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Brazil's former richest man Eike Batista sent to prison

Former Brazilian oil and mining tycoon Eike Batista has been transferred to a high security prison in Rio de Janeiro after being arrested on arrival from New York.

Once Brazil's richest man, he has been accused of paying millions of dollars in bribes to secure contracts with Rio's state government.

Mr Batista has denied any wrongdoing.

He has promised to help the authorities in their efforts to tackle corruption which he says is widespread in Brazil.

Before boarding the plane and turning himself in to police, Mr Batista said he was returning to Brazil to clear his name.

"I'm at the disposal of the courts," he told O Globo newspaper in New York. "As a Brazilian, I am doing my duty."

Under Brazilian law, Mr Batista would have been sent to a special prison wing if he had a university degree.

But as he dropped out before finishing his engineering degree in Germany, he will be serving time in an ordinary cell with six other inmates at the Bangu penitentiary.

Many Brazilian jails are overcrowded and controlled by criminal gangs.

The authorities in Rio say, however, that is not the case at Bangu.

German passport

Mr Batista was met by police as he landed in Rio on Monday morning.

He was escorted off the plane and initially taken to the Ary Franco prison in Rio.

After undergoing medical exams and having his hair cut short, he was transferred to the high security prison in the outskirts of the city.

Mr Batista was declared a fugitive by Brazilian officials after police raided his estate in Rio de Janeiro last week and found he had left for New York just hours earlier.

BBC South America business correspondent Daniel Gallas says there was much speculation on whether Mr Batista would return to Brazil or use his German passport to flee to Europe.

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Who is Eike Batista?

• Seen by many as the face of Brazilian capitalism
• Bold, extravagant and charismatic, he made most of his fortune during the commodities boom that brought great wealth to Brazil
• Listed in 2012 by Forbes Magazine as the world's seventh-richest man, with an estimated fortune of $35bn
• His Grupo EBX conglomerate spanned mining, oil, shipbuilding and logistics
• After EBX collapsed following a crash in demand for commodities, his wealth slumped to under $1bn (£800m)

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But Mr Batista said the trip to New York was not an attempt on his part to flee justice.

He is now due to be questioned about his alleged involvement in a corruption ring involving powerful business people and influential politicians in Rio de Janeiro state.

Investigators accuse Mr Batista of paying the then-governor of the state, Sergio Cabral, $16.5m (£13.2m) in bribes to win government contracts.

Mr Cabral was arrested in November as part of a larger corruption investigation dubbed Operation Car Wash.

As a result of Operation Car Wash, more than 100 people, including Brazil's most powerful building tycoon, Marcelo Odebrecht, have been convicted of crimes such as bribery, racketeering and money-laundering.

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Trump sacks defiant acting attorney general

Donald Trump has fired the acting US attorney general, after she questioned the legality of his immigration ban.

Sally Yates, who had been appointed under Barack Obama, earlier ordered justice department lawyers not to enforce the president's executive order.

In a statement, the White House said Ms Yates had "betrayed" the department.

Dana Boente, US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, replaces her as acting attorney general.

Mr Trump's order temporarily banned nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US, and sparked street protests in the US and abroad.

In a letter, Ms Yates had said she was "not convinced" that the president's order was lawful.

"As long as I am the acting attorney general, the department of justice will not present arguments in defence of the Executive Order," she said.

Within hours, the White House announced: "President Trump relieved Ms Yates of her duties."

She had "betrayed the department of justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States", a statement from the press secretary said.

It also labelled her "weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration."

Her replacement, Mr Boente, was also appointed by Barack Obama, in 2015. He was confirmed by the US Senate - making him eligible for appointment while Mr Trump waits for his own nominee to be approved.

Senator Jeff Sessions is awaiting a confirmation hearing for the role later this week.

Meanwhile, hundreds of diplomats and foreign servants have been drafting a "dissent cable" to formally criticise the president's executive order.

• Diplomats' dissent falls on deaf ears
• Amateur hour at the White House?

A draft version of the cable said that immigration restrictions will not make the US safer, are un-American and will send the wrong message to the Muslim world.

