ITALY
Pope names 19 new cardinals
Pope Francis continued reshaping the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church on Sunday by appointing his first batch of cardinals with an emphasis on Asia, Africa and Latin America, including Haiti, Burkina Faso, Nicaragua and Ivory Coast. Sixteen of the appointees are younger than 80, meaning they would be eligible to elect the next pope, which is a cardinal’s most important task, after the Feb. 22 ceremony to formally install them.
NEW JERSEY
Shooting suspect caught in Florida
The man wanted for allegedly killing three people inside a northern New Jersey strip club on Christmas morning has been captured at his mother’s home in Florida, authorities said Sunday. Anthony Fields, 19, of Newark, was arrested in Orlando early Sunday by FBI agents, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. Fields faces three counts of murder and two counts of aggravated assault in the shooting at Slick’s Go Go Bar in Irvington, about 15 miles west of New York City.
MICHIGAN
CEO hopes to inspire students
The incoming CEO of General Motors hopes her appointment as the first woman to lead a global automaker will inspire young women and men to pursue careers in science. Mary Barra’s first appearance before reporters since getting the job eclipsed the rollout of the GMC Canyon small pickup truck Sunday at an old industrial site in Detroit. Barra said she hopes her background as an electrical engineer encourages young people into studying science, technology, engineering or math.
PENNSYLVANIA
Fourth-floor balcony collapse kills man
A fourth-floor balcony collapsed during a birthday party at a Philadelphia apartment, killing a young man and injuring two women, police said Sunday. The 22-year-old man, who suffered severe head and neck injuries in the fall, was pronounced dead at a hospital. The two women are in their 20s and suffered broken bones in their backs. They were listed in stable condition at two city hospitals. Officials from the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections are investigating.
CALIFORNIA
Neighbor accuses Bieber of egging home
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore says Justin Bieber has been named as a suspect in a misdemeanor vandalism and assault crime report for allegedly throwing eggs at a neighbor’s home in their gated Calabasas neighborhood. The 19-year-old pop star allegedly egged the house while his neighbor and neighbor’s daughter were on the balcony. Whitmore says the two videotaped the incident. Whitmore says Bieber won’t speak to deputies. Depending on the damage estimate, a charge could rise to a felony.
EGYPT
Students fight security forces ahead of vote
Hundreds of students supporting Egypt’s ousted president battled security forces Sunday at three Cairo universities, two days before a referendum that officials say will be protected by a massive deployment of soldiers and police. The clashes came as Egypt’s interim President Adly Mansour urged voters to head to the polls to cast ballots Tuesday and Wednesday on the draft constitution. Mansour said that the draft charter used “moderate” Islam as a base for legislation. He also asked voters “to lead the ship of the nation to the shores of safety.”
MEXICO
Firefight erupts as vigilantes advance
Gunfire erupted Sunday in western Mexico as hundreds of vigilantes pressed their fight over territory with a drug cartel, and Mexico’s top security officials prepared to make yet another effort to try to stop the violence. Members of so-called self-defense groups entered the town of Nueva Italia in Michoacan state on a campaign they say is designed to liberate towns from the control of the Knights Templar cartel. Opponents and critics say the vigilantes are backed by a rival cartel. State Gov. Fausto Vallejo said Sunday he had formally asked the federal government for more help to quell the violence.
THAILAND
Protesters set for shutdown
Anti-government demonstrators began to occupy major intersections in Thailand’s capital Sunday in what they say is an effort to shut down Bangkok, a plan that has raised fears of violence that could trigger a military coup. The protesters are trying to force caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to resign and have her government replaced by a non-elected interim administration to implement reforms they say are needed to stop corruption and money politics. They want to scuttle an early general election called by Yingluck for Feb. 2.
SOUTH SUDAN
Rebels damage oil facilities
Rebels badly damaged petroleum facilities in an oil-producing state and must answer for the destruction, a South Sudanese government official said Sunday. Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth said the government is now in full control of Unity State after its forces took over the capital, Bentiu, from forces loyal to former vice president Riek Machar on Friday.
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