Offbeat

Pope’s doves slow to taste freedom

A pair of doves seemed to prefer the company of Pope Benedict XVI to the great outdoors on Sunday when he had trouble convincing them to take flight in a traditional peace gesture.
The first dove hesitated on the windowsill of the pope’s Vatican apartment for a long spell before flying off, while the second flew back into the room before flying out again.
“They want to stay in the pope’s home,” Benedict said, flanked by two children.
The traditional release of doves, which the pope said was intended “as a sign of peace for the city of Rome and for the entire world,” takes place each year at the end of “peace month” organised by Catholic Action Rome, a lay group that seeks to boost Catholic influence on society.
The group stages a “peace caravan” through the streets of Rome, ending at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
The dove release came at the end of the pope’s weekly recitation of the Angelus prayer to pilgrims gathered in the square.

Phone fumbles for Azarenka

Victoria Azarenka’s first reaction on winning the Australian Open was to reach for her phone, but she had a few problems getting through to her family in Belarus on Saturday.
Azarenka was seen tinkering with her phone on court after the 6-3, 6-0 win over Maria Sharapova, but instead of her parents, she mysteriously kept dialling a Chinese woman by mistake.
“I got messages. The calls don’t go through. I think there is reception and there is some Chinese lady keeps saying something to me when I call. So I’m definitely not getting the right place,” she said.
The 22-year-old thanked her family and especially her grandmother in her victory speech, and said she would tell them in person as soon as possible.
“The first thing, that I love them so much, and thank you for their support. Because without them I wouldn’t be sitting here. I wouldn’t be celebrating,” she said. “Yeah, I owe them everything.”