The ban bars citizens from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

The White House has consistently defended Mr Trump's executive order despite the controversy, with press secretary Sean Spicer saying diplomats should "get with the programme".

In addition, former President Barack Obama has apparently broken with the convention of former presidents avoiding comment on their successors.

Commenting on the protests about the immigration order, President Obama said he was "heartened".

"Citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble, organise and have their voices heard by their elected officials is exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake," he said in a statement, which did not mention Mr Trump by name.

Mr Trump also replaced the acting director of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Daniel Ragsdale, who has been in the post since 20 January. He is the former deputy director.

The president appointed Thomas Homan, the executive associate director of enforcement and removal, as the new acting director.

A statement from the department of homeland security announcing the change did not explain the reason for it.

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Football returns to Aleppo after five years of war

A local football match took on significant meaning for supporters this weekend - as war-torn Aleppo saw its first live game in five years.

Local side Al-Ittihad beat their city rivals Hurriya 2-1 on Saturday.

There has been no professional football in Aleppo since it was divided between the army and rebel forces in 2011.

But the government regained complete control of the city last month in a major offensive.

The grass was brown and weathered from the winter cold, and the stadium had clearly been damaged by the war's bombing campaigns - but the atmosphere was like any local football game elsewhere.

The only hints of the division that plagued the city were a prominent banner in the stands showing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the police in riot gear standing on the sidelines.

But the crowd remained upbeat, chanting to the sound of drumbeats and waving flags in their team colours.

"I can't tell you how it feels to return to the pitch (in Aleppo) after five years," Ittihad player Omar Hamidi told reporters before the game.

"My heart's beating so fast," he said.

Hurriya player Firas Al-Ahmad said travelling to the game from the coastal city of Latakia - where his team has been playing this season - had hurt their performance. However, he said he was happy to be back home.

"It is our right to play in Aleppo. And we play better in Aleppo. When we play on our ground with our fans our performance improves.

"We want to make Aleppo's name high," he said.

The return of football to Aleppo is likely to ease organisational problems for the football league - which has only been able to hold games in two major cities.

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France elections: Socialists choose candidate in final vote

France's governing Socialist party is set to choose its candidate for the presidential election in April.

Manuel Valls, a former prime minister, and left-wing Benoit Hamon are both contesting the run-off vote on Sunday.

But sitting President Francois Hollande, who also comes from the Socialist party, is deeply unpopular and likely to affect their chances.

Conservative Francois Fillon, right-wing Marine Le Pen, and centrist Emmanuel Macron lead the polls.

Sunday's Socialist primary has seen Mr Hamon, 49, suddenly surge in popularity with a range of liberal proposals, including a proposal for a universal monthly income for all citizens.

• France's Hamon rouses left with radical income plan
• France's Socialists open battle for future

Mr Valls, however, contends that his experience as prime minister between 2014 and 2016, as well as his previous ministerial experience, make him a superior candidate.

Both emerged from a seven-way primary last weekend to enter the run-off race.

But polls suggest neither is likely to retain the presidency for his party.

Mr Hollande, facing extremely low popularity ratings, announced in December that he would not run for re-election.

The presidential race has taken a turn in recent days, with the favourite for the post, Francois Fillon, becoming embroiled in a controversy over payments to his wife for political work - which a French publication claimed there was no evidence she carried out.

Mr Fillon denies the allegations, and said he would drop out of the race if there was enough evidence to launch an investigation.

• Who is French presidential candidate Fillon?
• What makes Marine Le Pen far right?

The scandal could potentially be a boost for Marine Le Pen, the anti-immigration hardliner who has pledged to put "native" French people first.

For years, France's established parties have drifted to the centre ground and voter apathy has grown - which may explain the emergence of Mr Hamon as a contender in Sunday's Socialist primary.

If he wins, the main left-wing party will once again embrace its traditional positions on workers' rights, redistribution, civil liberties and the environment.

That would likely affect the other candidates - potentially diverting centrist votes to liberal former banker Emmanuel Macron, whose growing popularity is starting to worry Marine Le Pen's party, the National Front.

