World Express 24 Hours

Syria’s leadership is making “a lot of mistakes”

2012-03-21T05:50:00.003+06:00

Sergei Lavrov said President Bashar al-Assad’s regime had “responded incorrectly” from the start, when the protests were peaceful. He also said Moscow was prepared to support a UN resolution backing its envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan. It comes a day after Russia called for a daily humanitarian ceasefire. Earlier on Tuesday, US campaign group Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused elements of Syria’s armed opposition of carrying out serious human rights abuses, including kidnapping, torture and execution.
‘Continuing efforts’
“We believe that the Syrian leadership responded incorrectly to the very first manifestations of the peaceful protests,” Mr Lavrov told Kommersant FM radio in a pre-recorded interview.
“The Syrian leadership – despite the numerous promises it has made in response to our calls – is making a lot of mistakes. Unfortunately this is why the conflict is so acute.”
Russia is a key ally of Syria and, along with China, has twice thwarted attempts to agree to a UN resolution condemning Mr Assad’s actions.
But observers believe Moscow’s patience with Damascus has been wearing thin.
Mr Annan, the UN-Arab League special envoy on Syria, has spent the last few weeks meeting all sides in the conflict – putting forward proposals to try and bring about an immediate ceasefire by both sides, access for humanitarian aid and the beginning of political dialogue.
Mr Lavrov, speaking at a news conference after meeting his Lebanese counterpart, said the UN Security Council should support the proposals, “not as an ultimatum, but as a basis of continuing efforts” by Mr Annan to find a solution to the crisis.
Following talks with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Monday, Mr Lavrov’s ministry put out a statement urging the Syrian government “and all armed groups who oppose it” to agree to ceasefires “without delay”.
The ministry said it supported the ICRC’s demands for a daily pause in fighting to evacuate the wounded from the worst affected areas and allow in food and medicine, and urged the Syrian authorities to give the organisation “access to all detained persons in Syria following the protests”.
Meanwhile, HRW has called on Syria’s main opposition coalition, the Syrian National Council (SNC), to condemn the abuses carried out by some of its supporters.
According to HRW, abuses include kidnapping for ransom, detention, and torture of security force members, government supporters, and people identified as members of pro-government militias, called Shabiha.
HRW has frequently accused Syria’s government of abuse over the past year of conflict.
The UN says more than 8,000 people have been killed in the year-long uprising, while tens of thousands of people have fled their homes.

45 people have been killed in a series of co-ordinated attacks across Iraq

2012-03-21T05:49:00.002+06:00

Two car bombs in the predominantly Shia city of Kerbala killed at least 13 people.
Another car bomb near police headquarters in the northern city of Kirkuk killed another 13 people, most of them officers, police said.
The attacks come ahead of next week’s Arab League summit to be held in the capital, Baghdad.
Security forces in Iraq have been placed on high alert in the run-up.

The attacks also coincide with the ninth anniversary of the beginning of the US-led invasion of Iraq.

The summit is seen as the country’s return to the regional stage following the withdrawal of US troops in December.
The BBC’s correspondent in Iraq, Rami Ruhayem, says such coordinated campaigns have become a recurring nightmare in the country, and show that the security forces remain fatally flawed.
‘Brutal’
Parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi said the “brutal, criminal” attacks were part of efforts by al-Qaeda to “derail the Arab summit, and keep Iraq feeling the effects of violence and destruction”.

An MP for the Shia Dawa party, Haider al-Abadi, said the perpetrators wanted to “show that democracy in Iraq doesn’t work”.

The UN secretary-general’s special envoy to Iraq, Martin Kobler, described the attacks as “atrocious”, and called for those responsible to be identified and brought to justice.
In Baghdad, two separate car bomb attacks – one of them opposite the foreign ministry building – killed seven people.
Earlier in the day, three people died in an attack on a Baghdad church, AFP reports.
Numerous attacks were reported elsewhere around the country, including Hillah, Mahmudiya and Latifiya to the south of Baghdad, as well as in Ramadi, Baiji, Daquq, al-Dhuluiya and Samarra, in the mainly Sunni area to the west and north of the capital.

Analysis

Rami RuhayemBBC Arabic, Irbil, Iraq

Such co-ordinated bombing campaigns have become a recurring nightmare in Iraq, and despite all the talk about training, equipping and rebuilding them, the security forces remain deeply flawed.
The government has a quick answer to who stands behind the attacks – al-Qaeda. But there has been little explanation why all the security measures seem to fail so often, and so spectacularly.
Almost every province in the country, except the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in the north, was affected by the wave of bombings.
Security forces say they did manage to discover and defuse two car bombs in Baghdad, but in a day like this, such limited success is likely to go unnoticed.

A large earthquake has struck near Acapulco on Mexico’s Pacific coast

2012-03-21T05:48:00.000+06:00

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake had a magnitude of 7.4 and put the epicentre at 15 miles (25km) east of Ometepec, in Guerrero state. Witnesses in the capital, Mexico City, said the tremor sent office workers rushing out onto the streets. Some 500 houses were damaged in Guerrero state, according to the state’s governor, local TV reported. Angel Aguirre told Milenio television that so far there were no casualties in Guerrero state or neaby Oaxaca state, adding that authorities were checking schools and public buildings near Ometepec. The director of the country’s seismological service, Carlos Valdes Gonzalez, said that there had already been some six aftershocks and further ones could be expected in the next 24 hours.

He said one of the aftershocks had already registered a magnitude of 5.3.

