killing Condemned By Irish PM

The Irish leader Enda Kenny has described the fatal shooting of a Garda detective during a botched hold-up as "cold blooded violence".

Adrian Donohoe was with a colleague escorting a cash delivery to a credit union in Dundalk, County Louth, when he was killed.

Several shots were fired during the attack at the Lordship Credit Union, on the Cooley Road in the town at around 9.30pm.

Mr Kenny said: "This was an outrageous act of cold blooded violence that has left a family without a husband and father and the Garda Siochana without a brave and valued member.

"On behalf of the Government and of the people I would like to express my condolences to Adrian's wife and children and to all his extended family at this unbearably sad time."

It is believed the force is hunting four men who fled the scene in a grey Volkswagen Passat.

The shooting happened in Cooley Road, Dundalk

Sky's Ireland correspondent David Blevins said: "The Irish police set up checkpoints on the southern side of the Irish border and the Police Service of Northern Ireland have checkpoints on the northern side of the Irish border."

The officer, who was based at Dundalk Garda station, was shot in the head without warning. He had not drawn his garda-issued weapon.

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan said: "I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of my colleague Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.

"Detective Garda Donohoe died as a result of injuries sustained in the course of his duty following a shooting incident in Dundalk.

"At this time my thoughts and prayers and those of the entire force are with the family, friends and close colleagues of Adrian."

Det Donohoe had two children and his wife Caroline was also in the police service. He lived in the Lordship area, half a mile from the credit union where he was killed.

Local councillor Jim Loughran described him as a quiet, decent family man.

"I just spoke to him last week on the street in town. I can't believe this has happened," he said.

The Sinn Fein councillor, who knew the detective through their local GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) club St Patrick's, also condemned those responsible for the shooting.

"This was not just an attack on a Garda detective, it was an attack on the whole community," he said.

It is believed staff at the credit union were locking up when the shooting occurred.

Gardai have appealed for people in the Belurgan, Jenkinstown and Dundalk areas between 6pm and 9.30pm on Friday night to get in touch. They are also appealing for anyone who may have seen the car driving towards Dundalk or on to the M1.

:: Anyone with information should call police on 042-9388400.

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Egypt: Death Sentences Spark Deadly Riots

Two football players are among the 27 people killed in riots in the Egypt city of Port Said following the sentencing to death of 21 fans.

Violence erupted in the city after judge sentenced the 21 people to death over a post-match riot in February last year that killed 74 fans of the Cairo-based Al Ahly team.

All of the people sentenced to death were fans of Port Said's main Al Masry team.

Jubilant: Fans of Al Ahly football club celebrate the verdict in Cairo

The director of hospitals in Port Said, Dr Abdel Raham Farah, said Mahmoud Abdel Halim al Dizawi, a football player in the city's Al Marikh club, was shot three times and died.

He says Tamer al Fahla, a player who used to play for Al Masry team, was also shot dead on his way to Al Marikh club.

Relatives of those sentenced attempted to storm the prison - which is near the Al Marikh club - where the defendants were being held, leading to the fierce clashes with police which left at least 27 people dead, including two policemen.

The military has been deployed to try and restore security.

Al Ahly fans were considered by many to be the victims of the riot

As the sentence was read out in the Cairo court and broadcast live on Egyptian television, families of those who died during the match wailed in relief and shouted "God is great!" from the public gallery.

But residents in Port Said, where the match was played, were also angry that people from their city were held responsible for the deadly riots.

On hearing the verdict many rampaged through the streets and some attempted to storm a police station.

Shops were closed and armoured personnel vehicles deployed as fighting raged in some streets around the prison.

Joy: Families of fans killed shouted 'God is great' after the verdict

In Cairo, there were explosions of jubilation at the verdict. One man who lost his son in the Port Said clashes wept outside court and said he was satisfied with the judges decision.

Another, Hassan Mustafa, had pinned a picture of his dead friend to his chest and said he was pleased with the outcome, adding that he wanted "justice served for those who planned the killing".

Die-hard football fans from both teams hold the police at least partially responsible for the February deaths and criticised Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi for doing little to reform the force.

Doctors treating the victims of the football rioting said some had been stabbed to death. One player caught up in the rioting described it as "a war".

Some of the defendants accused of involvement in the violence

Witnesses said most of the deaths involved people who had been trampled in the crush of panicked crowds, or who fell from terraces.

The riot was the world's deadliest football violence in 15 years.

The judge said in his statement read live on state TV that he would announce the verdict for the remaining 52 defendants on March 9.

