Pentagon Grounds Fleet Of F-35 Fighter Jets

The Pentagon has grounded the US military's entire fleet of F-35 fighter jets after discovering a cracked engine turbine blade in one plane.

The problem was discovered during what the Pentagon called a routine inspection of an F-35A Lightning II, the US Air Force's version of the new plane.

The US Navy and the US Marine Corps are buying other versions of the F-35, which is intended to replace older fighter jets like the Air Force's F-16 and the Navy and Marine Corps' F/A-18.

All versions - a total of 51 planes - were grounded on Friday pending an investigation.

The Pentagon said it was too early to know the full impact of the newly discovered problem.

It said: "On February 19, 2013, a routine engine inspection revealed a crack on a low pressure turbine blade of an F135 engine installed in a CTOL test aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

"Engineering teams are shipping the turbine blade to Pratt & Whitney's Engine Facility in Middletown, CT, to conduct a thorough evaluation and root cause analysis.

"It is too early to know the fleet-wide impact of this finding, however as a precautionary measure, all F-35 flight operations have been suspended until the investigation is complete and the cause of the blade crack is fully understood.

"The F-35 Joint Program Office is working closely with Pratt & Whitney and Lockheed Martin at all F-35 locations to assess the integrity of the engine, and to return the fleet safely to flight as soon as possible."

The F-35 is the Pentagon's most expensive weapons programme, with a total estimated cost of nearly $400bn (£262bn).

The Pentagon has planned to buy more than 2,400 F-35s, but some members of Congress are hesitant due to the hefty price tag.

The UK has ordered 48 F-35s to fly off the Royal Navy's new Queen Elizabeth carrier once it is built in 2018. Britain has also invested in the development of the jet.

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US Snow: Storm Leaves Four Dead In America

At least four people have died after a massive snow storm blanketed much of central US, causing road accidents and disrupting travel.

The winter storm, which prompted tornado warnings, affected millions of people in 24 states before the system petered out over the Great Lakes.

Places in Kansas and Missouri saw a foot (30 centimetres) or more of snow, with emergency crews spending hours digging out and clearing miles of roadways.

Gusty winds and snow-covered roadways made commutes dangerous.

Local television cameras in Kansas City, Missouri, captured a large bus slipping in the snow and crashing into a large lamppost. No one was hurt.

A man stands next to his trapped car in Kansas City, Missouri

In Gladstone, also in Missouri, a dance studio's roof collapsed from the weight of snow.

Further north in Cincinnati, Ohio, slippery roads meant a dangerous situation many drivers. One lorry ended up partially hanging off an overpass of a busy road after the driver lost control.

In Cleveland, Ohio, a Continental Airlines plane skidded off runway, ending up resting on its nose, but no one was hurt.

A family attempts to clear a driveway in Overland Park, Kansas

Scattered power cuts were also reported as ice weighed down power lines and strong winds knocked down trees.

Roads and even major highways became completely impassable in some areas

The Minnesota State Patrol blamed the snow for over 500 accidents on Friday.

One driver was killed when she lost control, came to a stop in oncoming traffic and was broadsided by another vehicle in a St Paul suburb.

A 12-year-old boy died from injuries suffered in a collision on an icy highway in northern Nebraska.

A woman in Iowa was run over by her car, which had gotten stuck on her steep, slippery driveway. And a 70-year-old woman from Kansas died after her car slid and collided with a train.

Nobody was hurt when a plane skidded off the runway in Ohio

The National Weather Service said as much as 17 inches of snow had fallen in parts of Colorado and Kansas.

Over the weekend, a second system of winter weather is expected from the Gulf of Mexico - smothering parts of the East Coast with up to two feet of snow on Saturday and Sunday.

The governor of Missouri declared a state of emergency as the storm lashed the midwestern state with a dangerous mix of ice and snow.

A dance studio's roof collapsed under the weight of the snow in Missouri

"I urge all Missourians to keep a close eye on the weather and avoid unnecessary travel," Governor Jay Nixon said.

The state of Kansas shuttered government offices on Thursday to keep non-essential workers off the treacherous roads and scores of business owners and school officials followed suit.

The blizzard conditions were so intense in some areas that snow ploughs were getting stuck and ambulances had trouble getting patients to hospitals.

The storm comes after play at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, Arizona, had to be postponed after a blizzard covered the course.

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Italy: Briton Held Over Tour Guide Murder

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

A Briton has been arrested in Italy for the murder of a tour guide and the attempted killing of another man.

Jason Peter Marshall, 24, was held by police early on Saturday after they traced him through his mobile phone signal to a late night bus.

Police believe he met both men through gay internet chat rooms.

He was arrested after a 55-year-old man was found severely beaten in the bedroom of his apartment in central Rome, following calls to police when neighbours heard screams and calls for help.

When officers arrived on the scene, the victim identified Marshall as his attacker and described how he had been threatened with a gun, badly beaten with a telescopic cosh and smothered with a pillow.

Marshall is said to have fled the apartment with €400 (£348), credit cards and the victim's iPad as he allegedly tried to erase all traces of contact between him and the victim.

Marshall, who is originally from Greenwich, southeast London, is said to have arrived in Italy last month and police in Rome have confirmed he is also the prime suspect in the murder of tour guide Vincenzo Iale.

The 68-year-old was found strangled and stabbed to death in his flat at Torvajanica, on the outskirts of Rome, four weeks ago with his bank card missing.

Police said Marshall was being held in Rome's Regina Coeli jail on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, kidnap and possessing offensive weapons.

Sources said the victims had been targeted through gay internet chat rooms.

A Rome police source said: "This could easily have been a double murder investigation and the second victim - although badly hurt - can think himself lucky he is not dead."

No one from the British Embassy in Rome was immediately available for comment and Marshall is expected to be questioned further by prosecutors ahead of appearing before an investigating judge.

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British Man Drowns At Egypt Resort

A British man has drowned while swimming in the sea off the popular Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh.

A British embassy spokeswoman in Cairo confirmed that the 50-year-old had drowned while swimming on Friday.

However, she said she could give no further detail on the circumstances surrounding his death.

The Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh

Sharm el Sheikh is one of the main Red Sea resorts and attracts millions of tourists each year.

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Pistorius: Oscar 'Will Never Be The Same'

Oscar Pistorius says he just wants to "be alone" since his release on bail and is feeling "a lot of remorse" over the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The Olympic athlete is staying at his uncle's home in Pretoria after a court banned him from returning to the luxury home where he shot Ms Steenkamp through a bathroom door.

His spokeswoman in South Africa told Sky News: "He told me, 'I just want this time to be alone'. He is in his room, he's spending time alone and he's feeling lot of remorse."

Ms Steenkamp was killed on Valentine's Day

The athlete's family has also released a new statement, saying: "Oscar will never be the same ... having to live with the knowledge that he caused the death of the woman he loved, and that he can never undo the immense pain and loss this has caused Reeva's family and friends".

His uncle Arnold added: "We are acutely aware of the fact that this is only the beginning of a long road to prove that, as we know, Oscar never intended to harm Reeva, let alone cause her death."