The BBC’s Will Grant, in Mexico City, says buildings swayed for at least a minute in the capital.
A pedestrian bridge reportedly collapsed and crushed a microbus in Mexico City, but there were still no reports of deaths.
Office workers and residents were sent running into the streets in wealthy districts and poor neighbourhoods alike, he reports.
Thundering walls
Samantha Rodriguez, a 37-year old environmental consultant, was evacuated from the 11th floor of an office block.
“I thought it was going to pass rapidly but the walls began to thunder and we decided to get out,” she said.
Sirens could be heard across the city, and police helicopters are crisscrossing the skies.
“I swear I never felt one so strong, I thought the building was going to collapse,” said Sebastian Herrera, 42, a businessman from a neighbourhood hit hard in Mexico’s devastating 1985 earthquake, which killed thousands.
Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard’s Twitter account said the water system and other “strategic services” were not experiencing problems and no damage was reported in the central or northern areas of the city.
Mobile phone networks have been affected, our correspondent says, and people have had trouble contacting their loved ones.
Gabino Cue, the governor of Oaxaca state, next to Guerrero state, said via Twitter that the quake had caused cracks in school buildings and damaged roofs in one part of the state.
The USGS said the epicentre was 11 miles (18km) underground.
The US president’s daughter, 13-year-old Malia Obama, was on a school trip in Oaxaca, south-western Mexico. A White House official said she was safe and had never been in danger.

Tigers tame lions : BD reach Asia Cup final

2012-03-21T05:46:00.003+06:00

Bangladesh finally reached Asia Cup final beating Sri Lanka by 5 wickets in the last league match of the Asia Cup on Tuesday.
President M Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia congratulated Bangladesh team for their great victory.
Earlier, Bangladesh was given a revised target of 212 in 40 over as the match was delayed due to wet outfield conditions following rains.
In response to the target, Bangladesh scored 213 for 5 with 17 balls remaining.
Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain and Mahmudullah scored 59, 56, 36 and 32 respectively.
While Kulasekara and Senanayake of Sri Lanka bagged two wickets each.
Earlier, Mushfiqur Rahim invited Jayawardene to bat first after wining the toss.
Sri Lanka lost all wickets to score 232. Kapugedera scored 62 and Thirimanne 48.
Nazmul Hossain created pressure on Sri Lanka in the beginning by sending Jayawardene (5), Sangakara (6) and Jayawardene (19) to pavilion.
Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan picked up two wickets each while Shahadat Hossain and Mashrafe Mortaza bagged one each.
Sri Lanka however was knocked out of the Asia Cup. But they can still spoil Bangladesh or India’s chances of qualifying for the final.
Bangladesh also fought hard against Pakistan, won memorably against India by embarrassing a weak bowling attack and can’t be written off against a Sri Lanka team yet to recover from sizable defeats.
On Sunday India defeated Pakistan by six wickets in the 5th match. On March 16, India was defeated by host Bangladesh with five wickets.
On the other hand, Pakistan has already booked a place in the final defeating hosts Bangladesh and the Lankans in their previous two matches.

Bachchan to host IPL opening ceremony

2012-03-21T05:45:00.000+06:00

Actor Amitabh Bachchan will host the opening ceremony of the fifth season of Indian Premier League (IPL) in Chennai April 3.
The 69-year-old, who has taken a break to recover from two abdominal surgeries last month, is preparing for the event.
‘April 3rd is the day for the opening. Preparing for it already. Getting back into the grind’, tweeted the actor.
The actor, known for his deep, baritone voice, had hosted four seasons of game show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ and also the third season of the reality show ‘Bigg Boss’.

Salman, Priyanka to join Amitabh

2012-03-21T05:43:00.004+06:00

Bollywood stars Priyanka Chopra and Salman Khan are set to be a part of the Indian Premier League’s opening ceremony to be held at YMCA College of Physical Education on April 3 in Chennai.
Apart from Bollywood stars, the ‘Opening Nite’ will also feature performance from a leading international artist, an IPL release stated.
The event will also feature all nine team captains taking the MCC Spirit of Cricket pledge, which has been on display since the competition’s inception in 2008.
‘With four highly successful seasons behind us, we hope to raise the standards of the competition even higher, as we look forward to celebrating DLF IPL 2012 with much fanfare, starting with Opening Nite’, IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla said in the statement.
‘We want to thank all the supporters for their continued support as they have made the league what it is today. We are proud to boast a lineup of big names to kick start the 2012 season in style’, he added.
The opening ceremony will begin at 7:30pm, however, the venue gates will be thrown open to the audience from 5:00pm.
The sale of the tickets, pegged at a starting price of Rs. 1,500, would be on sale from March 16, the release added.
On Sunday, Amitabh Bachchan, who will also be a part of the event, had said that he is preparing himself and is nervous as the day approaches.

‘John Carter’ tops global box office

2012-03-21T05:42:00.001+06:00

Action movie ‘John Carter’ is the biggest grosser on international box office for the second consecutive week, raking in over $40 million in 54 markets outside America.
The film, starring Taylor Kitsch as a Civil War hero transported to Mars, has been panned by critics in the US but that hasn`t stopped it from raking in the moolah.
‘John Carter’ has now earned a total of $126 million internationally since its release earlier this month, reports femalefirst.co.uk
‘The Lorax’ is at number two on the international box office list and Reese Witherspoon’s comedy ‘This Means War’ is third on the countdown.

Syria unrest: Fierce firefight erupts in Damascus

2012-03-19T19:40:00.000+06:00

A firefight has erupted in Damascus, in one of the fiercest clashes in the Syrian capital since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's rule began.

Witnesses say machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades were heard from the heavily guarded district of al-Mezze, which hosts several security buildings.

Syrian TV said three "terrorists" and a security force member had been killed.

The UN estimates more than 8,000 people have died in the year-long uprising.

Meanwhile, a team of experts sent by special UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan has now arrived in Syria to discuss ceasefire and monitoring plans, AFP news agency reports.

'Explosions'

Al-Mezze has previously been the scene of large anti-government protests.

One resident told Reuters news agency there was "fighting near Hamada supermarket and the sound of explosions there and elsewhere in the neighbourhood".

This is an upmarket residential area but it also contains a substantial security presence. The Free Syria Army is present in suburbs of Damascus but there are no records of any presence in this part of town. Close by is the al-Mezze 86 district, a security stronghold, whose residents are loyal to President Assad. Early last month, residents of 86 district fired at protesters who took to the streets calling for an end to President Assad's rule.
Since then there has been heavy security in the area. However, some protesters managed to cut off roads by burning tyres and staging anti-Assad protests.

