Continents news newspaper + infographic by Almante Juskaite

CONTINENTS NEWS NO. 9,89 SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

APPLE PASSES COKE AS WORLD’S ‘TOP BRAND’

BREAKING BAD FINALE IS A HIT WITH TV CRITICS

GOOGLE UNVEILS MAJOR UPGRADE TO SEARCH ALGORITHM

SPAIN CONSIDERS TIME ZONE CHANGE TO BOOST PRODUCTIVITY

GIANT PANDA TIAN TIAN LIKELY MISCARRIED, EDINBURGH ZOO SAYS

MYSTERY GREECE GIRL: COUPLE IN COURT OVER ABDUCTION

PIRACY SITE ISOHUNT TO SHUT DOWN AND PAY $110M

AEG NOT LIABLE IN MICHAEL JACKSON’S DEATH, JURY FINDS

PAKISTANI QUAKE AREA STRUCK AGAIN

AFRICA’S SUPER TELESCOPES ‘WILL INSPIRE SCIENCE BOOM’

CHINA CUTS RIBBON ON FREE TRADE ZONE

SURVIVORS RECALL PINOCHET COUP, 40 YEARS ON

MEXICO ARRESTS ‘UGLY BETTY’

FAST-FOOD GIANTS WANT PIZZA THE ACTION IN AFRICA

WESTGATE ATTACK: KENYA CCTV ‘SHOWS SOLDIERS LOOTING’

SYRIA HAS MET FIRST CHEMICAL WEAPONS DESTRUCTION DEADLINE

US SPY CHIEF: SHUTDOWN ‘DAMAGING’

CASE GROWS AGAINST NORWEGIAN IN KENYA ATTACK

KENYA BEGINS MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR RAILWAY

3D CARTOONS GIVE KENYAN BUSINESSES WINNING EDGE

TEXAS ROLLER COASTER REOPENS AFTER WOMAN’S DEATH

GREECE MYSTERY GIRL: ROMA COUPLE SAYS THEY ADOPTED ‘MARIA’

ROMA FAMILY IN IRELAND REUNITED WITH DAUGHTER AFTER DNA TEST

CHARITIES WARN GOVERNMENT OVER AGEING POPULATION

JAPAN EXTENDS THE FUKUSHIMA CLEAN-UP DEADLINE TO 2017

MEXICO ARRESTS ALLEGED LEADER OF KIDNAPPING CELL

MALALA: WE MUST TALK TO THE TALIBAN TO GET PEACE

BEAUTY QUEEN’S KILLERS NABBED, VENEZUELA SAYS

APPLE TOUCH ID FINGERPRINT TECH ‘BROKEN’, HACKERS SAY Hackers claim to have broken Apple’s iPhone 5S Touch ID fingerprint recognition system just a day after the phone was launched. Germany’s Chaos Computer Club claims it “successfully bypassed the biometric security of Apple’s Touch ID using easy everyday means”.

“Claiming this system offers a high level of security is just ridiculous” By photographing a fingerprint left on a glass surface and creating a fake finger they were able to unlock the phone, the hackers claim. But Apple maintains Touch ID is secure. On its website the iPhone maker says there is a one in 50,000 chance of two separate fingerprints being alike and the technology provides “a very high level of security”. Karsten Nohl, chief scientist at SRLabs, a German hacking think tank, told the BBC: “It would have been incredible if Apple had managed to do something the rest of the biometrics industry has failed to achieve after decades of trying, so I’m not surprised it was hacked after just one day.“Claiming this system offers a high level of security is just ridiculous,” he added. Apple does not suggest that Touch ID is a total replacement for traditional passcode security, simply a more convenient way of unlocking the phone. Chaos Computer Club logo The Chaos Computer Club believes fingerprint biometrics “should be avoided” “Touch ID is designed to minimise the input of your passcode; but your passcode will be needed for additional security validation,” Apple says. But it does not address the ability of hackers lifting individual prints and creating fake fingers, as the Chaos Computer Club claims to have done. Mr Nohl says a five-digit password would be more secure than a fingerprint and believes Apple should have focused on convenience rather than security in its marketing of the Touch ID feature. On Friday, an influential US senator called for Apple to answer “substantial privacy questions” arising from the technology. Apple did not respond to the BBC’s request for a comment.

THE RISE OF THE TEXT TATTOO It probably wasn’t on Shakespeare’s radar that his work would one day unite Megan Fox, Danielle Lineker and Lindsay Lohan. But it has they all have Shakespeare quotations tattooed on their bodies. Why are more people getting such high-brow inkings?

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The trend for long pieces of script is part of the tattoo’s journey from the margins to the mainstream. Rarely a week passes without a celebrity being spotted with a defiant rallying cry, knowing aphorism or erudite quote inked on their bodies. Angelina Jolie, the doyenne of written tattoos, was recently spotted with a long bit of text - thought to be Arabic - on her right arm. It joins a Tennessee Williams quotation, the Arabic word for determination, and the geographical co-ordinates of her six children’s birthplaces, among others. Literary quotations, song lyrics and philosophical musings are popular. Megan Fox took her Shakespearean tattoo from King Lear - “We will all laugh at gilded butterflies” - while Danielle Lineker chose “Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt” from Measure for Measure, and Lindsay Lohan went for “What dreams may come” from Hamlet. It’s not all high culture, though. Harry Styles has a few words from George Michael’s Careless Whisper on his feet - “never gonna” on his right foot and “dance again” on his left. People often seek out the profound or portentous phrase. David Beckham has “Ut Amem Et Foveam” - So that I love and cherish - below wife Victoria’s name, as well as the saying “Perfectio in Spiritu”.

BREAKING BAD FINALE IS A HIT WITH TV CRITICS

Arguably the most talked-about television series of the past five years, the finale of Breaking Bad aired in the US on Sunday, swiftly followed by its UK premiere on Netflix. Set in Albuquerque, the series followed the life of Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a high school chemistry teacher who was diagnosed with terminal cancer at the beginning of the first series. In order to secure his family’s future before he dies, he turned to a life of crime, making and selling methamphetamine. Reviews in the UK and US have been generally favourable - but reveal several key plot points.

The Independent by Tim Walker: Walt may have ruined his own family and the lives of several others. And yet, in that climactic final half hour, he somehow won back a measure of both sympathy and respect - not least by surrendering the pretence that he’d done it all for his family. “I did it for me,” he told Skyler, at last. “I liked it. I was good at it.” Of course, the thing he was good at was not carpentry, nor teaching - though I seem to recall he wasn’t too shabby at that - but cooking meth and whacking folks. So in the end, he got what he deserved. New York Times by Alessandra Stanley: Perhaps the best thing about the finale of Breaking Bad is that it actually ended. So many shows, notably The Sopranos and Lost, have gone dark without anything approaching finality. Here, the writers were so determined to not leave unfinished business that the last episode was called Felina, an anagram of finale. And almost every loose end was tied. In some cases, a little too tightly, and in others, not quite as much. Breaking Bad brilliantly tracked Walt’s transformation from teacher to criminal mastermind. But it’s still a mystery why that talented chemist turned his back on fame and fortune and became a humble high school chemistry teacher. The Mirror by Josh Woodfin: Written and filmed at a time when Breaking Bad was already a phenomenon, this finale has been under a huge amount of pressure from a fan base that’s taken ownership of the story in a way that few TV shows manage. But fear not, they’ve pulled it off marvellously. In a single episode, they’ve packed in all of those disparate ingredients that have made Breaking Bad such a joy. There’s action, violence and tension, but also humour, warmth and wonderfully quiet moments that carry so much weight. Time by James Poniewozik: The final episode of Breaking Bad... had a lot of business to take care of in a short time. [It] was a kind of machine gun of narrative, knocking down all of those questions with auto-fire efficiency. (Well, almost all.) It was not flashy. It wasn’t structurally ambitious, in the way other Breaking Bad episodes have been. It was not, in most respects, surprising.

MYST CREATORS SEEK CASH FOR NEW GAME The creators of legendary adventure game Myst are seeking cash for a new game via Kickstarter. Cyan Worlds is looking for $1.1m (￡679,000) from the crowdfunding site to develop a game called Obduction. The game-maker said its new title would be a spiritual successor to its earlier point-and-click adventure games Myst and Riven. If Cyan reaches its funding target it plans to release PC and Mac versions of Obduction in mid-2015. Released in 1993, Myst was a huge hit thanks to its sumptuous look, detailed world-building and intricate puzzles. On its Kickstarter page, Cyan said Obduction would continue with these traditions but update them to take advantage of the power of modern computers.

One puzzle in Obduction involves ﬁnding out how this abandoned farmhouse was moved to an alien planet It said the game would use the Unreal 4 game development engine to create a detailed far-flung world that players find themselves upon at the start of the game. Playing Obduction involves exploring the world, solving puzzles and working out why the player has been abducted and taken to the alien planet. The cash being sought was for the most basic version of the game, said Cyan. Cash raised beyond the original total would go towards making the game world bigger and moving the title to other gaming gadgets beyond PCs. Cyan said it was turning to Kickstarter because it allowed the company to connect with fans, meant it had control of development and ensured everyone involved had an intimate link to the project. Nathan Grayson at PC game news website Rock, Paper Shotgun said the “meagre” information provided by Cyan did not give a good idea about how the final game might turn out. He wondered if the game would reach its funding target despite getting pledges of more than $100,000 within a day of being kicked off.“Obduction really does feel like it’d be a shoo-in if it wasn’t currently a pile of napkin scrawlings and a series of excited hand gestures,” he wrote.

LINGERIE AS OUTERWEAR

Celebrities and style icons have long been wearing slips, corsets and bustiers outside the bedroom, from Elizabeth Taylor and Madonna to Gwen Stefani, Rihanna and Lady Gaga. But if you’re wondering whether that lace-trimmed camisole under your co-worker’s blazer is from the lingerie or outerwear section, you’re not alone. Lingerie-inspired looks that are made to be seen are emerging from the boudoir and onto runways, the red carpet and all the way into street style blogs and even the office. At Lingerie Fashion Week in August, the prominence of loungewear -- pajama tops and bottoms, tap pants -- and chemises in bright colors and bold patterns underscored designers’ efforts to create pieces that can be worn for any occasion. Lingerie-inspired looks are also popping up on the runways this week at New York Fashion Week, most notably from Jason Wu, whose line included corsets and jackets with sexy details and shimmery gowns in soft palettes, marking a departure from his previous formal fare. Thanks to several innovative brands and designers, “lingerie as outerwear doesn’t just mean letting a camisole peek through your blazer anymore,” said Cora Harrington, founder and editor of The Lingerie Addict.

