US Child Killings: Police Search Nanny's Home

Police are searching the US home of a nanny suspected of murdering two children in her care.

Yoselyn Ortega remains in a critical condition in hospital after apparently slitting her own throat, moments after stabbing Leo Krim and his sister, six-year-old Lucia.

Police are investigating whether Ortega had sought psychiatric support in the weeks leading up to the tragedy.

Leo and Lucia were found by their distraught mother, Marina, dying of knife wounds in the bathtub of their luxurious Upper West Side apartment near Central Park.

Mrs Krim had returned to the flat with her three-year-old daughter Nessie, whom she had taken for a swimming lesson.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the investigation has yet to reveal anything amiss in the household before the slayings.

Detectives were searching Ortega's home in Washington Heights, a working-class neighbourhood north of where she worked and near Harlem.

It emerged that Ortega had worked for the Krims as a nanny for two years and there did not appear to be any problems.

A Web journal kept by the children's mother spoke lovingly about travelling to the Dominican Republic last February to stay at the home of Ortega's sister.

"We met Josie's amazing familia!!! And the Dominican Republic is a wonderful country!!" she wrote.

Pictures posted on the blog showed the two families posing together for a happy photo, with Ortega hugging Nessie, their cheeks pressed together.

Mrs Krim's husband, Kevin Krim, a CNBC digital media executive, wrote that Ortega's family had nicknamed Nessie "Rapida y Furiosa," (or Fast and Furious), for her energy.

There are tens of thousands of nannies working in New York City, but reports of serious violence by caregivers against children are exceedingly rare.

Across the street from the building where the Krims lived, several nannies with children in pushchairs stood as if stricken, watching police officers milling around the entrance.

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British Banker Dies In Hurricane Sandy

The British boss of an investment bank has been killed in a hurricane which has been sweeping across the Caribbean.

Timothy Fraser-Smith, 66, chief executive of Deltec Bank & Trust, fell from the roof of his home in wealthy Lyford Cay a private gated community on the western tip of New Providence Island in the Bahamas as he tried to repair a window shutter.

His death, on Thursday night, was one of 43 across the Caribbean caused by the hurricane that was briefly downgraded to a tropical storm on Saturday before being upgraded to a hurricane again.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in the Bahamas on October 25."

Mr Fraser-Smith joined Deltec in June 2000 as chief executive, according to the company's website, having worked in many countries. Deltec said he studied law at the University of Edinburgh before gaining an MBA from Cranfield Business School, Bedfordshire.

On Saturday, Sandy spun away from the Bahamas, churning northward towards the US East Coast, where it threatens to join with winter weather fronts to create a superstorm.

In Haiti, the number of people who have died reached 26 on Friday.

With the storm projected to hit the US Atlantic Coast early on Tuesday, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned it could merge with two other systems to become a hybrid, monster storm dubbed "Frankenstorm".

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Burma: Satellite Images Show 'Destruction'

Human rights campaigners have called for action to end the violence in Burma after a week of sectarian unrest that has shaken the country.

Muslims trying to escape the clashes have taken to rickety wooden boats in an attempt to reach refugee camps but some have still not made it to land.

As nine boats remained unaccounted for, Human Rights Watch called on Burma's reformist government to protect Muslims from "vicious" attacks.

The New York-based group has released satellite images of what it claims is the "near total destruction" of a coastal community around Kyaukpyu.

It identified more than 811 destroyed buildings and houseboats across an area measuring 35 acres after alleged arson attacks on October 24.

Kyaukpyu before this week's violence (Pic: Human Rights Watch)

Kyaukpyu, which is around 75 miles (120km) south of Sittwe, is crucial to China's most strategic investment in Burma - twin pipelines that will carry oil and natural gas to western provinces.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said: "Burma's government urgently needs to provide security for the Rohingya in Arakan State, who are under vicious attack.

"Unless the authorities also start addressing the root causes of the violence, it is only likely to get worse."

The UN has warned that Burma's fledgling democracy could be "irreparably damaged" by a week of communal violence.

It comes five months after machete and arson attacks killed more than 80 people and displaced at least 75,000 in the same region.

Calm does now appear to have been restored after the Home Minister warned the government could declare martial law and impose emergency rule.

Kyaukpyu pictured on October 25 (Pic: Human Rights Watch)

A committee of lawmakers led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has called for security reinforcements and swift legal action against those behind the fighting in which at least 67 people were killed.

Another 95 are believed to have been injured and 2,818 houses burned down.

The chaos suggests the quasi-civilian government is struggling to contain historic ethnic and religious tensions between Rohingyas and ethnic Rakhines that were suppressed during five decades of military rule that ended last year.         

Burma's estimated 800,000 Rohingyas are officially stateless, and regarded by the government of the majority Buddhist country as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Bangladesh does not recognise them either, and the United Nations has referred to them as "virtually friendless".

It is still unclear what set off the latest arson and killing that started last Sunday.

In June, tension flared after the rape and murder of a Buddhist woman that was blamed on Muslims, but there was no obvious trigger this time.

Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific deputy director, Isabelle Arradon, said: "These latest incidents between Muslim Rohingyas and Buddhists demonstrate how urgent it is that the authorities intervene to protect everyone, and break the cycle of discrimination and violence."

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Tiger Cubs Found In Truck In Thailand

Police have found 16 tiger cubs in the back of a pickup truck in Thailand – a smuggling hub for protected animals.

Officers made the discovery after chasing the vehicle which was trying to avoid a road checkpoint.

They said the driver told them he was paid 15,000 baht (£303) to deliver the cubs from a Bangkok suburb to northeastern Udon Thani province on the border with Laos.

Police believe the tigers, packed in eight cages, were being sent outside Thailand which sees the illegal trade of protected animals and widlife parts, often used for traditional East Asian medicines.

The driver faces a possible four-year jail term and 40,000 baht (£808) fine on wildlife smuggling-related charges.

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Indonesia: Eleven Terror Suspects Arrested

Indonesian police have arrested 11 terrorist suspects who were allegedly planning attacks on the country's US embassy.

"The group's objectives were to attack the US embassy in Jakarta and consulate-general in the eastern Javanese city of Surabaya," according to police spokesman Suhardi Alius.

Mr Alius said the group had also been targeting a building in the capital near the Australian embassy where US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan has an office.

"We also confiscated an explosive device from the town of Madiun in eastern Java, as well as explosive materials and a bomb-making manual," Mr Alius said.

Anti-terror police Detachment 88 made the arrests in four cities, including Jakarta, in a sweep on the island of Java, saying those detained belonged to a new network known as Hasmi.

Explosive materials were also secured from a location in Solo, central Java, and in Bogor on the outskirts of the capital.

Indonesia has previously been rocked by a series of deadly attacks blamed on the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.

The region has not seen a major attack since 2009 and authorities say a long crackdown on terrorism has debilitated JI.

But smaller terror cells aspiring to an Islamic state through violent means have emerged, though none have carried out any serious attacks.

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Syria: 'Dozens' Dead Or Wounded In Blast

Five people have been killed and thirty-two wounded in a car bomb attack in southern Damascus, according to state television.

The blast comes on the first day of a ceasefire brokered by UN and Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.

The regime and the main rebel force, the Free Syrian Army, had both agreed to temporarily lay down their arms.