Pistorius, 26, is accused of premeditated murder after the Valentine's Day shooting. He denies murder.

Lawyers for the defence and prosecution are starting work on the trial phase of a case that is likely to grip South Africa and the world, with the next hearing set for June 4.

The athlete arrived at his uncle's house on Friday after paying 10% of his one million rand (£73,000) bail at Pretoria's Brooklyn police station, where he had been held for a week.

Meanwhile, Ms Steenkamp's father has told a South African newspaper that Pistorius will "suffer" if he is lying about how she died.

Pistorius is staying with his uncle Arnold

The Beeld newspaper quotes Barry Steenkamp as saying Pistorius will have to "live with his conscience" if his assertion that he accidentally shot the 29-year-old law graduate is false.

Horse trainer Mr Steenkamp said he might be able to forgive Pistorius one day if the double-amputee Olympian is telling the truth.

Her mother said that Pistorius' family had sent a card and flowers offering condolences for the death of her daughter but she added it meant little because: "They are not to blame."

However, Mike Steenkamp said the timing of the family's actions was poor and that they had not initially tried to contact Reeva's bereaved parents.

Chief magistrate Desmond Nair approved bail for Pistorius on Friday at the end of a two-hour summary in which he found the accused was unlikely to skip bail, be violent or approach any witnesses.

Nair said he had been influenced by Pistorius' decision to submit a detailed affidavit, in which he claimed he accidentally shot Ms Steenkamp through the bathroom door at his home in the east of Pretoria, thinking she was an intruder.

Under his bail conditions Pistorius must surrender any firearms and his passport and can not enter any international departure hall.

Ms Steenkamp's friend Kim Myers attended the bail hearing on Friday

He is also is banned from using any prohibited substance or alcohol and must report to police twice a week as part of his bail conditions.

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Three French Children Found With Throats Slit

Three French children - two brothers and their sister - have been found with their throats slit at their home near Paris.

A search has been launched for the missing mother of the children, aged nine, 11 and 17.

Their father, who is a doctor, raised the alarm after returning home in the morning from work, police and judicial sources said.

The authorities said: "The children had their throats slit but we are still awaiting forensic reports."

Forensic officers leaving the house after gathering evidence

The bodies of the nine-year-old girl and her 11-year-old brother showed multiple stab wounds.

When the emergency services arrived the eldest brother was still alive but he later died of his injuries.

The killings took place in the suburban town of Dampmart, 30km (19 miles) east of Paris, in the Seine-et-Marne region.

The father was found in a state of shock.

Police surround the crime scene

Police are "actively looking" for the mother, who is in her forties.

The couple were having marital problems, investigators said.

The residential street where the children were found was closed off by police.

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Athens Floods: Woman Saved Amid Traffic Chaos

Hours of relentless rainfall have flooded roads and homes in Athens, causing gridlock across the Greek capital and forcing authorities to close a central metro station.

A woman was rescued after getting stuck with her car north of Athens

The Greek fire brigade has been inundated with more than 600 calls to pump out water in the greater Athens region.

No injuries have been reported, but a woman whose car was caught in the flooding in Chalandri suburb, north of the city, had to be pulled to safety. 

With muddy waters racing by, a man comes to her rescue

In some areas, ankle-high water filled the streets and parked vehicles were swept away by racing waters.

Police closed underpasses and motorways in low-lying parts of the city after they were submerged in floodwaters.

"There are cars immobilised on several Athens highways and we have dispatched tow trucks to clear the roads," Dimitris Papanagiotou, a senior traffic police officer, told state television NET.

A parliament employee narrowly avoided injury when a glass roof on the building's ceiling gave way as she tried to clear away rainwater from it.

The damage was quickly repaired, a parliament press officer said.

The city's tram system had to be shut down, while urban rail schedules were disrupted after a tree fell on the tracks.

"We have around 60 fire crews operating, we believe the rain will abate before midday," deputy fire chief Vassilis Papageorgiou told NET.

Meanwhile in Catania on the Italian island of Sicily, torrential rainfall caused flooding and disruption, turning streets into rivers, and dragging along parked cars, motorcycles, chairs and tables.

A flooded road in Athens following a severe thunderstorm

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Rapper Kenny Clutch Dies In Vegas Shoot-Out

A rapper was one of three people killed when gunmen in a 4x4 opened fire on a Maserati on the Las Vegas Strip, causing a pile-up that triggered a giant fireball.

Kenny Clutch, whose real name was Kenneth Cherry Jr, was driving the sports car when occupants in a Range Rover opened fire.

The car veered out of control and smashed into a taxi carrying two people.

Mr Cherry, 27, an aspiring rapper, was regularly filmed for music videos, which appeared on YouTube, driving a silver Maserati along the Las Vegas Strip.

Kenny Clutch in a rap video with his Maserati

Attorney Vicki Greco, who has represented Mr Cherry for what she described as minor traffic issues and in a civil case, said she had been in touch with his family and friends and that they were "devastated" by his death.

The incident occurred near to where rapper Tupac Shakur was shot on September 7, 1996, while riding in a BMW with Death Row Records co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight after the two men had attended a Mike Tyson boxing match.

Clark County Sheriff Douglas Gillespie told a news conference that police had few leads on the Range Rover or its occupants.

The Maserati after the shooting crash

He said the men were considered "armed and dangerous", and they had launched a multi-state search and were seeking help from the public.

Sheriff Gillespie said: "I have been asked by many of you this morning, 'Is the Las Vegas Strip safe?' Yes it is."

After being hit by Mr Cherry's out-of-control Maserati, the cab exploded into flames in the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road, a popular tourist area in front of several casino resorts, killing the driver and a passenger.

The shooting happened near to where rapper Tupac Shakur was shot in 1996

"This doesn't happen where we come from, not on this scale," said Mark Thompson, who was visiting from Manchester, England, with his wife.

"We get stabbings, and gang violence, but this is like something out of a movie. Like Die Hard or something."

Another witness said: "There was a loud bang and I hear two other booms. I looked out my window at Caesar's Palace ... and could see the fireball."

The cars crashed at a busy intersection near the Bellagio

The gunfire and collision near the Bellagio and Caesar's Palace hotels triggered another crash involving four other vehicles.

At least four people were hurt, including a passenger in the Maserati.

The Range Rover sped off and was last seen near the Venetian resort as it headed north from the scene.

Police investigate the incident

Sky's Jeff Randall, who was on the Las Vegas Strip, said: "People here are utterly bewildered because this is a city that has tried to portray itself as family friendly and the last thing in the world the leisure barons want here is a rolling gun battle and what police are describing as a massive crime scene."

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Beheading: Man Guilty of Brit Gran's Murder

A man has been found guilty in Tenerife of murdering a British grandmother, who he decapitated on the Spanish island.

Bulgarian Deyan Deyanov has been convicted of killing 60-year-old Jennifer Mills-Westley in 2011.

The homeless 29-year-old drug addict was found guilty by a jury of nine at the Provincial Court in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

He repeatedly stabbed and then beheaded Ms Mills-Westley, who had been shopping in the popular resort of Los Cristianos on May 13, 2011.

