Yanukovych Offers Government Positions to Opposition Leaders in the Ukraine

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych made a set of offers, on Saturday, in order to end protests against his government.

He offered the prime minister spot to former economy minister Arseny Yatsenyuk and the deputy prime minister job to former boxing champion Vitaly Klitschko, both of whom are two of the main leaders of the opposition.

In exchange, the president expects all protests to come to an end and all occupied government buildings to be evacuated. Yanukovych also promised to treat all those who had been detained, during the protests, with leniency.

If they do not take his deal, Yanukovych warned that anyone caught protesting would be considered part of an "extremist group" and that police would deal with them harshly.

Under the deal, a new government would be formed, by the opposition, with new parliamentary elections very likely. However, this agreement would leave Yanukovych in power, which might not be acceptable to many of the protesters, since it was anger with him that led to much of the protesting.

The protests began when the president backed away from a deal to join the EU, and instead turned to Russia. Multiple police attempts to clear out Kiev's Independence Square have failed, with injuries mounting since Sunday, and deaths occurring on Wednesday. Many Ukrainians worry that Yanukovych is taking their country back under Russian influence and fear a loss of their independence from their former Soviet masters.

Clashes in Cairo Kill 25

Rival political rallies clashed in Cairo and across Egypt, on Saturday.

Twenty-fie deaths were reported, with the majority taking place in the capital.

Security forces arrested one hundred and thirty-nine supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and cleared out any protests that the group put together.

Saturday marked the third anniversary of the country's overthrow of Honsi Mubarak.

6.1 Quake Strikes Indonesia

A 6.1 earthquake rocked Indonesia, on Saturday afternoon.

Hardest hit was the town of Banyumas, on the island of Java.

Dozens of houses were damaged an the town's mosque collapsed.

Minor injuries were reported, but no deaths have been confirmed at this point.

No tsunami was caused by the quake, which struck at a depth of fifty-two miles.

Sheriff Joe Arapaio Puts Inmates on Bread and Water for Desecrating US Flags

Sheriff Joe Arapaio is stirring up controversy again.

This time he placed thirty-eight inmates on a bread and water diet for desecrating US flags.

Arapaio stated that, "These inmates have destroyed the American flag that was placed in their cells. Tearing them, writing on them, stepping on them, throwing them in the toilet, trash or wherever they feel."

All prisoners who commit the crime are sentenced to seven days of two meals of bread and water.

A second offense will result in ten days of the same sentence.

Yanukovych Promises Concessions in Ukraine

Faced with the spread of protests against his government, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has offered what is considered the beginning of concessions.

On Friday, Yanukovych pledged to "reshuffle" his government, amend anti-protest laws, and free more than one hundred detainees.

He stated that any decisions would be made at a special session of parliament, on Tuesday.

The president has previously made promises to the protesters and opposition, but each time broken them, so it is unclear if he will actually stand by his latest statements.

It is also unclear if parliament will make changes or if any changes they make will be enough for the protesters to go home.

Yanukovych is faced with an increasingly larger protest movement against him and his government, which has been going for over two months.

Multiple police attempts to clear out Kiev's Independence Square have failed, with injuries mounting since Sunday, and deaths occurring on Wednesday.

The protests began when the president backed away from a deal to join the EU, and instead turned to Russia.

Many Ukrainians worry that Yanukovych is taking their country back under Russian influence and fear a loss of their independence from their former Soviet masters.

Fighting and Explosions Kill 16 in Cairo

Sixteen people were killed and over a hundred were injured in violence in Cairo, on Friday.

Ten of the casualties occurred in clashes between security forces and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Four explosions claimed six lives, with the biggest occurring outside of the city's police headquarters.

The Muslim Brotherhood is being blamed for the bombings, however Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, the local Al Qaeda affiliate, has claimed responsibility.

Saturday marks the third anniversary of Egypt's overthrow of Honsi Mubarak, a tense time for the politically torn country.

46 Vehicle Accident Kills 3 in Indiana

Three people were killed and more than twenty injured in a forty-six vehicle pileup in Indiana, Thursday afternoon.

Officials say that it went from a sunny day to near white out conditions, within minutes.

Fifteen tractor trailers were involved in the pileup, which occurred near Michigan City.

Both sides of I94 were shutdown for several hours, while emergency workers rescued the injured and trapped passengers and drivers, with the east bound lanes expected to remain closed until late Friday or possibly even Saturday.