"The explosion of a booby-trapped car outside the Omar bin Khattab mosque in the Daf Shawk district killed and wounded dozens of people," the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The attack comes hours after three people were reported to have been killed by tank and sniper fire in Syria's capital the Damascus suburb of Harasta, which was apparently targeted in a violation of the temporary truce agreed to mark the four-day Muslim holiday of Eid Al Adha.

President Assad pictured at a prayer service on Friday

The Syrian army said it had been responding to attacks by armed rebels that were in violation of the ceasefire.

"Armed terrorist groups attacked military positions, thereby clearly violating the halt to military operations agreed by the army command.

"Our valiant armed forces are responding to these violations and pursuing these groups," the military said in a statement, adding that rebel attacks had taken place against its positions in Deir Ezzor, Daraa, Idlib and in the Damascus region.

The Syrian army had said it would cease military operations from Friday to Monday for the Eid al-Adha holiday, but warned it would react if "armed terrorist groups" carry out attacks or reinforce their positions, or if fighters cross into the country.

Rebels in a northern town close to the Turkish border also reported one of their fighters was shot dead by a sniper, and a Reuters journalist in the town heard what sounded like four rounds of tank fire.

In a statement read on state television after the deal, the Syrian army said it would still respond to gunfire or roadside bombs and keep rebels from bolstering their positions or getting supplies.

A Free Syrian Army commander also said rebels would retaliate if they were attacked.

On Friday morning, Syrian state television showed President Bashar al Assad attending morning prayers for the start of Eid at a mosque in Damascus.

He was pictured smiling and looking relaxed as he spoke to other worshippers, in his first television appearance for more than a month.

During prayers, Imam Walid Abdel Haq called on Syrians to "stop quarrelling because you are all brothers".

"Do you not see what has been happening for two years in the country, the destruction and death? Stop this," he said.

Protests were reported to have taken place in Raqa in the north east, where security forces fired tear gas, and in the southern Deraa province, where three people were injured as police fired live rounds to disperse demonstrators.

Activists said protests also took place in Damascus and Aleppo.

In the Idlib village of Al-Habit protesters chanted against Mr Assad, saying: "Traitor, give up, you have destroyed Syria."

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Afghanistan Suicide Bomber Kills Worshippers

A suicide bomber has attacked a mosque in Afghanistan as people gathered to celebrate the Eid al Adha holiday.

Between 36 and 41 people, including at least five children, died in the attack in the town of Maymana, capital of northern Faryab province.

Top provincial officials, including the governor and the police chief, were inside the building when the bomber set off his explosives outside the packed Eid Gah mosque.

The officials were not hurt, but the dead included police officers, soldiers, intelligence agents and civilians. Dozens were wounded.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but suicide bombings are a favourite weapon of Taliban Islamists trying to topple the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai.

One eyewitness, Sayed Moqeed, described the bomber as appearing to be in his early teens.

"Suddenly I heard a very big explosion," he said. "Everywhere were pieces of bodies, hands and limbs. The suicide attacker was in police uniform, he looked to be around 14 or 15 years old."

Deputy Governor Abdul Satar Barez said: "The targets of the bomber were all the officials inside the mosque."

It appeared to be the deadliest suicide attack in recent months.

On September 4, 25 civilians were killed and more than 35 wounded in Nanghar province, and on September 1, 12 people were killed and 47 wounded in a suicide attack in Wardak province.

Mr Karzai strongly condemned the attack, saying that those who carried it out were "enemies of Islam and humanity."

The attack came as Mr Karzai was urging Taliban insurgents "to stop killing other Afghans".

In his Eid al Adha message to the nation, Mr Karzai called on the insurgents to "stop the destruction of our mosques, hospitals and schools".

The United Nations says that Taliban attacks account for the vast majority of civilian casualties in the 11-year war. The insurgents routinely deny that they are responsible for attacks on civilians, saying they target only foreign troops or members of the Afghan security forces.

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Russia: Udaltsov Charged With Plotting Riots

Russian Activists In Legal Trouble

Updated: 3:26pm UK, Friday 26 October 2012

A number of public figures openly critical of President Vladimir Putin's regime have faced legal action in Russia.

Sergei Udaltsov:

One of Russia's most prominent activists and leader of opposition party the Left Front, Udaltsov was charged with plotting riots with Georgian officials.

Political analyst Andrei Piontkovsky said: "The charges are completely made up - the evidence wouldn't be sufficient in any normal country with a healthy rule of law. Modern Russia is completely different."

Alexander Lebedev:

The owner of the Evening Standard and The Independent faces up to five years in jail if found guilty of hooliganism over a fight he had on live TV in Russia.

Lebedev has also been openly critical of the Kremlin and claims he is being targeted by President Vladimir Putin.

Pussy Riot:

Three members of the female band were jailed in August after storming Moscow's main cathedral and performing a "punk prayer" mocking Mr Putin, just before he won a new term as president.

One of the trio, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was later released, when she described the court that sentenced her as "the theatre of the absurd".

"For some reason the government decided to take it to the maximum level of absurd," she said.

"We were treated as if we killed hundreds of people."

Alexei Navalny:

Russia's State Investigative Committee opened a criminal probe in July against opposition leader Alexei Navalny on allegations of theft. He described the charges as "very strange".

The corruption-fighting lawyer and popular blogger was charged with organising large-scale theft and ordered to stay in Moscow.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky:

The former oil mogul was jailed in 2003 and again in 2010, on charges including embezzlement and money laundering. He is due to be released in 2017.

He has been publicly critical of what he has referred to as "managed democracy" in Russia. Observers have insisted his trials were politically motivated and Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience.

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No Winner For Tour De France Races

The Tour de France races which took place between 1999 and 2005 will have no official winner, cycling's governing body has said.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) decided not to reallocate the seven yellow jerseys won by Lance Armstrong, after the American was stripped of his titles in the wake of a doping scandal.

It also ordered Armstrong to pay back prize money dating back to August 1, 1998.

The UCI justified its decision in a statement, saying that "a cloud of suspicion would remain hanging over this dark period".

"While this might appear harsh for those who rode clean, they would understand there was little honour to be gained in reallocating places," it said.

More follows...

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Berlusconi Sentenced To Four Years In Jail

Berlusconi's Memorable Quotes

Updated: 3:46pm UK, Friday 26 October 2012

Some see Silvio Berlusconi as a man with a great sense of humour - others say he has illusions of grandeur. Here are some of his most memorable quotes from recent years...

:: He once compared himself to Jesus Christ. "I am the Jesus Christ of politics," he apparently told supporters in Rome. Why? Because "I am a patient victim, I put up with everyone, I sacrifice myself for everyone".

:: Berlusconi is on record as saying only Napoleon has surpassed him as a leader. He said of the French emperor: "Only Napoleon did more," he said. But there was one difference... "I am definitely taller," he quipped.

:: In 2005 the then-66-year-old told The Spectator magazine: "Mussolini never killed anyone. Mussolini sent people on holiday in (internal) confinement." When asked if he thought the WWII dictator was "benign" Berlusconi said: "Yes."

:: While standing for re-election a few years ago, he promised to give up sex for a while. "Thank you dear Father Massimiliano," he told a TV preacher who praised him for defending family values. "I'll try not to let you down and I promise you two-and-a-half months of complete sexual abstinence."

:: His sexual innuendoes have often got him into hot water... "Rasmussen is not only a great colleague, he's also the best-looking prime minister in Europe," Berlusconi said of his Danish counterpart, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in 2002. "He's so good looking, I'm even thinking of introducing him to my wife," he added, referring to press speculation that his wife was having an affair.