Among those on trial are nine security officials.

As is customary in Egypt, the death sentences will be sent to religious authority, the Grand Mufti, for approval.

Executions in Egypt are usually carried out by hanging.

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Murder Confession: Teen Copies Halloween Film

A Texas teenager has confessed to police that he shot his mother and sister after repeatedly watching a horror film about a boy who kills without remorse.

Newly released evidence in the case includes a four-page document handwritten by Jake Evans.

In it he calmly explained how he planned to kill several members of his family last October - inspired by the 2007 remake of the horror classic Halloween.

The film is about a young boy who knifes to death his sister and others, and escapes a mental hospital years later to continue killing as an adult.

Jake Evans repeatedly watched the 2007 remake of Halloween

"While watching it, I was amazed at how at ease the boy was during the murders and how little remorse he had," the 17-year-old wrote, just hours after the event.

"Afterward, I was thinking to myself it would be the same for me when I kill someone."

He said in the confession that he initially planned on using a knife to murder his mother Jami and 15-year-old sister Mallory at their home in Aledo.

"I went back upstairs and kept pacing back and forth imagining killing Mallory," he wrote.

"Thoughts of causing her pain kept entering my mind and were really bothering me. But then I'd think about the times she hurt my feelings."

Evans described how earlier that day, he and his sister had argued after he accused her of making a racist comment.

He said he sat on the sofa having a pillow fight with his sister with a knife in his pocket.

But then he changed his mind.

"After a while, I thought to myself that if I were to kill my mom and Mallory, I wouldn't want them to feel anything, so I decided to kill them both with the .22 revolver I stole from my grandpa," he wrote.

"I then spent probably over an hour walking nervously around the house thinking how life will never be the same and how I would never see them again."

Evans described knocking on his sister's bedroom door at about 11.15pm and shooting her in the back and head.

The teenager's police statement was released on the orders of the judge

He then went downstairs and shot his mother.

"As I emptied the shells on my bed, I heard noises and realised that Mallory was still alive," he wrote.

"While I loaded the gun back up, I was shouting that I was sorry and then ran as fast as I could to kill her. I made sure my mom was dead and shot her again in the head."

Evans called 911 and told the dispatcher what he had done.

"I know now though that I'm done with killing," he said at the end of his statement. "What happened last night will haunt me forever."

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Samsung Q4 Profits Surge 76% Over Smartphones

Samsung has seen its quarterly profits soar by 76%, boosted by the popularity of its Galaxy smartphones, which have outsold the iPhone for a fourth straight quarter.

Net profit for the final quarter of 2012 totaled 7.04 trn South Korean won (£4.1bn), up from 4.01trn a year earlier. 

Sales for the final quarter of 2012 rose 19% over the previous year, and operating income jumped 89%.

Samsung, which overtook Apple as the top smartphone maker last year, said increased sales of the phones were the key source of its profit growth.

Its operating profit from the division that makes and sells smartphones and tablets more than doubled to 5.44trn won in Q4, up from 2.56trn a year earlier.

Most analysts believe Samsung shipped more than 60 million smartphones, including the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, during the three months ending in December, which would put the year's smartphone sales at more than 200 million.

On Wednesday, Apple said it sold 47.8 million iPhones in the quarter.

Hong Kong-based research firm Counterpoint Research said Samsung took 33% market share in the fourth quarter, compared with Apple's 21%.

But Samsung said that it now expects earnings to decline during the current quarter, because of seasonally low demand for consumer electronics, post-Christmas.

The company said the growing strength of the South Korean won may harm profits, with margins reduced as a result.

Unlike Samsung, Apple is keeping its iPhone price high

However, analysts believe that Samsung could be little affected by market demand thanks to its variety of products that range from affordable to expensive devices.

Samsung, which makes dozens of handset models a year and customises them for mobile operators, also sells cheaper smartphones.

Apple, on the other hand, which keeps its iPhone price high, might see iPhone sales plateau in coming years as more consumers snap up cheaper Android phones.

Still, Apple's business has been more profitable because of the high price of the iPhone, which generates a larger profit per sales.

Samsung is expected to introduce a new flagship smartphone in its Galaxy S series as early as April, which analysts say will shore up its bottom line.

The company said consumers seeking to replace its current handset and get a faster wireless connection will drive the demand for new models, easing concerns that sales would slow because of smartphone saturation in developed markets.  

