Capitol Chase Woman's Family Speak Out

A sister of the woman shot dead by police in Washington after trying to ram her car through a White House barrier says there were no indications that her sister was unstable.

Miriam Carey's actions sparked a high-speed car chase on Thursday which ended with the 34-year-old mother, of Stamford, Connecticut, being shot by officers.

Carey's one-year-old daughter who was in the car with her at the time was unharmed and has been taken into protective custody.

The incident came at a time of high political tension in the US capital, with Congress debating how to resolve the shutdown of the federal government when shots rang out.

Miriam Carey was a dental hygienist. Pic: Facebook

Last night, Carey's sister Amy Carey-Jones said her sister "seemed OK" the last time they spoke more than a week ago.

She said her family had "a lot of questions" about her sister's death and why police opened fire.

"My sister was a loving mother, she was a law abiding citizen, she had no political agenda and she did not deserve to have her life cut down at the age of 34," she added.

A second sister, retired New York City police officer Valarie Carey, said police should not have used deadly force.

She said there was "no need for a gun to be used".

Speaking outside Valarie Carey's home in Brooklyn, both sisters said Miriam had been suffering from post-natal depression since the birth of her baby.

A federal law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Carey held the delusional belief that President Barack Obama was communicating with her.

Carey had made delusional "expressions about the president in the past" and "believed there was some communications to her", and concerns about her mental health were reported in the last year to Stamford police, the official said.

Carey's one-year-old daughter was unhurt

Carey, who worked as a dental hygienist, had no previous run-ins with the US Secret Service, which is responsible for White House security, a law enforcement official said.

Police said there appeared to be no direct link to terrorism, and there was no indication Carey was armed.

Capitol Police Chief Kim Dine called it an "isolated, singular matter".

The chase began shortly after 2pm when a black Toyota Infiniti attempted to smash through the barricade close to the White House.

Video footage showed officers with guns drawn attempting to get the driver out of the vehicle.

But Carey spun the car around and sped away, knocking a law enforcement official.

The car raced up Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Capitol where Congress was in session.

Police chased and fired at the car, which came to a halt near the Capitol building, and she was shot dead.

By the end of the chase, two people were injured - a Secret Service member struck by the car outside the White House, and a Capitol Police officer whose vehicle hit a barricade during the chase.

22.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Morocco Teenagers Arrested Over Facebook Kiss

Police have arrested a teenage boy and girl in northern Morocco for posting a photo on Facebook of them kissing.

The action has provoked a slew of copycats in protest at their detention, a rights organisation has said.

Chakib al Khayari, president of the Rif Association of Human Rights, said: "It involves a teenage boy and his girlfriend. They were arrested on Thursday for violating public decency by posting a photo of them kissing in the northeastern town of Nador."

The photograph was taken outside the high school where the two are students.

The young couple are being held in the juvenile detention centre in Nador, where a sit-in has started to demand their release, Mr Khayari said.

Their arrest, for violating public decency, has caused such a stir among young people that a number of other couples have posted similar photos on their Facebook pages.

A similar campaign has also been launched on Twitter using the hashtag #FreeBoussa.

Mr Khayari said the pair are to appear before a juvenile court judge next Friday.

22.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kenya Massacre: Video Shows Gunmen In Mall

A video has emerged showing four gunmen involved in the massacre at a shopping centre in Nairobi, Kenya.

It shows the heavily-armed attackers walking through a storeroom in the mall and searching other adjacent rooms. 

It is understood that the CCTV pictures captured the gunmen mid-way through the assault - as many of the victims remained trapped inside Westgate Mall.

The footage comes as Kenya's military spokesman named four people implicated in the attack.

Two of the gunmen in one of the storerooms

Major Emmanuel Chirchir gave their names as Abu Baara al-Sudani, Omar Nabhan, Khattab al-Kene and Umayr.

Al-Sudani, from Sudan, was the leader of the group inside the mall and had been trained by al Qaeda, said Chirchir.

He is "an experienced fighter and sharpshooter", he added.

Nabhan, a Kenyan of Arab origin, was born in Mombasa and travelled to Somalia with his uncle at the age of 16, said the spokesman.

The third attacker, Al-Kene, is said to be Somali from the capital Mogadishu, and is linked to al Shabaab Islamist militants, Chirchir said.

One of the gunmen holds a weapon in the storeroom

The other names of the fourth attacker, Umayr, as well as his nationality and history were "not yet identified", he said.

Al-Kene and Umayr are known members of al Hijra, a Kenyan extremist group affiliated with al Shabaab, according to Matt Bryden, former head of the United Nations Monitoring Group on Somalia.

The latest video footage of the September attack surfaced after a government official revealed that security cameras appeared to show fewer gunmen than originally thought.

Kenya's government initially said 10 to 15 attackers were involved in the assault, which left at least 67 people dead.

However, police now believe between four and six people took part in the protracted siege. 

"From what we have now that is coming out of the investigation, the number of attackers was between four to six," police chief David Kimaiyo told Kenyan television station KTN.

Some of the mall complex collapsed during the three-day siege

"None of them managed to escape from the building after the attack," he said.

Kimaiyo also confirmed that wanted British "White Widow" Samantha Lewthwaite - reported to have been one of the attackers - was not involved.

He said: "On Samantha we have also established that she was not part of the attackers in the building. There was no woman."

Al Shabaab has said it carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenya sending troops into Somalia nearly two years ago.

The group has promised more attacks inside Kenya unless those troops are withdrawn.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has vowed to continue the military mission inside Somalia despite the mall attack.

Mr Kenyatta ordered a commission of inquiry into the attack. The Red Cross says a further 39 people are still unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, Somali al Shabaab militants have claimed foreign forces raided one of its bases in the early hours of Saturday and attacked a house.

Forces landed on the beach at Barawe -110 miles south of Mogadishu - and a gunfight ensued, a spokesman for al Shabaab's military operations, told the Reuters news agency.

Pentagon spokesman George Little declined to comment on whether US forces had taken part in the alleged raid.

22.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Prince Harry Celebrates Navy Centenary In Oz

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

Prince Harry is in Australia helping the country's navy celebrate 100 years since its first warships steamed into Sydney.

The prince, dressed in a crisp white uniform, looked at home among the military personnel as he took part in the once-in-a-lifetime nautical extravaganza.

Harry took to the sparkling harbour on board HMAS Leeuwin as hundreds of thousands of onlookers filled the shoreline to watch the gathered warships and catch a glimpse of the prince.

Prince Harry was treated to a fireworks display fit for a king

The International Fleet Review is celebrating 100 years since seven warships arrived in Sydney harbour, the first fleet solely owned and operated by Australia's then fledgling navy.

About 40 warships, 16 tall ships and 8,000 sailors are participating in this weekend's celebrations, which featured a massive fireworks display over the harbour.

The event is expected to have drawn 1.4 million spectators.

The show was the biggest since the city hosted the 2000 Olympics

Following a 100-gun salute, Governor-General Quentin Bryce, who represents Queen Elizabeth II in Australia, joined Harry on board the Leeuwin to officially review the ships.

The participating warships are from the US, China, Britain, Brunei, Micronesia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Spain, Thailand and Tonga.

Harry is in Australia's largest city for just one day as part of a quick trip Down Under.

He greeted the public opposite the famous Sydney Opera House before attending a reception with Prime Minister Tony Abbott at Kirribilli House, Mr Abbott's official residence in Sydney.

One young Sydney woman went to great lengths to get Harry's attention.

The event is expected to draw 1.4 million spectators

Victoria McRae, 20, got taken out of Sydney Harbour by the Water Police after she got on a kayak and waved a flag that read "I (heart) U Harry" and printed her phone number on it in big red letters.