:: During an appearance at his corruption trial in Milan in June 2003, he said: "One citizen is equal to another (in the eyes of the law) but perhaps this one is slightly more equal than the others, given that 50% of Italians have given him the responsibility of governing the country."

:: In December 2002 the media tycoon encouraged laid-off Fiat workers to find employment on the black market, saying: "The most keen can certainly find a second job, maybe unofficial."

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Malala Shooting: Police Name Prime Suspect

Police have named the prime suspect in connection with the shooting of Malala Yousafzai, the teenage activist who spoke out against the Taliban.

Detectives are attempting to track down 23-year-old Atta Ullah Khan, a chemistry student from the Swat district where Malala was attacked.

Khan's mother, brother, and fiancee have been arrested, as well as six other men.

The suspect's relatives are not accused of involvement, a senior police official is reported to have said.

Malala is being treated at a hospital in Birmingham

Alam Zeb, the principal at Jahanzeb College where Khan is studying for a physics degree, said Khan had given school officials three or four dates of birth.

He condemned the attack and said he was surprised to hear that a former student may have been involved.

The 15-year-old girl became a symbol of courage after being shot in the head by the Taliban earlier this month for demanding education for girls.

She is now being treated in Britain, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham.

The teenager is a high-profile campaigner against the Taliban

The hospital has said she continues to make steady progress and is in a stable condition after she was admitted a week ago following initial treatment in Pakistan.

She had been able to stand with help for the first time in hospital and was "communicating very freely", according to Dr Dave Rosser, medical director of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.

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Hurricane Sandy Hits Cuba After Jamaica

Hurricane Sandy tore down power lines and trees as it pounded Jamaica, before heading for Cuba and the Bahamas.

The storm had developed from a Category One to Category Two hurricane when it made landfall just west of Santiago de Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 114mph.

The US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami said Sandy was moving north-northeast at 15mph and was expected to keep its hurricane strength as it moved through the Bahamas.

"It is a big storm and it's going to grow in size after it leaves Cuba," said Michael Brennan, a hurricane forecaster at the NHC.  

Storm clouds gathered over Cuba as Sandy approached

In Jamaica, schools and businesses were closed and authorities moved residents in low-lying, flood-prone areas into shelters amid steady rain and fierce winds.

Residents reported widespread power outages, flooded streets and some severely damaged homes.

One man was crushed to death by stones that fell from a hillside as he tried to get into his house in a rural village near Kingston, according to a police official.

Earlier on Wednesday, a woman in Haiti was swept away by a rushing river she was trying to cross.

Widespread flooding was reported across Jamaica

Cruise ships changed their itineraries to avoid the storm, which made landfall five miles east of the capital and airports were closed.

Curfews were imposed on 80 communities in an attempt to prevent the looting which has followed previous storms.

Many people refused to evacuate their homes because they were fearful their possessions would be stolen.

Officers said suspected looters shot and wounded a police official as he led a group through a volatile section of West Kingston called Craig Town.

In some southern towns on Jamaica, a few crocodiles were caught in rushing floodwaters that carried them out of the mangrove thickets, into housing districts, local residents reported.

One large crocodile reportedly took up temporary residence in a family's front yard in the city of Portmore.

Sandy dumped heavy rain on Jamaica and Cuba

Sandy was expected to dump a total of 6in to 12in of rain as it made its way across parts of Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and eastern Cuba.

It could possibly bring tropical storm conditions along the southeastern Florida coast, the Upper Keys and Florida Bay by Friday morning.

Forecasters are also warning Sandy could merge with a strong autumn cold front and develop into a potentially historic storm along the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coast from Sunday through until Wednesday.

The White House on Thursday urged residents of the Eastern Seaboard to monitor weather reports and to heed any warnings from local officials in the days ahead.

Spokesman Jay Carney said federal emergency management officials have been working with local officials to prepare for a possible onslaught.

A satellite image of Sandy heading toward Cuba

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Suspected Pirates' Gun Battle With Nato Boat

Pictures have been released of a fierce gun battle between a Nato warship and a pirate boat in one of the world's most dangerous shipping lanes.

The HNLMS Rotterdam was carrying out routine patrols when it spotted a fishing vessel close to the Somali shoreline.

Because the boats are often used as "mother ships" for pirate crews, a boarding team was sent out to inspect it.

However the Dutch sailors were fired on from the shoreline, and by people on board the vessel.

The Nato team returned fire, killing one man, and the vessel ignited.

The Rotterdam's crew (r) returned fire on the suspected pirates

The 25 men who remained on board jumped into the water to escape the blaze, and were picked up by the Rotterdam's crew.

They received medical treatment and are now being held by Nato.

"In this instance the pirates openly chose confrontation. This does not happen often and it indicates that we are indeed impeding their operations and in doing so, pushing them to take more extreme options," said Commodore Ben Bekkering, commander of the Nato task force.

"It is obvious that the scourge of piracy has not gone away and we need to maintain our vigilance."

Somali pirate activity usually decreases during the monsoon period that has just ended, but the drop this year has been especially steep.

Only 35 vessels have been attacked so far in 2012 and only five vessels have been seized by pirates. In 2010 pirates launched 174 attacks and seized 47 vessels.

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Syrian Army To Halt Operations During Holidays

The Syrian military has agreed to halt military operations from Friday morning for the Muslim holiday weekend, the army said.

In a statement read on state television, the army added it would still respond to gunfire or roadside bombs and keep rebels from bolstering their positions or getting supplies.

"Military operations will cease on Syrian territory as of Friday morning until Monday the 29th. (The military) reserves the right to respond to continuing attacks on civilians and government forces by armed groups," the statement said.

A Free Syrian Army commander said rebels will honour a ceasefire to mark Eid al-Adha but demanded the release of detainees by Friday.

However, the spokesman of Islamist Ansar al-Islam, Abu Moaz, said his fighters will not commit to the ceasefire brokered by UN-Arab mediator Lakhdar Brahimi.

Mr Brahimi proposed a four-day ceasefire for the Muslim holiday, saying it could lead to a longer truce and political negotiations between the sides.

Rebel forces have dismissed the idea, saying they don't trust the regime of President Bashar Assad to stick to its promises.

Abu Moaz also said the fighters doubt the government will honour the truce.

More follows...

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Microsoft Launches Windows 8 Operating System

Microsoft Faces Fight For Relevance

Updated: 4:20pm UK, Thursday 25 October 2012

By Thomas Moore, Sky News Correspondent

It's Windows, but not as you know it.

Microsoft's radical update to the world's most widely used operating system will either secure its future in a touchscreen era - or it will consign the traditional PC to the recycle bin.

Five years ago, more than 90% of computers ran a version of Windows, according to tech analysts Forrester.

This year - with Apple and Google dominating mobile computing - it is found on just 30% of devices.

PC manufacturers like Dell and HP have seen sales slump as consumers turned to iPads and Android tablets.

So Microsoft is betting big on Windows 8. Its marketing budget is estimated to top £619m ($1bn).

It will have to convince millions of users who are familiar with the old-style screen that they can work with the revolutionary new interface.

The new look has had a mixed reception from people who have used prototype beta versions.

The iconic start button has gone, as have the short cuts. Instead, apps are tiled on a bold metro start screen.

On a tablet, Windows 8 is just as slick as operating systems designed by Apple or Google.