He said security police blocked side streets and cut off the street lighting.

Opposition activist Amer al-Sadeq told the BBC's World Today programme he had spoken to a contact in al-Mezze who reported four blasts within five minutes and then heavy gunfire.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights called the fighting "the most violent of its kind and closest to security centres in Damascus since the revolution began", adding that 18 government troops had been injured.

The BBC's Lina Sinjab, in Damascus, says the gunfire continued into Monday morning but is now reported to be over.

One al-Mezze resident told AFP: "We were very scared but now the roads are clear and stores are open."

State television said that in addition to the dead, several people on both sides were injured.

In January, the rebel Free Syria Army briefly seized several Damascus suburbs.

The latest incident follows bomb blasts in Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo over the weekend.

The car bomb that exploded in Aleppo on Sunday killed at least two people and injured 30 others.

State TV described the blasts as "terrorist" attacks.

However, activists have accused the authorities of staging incidents to discredit opposition groups.

Reuters news agency on Monday reported residents of the eastern city of Deir Ezzor as saying that dozens of tanks had entered the city to try to dislodge Free Syrian Army rebels.

Pause plea

On Monday, a team of experts arrived in Syria to press Mr Annan's proposals for a ceasefire and monitoring.

Meanwhile, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Jakob Kellenberger, has travelled to Moscow to meet Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and ask the Russian government to press Syria to allow more humanitarian access.

The ICRC says that, in the worst-hit areas, a daily pause in the fighting of at least two hours was needed for the evacuation of the wounded and to allow in food and medicine.

Mr Kellenberger said in Moscow: "Our assessment, unfortunately, is that the humanitarian situation is most likely to deteriorate."

Russia is a key ally of Syria and, along with China, has thwarted attempts to form a UN resolution condemning the repression.

The BBC's Daniel Sandford in Moscow says Mr Lavrov is likely to say that while Russia is engaging with Syria, it cannot tell the government there what to do.

Our correspondent says there is some frustration in Moscow with the speed at which Damascus is responding to some initiatives, particularly that of Mr Annan.

President Assad is trying to quell an increasingly armed rebellion that sprang from a fierce crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy protests a year ago.

He insists his troops are fighting "armed gangs" seeking to destabilise Syria.

Apple start paying a dividend to shareholders and to buy back shares

2012-03-19T19:37:00.000+06:00

The technology giant said it would pay a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share from July.

It will buy back up to $10bn (£6.3bn) of its own shares starting in the company's next financial year, which begins on 30 September 2012.

At the end of last year, Apple revealed it had $97.6bn in cash. It expects to use $45bn over the next three years.

It is the first time Apple has declared a dividend since 1995.

"We have used some of our cash to make great investments in our business through increased research and development, acquisitions, new retail store openings, strategic prepayments and capital expenditures in our supply chain, and building out our infrastructure," Apple chief executive Tim Cook said in a statement.

"You'll see more of all of these in the future.

"Even with these investments, we can maintain a war chest for strategic opportunities and have plenty of cash to run our business. So we are going to initiate a dividend and share repurchase programme."

Apple shares have surged to about $600 in recent days, making it the world's most valuable company, with a stock market value of more than $500bn. Ten years ago, the shares were trading at about $10.

Booming sales of iPhones and iPads have helped the firm build up its huge cash pile.

"This is consistent with what we, and I think most, expected them to do, which is to address shareholder concerns around the huge cash stockpile while retaining enough of a reserve to keep a wide range of strategic options on the table," said John Jackson from CCS Insight.

"This, plus the buyback, should continue to bolster the soaring share price."

The US soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians

2012-03-19T09:36:00.001+06:00

Senior US officials told the BBC the name of the suspect as he was heading back to the US to face charges. He has now arrived at a military detention centre in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, after being flown from Kuwait, the US Army said. He will be held in solitary confinement pending charges, the Army added. Sgt Bales' lawyer, John Henry Browne, said he had been injured twice while serving in Iraq. Mr Browne also said the accused, aged 38, had witnessed his friend's leg blown off the day before the killings. That incident has not been confirmed by the US Army. The Taliban called off peace talks in the wake of Sunday's deadly rampage - in which men, women and children were shot and killed at close range.

The US has stressed it remained committed to Afghan reconciliation.

On Friday he said the US was not fully co-operating with a probe into the killings.Afghan President Hamid Karzai has also reacted angrily to the killings. He told the US it must pull back its troops from village areas and allow Afghan security forces to take the lead in an effort to reduce civilian deaths.

He also said the problem of civilian casualties at the hands of Nato forces had "gone on for too long".

"This form of activity, this behaviour cannot be tolerated. It's past, past, past the time," Mr Karzai told the BBC's Lyse Doucet at the presidential palace in Kabul.

'Decorated soldier'

Shortly after Sgt Bales' name emerged, Mr Browne confirmed that was the name of the soldier he was representing.

Sgt Bales has not yet been charged, but is the only known suspect in the killings - despite repeated Afghan assertions that more than one American was involved.Images quickly emerged online from a Department of Defense website thought to show him and identify him in the same unit as previously revealed by military officials, part of 3rd Stryker 2nd Infantry, though the images were quickly removed.

The Pentagon has previously said that he could face charges that carry a possible death penalty.

In the town of Lake Tapps, Washington state, neighbours described their surprise at Sgt Bales' alleged crimes.Such a trial could take years, contrasting with Afghan demands for swift and decisive justice.

Next-door neighbour Kasie Holland, whose children regularly played with Sgt Bales' family, told the Associated Press: "My reaction is that I'm shocked.

"I can't believe it was him. There were no signs. It's really sad. I don't want to believe that he did it."

Speaking in Seattle on Thursday, where Sgt Bales is based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, John Henry Browne said his new client was a "mild-mannered" man who bore no antipathy towards Muslims.

He described him as "a decorated soldier" who had an exemplary record before the shooting.

The lawyer also suggested the soldier, who began his first deployment to Afghanistan in December, was not fit to serve because of injuries he had suffered on previous tours of duty.