Deyanov had denied murder. His defence had argued he was not criminally responsible for his actions because he suffers from acute paranoid schizophrenia.

He faces a sentence of 15 to 20 years in a psychiatric unit.

Deyan Deyanov (right). Photo: Ramon de la Rocha/PA Wire

Ms Mills-Westley, a retired road safety worker originally from Norwich, was attacked while she was in a Chinese-owned general store near the beach.

She had retired to the island to live in 2006 and owned two apartments in Los Cristianos, one of which she rented out.

That morning, Deyanov had walked into another shop and asked for a "big" knife because he was going to kill someone.

At 10.30am he went into the Mas Articulos Mejor Precios shop on Avenida Juan Carlos I, picked up a 22cm-long knife and plunged it into Ms Mills-Westley's neck 14 times.

He then walked out carrying her head, to the horror of onlookers, before being wrestled to the ground and arrested.

Living rough in Los Cristianos, the crack cocaine and LSD user was well-known to police on the island and had been arrested at least four times since January 2011 for violent offences.

A warrant for his arrest had been issued just three days before the killing but officers had been unable to locate him.

He had previously been sectioned in the summer of 2010 under the Mental Health Act in Glan Clwyd Hospital, North Wales, and again at Tenerife's La Candelaria hospital before being bailed in early February 2011.

The jury found that Deyanov was guilty of murder because he took his victim by surprise and she could not defend herself.

Even though he was suffering schizophrenia and his responsibility was diminished, in Spanish law he is guilty of murder.

Wearing an olive green hoodie, black tracksuit trousers and running shoes, Deyanov remained quiet and still as the verdict was read out.

Asked by magistrate Maria Jesus Garcia Sanchez if he had anything he wanted to say, he told his Bulgarian interpreter: "I am the the second reincarnation of Jesus Christ and I will bring the fire of the Holy Spirit to bear against this court."

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Oscar Pistorius Gets Bail Over Killing

Oscar Pistorius has been bailed by a court in South Africa after spending a week in custody charged with murdering model Reeva Steenkamp.

Cheers erupted as Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair read out his decision, which came at the end of a two-hour statement to the highly charged courtroom.

The magistrate set a number of conditions including one million rand (£73,000) in bail.

He will also be required to live at an undisclosed address, hand in his passport and report twice a week to a police station in Pretoria.

Pistorius' supporters prayed after the decision was announced

The double amputee is also banned from drinking alcohol, must hand over his guns and stay away from the estate where he lived.

And the magistrate added Pistorius still has lots questions to answer.

"I have difficulty in appreciating the accused did not ascertain the whereabouts of his girlfriend when he got off the the bed," Mr Nair said.

"I have difficulty with the accused not seeking to verify who was in the toilet when he could of ask.

The magistrate said Pistorius still has a lot of questions to answer

"I have difficulty understanding why the deceased didn't scream back from the toilet."

Sky's Alex Crawford said Pistorius burst into tears when the decision was read out.

"He had been crying quietly anyway, and it just seemed to prompt even more sobbing from him," Crawford said.

"His family are hugely relieved, some of them are crying, they're gathered together in a little huddle … hugging each other, some are sobbing, they are holding hands, and some at least appear to be praying."

The star is charged with premeditated murder over the shooting death of his girlfriend, Miss Steenkamp, in the early hours of February 14.

Pistorius left the courtroom in a silver vehicle

Prosecutors had warned that the star has the "money, means and motive" to flee South Africa if he is given bail.

But the judge said he did not believe Pistorius to be a "flight risk" or "pose a danger to society".

Pausing before he delivered his final decision to the packed courtroom, the magistrate said: "I come to the conclusion that the accused has made a case to be released on bail".

About an hour-and-a-half later Pistorius was driven away from the court in a silver vehicle.

Family and friends cheered and cried as the decision was read out

The case has been postponed until June 4.

After the decision was granted, a representative of the state said the investigation was ongoing and there was more evidence to gather.

The Olympian's uncle Arnold said after the decision: "Although we are obviously relieved that Oscar has been granted bail, this is still a very sad time for the family of Reeva and for us.

"We are grateful that the magistrate recognised the validity and strength of our application.

"As the family, we are convinced that Oscar's version of what happened on that terrible night will prove to be true."

Miss Steenkamp's friend Kim Myers said it was a very sad time

Outside the court, a friend of Miss Steenkamp, Kim Myers, said it has been a very sad time and people must remember the trial has not started.

"The bail application is not a trial and we hope and trust the justice will prevail," she said.

"We need to remember that some still lost their life.

"Our hearts and thoughts and prayers just go out to the Steenkamp family."

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Oscar Pistorius: 'No Forensic Evidence For Murder'

There is no forensic evidence to prove that Oscar Pistorius murdered his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, the Olympian's lawyer has told the court.

Barry Roux, acting for Pistorius, today attempted to pick apart the prosecution's claims arguing that the athlete better known as Blade Runner should be granted bail.

He said that the quality of the police evidence against the 26-year-old was poor and exposed "disastrous shortcomings" in the case.

Mr Roux outlined his case on the third day of Pistorius' bail hearing as the sporting hero sobbed in the dock.

Speaking from the court in Pretoria, Sky's Alex Crawford said: "He (Mr Roux) has started going point-by-point through each of the charges, or points, that the state has made as to why he (Pistorius) should not get bail.

"He has basically tried to steer the magistrate towards thinking that Oscar Pistorius has exceptional circumstances why he should be granted bail."

Oscar Pistorius holds a tissue as the defence outlines its case

The defence also pointed out that:

:: Pistorius tried to save Miss Steenkamp's life by carrying her downstairs and calling Netcare.

:: Pistorius didn't know the toilet door was locked when he shot - addressing the prosecution question over why a burglar would lock themselves in the bathroom.

:: Lead investigating officer Hilton Botha "did not show honesty" when giving evidence.

:: Botha tailored his evidence to incriminate Pistorius as much as possible.

:: Pistorius and Miss Steenkamp had a loving relationship and the prosecution had not proved otherwise.

:: If Pistorius had waited for police to arrive after Miss Steenkamp's death, why would he abscond now?

The family of Pistorius watch proceedings intently

Magistrate Desmond Nair asked Mr Roux: "Do you think there will be shock if the accused is released?"

Mr Roux replied: "No, after hearing his defence I think there will be shock if he's not."

The defence laid out its case amid scenes of high drama as proceedings were halted because of a "threat outside the court". However, no threat emerged and the court reconvened with no explanation from the magistrate over the adjournment.

Responding, the prosecution said:

:: He fired four shots so it was clear that Pistorius planned to kill someone.

:: Asked why he had not woken his girlfriend to ask her if she had heard and intruder?

:: Questioned why Miss Steenkamp had taken her mobile phone with her to the toilet at 3am.

The court has been adjourned and will reconvene tomorrow.

Detective Hilton Botha is facing charges of attempted murder

Earlier in the morning it had emerged that the leading officer in the case, Botha, is himself facing seven charges of attempted murder.

He is alleged to have shot at seven passengers as he attempted to stop a minibus in October 2011 while drunk on duty.