But Microsoft makes much of its money from business users.

And they rely on desktops and laptops, where Windows 8 feels somewhat clunky.

It will need to convince companies that it is worth upgrading their systems and retraining their staff.

Microsoft has just reported a 22% fall in profits over the last quarter. It is by no means a crisis - the company still made a net profit of £2.8bn in just three months.

But computing is changing so rapidly that Microsoft is having to fight to stay relevant.

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Republican: Rape Baby Is 'Gift From God'

A Republican politician has described pregnancies after women have been raped as a "gift from God".

Richard Mourdock, a US Senate candidate from Indiana, made the remarks at the end of a debate when he was asked if abortion should be allowed in cases of rape or incest.

He replied: "I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realise life is that gift from God.

"I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that's something God intended to happen."

Mr Mourdock is locked in a tight race with Democrat Joe Donnelly, who said after the debate that he does not believe "my God, or any God, would intend that to happen".

Indiana Democratic Party chair Dan Parker added: "As a pro-life Catholic, I'm stunned and ashamed that Richard Mourdock believes God intended rape."

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney sought to distance himself from the controversial remarks.

His spokesman Andrea Sail said: "Governor Romney disagrees with Richard Mourdock's comments and they do not reflect his views."

Mitt Romney campaigning in Colorado

With the presidential candidates neck and neck, women voters in key swing states could decide the November 6 election, and a fresh row over abortion would distract from Mr Romney's focus on the sluggish US economy.

The Democratic National Committee quickly moved to connect Mr Romney to Mr Mourdock and sent out a link to a television ad where he endorsed the Senate candidate, although the video does not mention abortion or other social issues.

Mr Obama has long accused Mr Romney and other Republicans of having extreme views on abortion and women's rights.

Mr Romney, who has vowed to be a "pro-life president", has previously said he opposes abortion except in cases of rape or incest, or to save the mother's life.

His current presidential platform supports overturning the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalised abortion, letting states decide on the legality of the practice.

Todd Akin's comments on rape were condemned by both parties

Mr Mourdock's comments come two months after Republican Todd Akin, a Missouri GOP US Senate candidate, said women's bodies have ways of preventing pregnancy in cases of what he called "legitimate rape."

Those remarks dominated the US news cycle for days, provoking an avalanche of condemnation from both parties and calls by Mr Romney and other Republicans for Mr Akin to quit the race.

He refused to step aside, potentially damaging Republican hopes of wrestling back control of the 100-member Senate from Democrats in congressional elections, which will also be held on November 6.

The race for the White House is now entering a crucial stage with the two candidates frantically campaigning as the vote looms in just under two weeks.

Mr Obama is embarking on a 48-hour sprint through Iowa, Colorado, Nevada and Florida. He will also head to Virginia and Ohio, where Mr Romney will be campaigning.

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Woman 'Set Herself On Fire In Staged KKK Attack'

A woman who told police she had been subjected to a racist attack in which three men set her alight and scrawled KKK on her car was lying, according to US investigators.

"The wounds were self-inflicted," said Kyle Hanrahan, a spokesman for the FBI's Louisiana bureau.

Sharmeka Moffitt, 20, was seriously burned in the fire and remains in a critical condition.

She called police from a park in the town of Winnsboro on Sunday night and told them three men in white hoodies had doused her with a flammable liquid and ignited it.

The letters KKK, for the white supremacist organisation Ku Klux Klan, and a racial slur were scrawled on her car in what appeared to be toothpaste.

According to local media, investigators decided the burns were self-inflicted after finding Ms Moffitt's fingerprints on a cigarette lighter and lighter fluid.

Louisiana's KATC News reported her family had issued a statement saying: "Our family is devastated to learn the circumstances surrounding our daughter's injuries.

"While this was not the resolution we had expected, it is a resolution, and we appreciate the thorough investigation by the local and state police as well as federal agencies.

"We are sincerely sorry for any problems this may have caused and wish to express our appreciation for the outpouring of love, prayers and support we have received from friends, acquaintances, church organisations and government officials."

The FBI was called in to assist local authorities because the apparent attack was initially considered a possible hate crime.

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Man Killed By Shark As Friend Watches Helpless

A California surfer has been killed in a shark attack off a beach at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The attack was reported by another surfer on Tuesday morning off the coast of Surf Beach in Lompoc, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

Francisco Javier Solorio Jr "had a friend who he was surfing with who saw the shark bite or hit the man," said Sheriff's Sgt Mark A Williams.

A sign has been put up after the fatal attack at Surf Beach, California

"His friend ended up swimming over and pulling him from the water where he received first aid."

Another surfer called for help but the male victim was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.

He is thought to have suffered a massive bite to the upper torso. His surf board also had bite marks on it, police said.

The Air Force said only that the 39-year-old was not affiliated with the base, which allows public access to some of its beaches.

The type of shark involved and other details are under investigation.

There were no shark warning signs posted at Surf Beach on Tuesday, said Lt. Erik Raney, adding that beaches do not typically post such notices unless the location had a recent shark sighting.

An expert has the attack was likely to have been carried out by a great white shark.

Andrew Nosal, of the Scripps Institiute of Oceanography, told the Los Angeles Times: "There is not other species swimming off the coast regularly that could possibly do that kind of damage."

It was the latest shark attack fatality at Surf Beach, about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles. California has seen 13 fatal attacks since 1950.

In October 2010, Lucas Ransom, a 19-year-old student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, died when a shark nearly severed his leg as he body-boarded.

Hundreds of miles south near the coast of San Diego, a 15ft great white shark is believed to have killed triathlete David Martin in 2008.

Fatal shark attacks are rare. There is an average of 65 incidents around the world every year, which typically result in two or three deaths, according to the Pew Environment Group.

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Israel Bombarded And Militants Killed In Gaza

By Sam Kiley, Middle East Correspondent

Israel has been hit with more than 60 missiles in 24 hours in a surge in violence from the Gaza Strip.

Three militants from the armed wing of Hamas, which rules in Gaza, were killed in an Israeli counter-attack.

Hamas has been trying to suppress attacks against Israel by al Qaeda-related Jihadist groups in recent weeks.

Israel moved military personnel and equipment from a joint exercise with US forces and some of its homeland defence soldiers from a drill based on the fiction of an earthquake, in case of further attacks.

Three migrant Thai workers were seriously injured in the mortar and rocket strikes from Gaza and a family home was hit.

A mosque was reported to have been struck by the Israeli Air Force. Eight people were wounded, as well as the three who were killed.

The mother of a Hamas gunman mourns the death of her son

A statement from the Islamist movement Hamas said those killed were members of its military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.

An Israeli army spokesman said the air force had attacked two groups of Palestinians who were about to fire rockets into southern Israel.

The raids came after the attack on an Israeli patrol that wounded a soldier was claimed by a leftist group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Military officials were initially unsure what had caused the explosion, but eventually established it was "an explosive device".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again warned he would strike back at Gaza militants, which he said were supported by Tehran.

An Israeli mother carrying her child after an attack

"Today we engaged in exchanges against terrorist aggression that comes from our southern border in Gaza, but it actually comes from Iran and a whole terror network that is supporting these attacks," he said.

"The way to fight terror is to fight terror, and that we shall do with great force."

Defence Minister Ehud Barak noted the explosive device was rigged to a gate on the fence, and said Israel takes the attack "very seriously".

