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Ukraine's president and protest leaders agree on a truce KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's embattled president and leaders of the protests that have been roiling the country agreed Wednesday on a truce to halt the violence that has killed 26 people and injured more than 425 others. A protest leader was quoted as saying the government pledged not to attack an opposition encampment in central Kiev while further negoti- ations unfold. President Viktor Yanukovych met with opposition leaders and the two sides agreed to halt the violence and to hold talks on ending blood- shed, a statement on the presidential website said. The statement did not give any further details. Vitali Klitschko, one of the leaders of the protests that have sought to keep Ukraine open to Europe and out of a close political and economic alliance with Russia, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying that Yanukovych agreed that there would be no attempt to storm the protesters' encampment on the main square of downtown Kiev. Flames from burning barricades of tires and refuse leapt into the air at the square for a second night, as protesters demanding Yanukovych's resignation showed no sign of yielding. The truce announce- ment came hours after the president replaced the army chief and the mili- tary vowed a national anti-terrorist operation to restore order. Officials have often referred to the protesters who have demanded Yanukovych's resignation for months as ''terrorists.'' Obama says 'there will be consequences' for Ukraine violence TOLUCA, Mexico (AP) — President Barack Obama on Wednesday urged Ukraine to avoid violence against peaceful protesters or face consequences, as the United States considered joining European partners to impose sanctions aimed at ending deadly street clashes that are sparking fears of civil war. ''There will be conse- quences if people step over the line,'' Obama said short- ly after landing in Mexico for a summit with the lead- ers of Mexico and Canada, as fires burned in central Kiev. ''And that includes making sure that the Ukrainian military does not step in to what should be a set of issues that can be resolved by civilians.'' Shortly after Obama's remarks, Ukrainian Presi- dent Viktor Yanukovych's office said he and opposi- tion leaders had agreed on a truce, although the brief statement offered no details about what it would entail or how it would be imple- mented. Meanwhile, the Euro- pean Union called an extra- ordinary meeting of its 28 member countries on Thursday to address the sit- uation. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters in Paris that he and his counterparts from Ger- many and Poland would travel to Ukraine, meeting with the Ukrainian govern- ment and opposition before the emergency EU meeting. EU sanctions would typi- cally include banning lead- ing officials from traveling to the EU countries and freezing their assets there. Taliban say they held indirect talks with US ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Washington has held indirect talks with the Taliban over the possible transfer of five senior Tal- iban prisoners from Guan- tanamo Bay in exchange for a U.S. soldier captured nearly five years ago, a senior Taliban official told The Associated Press. Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, 27, of Hailey, Idaho, was last seen in a video released in December, footage seen as ''proof of life'' demanded by the United States. Bergdahl is believed to be held in the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is the only U.S. soldier to be captured in America's longest war, which began with the U.S.- led ouster of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan for sheltering al-Qaida in 2001 in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The talks, which the Tal- iban official said took place sometime over the past two months in a Middle East country, would be the first significant movement toward an exchange since it was last discussed by the U.S. and the Taliban in June 2013. That earlier initiative, along with the overall peace efforts, lost steam after Afghan President Hamid Karzai argued over the name of a Taliban political office that opened in the Gulf nation of Qatar. The office was eventually closed but several Taliban have remained behind in Qatar. A U.S. official said the Americans are considering a prisoner exchange but would not comment on whether any new talks have taken place. The official, who has been closely involved with this issue and has knowledge of previous talks with the Taliban, refused to give more details. State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf would not confirm the efforts. Los Angeles bishop kept altar boy list from police LOS ANGELES (AP) — When Los Angeles police were investigating allegations of child abuse by a Roman Catholic priest in 1988, they asked for a list of altar boys at the last parish where the priest worked. Archbishop Roger Mahony told a subordinate not to give the list, saying he didn't want the boys to be scarred by the investigation and that he felt the altar boys were too old to be potential victims, according to a February 2013 deposi- tion made public Wednes- day. The detectives investi- gating allegations against Nicolas Aguilar Rivera, a visiting Mexican priest, ulti- mately got the names of the boys from parish families. They determined the priest molested at least 26 boys during his 10 months in Los Angeles, according to the priest's confidential arch- diocese file and police records made public by attorneys for the victims. Twenty-five of the alleged victims were altar boys and the 26th was train- ing with the priest to be one, said Anthony DeMarco, a plaintiff attorney. It's not clear what impact Maho- ny's action had on the inves- tigation, though at the time police complained that the archdiocese wasn't fully cooperating. Mahony's deposition was obtained by The Asso- ciated Press and is part of the evidence included in a settlement of abuse claims against Aguilar Rivera and four other priests. The arch- diocese, the nation's largest, agreed to pay $13 million to 17 victims. Pa. couple who prayed for children in lieu of medicine sent to prison PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A couple who believed in faith-healing were sen- tenced Wednesday to 3 1/2 to seven years in prison in the death of a second child who never saw a doctor despite being stricken with pneumonia. Herbert and Catherine Schaible defied a court order to get medical care for their children after their 2-year-old son, Kent, died in 2009. Instead, they tried to comfort and pray over 8-month-old Bran- don last year as he, too, died of treatable pneumo- nia. ''My religious beliefs are that you should pray, and not have to use medi- cine. But because it is against the law, then what- ever sentence you give me, I will accept,'' Cather- ine Schaible, 44, told the judge. She added that her beliefs have since changed. The Schaibles are third- generation members of an insular Pentecostal com- munity, the First Century Gospel Church in north- east Philadelphia, where they also taught at the church school. They have seven surviving children. Judge Benjamin Lerner rejected defense claims that their religious beliefs ''clashed'' with the 2011 court order to get annual checkups and call a doctor if a child became ill. The order came after a jury convicted them of invol- untary manslaughter in Kent's death, and they were sentenced to 10 years of probation. Cossacks attack Pussy Riot in Sochi SOCHI, Russia (AP) — Cossack militia attacked Russia's Pussy Riot punk group with horsewhips on Wednes- day as the artists — who have feuded with Vladimir Putin's gov- ernment for years — tried to perform under a sign advertising the Sochi Olympics. The group has resur- faced as a thorn for Russian authorities this week for the first time in nearly two years, just as Putin had been using the Winter Games to burnish his image at home and charm critics abroad with the most expensive Olympics ever. 5A Thursday, February 20, 2014 – Daily News Kindergarten & Transitional Registration Antelope School District Date: February 26, 2014 Time: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Place: Antelope School Office If your child turns 5 years old on or before September 1, 2014, you may register them for Kindergarten. If your child turns 5 years old between September 2 and December 2, 2014, you may register them for Transitional Kindergarten (TK). Please bring the following items: * Residential Verification * Birth Certificate * Immunizations If you have questions please call 527-1272 Your Opportunity To Meet Elected Officials & Candidates Red Bluff Community Center, 1500 S. Jackson Street Saturday, March 1, 2014 5:00 pm, Meet & Greet.....6:00 pm Dinner & Program $30.00 person Ticket Info: Sue Gallagher 530-384-2945 John Elshere 530-529-1238 tehamacountydemocrats@gmail.com Paid Political Advertisement California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, Keynote Speaker Tehama County Democrats "Support American Workers" Annual fundraiser Buffet dinner and Dessert Opportunity Drawings & Auction 607 Main Street, Red Bluff 530-527-0772 As of Thursday, February 20 th NOW OPEN every Thurs., Fri. & Sat. for Dinner 5pm to 8pm Come Join Us WORLD BRIEFING