The charges were initially dropped but the state prosecutor reinstated them in the days before Miss Steenkamp was killed.

Police said that they were only informed of the reinstated charges yesterday and had subsequently bolstered the team investigating the killing of Miss Steenkamp.

Botha, who will himself appear in court in May, denies that he had been drinking and said that the people he was shooting at were suspects in an investigation.

The officer was summoned to the court by the magistrate this morning, however, the attempted murder charges were not addressed.

Instead Botha was asked about mobile phone records for Miss Steenkamp and Pistorius around the hours of the shooting.

Under cross-examination on Wednesday, Botha was accused of contaminating the crime scene in the Paralympic star's home and backtracked on key details, including the distance of witnesses from the house.

In his often confused testimony, Botha, who was described as a 24-year police veteran with 16 years experience as a detective, conceded that police had left a 9 mm slug from the shots that killed Miss Steenkamp inside a toilet at the scene.

Nike has suspended its endorsement of Pistorius

Police also lost track of illegal ammunition found inside the house, Botha said, and the detective himself walked through the crime scene without wearing protective shoe covers, potentially contaminating the area.

He also claimed in court that police found boxes of testosterone and needles in Pistorius' bedroom following the Valentine's Day shooting last week, but then said later he wasn't sure what the exact name of the substance was.

Miss Steenkamp, 29, was hit by three bullets - one in the head, the hip and arm, Pretoria Magistrates Court heard.

Pistorius has admitted shooting the model with a 9mm pistol pulled from under his bed, but claims he did so thinking she was a burglar who was in the bathroom.

After realising his mistake, he said he broke down the door with a cricket bat and carried her downstairs.

As today's hearing started, Nike confirmed that it had suspended its endorsement contract with Pistorius.

A spokesman said: "We believe Oscar Pistorius should be afforded due process and we will continue to monitor the situation closely."

:: The family of the athlete have devoted his official website to updates about the bail hearing and messages of support.

"We will issue at least two statements a day, in order to provide the media with the freshest news, taking into account the time differences," said Janine Hills, the chief executive of Vuma corporate reputation management.

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Syria: 'Dozens Killed' In Car Bomb Attack

At least 31 people have been killed in a car bombing near the headquarters of the ruling Baath party in Syria's capital, opposition activists say.

The UK-based group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said most of the dead were civilians but members of the Syrian security services were also killed in the Damascus attack.

Witnesses and opposition activists said the explosion targeted a security checkpoint in the central Mazraa neighbourhood.

State media also reported the blast, claiming a "large number" of civilians were killed and hurt in what it said was a suicide bombing.

It claimed the attack was carried out by "terrorists" battling President Bashar al Assad in a two-year uprising.

Syrian television broadcast footage of several bodies along a main street and firefighters dousing dozens of burning vehicles.

It reported that casualties included children at a nearby school.

Debris was spread over a wide area and black smoke billowed into the sky.

Eyewitnesses said a car had exploded at a security checkpoint between the Russian embassy and the HQ of Mr Assad's party.

President Assad's forces are battling Syrian rebels

The windows of the embassy were blown out by the blast but none of its staff were hurt, Russian news agencies reported.

And a police official at the scene told the AFP news agency: "It was a car bomb at the 16 November Square, near the Al Iman mosque."

One local resident said: "It was huge, everything in the shop turned upside down."

Damascus has so far mostly avoided the large-scale violence that has destroyed other Syrian cities.

But rebels who control districts to the south and east of the capital have been attacking Mr Assad's power base for nearly a month, and have carried out devastating bombings several times in the last year.

The United Nations has said around 70,000 people have died in the uprising since it began in March 2011.

Meanwhile, the opposition umbrella organisation, the Syrian National Coalition, is willing to negotiate a peace deal to end the war but Mr Assad cannot be a party to any settlement, a communique drafted for a major opposition meeting has said.

The communique, seen by Reuters, left out a direct demand for the president's removal, in a softening of tone from past positions that insisted he must go before there could be any talks.

The document, to be debated at a meeting of the opposition alliance's leadership, said Mr Assad and his chiefs must be held accountable for bloodshed and that any peace deal must be arranged by the United States and Russia.

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Pistorius Cop Facing Attempted Murder Charges

The police officer leading the Oscar Pistorius investigation has been replaced.

The move comes after it emerged that Hilton Botha is facing attempted murder charges.

Mr Botha and two other officers are alleged to have opened fire on seven passengers in a taxi mini-bus in an attempt to stop it. It is claimed that the officers, who were on duty at the time, were drunk.

They were arrested after the event in October 2011 and charges were initially dropped but were reinstated by the state prosecutor in the days before the shooting of Reeva Steenkamp.

Oscar Pistorius arrives at court for the third day of his bail hearing

Prosecutors had said that he should no longer be allowed to carry on investigating the case against the Olympian.

The South African Police Service has confirmed the charges against the detective and launched an investigation which may see Botha suspended.

Spokesman Neville Malila said: "We were only informed yesterday that attempted murders charges against Hilton Botha have been reinstated."

Neville Malila said they had bolstered the investigation team

Botha was summoned to the courtroom at the beginning of the third day of Pistorius' bail hearing, however, he was only asked to clarify why there had been delays in getting the mobile phone records of Pistorius and Miss Steenkamp in the hours surrounding the shooting incident.

The police only discovered the charges against Botha had been reinstated yesterday, although the decision was made before Miss Steenkamp's death. He is to appear in court in May.

Prosecutors admitted that the timing of the attempted murder charges had been "totally weird".

It is unclear why the charges against Botha were reinstated. He denies being drunk and has told a South African news channel that he was chasing suspects.

Hilton Botha arrives at court to give evidence at Pistorius' bail hearing

Sky's Alex Crawford said he was "absolutely shocked" and only heard about the charges being reinstated this morning.

Under cross-examination during Pistorius' bail hearing, Botha was accused of contaminating the crime scene in the Paralympic star's home and backtracked on key details, including the distance of witnesses from the house.

In his often confused testimony, Botha, who was described as a 24-year police veteran with 16 years as a detective, conceded that police had left a 9 mm slug from the shots that killed Miss Steenkamp inside a toilet at the scene.

Oscar Pistorius is due to find out whether he will be granted bail

Police also lost track of illegal ammunition found inside the house, Botha said, and the detective himself walked through the crime scene without wearing protective shoe covers, potentially contaminating the area.

He also claimed in court that police found boxes of testosterone and needles in multiple Paralympic champion Pistorius' bedroom following the Valentine's Day shooting last week, but then said later he wasn't sure what the exact name of the substance was.

The lead defence counsel Barry Roux accused the police of oversights and mistakes on their initial investigation.

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Hyderabad Blast: 'Multiple Deaths'

At least 15 people are reported to have been killed and dozens others are missing after three blasts in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad.

The blasts were about 10 minutes apart and took place in the early evening - the first going off just after 7pm local time.

The blasts occurred outside near a cafe, a cinema and a bus station in the busy area of Dilsukh Nagar.

Dozens have been rushed to hospital with injuries, a police spokesman said.