APPLE PASSES COKE AS WORLD’S ‘TOP BRAND’ Move over, Coke. It looks like Apple is the real thing. The tech giant has ended Coca-Cola's 13-year run as the world's most valuable brand on a highly regarded annual list. And the rivalry between Apple and Google has apparently been good to both. Bolstered by the dominance of its Android operating system, Google also leapfrogged Coke, moving into second place on Interbrand's yearly Best Global Brands list. They headed a tech-heavy list, on which IBM, Microsoft, Samsung and Intel helped round out the top 10. But Apple shone brightest, as much for its role as a cultural institution as for the products themselves. "Every so often, a company changes our lives, not just with its products, but with its ethos," Interbrand CEO Jez Frampton said in the report. "This is why, following Coca-Cola's 13-year run at the top of Best Global Brands, Interbrand has a new No. 1 -- Apple." Interbrand, which consults with companies about their public image, compiles its list based on financial performance of the company, the role the brand plays in influencing consumers, and how secure the brand's top money-making products are in their field. According to the report, Apple's brand is estimated to be worth $98.3 billion, a 28% increase over 2012, when it was No. 2 on the list. Coca-Cola's value also rose, but by only 2%, to $79.2 billion. Much of Apple's boost can probably be attributed to its growing presence in China, where iPhones and other Apple devices are increasingly popular. Apple and Google were just two of many tech companies among the list's fastest-rising brands. Facebook gained 43% to hit No. 52, making it the only social-media site on the list. Amazon jumped 27% to No. 19. Last year Google was fourth on the list. "Tech brands continue to dominate Interbrand's Best Global Brands report -- underscoring the fundamental and invaluable role they play in consumers' lives," the report reads. The report estimates that the list's tech companies have a combined value of more than $443 billion. Last year Apple eclipsed Microsoft to become the most valuable public company in history, although its stock has since dipped. This year, Apple was surpassed by Samsung in the total number of smartphones sold worldwide, and some in the tech community knocked the company for what they perceived as a lack of innovation compared to its competitors. But the newly released iPhone 5S sold a record 9 million units during its first weekend, far outdistancing the 5 million or so iPhone 5 handsets sold in the same amount of time last year. (It's worth noting, though, that China was part of the initial rollout of the 5S but wasn't for the 5.) Interbrand says its not worried about Apple on the innovation front. "(CEO) Tim Cook has assembled a solid leadership team and has kept Steve Jobs' vision intact.

GATES CALLS CTRL+ALT+DEL COMMAND A MISTAKE Bill Gates has described the decision to use Ctrl+Alt+Del as the command needed to log on to a PC as a mistake. Originally designed to trigger a reboot of a PC, it survives in the Windows 8 operating system as the command to access the task manager toolbar and is still used in older versions to log on. In an interview, the Microsoft co-founder blamed IBM for the shortcut, saying he had favoured a single button. The keyboard shortcut was invented by IBM engineer David Bradley. Originally he had favoured Ctrl+Alt+Esc, but he found it was too easy to bump the left side of the keyboard and reboot the computer accidentally so switched to Ctrl+Alt+Del because it was difficult to press with just one hand.

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GOOGLE UNVEILS MAJOR UPGRADE TO SEARCH ALGORITHM

BLACKBERRY: WE’RE NOT DEAD YET BlackBerry has appealed directly to its customers to stay loyal, publishing an open letter in newspapers around the world Tuesday that touts its technology and financial position. The ad, published on the company’s website and in 30 publications in nine countries, stresses that the embattled smartphone maker has substantial cash on hand and no debt. The letter also talks up Blackberry’s social network, security features and corporate appeal. “You can continue to count on BlackBerry,” the letter declares. What the ad does not mention is that Blackberry is for sale and has received a preliminary $4.7 billion buyout offer from Fairfax Financial.

CHARITIES WARN GOVERNMENT OVER AGEING POPULATION Ministers should do more to prepare for the impact of an ageing population, a group of leading charities has warned. A poll by care provider Anchor of 2,200 adults found more than three quarters (77%) said the government was not ready to cope with changing UK demographics. The survey results prompted the Ready for Ageing Alliance to say that action now was “crucial for a happier old age for future generations”. The government insisted it had an ambitious programme for the elderly.

“These are no doubt challenging times for us and we don’t underestimate the situation or ignore the challenges we are facing,” the ad acknowledges. “We are making the difficult changes necessary to strengthen BlackBerry.”he proposed deal from Fairfax came just three days after BlackBerry (BBRY) announced a brutal preliminary quarterly financial report, including a $1 billion loss and plans to lay off about 4,500 employees. Related story: BlackBerry co-founders want to buy the company The company is looking at other offers, and potential buyers include tech rivals and private equity firms. An offer from one of these companies would put BlackBerry on much firmer ground, given that many investors doubt the deal with Fairfax can be completed. BlackBerry announced last month that it plans to lay off 40% of its global workforce by the end of the year. The first round of cuts began last week, with 300 employees let go.

THE PIONEERS BEHIND A HUMAN-POWERED HELICOPTER It doesn't sound like it should be that hard. The challenge: Design an aircraft that, powered only by a human, can reach 3 meters (9.84 feet) in altitude and hover for at least 60 seconds. And yet that dare, first issued in 1980, stymied the world's best flight engineers. Dozens of teams tried. Only a handful managed to get their "human helicopter" off the ground. None won the elusive $250,000 Sikorsky Prize, established by the American Helicopter Society for the first team to accomplish the feat.

Google has unveiled an upgrade to the way it interprets users’ search requests. The new algorithm, codenamed Hummingbird, is the first major upgrade for three years. It has already been in use for about a month, and affects about 90% of Google searches. At a presentation on Thursday, the search giant was short on specifics but said Hummingbird is especially useful for longer and more complex queries. Google stressed that a new algorithm is important as users expect more natural and conversational interactions with a search engine - for example, using their voice to speak requests into mobile phones, smart watches and other wearable technology. Hummingbird is focused more on ranking information based on a more intelligent understanding of search requests, unlike its predecessor, Caffeine, which was targeted at better indexing of websites. It is more capable of understanding concepts and the relationships between them rather than simply words, which leads to more fluid interactions. In that sense, it is an extension of Google’s “Knowledge Graph” concept introduced last year aimed at making interactions more human. In one example, shown at the presentation, a Google executive showed off a voice search through her mobile phone, asking for pictures of the Eiffel Tower. After the pictures appeared, she then asked how tall it was. After Google correctly spoke back the correct answer, she then asked“show me pictures of the construction” - at which point a list of images appeared. However, one search expert cautioned that it was too early to determine Hummingbird’s impact. “For me this is more of a coming out party, rather than making me think ‘wow’, said Danny Sullivan, founder of Search Engine Land. “If you’ve been watching this space, you’d have already seen how they’ve integrated it into the [predictive search app] Google Now and conversational search.

MISS PHILIPPINES CROWNED THE NEW MISS WORLD

Jane Ashcroft, chief executive of Anchor, said: “We ask government to prove to the public that they can future-proof policy. 137,000 people signed Anchor’s petition for a minister for older people.

AIR POLLUTION CAUSES CANCER, WORLD HEALTH AUTHORITY SAYS The air many of us breathe poses serious health risks, the World Health Organization says. On Thursday, it added cancer to the list. Air pollution is a now officially a carcinogen, and there are no caveats about the new classification. "We know that it is causing cancer in humans," said spokesman Kurt Straif. In 2010, lung cancer resulting from air pollution took the lives of 223,000 people worldwide. As pollution levels climb, so will the rate of cancer, the WHO said. And there is only one way to stop it: Clean up the air. "We can't treat ourselves out of this cancer problem," said Chris Wild, who heads the WHO's cancer research wing, the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Cleaner air would also have other health benefits. Air pollution increases the risk of bladder cancer, the IARC said. It has been known for a while that it contributes to heart disease and respiratory ailments. The problem is global, but people in developing countries with large populations are said to be particularly at risk.

A new Miss World was crowned Saturday, and though she competed as Miss Philippines, she hails from the United States. Megan Young, 23, an aspiring filmmaker, took the top honor at the competition, held in Bali, Indonesia. "No words! Thank you so much for everyone for choosing me. I promise to be the best Miss World ever," Young said. Miss France, Marine Lorphelin, and Miss Ghana, Carranzar Naa Okailey Shooter, were second and third runners up, respectively. Young was born in the United States and moved to the Philippines at age 10, according to her biography. The new Miss World is a college student who has appeared on screen as an actress and presenter since she was 15. Young wants to move behind the camera and become a director, according to her bio. Miss World's 127 contestants competed in beach fashion, fitness, world fashion, talent and "Beauty with a Purpose" meant to honor charitable work. The top 10 models -- from Ukraine, South Sudan, Brazil, the Philippines, France, Cameroon, Cyprus, England, Italy and the United States -- were announced earlier this week. Protesters in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, denounced the event. In an attempt to appease religious concerns, the pageant scrapped the swimsuit competition and replaced it with less-revealing beachwear attire. Also, the finals were originally to be held on the outskirts of Jakarta, but protesters forced the event to relocate to the Hindu resort island of Bali.

SANTA'S COLOR ISN'T THE IMPORTANT THING Do you know why so many children think they're entitled to a comfy life filled with toys, smiles and puppy dogs? I blame Santa Claus. Not "white" Santa Claus or "nonwhite" Santa Claus. Just Santa Claus. Christmas came early for perennial critics of Fox News when host Megyn Kelly got sucked into the country’s racial vortex by insisting that Santa Claus -and, also, for that matter, Jesus -- is white. It all began with a column by Slate culture blogger Aisha Harris, who is African-American. In the piece, provocatively titled “Santa Claus should not be a white man anymore,” Harris noted that she grew up with “two different Santa Clauses” -- one in popular culture that was

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white, and one she knew in her household, who was black. She advocated that, from this point on, Santa should be depicted as, eh, a penguin. Kelly was having none of it. “Just because it makes you feel uncomfortable doesn’t mean it has to change. Jesus was a white man, too. It’s like we have, he’s a historical figure that’s a verifiable fact, as is Santa, I just want kids to know that. How do you revise it in the middle of the legacy in the story and change Santa from white to black?” After being criticized and ridiculed from here to the North Pole, Kelly accused her detractors of “race-baiting” and claimed that her comment was lighthearted. She did apologize, however, for her comment about Jesus, saying she had learned the question was “far from settled.” I can relate to part of what Harris said. As a parent, I’m also living with two different Santa Clauses. But it has nothing to do with skin color. My two Santas are “Good Santa” and “Bad Santa.”

