In Germany Former President dies at 94

Weizsaecker, who was in office from 1984 to 1994, died in Berlin on Saturday, January 31.

Former German President, Richard von Weizsaecker has died at the age of 94.

Weizsaecker, who was in office from 1984 to 1994, died in Berlin on Saturday, January 31.

The former President was best known for his May 1985 speech, which marked the 40th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II and won him widespread praise as an effort to bring fellow Germans to terms with the Holocaust.

"All of us, whether guilty or not, whether young or old, must accept the past. We are all affected by its consequences and liable for it. Anyone who closes his eyes to the past is blind to the present,” Weizsaecker, who was a regular soldier in Adolf Hitler's army, said in his speech before the West German parliament.

“The 8th of May was a day of liberation. It freed us all from the system of National Socialist tyranny,” he had added.

Announcing Weizsaecker's death, current President Joachim Gauck said:

“Richard von Weizsaecker stood worldwide for a Germany that had found its way to centre of the democratic family of peoples. He stood for a federal republic that faces up to its past.”

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel said:

“Weizsaecker's comment on the "day of liberation" was a necessary, clear statement that was significant for our German self-image.”

“The death of Richard von Weizsaecker is a great loss for Germany," she added.

Weizsaecker is survived by his wife, Marianne, and three of their four children.

Missing Air Asia Plane Search efforts officially end

The Indonesian military stated that it did not find the bodies of any more victims despite pulling out the plane’s fuselage.

Efforts to recover the wreckage of the ill-fated Air Asia flight QZ8501 have officially ended.

The Indonesian military stated that it did not find the bodies of any more victims despite pulling out the plane’s fuselage.

“The operation has been ongoing for 30 days so the joint team has been pulled out,” Rear Admiral Widodo, a navy official supervising the operation told Reuters.

“We apologize to the families of the victims. We tried our best to look for the missing victims.”

Searchers have found 70 bodies in the Java Sea since the plane crashed on December 28.

The plane was carrying 162 passengers when it suddenly disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from Surabaya, Indonesia for a journey to Singapore

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud 10 things you should know about Saudi Arabia’s new king

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who was the Crown Prince until the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, has ascended the throne previously occupied by his late half-brother.

The death of Saudi Arabia’s monarch, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz on Friday, January 23, has ushered in a new regime in the royal kingdom.

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who was the Crown Prince until Abdullah’s death, has ascended the throne previously occupied by his late half-brother.

Here are 10 things you should know about the new King of Saudi Arabia:

1. He was born on 31 December 1935.
   
   
2. He is the child of late King Abdul Aziz bin al-Saud, who was the founder of modern day Saudi Arabia.
   
   
3. He is one of the "Sudairi Seven", an influential faction within the royal family consisting of the seven sons of King Abdulaziz by a favourite wife, Princess Hassa al-Sudairi.
   
   
4. He was the Governor of Riyadh from 1955-1960 and again from 1963 to 2011.
   
   
5. He was appointed Defence Minister in 2011 upon the death of his brother Crown Prince Sultan.
   
   
6. He was named Crown Prince and heir apparent to the throne in 2012.
   
   
7. He owns important stake in one of the Arab world's largest media groups.
   
   
8. He is believed to have suffered at least one stroke that has left him with limited movement in his left arm.
   
   
9. He ascended the throne on Friday, January 23, 2015.
   
   
10. He will be succeeded by half-brother, Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, the youngest surviving son of the late King Abdulaziz who has been named Crown Prince.

Lassana Bathily Malian receives French citizenship for saving lives during Paris terror attack

Lassana Bathily hid customers of kosher supermarket, Hyper Cacher supermarket in a freezer after the store was attacked by terrorist Amedy Coulibaly in solidarity with Charlie Hebdo attackers, Cherif and Said Kouachi.

A Malian resident of France has been granted citizenship of the country after he saved lives during a terror attack in Paris on January 9.

24-year-old Lassana Bathily hid customers of kosher supermarket, Hyper Cacher supermarket in a freezer after the store was attacked by terrorist, Amedy Coulibaly in solidarity with Charlie Hebdo attackers, Cherif and Said Kouachi.

Bathily then escaped through another exit and informed security officials about the invasion.

Coulibaly shot four hostages dead before being killed by the police. The Kouachi’s were also killed in a separate raid.

French authorities decided to honour the Malian, who is a Muslim, by making him a citizen after an online petition was started to that effect and received about 300,000 signatures.

Bathily has been living in France since 2006 and applied for naturalization last year.

The 24-year-old was praised for his 'courage and heroism' by Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve in the presence of Prime Minister Manuel Valls during a ceremony which held on Tuesday, January 20.

Cazeneuve stated that Bathily’s ‘act of humanity has become a symbol of an Islam of peace and tolerance.’

The Kouachi’s stormed the office of satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo on January 7 and killed 12 people in revenge for the publication’s notorious anti-Islamic cartoons.

Joe Biden US Vice President's home attacked, Gunshots fired

The Vice President and his wife were not at home when the shocking incident happened but they've been told about the shooting.

Multiple gunshots fired at US VP, Joe Biden's Delaware home, Saturday night. But he wasn't home

US Vice President, Joe Biden's home was attacked Saturday night and multiple gunshots went out. There's still no report if any bullet break into his building.

According to TMZ, the Vice President and his wife were not at home when the shocking incident happened but they've been told about the shooting.

 The feds report that a vehicle reportedly drove by his Delaware home around 8:25 PM and fired off multiple shots from hundreds of yards beyond the Secret Service's perimeter.

Biden's home is found several hundred yards away from the main road where the shots were reportedly fired and the residence will be searched to figure out if any bullets hit his house.

Shortly after the shooting, a driver attempted to get past the police perimeter ... but was immediately arrested by police.

It remains unclear if this is the same vehicle, or driver who fired the shots.