"I just wanted to see Harry on the boat really, I thought we'd get up close," Ms McRae told AAP. "It didn't quite go to plan, we got towed away, but it was worth it.

"We were under the Harbour Bridge and they were worried we were going to get run over. He's an eligible bachelor, I thought I was in with a chance."

The trip is Prince Harry's first official visit to Australia

Ms McRae said she got her mum's boyfriend to navigate the kayak as she tried to look for the popular Royal on the Leeuwin.

The prince flies to the Western Australia capital, Perth, on Sunday morning for a brief visit before leaving the country.

22.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ireland Votes Against Abolishing Senate

Voters have rejected a proposal to abolish the Irish parliament's upper house, the Seanad.

The result deals a significant blow to Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny who had championed the proposal.

The 'No' campaign succeeded with a 42,500 majority and 51.7% of the vote.

An Irish Time poll in the days leading up to the vote had suggested people were in favour of scrapping the Senate.

More follows ...

22.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt Troops Surround Kerdasah After Gun Battle

Egyptian troops backed by helicopters have encircled an Islamist stronghold after exchanging gunfire with suspected militants who killed a senior police officer.

General Nabil Farag was shot dead as troops stormed into the Kerdasah district to arrest people accused of torching a police station and killing 11 security officers in August, according to state TV.

State news agency MENA said Gen Farag, an aide to the police chief of Giza city, was killed on the outskirts of the town by "terrorists and criminal elements".

Security sources said dozens of weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades had been seized and 41 arrests were made as police hunted 140 wanted people.

Interior ministry spokesman Hany Abdel Latif said: "The security forces will not retreat until (Kerdasah) is cleansed of all terrorist and criminal nests."

Footage broadcast by the privately-owned Mihwar TV channel showed armoured personnel carriers, police and soldiers in the streets.

Security forces reportedly imposed a curfew of the area, which police had effectively been barred from entering for almost two months following violence over the ousting of President Mohamed Morsi.

Cairo authorities also briefly shut several lines on the metro system after two unexploded bombs were found on the tracks 100m from Helmeyet el Zaytoun station in the northeast of the city.

The Interior Ministry later said the bombs were "fake", AFP reported.

Mr Morsi's exit was triggered by mass protests that led to counter-protests nationwide.

Violence between his supporters and security forces included large-scale attacks on police stations, individual security officers and churches.

At least 1,000 people have died in the violence with most deaths coming during the security forces' dispersal of two pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo on August 14.

About 100 police officers also died in the clashes.

Nearly 2,000 Islamist activists and politicians have been arrested since Mr Morsi was forced from office.

Kerdasah, known for producing and selling fancy fabrics is 14km from Cairo and known to be an Islamist stronghold.

Residents of the area said on Wednesday they were not in control but do not want police there.

"We don't trust them as we know they will come to arrest people we know and respect whom they blame on the violence that we know was done by outsiders, not by our respectable sheikhs," Ahmed Aly said.

Egyptian security forces had last Monday stormed the town of Delga in Minya province, about 300km south of Cairo, clearing barricades set up by Mr Morsi's supporters there who were almost in control of the town.

Some 56 residents were arrested.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Car Chase Woman 'Had Postnatal Depression'

Authorities are investigating what led a woman with a toddler in her car to ram into a White House barrier and lead police on a high-speed chase to Capitol Hill.

The dramatic chase, which forced a brief lockdown of the Capitol and stirred panic among tourists, ended with the woman shot dead by police.

The driver was identified by law enforcement officials as Miriam Carey, of Stamford, Connecticut, it was widely reported in the US media.

The car chase forced a lockdown of the US Capitol

She was a 34-year-old dental hygienist and the mother of a young girl, the reports said.

Hours after the chase, the FBI and other agencies conducted a search of Carey's condominium building in Stamford. 

ABC said Carey suffered from postnatal depression after the birth of her daughter.

The suspect was reportedly a dental hygienist. Pic: Facebook

"She had post-partum depression after having the baby" last August, the woman's mother, Idella Carey, told ABC.

"A few months later, she got sick. She was depressed ... She was hospitalised."

The mother said Carey had "no history of violence" and she did not know why her daughter was in Washington, DC.

Other reports suggest that she had a history of mental health issues.

The chase began shortly after 2pm on Thursday when a black Toyota Infiniti attempted to smash through a barricade close to the White House.

Video footage showed officers with guns drawn attempting to get the driver out of the vehicle.

But Carey spun the car around and sped away, knocking a law enforcement official.

The car raced up Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Capitol where Congress was in session.

Police chased and fired at the car, which came to a halt near the Capitol building, and she was shot dead.

By the end of the chase, two people were injured - a Secret Service member struck by the car outside the White House, and a Capitol Police officer whose vehicle hit a barricade during the chase.

A girl in the car was not hurt

A little girl who was in the suspect's car was not hurt. It was unclear if the child was the woman's daughter.

Officials said there appeared to be no direct link to terrorism and there was no indication that the woman was armed.

"This appears to be an isolated, singular matter," said Capitol Police Chief Kim Dine. "There is no nexus to terrorism."

Still, the high-speed chase rattled Washington two week after a gunman killed 12 people in a Navy Yard shooting.

The House and Senate, where politicians were debating how to end a government shutdown, abruptly suspended business. 

Some politicians were told to shelter in place on the floor of the House. Outside, some tourists were frightened.

Two law enforcement officials were injured

"I was just eating a hot dog over here and I heard about four or five gunshots, and then a swarm of police cars came in wailing their sirens," said Whit Dabney, a 13-year-old who was visiting Washington from Louisville, Kentucky.

People standing outside the Supreme Court across the street from Congress were hurried into the court building by authorities.

The White House was quickly locked down after the incident at Capitol Hill and the stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the compound was closed to pedestrians. Secret Service said the procedures were precautionary.

Police are trying to understand the motives behind Carey's gesture.

At her condo in Stamford, dozens of neighbours were forced to wait outside, as a bomb squad stood by.

Resident Eric Bredow, a banker, said police told him the suspect in the car chase was one of his neighbours.

"I see the door to my building open and the FBI bomb squad in front of it," he said.

Erin Jackson, 31, lived next door to Carey and said she doted on her young daughter, often taking the girl outside for picnics.

"She was pleasant. She was very happy with her daughter, very proud of her daughter," she said.

"I just never would have anticipated this in a million years."

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lampedusa Tragedy Leaves 350 Feared Dead

Up to 350 people are feared dead after a boat carrying African asylum seekers caught fire and sank off Italian shores in one of the worst Mediterranean refugee disasters.

The Italian government has declared an official day of mourning after the tragedy at Lampedusa, and a minute's silence will be held in all schools across the country.

New video shows the rescue operation, with one young man being pulled from the sea by rescue workers.

Italy's minister of integration, Cecile Kyenge, said: "We will work with all the ministers in order to tackle this emergency and to start making a long-term plan to cope with it."

Italian officials visited at temporary morgue in Lampedusa airport

Interior minister Angelino Alfano initially reported 93 victims, including three children and two pregnant women, but rescue divers later said they had identified at least 40 more bodies in and around the sunken wreck.

Up to 500 people were on the boat when it sank on Thursday.

With only 150 survivors recovered from the water more than 12 hours after the disaster, there are fears that the final toll could rise to up to 350 people.

When the boat began to sink, some migrants set fire to a blanket to attract the attention of passing ships. But as the flames spread, some passengers panicked and surged to one side, causing it to overturn.

Coastguards are continuing to patrol the area in the search for more bodies

Locals on the island fought back tears as they spoke of the desperate rush to haul dozens of drowning immigrants out of the sea.

Shopkeeper Alessandro Marino said: "We were spending the night on our boat. We heard screams, and we rushed to see what was going on and found a nightmarish situation."

His friend Sharanna Buonocorso said: "Many of them were crying. Lots were naked, to give themselves the best chance of staying afloat."