You’ll either get Good Santa or Bad Santa. I’m not worried about what color Santa Claus is. Teacher to student: You can’t be Santa -- you’re black What I’m worried about is the challenge of raising well-behaved kids in a society that sometimes make this difficult. As a parent of young children -- 8, 6 and 4 -- I want to care for them but not coddle them. I don’t worry about being too hard on my kids or demanding too much; I’m more concerned that, like many parents, I’ll wind up being too soft, too accommodating and too eager to excuse their misbehavior. I want them to be kind, thoughtful, generous and grateful for all they have. And do you know who sometimes works against me on that last front? Ol’ St. Nick himself. You see, the opposite of grateful isn’t ungrateful. It’s entitled. After all, it’s hard to feel thankful for something that you believe you’re owed. And if you want to know where the American culture of entitlement begins, try eavesdropping when your kids talk to Santa Claus. You’ll either get Good Santa or Bad Santa. In my first encounter this year, I got a Good Santa. I know the difference because, over the years, I’ve had plenty of Bad Santas. That guy -- who lingers at malls and department stores -- must work on commission. He encourages kids to rattle off a list of all the toys they want. Kids come away thinking that Christmas is all about gifts -- and unearned gifts at that. Bad Santa doesn’t ask anything in return for his largess. A child gets toys just by being a child. On the other hand, Good Santa is old school. He requires that kids put some skin in the game. That’s what happened when I took my 6-year-old son, along with his 6-year-old and 5-year-old cousins, to see Santa just a few days ago. We weren’t at the mall or department store but at a Christmas get-together at our neighborhood club house. When the boys approached Santa and began to rattle off what they want for Christmas, he put up his hand and stopped them. First, he asked if they had been good this year. Then Santa got on his soapbox. He told them to listen to their parents (and their uncle) and not fight with their siblings. And if they did that, he said, maybe they’d get the toy they want. But they’d only get one, so they had better choose wisely. The kids nodded obediently. They each asked for one gift and promised to hold up their end of the bargain. The jury is still out. I was pleasantly surprised. This Santa really was a saint. He was the kind of Santa I remembered growing up, and I hadn’t seen him in years. Throughout life, our kids will get plenty of encouragement to think of themselves as entitled. We should make the holidays about teaching them that, whatever they want, they have to earn by being good -- good to others, making good choices and practicing good behavior. Some people say it takes a village to raise a child. But do you know what would really come in handy? A few good Santas. Meanwhile, back in the cultural war, it’s a silly waste of time for Americans to argue over whether Santa is white or black. What matters is his philosophy on gift-giving. Besides, this whole argument is positively 20th century! In 2010, Latinos made up 16% of the U.S. population, and they are expected to account for as much as 30% by 2050. Everyone knows that, at least in the United States and Latin America, Santa is Latino. So, this year, skip the cookies, and leave out some tamales.

SPAIN CONSIDERS TIME ZONE CHANGE TO BOOST PRODUCTIVITY Spanish MPs are to consider changing time zones by an hour after a report said this would improve eating, sleeping and working habits. The document by a parliamentary commission said that “Spain for more than 71 years has not been in the correct time zone”.

In 1942, the Spanish dictator General Franco moved Spain onto Central European Time to follow Nazi Germany. The report says Spain should be in the same time zone as the UK and Portugal. Spain - on the western edge of Europe - is currently one hour ahead of GMT during the winter and two hours ahead in the summer. “We sleep almost an hour less than the World Health Organization recommends,’’ the commission said. “All this has a negative effect on productivity, absenteeism, stress, accidents and school drop-out rates.” It said that following the “wrong clock” explained why Spaniards tended to eat, leave work and go to bed later than their European neighbours. “Our timetable is determined more by the sun than by the clock. We eat at one o’clock in the afternoon and dine at eight, according to the sun, but the clock says it is three o’clock and 10 o’clock,” the text said. It added that jumping back an hour would bring Spain “into line with Europe in many respects in which we currently differ”.

HARIBO BOSS HANS RIEGEL DIES AT 90 The boss of German gummi bear maker Haribo has died aged 90. Hans Riegel, the son of the sweet maker’s founder, died of heart failure in Bonn, the company said in a statement. Mr Riegel was in charge of marketing and distribution for Haribo and invented its “kids and adults love it so” slogan. Mr Riegel inherited the firm from his father in 1946 and built it up into a firm that now employs 6,000 people. The company, which also makes sweets in the shape of cola bottles, jelly beans and milk bottles, has 20 factories across Europe and an annual turnover of about $2.5bn (￡1.6bn). Haribo is derived from the founder’s name and the German city where it is based - HAns RIegel, BOnn.

CONTINENTS NEWS

MYSTERY GREECE GIRL: COUPLE IN COURT OVER ABDUCTION

A Roma couple have been formally charged in Greece with abducting a young blonde girl, and they have been placed in detention pending a trial.

The girl, named Maria, was found during a raid on a Roma camp in central Greece last week. DNA tests showed that she was not related to the couple, who insist they were given her legitimately.

NEW VAN GOGH PAINTING DISCOVERED: ‘SUNSET AT MONTMAJOUR’ More than 120 years after Vincent van Gogh’s death, a new painting by the Dutch master has come to light. The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, which holds the largest collection of the artist’s work, announced Monday the discovery of the newly identified painting, a landscape titled “Sunset at Montmajour.” “A discovery of this magnitude has never before occurred in the history of the Van Gogh Museum,” the museum’s director, Axel Ruger, said in a statement. Van Gogh is believed to have completed the relatively large painting in 1888, two years before his death and during “a period that is considered by many to be the culmination of his artistic achievement,” Ruger said.

“A discovery of this magnitude has never before occurred in the history of the Van Gogh Museum,” The picture depicts a landscape in the vicinity of Arles in the south of France, where van Gogh was working at that time, the museum said. Ruger said the museum attributed the painting to van Gogh after “extensive research into style, technique, paint, canvas, the depiction, van Gogh’s letters and the provenance.” Starting September 24, it will appear in “Van Gogh At Work,” an exhibition currently on show at the museum in Amsterdam. Van Gogh (1853-1890) crafted some of the world’s best known and most loved paintings, including “Sunflowers,” “Irises” and “Starry Night,” and a number of self-portraits. He painted “Sunset at Montmajour” during the same period in which he produced “Sunflowers,” Ruger said. Van Gogh achieved little recognition as an artist during his lifetime, but his reputation blossomed in the years after his suicide at the age of 37, following years of mental illness. His works now hang in leading museums and galleries around the world.

Sunﬂowers” for $39.9 million, “Irises” for $53.9 million and “Portrait of Dr. Gachet” for $82.5 million. During the art market boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s, three of van Gogh’s works succeeded each other as the most expensive paintings ever sold: “Sunflowers” for $39.9 million, “Irises” for $53.9 million and “Portrait of Dr. Gachet” for $82.5 million. In its statement, the Van Gogh Museum didn’t divulge the full story behind the discovery of “Sunset at Montmajour,” saying it would be published in the October edition of The Burlington Magazine, a fine art publication, and at the museum. Louis van Tilborgh and Teio Meedendorp, two senior researchers at the museum, said the painting had belonged to the collection of van Gogh’s younger brother, Theo, in 1890 and was sold in 1901.

LONDON ZOO’S TIGER CUB, FIRST BORN AT ZOO IN 17 YEARS, DROWNS Keepers at London Zoo are “distraught” after a newborn tiger cub -- the first Sumatran tiger born there for 17 years -- drowned in a pool at its enclosure. The animal was born to fiveyear-old first-time-mom Melati just three weeks ago, and its arrival was greeted with huge excitement and celebration at the zoo, where experts were “over-themoon” about the birth. But on Saturday, keepers raised the alarm when they could no longer see the young tiger on cameras inside its den; a search of the enclosure revealed the animal’s body. It is thought Melati carried the cub out into the paddock area of the zoo’s “Tiger Territory,” where it fell into the pond and drowned.“We’re heartbroken by what’s happened,” said London Zoo’s Malcolm Fitzpatrick. Melati is said to be a very nervous tiger who prefers routine, and experts at the zoo had opted to allow her full access to the whole enclosure fearing that any changes to her environment might cause her to injure or abandon her cub.“At the time we thought it was in the best interests of Melati and her cub to allow her continued access to the full enclosure as normal,” Fitzpatrick said.“We didn’t want to put her on edge by changing her surroundings or routines, in case she abandoned or attacked the cub.” London Zoo is to carry out a full review of the circumstances which led to the cub’s death.“We would do anything to turn back the clock, and nobody could be more upset about what’s happened than the keepers who work with the tigers every day,” said Fitzpatrick. They are devoted to those tigers and are distraught.”The zoo had kept Melati’s pregnancy a secret for about 105 days before her cub was born on September 22. Hidden cameras were installed in her enclosure to keep watch over her throughout, and the speedy birth, which lasted just six minutes, was also caught

LAMPEDUS A MIGRANT CRISIS: SICILY DECLARES EMERGENCY The governor of Sicily has declared a state of emergency because of the large numbers of migrants it is having to deal with. The order will release funds for aid workers helping the now daily arrivals of hundreds of migrants from Africa and Syria. Italian officials say 370 migrants were rescued from three boats in the waters between Libya and Sicily on Tuesday. The migrants were all being transferred to the island of Lampedusa.

The BBC's Kassim Kayira says the Italian authorities have intercepted what they are calling a "mother ship" full of migrants Italy has a nationwide civil protection service and the state of emergency means that they will be able to carry out their work of looking after the new arrivals more efficiently, the BBC's David Willey reports from Rome. Lampedusa is swamped with new arrivals, so the efficient transfer of migrants to temporary accommodation in Sicily, which has better facilities to deal with the migrant emergency, has become essential, our correspondent adds. The latest rescues come a day after Italy announced increased patrols following the deaths of hundreds of migrants sailing in overcrowded boats. The migrants were all being transferred to Lampedusa,

the navy said. On Friday, at least 33 people died when their boat capsized between Malta and Lampedusa. A week earlier, more than 350 migrants died in another shipwreck off the island, one of the deadliest such incidents in recent years. Italy has previously called for EU help in dealing with the thousands of desperate migrants who wash up on its beaches every year. Many are families fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East who hope for a better life in Europe. The recent loss of life has led to further calls for EU action.On Monday, Italian Defence Minister Mario Mauro said the country intended to triple its presence in the southern Mediterranean. "We need strong action to stop these shipwrecks," he told Italian newspaper Avvenire. In addition to coastguard and border police vessels, the Italian navy currently has three ships supported by four helicopters patrolling the area. It can also call on two surveillance aircraft with night-vision capabilities. A spokesman for the UN refugee agency in Lampedusa told the BBC on Monday that Italy was also planning to increase its capacity for receiving migrants from 8,000 to 16,000. "[Migrants] should be transferred to the mainland, to the proper reception system. It's a huge effort [Italy] is making... the reception capability will be raised starting from next January," Maurizio Molina said. Also on Tuesday, the Italian interior ministry said 35,085 migrants had arrived on Italy's coasts this year, with about 24,000.

GIANT PANDA TIAN TIAN LIKELY MISCARRIED, EDINBURGH ZOO It's a sad day for Britain's panda lovers. After weeks of waiting, experts announced Tuesday that they no longer believe Edinburgh Zoo's female giant panda, Tian Tian, is pregnant. Hopes had been high that Tian Tian, who has been on loan to the zoo for less than two years, might produce a panda cub to wow the crowds and help boost panda numbers.

But experts at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland now think Britain's only female giant panda conceived and carried a fetus to late term but then lost it. Chris West, chief executive officer for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said officials were saddened by the turn of events. "Timings are difficult to pinpoint at this moment, but we had a meeting this morning where Tian Tian's behavior and hormone results were reviewed and have come to the conclusion that it is very likely she has lost the pregnancy," he said in a statement. Tian Tian has returned to normal eating and behavior patterns, he said. The creature's enclosure, which was closed to visitors to give privacy during the pregnancy, will remain shut to the end of the week. "Such a loss has always been in our minds as a very real possibility as it occurs in giant pandas as well as many other animals, including humans," West said. The zoo's scientists will review the data gathered, he said, but added that he is "totally confident that we did everything it was possible to do." The cub was conceived by artificial insemination. Panda cubs in Atlanta, Washington. Although the bad news for Tian Tian is a blow for conservationists and panda fans, it's been a good summer for the black-and-white stars at zoos across the pond. In August, a female giant panda cub was born to mother panda Mei Xiang at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, conceived through artificial insemination. Panda twins born at Zoo Atlanta. That birth came only a month after twin cubs were born at Zoo Atlanta -- the first set of panda twins born in the United States in 26 years.