The latest incidents came as the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, made a landmark visit to Gaza where he inaugurated a multi-million dollar project to rebuild the impoverished Palestinian territory.

But Israel's military remains reluctant to get involved in a ground incursion into the region.

Its last major operation there, Cast Lead, was widely condemned internationally for causing civilian deaths and for the use of white phosphorous explosives in urban areas.

Israeli police survey the damage caused by a rocket fired by militants

Former head of Israel's National Security Council Ilan Mizrahi said: "It is a very delicate situation. We do not have a free hand like we did in the past.

"Now we have to consider our relationship with Egypt more carefully. I would expect Cairo will try to pacify the situation and we should be careful not to provoke the Egyptians.

"However, it will be impossible to allow this to continue for a long time."

The attacks follow a visit to Gaza by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, who pledged $400m (£250m) for a 3,000-home development in what appeared to be a major boost for the reputation of Hamas, which is struggling to balance its militant elements and instincts with its responsibilities as the administration.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Hamad said: "We are seeing a dangerous escalation of Israeli actions. They are targeting us following the recent visit of the Emir of Qatar which took place successfully.

"They are targeting us to disrupt the atmosphere of the Eid holiday and to score political points ahead of the upcoming [Israeli] elections."

Following the violence, Israel closed schools in the areas close to the Gaza Strip - the first time that has happened since Operation Cast Lead.

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'Dead' Brazilian Turns Up At His Own Funeral

A Brazilian family was stunned when their relative arrived at his own funeral after a mix-up when the dead body was identified.

The funeral of car washer Gilberto Araujo, 41, was being held in the town of Alagoinhas in north-east Brazil when Gilberto himself walked in.

His brother Jose Marcos, had identified a body at the city morgue as being that of his brother and it was taken to their mother's home for a wake.

Gilberto rushed to his mother's house after bumping into a friend in the street a few hours before the ceremony, who told him his family were in mourning.

"He went to his mother's home to let everyone know he was very much alive," police inspector Roberto Lima said.

A family friend revealed "some people fainted and others were so scared they ran away" when he arrived. "It was a big shock," the friend said.

Mr Araujo's sister-in-law Ana Paula explained: "The confusion started when news started circulating that a car washer had been shot dead.

"Police called my husband and told him that his brother had been killed and his body was at the morgue."

Gilberto's mother Marina Santana told reporters: "I am overjoyed. What mother wouldn't be after being told that her son is dead and then sees him alive."

The man who was actually dead was named as Genivaldo Santos Gama.

Mr Lima said the confusion was "understandable". "The two men closely resembled each other and both worked as car washers," he said. 

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Ben Needham Search: Children's Toys Found

By Mike McCarthy, Sky News Correspondent, in Kos

Police have discovered parts of toys that Ben Needham may have been playing with on the Greek island of Kos before he went missing.

The samples were found by archaeologists supporting a team of investigators at the spot where the toddler went missing aged 21 months.

Inspector Colin Hope, who is part of the specialist search team, said: "We have found small parts of what look like tiny cars. We have found some wheels, we have found a bonnet.

"But we have also found plastic bits of toys like little heads from dolls and that kind of thing ... a whole range of toys really, including the sort of items we are looking for."

Mr Hope said Ben was known to have had a couple of toy cars.

It is not yet known whether the items, which have been shown to the Needham family, belonged to the toddler.

Excavators have now dug two metres below ground and archaeologists say they have reached the level the ground was at when Ben disappeared in July 1991.

Dr Nicholas Marquez-Grant, an archaeologist from Oxford University, said: "What I am trying to look at in general crime scene work is graves, for example.

"What I am doing here (on Kos) is to establish what the natural layer of soil is. We know from maps and databases what we are looking for - particular layers of a certain colour."

Police are raking and sifting soil dug up by a JCB on a hillside location overlooking the Aegean Sea. The area is not far from Kos town and is surrounded by olive and lemon groves.

A beer can with a sell-by-date of 1992 and a number of animal bones are among the items discovered so far.

Forensic anthropologists are on site to examine the finds.

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Obama Aggressive In Final Presidential Debate

Romney Avoids Foreign Policy Blow

Updated: 10:35am UK, Tuesday 23 October 2012

By Dominic Waghorn, US Correspondent

This was always going to be a tough one for Mitt Romney.

The Republican challenger has not distinguished himself on foreign policy. 

And on many foreign issues there is not enough swinging room between him and the President to let him land a punch.

The President probably won on points, but his challenger held his own and made no gaffes. Given his previous form on foreign policy, that's an improvement.

This debate was about foreign policy when the election is not. The economy remains the overriding issue.

It was predictable then that both men would try to bring the debate back to domestic issues.

President Obama was the first, 25 minutes in, stressing that nation building starts at home.

Mr Romney joined in, forcefully making the argument that America will only be respected overseas if it's strong at home. 

Then followed a slew of argument that had nothing to do with foreign policy from healthcare reform to classroom sizes. 

There were cheers in the adjoining "spin room" from journalists when moderator Bob Schieffer tried to return the discussion to foreign affairs even if it was largely in vain.

With the odds stacked against him, Mr Romney was largely avoiding losing.

His most dangerous moment was one of his own creation, a tactical error he could have avoided.

He probably should not have mentioned foreign trips, given how badly his last one went, offending the British, Palestinians and the press travelling with him.

But he brought up the President's visits overseas all the same, accusing him of indulging in an "apology" tour allowing his opponent to come right back at him.

"If you want to talk about trips governor," came back the president. Mr Obama then compared his visit to Israel, which included a tour of the Yad Vashem holocaust museum, to Mitt Romney's which he said was more about attending fundraisers.

Many Americans will not have been watching. This was a big sports night.

In the Tailgaters Sports Bar in Daytona Beach up the coast, most people weren't focused on the debate. The Chicago Bears were playing the Detroit Lions, by coincidence the home town teams of each candidate.

The game was on a much bigger screen than the debate in the bar.

But a few were paying attention to the candidates.

Carl Dephillipe told Sky News the debate had made all the difference to his vote.

"I am a Democrat so I was leaning towards Obama but I hadn't heard anything about his foreign policy till tonight so finally being to sit down tonight to listen to his foreign policy I'll definitely be giving him my vote," he said.

Further down the bar David Daley was also critical of Mr Romney.

"I think he's basically selling the American people a dream. That he's promising a lot of things that he's not going to be able to do," he said. 

For the record, the President's team beat Mr Romney's by 13 to 7.

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Monster Energy Drink 'Linked To Five Deaths'

The heavily-caffeinated Monster Energy Drink is being investigated by US officials for its reported link to five deaths and one non-fatal heart attack.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is looking into claims that people had adverse reactions after they consumed the 24 oz (680ml) can, which contains 240 milligrams of caffeine.

It has three times more caffeine than an 8.4 oz (240ml) can of its nearest rival, Red Bull, and seven times the amount in a regular 12 oz (340ml) cola.

Although the FDA is investigating the allegations, which date back to 2004, the agency said the reports do not necessarily prove that the drinks caused the deaths or injuries.

"As with any reports of a death or injury the agency receives, we take them very seriously and investigate diligently," spokesperson Shelly Burgess said in a statement.

News of the FDA's investigation follows the launch of a wrongful death lawsuit in California, by the parents of a 14-year-old Maryland girl who died after drinking two Monster Energy Drinks in just 24 hours.