Capsized boats have become commonplace in southern Europe, with 25,000 refugees drowned in the Mediterranean in the last 20 years, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

Of these, 2,000 died in 2011 and 1,700 last year.

Lampedusa, 70 miles (110km) off Tunisia and closer to Africa than the Italian mainland, has seen successive waves of illegal immigration.

Migrants who arrive in Lampedusa are processed in centres, screened for asylum and often sent back home.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

China Couple Speak Of 'Forced Abortion'

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

A couple have told Sky News how they were physically forced into an abortion by the Chinese authorities, three months before their child was due to be born.

At 4am last Friday, a group of 20 officials from the Shandong Province Family Planning Commission forced their way into the home of Zhou Guoqiang and his wife Liu Xinwen.

The officials kicked down the door of the family's home. Mr Zhou was held down while his wife was pulled from her bed and taken away.

Liu Xinwen, 33, was taken to the People's Hospital of Fangzi District in Weifang City where she was injected with an abortion-inducing drug.

Liu Xinwen says she was forcibly removed from her bed

Her baby, which she would later discover was a boy, died a day later in her womb. It took a further day for the foetus to be delivered.

Her husband was not told where she had been taken. It took him five hours to find her at the hospital. By then, the injection had been given.

Sky News met the couple six days later. Mr Zhou had invited us to the family's modest home in a rural corner of the province to hear their story.

We found his wife lying in the bed she had been taken from a week earlier. She was sobbing quietly.

"I miss him." she said.

An image of Liu Xinwen in hospital

"I didn't get to see him. I would be even more upset if I had seen him.

"Baby, I'm sorry. We were not meant to be. You rest in peace in heaven. We will pray for you. We hope your next life is better."  

Her heartbreak is the most brutal consequence of China's one-child policy.

The law is designed to keep the country's population in check. It prevents couples from having more than one child with a few exceptions in some rural provinces.

The policy is supposed to be enforced through financial penalties and not forced abortions. But in some provinces, over-zealous local officials, keen to keep within their birth quotas, break the law and terminate pregnancies by force.

"They don't have any humanity. They are not humans." Liu Xinwen said.

"They must have children and parents too. But they don't have any conscience. This is how China is."

Mr Zhou told how the officials held him down on the sofa while others took his wife away. In all, there were 16 male officials and four females.

We then sit down to look at photos he had taken in the hospital room. They are almost indescribably graphic.

One photograph shows Liu Xinwen lying on the bed. Beside her, on the floor, is a bucket. Inside is her aborted child.

Several other images show the foetus. It is fully formed.

Mr Zhou broke down after discussing the abortion

"His nose, ears, mouth are all there." Mr Zhou said.

"It is a child that would have lived if not for the forced abortion. It's because of their cruelty. Look, his hand is very obvious."

Mr Zhou broke down as he recalled the moment he arrived in the hospital, just minutes after the injection had been administered.

"My wife was lying in bed. I asked her: 'Have you been injected?' She said 'yes'. I asked if the baby was still moving. She said 'not much'.

"After that, I didn't want my wife to see my crying. I went outside. I cried, but only for a while because I needed to return to comfort her. She was very sad. She cried, day and night.

"Every time I heard babies' voices from other wards, I could hardly control myself. I had to go out. I have lost my child. I am speechless, words can't describe my feelings."

A footprint on the front door of the couple's home

He claimed that his wife was forced to sign papers which said she had agreed to the abortion.

When she initially refused, he said they told her that if she did not sign the papers, they would arrest her husband and she would have nothing. We have not been able to independently verify this.

The couple already have one son. Zhou Junfeng is 10. As we talk to his parents, he runs around the house playing. He is oblivious to the grief around him.

After Zhou Junfeng was born his mother underwent a state-proscribed procedure to insert a contraceptive coil into her body.

She says that this "forced sterilisation" must have failed, allowing her to fall pregnant for a second time.

The couple had the option to tell the authorities about the pregnancy the moment they discovered it, four months after conception.

They decided not to come clean because they were concerned that an abortion may be forced on them.

Mr Zhou and his son cook together

Instead, they said they planned to tell the authorities after the birth and then offer to pay the fine. This is common in parts of China and is sometimes acceptable.

Mr Zhou offered to take us to the hospital to see the room where the abortion happened.

Inside the hospital, we saw the room which is part of a fully functioning maternity ward; it is not a backstreet abortion clinic.

We found just two members of staff. One refused to comment. The other, a young nurse, was reluctant and a little startled to find a foreign TV crew in her hospital. 

"I don't know if it's forced or not. And I don't know the reason for it," she said.

"This is a maternity ward; there are many reasons for abortions. I don't know the specific reason for this case and it's not my place to care."

Sky News has approached the Shandong Health and Family Planning Commission, the central government Family Planning Commission in Beijing and the Chinese Embassy in London for a response to this case.

At midday British time, the embassy told Sky News they were looking into the case and would provide a more detailed response later.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Berlusconi 'Should Be Expelled From Parliament'

Silvio Berlusconi could lose his seat in Italy's senate after a committee recommended he be expelled following his conviction for tax fraud in August.

The proposal was made by a majority of the members in a cross-party committee which is dominated by the former prime minister's political opponents.

The recommendation to expel the centre-right leader will have to be ratified by a vote of the full senate, which is expected within the next three weeks.

The committee "has decided by a majority to propose to the Senate assembly to debate invalidating the election of senator Berlusconi," said the group's head, senator Dario Stefano.

Mr Berlusconi, who has dominated Italian politics for the past two decades, did not attend the hearing but criticised the procedure as a manoeuvre by his political enemies to remove him.

In a statement ahead of the meeting, he said: "There is no possibility of any defence and there is no reason to appear before a body which has already announced what decision it is going to take through the press."

Asked about leaving parliament, he quipped: "I wish! It would mean I could rest a bit".

After a revolt, Mr Berlusconi backed prime minister Enrico Letta

The cross-party committee of 23 senators that met on Friday is dominated by lawmakers from the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and opposition parties.

They include the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, who said they would vote to strip Mr Berlusconi of his seat in the upper house.

The committee vote caps a disastrous week for the 77-year-old billionaire, who was forced into a humiliating climbdown on Wednesday by a party revolt which made him back centre-left prime minister Enrico Letta in parliament.

After withdrawing his ministers from the coalition government at the weekend and calling for new elections, Mr Berlusconi had to reverse his decision to bring down the government.

And, instead, he backed Mr Letta in a confidence vote after dissenters in his own party threatened to tear the centre right apart.

The revolt left Mr Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PDL) divided into two blocs, with party secretary Angelino Alfano heading a group of moderates while a hardcore of loyalists remain with Mr Berlusconi, although a formal split has not yet been confirmed.

Even if Mr Berlusconi is expelled from the senate he could still lead the centre right, or the part of it that remains loyal to him, from outside parliament.

However, his position would be weaker and he would no longer have the protection from arrest which parliamentarians enjoy, that could be important as he faces many other legal cases.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Oscar Pistorius' Home Visited By Forensic Team

Forensic experts working on behalf of Oscar Pistorius have revisited the athlete's home in Pretoria where he shot dead his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

The investigators examined the height and trajectory of bullet holes in the toilet door through which the fatal shots were fired, suggesting it will be a crucial piece of evidence during the trial.

Ms Steenkamp, 29, died in the early hours of Valentine's Day

Four-time Paralympic champion Pistorius, a double-amputee, said he was not wearing his prosthetic legs when he fired the shots.

He has claimed he thought he was firing at a dangerous intruder in the early hours of February 14.

The prosecution rebut the claim and said the athlete had taken the time to put his legs on.

It is the second time Pistorius' forensic team has arranged with the South African Police Service to be accompanied to the villa.