07:45

GREECE MYSTERY GIRL: ATTORNEY FOR ROMA COUPLE SAYS THEY ADOPTED ‘MARIA’

THE ROMA: A THOUSAND YEARS OF DISCRIMINATION CONTINUES IN EUROPE, ADVOCATES SAY From the time they entered Europe from India a thousand years ago, the Roma were targets of discrimination. Countries passed laws to suppress their culture and keep them out of the mainstream -- and sometimes went much further. Roma were enslaved in Hungary and Romania in the 15th century and targeted for extermination by Nazi Germany 500 years later. Estimates of Romani deaths in the Holocaust range from 25% to 70% of the Roma population in Europe. Many Roma remain on the fringes of mainstream European society -- a fact underscored in the current case of a Romani couple accused of child abduction in Greece. The fair-skinned child caught the eyes of authorities when they visited a Roma community. The couple’s attorney says they adopted the child from the biological mother but didn’t go through a legal process. On Thursday, a Bulgarian woman came forward to say she left the girl in Greece with a family she worked for in 2009, Bulgarian Interior Ministry General Secretary Svetlozar Lazarov said. Rights groups say the latest case is bound to shine a harsh spotlight once again on the Roma. “The risk of this case is to further put more stereotype and racism on the general picture of the Roma community,” said Dezideriu Gergely, executive director of European Roma Rights Centre. “What is important here is to understand that this case is not one that defines the Roma. It is a case that needs to be looked at as an individual case and that could happen in any minority group. Not culturally related to the Roma minority or ethnically related to the Roma minority. Criminality is not ethnically related.” How are the Roma today? Today, one in three Roma in Europe are unemployed and 90% live below the poverty line, according to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Human Rights. Many Roma continue to live in camps or caravans, but it’s hard to say how many prefer that lifestyle and how many simply cannot find a way to settle down. Advocates say the Roma are denied a fair chance to secure housing, employment and education. And the EU human rights agency said governments must act to stop the “exclusion” of the Roma from mainstream society. How many people are Romani? From 10 million to 12 million in Europe, according to the EU human rights agency, which said last year that the Roma are Europe’s largest minority. Most live in southern and eastern Europe, although they can be found throughout the continent.

What is their language? The Romani language includes multiple dialects, all evolved from Sanskrit. The language is largely unwritten, however, because of the high rates of illiteracy in most Roma communities, according to information fromMinnesota StateUniversity. What is their religion? Some are Christian and some are Muslim, having converted while migrating through Persia and the Balkans, according to the United States HolocaustMemorial Museum. Why were they called gypsies? Because when they entered Europe -- perhaps from the 8th to 10th centuries, although scholars differ on the timeline -- people mistakenly thought they came from Egypt. Actually, they originated in the Punjab region of India. The term “gypsy” is considered pejorative by some Roma. Romani scholar Ian Hancock, a Romani raised in Great Britiain, says the term falsely implies that Roma are not a race -- that they are simply a group choosing a lifestyle. Why did the Roma become nomads? Probably because they were distrusted and discriminated against by Europeans. Like Jews, the Roma often were prohibited from buying land or entering the more stable occupations. At some point, the nomadic lifestyle became the norm for them. By the 20th century, the number of truly nomadic Roma began declining. Some advocates say many Europeans wrongly assume all Roma still want to be nomads -and use that belief to justify authorities’ failure to provide housing when they evict Roma from camps. What kind of discrimination did they face? Roma were living in Spain, France, England, and large parts of what is today Russia and Eastern Europe by the late 1400s. They suffered persecution in those countries ranging from laws against their language and dress to expulsion, according to Minnesota State. In the beginning of the 15th century, many Roma were forced into slavery by Hungarian and Romanian nobles who needed laborers for their large estates, according to the university. Roma suffered persecution during World War II. The Nazis judged Roma to be “racially inferior,” according to the Holocaust museum. “Their fate in some ways paralleled that of the Jews,” the museum said. The Nazis subjected Roma to internment, forced labor, and murder.“While exact figures or percentages cannot be ascertained historians estimate that the Germans and their allies killed around 25% of all European Roma,” the museum says.

A lawyer for a Roma couple accused of abducting the girl found living with them says the pair adopted the child from her biological mother. In a case that has generated huge interest in Greece, authorities have charged the couple with abducting the child they call “Maria.” They appeared in court Monday and were remanded into custody pending a trial. Authorities released photos of the child, possibly 4 or 5 years old, last week and sought public tips on her birth identity. Kostas Katsavos, one of the couple’s lawyers, told the Reuters news agency that they adopted Maria with the permission of her biological mother. He conceded that the adoption was “non-legal.” But he said he believes the biological mother will be located soon and will verify the couple’s claims. “They love her, and they took care as their own child,” Katsavos said. Haralambos Dimitriou, head of the local Roma community, said the couple took the girl in because her Bulgarian mother couldn’t keep her. He said Maria was raised like a “normal” child.

35%

ROMA FAMILY IN IRELAND REUNITED WITH DAUGHTER AFTER DNA TEST Two blonde, blue-eyed girls taken from Roma couples. Authorities turn to DNA tests for answers. For a family in Ireland, it's proof the girl is indeed their biological daughter. For a girl in Greece, the mystery remains as to who she is and who her real parents are. In Dublin, a 7-year-old girl whom Irish police took from her parents, a Roma couple, two days ago was reunited with them. A DNA test confirmed she is their daughter, a source familiar with the case's legal proceedings told CNN on Wednesday. Police, acting on a tip, had removed the girl from her home on Monday and placed her in protective care. The girl and her parents live in the suburb of Tallaght. The parents told CNN they have a passport for the girl, but they do not call her by the name on the passport. The couple, who appeared to be very upset

“They love her, and they took care as their own child,” Video provided by the Roma and shown to the media in the Roma settlement near Larissa does appear to show Maria dancing with a woman who is believed to be the same person now charged with abducting her. The Roma offered the video to demonstrate that Maria was happy and in good care. Police say they are suspicious of the records the couple provided for the child and for other children in their care. In addition to the abduction charge, the couple are accused of falsifying official documents. Authorities asked questions about Maria because she has fair skin and blonde hair while her parents have darker complexions typical of Roma, also known as gypsies, a race descended from Indian nomads who face widespread discrimination in Europe. Thousands of calls poured into Greece after authorities released photos of the girl last week. Authorities released photos of the two adults Monday, hoping the publicity will reach someone who can provide more information about them. A spokesman for the charity taking care of Maria said Sunday that she is in a group home where “she is doing much better.”Smile of the Child spokesman Panagiotis Pardalis said the girl was found in “bad living conditions, poor hygiene.” The child was found Thursday in the Roma community near Larissa in central Greece. Authorities said the blonde child looked nothing like the man and woman with her, and DNA testing confirmed that they were not her biological parents. A police statement said the couple “changed repeatedly their story about how they got the child.” The government news agency said police found suspicious birth and baptism records as well as family registrations that claimed the woman was mother to 10 children and the man was the father of four more.

DNA testing conﬁrmed that they were not her biological parents. Marietta Palavra, another attorney representing the couple, said DNA tests will show that five of the children belong to the man claiming to be their father but that there aren’t conclusive results for the others. She would not elaborate. Europe’s Roma discrimination shame Prejudice and discrimination against the Roma are widespread in Greece and elsewhere in Europe, Amnesty International says. Maria’s case plays into old prejudices about them stealing children for forced labor. Pardalis mentioned such a possibility, saying, “We don’t have any other information if this girl was forced to work or to beg on streets.” And the government news agency raised “the possibility of the existence of a ring bringing pregnant women to Greece from Bulgaria and then taking their children for sale.” The agency also cited past “reports” that empty coffins were found for infants who supposedly were stillborn to foreign mothers in Athens. “Maria used to play here with the other children and go to the store with her mum. Maria was not hidden away,” Maria Kaleas said. “The mother gave her away and Eleft-

by the situation, also showed CNN photos of the girl. The parents appeared in family court earlier Wednesday, after which their attorney said the couple is going to take some time before considering their legal options, the British Press Association reported. "Her parents greatly appreciate the help and assistance that they have been given by friends and relatives over the last few days," Waheed Mudah told the PA. "They now intend to concentrate on looking after their family and, in particular, in trying to reassure their daughter that she will be in their care." For parents of the missing, hoes hope spring eternal? The situation echoes a case in Greece that has grabbed the attention of authorities and parents around the world. Greek authorities say a girl believed to be 5 to 6 years old may have been abducted by a Roma couple there. Authorities have charged the couple with abducting the child they call Maria. Medical tests showed she wasn't their daughter, authorities have said. That girl's DNA didn't match any profile in Interpol's database, the international law enforcement agency said Tuesday. Interpol said Greek authorities have asked for its help in finding out Maria's identity. "Until now, a comparison of the girl's profile against Interpol's global DNA database has not produced a match," Interpol said in a news release. Maria's photograph has been broadcast worldwide. Interpol said it would make the database available to authorities in countries where someone who claims to be a possible blood relative to the child has submitted a DNA profile. The agency has more than 600 missing people listed on its website, 32 of whom are 5 or 6 years old. A spokesman for a Greek children's charity said about 10 cases of missing children around the world are "being taken very seriously" in connection with Maria's case. "They include children from the United States, Canada, Poland and France," said Panagiotis Pardalis of the Smile of the Child charity. The couple who had Maria until last week, Eleftheria Dimopoulou, 40, and Christos Salis, 39, appeared in court Monday. Both were remanded into custody pending trial. A lawyer for the couple says the pair adopted the child from her biological mother. The Smile of the Child said the girl, who was found Thursday in a Roma community near Larissa, in central Greece, is being cared for in a group home. Police have said they suspect records that the couple provided for Maria and for other children in their care may be false. In addition to the abduction charge, the couple is accused of falsifying official documents. Four authorities, including the head of the registry office that issued Maria's birth certificate, have been suspended while a police investigation is underway, the media office of the Athens municipality said Tuesday. The girl received the document this year, it said. It is unusual for a birth certificate to be issued years later.

CONTINENTS NEWS

US SHUTDOWN IS STARTING TO HIT BUSINESS, SAYS COMMERCE SECRETARY US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker has warned that business is starting to suffer from the federal shutdown. Her comments at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) came as leaders gathering for the summit voiced worries about the US situation. Philippine President Benigno Aquino said that what happens in the US “affects us all”. On Friday, the US defence contractor Lockheed Martin said it would put 3,000 workers on unpaid leave. The US government closed non-essential operations on Tuesday after Congress failed to agree a new budget. And President Barack Obama cancelled a scheduled trip to Asia because of the shutdown.

What does shutdown mean for two million federal employees, agencies and tourist destinations?