Another unexploded device is being investigated, Sky News' Alex Rossi said.

Police say they are trying to discover the cause of the explosions.

Hyderbad is India's fourth most populous city with a population of 6.8 million people.

Several other cities in India have been put on high alert.

Police are working on the theory that the explosions are "the work of a professional terror group".

The last major bomb attack in India was a September 2011 blast outside the high court in New Delhi that killed 13 people.

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Three Dead In Las Vegas 'Rolling Gun Battle'

Three people are dead and at least three wounded after a "rolling gun battle" and multi-vehicle crash on the Las Vegas strip, police have confirmed.

Sgt John Sheahan said five vehicles were involved, including a taxi that burst into flames and killed two people at a busy intersection.

The officer said people in a Maserati and an sports utility vehicle (SUV) were exchanging gunfire before the Maserati hit the taxi.

The Maserati driver, the taxi driver and a taxi passenger were killed.

Three other vehicles were involved in the wreck, but Sgt Sheahan says the SUV was gone when police arrived.

At least three people were taken to hospital, including a passenger from the Maserati.

Sgt Sheahan said more people may be hurt.

More follows...

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North Korea Video Shows Obama In Flames

A new North Korean video shows President Barack Obama and American troops in flames and blames US hostility for its recent nuclear test.

The footage was uploaded on YouTube - two weeks after a separate video that showed New York City burning after an apparent missile attack.

Both videos were uploaded by the North's official website, Uriminzokkiri, which distributes news and propaganda from the state media.

The latest video came with a series of Korean-language captions, arguing that North Korea had been forced into conducting its latest nuclear test on February 12 because of US hostility.

"The North's high-level nuclear test aimed at US invaders, is the nuclear deterrent to safeguard our sovereignty," one caption read.

"The US practically guided the North towards conducting the nuclear test," it added.

The video showed images of Mr Obama waving and preparing to deliver his State of the Union address - all superimposed against a background of rising flames.

It ended with an animated sequence of a nuclear bomb being detonated in an underground bunker and the message: "The whole world is now watching. The US must answer now".

The North's latest test was its biggest yet in terms of explosive yield and, according to Pyongyang, marked a breakthrough in its efforts to develop a "miniaturised" warhead that could fit on a ballistic missile.

The earlier video posted by Uriminzokkiri had to be withdrawn, after it emerged that the footage of a burning New York was taken from the Call of Duty video game.

The makers of the game, California-based Activision, filed a copyright complaint.

The US is negotiating in the Security Council for stronger UN sanctions against Pyongyang following its nuclear test in the far northeast, the country's third since 2006.

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India: Sisters Raped And Dumped In Well

Three sisters aged six, nine and 11 were raped and murdered before their bodies were dropped in a village well in rural India, police said.

The children's bodies were found last week, two days after they went missing on February 14 from their home in the Bhandara district of Maharashtra state, police superintendent Aarti Singh said.

"The bodies of the three young girls were found in a well, with their schoolbags and footwear," he told reporters.

"The post-mortem has confirmed that the girls were raped and then murdered."

No arrests have been made but the superintendent said four people had been detained for questioning and investigations were still under way.

Family members said the girls had gone out to look for their mother and no one heard from them again.

India's NDTV broadcaster reported their grandfather as saying they were lured away by strangers who promised them food. 

The girls, who lost their father four years ago, live in abject poverty. 

The incident has led to protests in the village, echoing angry rallies in the capital New Delhi after the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a bus in December.

That incident sparked a nationwide debate about the treatment of women and girls and their safety in India.

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Oscar Pistorius: Prosecution Outlines Case

Prosecutors have directly challenged two of Oscar Pistorius' key claims about the night he shot and killed his girlfriend.

Investigating officer Hilton Botha says a witness saw lights on after the shooting - despite the Paralympian earlier claiming he was too frightened to switch on the light fearing intruders were inside his home.

A statement on behalf of the 26-year-old athlete - read out in court on Tuesday - also said he was not wearing his prosthetic legs at the time and felt vulnerable.

But Mr Botha said that the trajectory of the shots fired through the bathroom door was downward, suggesting that he was firing from a standing position at a height where he must have a been wearing the limbs.

The court was also told that "non-stop shouting" was heard coming from Pistorius' home before Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead.

A diagram of Oscar Pistorius' bathroom was shown to the court

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said the prosecution team has a witness who heard the shouting between 2am and 3am.

The details were revealed as the second day of the 26-year-old athlete's bail hearing began at Pretoria Magistrates' Court.

In an affidavit, Pistorius has denied murdering the model Miss Steenkamp, 29, at his home in the early hours of Thursday.

He has said the couple were in love and he fired through a closed toilet door within the bathroom, hitting the victim, thinking a burglar or burglars were inside.

Mr Botha described the moment he arrived at the athlete's house in the early hours of the morning and found Miss Steenkamp's body lying on the ground floor at the bottom of the stairs.

Miss Steenkamp's funeral was held in Port Elizabeth

He said she was dressed in white shorts and a black top, and covered in towels.

The officer told the court that he saw a firearm on the shower mat, and one bullet cartridge in the passageway and three in the bathroom.

He said unlicensed .38 calibre ammunition was found at his home, and he wanted the Olympian charged with unlawful possession.

Needles and testosterone were also found in his bedroom, the court heard.

The court heard that he had previously arrested Pistorius for assault after a woman complained the athlete had assaulted her - the case was later dropped.

Earlier the Paralympian arrived at the court in the back of a police car with a blue blanket covering his head. He entered the courtroom wearing a dark suit and tie just after 8am UK time.

The chances of Pistorius being given bail lessened at the first bail hearing on Tuesday after Magistrate Desmond Nair ruled the case a schedule six offence - meaning premeditated murder.

It means his lawyers now have to prove "exceptional circumstances" for him to be granted bail until he goes to trial.

Mr Botha told the court that Pistorius is a "flight risk" and could flee if given bail.

He admitted that he initially had no objections to Pistorius being given bail, but changed his mind after speaking to the forensics team.

He said the athlete has offshore accounts and a house in Italy, and stresses that South Africa does not have extradition agreements with all countries.

Pistorius has said he had been a victim of crime and received death threats, but the court heard there were no records of this.

His father Henke and brother Carl - who have supported him in the two previous hearings - looked on from the public gallery.

The proceedings were delayed as more than 100 journalists squeezed into court to report the hearing.

There were chaotic scenes as one reporter fainted, an overflow room was set up to provide more space and courtroom screens had technical problems.

The hearing was adjourned until Thursday, but one court official has speculated that it could run until Friday.

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Oscar Pistorius' Defence Team Grills Top Cop

The police detective investigating the killing of Reeva Steenkamp has admitted there were no signs that she had defended herself against an assault before she died.

Oscar Pistorius' defence lawyer Barry Roux grilled investigating officer Hilton Botha as the South African sports star sought bail.

He also raised doubts over the reliability of a witness who said they heard screaming and saw lights on in Pistorius' house after the shots were fired – in direct contradiction of the star's earlier statement.

Mr Roux pointed out that the apparent witness was hundreds of metres away from the house.