Pistorius is accused of premeditated murder and, if convicted, faces a possible life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in prison.

The trial is set to begin in March 2014.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Blair To Advise Albania On How To Join EU

Tony Blair has been signed up to advise the Albanian government on its efforts to join the European Union.

The former prime minister will act as a consultant to the new Socialist administration under premier Edi Rama.

Mr Rama was sworn in as prime minister last month and has promised to create 300,000 jobs and reduce poverty.

Albanian premier Edi Rama

He said on Thursday that Mr Blair would be "personally, totally and voluntarily" advising the Albanian government.

Heaping praise on the former leader, he added that he would bring his "extraordinary experience and political geniality" to the post.

Speaking at a briefing in Tirana, Mr Blair said "the big challenge with the government today is getting things done".

A spokesman for the ex-politician has previously said that any work for the new government would not be for profit.

He is also Middle East envoy and an adviser to governments in Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Brazil and Colombia, and has made millions since leaving office in 2007.

Albania is one of Europe's poorest countries with an average salary of 36,482 leks (£223) per month.

A recent survey shows one in seven Albanians live on less than $2 (£1.23) per day.

Tony Blair in Kosovo in 1999

Mr Blair is regarded as a hero in the country because of his role in the Nato campaign in Kosovo in the 1990s which ended Serbian attacks on ethnic Albanians.

Children in the region were called "Tonibler" in recognition of his involvement.

His consultancy comes after his former spin doctor Alastair Campbell helped the Albanian socialists during their electoral campaign.

During the election this summer, Mr Campbell wrote on Twitter: "Looking like a landslide for Edi Rama and the Socialist Party coalition in Albania, I love landslides. Been good working with you guys."

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Iran Probes 'Horrific' Revolutionary Guard Death

Mystery surrounds the death of a member of Iran's powerful military force.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it is investigating a "horrific incident" that led to the death of a member of the force but denies reports that it was an assassination.

A statement on the Guard's website says a probe is under way.

Iran's news website Alborz reported earlier this week that a senior Guard official had been assassinated west of Tehran.

Other reports identified the victim as Mojtaba Ahmadi, a member of the Guard's cyber warfare unit.

The reports brought references to other targeted killings in recent years, including those Iran blames on Israel.

The Guard says the reason for the death is still unclear.

But the headline on its website on Tuesday described the statement as a "denial" of the assassination claims.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nigeria: Charter Plane Crash-Lands Killing 13

Thirteen people have died after a charter plane suffered engine failure and crash-landed at Lagos airport in Nigeria shortly after take-off.

The plane came down close to an airport fuel depot and burst into flames.

There were 20 people on board - 13 passengers and seven crew.

Officials said six people survived the crash and were taken to hospital with serious injuries. A seventh person was unaccounted for.

Emergency workers examine the wreckage

A spokesman for the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency said the Associated Airlines plane had suffered engine failure.

Unofficial reports said pilot tried to make an emergency landing but was unable to control the aircraft.

The plane took off at about 9.30am local time from the domestic terminal at Murtala Mohammed International Airport and was headed for Akure in Ondo state.

The fuel depot close to where it crashed lies between the international and domestic terminal.

It was initially reported the plane had come down on the runway.

The front of the aircraft was completely destroyed, indicating it was the first part to hit the ground.

Local media reported the plane was carrying the remains of ex-Ondo state governor Olusegun Agagu, who was due to be buried this weekend.

The accident came just over a year after a plane belonging to another domestic carrier, Dana Air, crashed following an engine failure as it approached Lagos on a flight from the capital Abuja.

The front of the aircraft was destroyed

All the 153 people on board were killed, along with six others on the ground as the plane plunged into a densely packed residential neighbourhood, destroying a three-story building.

Nigeria vowed to clean up its domestic air industry after the Dana Air crash, promising tougher safety checks and higher standards.

There have been a number of other crashes in the country over the past decade in which more than 100 people have been killed.

Because of poor service and frequent delays on internal flights, charter services are common, especially among wealthy politicians and businessmen.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Greenpeace Activists Charged With Piracy

A British environmental activist has been taken to hospital in Murmansk after falling ill before he was taken to court to face piracy charges.

A group of 30 Greenpeace activists and journalists, including six Britons, have been charged with piracy after a protest in the Arctic.

The group was detained last month as their ship circled near the Prirazlomnaya oil platform in the Pechora Sea, where they were protesting at drilling in the region.

Im a statement, Greenpeace said: "One of our British activists was taken ill prior to hearing his charges today.

Greenpeace activists climb up the oil rig

"As a precaution, he was taken to hospital for examination, but was not required to undergo treatment. Contrary to inaccurate reports, he did not have a heart problem.

"We remain in close contact with the activists and expect the Russian authorities to provide any appropriate care where needed."

The Britons onboard the vessel were named as British freelance video journalist Kieron Bryan and activists Philip Ball, Alexandra Harris, Anthony Perrett, Frank Hewetson and Iain Rogers.

Greenpeace said the family of the unnamed activist had been informed.

Armed Russian officers stormed the Arctic Sunrise after two of the activists tried to climb on to the platform and towed it back to Murmansk.

Greenpeace activist Iain Roger in court in Murmansk

Those charged could be sentenced to 15 years in prison if convicted over the protest.

Greenpeace denies any wrongdoing and has described the charges as "completely outrageous".

"The decision to bring charges of piracy against two freelance journalists and 28 Greenpeace activists including five from the UK is completely outrageous," it said in a statement.

"There isn't a shred of evidence to justify holding these activists, let alone charging them with piracy.

"Greenpeace, and the thousands of people who support us, will not stand idly by while these peaceful protesters are locked up on these absurd charges.

"This Saturday a mass protest will be held outside the Russian embassy in London and the consulate in Edinburgh.

The Arctic Sunrise after it was towed to Murmansk

"The Russian authorities should be in no doubt that for as long as they imprison our activists and independent freelance journalists, Greenpeace will campaign to have each and every one released."

The 30 Greenpeace activists are being held in custody in Murmansk. They include activists and crew members from 18 nations as well as a British camera operator and a Russian photographer.

Russia's Investigative Committee, which answers to President Vladimir Putin, said all the accused had denied any guilt and refused to give substantive testimony. It said its investigation was continuing.

The Prirazlomnaya platform is Russia's first offshore Arctic oil rig, giving it an important role in the country's programme to extract resources in the region.

Its owner Gazprom says it is on track to begin oil production this year.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kenya: Bodies Recovered From Westgate Mall

Somalis Fear Kenya Terror Backlash

Updated: 4:41am UK, Sunday 29 September 2013

Somalis living in Nairobi say they fear being targeted by Kenyans who blame them for the shopping centre massacre that left at least 67 people dead.

The Eastleigh area of the capital city is home to many from Somalia, the country where al Shabaab, the terror group thought to be behind the attack, is based.

Ahmed Mohammed, a security consultant in the area, said there were major concerns about a backlash against the community.

"People are worried about people coming and looting their businesses and they are also worried about authorities coming and doing a crackdown on Somalis," he told Sky News.

"Basically, when things like this happen, Somalis are the victims."

Poverty and unemployment make Eastleigh a fertile recruiting ground for al Shabaab.

Those who have glimpsed inside the organisation and witnessed its brutality are terrified of being hunted down for leaving or speaking out.

One man, who asked to remain anonymous, explained why.

"What I am scared about is that Al Shabaab are beasts, they are not human beings," he said.

"If they see my face ... they will try to kill me. I have seen so many friends of mine who have been killed by al Shabaab."

Somali immigrant Farah Atosh, 25, has countless friends who have been recruited or approached by al Shabaab, but is determined to counter the terror group's propaganda.

"We are against them," he said.