“The shutdown is not good for business. It’s not good for the economy,” Ms Pritzker said. One consequence of the shutdown had been her department’s inability to collate vital economic data. “We’re a huge source of data for American business and that is a problem... It’s affecting businesses and it’s affecting their ability to get data,” she said. From Monday, Lockheed will put 3,000 staff on leave, but the defence giant said this number would rise if the shutdown continued. “I’m disappointed that we must take these actions and we continue to encourage our lawmakers to come together to pass a funding bill that will end this shutdown,’’ Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed’s chief executive and president, said in a statement. “We hope that Congress and the Administration are able to resolve this situation as soon as possible,” she added. The announcement followed United Technologies’ decision to temporarily lay off 2,000 employees. The company, which makes Blackhawk helicopters, said some manufacturing had been halted because there were no government inspectors working to sign off products. The widening impact of the shutdown sparked concern at Apec meeting in Bali on Sunday. Mr Aquino said: “The US economy is the number one economy in the world, what happens there affects all of us. “The world economy obviously is not in a position to withstand too much shock at this time when we are just recovering as a global economy.”

PIRACY SITE ISOHUNT TO SHUT DOWN AND PAY $110M IsoHunt, a popular website offering BitTorrents of mostly pirated material, is to shut down following a court settlement. The site’s owner, Canadian Gary Fung, has agreed to pay $110m (￡68m) to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). MPAA chairman Chris Dodd said the move was a “major step forward” for legitimate commerce online. In a blog post, Mr Fung said: “It’s sad to see my baby go.” The site is currently still online, but will soon be shut. It is one of the most popular sites of its kind on the internet.

“It’s sad to see my baby go.”

A group of companies, including Disney, Paramount and Twentieth Century Fox, accused the site of wilfully infringing copyright by listing millions of popular movies and TV programmes - in a court battle that has lasted for more than seven years. Now Mr Fung has agreed to settle. He added: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race and I have remained faithful. 10.5 years of IsoHunt has been a long journey by any business definition and forever in internet start-up time. “It started as a programming hobby in my university days that has become so, so much more.”Court documents acknowledged that it is unlikely that Mr Fung’s company could pay $110m, and that the MPAA would probably receive between $2m and $4m. Like a similar site, The Pirate Bay, that has been blocked in the UK by a court order, IsoHunt did not host pirated material itself. It instead acted as a directory of sources from which to download illegal files. According to court documents, Mr Fung’s defence hinged on this degree of separation - and argued that it was the users of IsoHunt responsible for distributing pirated material, not IsoHunt. “It sends a strong message that those who build businesses around encouraging, enabling, and helping others to commit copyright infringement are themselves infringers, and will be held accountable for their illegal actions,” said MPAA chairman Mr Dodd. “The successful outcome of this landmark lawsuit will also will help preserve jobs and protect the tens of thousands of businesses in the creative industries, whose hard work and investments are exploited by sites like IsoHunt.”

DIRECTOR CANCELS HILLARY CLINTON FILM The director of a Hillary Clinton documentary has cancelled the project, saying political interference had made the film impossible. In a Huffington Post blog, Charles Ferguson said pressure from Clinton supporters in the Democratic Party led to many sources shying away. In August, the opposing Republican Party voted to boycott debates on CNN if the programme went ahead. It also said it would boycott NBC, which plans a mini-series on Clinton. The latter series, still in the early stages of production, is set to star actress Diane Lane as the former First Lady. Mrs Clinton, wife of President Bill Clinton, has been closely watched as a possible contender for the Democratic Party’s 2016 nomination since leaving her position as secretary of state under President Barack Obama in January. In his blog, Ferguson wrote: “When I approached people for interviews, I discovered that nobody, and I mean nobody, was interested in helping me make this film.”“Not Democrats, not Republicans - and certainly nobody who works with the Clintons, wants access to the Clintons, or dreams of a position in a Hillary Clinton administration.” “After painful reflection, I decided that I couldn’t make a film of which I would be proud. And so I’m cancelling.

AMC FIX FOR 'BREAKING BAD' ADDICTS: 'BETTER CALL SAUL'

Ahead of the ruling, Mr Fung had taken to social news site Reddit to take part in an AMAA - Ask Me Almost Anything - session. In it, he described himself as a “reluctant revolutionary”, and backed calls for copyright reform. He said he did not hold a disregard for the law, and acted upon requests to remove links to pirated content when the company was made aware. He also said the industry could render sites like IsoHunt obsolete if it offered simultaneous releases worldwide, as well as digital offerings that were cheaper than physical copies. His thoughts echoed findings by a trio of researchers at George Mason University in Virginia, US. Their site piracydata.org has been collating the weekly top 10 most-pirated films and investigating whether legal digital methods were available. They found that half of the movies in the list were not available to access legally online. Furthermore, none of the 10 titles could be streamed - arguably the most straightforward way to consume media online. However, in contrast, efforts by Fox to curb piracy of TV series The Walking Dead fell flat. Despite the first episode of the latest series being made available to stream free online, the programme was still illegally downloaded more than 500,000 times, according to data gathered by Torrentfreak.com.

"Breaking Bad" addicts who may suffer withdrawal when the AMC drama ends will get a comedic fix with a spinoff featuring criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. The network announced a licensing agreement with Sony Pictures Television for a new series with the working title "Better Call Saul." "Plans call for Saul to be a one-hour prequel that will focus on the evolution of the popular Saul Goodman character before he ever became Walter White's lawyer," AMC and Sony said in a joint news release Wednesday. Bob Odenkirk plays the flashy attorney Saul Goodman, who changed his professional name from Saul McGill so clients would think he was Jewish. The title "criminal lawyer" has extra meaning for Goodman, who often used extra-legal means to help his clients, including "Breaking Bad" lead character Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher who evolved into a meth manufacturer. "Hi, I'm Saul Goodman," he says in one of his TV commercials. "Did you know you have rights? The Constitution says you do and so do I. I believe that until proven guilty, every man, woman and child in this country is innocent and that's why I fight for you, Albuquerque." The announcement did not reveal casting or timing for the series. "Breaking Bad" is in its fifth and final season.

TEXAS ROLLER COASTER REOPENS AFTER WOMAN'S DEATH The Texas Giant roller coaster reopened Saturday with improved safety measures and long lines of eager riders, nearly two months after a woman plunged to her death while on the ride. Riders lined up at the roller coaster just after Six Flags Over Texas opened at 10:30 a.m., and long lines were still there by evening, CNN affiliate WFAA reported. The Texas Giant had been closed since July 19, when Rosa Esparza, 52, fell out of a car and plummeted to her death. Her family filed a civil wrongful-death lawsuit Tuesday, accusing Six Flags of negligence. At 14 stories, the wood-and-steel coaster boasts a steep drop of 79 degrees and a bank of 95 degrees, according to Six Flags.

Customers of the park expect mock scares and delighted screams as they ride the Texas Giant roller-coaster, but they certainly do not expect to be placed in any real danger, whatsoever.” The improved safety measures include a test seat at the ride’s entrance so riders can voluntarily check how well they fit into the seat. Cars have a newly designed “T-bar” restraint along with seatbelts, WFAA reported. A nearby diagram shows the right way for the bar and belt to fit: both snugly at the rider’s waist. The wrong-way diagram shows the seat belt in the correct position but the metal bar well above the rider’s waist. “You can tell they’re being extra-careful,” one rider told WFAA of park officials Saturday. According to the lawsuit, Esparza’s daughter, who was riding in front of her mother, heard screams and turned around to see her mother being thrown out of the car. Esparza was thrown against the ride and catapulted onto the metal roof of a tunnel below, the lawsuit says, dying from traumatic injuries. “As Rosa Esparza’s tragic death starkly illustrates, errors on the part of the Six Flags Defendants turned a thrilling illusion into a nightmarish reality,” the lawsuit says. “Customers of the park expect mock scares and delighted screams as they ride the Texas Giant roller-coaster, but they certainly do not expect to be placed in any real danger, whatsoever.” Six Flags spokeswoman Sandra Daniels responded in a statement Thursday, “While our thoughts and prayers remain with Ms. Esparza’s family and friends, there are a number of inaccuracies contained in the recent lawsuit and we intend to defend ourselves vigorously.” Park officials said in a statement Tuesday that an investigation at the Arlington, Texas, park revealed that there had been no mechanical failure on the ride, but it declined to release more information because of pending litigation. Texas state officials have approved the reopening of the ride, the statement said, adding that it had undergone extensive testing.

08:15

US SPY CHIEF: SHUTDOWN 'DAMAGING' Senior US intelligence officials have warned the shutdown of the US government “seriously damages” spy agencies’ ability to protect the US.

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told a Senate panel that an estimated 70% of intelligence workers had been placed on unpaid leave. Also, the head of the US electronic spy agency said morale had been devastated. The US government closed non-essential operations on Tuesday after Congress failed to reach a new budget deal. Mr Clapper appeared before a Senate judiciary committee hearing on Wednesday, warning lawmakers the damage to US intelligence capabilities caused by a shutdown would be “insidious”.

Obama accused Republicans of demanding "ransom" for doing their job and keeping the government running “This is not just a Beltway issue,” he said, referring to the Washington DC area. “This affects our global capability to support the military, to support diplomacy, and to support our policymakers.” Mr Clapper also warned that foregoing paying employees during the shutdown could cause them financial hardship, making them inviting targets for foreign spies. “This is a dreamland for foreign intelligence services,” he said. Gen Keith Alexander, director of the National Security Agency, said the electronic spying agency had placed thousands of mathematicians and computer scientists on unpaid leave. “Our nation needs people like this,” he said. “And the way we treat them is to tell them, ‘you need to go home because we can’t afford to pay you, we can’t make a deal here.’” The government shutdown has left more than 700,000 employees on unpaid leave, and closed national parks, tourist sites, government websites, office buildings and more. It came after weeks of wrangling between Democrats in the White House and Senate and the Republicans who control the US House of Representatives. House Republicans have demanded repeal, defunding or delay of a healthcare law passed in 2010 by the Democrats as a condition for continuing to fund the government. Mr Obama and the Democrats have refused, leading to the current morass. The spy chiefs’ remarks came after the White House announced Mr Obama would cut short a planned four-nation tour of Asia next week. Mr Obama will attend regional summits in Indonesia and Brunei, but skip Malaysia and the Philippines due to the government shutdown.

He had been scheduled to begin his Asian trip on Saturday, heading to Bali for an Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) summit and to Brunei for the East Asia summit before travelling on to Malaysia and the Philippines. On Wednesday the White House said Mr Obama looked forward to visiting those two nations “later in his term”. National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden called the trip cancellation “another consequence of the House Republicans forcing a shutdown of the government”. “This completely avoidable shutdown is setting back our ability to promote US exports and advance US leadership in the largest emerging region in the world,” she said. Earlier, the office of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said Mr Obama had called him to inform him that Secretary of State John Kerry would address an entrepreneurship conference in Kuala Lumpur on 11 October in his place. “I empathise and understand,” Mr Najib told the media. “If I were in his shoes, I would do the same.” The US government ceased operations deemed non-essential at midnight on Tuesday, when the previous budget expired. National parks and Washington’s Smithsonian museums are closed, pension and veterans’ benefit cheques will be delayed, and visa and passport applications will go unprocessed. However, members of the military will be paid. Treasury department employee Peter Gamba told the BBC he was worried by the turn of events. “For whatever reason I cannot fathom, you’re asking me to again give up my pay and give up service to the American public,” he said. “It’s a nightmare for me financially, it causes me a lot of anxiety and stress and I don’t sleep well at night.” President Obama has blamed conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives for the government shutdown, saying “one faction of one party” was responsible because “they didn’t like one law”. “They’ve shut down the government over an ideological crusade to deny affordable health insurance to millions of Americans,” Mr Obama said. The White House has also rejected a Republican offer to fund only a few portions of the government - national parks, veterans’ programmes and the budget of the District of Columbia - until a broader deal can be struck.