But while Sunday's vote will choose a candidate for the Socialists, the true presidential election does not take place until 23 April.

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Trump executive order: US judge temporarily halts deportations

A US judge has issued a stay temporarily halting the deportation of visa holders or refugees under an executive order from President Trump.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a legal case early on Saturday in response to the order.

The judge's stay prevents those "caught up" in the aftermath from being deported, the ACLU said.

The group estimates that between 100 and 200 people were being detained at airports or in transit.

The court decision came as thousands protested at airports in several US states over Donald Trump's clamp down on immigration.

His executive order, signed on Friday, halted the entire US refugee programme and also instituted a 90-day travel ban for nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

• Trump border policy: Key points
• US entry ban victims vent fury
• Trump's first week: Well, that was intense

Those who were already mid-flight were detained on arrival - even if they held valid visas or other immigration permits.

The ruling, from US District Judge Ann Donnelly, prevented the removal from the US of people with approved refugee applications, valid visas, and "other individuals... legally authorised to enter the United States".

The emergency ruling also said there was a risk of "substantial and irreparable injury" to those affected.

Lee Gelernt, deputy legal director of the Immigrants Rights Project, argued the case in court and was greeted by a cheering crowd outside.

He said that some people had been threatened with being "put back on a plane" later on Saturday.

"The judge, in a nutshell, saw through what the government was doing and gave us what we wanted, which was to block the Trump order and not allow the government to remove anybody who has come and is caught up in the order, nationwide," he told the crowd.

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What does the ruling mean? By Nick Bryant, BBC New York correspondent

While Judge Ann Donnelly ordered that the refugees and others trapped at airports could not be sent back to their home countries, the ruling stopped short of allowing them into America.

Nor did she address the constitutionality of the highly controversial executive order. Those held at airports might now be kept in detention while the case is resolved. A hearing is scheduled for the end of next month.

The American Civil Liberties Union said the ruling proved that the courts were the bulwark of US democracy and that when Donald Trump enacted laws or executive orders that were unconstitutional or illegal, the courts would protect people's rights. After just one week, it said, Donald Trump had suffered his first loss in court.

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Mr Gelernt also said the judge had ordered the government to provide a list of names of those detained under the order.

"We are going to see each of the people, provide counsel, try and get them out of detention right now - but at minimum, they will not be returned back to danger," Mr Gelernt said.

The court has set a date to hear the case for the end of February.

Speaking earlier on Saturday, Mr Trump defended his executive order, saying it was "not a Muslim ban".

"It's working out very nicely. You see it at the airports, you see it all over," Mr Trump told reporters at the Oval Office

"This is a remarkable day," said the ACLU's executive director, Anthony Romero.

"What we've shown today is that the courts can work ... they're a bulwark in our democracy, and when President Trump enacts laws or executive orders that are unconstitutional and illegal, the courts are there to protect everyone's rights."

Mr Romero said the executive order was "un-American" and that "flew in the face of established statutes that we have long regarded in this country."

In addition to those detained on arrival in the US, some air passengers were prevented from boarding US-bound flights after the order was signed.

On Saturday five Iraqi passengers and a Yemeni national were prevented from boarding a flight at Cairo airport bound for New York.

Dutch airline KLM said it had turned away seven people who were booked on to its flights into the US because they would no longer have been accepted

The restriction applies to dual nationals - so, for example, a British citizen who is also a citizen of Iran would not be able to enter the US.

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Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg drops case to acquire Hawaiian land

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has dropped attempts to acquire land for his Hawaii estate though the courts.

The billionaire tech mogul had filed a legal case seeking to acquire small pockets of land within his large estate on the island of Kauai.

But his use of the so-called "quiet title" legal system led to criticism from other residents.

He said he had not taken the time to fully understand the process. "It's clear we made a mistake," he said.

Mr Zuckerberg bought a large, 700-acre estate on the Hawaiian island, where he says his family wish to "put down roots."

However, the estate is littered with a number of small parcels of land called kuleana.