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Strauss-Kahn Innocent, Pimp Tells Sex Trial

A pimp accused with Dominique Strauss-Kahn of supplying prostitutes for sex parties has claimed he believes the former IMF boss is innocent.

Belgian national Dominique Alderweireld, who has previous convictions for pimping, told Canal Plus television that it was likely Mr Strauss-Kahn was too busy to have arranged the parties.

"I think that with his work at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) he had other things to do than organise orgies," he said.

Alderweireld was speaking as Strauss-Kahn came face-to-face with a prostitute in a courtroom in Lille during his trial for "aggravated pimping as part of an organised gang".

The Socialist politician has admitted attending sex parties in France and the US but he has always claimed he did not know the women had been paid for their services.

Strauss Kahn's lawyers have argued that he could not have known as the female participants were naked during the events.

"He could easily not have known, because as you can imagine, at these kind of parties you're not always dressed.

"I challenge you to distinguish a naked prostitute from any other naked woman," Henri Leclerc told Radio Europe 1 in December.

Strauss-Kahn recently reached a financial settlement with a New York hotel maid whose 2011 allegation of sexual assault forced him to resign from his IMF job and ruined his chances of becoming French president.

He admitted a sexual encounter took place but insisted it was consensual. A criminal investigation into the incident collapsed after the maid changed her version of events.

French prosecutors, however, are convinced they have a case against Strauss-Kahn, in what has become known as the 'Carlton affair'.

It centres on allegations that business leaders and police officials in Lille supplied women for sex parties, some of which are said to have taken place at the city's Carlton Hotel.

Alderweireld is the 10th person to be charged with aggravated pimping in the case.

His nickname is Dodo la Saumure, a reference to the curing liquid used for mackerel, which is French slang for 'pimp'.

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Egypt: Tear Gas Fired At Protesters In Cairo

Tear gas has been fired at protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square on the second anniversary of the revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak.

Despite President Mohamed Morsi calling for calm, protesters have been making their way to the city's main square to demonstrate, with some throwing missiles.

Some have already spent the night there after police clashed on Thursday with protesters who tried to dismantle a wall of concrete blocks closing a street leading to the square.

The secular-leaning opposition has called for mass protests against Mr Morsi and his party, the Muslim Brotherhood, using the same slogan that brought Egypt to its feet in 2011: "Bread, freedom, social justice."

Opposition leader and former head of the UN's atomic agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, wrote on his Twitter account: "Go out into the squares to finally achieve the objectives of the revolution."

An anti-Morsi protester tries to escape from a tent sent on fire by police

Tahrir Square is the iconic birthplace of the 2011 revolution, and demonstrators gathered in front of the presidential palace, where anti-Morsi rallies last December erupted into deadly clashes with Islamist supporters.

Rallies were also staged elsewhere, notably in Egypt's second city Alexandria, where police fired tear gas into crowds.

In the north-eastern city of Ismailia, offices used by the Muslim Brotherhood's political party were set ablaze.

The Muslim Brotherhood has not officially called for its own rallies, instead marking the anniversary by launching a charitable and social initiative called: "Together we will build Egypt."

A man in Cairo works on graffiti representing the Muslim Brotherhood

Mr Morsi urged Egyptians to spend the anniversary in a "peaceful and civilised way" in a speech on Thursday to mark the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed.

But the threat of violence remained, ahead of a court verdict due on Saturday in the trial of dozens of defendants over the worst football disaster in Egyptian history.

More than 70 people were killed in Port Said in February last year during clashes in the Suez Canal city between fans of home side Al Masry and diehard supporters Cairo's Al Ahly, known as Ultras.

Al Ahly supporters warned of violent protests and a "new revolution" if Saturday's verdict goes against them.

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Algeria Siege: Norwegians Confirmed Dead

Two Norwegian oil workers have been confirmed dead after the al Qaeda hostage crisis in Algeria last week.

Norwegian oil firm Statoil confirmed the deaths following the siege at the In Amenas gas plant.

The company said three others were still listed as missing, although the Foreign Ministry said these employees were also presumed dead.

The Algerian government has said it believes 37 foreign hostages of eight nationalities and one Algerian worker were killed during the crisis at the desert gas plant.

Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal said 29 of the militants who overran the facility had been killed and three captured alive.

Three Britons are known to have died and three more are believed to be dead. A UK resident from Colombia is also thought to have died.

The British oil company BP jointly ran the plant together with the Algerian state oil company Sonatrach and Norway's Statoil.

David Cameron has insisted responsibility for the deaths "lies squarely with the terrorists".

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