"We are not supporting them. You might see or hear some people saying al Shabaab will not be able to carry out those attacks without the support of the Somali diaspora but honestly that is false information."

Many people who fled Somalia hoped they would find sanctuary and those who created new lives in Kenya want al Shabaab hounded out

One of them is Karim Muse, who told Sky News: "I would like to go to Somalia but (while) the al Shabaab are ... in Somalia, I don't want to go back.

"They have destroyed Somalia's people. They don't like Somalis, don't like other Christians, they don't like anyone, only themselves. Al Shabaab, they are cancer in the world."

It comes as forensic investigators continue to search the ruins of Westgate Mall - and after it emerged a sixth Briton had been confirmed dead following the attack.

Meanwhile, around 200 Nairobi residents, many of them of Indian descent, held a candlelit vigil on Saturday evening for victims the massacre.

22.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Biker In NYC Confrontation 'Paralysed'

A man involved in a group of bikers' alleged assault of a driver in Manhattan suffered spine injuries in the confrontation and is paralysed, his wife has said.

The incident in which police say the bikers assaulted the driver of a Range Rover in front of his wife and child has been caught on video.

Police have so far arrested two suspects, both from the bikers' group.

The video, taken from a rider's helmet cam, shows a large group of bikers clustering around the Range Rover in Manhattan.

There is an initial collision, then the bikers chase down the car, which at various points is blocked in traffic or surrounded by the riders.

At one point, the SUV suddenly accelerates, bouncing over at least one of the motorcycles and its rider as others scramble to get out of the way.

The chase ends when the SUV exits the highway and gets stuck in street traffic.

The video shows one biker using his helmet to smash the driver's window, another one trying to smash the window with his fists.

Police said the group then pulled the man from the SUV and beat him, although that part is not shown on the recording posted online.

The biker who may never walk again, Ed Mieses, is the one hit by the car as it sped away, his wife Dayana said.

He suffered broken legs, fractured ribs and spine injuries, according to his family.

Mr Mieses, known as Jay Meezee, is an aspiring rapper from outside Boston, and he and his wife have two teenaged children.

The six-minute video, posted online, shows the driver speed away

"There's no hope for his back," Mrs Meises told reporters outside hospital.

"They crushed his spine.They broke it in two different places, so he will be forever, forever paralysed."

"My husband got off his bike to help the guy," she said of the confrontation.

"When you look at the video you can see he (the driver of the car) is running over something.

"It's not just a motorcycle, it's a human being that was under there."

The driver of the SUV, Alexian Lien, 33, was taken to a hospital where he needed stitches for his face. His wife and two-year-old were not injured.

Police say Mr Lien had called 911 to report the bikers were driving erratically, and reported being scared for his wife and child.

He has not been charged, but police are still investigating.

Police have arrested the biker they say was involved in the initial accident, Christopher Cruz, and charged him with reckless endangerment, reckless driving, endangering the welfare of a child and menacing.

A second suspect identified as Allen Edwards is also in custody after he turned himself in.

He is believed to be the man seen on video striking the Range Rover windows with his fists, and was charged with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and menacing.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Italian PM Wins Vote After Berlusconi U-Turn

Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta has won a confidence vote with a crushing majority after Silvio Berlusconi abandoned his bid to topple the government.

Berlusconi's humiliating climbdown came after defections in his party robbed him of the backing he needed to bring down the government.

Out of 305 senators who took part in the vote, 235 were in favour of Mr Letta's coalition government and 70 against with no abstentions - far higher than the majority required of 153 senators.

At the weekend, Berlusconi ordered five ministers from his centre-right People of Freedom party (PdL) to resign from the cabinet, prompting a constitutional crisis.

The three-time premier was incensed at a vote planned on Friday that could strip him of his Senate seat following his tax fraud conviction and four-year prison sentence.

Since inconclusive elections in February, Italy has been run by an unusual left-right coalition, headed by the centre-left Democratic Party leader Mr Letta.

Shortly before the vote took place, Berlusconi took the floor in an unexpected address after Mr Letta made an impassioned plea to keep his five-month-old coalition alive.

Berlusconi said he had changed his mind after hearing Mr Letta's promise to lower taxes and mindful of the need for reforms.

"Italy needs a government that can produce structural and institutional reforms that the country needs to modernise," Berlusconi said in his brief remarks.

"We have decided, not without internal strife, to vote in confidence."

Mr Letta shook his head as the billionaire media mogul was speaking and the address was followed by stunned silence.

The surprise about-turn made victory for Mr Letta's coalition a certainty, but the vote still went ahead.

Berluscon's shock announcement was immediately cheered by the markets, with shares in Milan jumping 1.45% higher.

Mr Letta earlier asked politicians to vote for him, saying Italians were tired of "blood in the arena".

"Italy runs a risk that could be a fatal risk. Seizing this moment or not depends on us, on a yes or a no," Mr Letta said in his address to the Senate.

"This is an historic situation."

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Shutdown 'Impacts Army Day-To-Day Operations'

The US Army Chief of Staff has said the government shutdown is significantly harming the Army's day-to-day operations.

General Ray Odierno urged Congress to find a resolution to the funding row that led to the first government shutdown in 17 years.

"It is going to be difficult for us to do anything," Gen Odierno said.

"We won't be doing training like we normally would, we won't be travelling, we won't be doing the coordination necessary, only mission-essential tasks.

''The longer it goes on, the worse it gets. Every day that goes by, we are losing manpower, we are losing capability, so in my mind it is important we get this resolved."

As the shutdown entered its second day, President Barack Obama is scrapping parts of a trip to Asia as the political stand-off shows no sign of letting up.

The Martin Luther King Memorial is among sites affected

Mr Obama called off stops in Malaysia and the Philippines, while keeping plans to travel to regional summits in Indonesia and Brunei.

The shutdown that began on Tuesday have left federal government functions in limbo from coast to coast.

National parks such as Yellowstone and Alcatraz Island have been shuttered and government websites have gone dark.

As many as 800,000 workers are taking unpaid leave.

Some have rebelled against the shutdown - on Tuesday, veterans pushed past barricades at the National World War Two Memorial to get into the site.

The crisis has also forced the cancellation of a Ku Klux Klan rally at Gettysburg National Military Park originally planned for Saturday.

Park officials - who had granted permission despite criticism, citing the right to freedom of expression - said they rescinded all permits for special events.

Many citizens are anxious about their future

Mr Obama has accused Republicans of taking the government hostage to sabotage his signature healthcare law, which was passed three years ago.

"They've shut down the government over an ideological crusade to deny affordable health insurance to millions of Americans," Mr Obama said on Tuesday.

Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, view the law, called the Affordable Care Act and known as Obamacare, as a dangerous extension of government power.

They have coupled their bid to undermine it with continued efforts to block government funding, resulting in the impasse with Democrats, who control the Senate.

Politicians in both parties have suggested the stand-off might last for weeks.

Republicans have sought passage of legislation aimed at reopening small slices of the government, such as national parks and programmes for veterans.

But that approach was quickly rejected by the Democrats, who said Republicans cannot pick and choose what parts of the government they want to open.

"That's important - a park? How about the kids who need daycare?" said Democratic Representative Sander Levin of Michigan.

"You have to let all the hostages go. Every single one of them."

Republicans lamented that the rejection of their proposals would harm veterans like the ones who were at the National World War Two Memorial.

"They're coming here because they want to visit their memorial, the World War Two memorial, " said Republican Representative Mike Simpson of Idaho.

"But no, the Obama Administration has put barricades around it."

The veterans did not seem interested in taking sides.

"It's just like a bunch of little kids fighting over candy," said George Atkinson, an 82-year-old veteran of the Korean War.

"The whole group ought to be replaced, top man down."