Anais Fournier died in December 2011 after consuming two cans in 24 hours

A post mortem examination found that Anais Fournier died of cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity that impeded her heart's ability to pump blood.

She also suffered from an inherited disorder that can weaken blood vessels. Her parents claim Monster failed to warn about the risks of drinking its products.

"I was shocked to learn the FDA can regulate caffeine in a can of soda, but not these huge energy drinks," her mother Wendy Crossland told The Record Herald.

"With their bright colors and names like Monster, Rockstar, and Full Throttle, these drinks are targeting teenagers with no oversight or accountability."

However labels on the cans do state that the drinks are not recommended for children and people who are sensitive to caffeine.

Monster said last week that it was "unaware of any fatality anywhere that has been caused by its drinks".

The company is the market leader in the US for energy drinks with a 35% share, while Red Bull has 30% and Rockstar has 19%.

But the company's shares plunged $7.59, or 14.2%, to close at $45.73 in trading on Monday after news of the FDA investigation.

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Malala: Al Qaeda Slates Support For Shot Girl

Al Qaeda has reportedly hit out at the widespread support for a schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban - and asked why she has been hailed a heroine.

Malala Yousafzai, 15, is being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham after being attacked by a gunman in Pakistan, and has since received thousands of goodwill messages.

The hospital said she continues to make steady progress and is in a stable condition after she was admitted a week ago following initial treatment in Pakistan.

The teenager was shot with two classmates as they made their way home from school in Swat, in the north west of the country.

She was attacked by the Taliban for promoting the education of girls and criticising the militant group.

A protest in Pakistan against the attack on Malala Yousafzai

The hospital said a bullet that struck her just above her left eye had grazed the edge of her brain. Foreign Secretary William Hague described the atrocity as "barbaric".

In a letter translated by the Site Intelligence Group, al Qaeda's Pakistani spokesman Ustad Ahmad Farooq asked why Malala's blood was "more important" than those of women killed in military operations.

He also asked why the media and the public were silent about women who die due to poverty.

In the letter, called Why Mourn Malala So Much? and addressed to "(my) beloved Pakistani brothers and sisters", Farooq said: "Nobody spoke up for thousands of such Malalas who became victims of military operations, and nobody protested for them on the roads.

"But these circles made so much noise when we targeted this girl who made fun of jihad, the veil and other Islamic values on behest of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

"This attack created shockwaves in the ruling circles around the world. They issued a number of statements condemning the attack on Malala. I may ask why? Why is Malala's blood more important than those killed by the army?"

Thousands of people have rallied across Pakistan in support of Malala, and people have called for the government to act. Pakistani authorities claim to have made a number of arrests.

Malala has been able to stand with help for the first time in hospital and is "communicating very freely", according to an official.

The girl still cannot talk because she has a tracheotomy tube inserted to protect her airway, which was swollen after the shooting, but she is writing notes, according to Dr Dave Rosser, medical director of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.

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Mining Firm Sacks 8,500 Striking Workers

The mining firm Gold Fields has fired 8,500 miners amid the bitter disputes crippling the industry in South Africa.

The company, the world's fourth-largest bullion producer, said it had carried out its threat against strikers at its KDC East mine after they failed to meet a new deadline to return to work.

Spokesman Sven Lunsche said negotiations had failed and the company had issued dismissal notices to employees, who have 24 hours to appeal.

"We have now reached a situation where the mine is becoming economically very marginal - we need to resume production as soon as possible to prevent total closure," he told Sky News.

"We have dismissed the miners, but hopefully they will use the appeal process to come back to work."

The move was described as a "last throw of the dice" by the firm, which says the dispute has cost it more than £107m.

Mr Lunsche said Gold Fields would begin hiring new staff shortly, adding: "We need to resume production, and we need workers who are willing to do that."

Its larger KDC West mine has seen around half the usual staff numbers return to work.

The development is the latest twist in a wider dispute that has left the South African mining industry battling its worst industrial unrest for decades.

More than 80,000 miners have gone on strike since August, hitting growth and investor confidence in the continent's biggest economy.

Related stories:

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Italian Scientists Jailed In Quake Trial

By Robert Nisbet, Europe Correspondent

A team of Italian scientists have been found guilty of manslaughter for failing to warn citizens of a massive earthquake in 2009.

The team along with a government official were sentenced to six years in jail in a trial which has infuriated the global scientific community.

Historic buildings cracked and crumbled in the 6.3 magnitude quake in which 309 died and thousands were left homeless in the town of L'Aquila in central Italy.

But the following year there was another aftershock. Charges were brought against six government scientists and an official for not sufficiently warning people of the risks of another seismic event.

The seven accused had been part of the region's Major Risks Committee which had met on March 31, six days before the earthquake.

They issued a statement designed to reassure residents after studying tremors in the area, while stressing it was impossible to say when another event may occur.

In court, prosecutor Fabio Picuti said they had given "an incomplete, inept, unsuitable and criminally mistaken analysis."

Defence lawyers said the charges in L'Aquila were "medieval", arguing that earthquakes cannot be predicted. Some 5,000 scientists from around the world sent a letter of protest to the then Italian president Giorgio Napolitano.

Legal experts say the convicted men are likely to remain free from jail until an appeals process is completed.

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'Al Qaeda Terror Plot' Foiled By Jordan

Jordanian authorities have said they foiled an al Qaeda plot targeting shopping malls and Western diplomats.

Sameeh Maaytah, a spokesman for the Jordanian government, said 11 suspected militants were in police custody.

State news agency Petra reported that the men had been planning a wave of attacks on diplomatic missions, hotels and other key sites.

Mr Maaytah said the men - who are all Jordanian citizens - had brought arms into Jordan from neighbouring Syria to use in the alleged plot.

"The kind of weapons, explosives they were ready to use include mortars and machine guns," he said.

"I say again they hold Jordanian nationality, they went to Syria and came back using the Samr route which crosses the Syrian-Jordanian border."

Authorities said there were several possible targets in the capital Amman

He added al Qaeda operatives based in Iraq have been assisting the suspects with the manufacture of explosives.

The suspects were arrested over the past few days by Jordanian intelligence agents, he said.

A judicial source told news agency AFP the case had been referred to the prosecutor of the state security court - a military tribunal.

"They will face two charges: conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts and possession of explosives," said the source who declined to be named. The charges carry the death penalty.

The group scouted possible targets in Amman, experimented with explosives after getting hold of raw materials to make bombs, and had begun selecting possible suicide bomb candidates, Petra reported.

Among their alleged plans were attacks on two malls as well as a major attack in the upmarket Abdoun neighbourhood in western Amman.

A security source told Reuters the cell had manufactured explosives "aimed at inflicting the heaviest losses possible".

"The group was able to devise new types of explosives to be used for the first time and planned to add TNT to increase their destructive impact," the source said.

Jordan is a key US ally and is one of the safest countries in the Middle East. However, it has seen al Qaeda-linked violence before.

In 2005, triple suicide bomb attacks at luxury hotels in Amman killed 60 people.

Jordanian authorities have reportedly arrested a number of jihadists in recent months who have crossed into Syria to join the anti-regime armed insurgency there.

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Lebanon: Gun Clashes After Official's Funeral

Two people have been killed and more than a dozen injured after clashes between Sunni and Shi'ite gunmen in Lebanon, security officials said.

Troops managed to separate the gunmen and restore calm to two neighbourhoods in the capital Beirut where fighting had erupted.