The view on the shutdown from deserted landmarks and government buildings in Washington and New York

The Republicans have called for more negotiations. Republican House Speaker John Boehner has accepted an invitation to a meeting at the White House, currently scheduled for 17:30 local time (21:30 GMT). “We’re pleased the president finally recognises that his refusal to negotiate is indefensible,” said his spokesman Brendan Buck. “It’s unclear why we’d be having this meeting if it’s not meant to be a start to serious talks between the two parties.”

AEG NOT LIABLE IN MICHAEL JACKSON’S DEATH, JURY FINDS A Los Angeles jury decided Wednesday that AEG Live hired Dr. Conrad Murray, but also concluded that the concert promoter was not liable for Michael Jackson's drug overdose death. The jury decided that Murray was competent, so even though AEG Live hired him, it was not liable for Jackson's death and didn't owe the Jackson family millions of dollars in compensation. "I counted Michael Jackson a creative partner and a friend," the company's CEO Randy Phillips said. "We lost one of the world's greatest musical geniuses, but I am relieved and deeply grateful that the jury recognized that neither I, nor anyone else at AEG Live, played any part in Michael's tragic death."

Brian Panish suggested a range between $1 billion and $2 billion to replace the earnings lost by Jackson's death at age 50 and the non-economic -- or personal -- damages from the loss of a father and son. The verdict brings the five-month-long trial to a close. "We have said from the beginning that this case was a search for the truth. We found the truth. AEG hired Dr. Conrad Murray, the man who is in jail for killing Michael Jackson," according to a statement from family matriarch Katherine Jackson and her lawyers. "All options regarding the balance of the jury verdict are being considered." The jury accepted AEG Live lawyers' arguments that the company was not negligent because its executives had no way of knowing that Murray -- licensed to practice in four states and never sued for malpractice -- was a risk to Jackson. The singer was a secretive drug addict who kept even his closest relatives in the dark about his use of propofol to sleep, they contended. Jackson's mother and the singer's three children sued AEG Live in 2010, arguing that the company's negligence in hiring, retaining or supervising Murray was a factor in the singer's June 25, 2009, death.

Jackson died of an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol, which Murray told investigators he was using to treat the singer's insomnia so he could rest for rehearsals. Murray is set to be released from jail later this month after serving two years for involuntary manslaughter. Jackson died just days before his comeback tour -- promoted and produced by AEG Live -- was set to debut in London in the summer of 2009. "We felt (Murray) was competent" to be Jackson's general practitioner, said juror Greg Barden. "That doesn't mean we felt he was ethical." Barden said jurors thought the second question -- which said, "Was Dr. Conrad Murray unfit or incompetent to perform the work for which he was hired?" -- was confusing and took some time, and several votes, to work out. In the end, they voted 10-2 to answer "No." He said one of the key pieces of evidence was the contract between Murray and AEG. "The jury's decision completely vindicates AEG Live, confirming what we have known from the start -- that although Michael Jackson's death was a terrible tragedy, it was not a tragedy of AEG Live's making," attorney Marvin Putnam said in a written statement. Murray's lawyer, Valerie Wass, let out a gasp when she heard the decision and was visibly shaken. Because jurors concluded that AEG Live was not liable, they did not consider other questions on the verdict form that would have determined how much in damages the promoter would have paid Katherine, Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson. Jackson lead lawyer Brian Panish suggested a range between $1 billion and $2 billion to replace the earnings lost by Jackson's death at age 50 and the non-economic -- or personal -- damages from the loss of a father and son.

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TRAIN MYSTERIOUSLY RUNS LOOSE IN CHICAGO, INJURING DOZENS A Chicago commuter train that was parked in a service yard somehow moved onto a rail line and smashed into an oncoming train early Monday, injuring dozens of people. How it happened is a mystery. "I don't know the last time, if ever, that this has happened" on the Chicago Transit Authority system, spokesman Brian Steele said.

How it happened is a mystery. There are "more questions than answers" about the incident in Forest Park, Illinois, he said. At least 48 people were injured; 33 of them were transported to hospitals, Forest Park Mayor Anthony Calderone told CNN affiliate WLS. They are believed to have minor injuries. It was not immediately clear how many passengers were aboard the train. Investigators are not characterizing the incident as a runaway train at this point, Steele said. A central question: whether anyone had climbed on board the empty train and set it in motion. "In order for a train to move, it has to be energized," said Ronald Ester, vice president of CTA Rail Operations. "We call it unlocking the master controller," he said. The train would have needed to be placed in power position manually. Authorities are looking at video feeds from the platforms and from some rail cars. They're also interviewing workers who were nearby. It's unknown whether there were criminal activities, Steele said. Authorities did not immediately find windows broken, doors pried open or graffiti on the train. The train that caused the accident had four cars; the one with passengers aboard had eight. The incident took place about 8 a.m. Train service continued but did not stop at Harlem, near the site of the crash. Shuttle buses were made available. Steele

COLORADO FLOOD TOLL RISES TO 7 CONFIRMED DEAD, 3 MORE PRESUMED DEAD A seventh person has been confirmed dead, and the number of presumed dead is now up to three after last week's flooding in Colorado, authorities reported Thursday. The state Office of Emergency Management added a new confirmed fatality in Boulder County to the list Thursday afternoon, spokeswoman Micki Trost said. And in Larimer County, a 46-year-old man from the town of Drake whose home had been washed away was reclassified as presumed dead, said Nick Christensen, executive officer of the county Sheriff's Office. Two other people in Larimer County -- both women, ages 60 and 80 -- were already presumed dead after their homes were swept away in the flash floods that ravaged Colorado's northern Front Range. Another 139 people remain unaccounted for in Larimer County, a figure reduced from nearly 200 on Wednesday, Christensen said. Officials say most of those unaccounted for are expected to be alive and well, but have failed to check in with authorities to let them know. The mountains north of Denver saw more than nine inches of rain on September 12 -- leading to flash floods that turned picturesque canyons into funnels that deluged towns downstream and left hundreds stranded in the mountains above. Nearly 1,200 people had been airlifted out of the mountains by Thursday, and Christensen said nearly 200 more have chosen to stay in their homes. In addition to the deaths, nearly 18,000 homes have been damaged statewide. Gov. John Hickenlooper told reporters that about 200 miles of state highways washed out by the storms will need to be fixed, along with perhaps "several times more" miles of local roads. Those roads are not only in hard-hit Boulder and Larimer counties but in farm communities northeast of Denver, where the runoff from the storms was carried downstream by the South Platte River. And he added, "It's clear we're in a race against the onset of winter." "Critical roads needed to bring in crops that are about to go to harvest are completely broken apart," Hickenlooper said. "This has to be every bit as critical a priority as the roads connecting people with their communities and homes in the canyons. Irrigation, in large measure, has been washed away along the Platte." The disaster may end up costing homeowners, businesses and local governments nearly $2 billion, according to the insurance consulting firm Eqecat -- and a high percentage of the losses will not be covered by insurance. Tom Larsen, senior vice president of of Eqecat.

VITAL UNDERGROUND WATER FOUND IN ARID NORTH KENYA Call it a watershed moment for Kenya. Scientists found massive underground water supplies in the arid northern region. The discovery of the reserves could improve the lives of generations and halt long-running conflicts over natural resources. The United Nations said it identified five aquifers in parched Turkana, two of which have been verified. "Two aquifers ... were identified using advanced satellite exploration technology," its cultural agency, UNESCO, said in a statement Wednesday. "Their existence was then confirmed by drilling conducted recently by UNESCO, but there is need for further studies to adequately quantify the reserves and to assess the quality of the water," UNESCO said. An additional three aquifers have been found in the same area, but have not been confirmed by drilling and will need further assessment, it said. In a country where water is scarce, the revelation is crucial. Kenya has a population of about 41 million, with nearly 17 million lacking access to safe water, according to the United Nations.

Scientists found massive underground water supplies in the arid northern region. More than half the population -- about 28 million -- lack adequate sanitation. "The news about these water reserves comes at a time when reliable water supplies are highly needed," said Judi Wakhungu, the nation's cabinet secretary for the environment, water and natural resources. "This newly found wealth of water opens a door to a more prosperous future for the people of Turkana and the nation as a whole. We must now work to further explore these resources responsibly and safeguard them for future generations." In addition to replenishing scarce water supplies in the nation, the underground resources will boost agriculture in the region, which has long battled arid conditions. The nation faces water insecurity exacerbated by erratic rainfall patterns, triggering battles for natural resources among various communities. Deadly cattle raids and conflicts over grazing land are common in the area. The underground supplies will also provide irrigation and livestock needs, drinking water, and help ward off malnutrition in the region. The project between UNESCO and the Kenyan government was funded by Japan.

CONTINENTS NEWS

KENYA’S WESTGATE SIEGE: ‘MILITANTS HIRED SHOP TO HIDE ARMS’ The militants who led the attack on a Kenyan mall hired a shop there in the weeks leading up to the siege, senior security sources have told the BBC. This gave them access to service lifts at Westgate enabling them to stockpile weapons and ammunition. Having positioned weapons they were able to rearm quickly and repel the security forces. Sixty-seven people are known to have died in the four-day siege. Kenya's Red Cross says 61 others are still missing. Forensic experts are still combing the complex, looking for bodies and clues. The Somali Islamist group al-Shabab, which is part of al-Qaeda, says it was behind the attack and the following siege at the upmarket mall in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. Kenya is in its third day of official mourning for both the civilian and military victims of the attack.

Sixty-seven people are known to have died in the four-day siege. Kenya's Red Cross says 61 others are still missing. The BBC investigation has revealed how the Westgate gunmen were able to plan and carry out the siege, and how security breaches allegedly fuelled by corruption made it an attack waiting to happen. To rent a shop, the militants would have needed fake IDs supplied by corrupt government officials. The BBC has also confirmed more details about how they executed their attack. Two vehicles dropped the Islamist extremists off outside before they forced their way into the mall, sources say. They are also believed to have set up a base using a ventilation shaft as a hiding place, on the first floor. Security sources have also confirmed a change of tack by the militants late on Saturday. They rolled out heavy calibre machine-guns, exploiting the moment when control of the security operation switched from the police to the military. There are reports that this switchover was fraught with confusion. The heads of the various security agencies have been summoned to appear before the parliamentary defence committee on Monday, amid rising concern over the authorities' preparedness for such an attack. The committee's chairman, Ndung'u Gethenji, told the BBC that "people need to know the exact lapses in the security system that possibly allowed this event to take place". He also said they needed to understand "the anatomy of the entire rescue operation" amid the allegations of confusion over who was in charge. It is still not clear how many militants took part in the attack or their nationalities. But senior sources within al-Shabab, which has repeatedly threatened attacks on Kenyan soil if Nairobi did not pull its troops out of Somalia, told the BBC by phone that they would not release the attackers' names. A senior government official told the Associated Press news agency that the army had caused the collapse of a section of the mall on Monday.

