Robert Downey Jr pardoned for 20-year-old drug conviction

iUS actor Robert Downey Jr has been granted an official pardon for a drug conviction that sent him to prison nearly 20 years ago.

California Governor Jerry Brown announced pardons for 91 people who had been out of custody for 10 years and turned their lives around.

The conviction itself will remain on Downey Jr's record.

In 1996, police found cocaine, heroin and a pistol in the actor's car when they stopped him for speeding.

Downey Jr, who is best known today for his role as Iron Man in a series of Marvel films, was sent to prison in 1999 after violating his probation.

He had achieved early success in Hollywood after making his screen debut at the age of five, but went on to fall victim to drink and drugs, before spending time in rehab and rekindling his commercial success.

A proclamation from Mr Brown's office says Downey Jr has "lived an honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character, and conducted himself as a law-abiding citizen".

It went on to say he "has paid his debt to society and earned a full and unconditional pardon".

Mr Brown has issued hundreds of pardons in each of his four terms in office, usually doing it around Christian holidays.

Most people pardoned along with Downey Jr had been found guilty of nonviolent drug and property crimes.

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Pope Francis in his Christmas homily denounces materialism

gPope Francis has warned the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics not to be "intoxicated" by possessions in his annual Christmas homily.

He called for more sobriety in a world obsessed by "consumerism and hedonism, wealth and extravagance".

The Pope was celebrating a Christmas eve Mass in St Peter's Basilica in front of about 10,000 people.

Later on Friday he will deliver his traditional Christmas message from the central balcony of St Peter's Square.

Celebrating Mass, the Pope said Christmas was the time to "once more discover who we are".

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionThe Pope was strongly critical of what he described as a culture of indifference which not infrequently turns ruthless

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionThe Pope, 79, used his homily to reflect the key themes of three years in office - mercy, compassion, empathy and justice

He called on believers to show the same simplicity as the child Jesus, "born into poverty in a manger despite his divinity" to inspire their lives.

"In a society so often intoxicated by consumerism and hedonism, wealth and extravagance, appearances and narcissism, this child calls us to act soberly, in other words, in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent, capable of seeing and doing what is essential," he said.

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"Amid a culture of indifference which not infrequently turns ruthless, our style of life should instead be devout, filled with empathy, compassion and mercy."

Image copyrightGetty Images

Image captionThe Pope said Christmas was the time to "once more discover who we are"

Security was tight at the service with police carrying out spot checks in the area surrounding the Vatican. Everyone who went into the basilica, the largest church in Christendom, had to pass through metal detectors.

Correspondents say the Pope, 79, used his homily to reflect the key themes of three years in office - mercy, compassion, empathy and justice.

"In a world which all too often is merciless to the sinner and lenient to the sin, we need to cultivate a strong sense of justice, to discern and to do God's will," he said.

His voice was occasionally hoarse - the effect of a slight flu earlier this week.

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India PM Modi in surprise Pakistan visit

hIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has landed in Pakistan on a surprise visit in which he will meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.

Mr Modi was on his way back to India from Afghanistan when he stopped off in the eastern city of Lahore. The visit coincides with Mr Sharif's birthday.

Mr Modi is the first Indian PM to visit Pakistan since 2004.

Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours have been high in recent years but relations have begun to warm.

The pair met briefly in Paris last month on the sidelines of the COP21 climate change conference.

The two countries have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947, two of them over Kashmir.

Kashmir, claimed by both countries in its entirety, has been a flashpoint for more than 60 years.

A ceasefire agreed in 2003 remains in place, but the neighbours often accuse each other of violating it.

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پاک چین دوستی کی یادگار کے طور پر 20 روپے کا سکہ جاری

اسلام آباد: حکومت پاکستان نے پاک چین دوستی کی یادگار کے طور پر 20 روپے کا سکہ جاری کر دیا۔

سکے کے فرنٹ پر اسلامی جمہوریہ پاکستان  لکھا گیا ہے جبکہ درمیان میں چاند تارا بنایا گیا ہے جبکہ پشت پر پاکستان اور چین کے جھنڈے بنائے گئے ہیں، یہ سکہ آج سے ملک بھر میں استعمال ہوسکے گا۔

واضح رہے کہ پاکستان اور چین کی دوستی لازوال تصور کی جاتی ہے اور آرمی چیف جنرل راحیل شریف کے حالیہ دورہ چین کے موقع پر چینی حکام نے پاکستان کی تشویش کو اپنی تشویش قرار دیا تھا جب کہ مارچ میں چین کے صدر پاکستان کا دورہ بھی کریں گے۔

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