Heavy overnight clashes were also reported in the northern city of Tripoli.

A man was killed in a shooting in the Wadi Zayneh area north of Sidon and another person died in the Tripoli clashes, officials said. At least six people were wounded in Beirut and 10 in Tripoli.

Lebanon has seen significant unrest since Friday after an anti-Syrian top intelligence official was killed in a car bombing.

The assassination has threatened to shatter the country's fragile political balance.

Many politicians have blamed Syria for the killing and angry protesters attempted to storm the government palace after Brigadier General Wissam al Hassan's funeral on Sunday.

There have been calls for Prime Minister Najib Mikati - whose government is dominated by pro-Syrian parties - to resign.

Mr Mikati offered to resign over the weekend, but will remain in position after President Michel Sleiman's request to avoid a "political vacuum" in the country.

The opposition bloc has blamed Syrian President Bashar al Assad for the bomb attack.

It also holds Mr Assad responsible for the 2005 assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri, who was also killed in a Beirut car bombing.

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Lance Armstrong: UCI Upholds Usada Life Ban

Lance Armstrong has been banned for life and stripped of his seven Tour de France titles over his role in "the most sophisticated doping programme sport has ever seen".

The International Cycling Union (UCI) said it would not appeal the decision taken by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada), which had compiled a damning 1,000-page dossier detailing the allegations.

"Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling," UCI president Pat McQuaid told a press conference.

"I was sickened by what I read in the Usada report. I'm sorry that we couldn't catch every damn one of them and throw them out of the sport at the time.

"Cycling has a future. This is not the first time cycling has reached a crossroads or that it has had to begin anew."

UCI president Pat McQuaid arrives at the press conference

The move prompted Oakley to follow Armstrong's other major sponsors in cutting their ties with the 41-year-old.

It issued a statement, saying: "When Lance joined our family many years ago, he was a symbol of possibility.

"We are deeply saddened by the outcome, but look forward with hope to athletes and teams of the future who will rekindle that inspiration by racing clean, fair and honest."

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme had said the race would go along with whatever cycling's governing body decided and will have no official winners for the years of Armstrong's consecutive wins, from 1999-2005.

Armstrong had previously chosen not to contest the Usada charges, prompting the agency to propose his punishment pending confirmation from cycling's world governing body.

Former team-mates of Armstrong, at his US Postal and Discovery Channel teams, were given reduced bans by the American authorities after testifying against him.

Armstrong's sporting reputation as the cancer survivor who fought back to win cycling's most gruelling and celebrated race has been shattered since the revelations, leading to sponsors leaving him in droves.

Nike became the most high-profile sponsor to abandon the Texan, saying he had misled the firm for more than a decade and citing "seemingly insurmountable" evidence against him.

Lance Armstrong addresses participants at the Livestrong Challenge Ride

The allegations also saw Armstrong step down as chairman of the charity he formed, Livestrong, which raised hundreds of millions of dollars for people affected by cancer.

On the eve of the UCI decision, Armstrong spoke for about 90 seconds to a 4,300 cyclists at the Livestrong Challenge charity benefit, a 100-mile (160km) race in his hometown of Austin, Texas.

"I've been better, but I've also been worse," he said.

"Obviously, it has been an interesting and difficult couple of weeks."

Mr McQuaid succeeded Hein Verbruggen as president of world cycling after Armstrong's seventh and final Tour victory in 2005 and is credited with boosting the body's anti-doping programme - notably with the pioneering blood passport programme.

The Irishman was under pressure to answer how Armstrong and his teams managed to dope for so long without being detected. But he rejected calls to quit.

Former UCI officials have denied claims they helped cover up Armstrong's positive drug tests.

The Usada report said Armstrong was at the heart of "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen".

It stated: "He was not just a part of the doping culture on his team. He enforced and re-enforced it."

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Johannesburg Prison Van Blast Kills Two

Two prisoners have been killed and 15 hurt after an explosion hit a van carrying convicts in South Africa, reports say.

Radio station Eyewitness News said the blast took place near a prison in southern Johannesburg, and that police were still trying to work out what had triggered it.

Police spokesman Neville Malila said: "Just outside the Johannesburg correction facility the driver heard a loud bang. There was an explosion on the vehicle."

More follows...

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Body Found At Family Shooting Suspect's House

Police have found a body at the burnt-out home of a man suspected of breaking into a nearby house and shooting five members of a family, killing two of them.

Investigators believe Desmond John Moses, 55, set his own bungalow on fire before entering the neighbouring home around 4am on Saturday and firing 10 shots.

A four-year-old boy and his 30-year-old father, who was shielding two children when he was shot, were taken to hospital but both died in surgery.

The man's wife and two other children were also injured in the attack in Inglewood, California, near Los Angeles.

Despite being shot in both legs, in what police described as an "extraordinary rescue attempt", she managed to carry the four-year-old, who was shot in the head, out of the house.

A six-year-old boy suffered a gunshot wound to the pelvis and a seven-year-old girl was shot in the chest.

The mother, 28, and daughter are in hospital in a stable condition. The six-year-old boy has been released, while an eight-year-old boy escaped unharmed.

The shooting happened in Inglewood, near Los Angeles

Police later found the body in Moses' house after a search which took hours because it was packed with debris. The body has not been formally identified.

About 15 neighbouring houses in Inglewood were evacuated after the shooting as officers searched for the suspect.

Police cordoned off the area and residents were told to stay indoors as officers combed the area for evidence and clues.

A neighbour, Judy Castellanos, told the Los Angeles Times the suspect was "really weird" and "dangerous".

She said he had not paid his rent for years and that a new property owner had been trying to evict him.

"He had been asked to leave by the end of this month," she told the newspaper, adding that he was reclusive and would not let anyone look inside his home.

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Thirteen Dead In Damascus Car Bomb Blast

At least 13 people have been killed after a car bomb exploded near a police station in the Syrian capital of Damascus.

A state official speaking from the scene said an explosives-rigged taxi blew up 50 metres from the Bab Touma neighbourhood's main police station.

The mainly Christian neighbourhood is a popular attraction for shoppers and inhabited mostly by the Christian minority.

Pro-government television said seven people had been killed and 15 wounded.

Mr Assad has met with UN peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 10 had died and dozens were wounded, adding that it was unclear if the victims and the wounded were civilians or policemen.

A reporter at the scene said he saw blood stains in the street and on the pavements. He said glass windows of several shops in the area were shattered and at least four cars were completely burnt.

The blast came as President Bashar al Assad opened talks with visiting UN peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who is trying to broker a truce to start during a Muslim holiday this week.

Mr Brahimi told reporters following a closed-door meeting that he had earlier met with unidentified Syrian opposition groups inside and outside the country to consult on his truce plan.

He said he received "promises" but not a "commitment" from them to honour the cease-fire.

"There is a promise to stop fighting," he said, referring to the opposition.

He noted that he "found an overwhelming response" from Mr Assad's opponents to his cease-fire plan and that "all of them have said that it's a good idea which they support."

State news agency Sana said the president supported "any sincere effort to find a political solution to the crisis, based on respect for Syrian sovereignty and rejecting foreign intervention".

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White House Denies Iran Nuclear Talks Report

Israel Braced With Disaster Drills

Updated: 4:09pm UK, Sunday 21 October 2012

By Sam Kiley, Middle East Correspondent

Israel is conducting mass casualty drills to train the nation for a national disaster which focuses on responding to an earthquake but which military officials admitted was also a rehearsal for how to respond to war.