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tom Clancy: Patriot Games Writer Dies At 66

Best-selling US author Tom Clancy, who wrote thrillers including Patriot Games and The Hunt For Red October, has died at the age of 66.

He died in hospital in Baltimore last night, the New York Times reported.

A cause of death has not yet been revealed.

Clancy penned a series of spy and military thrillers including The Hunt For Red October, Patriot Games, Clear And Present Danger and The Sum Of All Fears, which were all made into successful Hollywood films.

Several of his books featured the character Jack Ryan, a CIA analyst.

Harrison Ford played Ryan in Patriot Games and Clear And Present Danger while Alec Baldwin was in the role for The Hunt For Red October, alongside Sean Connery as the captain of a Soviet submarine.

Ben Affleck played Ryan in The Sum Of All Fears.

A fifth film featuring Ryan called Shadow One is due for release later this year.

Hollywood star Harrison Ford played Clancy's character Jack Ryan

The writer had said his dream had been simply to publish a book, hopefully a good one, so that he would be in the Library of Congress catalogue.

Clancy first featured on best-seller lists in 1984 with The Hunt for Red October.

He sold the manuscript to the first publisher he tried, the Naval Institute Press, which had never bought original fiction.

A string of other hits soon followed, including Red Storm Rising.

The president of Clancy's publisher Putnam, Ivan Held, was quoted as saying: "He was a thrill to work with."

Ubisoft Entertainment, a company that Clancy co-founded, said: "We are saddened to learn of Tom Clancy's passing and our condolences go out to his family.

"Tom Clancy was an extraordinary author with a gift for creating detailed, engrossing fictional stories that captivated audiences around the world.

"The teams at Ubisoft, especially at the Red Storm studio, are incredibly grateful to have collaborated with and learned from him, and we are humbled by the opportunity to carry on part of his legacy through our properties that bear his name."

Sandi Mendelson, who worked with Clancy early in his career, told Sky News: "Working with him was just extraordinary.

"It was the beginning of his rise in popularity ... He was incredibly professional and talented ... his writing was extraordinary, the detail, the authenticity, people got lost in his books."

More follows...

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Anastacia: Singer Has Double Mastectomy

Singer Anastacia has undergone a double mastectomy after she was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time earlier this year.

In February the US star cancelled her planned European tour, which was due to start in London on April 6.

The 45-year-old, who was a guest judge on The X Factor last year, has now updated her fans as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

She said in a statement: "In light of Breast Cancer Awareness Month I wanted to take the opportunity to support a cause particularly close to my heart.

"I was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time earlier this year and am currently in the final stages of recovery after undergoing a double mastectomy."

Anastacia was first diagnosed in 2003

She added: "It has been an intense journey but I am feeling great and ready to start the next chapter.

"Breast Cancer Awareness Month gives all who are facing this disease a chance to gain strength and support from each other.

"Early detection has saved my life twice. I will continue to battle and lend my voice in any way I can."

The I'm Outta Love singer said she underwent a double mastectomy with Latissimus Dorsi flap surgical procedure, which involves using muscle and skin from the upper back to reconstruct the breasts.

She was first diagnosed with the disease in 2003 but made a full recovery following radiotherapy and surgery, before her second diagnosis this year.

Angelina Jolie revealed earlier this year that she had undergone a preventative double mastectomy to reduce her risk of developing breast cancer.

And X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne confirmed in November that she had undergone a double mastectomy.

She beat colon cancer a decade ago but opted for surgery after finding she carried a gene which increased the risk of developing breast cancer.

Former Liberty X singer Michelle Heaton also had a double mastectomy late last year after she was diagnosed with a mutated BRCA2 gene, which meant she had an 80% chance of developing breast cancer and a 30% chance of ovarian cancer.

22.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Baby Breakthrough: Infertile Woman Gives Birth

A 30-year-old infertile woman has given birth to a baby in Japan after doctors used a new technique to "reawaken" her ovaries into producing eggs again.

The experimental technique, developed by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine in California, is in its early stage and was only tried on a small group of Japanese women with a specific kind of infertility problem.

The condition, known as primary ovarian insufficiency, affects about 1% of women and causes the ovaries to stop working before the age of 40.

Egg donation is the only option for women who enter menopause at a young age if they want to attempt to carry a pregnancy.

However, scientists now hope the breakthrough can also help women in their early 40s who have trouble becoming pregnant because of their age.

Medics at the St Marianna University School of Medicine in Kawasaki, Japan, used the technique in an experiment on 27 women who had an average age of 37.

Pic: Kazuhiro Kawamura, who performed the C-section

The women stopped menstruating nearly seven years earlier on average and agreed to have both ovaries removed, according to a report published online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Of this group, 13 women were found to still have residual follicles, which typically contain one immature egg.

Human females are born with about 800,000 of these follicles. Most will remain dormant, but normally one follicle develops to maturity each month and releases an egg.

"Our treatment was able to awaken some of the remaining primordial follicles and cause them to release eggs," said Aaron Hsueh, senior author of the report and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University.

The ovaries were dissected and treated with stimulant drugs to block a certain growth pathway that causes the follicles to stay dormant.

Small pieces of the ovaries were then transplanted back into the women, near their fallopian tubes.

Eight of the 13 women showed signs of follicle growth, and were treated with hormones to stimulate ovulation.

From that group, five developed mature eggs, which the researchers harvested for in vitro fertilisation using the sperm of the women's partners.

One woman received two embryos and carried a single pregnancy to term and gave birth to a son in Tokyo last December.

The child was delivered by C-section - because the foetus was in a breech position at 37 weeks - by the report's lead author Kazuhiro Kawamura, associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the St Marianna University.

Aaron Hsueh, professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Stanford University

"Although I believed, based on our previous research, that this in vitro activation (IVA) approach would work, I monitored the pregnancy closely and, when the baby was in a breech presentation, I performed the Caesarean section myself," said Mr Kawamura.

"I could not sleep the night before the operation, but when I saw the healthy baby, my anxiety turned to delight.

"The couple and I hugged each other in tears. I hope that IVA will be able to help patients with primary ovarian insufficiency throughout the world."

He said the mother hoped to have another child with one of the frozen embryos in storage from her treatment.

Of the other four women who also developed mature eggs, one is pregnant, two are preparing for embryo transfer or are undergoing additional egg collection and one woman was implanted with an embryo, but failed to become pregnant.

The researchers are now planning to investigate whether the technique could help counteract other causes of infertility, such as cancer treatment.

Alan Copperman, director of the division of reproductive endocrinology at Mt Sinai Medical Center in New York, said he applauded the US-Japanese team's "novel approach to an age-old problem", but added that it was "extremely premature to comment on the widespread potential for this procedure to help women with ovarian failure to achieve reproductive success".

Other experts expressed caution at the results.

"It shows a lot of promise (but) I don't think it's even close to being ready (for routine use)," said Dr Mark Sauer, of the Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

Dr Amber Cooper, of Washington University, St Louis, said the technique was "very much an experimental method".

22.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Athlone Child Rape Charges: Man In Court

By Vicki Hawthorne, Ireland Correspondent

A 30-year-old man has been charged with the rape of two young girls in Ireland.

It is alleged that the children, aged nine and six, were attacked on Saturday in the town of Athlone in County Weastmeath.

The man, who cannot be identified, has been charged with four counts of rape. 

A police officer told the court that the man had made no reply when the charges were put to him.

Members of the Irish police armed support unit were in attendance during Tuesday's short hearing at Longford District Court.

As the accused was driven away from court a crowd of up to 30 people who had gathered at the back gates jeered and shouted.

The case has sparked anger among the community in Athlone. 

A protest involving up to 300 residents was held outside the police station throughout Monday. People taking part said they wanted to show support for the families of the two alleged victims.

The accused has been remanded in custody and will appear before a court again on October 4.