The prosecution, which wants to prove that the runner had deliberately planned to kill Miss Steenkamp, was also forced to admit that Pistorius's claim that he mistook her for an intruder matched the crime scene.

"It sounds consistent," Mr Botha said.

He also admitted that he walked through the crime scene without foot covers, possibly contaminating it.

"You were in the house walking with unprotected shoes," Mr Roux said. "That should not happen."

Oscar Pistorius denies murdering his girlfriend

A prosecution claim that Pistorius sleeps on the right side of the bed was also challenged.

Mr Roux said: "He normally sleeps on the right side of the bed. But he had a shoulder problem so that evening he slept on the left side."

Mr Botha told the court on Wednesday that a police search found testosterone and needles in Pistorius' bedroom, amid speculation that performance-enhancing drugs may have influenced his mental state.

But Mr Roux said the substance was not testosterone but an acceptable supplement: "It's a herbal remedy and he can use it and he has used it before."

Sky's Alex Crawford, reporting from the court, said: "I think very much the family feels this has been a good day for the defence."

Pistorius, the first double amputee to compete against able-bodied athletes in the Olympics, says he shot her by mistake through a locked bathroom door, believing she was a burglar.

The 26-year-old said he kept a firearm under his bed at night because he had been a victim of violence and burglaries before and had received death threats.

But the state prosecutor said the athlete would face an additional charge of possessing unlicenced .38 special calibre ammunition.

Magistrate Desmond Nair said he could not rule out that there was some planning involved in the killing, which may be considered as a premeditated murder, setting a high bar for bail.

The bail hearing was adjourned until Thursday.

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Oscar Pistorius: What Police Found At The Scene

During the second day of Oscar Pistorius' bail hearing, police described what they found in his house after the body of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was discovered at the foot of stairs on the ground floor.

Bedroom

:: Investigating officer Hilton Botha told the court police found two boxes of testosterone, needles and injections in the bedroom.

Defence lawyer Barry Roux said the box contained herbal medication called Testocompasutium co-enzyme, not testosterone.

:: Mr Botha said a gun holster was found on the left side of the bed where Ms Steenkamp's slippers and overnight bag were.

::  Pistorius illegally possessed .38-caliber ammunition in a safe in his bedroom, according to Mr Botha but the defence lawyer said it belonged to the athlete's father.

A diagram of Pistorius' house shown in court

Bathroom

:: Mr Botha said he saw a firearm on the shower mat, one bullet cartridge in the passageway and three in the bathroom.

:: Mr Roux said there was a spent bullet inside the toilet bowl, which Mr Botha had failed to find.

:: An iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 were found on the shower mat, which Mr Botha said had not been used to call the ambulance. However, Mr Roux said Pistorius had called Netcare hospital at 3.20am and the housing complex manager received a call asking for help.

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Reeva Steenkamp Funeral: Family Pay Tribute

The family of shot Reeva Steenkamp have paid an emotional tribute following her funeral, as one mourner said her killer must "stay in jail".

They attended a private service in Port Elizabeth as her boyfriend, the athlete Oscar Pistorius, appeared in court charged with premeditated murder.

Ms Steenkamp died from gun wounds

Mike Steenkamp, her uncle, said they would remain positive about her life: "We have to keep Reeva in our hearts forever." 

He also thanked well-wishers in South Africa and around the world for their "tremendous" compassion.

Ms Steenkamp's brother, Adam, said: "There's a space missing inside all the people that she knew that can't be filled again. We'll miss her."

Mourners including her father Barry and mother June earlier comforted each other outside a crematorium in the city, in southern South Africa, before the 29-year-old's casket was carried inside.

Gavin Venter, who used to work for Barry Steenkamp, said: "Without a doubt (Pistorius) is a danger to the public ... He must stay in jail. He's already shown how dangerous he can be for what he did to Reeva."

The model and law graduate died from gunshot wounds on Thursday.

Hundreds of miles away from the funeral, prosecutors have been laying out details of the case against Pistorius, 26, at a bail hearing in Pretoria.

They say Paralympian and Olympian Pistorius, who denies murder, put on his prosthetic legs and walked seven metres before firing four times through a bathroom door at his luxury home in Pretoria, killing her.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the packed court that an unarmed Ms Steenkamp locked herself inside the cramped bathroom because she was scared after a row.

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Diamond Heist: Raid At International Airport

Armed robbers have pulled off an audacious heist at Brussels airport, making off with diamonds worth around $50m (£32.2m).

The robbery - which took place on Monday night and lasted just three minutes - was "one of the biggest" ever, a spokeswoman for the Antwerp World Diamond Centre said, adding that the diamonds were "rough stones" being transported from Antwerp to Zurich.

Earlier reports had put the value of the shipment at about £300m.

The gang of eight  hooded thieves hit a Brinks transport truck on the airport tarmac as its contents were being loaded onto a Swiss aircraft bound for Zurich.

An airport spokesman said the robbers cut a hole in a perimeter fence but was unable to explain why it had been so easy for them to avoid security.

"We abide by the most stringent rules," Jan Van Der Crujsse said.

Brussels prosecutor's spokeswoman Anja Bijnens said the masked men, who were wearing police uniforms and carrying machine guns drove two vehicles up to the plane.

They seized at least 120 packages, which was only a partial haul from the shipment, she said.

The pilot, co-pilot and staff from a Brink's armoured car that transported the gems were held up but "no shots were fired and no-one was injured," Ms Bijnens explained.

A specialist Belgian prosecutors unit dealing with organised crime is "pursuing all lines of enquiry", she said, and is collaborating also with Swiss authorities.

"This was not a random robbery, It was well-prepared - these were professionals."

There are more than 4,500 diamond dealers in Antwerp, the hub for a worldwide industry going back at least 500 years.

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Double Identical Twins Born On Same Day

A woman has given birth to two sets of identical twin boys at the same time, a one-in-70-million chance experience.

Tressa Montalvo, 36, was not on any fertility drugs and said that she and her husband Manuel were simply trying to have a little brother or sister for their two-year-old son Memphis.

"We planned the pregnancy - I guess we just succeeded a little too much," she said.

Mrs Montalvo gave birth to the four brothers at The Woman's Hospital of Texas, Houston, via caesarean section.

When Mrs Montalvo was 10 weeks pregnant, her doctor told her she was having twins, and on a subsequent visit, the doctor detected a third heartbeat.

Tressa Montalvos: "We were blessed with four"

The Montalvos were later informed they were having four babies, not just quadruplets but two sets of twins.

The odds of delivering two sets of naturally occurring identical twins is somewhere in the range of 1 in 70 million, according to the hospital.

Two boys shared one placenta and the other boys shared another placenta.

Ace and Blaine were born at 8.51am on February 14 and weighed 3lbs 10oz (1.64 kg), and 3lbs 15oz (1.79 kg), respectively.

Mr Montalvo wants to keep trying for a girl

Cash and Dylan followed a minute later, weighing 2lbs 15oz (1.33 kg), and 3lbs 6oz (1.53 kg), respectively.