Mr Browne said that a car accident caused by a roadside bomb in Iraq had given the soldier a concussive head injury. Part of his foot had also been removed in surgery because of a battle-related wound, he added.

"I think it's of interest that we have a soldier who has an exemplary record, a decorated soldier who was injured in Iraq, to his brain and to his body and then despite that was sent back," he said.

Mr Browne, who has represented a number of high-profile clients including serial killer Ted Bundy and a teenage thief known as the Barefoot Bandit, said his client was a happily married man with two children, aged three and four.

Rioters fought with firefighters and police in the Canadian city of London, Ontario

2012-03-19T09:33:00.000+06:00

Dozens of police were drafted in to deal with the unrest, which was sparked when several student parties spilled on to the streets.

Rioters hurled bottles at police and set a TV truck alight, feeding the flames with a propane tank and TV sets.

Police said 11 people were arrested and appealed for rioters to come forward.

Police were called out late on Saturday, but did not move in until 04:00 on Sunday (08:00 GMT).

"Never in my 32 years as a police officer have I observed behaviours that escalated to the point where there was risk that individuals could seriously be hurt or quite frankly killed," said London's police chief, Brad Duncan.

"We will not tolerate this lack of respect for our community, our laws and specifically this neighbourhood."

The authorities estimated that the damage would cost $100,000 (£65,000) to repair.

UK hits back at Argentina

2012-03-19T09:29:00.005+06:00

The UK has hit back at Argentina's threats of court action over Falkland Islands oil exploration, calling its behaviour "illegal intimidation".

Foreign minister Hector Timmerman had threatened legal action against firms drilling off the UK territory, over which Argentina claims sovereignty.

But the UK Foreign Office said it was a legitimate commercial venture.

Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain would "continue to protect and defend" the islands.

In threatening legal action against oil prospectors, Mr Timmerman had told reporters: "The gas and oil that is found in the South Atlantic belongs to the Argentinian people.

"All these companies are entering illegal territory."

UN resolutions

He warned that legal action would target oil companies as well as firms providing them with financial and logistic support.

It was the latest in a series of measures taken in recent months by Argentina to assert its claim to sovereignty over the Falklands, which it calls the Malvinas.

Continue reading the main storyMr Timmerman said companies involved in oil exploration in Falklands waters were "violating UN resolutions" calling for talks on sovereignty.

The UK Foreign Office said the right to develop the hydrocarbon sector was an "integral part" of the Falkland islanders' right to self-determination.

"These latest attempts to damage the economic livelihoods of the Falkland Islands people regrettably reflect a pattern of behaviour by the Argentine government," the Foreign Office said.

"From harassing Falklands shipping to threatening the islanders' air links with Chile, Argentina's efforts to intimidate the Falklands are illegal, unbecoming and wholly counter-productive," it added

Several British companies are searching for oil and gas in Falklands waters.

One of them - Rockhopper - says it has found significant reserves and is seeking investment partners to begin production.

The search for oil has inflamed tension over the disputed islands ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War.

On 2 April 1982 Argentina invaded the Falklands, only to be defeated by a British task force sent to recover them.

The UK says there will be no negotiations on sovereignty as long as the Falkland islanders wish to remain British.

Mr Cameron said: "The people of the Falkland Islands could not be clearer that they want to continue their status as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom.

"As long as they want that, that is not going to change."

Cuban police have arrested dozens of opposition activists

2012-03-19T09:26:00.000+06:00

Most of those detained are members of the protest group Ladies in White, who are demanding the release of political prisoners.

Many were stopped as they staged their silent weekly protest march along an avenue in the capital, Havana.

The group says the country's Communist authorities have increased pressure on them in recent days.

The government says they are paid by the US to undermine Cuba's revolution.

The Ladies in White (Damas de Blanco) usually attend Mass together and then stage a protest march outside calling for the release of all political prisoners.

Leader seized

A group spokeswoman said that 19 of its members had been detained on Saturday evening while trying to stage a march in central Havana. Three have since been released without charge.

On Sunday morning, police detained another 36 members of the group - including leader Bertha Soler - as they made their way to attend Mass together in Havana.

After the church service, 22 women and two men were arrested as they marched to the city centre, trying to go beyond a route that has recently been tolerated by the authorities.

Elizardo SanchezCuban Human Rights Commission

Witnesses said they were bundled into an unmarked bus by plain-clothed police officers. That group was also released without charge after several hours.

The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Havana says that ahead of the Pope's visit protesters have become more vocal and the government seems to have reacted accordingly.

Elizardo Sanchez, of the banned but tolerated Cuban Human Rights Commission, condemned the arrests.

"This weekend has been another one full of political repression by the totalitarian government," he said. "The worst part of it is that the victims of the repression have been, basically, women."

He said it was still not clear where many of those arrested were being held.

Human rights

The detentions come just a week before Pope Benedict is due in Cuba. During his visit he is expected to raise the issue of human rights with the Communist government.

Angel Moya, a Cuban dissident and former political prisoner, said the Pope could not bring freedom to the island.

"Benedict XVI is coming only on a pastoral visit, with a message of love, with a message of reconciliation, with a Christian message," he said.

"Therefore, he is not the liberator of Cuba. The exclusive liberator of Cuba is the Cuban people."

This Sunday marks the ninth anniversary of the arrests of 75 opponents of the Cuban government.

The Roman Catholic Church was instrumental in securing their release in 2010, following years of protests by their wives and sisters.

The Ladies in White initially composed family members of those dissidents detained in 2003, but later also championed wider human rights issues.

Earlier this year it received the US government's Human Rights Defender Award for what Washington called their exceptional valour in protecting human rights in the face of government repression.

The Ladies in White have often faced harassment from government supporters.

Cuban authorities say such demonstrations are spontaneous reactions by ordinary citizens against "mercenaries, paid by the US", but the opposition say they are orchestrated by officials.

Two male nurses in Uruguay have been charged

2012-03-19T09:24:00.001+06:00

The men were held after a two-month police investigation. A third nurse was charged with concealing evidence.