22.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

US Shutdown: Deadline Passes Without Deal

A bitterly divided Congress has plunged the US into a partial government shutdown – the first in almost two decades – that puts some 800,000 workers on unpaid leave and closes museums and national parks.

A deadline to fund government spending passed without agreement, and the shutdown went into force at 12.01am.

The Democrat-dominated Senate and Republican-controlled House of Representatives refused to back down in a clash over President Barack Obama's controversial healthcare law, known as Obamacare.

The deadlock means non-essential services, including some of America's most famous tourist attractions, are forced to close.

Workers classified as essential government employees, such as air traffic controllers or Border Patrol agents, continue to work.

Shortly after midnight, Mr Obama tweeted: "They actually did it. A group of Republicans in the House just forced a government shutdown over Obamacare instead of passing a real budget."

The last shutdown took place under President Bill Clinton

It is the first US shutdown in 17 years, with analysts concerned about its potential impact on Wall Street and global markets.

Mr Obama warned of the possible risks to the economy, saying a shutdown would have "very real economic impact, right away".

David Cameron said: "It is a risk to the world economy if the US can't properly sort out its spending plans."

It is "a reminder to all of us that we need to have properly planned public-expenditure systems, properly planned tax, properly planned arrangements for getting our deficit down", the British Prime Minister said.

New York's Statue of Liberty and the National Zoo in Washington, as well as Yellowstone and other national parks, are among the tourist attractions the shutdown affects.

Republican opposition to the new healthcare law has been fierce

The Internal Revenue Service is suspending audits and taxpayer services, programmes for children are halted and up to 800,000 government employees are furloughed. More than a million others could be asked to work without pay.

The military's 1.4 million active duty personnel remain on duty and Mr Obama signed a law on Monday to ensure they would receive their pay on time.

The Pentagon is looking for ways to ways to expand the number of Defense Department civilians who are exempt from furloughs, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

Mr Obama said he had been willing to negotiate, and placed the blame on Republicans, especially the hard-line Tea Party conservatives.

"One faction of one party, in one house of Congress, in one branch of government doesn't get to shut down the entire government just to refight the results of an election," Mr Obama said.

"Keeping the people's government open is not a concession to me."

The Republicans had sought to tie passing the government spending bill to a delay in major elements of the Obamacare reform.

They insisted the fault rested with Democrats who had refused to negotiate any changes to the healthcare law.

House Speaker John Boehner, who spoke to the president before the midnight deadline, claimed "the Senate has continued to reject our offers".

Some of America's most iconic landmarks will be affected by the shutdown

Mr Obama's healthcare law was passed by Congress and signed into law in 2010, despite opposition by the Republican Party, especially from within the Tea Party.

Some elements of the scheme - which aims to provide greater access to affordable health insurance for poorer sections of society - take effect today despite the shutdown because they operate with money that is not subject to the budget wrangling.

Market reaction was muted following stock market falls across the board on Monday in anticipation of the shutdown.

Japan's Nikkei rose slightly while in Europe the FTSE 100 share index was flat in early trading following the previous day's 0.8% drop.

Dow Jones Futures pointed to a rise on opening in New York.

The dollar dropped slightly against the pound while there was also a move towards safe havens as gold values rose by up to 0.5%.

A protester voices her dissatisfaction outside the Capitol building

London-traded Brent Crude fell by 0.4% to $107 a barrel as the shutdown was seen as potentially damaging to US economic growth prospects.

Much of the shutdown's economic impact will depend on how long it takes politicians to find a solution.

The last shutdown, under the Clinton Administration, lasted 21 days between December 1995 and January 1996.

The political dysfunction at the Capitol also raised fresh concerns about whether Congress can meet a crucial mid-October deadline to raise the government's $16.7trn debt ceiling.

This would force the country to default on its obligations, dealing a potentially painful blow to the economy and sending shockwaves around global markets.

22.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

New York Bike Path Stabbings: Five Injured

A man wielding a pair of scissors has stabbed five people, including a toddler, on a bike path in New York City.

Reports said a "madman" went on the rampage, attacking people at random near Riverside Drive in Manhattan on Tuesday morning.

Officers said all of the victims are expected to survive, although a woman in her 30s is in a critical condition.

"The guy is a nut. He just took a pair of scissors and started stabbing everyone randomly, including a two to three-year-old child," a police source told the New York Post.

A cyclist who had been slashed went to a Department of Sanitation building on West 59th Street and told workers people had been attacked near a bike path and were bleeding and needed help, the paper said.

A sanitation worker called 911 and ran to the scene to give victims first aid.

Vincent Mallard, 49, a security guard at a nearby building site, said he saw one of the victims, a female jogger about 18 to 20 years old, covered in blood.

"Three ladies were walking up 59th Street. As they got closer, I saw the blood on her neck, arm and back," he told the New York Post.

"She was crying in agony. She told me that a man cut her on the neck. She was panicked.

"I stopped her because I saw police cars down the other end of the street. I ran out into the middle of the street and flagged one down.

"The other two were trying to keep her calm, but they were frantic as well. The cops convinced them to get in the car, and they took off."

Police have arrested a man and are questioning him over the attack.

22.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

US Shutdown Looms As Congress Squabbles

The US government is teetering on the brink of a partial shutdown that will curtail all but essential services, with no compromise in sight in a deeply polarised Congress.

If the Democrats and Republicans fail to find a solution before the deadline on a new spending bill, the shutdown goes into force at 12.01am on Tuesday.

The federal funding bill is usually considered routine business, but this time the measure is tied to the highly controversial health care law promoted by President Barack Obama.

It would be the first shutdown in 17 years.

While essential services such as mail delivery would remain in place, up to about 800,000 government employees could be forced off work, possibly without pay.

National parks, some museums and such tourist attractions as the Statue of Liberty would be closed. While Social Security and Medicare benefits would keep coming, there could be some delays in certain cases.

The healthcare law was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, despite opposition by the Republican Party, especially Tea Party conservatives.

Senator Ted Cruz has been among the most ardent critics of Obamacare

The Republican-dominated House has passed a funding bill that would delay the full effect of the healthcare law by one year.

But the Senate, controlled by the Democrats, has promised to reject the bill when it reconvenes later - resulting in a stalemate.

"To be absolutely clear, the Senate will reject both the one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act and the repeal of the medical device tax," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said.

"After weeks of futile political games from Republicans, we are still at square one."

With a solution looking increasingly elusive, the blame game has begun on Capitol Hill.

A Tea Party leader, Senator Ted Cruz, pointed the finger at Senate Democrats.

"The House has twice now voted to keep the government open. And if we have a shutdown, it will only be because when the Senate comes back, Harry Reid says, 'I refuse even to talk,'" said Mr Cruz, who led a 21-hour talkathon against Obamacare.

The last shutdown was under President Bill Clinton in 1995

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the "Republicans decided they would rather make an ideological point by demanding the sabotage of the healthcare law".

Uncertainty over the budget deadlock was the biggest factor behind falls in world markets on Monday.

In Japan the Nikkei closed 2% lower while the FTSE 100 was almost 1% lower on the day - a political crisis in Italy also feeding in to the minds of investors.

The New York Times said Mark Zandi, the chief economist for Moody's Analytics, estimated that a partial shutdown would trim annual economic growth by 0.2 percentage points in the fourth quarter, even if it ended within four days.

An impasse of a month could cut growth by 1.4 percentage points.

Mr Zanda estimated that an interruption longer than two months "would likely precipitate another recession".

The last time the federal government shutdown was under President Bill Clinton, when services ground to a halt for 28 days between December 1995 and January 1996.

It nearly happened again in April 2011.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Athlone 'Child Sex Attack' Investigation: Man Held

Irish police are considering whether to charge a man arrested over an alleged sex attack on two girls who are understood to have been lured away from a children's birthday party.