Mired in conflict since before its birth in 1948, Israel's first ever national disaster drill envisages 7,000 dead, 70,000 casualties and 170,000 made homeless as a consequence of an earthquake along the Rift Valley fault.

However, Brigadier General Mickey Tessler of Israel's military Home Front Command told Army Radio: "It is very important to emphasise that whoever is ready for earthquakes perforce increases his readiness level for various events, including wartime events."

A conflict with Iran looms largest in the Israeli mind at the moment. It may be triggered by a unilateral strike against Tehran's alleged nuclear weapons programme. It would be certain to provoke a counter-attack from Iran directly using long-range ballistic missiles and through its Lebanese surrogate, Hizbollah.

The latter is believed to have a new arsenal of missiles capable of reaching every major population centre in the Jewish state.

The quake drill also coincides with the largest ever joint US-Israeli military exercise, Austere Challenge 2012, which has seen 3,500 US troops arrive in the country.

On Sunday, Israel's public was asked to evacuate buildings and schools at 11am local time and similar drills ordered by text message, on TV announcements and with sirens are part of the exercise's night-time programme.

Children across the country also participate, carrying out enactments of the drills in schools.

While many Israeli buildings have safe shelters built into them, the advice during the current exercise is for people to find open outdoor spaces due to a recent assessment by the Home Front Command that around 70% of buildings in the coastal areas - which house just under half of Israel's population - do not meet the earthquake resistance standards set in 1980.

Meanwhile, the joint US-Israeli Austere 12 exercise will see soldiers from both countries deployed in numerous locations, including near civilian areas.

A spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Force has warned that the public may notice increased military activity and some roads may be closed for short periods of time.

Much of the operation will focus on testing the defences against attacks from the air.

Missile protection systems such as the David's Sling and the Iron Dome batteries will be tested as well as Israel's medium range Patriot and Arrow2 missiles.

However, it is thought only a small amount of live fire will be used, with the majority of scenarios using computer simulation.

The timing of the joint operation follows a slight diminishing of the war rhetoric emanating from the Israeli prime minister's office.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Benjamin Netanyahu indicated the window in which to prevent Iran progressing its nuclear programme towards a weapon stretched into next year - a timescale widely perceived as an extension on previous comments by Mr Netanyahu.

The Austere 12 operation was originally due to take place two months ago, but was postponed. Both Israel and US spokesmen deny this was due to the prospect of an imminent strike on Iran.

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Israel Disaster Drills Prepare Nation For War

By Sam Kiley, Middle East Correspondent

Israel is conducting mass casualty drills to train the nation for a national disaster which focuses on responding to an earthquake but which military officials admitted was also a rehearsal for how to respond to war.

Mired in conflict since before its birth in 1948, Israel's first ever national disaster drill envisages 7,000 dead, 70,000 casualties and 170,000 made homeless as a consequence of an earthquake along the Rift Valley fault.

However, Brigadier General Mickey Tessler of Israel's military Home Front Command told Army Radio: "It is very important to emphasise that whoever is ready for earthquakes perforce increases his readiness level for various events, including wartime events."

A conflict with Iran looms largest in the Israeli mind at the moment. It may be triggered by a unilateral strike against Tehran's alleged nuclear weapons programme. It would be certain to provoke a counter-attack from Iran directly using long-range ballistic missiles and through its Lebanese surrogate, Hizbollah.

The latter is believed to have a new arsenal of missiles capable of reaching every major population centre in the Jewish state.

The quake drill also coincides with the largest ever joint US-Israeli military exercise, Austere Challenge 2012, which has seen 3,500 US troops arrive in the country.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aims to curb Iran's nuclear ideas

On Sunday, Israel's public was asked to evacuate buildings and schools at 11am local time and similar drills ordered by text message, on TV announcements and with sirens are part of the exercise's night-time programme.

Children across the country also participate, carrying out enactments of the drills in schools.

While many Israeli buildings have safe shelters built into them, the advice during the current exercise is for people to find open outdoor spaces due to a recent assessment by the Home Front Command that around 70% of buildings in the coastal areas - which house just under half of Israel's population - do not meet the earthquake resistance standards set in 1980.

Meanwhile, the joint US-Israeli Austere 12 exercise will see soldiers from both countries deployed in numerous locations, including near civilian areas.

A spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Force has warned that the public may notice increased military activity and some roads may be closed for short periods of time.

Much of the operation will focus on testing the defences against attacks from the air.

Missile protection systems such as the David's Sling and the Iron Dome batteries will be tested as well as Israel's medium range Patriot and Arrow2 missiles.

However, it is thought only a small amount of live fire will be used, with the majority of scenarios using computer simulation.

The timing of the joint operation follows a slight diminishing of the war rhetoric emanating from the Israeli prime minister's office.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Benjamin Netanyahu indicated the window in which to prevent Iran progressing its nuclear programme towards a weapon stretched into next year - a timescale widely perceived as an extension on previous comments by Mr Netanyahu.

The Austere 12 operation was originally due to take place two months ago, but was postponed. Both Israel and US spokesmen deny this was due to the prospect of an imminent strike on Iran.

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Beirut Protests: Tense Stand-Off In Lebanon

Police in Beirut have fired warning shots and thrown tear gas at hundreds of angry protesters attempting to storm the Prime Minister's office in Beirut.

Clashes erupted during the funeral for top intelligence chief Brigadier General Wissam al Hassan, who was killed in a massive car bombing on Friday.

Forces had earlier set up road blocks and cordoned off Beirut's Martyrs' Square as well as boosting security in the capital.

Wissam al Hassan was killed by a massive car bomb on Friday

Currently, the scene has quietened to a tense stand-off, which some protesters refusing to leave the area.

Mr al Hassan, 47, was a powerful opponent of Syria in Lebanon and headed an investigation over the summer that led to the arrest of former information minister Michel Samaha, a politican who was one of Syria's most loyal allies.

He was among eight people killed in the attack on Friday, which many have blamed on the Syrian regime.

The protesters believe the government is too close to Syria and its ally in Lebanon, the Shiite group Hizbollah.

They are calling for Prime Minister Najib Mikati to quit over Mr al Hassan's assassination.

Even before the bombing, the civil war in neighboring Syria had set off violence in Lebanon and deepened tensions between supporters and opponents of President Bashar Assad's regime.

The attack heightened fears that Lebanon could easily plunge back into cycles of sectarian violence and reprisal that have haunted it for decades.

Dozens of anti-Syrian protesters erected eight tents near the cabinet headquarters in central Beirut, saying they will stay until Prime Minister Najib Mikati's government, which is dominated by the Shiite militant group Hizbollah and its allies, resigns.

Politicians salute Mr al Hassan's coffin during the funeral

Hizbollah is Syria's most powerful ally in Lebanon, which for much of the past 30 years has lived under Syrian military and political domination.

Syria's hold on Lebanon began to slip in 2005, when former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, an opponent of Syria, was assassinated by a truck bomb along Beirut's Mediterranean waterfront.

Syria denied any role, but broad public outrage in Lebanon expressed in massive street protests forced Damascus to withdraw its tens of thousands of troops from the country.

For years after the pullouts, there was a string of attacks on anti-Syrian figures in Lebanon without any trials for those responsible.

Al Hassan will be buried in Martyrs' Square next to the late Hariri.

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