POACHERS ARE THE PREY IN A PARK IN THE REPUBLIC OF CONGO The poachers are usually hiding firearms in the fishing camps,” Mathieu Eckel briefs us as his anti-poaching unit’s shaky metal boats speed down one of the rivers that snakes it way through the Odzala-Kokoua National Park. The river’s dark waters are stunningly framed by shades of green and cascading vines in this remote corner of the Republic of Congo. As Eckel’s eco-guard unit turns a corner, he gives the order to cut the engines. We’re approaching the first suspected site. The boats coast silently against the hum of the forest. The team quietly assaults, but the camp is deserted. A member of the team checks the ashes. “It’s still warm, they must have left early morning, we missed them by a couple hours,” he says. For the next grueling, hot eight hours, the same scenario repeats itself. Then, suddenly around a bend, the unit spots rising smoke. They rush ashore, fan out and within seconds the first gunshot rings out. The men sprint through the dense and disorienting terrain, forcing their way though the undergrowth and knee-deep water as even more bursts of gunfire echo through the forest. Pumped on adrenaline, eco-guard Brice Moupele animatedly re-enacts what happened when he saw the poachers. “I yelled ‘Stop, stop!’ and shot in the air,” he says. “The man tried to shoot at me. I tackled him and grabbed his gun, but he was able to escape.” Moupele happily displays the captured weapon.

END OF THE LINE FOR 'LUNATIC EXPRESS?' KENYA BEGINS MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR RAILWAY A Chinese-funded railway project in Kenya that could transform transport in east Africa, and strengthen cross-border political and economic ties. Kenya is known as the region's logistics, trade and transport hub. Yet, its railway dates back to the colonial era and the 300-mile (483 kilometer) journey from Mombasa to Nairobi currently takes 12 hours for passengers -- freight trains take up to 36. The railway is old and large parts of the tracks remain unused, while roads are crowded and traffic is slow.

In November 2013, Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new standard gauge railway line in Mombasa that will connect the coastal city with the Kenyan capital Nairobi. "The project will define my legacy as president of Kenya," Kenyatta told local media. "What we are doing here today will most definitely transform ... not only Kenya but the whole eastern African region," Kenyatta said.

BURUNDI'S COFFEE CULTURE 'THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOOD AND HUNGER' In the hills of Burundi, farmers tend their coffee crop. Their livelihoods depend on a good harvest. Coffee in the small central African nation is more than just a hot drink; it's a valuable commodity that props up Burundi's agrarian-based economy.

The market is very low but it does not discourage us because when you have a lot to sell you always make a lot of money. The world of Starbucks baristas and double macchiatos are an alien concept to coffee growers in one of Africa's poorest nations, where 55% of the population earns their livelihood from Arabica beans. Chantal Ka-Hor-Rury, a coffee trader and head of a collective that helps farmers bring their crop to market, is committed to helping Burundi expand its coffee industry.

CASE GROWS AGAINST NORWEGIAN IN KENYA ATTACK Suspicion that a Norwegian citizen was involved in the deadly Westgate Mall attack in Kenya last month "has been strengthened" but is not yet confirmed, Norway's security service said. The Norwegian citizen, said to be of Somali origin, is believed to have ties to Mohamed Abdikadir Mohamed, known as Ikrima, who is regarded as one of the most dangerous commanders in the Somali terror group Al-Shabaab. The Norwegian security service, PST, said its investigations in Norway and Kenya were ongoing, and that despite some media outlets reporting a name for the possible Norwegian suspect, it was not ready to confirm his identity. "It has not yet been determined whether a named Norwegian citizen actually took part in the attack or not," a PST statement said Friday.

"What you have to look out for, also in the United States and the United Kingdom and all these other Scandinavian countries, are these small, small networks that are in one sense detached also from the Somali community leaders -- radicalized groups of youths and radical preachers, sheikhs, that go traveling around the various countries to try to incite," he said. "That's what we have to watch these days." "Based on the information that we have uncovered this far in the investigation, however, the suspicion of his involvement has been strengthened." It has also not yet been determined whether the person in question is still alive, the statement said. Kenyan counter terrorism sources said Norwegian intelligence services in Kenya were investigating both Ikrima and the Norwegian citizen and have spoken to the latter's sister in Norway. But Trond Hugubakken, head of communications for the PST, told CNN on Saturday that the two Norwegian officers currently in Kenya are not investigating Ikrima, only the Norwegian citizen and his connections with Al-Shabaab, as they seek to establish whether he was in Kenya. He said the citizen's name would be disclosed by Norwegian authorities only if he's confirmed to be one of the gunmen killed in the mall attack, or if they have sufficient evidence to issue an international warrant for his arrest. Hugubakken said investigators were also questioning people in Norway. Kenyan authorities suspect Ikrima, also wanted by the United States, of involvement with the Westgate Mall attack. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the bloody four-day siege at the upscale mall in Nairobi, where at least 67 people died. The Islamist group claimed another deadly attack Saturday, this time in the town of Beledweyne, in central Somalia. Somali police officer Isac Ali Abdulle told CNN at least 20 people were killed in the suicide blast at a cafe, although other officials gave a lower death toll. Mohamed Ibrahim Ali, deputy governor of Hiiraan province, said seven government soldiers were among the dead. Al-Shabaab said it was targeting Somali and Ethiopian army commanders in the area.

08:45

AFRICA'S SUPER TELESCOPES 'WILL INSPIRE SCIENCE BOOM'

NOT JUST FOR LAUGHS: 3D CARTOONS GIVE KENYAN BUSINESSES WINNING EDGE The bleary-eyed caveman is furious. He's been waiting for ages for a file to download only to be failed by slow internet speeds. Frustrated, he slaps his computer screen and then slumps down defeated on his seat. Behind him, another caveman connected to high-speed internet pokes fun at him. Showing off, he clicks a button and downloads his favorite song in just a couple of seconds before bursting into a highly entertaining dance. Featuring what has become one of Kenya's most popular TV characters,

this catchy and memorable 3D ad for the Faiba internet service went viral in the East African country when it was first aired last year. And this was exactly what animator Michael Muthiga hoped to achieve when he created it for Kenyan telecommunications operator Jamii Telecommunications Limited (JTL). "Firstly, it was the fact that it was a new medium of advertising and peo-

EARTH, WIND AND WATER: ETHIOPIA BIDS TO BE AFRICA'S POWERHOUSE Ethiopia is turning to renewable energy technology as the East African country looks to become a powerhouse for its regional partners. Last month, Ethiopia launched one of the continent's largest wind farms in a bid to rapidly boost its generating capacity over the next three to five years. The Ashegoda Wind Farm and the Grand Renaissance Dam, under construction on the Nile, are just two of the major projects outlined in the Ethiopian government's five-year Growth and Transformation Plan. Both developments will see Ethiopia's transition into one of the regions biggest energy exporters as electric output surges from 2,000 megawatts (MW) to 10,000 MW. More than half of this is expected to come from the Renaissance Dam. And with further commitments to geothermal power and potential for oil exploration, Ethiopia’s energy resources are set to be among the most diversified in Africa. Jerome Douat, the French wind turbine company contracted to build the Ashegoda farm, told CNN that Ethiopia is an energy “reservoir” in the region.

FAST-FOOD GIANTS WANT PIZZA THE ACTION IN AFRICA Sub-Saharan Africa's economic renaissance is fueling an investment drive by fast food joints looking to tap the continent's growing middle class. The likes of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Domino's pizza are opening up in African growth markets from Nigeria to Angola to give consumers a taste of U.S. cuisine. Elias Schulze, managing partner of The Africa Group, a boutique Africa-focused investment consultancy, said U.S. takeout stores are rapidly becoming "aspirational brands" for cosmopolitan Africans with disposable income. He said: "An upwardly mobile, confident, Western-leaning and young consumer class bodes well for an American burger boom." And the battle for the African market is well underway. This year, Yum! Brands -- owner of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut -- is expanding into Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The Louisville-based restaurant giant already has outlets in 14 African countries, with more than 700 KFCs in South Africa and plans to open a further 45 stores in 2013. And with growing political and economic stability, Western fast food brands are approaching the region with a renewed sense of optimism, according to Schulze.

An upwardly mobile, conﬁdent, Western-leaning and young consumer class bodes well for an American burger boom. He said KFC is an established brand on the continent today, adding: “My general sense is that markets beyond South Africa in sub-Saharan Africa are in the investing phase given their level of infancy and may not have reached a payback point quite yet.” And more big players are beginning to follow suit. In May, Burger King opened for business in South Africa and last year Domino’s -- the U.S. pizza chain -- opened its first African store in Nigeria, the continent’s most populous nation. With two stores already, Domino’s is planning to launch three more African branches by the end of this year. To cater to local tastes, the pizza chain launched a Chicken Jollof pizza -- a rice-based dish popular to West Africa -- and a Suya special, consisting of spicy marinated meat. Charbel Antoun, partner at Eat N Go, which helped launch Domino’s in Nigeria, said that adapting the menu to the local culture and food was crucial to the brand’s success.

Under a clear night sky on a rocky arid outcrop, South African astronomers are waiting for the stars to come out and play. Sightings of faraway galaxies, black holes and the Milky Way are just part of the job for the starwatchers at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO). “The site is in an ideal location because there is very little light pollution so the skies are extremely dark,” said Nicola Loaring, an astronomer at SAAO. “We don’t get extreme seasons here, so it’s good conditions for our research all year round.” Based in Sutherland -- a four-hour drive from Cape Town -the observatory is home to one of the largest single optical telescopes in the world and is symbolic of South Africa’s growing commitment to astronomy. The appropriately named South African Large Telescope is the jewel of the observatory, capable of detecting a candle flame as far away as the moon and light a billion times too

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WESTGATE ATTACK: KENYA CCTV ‘SHOWS SOLDIERS LOOTING’

Security camera footage has emerged which appears to show Kenyan security forces looting goods during last month's siege of the Westgate mall. In the footage, some Kenyan soldiers can be seen carrying white shopping bags, while others appear to take white boxes from a mobile phone store. At least 67 people died when suspected al-Shabab militants stormed the Nairobi shopping centre on 21 September. The Kenyan military says it is investigating the looting allegations. News agencies say the CCTV footage is taken inside the entrance to the Westgate mall's Nakumatt supermarket, which sells everything from food to televisions. In one section of footage, several soldiers are seen walking out of the supermarket, past a blood-spattered floor, carrying plastic carrier bags. In another clip, Kenyan soldiers can be seen next to a mobile phone outlet.

At least 67 people died when suspected alShabab militants stormed the Nairobi shopping centre on 21 September.

faint to be seen by the naked eye, according to SAAO’s astronomers. Loaring said: “(SALT) is used to study a range of astronomical objects from asteroids to exoplanets, which are planets orbiting other suns.” The telescope is funded by a consortium including South Africa, the United States, Germany, Poland, India, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. In 1996, the South African government, under the leadership of the late Nelson Mandela, identified astronomy as a key area for investment.

One reaches over the counter, and apparently removes a white item. Then more soldiers remove white items, which the Reuters news agency describes as mobile phone boxes. The Westgate attack sparked a four-day siege in which large parts of the shopping centre were destroyed.