The judge in the case said the two admitted to a total of 16 induced deaths, but they could be responsible for dozens more.

A lawyer for one nurse said her client had acted for humanitarian reasons.

He is "aware of his actions" and had "confessed fully to the judge", lawyer Ines Massiotti said.

Prosecutors say the alleged killings took place in the cardiology unit of the Maciel Hospital and in the intensive care unit of the Spanish Mutual Care hospital.

'Psychopathic behaviour'

The names of the nurses - who were apparently not working together - have not been released.

Reports in Uruguay's media suggest that as many as 50 people could have been killed through a combination of administered medication and other procedures.

Police inspector Jose Luis Roldan said poison from Brazil had been used on patients who were in critical condition, the Associated Press news agency reports.

However, investigators believe that not all the victims were terminally ill.

A spokesperson for one of the hospitals involved said that the deaths were the consequence of "psychopathic behaviour".

Forensic studies are still being carried out and the results could take several days, the BBC's Vladimir Hernandez reports.

Uruguay's public health ministry issued a statement saying it was co-operating with the investigation into "presumed criminal acts linked to the health area".

It expressed "profound concern" over the case and said it was carrying out its own investigation.

Indonesian police have shot dead five suspected militants on Bali island

2012-03-19T09:21:00.002+06:00

The men, killed in two raids on Sunday, had targeted several locations in Bali, the chief of Indonesia's anti-terror unit told the BBC.

Officers also seized firearms and ammunition on the island, where a bombing in 2002 killed more than 200.

The five are believed to be linked to the Jemaah Islamiah (JI), a regional group that is linked to al-Qaeda.

"This is... a splinter group of Jemaah Islamiah,'' National police spokesman Saud Usman Nasution told Reuters news agency.

JI, which has carried out attacks across South-East Asia, was responsible for the 2002 Bali bombings.

The suspects killed late Sunday are believed to be linked to a militant group that carried out bank robberies in Medan, Sumatra in western Indonesia in 2010.

The group had also reportedly been responsible for setting up paramilitary training in Aceh and in Solo, central Java, authorities said.
'Resisted arrest'
Indonesian police told the BBC the five men had been under police surveillance for a month.

They were planning to carry out robberies on the island to raise funds for terror related activities, police said.

Indonesia has struggled with home-grown extremism in recent years but has been relatively successful in stamping it out through the use of its elite anti-terror unit Densus 88, says the BBC's Karishma Vaswani in Jakarta.

The two raids took place in Bali's capital city, Denpasar and at a hotel in Sanur, a popular tourist district.

Three men were killed at the hotel and another two died in Denpasar.

Densus 88, which carried out the operation in Bali, has often come under criticism for being too quick to kill, but says the men were shot at and killed because they resisted arrest.

JI's last major attack was in 2009 in Jakarta when two luxury hotels were attacked.

Since the Bali bombings, scores of militants associated with the group have been jailed or killed.

Umar Patek, a high-profile suspect alleged to have been one of the masterminds of the 2002 Bali attack, went on trial in Jakarta last month.

The most internet-based major economy is UK

2012-03-19T09:18:00.000+06:00

The internet contributes to 8.3% of the UK economy, a bigger share than for any of the other G20 major countries, a new study suggests.

The "internet economy" was worth £121bn in 2010, more than £2,000 per person, researchers at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said. That made it bigger than the healthcare, construction or education sectors. The UK also carries out far more retail online than any other major economy. Some 13.5% of all purchases were done over the internet in 2010, according to BCG, and this is projected to rise to 23% by 2016.

Chocolate vs sex

The researchers said that the overall UK web economy is particularly fast-growing.

They predict it will continue to expand at a rate of 11% per year for the next four years, reaching a total value of £221bn by 2016.

That compares with projected growth rates of 5.4% in the US and 6.9% in China.

This may be particularly good news for small and medium-sized businesses that focus on the sector.

The research suggested that their revenues have grown by 12.5% each year in the last three years.

The study also provided an indication of the UK public's growing love affair with the web.

While only a quarter of those surveyed said they would consider giving up sex for a year in order to maintain their broadband connection, the figures for other vices were much higher.

Some 65% would give up alcohol, 76% chocolate and 78% coffee.

Android app developers have complained about a hold-up in payments from Google.

2012-03-17T11:11:00.001+06:00

Europe-based software writers have posted hundreds of comments on the company's forums, saying their February fees had not been received on 7 March as scheduled. Coders receive a 70% share of sales of their app on the Google Play store. Six days after the first complaint, a Google employee wrote that: "We're actively investigating this." "We apologise for this inconvenience. At this time, no action is needed on your part," the developer relations manager added. She did not say whether the problem originated with Google or one of its payment processing partners.

'Hard to contact'

Some users in France, Sweden and the Netherlands reported that their banks had received the money by midday on Friday. However, others in the UK, Spain, Portugal and Germany said that they had still to receive funds.

Many complained about the difficulty in contacting Google for more information.

"They seem to think no direct contact is a good thing??? Crazy situation but that's how these big corps work and until it hurts their bottom line nothing will change," wrote one developer nicknamed UKAPPS on the Google page named Checkout Merchant forum.

The forum members became particularly annoyed after the firm provided an update last night on its developer console - the page programmers log into to track their sales.

"We are aware of reports from some European developers that they are yet to receive their March 2012 payout for February 2012 sales," it said.

An attached hyperlink promising "learn more" led to a page which said: "We're sorry but the information that you requested cannot be found."

One forum member, nicknamed Red_Rage wrote: "Their response to what is a make-or-break issue for some developers is so amateur. A broken link in the console link after all this whining? Really Google? Really?"

Automated systems

The BBC spoke to one developer who is owed thousands of pounds, but asked not to be identified in case it jeopardised his livelihood.

He noted that he had been previously been able to contact a staff member at Apple when there had been an issue with one of his apps on the firm's iOS platform - but said in this instance it had proved impossible to reach a Google representative.

