Russia says EU should be 'ashamed' over sanctions

Russia suggested on Tuesday the European Union should be ashamed of itself for "doing Washington's bidding" by punishing Moscow with sanctions over the crisis in Ukraine.

The Foreign Ministry said the EU sanctions imposed on 15 Russian and pro-Moscow Ukrainian officials would not ease tension in Ukraine, where the government is struggling to rein in pro-Russian separatists in southeastern regions who it says are backed by Moscow.

"Instead of forcing the Kiev clique to sit at the table with southeastern Ukraine to negotiate the future structure of the country, our partners are doing Washington's bidding with new unfriendly gestures aimed at Russia," the Foreign Ministry said.

"If this is how someone in Brussels hopes to stabilize the situation in Ukraine, it is obvious evidence of a complete lack of understanding of the internal political situation ... and a direct invitation for the local neo-Nazis to continue to conduct lawlessness and reprisals against the peaceful population of the southeast," it said in a statement. "Are they not ashamed?"

Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said separately that U.S. and EU sanctions were "an absolutely counterproductive, trite measure that will force the already critical situation in Ukraine into a dead end," state-run news agency RIA reported.

Russia and the West accuse one another of failing to take steps to implement an April 17 agreement to ease tension over Ukraine. Russia retaliated against visa bans and asset freezes imposed following its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region last month but has not yet announced any steps in response to the new sanctions unveiled by the United States and EU this week.

Apple profits beat expectations

Sales of Apple's less expensive iPhone 5C have been disappointing

Technology giant Apple reported profits of $10.2bn (£6.1bn) after selling 43.7 million iPhones during the three-month period ending 29 March.

Apple also announced plans to buy an additional $30bn of its stock back from shareholders and to increase its quarterly dividend by 8%.

It also said it would split its stock for the first time in nine years.

The moves are meant to appease investors as the firm reports slowing revenue growth.

Shares in the firm surged more than 7% in after-hours trading, as investors also welcomed news of the seven-for-one split, which is set to take effect in June.

Christmas in February

The strong iPhone sales surprised analysts, who had been expecting a sharper decline in post-holiday buying.

Sales of Apple's iPhone - which is the company's most popular product, contributing to more than half of its revenue - decreased by 14% from last quarter, as users await new models.

However, they were up 17% compared to the same period earlier.

"We're very proud of our quarterly results, especially our strong iPhone sales and record revenue from services," said chief executive Tim Cook in a statement.

On a conference call to discuss earnings, Mr Cook added that it was Apple's biggest non-holiday quarter ever.

He said that Apple has acquired 24 companies in the last 18 months in order to expand its research and development into new features and products.

Three Lesbian Women Break Record To Become First Married Threesome Couple

  The world's only 'married' lesbian threesome are expecting a daughter in July. Kitten, 27, (pictured left) is pregnant after undergoing IVF treatment using an anonymous sperm donor, and the trio eventually plan to have three children - one for each of them.

The plan at the moment is that Kitten will bear all the children - possibly using her wives' eggs and donated sperm - but they are open to other options, such as adoption.

Brynn, 34, says: 'The hope is to have three kids altogether. We always joke that the children should never outnumber the parents.'
Doll, Kitten and Brynn Young married in a ceremony in August 2013, when each of their fathers walked them down the aisle. All three women wore white wedding gowns and exchanged rings.

The so-called 'throuple' worked with a specialist family lawyer who drew up the paperwork and drafted the ceremony so that all three of them were obligated and bound to each other.

While Brynn and Kitten are legally married, Doll is handfasted to both so the threesome are as equally married to each other as legally possible.

Doll, 30, says: 'As far as we know, there aren't any other three women who are married like us.'
It was back in 2009 that Brynn first met Doll through an online dating site. Senior Software Designer and Engineer, Brynn had been married twice before to women and both experiences had made her acknowledge that monogamous relationships weren't for her.

Meanwhile Fashion Designer, Doll had known that she was polygamous since high school. She explains: 'I had always dated girls - who although they had boyfriends or girlfriends - were also allowed to date me.

'I expected more from Real Madrid' - Robben

The former Blancos attacker criticised the hosts for what he considered a slow start and was adamant that Bayern "dominated" despite their defeat

Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben claims he "expected more" from Real Madrid, despite the Spanish giants beating the Champions League holders 1-0 in Wednesday's semi-final first leg at Santiago Bernabeu.

Karim Benzema's goal in the opening 20 minutes was the only difference on the scoresheet and, although Pep Guardiola's men dominated possession, they struggled to create meaningful chances.

Robben, who spent two years at Madrid before joining Bayern in 2009, refused to accept his team were inferior and expressed his shock that Carlo Ancelotti's side were willing to allow the holders to dictate play.

"I have to compliment my team," the Dutchman told NOS. "We played a world class team, in the Santiago Bernabeu, but still we dominated and were the better side. I expected more from Real Madrid.

"I expected Madrid to come storming out of the gates but instead they waited and allowed us to run the game.

Singer Chris Brown turned over to federal marshals for D.C. trial

 R&B singer Chris Brown was taken from his Los Angeles jail cell by the U.S. Marshals Service and will be transported to Washington, D.C. for a hearing in a 2013 misdemeanor assault charge, federal authorities said on Thursday.

Brown, 24, was jailed last month after violating his probation when he was dismissed from a facility where he was receiving the court-ordered treatment related to his 2009 assault of his then-girlfriend, singer Rihanna. He will be taken to Washington, where he is scheduled to stand trial on April 17, U.S. Marshals Service spokeswoman Lynzey Donahue said.

Brown's lawyer Mark Geragos had asked the court to have Brown released ahead of the trial into his custody so that they could prepare for the trial and travel together to Washington.

A court hearing on the matter was set for Thursday, but Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Brandlin canceled it and issued a written decision instead.

The judge said Brown's attorneys have been visiting him "on an almost daily basis" at the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles to prepare for the D.C. trial, the City News service reported.

Brandlin issued an eight-page ruling on the matter, noting that while the transfer may cause "some inconvenience" to the singer and his legal team, Brown would not be deprived of his right to counsel if transported by federal authorities.

Brown faces a misdemeanor assault charge in Washington from an October 2013 incident where he was accused of allegedly punching a man who was trying to get a picture with him, breaking his nose.

The singer was sentenced by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Brandlin to 90 days in a treatment program following his altercation in Washington.