Nursing Home Fire Kills 36 in Quebec

A nursing home fire in L'isle-Verte, Quebec  killed thirty-six, early Thursday morning.

Firefighters from several nearby towns were called to help battle the massive blaze.

They also had to contend with freezing temperatures, which made things all the more dangerous and difficult.

Only twenty of the building's fifty-six residents were saved.

Five bodies have been found so far, with the rest missing and presumed dead.

Most of the residents were over eighty-five and very few were mobile.

Cease Fire Declared in Kiev as Protests Spread Across Ukraine

An uneasy truce took place, on Thursday, between protesters and police in Kiev, Ukraine. It is unclear how long it will last as the government seems unwilling to actually give the people what they are demanding, a new election.

Protesters took the time of cease fire to build new and larger barricades, while their leaders met with the President. The meetings ended with nothing being resolved between the two sides.

Thursday also saw the spread of protests to several other cities, across the country. Threats of guerrilla warfare and revolution are now being made by some opposition leaders, angry over the President's refusal to grant any of the demands made of him.

At least four people were killed in Kiev, on Wednesday, as the months long protest turned deadly. Police at Independence Square opened fire on multiple occasions, wounding dozens. The shooting was followed by fire bombs being thrown by both sides.

On Wednesday evening, as thousands more protesters poured in, opposition leaders announced a twenty-four hour deadline for the government to announced emergency elections. If their deadline is not met then they have promised that they will attack.

Nearly two thousand protesters, two hundred police officers, and thirty-six journalists have been injured since Sunday, when the protests turned violent after parliament passed a heavily controversial law, on Friday. Under the bill, any protest can be banned, freedom of speech is limited, freedom of the press is cut, the government is allowed to ban citizens from using the internet, and it classifies advocacy groups as "foreign agents" if they receive money from abroad.

Opposition leaders accused Yanukovych of trying to cement a dictatorship by following the ways of Russia and North Korea. News of the bills passing was met with condemnation from much of the world, especially the European Union.

Continuous protests have been taking place in Kiev, and elsewhere in Ukraine, for several months now, with crowds as large as two hundred thousand, in Kiev's Independence Square alone. Many Ukrainians worry that Yanukovych is taking their country back under Russian influence and fear a loss of their independence from their former Soviet masters.

The protests gained steam after three former presidents backed them. Police were unable to clear out the protesters in December, and their failure had been followed by Yanukovych promising to get back to working on the deal with the EU.

However, his once again breaking his word only heightened the calls for his removal from office and led to many to call him a traitor and warn that he should never return to the country. The opposition had called for the government to replace him, but their lack of movement on the issue has led to calls for their removal as well.

Protests Turn Deadly in Ukraine

At least four people were killed in Kiev, on Wednesday, as the months long protest turned deadly. Police at Independence Square opened fire on multiple occasions, wounding dozens. The shooting was followed by fire bombs being thrown by both sides.

On Wednesday evening, as thousands more protesters poured in, opposition leaders announced a twenty-four hour deadline for the government to announced emergency elections. If their deadline is not met then they have promised that they will attack.

Nearly two thousand protesters, two hundred police officers, and thirty-six journalists have been injured since Sunday, when the protests turned violent after parliament passed a heavily controversial law, on Friday. Under the bill, any protest can be banned, freedom of speech is limited, freedom of the press is cut, the government is allowed to ban citizens from using the internet, and it classifies advocacy groups as "foreign agents" if they receive money from abroad.

Opposition leaders accused Yanukovych of trying to cement a dictatorship by following the ways of Russia and North Korea. News of the bills passing was met with condemnation from much of the world, especially the European Union.

Continuous protests have been taking place in Kiev, and elsewhere in Ukraine, for several months now, with crowds as large as two hundred thousand, in Kiev's Independence Square alone. Many Ukrainians worry that Yanukovych is taking their country back under Russian influence and fear a loss of their independence from their former Soviet masters.

The protests gained steam after three former presidents backed them. Police were unable to clear out the protesters in December, and their failure had been followed by Yanukovych promising to get back to working on the deal with the EU.

However, his once again breaking his word only heightened the calls for his removal from office and led to many to call him a traitor and warn that he should never return to the country. The opposition had called for the government to replace him, but their lack of movement on the issue has led to calls for their removal as well.