"If you traverse through the 'contact us' pages of the site, you'll eventually get to a form, but it's pre-populated with generic a/b/c choices, and there is no space to write a custom note," he said.

"Google need to realise that investment in actual human support staff is essential; there are limits to the ways in which a system can be automated - however financially attractive that option may be."

A spokesman for Google said he was unable to provide a statement about staffing.

Japan have measured the brain activity of honeybees when they form this killer ball

2012-03-17T11:03:00.002+06:00

One highly active area of the bees' brains, they believe, allows them to generate the constant heat which is deadly for the hornet.

The team published their findings in the open-access journal, PLoS One.

Prof Takeo Kubo from the University of Tokyo explained that "higher centres" of the bee's brain, known as the mushroom bodies, were more active in the brains of Japanese honeybees when they were a part of the "hot defensive bee ball".

To find this out, the team lured the bees to form their ball by attaching a hornet to the end of a wire and inserting the predator into the hive.

This simulated invasion caused the bees to swarm around the hornet. The researchers then plucked a few of the bees from the ball and measured, throughout each of their tiny brains, the relative amount of a chemical that is known to be a "marker" of brain activity.

"We found that similar [brain] activity is evoked when the Japanese honeybees are simply exposed to high temperature (46C) in the laboratory," the researcher told BBC Nature.

This suggests that this area of the brain is important for processing temperature information.

The team thinks that the mushroom bodies allow the bees to precisely control the temperature they generate inside the bee ball. The same researchers previously discovered that this remains at 46C until the hornet is successfully killed.

Prof Kubo said that this brain region might "modulate the vibration of the flight muscle", which is what generates this heat.

The bees, he explained, must maintain the temperature in the bee ball around 46 degrees "because, if the temperature of the bee ball is below [that], the hornet will not be killed".

"[And] if the temperature is above 46 degrees, not only the hornet but also the bees will be killed."

Dr Masato Ono from Tamagawa University, who also took part in the study, added: "The crucial function is to keep temperature inside the bee ball within the range of 46 to 48C, [like] a thermostat."

The team hope eventually to find out what kind of brain function is unique to the Japanese honeybees compared to that of the European honeybees, which do not form these spherical armies.

Lack of knowledge 'increases early death risk for elderly'

2012-03-17T10:47:00.002+06:00

They are more than twice as likely to die within five years as adults with no literacy problems, it was found.

The University College London study tested nearly 8,000 adults on their understanding of aspirin instructions.

The Patients Association said patients should help draft information leaflets so they are "relevant and clear".

The researchers, from the department of epidemiology and public health at University College London, said that limited or low health literacy among older people has implications for the design and delivery of health services for this section of the population.

Using a short test containing four questions, based on instructions similar to those found on a packet of aspirin, the researchers assessed the participants' ability to read and understand the information.

They found that 67.5% had high health literacy (achieved the maximum score), 20% were classed as medium (made one error) and 12.5% had low health literacy (got two, one or no questions correct).

In the study, almost half of the adults aged over 80 could not correctly answer all four questions, compared to one-quarter of the adults aged 60 or less.

'Worrying'

The study followed the participants for an average of five years after the test.

During this time, 6.1% (321) died in the high health literacy category, 9% (143) in the medium category and 16% (157) in the low literacy category.

The researchers said that lower health literacy was linked to a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, physical limitations and chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke and asthma - but higher health literacy scores were linked to stronger cognitive abilities, including verbal fluency and working memory, they said.

When researchers adjusted for factors such as wealth, education, income, ethnicity and basic health, the link between low health literacy and mortality risk reduced, "but remained significant", the study said.

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients' Association said it was worrying that so many people struggle to understand health-related information.

"How are patients expected to make informed decisions if they do not fully understand the information being given to them?

"Patients must be involved in the development of these information leaflets from the outset to make sure they provide relevant and clear information."

Michelle Mitchell, director general of Age UK, said health professionals have a responsibility to give patients information that makes sense.

"That way, patients will be better empowered to manage their own health conditions and make the positive lifestyle choices that lead to better health and wellbeing."

Sachin Tendulkar has become the first player to score international centuries

2012-03-17T10:41:00.001+06:00

The 38-year-old completed his landmark century, his 49th in one-day cricket, with a single clipped to square leg. After being dismissed for 114, he said: "I was not thinking about the milestone. It hasn't sunk in." Tendulkar had twice been out in the 90s after scoring his 99th century against South Africa in March 2011. The right-hander, who holds the record for scoring the most Test and one-day runs, has also scored 51 Test tons. Tendulkar, whose own celebration was a little muted, was immediately congratulated by the Bangladesh players after he jogged through for the single to bring up his century, scored off Shakib Al Hasan.

The hundred was Tendulkar's first against Bangladesh in one-day cricket and he added another 14 runs before edging a Mashrafe Mortaza delivery to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim.

He added: "A year ago when I got my 99th hundred no-one spoke about it during the World Cup, then I guess it was the media who began talking about it.

"Wherever I went, to a restaurant, the house keeping, the room service, whoever I met just spoke about the 100th hundred.

"It became a little difficult mentally, because I am not playing only for my 100th hundred.

"The 99 hundreds that I scored, nobody spoke about them. Everyone had their opinion but eventually I have got to do what is important for the team.

"I have lost about 50 kilos. Enjoy the game and chase your dreams. I had to wait for 22 years for one dream, the World Cup."

Although the day belonged to Tendulkar, Bangladesh won the Asia Cup group match by five wickets with four balls remaining, and India now face Pakistan, who have won both their opening matches, as they bid to qualify for the final of the four-team event.

England Test captain Andrew Strauss was among a host of players to offer their congratulations to Tendulkar.

He told BBC Sport: "Sachin is a player by which all others are measured over the last 10-15 years, and for him to go out and get a hundred hundreds is an amazing achievement without precedent - it's unlikely to be achieved again."

International Cricket Council chief executiveHaroon Lorgat has also applauded the feat.

"On behalf of every cricket fan around the globe I congratulate Sachin on becoming the first person to score 100 centuries for his country," he said.