The man was one of three people detained by Garda after the youngsters, who are under the age of 10, were subjected to a serious sexual assault in Athlone, Westmeath, Ireland.

Two men who were in the home where the alleged attacks took place were released without charge this morning.

A file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions to assess if they will face charges in the future.

The alleged assaults took place on Saturday afternoon while a group of children were celebrating a friend's birthday.

While the party was under way, the girls were playing outside and are believed to have been enticed to a nearby house by a man who was not attending the celebration.

It is believed they managed to flee from their attackers by climbing out of a window.

The girls ran back to the house where the party was taking place and raised the alarm.

More than 300 people took part in the protests

The girls were taken to hospital in Galway for medical treatment.

The three men were initially arrested for public order offences and taken to Athlone Garda Station.

They were subsequently taken before a special sitting of the local District Court on Saturday where they were remanded in custody.

All three were later re-arrested as part of the investigation into the alleged sexual assault and taken back to Athlone Garda Station, however two were subsequently released on Monday.

A decision is expected to be made within the next few hours on whether to take the third man to court on charges related to the alleged sex attack.

Hundreds of people took to the streets of Athlone as detectives questioned the suspect.

Carrying a homemade sign reading "Bring Back Public Hanging" mother-of-one Nicola Quigley said locals felt compelled to come out on to the street.

"It's upsetting when something like this happens, a community has to come together," the 27-year-old said.

"If this happened to my child I would expect the whole town to be here."

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Knox And Sollecito Absent From Kercher Retrial

By Tom Kington, in Florence

The retrial of Amanda Knox and Rafaelle Sollecito over the murder of British student Meredith Kercher has begun in Italy, but neither defendant has been in court.

American student Knox, 26, repeatedly said she would not return to Florence from Seattle, nor is she compelled to do so by law.

Her former boyfriend Sollecito, a 29-year-old Italian IT graduate, is following proceedings from the Caribbean, where he is on holiday, said his father.

"I will be informing Raffaele of what happens on the phone after the hearing," said Francesco Sollecito.

He added he would be attending every hearing in the appeal trial, which is expected to last until Christmas.

Sollecito's father denied suggestions in the media that his son was dipping into a fund he had set up for contributions to his legal expenses.

Raffaele Sollecito is on holiday in the Caribbean

"The holiday was provided by a supporter," he said. "We have raised $25,000 (£15,000) and haven't touched it."

Knox's decision to not be present in court was criticised by Patrick Lumumba, the former barman who Knox initially accused of taking part in the murder of Miss Kercher in Perugia.

"Knox is afraid - she knows she has responsibility for the death of poor Meredith," he said in court.

As the hearing got under way in Florence, the presiding judge turned down a request from Knox's lawyers to exclude Mr Lumumba as a civil plaintiff from the trial.

Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito requested an array of new expert opinions and evidence to reach a definitive verdict, including examining the handle of the knife that was the purported murder weapon and the handling of the crime scene.

Knox's defence lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova said there was a risk of an "infinite trial," since the charge of murder has no statute of limitations.

Sollecito's lawyer Giulia Bongiorno asked the court to accept only "reliable evidence," saying the intense media attention on the case had affected the previous trials.

Knox and Sollecito during the investigation

Ms Bongiorno asked the court to reconsider Miss Kercher's mobile phone as key evidence, calling it the "black box" of the trial, which could prove her exact time of death due to two "anomalous", incomplete calls around 10pm on the night of November 1 when she was killed.

Francesco Maresca, a lawyer representing the Kercher family, handed the judge a letter from the family, explaining their absence from the session on health grounds.

The letter also said: ''We desperately want to uncover the truth and find justice for Meredith, who was brutally taken away from us.

"Nothing will bring back our beautiful Meredith and we will always have her in our hearts and in our memories but we need to know what happened, she deserves, at least the dignity of the truth.

''The only way that our pain and suffering can begin to be alleviated is to obtain as clearly as possible an understanding of the tragic events of November 1st 2007.''

The new trial is being held in a modern appeal court building on the fringes of Florence, a stark contrast to Perugia's medieval court building where hearings have previously been held.

Amanda Knox cries after hearing she has been acquitted

In 2009, Knox and Sollecito were convicted of killing 21-year-old Miss Kercher two years earlier in the student flat the two women shared in Perugia.

A third man, Rudy Guede, was convicted over the murder and is serving a 16-year jail term. A court found that Guede had not acted alone.

The latest trial is expected to re-examine forensic evidence to determine whether Knox and Sollecito helped kill Miss Kercher.

An appeals court acquitted the two suspects in 2011, citing weaknesses in DNA evidence.

The pair, who at that point had spent four years behind bars, were released, and the American flew back home.

But in March this year, Italy's supreme court overturned the acquittal, citing what it said were "shortcomings, contradictions and inconsistencies" in the appeal court's verdict, and ordered a retrial.

A new appeal verdict will now be reached before the case returns to the supreme court.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Baghdad Car Bombings 'Kill At Least 47'

A wave of car bombings in Baghdad has killed at least 47 people and injured dozens, according to police and medical officials.

Police said the parked car bombs - placed mainly in Shia neighbourhoods - hit outdoor markets and car parks.

Initial reports said the deadliest bombing was in the Sadr City neighbourhood, where at least seven died after a bomb exploded near a place where labourers had gathered.

"The driver said he would move it soon, but the car exploded a few minutes later," said Abu Mohammed, a worker at the scene.

A total of 14 bombs went off in the Iraqi capital in what appears to be a coordinated attack.

Iraqi security forces sealed off the sites of the attacks as firefighters struggled to extinguish the blazes that broke out. The twisted wreckage of vehicles and other debris littered the streets.

The site of one of the bombs in the Sadr City district

It is not yet clear who carried out the bombings, but hardline Sunni militants who view Shia Muslims as non-believers have been stepping up their insurgency across the country in recent months.

"Our war with terrorism goes on," interior ministry spokesman Saad Maan said.

"Part of the problem is the political infighting and regional conflicts ... There are shortcomings and we need to develop our capabilities mainly in the intelligence-gathering efforts."

The attacks follow another day of violence in Iraq on Sunday.

At least 40 people died in a suicide bombing at a Shia funeral in Mussayab, 40 miles south of Baghdad. The attack caused the mosque's roof to collapse.

Two more suicide bombings in Irbil - in the relatively peaceful northern Kurdish region - also killed six people.

Al Qaeda is believed to be trying to build on the Sunni minority's discontent toward what they consider to be second-class treatment by Iraq's Shia-led government.

The United Nations mission in Iraq said 716 civilians and 88 members of the Iraqi Security Forces were killed in acts of violence in August.

Almost 5,000 civilians have been killed since the start of 2013, according to UN figures given at the start of September.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Santa Monica: Small Jet Crashes After Landing

A private jet has crashed into the hangar of Santa Monica Airport shortly after landing, bursting into flames and killing all people on board.

Officials said there could be no survivors after the twin-engine Cessna Citation veered off the runway and hit the hangar, which also caught fire and collapsed.

The number of people on board was unclear, but the jet holds up to eight passengers and two crew members, according to officials.

"This was an unsurvivable crash," Santa Monica Fire Department Captain John Nevandro said.

A firefighter walks through foam sprayed on the fire

Rescuers and investigators have been working at the scene amid the smouldering wreckage.

The jet had taken off from Hailey, Idaho, and landed in Santa Monica on Sunday evening.

The blaze caused minor damage to two other buildings and destroyed the hangar.

The neighbourhoods surrounding the airport are densely populated and officials said that, had the plane not hit the hangar, it would have likely slammed into homes.

The airport in Hailey serves Idaho's Sun Valley resort area, which is a frequent destination for many celebrities.

22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More