"We tried to stick to the A-B-C-D theme when naming them," Mrs Montalvo said. "We didn't expect it, we were trying for just one and we were blessed with four."

Mr Montalvo said that they would keep on trying for more children because he still wants a girl.

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Oscar Pistorius: 'I Did Not Mean To Kill Her'

Oscar Pistorius said he had no intention of killing his girlfriend and loved her deeply according to an affidavit read out in court by his lawyer.

Earlier in the hearing, prosecutors claimed Pistorius got up from bed, put on his prosthetic legs and walked seven metres before shooting Reeva Steenkamp through a closed bathroom door. 

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said the details showed it was a premeditated murder, adding there was "a motive to kill".

But in a statement detailing his version of events, Pistorius said he woke up in pitch darkness to a sound in the bathroom believing an intruder had climbed through the window. He described his sense of terror.

Oscar Pistorius is charged with murdering Reeva Steenkamp

The 26-year-old didn't realise Ms Steenkamp wasn't in bed and shot at the door on his stumps, feeling vulnerable without his prosthetics.

The Paralympian said he then put on his prosthetic legs and used a cricket bat to break open the bathroom door where the 29-year-old was alive, slumped over in the toilet. He called the paramedics before she died in his arms.

"I'm absolutely mortified at the death of my beloved Reeva," the statement said.

Pistorius added that he had previously received death threats, so kept a 9mm pistol under his bed.

:: How The Hearing Unfolded In Court

In an affidavit from close friends of the pair, Ms Steenkamp's best friend said the model told her she would marry Pistorius if he asked.

The magistrate had to stop the proceedings briefly as Pistorius sobbed uncontrollably as he listened.

A gun being carried from Pistorius' home

Earlier, magistrate Desmond Nair ruled that, for the purpose of the bail hearing, the case was a schedule six offence or premeditated murder, which means it will be difficult for the sports icon to get bail. 

Outlining the prosecution case, Mr Nel said Ms Steenkamp fled to the small, cramped bathroom and locked herself in because she was scared after they'd had a row on Valentine's Day.

Ms Steenkamp was killed by three of the four shots fired by Pistorius at his home in South Africa last Thursday. The family attended her funeral in Port Elizabeth this morning.

Mr Nel said the defence had a number of questions to answer, including:

:: Why did Pistorius carry Ms Steenkamp's body down a staircase after she was shot?

Relatives and friends at the funeral of Ms Steenkamp

:: Why didn't Pistorius look for his girlfriend if he suspected there was a burglar in the house?

:: Why did Ms Steenkamp lock herself in the toilet - was she afraid of being shot or killed?

:: Why did he put on his prosthetic limbs and walk seven metres to the bathroom?

Mr Nel said: "If I arm myself, walk a distance and murder a person, that is premeditated. The door is closed. There is no doubt. I walk seven metres and I kill. The motive is 'I want to kill'. That's it."

Pistorius, who won two gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, broke down in tears at the start of the hearing.

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford, inside the court in Pretoria, said the double amputee's "face was creased in pain" and he was "weeping" as he was formally charged with murder.

The prosecutor said Pistorius, nicknamed the Blade Runner, "killed an innocent woman".

At the start of proceedings, Pistorius, in a grey suit and tie, nodded after the chief magistrate asked if he was well. And he nodded his appreciation when his brother, Carl, pressed his shoulder in support.

Journalists jammed into the courtroom, which was full with almost 100 people, including Pistorius' father, Henke, and sister Aimee.

The hearing has been adjourned until Wednesday.

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Oscar Pistorius: Clashing Accounts Of Shooting

Two very different versions of what happened in the moments before Reeva Steenkamp's death have been heard at a bail hearing for Oscar Pistorius.

The athlete has been charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend in the early hours of Valentine's Day. He denies murder.

Below are the key arguments from the prosecution, along with Pistorius' account of events as read from his statement in court.

:: The Prosecution

Pistorius fired his gun four times into the door of a bathroom, knowing that Ms Steenkamp was inside after an argument.

She had locked herself in the room after fleeing down a seven-metre passage from the bedroom following the row at Pistorius' luxury home in Pretoria, South Africa.

Pistorius followed her with his 9mm pistol, first putting on his prosthetic legs.

He shot his gun four times through the door, killing an "unarmed and defenceless" woman. The door was then broken open from the outside.

There was "no possible explanation" to support Pistorius' claim of mistaken identity - that he believed the person inside the bathroom was a burglar.

If that were the case, prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued, why wasn't Pistorius' first thought to the whereabouts of his girlfriend?

Mr Nel argued there was a motive for the killing.

:: The Defence

Pistorius had "no intention" of killing his "beloved" Ms Steenkamp and he is "absolutely mortified" by her death.

In the early hours he heard a noise and thought an intruder had come through a bathroom window and was hiding there. He felt vulnerable and shouted for the intruder to get out and for Ms Steenkamp to call police.

It was dark and Pistorius thought Ms Steenkamp was lying on her bed, not that she was in the bathroom. He wanted to protect her.

Pistorius hobbled to the bathroom on his stumps and fired his gun, a 9mm pistol he kept under his bed because he had received death threats.

After the shooting, he returned to his bed and saw that Ms Steenkamp was not there.

He shouted for help, broke open a door with a cricket bat and found her still alive. He carried her downstairs.

He had got up to fetch a fan from the balcony when he heard the noise in the toilet earlier, which is why he did not notice Ms Steenkamp was not on the bed.

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Meteor: Space Rock Fragments In Russian Lake

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent

Russian scientists believe they have recovered fragments of a meteor that exploded spectacularly near the Ural Mountains.

The tiny samples were found near a frozen lake in Chebarkul, where an eight-metre crater has formed in the ice.

Initial searches of the lake failed to find any traces, but a scientific expedition on Sunday recovered unusual rocks nearby, which appear to match the composition of meteorites.

Viktor Grokhovsky, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told the RIA Novosti news agency: "We confirm that the particles of a substance found by our expedition near Lake Chebarkul really do have the composition of a meteorite."

Mr Grokhovsky's Urals Federal University posted a photograph on its website of a person holding a tiny piece of porous black rock between his index finger and thumb.

"This meteorite belongs to the class of regular chondrites," a university statement said.

"Most likely, the find will be called Meteorite Chebarkul."

More than 1,200 people were injured on Friday, mostly by broken glass and damaged buildings caused by a pressure wave accompanying the meteor blast. It caused an estimated £21m worth of damage

Damage caused by the meteorite is repaired by workers

The meteor fragmented between 20 and 30 miles above the Earth's surface and may have scattered pieces over a large area of the industrial region.

Meteor rock that survives the journey through the Earth's atmosphere to reach the ground is known as meteorite.

Mr Grokhovsky said the fragments were approximately 10% metallic iron, combined with substances called chrysolite and sulphite.

Russian authorities have set up a cordon around the lake to deter meteorite-hunters and independent researchers, but Grokhovsky said he was confident their findings indicated a much larger meteorite was concealed within the lake.

He said they had found around 50 tiny fragments from the snow close to the lake.