"This is indeed a magnificent feat and not likely to be easily emulated. The number 100 is special for a batsman and to record 100 centuries for your country is a massive statement.

"Like millions of others I have followed his career ever since he first played for India as a gifted 16-year-old and now, more than two decades later, his passion and personal records, which include more than 33,000 runs at international level, is a modern day wonder.

"Sachin is a true role model who will undoubtedly hold a special place in cricket's history."

Narayanaswami Srinivasan, the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India said: "Ever since he made his international debut in November 1989, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has strode cricketing arenas the world over, like a colossus.

"He has been an inspiration to billions, and an ornament to the sport. March 16, 2012 will never be forgotten by cricket-lovers."

India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh issued a statement, adding: "He has made India proud.

"Tendulkar's long career has been a triumph of class, character and courage. I wish him many more innings and feats to continue inspiring the youth."

He began his Test career as a 16-year-old in 1989 against Pakistan and scored 15 in a blood-soaked shirt after being hit in the face by a Waqar Younis delivery.

The following year he scored his first Test century, against England at Old Trafford and in 1992 became Yorkshire's first overseas signing.

Tendulkar surpassed fellow India legend Sunil Gavaskar's record of 34 Test centuries in 2005, became the highest Test-run scorer in 2008 and scored the first double century in a one-day international in 2010.

Tendulkar has scored 15,470 Test runs and 18,260 in the one-day game.

George Clooney has been arrested for civil disobedience

2012-03-17T10:35:00.003+06:00

The actor was taking part in a protest to warn of a humanitarian crisis in the volatile border area between Sudan and South Sudan.He was detained alongside his father, Nick, but both have now been released after paying bail of $100 (£63).George Clooney is a keen Sudan activist and has visited the area several times.South Sudan celebrated its independence from Sudan in 2011, but relations between the two neighbours have worsened since then.

The country is one of the world's poorest regions and has hardly any roads, railways, schools or clinics as a result of two decades of conflict leading up to independence from Sudan in July 2011.

Bitter disagreements remain over oil resources and borders, with conflict raging in the border region - the focus for Clooney's concern.

'We hope it helps'

Speaking to reporters following his release, Clooney said his key concern was the fate of those in the region.

"Best estimate is tens of thousands of people are going to die from starvation... this isn't a famine, this is a man-made tragedy by the government of Khartoum to get these people to leave."

"You never know if you are accomplishing anything... We hope it helps," Clooney said.

The actor said the arrest was his first, but added: "Let's hope it's my last."

The Hollywood star, his father and fellow activists had been led away in handcuffs after reportedly ignoring repeated police warnings to leave the embassy grounds.

He was released three hours later after paying the bail fee.

Secret Service spokesman George Oglivie told the BBC how the arrest unfolded: "George Clooney was arrested for crossing a police line at the Sudan embassy and he'll be transported to the Metropolitan police department second district."

Also arrested, said Mr Oglivie, were Martin Luther King III, son of the civil rights leader; Massachusetts Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern; Virginia Democratic Congressman Jim Moran; and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People President Ben Jealous.

George Clooney's arrest comes a day after he met President Barack Obama at the White House to discuss the Sudan situation.

Ahead of the rally, he said he thought the president was "very engaged" on the issue of Sudan.

Clooney also called on the Sudanese government to allow humanitarian aid in to the area immediately and to "stop randomly killing its own innocent men, women and children".

The actor recently secretly travelled across the border to the Nuba Mountains in Sudan, where his group apparently witnessed a rocket attack. A YouTube video of the visit was uploaded on Thursday.

He told the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week that what was happening in the region was "ominously similar" to the violence in Darfur.

The UN estimates that nearly 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million been displaced since the Darfur conflict broke out in 2003.

Kofi Annan renewed calls for an end to fighting

2012-03-17T10:32:00.000+06:00

After briefing the Security Council about his peace efforts, Mr Annan renewed calls for an end to fighting and for unimpeded humanitarian aid.

Syria said it was ready to co-operate with Mr Annan, but also reaffirmed its determination to combat "terrorists".

Meanwhile the Turkish government has urged its nationals to leave Syria.

The foreign ministry in Ankara said developments in Syria have led to "serious security risks".

Divided UN

Mr Annan, who held talks with President Bashir al-Assad in Damascus last week, briefed the Security Council in New York via a video link from Geneva on Friday.

In a news conference later, he said: "I will be sending teams in this weekend to pursue the discussions on the proposals we left on the table."

Kofi Annan: "I will be sending a team in this weekend to pursue the discussions"

He also restated the main aims of his peace initiative - an immediate ceasefire by both sides, access for humanitarian aid, and the beginning of political dialogue.

BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen says it is an ambitious plan that at the moment looks more likely to fail than to succeed.

Mr Annan said he had urged the Security Council to speak with "one voice".

The international community remains divided on Syria, with Russia and China both blocking UN Security Council resolutions on Syria and aid groups from 27 countries urging them to condemn the government's use of violence.

But the two permanent members have backed Mr Annan's peace mission.

With refugees streaming across the border at a rate of up to 1,000 a day, Turkey is being forced to rethink its policy towards Syria.
Public anger over the reports of terrible atrocities by President Assad's forces, and over the detention and alleged torture of two Turkish journalists, are also putting pressure on the government.
That may be why Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ministers are for the first time talking openly about establishing a buffer zone, to protect civilians, inside Syria. It would involve Turkish troops crossing the border to protect the buffer zone, and inevitably bring them into conflict with the Syrian army.
That is a very big step for Turkey to take, and it is unlikely to happen unless the flow of refugees becomes a tide of many tens of thousands, and Turkey gets a green light, if not from the UN - at least from its Western allies and the Arab League.

Mr Annan was speaking a day after the first anniversary of the country's uprising, which has left more than 8,000 people dead.

The violence has continued despite a month-long observer mission sent by the Arab League in December and January. Its aim was to verify implementation of a now defunct peace initiative.