Kuleana rights are part of the history of the Hawaiian islands, as the small areas of land were handed out to native tenant farmers in the 1850s. The access, fishing, and water rights can be complex.

The Facebook CEO said he had asked the courts to find the owners of abandoned plots so he could settle ownership with them - many of whom, he said, would not even know they owned any land.

But he faced criticism from some locals, including state representative Kaniela Ing, who argued the effective compulsory purchase would limit access rights for native Hawaiians.

"Who needs 700 acres of paradise? It seems a bit excessive," he said in one video posted to his Facebook page.

But Mr Zuckerberg, announcing his decision in a letter to local newspaper The Garden Island on Friday, said the controversy had taught him more about the historical significance of the land rights.

"We understand that for native Hawaiians, kuleana are sacred and the quiet title process can be difficult," he wrote.

"Upon reflection, I regret that I did not take the time to fully understand the quiet title process and its history before we moved ahead. Now that I understand the issues better, it's clear we made a mistake."

After Mr Zuckerberg dropped the case, Mr Ing responded saying: "I am humbled. Thousands of everyday people stood up and spoke out against one of the most influential billionaires, the best PR professionals, and the best attorneys in the world, and we won.

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Sir John Hurt: Bafta-winning actor dies aged 77

Veteran actor Sir John Hurt has died aged 77, his agent has said.

The Bafta-winning star, known for his roles in Alien and The Elephant Man, had been treated for pancreatic cancer in 2015.

He recently starred as Father Richard McSorley in Jackie, the biopic of President John F. Kennedy's wife.

US director Mel Brooks described Sir John as "cinematic immortality", as tributes poured in for the star.

Despite being given the all-clear for cancer, he last year pulled out of play The Entertainer due to ill-health.

Sir John decided not to perform as Billy Rice in Sir Kenneth Branagh's production on the advice of his doctors.

Brooks paid tribute to Sir John, who had starred in his comedy Spaceballs, saying on Twitter: "No one could have played The Elephant Man more memorably."

He added: "He carried that film into cinematic immortality. He will be sorely missed."

Sir John also played the part of wand-maker Mr Ollivander in the Harry Potter films.

Author of the books, J K Rowling, tweeted: "So very sad to hear that the immensely talented and deeply beloved John Hurt has died. My thoughts are with his family and friends.

Stephen Fry praised Sir John for being "great on the stage, small screen and big".

Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood said: "It was such an honor to have watched you work, sir."

British actor Alfred Molina said Sir John was "a gloriously talented actor, one of the best, of this or any era."

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Obituary: 'The mulberry of my mind'

John Hurt was one of Britain's best-known and most versatile actors.

He was born on 22 January, 1940 in Chesterfield in Derbyshire. Over six decades, he appeared in more than 120 films as well as numerous stage and television roles.

He went to St Martin's School of Art in London before gaining a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1960.

The death of his character in the film Alien has often been voted as one of cinema's most memorable moments.

The film critic and historian Geoff Andrew once asked Hurt how he managed to regularly turn in such memorable performances.

"The only way I can describe it is that I put everything I can into the mulberry of my mind and hope that it is going to ferment and make a decent wine," he said.

"How that process happens, I'm sorry to tell you I can't describe."

Read more about Sir John Hurt's life here

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Sir John was knighted in 2015 for his services to drama.

After his cancer diagnosis the same year, he told the Radio Times: "I can't say I worry about mortality, but it's impossible to get to my age and not have a little contemplation of it.

"We're all just passing time, and occupy our chair very briefly."

In 2013, he appeared in Doctor Who as the War Doctor, a hitherto unseen incarnation of the character.

He was still working up until his death, starring in Jackie Kennedy biopic Jackie, thriller Damascus Cover and the upcoming biopic of boxer Lenny McLean, My Name Is Lenny.

He was also filming Darkest Hour, in which he starred as Neville Chamberlain opposite Gary Oldman's Winston Churchill, scheduled to be released in December.

He has been married to Anwen Rees Meyers, a former actress and classical pianist, for 12 years.

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