"The lake is still cordoned off, but it is quite clear that a meteorite is buried there," he told the Interfax news agency.

"Since we found the fragments - traces of the upper layers of the meteorite - that means that its main mass is resting in the lake."

Mr Grokhovsky explained that his research team was not acting on the authority of the Russian government, but that he had felt compelled to take action because it was such a rare and scientifically important event.

"We decided to do this on our own," he said.

"As a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences committee, I simply could not stand idly by. So I decided to send our guys there."

Other meteorite-hunters may be less altruistically-motivated. Adverts have been posted on Russian websites offering as much as 300,000 rubles (£6,400) for an authentic piece of the Chebarkul meteorite.

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Oscar Pistorius: Grief of Girlfriend's Mother

The mother of Reeva Steenkamp, who was allegedly murdered by boyfriend Oscar Pistorius, has asked: "Why my little girl?"

Speaking out for the first time about the death of her 29-year-old daughter, June Steenkamp told the Times of South Africa: "She had so much of herself to give and now all that is gone - just like that, she is gone.

"In the blink of an eye and a single breath, the most beautiful person who ever lived is no longer here.

"All we have is this horrendous death to deal with ... to get to grips with.

"All we want are answers ... answers as to why this had to happen, why our beautiful daughter had to die like this."

She said: "Why my little girl? Why did this happen? Why did he do this?"

Gold medal-winning Paralympian Pistorius was arrested and charged last Thursday with the premeditated murder of Miss Steenkamp, a model who he had been dating since November.

Oscar Pistorius had been dating Reeva Steenkamp since November

Miss Steenkamp's father Barry said on Sunday he did not hate Pistorius following his arrest.

More than 100 people are expected to attend an hour-long memorial service for the law graduate on Tuesday.

She will be cremated in her home town of Port Elizabeth, in a private ceremony for family and friends.

Well-wishers have already begun placing bouquets of flowers outside the family home.

Thousands of people saw her appear in a TV programme on Saturday night after her family said they wanted the broadcast to go ahead.

There had been controversy over the airing of Tropika Island of Treasure as Miss Steenkamp talked about how making the right 'exit' was important.

The broadcast went ahead after the programme makers said they had been told that the family wanted it to be shown.

Her uncle Mike Steenkamp said the family had been overwhelmed with offers of help.

Police have said Miss Steenkamp was shot four times in the early hours of Thursday by a pistol owned by Pistorius and died of her wounds at the scene.

His family has insisted that the evidence will refute "any possibility of a premeditated murder or indeed any murder at all".

Pistorius, 26, who broke down sobbing in his first court appearance on Friday, has built up a powerful team of lawyers, medical specialists and public relations experts for his defence.

Stuart Higgins, a former editor of The Sun newspaper, whose lengthy list of clients includes British Airways, Chelsea FC and Manchester United football club, will be handling Pistorius' public relations.

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Russian Politician Found Dead In Cement Barrel

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent

The body of a missing Russian politician has been found inside a cement-filled barrel in a cellar near Moscow, police said.

Mikhail Pakhomov, 37, a city councillor in Lipetsk, central Russia, disappeared on February 12.

Detectives immediately opened an investigation into his murder.

"The body of Mikhail Pakhomov, a lawmaker from Lipetsk city council, has been found in one of the cellars of a private garage in a metal barrel filled with cement," the investigative committee said in a statement.

"Investigators have gathered enough evidence to establish the violent nature of Pakhomov's death."

Eleven people have been arrested on suspicion of kidnap and/or murder, including a 40-year-old man from Moscow described by police as the suspected mastermind.

The former deputy minister of housing services for the Moscow region, Yevgeny Kharitonov, was charged on Sunday with ordering Pakhomov's kidnapping before his body was found.

No motive has yet been found for what police are calling a suspected contract killing.

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Marc Dutroux: Child Killer Denied Freedom

Serial paedophile child killer Marc Dutroux - one of Belgium's most notorious criminals - has been denied early release from prison for fear he might re-offend.

A Belgian court on Monday turned down a request by the 56-year-old to serve out the rest of his life sentence at home under electronic surveillance.

The court said there were "no grounds" for an early release, citing the "absence of any prospect that Dutroux" could be reintegrated into society.

The electrician had claimed he could find work as either a plumber or floor-layer.

But psychiatric, prison and judicial reports said this was not a realistic possibility, adding that where he would live was uncertain, while there was also a risk he might commit fresh crimes or harass his victims or their families.

Dutroux appeared in court on February 4 to request his release on parole

Earlier, the murderer's mother had warned she feared he would re-offend if he was freed from prison early.

Speaking in an interview published just hours before the court decision on his parole, 78-year-old Jeannine Dutroux told Le Soir Magazine: "I am certain he will start again. He is a danger to society.

"Marc isn't ready to be released because he still wants to attribute to others the responsibility for what he did.

"He hasn't got any sense of reality. This is a repeat offender in his soul as he has already proved throughout his life."

Dutroux - dubbed the "monster of Charleroi" by the press - is serving a life term for kidnapping, torturing and abusing six young girls in 1995 and 1996, and murdering four of them, including two eight-year-olds.

The 56-year-old, who has been in prison for 16 years, launched a bid earlier this month for early release.

Under Belgian law, criminals can be freed after serving a third of their sentences, or after 15 years in the case of those who have been jailed for life.

Dutroux, who was arrested in 1996, was convicted and sentenced to life in 2004.

He had already served two extra years under a separate charge, allowing him to request early release this year.

Dutroux's case sent shockwaves through Belgium, not only because of the horrific nature of the murders, but also the police blunders.

Police searched one of Dutroux's houses while two eight-year-old victims were being held there, but left the premises without finding them.

The pair later starved to death in a makeshift dungeon.

Dutroux's former wife, Michelle Martin - who let two girls starve to death in the cellar while her husband was in jail for theft - was approved for early release in July and now lives in a convent.

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South Africa: Shooting At Anglo American Mine

Security staff have been attacked with machetes and five miners shot in the latest wave of violence to hit a South African mine.

Police confirmed a shooting at the Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) facility in Rustenburg.

There has been an unconfirmed report that one person has been killed and 13 wounded.

The mine is owned by London-listed Anglo American, which saw a 2.5% fall in its share price on the FTSE 100 when news of the trouble emerged.

Machetes were seen during separate disputes in the country in 2012

Police spokesman Thulani Ngubane said a stand-off, allegedly between rival unions National Union of Mineworkers and the Association for Mineworkers and Construction Union, had deteriorated and fighting broke out.

"They are fighting for occupancy of the union offices," he said and confirmed an unknown number of injured had been rushed to a mine hospital.

It had earlier been reported that security guards opened fire to break up rival staff.

The violence follows a two-month illegal strike last autumn at the same site, 70 miles northwest of Johannesburg, where police used rubber bullets as well as tear gas and stun grenades to dispel striking workers.

The continuing dispute is related to anger over Amplats' plans to lay off an additional 14,000 workers amid poor company results which recorded a loss of $225m (£143m) for 2012.

It is among several mining companies in South Africa grappling with higher expenses amid the worst industrial action the country has seen for decades.

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