Refugee flow

Fresh protests were held on Friday in cities across Syria - including Idlib in the north where the government has launched a fierce offensive against the rebel Free Syrian Army.

Many anti-government demonstrators called for foreign military intervention. Clashes between rebel fighters and the army were also reported in several parts of the country.

President Assad insists his troops are fighting "armed gangs" seeking to destabilise Syria.

The Turkish foreign ministry on Friday issued a statement saying: "Developments in Syria pose serious security risks for our nationals."

"Therefore it is strongly recommended that Turkish nationals currently in Syria leave and return home."

The ministry also said consular services in Damascus would end at the end of office hours next Thursday, but the consulate in the second city of Aleppo would remain open.

Two Turkish journalists are currently missing in Syria, and are reportedly in the hands of the security forces.

Some reports say they have been wounded and tortured.

Nigeria deaths: Italian anger at UK over rescue bid

2012-03-09T10:57:00.003+06:00

Italian politicians have complained that David Cameron did not consult Italy before approving a failed bid to rescue a Briton and Italian in Nigeria.

Chris McManus and Franco Lamolinara, who were abducted last year, died as the rescue bid failed on Thursday.

The UK prime minister said he gave the go-ahead because the men's lives were in "imminent and growing danger".

British SBS special forces were "first in" during the rescue bid at Sokoto, says BBC correspondent Gordon Corera.

Gunmen seized the two engineers in the town of Birnin Kebbi on 12 May 2011.

They worked for B Stabilini, an Italian construction firm, and were involved in the construction of a local headquarters for the Central Bank of Nigeria.

"A Downing Street spokesperson said that the UK had been in regular contact with the Italian authorities throughout the case," BBC correspondent Gordon Corera reported.

"The spokesperson said Rome was informed when the operation was under way and that the British Prime Minister rang spoke to his Italian counterpart after its conclusion."

But speaking on the BBC's Newsnight, Italian Senator Lucio Malan said the Italians were not satisfied and wanted to know why they had not been consulted.

"It is quite uncommon that a country that is involved is not informed before. Apparently it was a very difficult situation and it might have been the best decision but it is still to be explained why the Italian authorities haven't been informed," he said.

Meanwhile, BBC correspondent Alan Johnston said one MP from the centre-left Democratic Party was now demanding to know why Italy was not involved in the decision to go ahead with the operation.

President Jonathan said that the men's captors had been seized and "would be made to face the full wrath of the law".

He described them as being from Boko Haram, a militant Islamist group that has carried out a number of attacks on police, politicians and clerics who oppose it.

The BBC's Gordon Corera said he understood the attack was most likely to have been the work of a splinter cell within Boko Haram, with possible links to al-Qaeda.

"During this ordeal we have relied heavily on the support of our family and friends which has never waned and has enabled us to get through the most difficult of times," they said.Relatives of Mr McManus, who reports say was from Oldham in Greater Manchester, released a statement saying they were "devastated" by his death but thanked those who had worked to try to free him.

Brazil football boss Ricardo Teixeira takes sick leave

2012-03-09T10:55:00.003+06:00

The head of the Brazil's 2014 football World Cup organising committee, Ricardo Teixeira, is taking a leave of absence for medical reasons, officials say.

It is not clear how long he will be away from the job, or what his health problem is.

Mr Teixeira, 64, had been under pressure to resign over corruption allegations.

He has denied any wrongdoing and last week was confirmed in his post by a unanimous vote.

Mr Teixeira has led the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) since 1989 as well as heading Brazil's 2014 organising committee.

The news that he was stepping aside for health reasons was announced in a statement sent to all Brazil's state football federations.

"When you are in bad health you have to take care of it," Marco Polo del Nero of the Sao Paulo state Football Federation said.

CBF senior vice-president Jose Maria Marin would take temporary charge, he said.

Last week there was growing media speculation that Mr Teixeira would stand down, after new corruption allegations surfaced.

But state federations voted unanimously to confirm him in the post he has held for 23 years.

In 2001, the Brazilian Congress investigated Mr Teixeira on suspicion of 13 crimes, including tax evasion, money laundering and misleading lawmakers, but no charges were brought.

He has also been investigated for allegedly taking kickbacks from a marketing firm that worked closely with Fifa in the 1990s.

And the English Football Association accused him of improper conduct during bidding for the 2018 World Cup.

He has denied all the allegations and has never been convicted of any offence.

Oxfam warns of West Africa drought 'catastrophe'

2012-03-09T10:53:00.003+06:00

Oxfam says urgent action is needed to stop drought in the Sahel region of West Africa turning into a humanitarian disaster affecting 13 million people.

The aid agency says the international community waited too long to respond to famine in East Africa last year.

The agency has launched a £23m ($36m) emergency appeal to help reach more than a million of the most vulnerable.

A BBC correspondent says refugees fleeing fighting in northern Mali are adding to the problem.

Launching its appeal, Oxfam said that malnutrition rates across Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and northern Senegal are hovering between 10% and 15%, and in some areas have risen beyond the emergency threshold level of 15%.

It says that more than one million children in the Sahel region are at risk of severe malnutrition.

In parts of Chad, Oxfam says, some villagers are digging up ant hills to gather grain that the ants have stored.

The agency says that drought, high food prices, severe poverty and regional conflict are causing the crisis.

"Millions of people are on the threshold of a major crisis," said Mamadou Biteye Oxfam Regional Director for West Africa.

"All signs point to a drought becoming a catastrophe if nothing is done soon. The world cannot allow this to happen. A concerted aid effort is needed to stop tens of thousands dying due to international complacency."

He added: "We witnessed last year the situation spiralling out of control in East Africa as the aid community failed to act swiftly. The worst can be avoided and thousands of lives will be saved if we act now. It's that simple."

BBC world affairs correspondent Mike Wooldridge says that recent fighting between rebels and the army in northern Mali has caused more than 100,000 people to flee their homes - half of them crossing into Niger and other countries that are already hard-pressed.

In January, Oxfam and Save the Children said that thousands of people in East Africa died needlessly from famine last year because the international community failed to heed early warnings.