REASONS MALAWI IS AFRICA'S NEXT GOTO DESTINATION Despite a majestic lake stretching through its eastern border that gives way to beautiful beaches, Malawi is the African country less-traveled. But it's the place to be if you want to enjoy a natural paradise without everybody else. Though it hasn't become a booming destination like Tanzania, Kenya or South Africa, Malawi has numerous attractions. Named one of the top 10 places to go in 2014 by Lonely Planet, Malawi is one of the lesser known destinations on the travel guide's annual list, which includes Brazil, Sweden and the Seychelles. The country is touted for its wildlife and beaches. But there's more to Malawi than animal parks, warm sands and Madonna's adoptions. Called the “Warm Heart of Africa,” in the native language, Malawi locals exude friendliness. It’s common for strangers to wave and greet visitors as if they know them. And it’s easy to make them smile with a “moni” (pronounced mo-nee, not money), which means hello in Chichewa, the local language, and “Zikomo” (thank you). Curious kids often come by to say hi and see what you’re up to. The refrain I heard repeatedly was, “Welcome. You are welcome.” Although overt friendliness often arouses suspicion in the world traveler, especially when someone’s trying to sell you tchotckes, there’s hardly any hawking or selling of tacky souvenirs in Malawi -- the people are genuinely friendly. Founded in 1964, Malawi has never experienced a civil war. You can enjoy the pristine views of massive Lake Malawi -- known locally as Lake Nyasa, it’s the ninth largest lake in the world -- without having your perfect day wrecked by a bunch of vacationers blasting horrible music. Instead, you’ll hear restaurants jamming 1990s pop music such as the Backstreet Boys -- can’t win them all. Another perk: you won’t have to jostle for reservations at hotels, restaurants or game parks. Most of the travelers you’ll likely encounter in Malawi are tobacco businessmen or NGO workers -- nary a tourist in sight.

The Kenyan military says it has launched an investigation into the looting allegations, which correspondents say will have angered many Kenyans. At the weekend, Kenya's biggest-selling newspaper, The Nation, ran an article entitled "Shame of soldiers looting Westgate". The footage of the alleged looting emerged as the Kenyan authorities announced they had recovered the body of what they consider to be a fourth attacker. "Today, Sunday 20 October 2013, we recovered a fourth body, which we know from CCTV footage to be that of a terrorist," said the Kenyan interior minister, Joseph Ole Lenku. "DNA and other investigations will confirm their identities. We have also recovered four AK47 assault rifles which we know were used by the terrorists in the assault. We also recovered 11 magazines of AK47 assault rifles." Officials had initially said 10 to 15 gunmen were involved, but CCTV footage appears to show only four militants. It is still not clear whether some of the attackers might have escaped.

We have also recovered four AK47 assault riﬂes which we know were used by the terrorists in the assault. We also recovered 11 magazines of AK47 assault riﬂes. The Somali militant group al-Shabab said its members staged the attack in response to Kenya's army carrying out operations on Somali territory. Last week, the BBC's Newsnight programme revealed that one of the suspected attackers was believed to be a 23-year-old Somalia-born Norwegian national, Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow. His family fled to Norway in the 1990s, but he returned to Somalia in 2009 and allegedly joined the Somali militant group. Sources in al-Shabab have told the BBC Somali Service that Dhuhulow attended a training camp in El Bur in central Somalia, one of the militants' main bases.

CONTINENTS NEWS

DESTRUCTION OF SYRIA'S CHEMICAL WEAPONS BEGINS, U.N. SAYS

OBAMA: RUSSIA PROPOSAL FOR SYRIA 'POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT' -- IF IT'S REAL

Syrians began destroying their country's chemical weapons program Sunday, according to an international team tasked with overseeing the effort. Syrian personnel are using "cutting torches and angle grinders to destroy or disable a range of items," a news release from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said Sunday. "This included missile warheads, aerial bombs and mixing and filling equipment." The OPCW team, which arrived in Damascus on Tuesday, "are monitoring, verifying and reporting on Syria's compliance with international demands to destroy chemical weapons stockpiles and production facilities," the release said. "The process will continue in the coming days," it said. The inspectors plan to visit nearly 50 sites as part of the mission, the OPCW said.

A new possibility for a diplomatic solution in the standoff between Syria and the United States surfaced unexpectedly Monday as the war-torn country said it supported a proposal to hand over control of its chemical weapons. But a key question loomed: Is that a viable option or simply a stall tactic as President Bashar al-Assad's government tries to stave off U.S. military action? "It's certainly a positive development when the Russians and Syrians both make gestures towards dealing with these chemical weapons," President Barack Obama told CNN's Wolf Blitzer Monday. Asked whether the proposed idea was enough to avert a military strike on Syria, Obama said, "It's possible if it's real."

'There is no civil war' Some are not convinced the plan will work. A defected Syrian general told CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will never give up its chemical stockpile. "The locations of most of the scientific research centers in Syria and the storage facilities are known and under surveillance, thus, he will give up those centers and facilities for sure without lying. That said, however, Bashar al-Assad will not give up the chemical stockpile," said Syrian Brig. Gen. Zaher al-Sakat. Al-Sakat said that he defected from the Syrian military after he was ordered to use chemical agents. He said he swapped the chemicals out for something non-toxic to fool his commanders. The general said that in addition to four secret locations within Syria, the regime is currently transferring chemical weapons to Iraq and Lebanon, an allegation that the commander of the opposition Free Syrian Army, Gen. Salim Idriss, also recently made to Amanpour. Syrian foreign minister at U.N. General Assembly: 'There is no civil war' Lebanon and Iraq denied the claims at the time, and CNN's Barbara Starr reported that, if true, the claim would fundamentally shift the assessments of U.S. intelligence officials. The U.N. Security Council, capping a dramatic month of diplomacy, voted unanimously September 27 to require Syria to eliminate its arsenal of chemical weapons -- or face consequences. "Today's resolution will ensure that the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons program happens as soon as possible and with the utmost transparency and accountability," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

"The only reason why we are seeing this proposal is because of the threat of U.S. military action,"

The U.S. president spoke hours after Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem told reporters in Moscow that his nation "welcomes" a proposal that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made during talks on Monday. The idea: put Syria's chemical weapons under international control to avert a U.S. military response over an alleged poison gas attack last month. "I declare that the Syrian Arab Republic welcomes Russia's initiative, on the basis that the Syrian leadership cares about the lives of our citizens and the security in our country," Moallem said. "We are also confident in the wisdom of the Russian government, which is trying to prevent an American aggression against our people." Secretary of State John Kerry discussed a similar scenario earlier Monday, though the State Department later said that al-Assad could not be trusted to relinquish his country's chemical stockpiles. White House spokesman Jay Carney said Washington remained "highly skeptical" of the Syrian regime. "The only reason why we are seeing this proposal is because of the threat of U.S. military action," he said. Obama said the United States will work with Russia and the international community "to see if we can arrive at something that is enforceable and serious." The United States will take a "hard look" at the plan, deputy State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said. But "we can't have this be another stalling tactic," she said, adding that the Syrian president's track record doesn't bode well. "Everything that Assad has done over the past two years and before has been to refuse to put his chemical weapons under international control," she said. "He hasn't declared them. We've repeatedly called on him to do so. And he's ignored prohibitions against them." The new possibility of a diplomatic deal appeared to have started with comments from Kerry earlier Monday. Asked whether there was anything al-Assad's government could do or offer that would stop an attack, Kerry said that al-Assad "could turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week." Speaking at a news conference with British Foreign Secretary William Hague, the U.S. secretary of state described that as an impossible scenario. "He isn't about to do it," Kerry said. "And it can't be done, obviously."

HONG KONG SIZES UP POVERTY PROBLEM Hong Kong, with its glittering skyscrapers and luxury malls, is home to some of the world's richest people but new government figures show that a fifth of its population lives in poverty. About 1.3 million people, or 19.6%, of the population were deemed to be living below the poverty line in 2012, according to the Hong Kong Povery Situation Report 2012 released on the weekend. It is the first time the city's government has set a poverty threshold, which stands at 50% of median household income before tax or welfare benefits. "That poverty line marks an important milestone in our effort to alleviate poverty in Hong Kong," Matthew Cheung, Hong Kong's secretary for Labour and Welfare told CNN on Monday. "We want to build a more caring, compassionate and inclusive society here." Cheung said that Hong Kong's leader, Leung Chun-ying, would announce a package of measures early next year to help those struggling to make ends meet. "We want to really tackle the problem of intergenerational poverty, social upward mobility is very important, promote employment and promote self-reliance," said Cheung. Leung, who took office in the former British colony last year, has pledged to narrow the city's gap between rich and poor, which is at a record high. Although part of China, Hong Kong has its own government and legal system. The city's Gini coefficient, which measures income equality, stood at 0.537 in 2011, the latest year that government figures are available, up from 0.533 in 2006. A reading above 0.4 suggests potential for social unrest.

west Pakistan, in a region where at least 400 people died in a quake earlier this week. Reports said the quake hit remote Awaran district, killing at least 15 people and burying others under rubble. An official told Pakistan television that communications already damaged by last Tuesday’s quake had been cut off. Efforts to help thousands left homeless by the first earthquake have struggled against poor roads and separatists. The US Geological Survey said Saturday’s tremor measured 6.8 magnitude and could be felt across Balochistan province. Pakistan’s Meteorological Department classed it as an aftershock measuring 7.2 magnitude.

Pakistan’s Meteorological Department classed it as an aftershock measuring 7.2 magnitude. Abdul Rasheed Baloch, the deputy commissioner of Awaran district, told Pakistani television that one village, Nokjo, had suffered damage to most of its buildings, leaving people trapped under debris. “The telephone system has been damaged and we are not able to talk to someone and find out the exact information about the losses... but we have reports of severe losses in that area,” he said, according to Associated Press. Eight of those who died in Saturday’s tremor were from Nokjo, officials said, with another four killed in the Mashkay area.

SYRIA HAS MET FIRST CHEMICAL WEAPONS DESTRUCTION DEADLINE, OPCW SAYS Syria has destroyed all its declared chemical weapons mixing, filling and production facilities, and all of the chemical weapons at inspected sites have been placed under seal, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said Thursday. "So far we have good, measurable and demonstrative progress and we have constructive collaboration," Head of the U.N./OPCW mission Sigrid Kaag told CNN. The watchdog body's announcement of the facilities' destruction means that the first deadline has been met in an ambitious program to eliminate the country's entire chemical weapons stockpile by the middle of next year.

Obama said the United States will work with Russia and the international community "to see if we can arrive at something that is enforceable and serious." U.S. official: Kerry "clearly went off script" But as Russia and Syria later suggested that it could be done, one U.S. official called Kerry's remarks a "major goof," adding that America's top diplomat "clearly went off script." "There is no one in the administration who is taking this Syria proposal seriously," the official said. Several State Department representatives tried to clarify Kerry's remarks later in the day, calling them a "rhetorical argument." "His point was that this brutal dictator (al-Assad) with a history of playing fast and loose with the facts cannot be trusted to turn over chemical weapons, otherwise he would have done so long ago," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. "That's why the world faces this moment." It wasn't long before the remarks came up in a conversation between Lavrov and Kerry, who talked on the phone as the U.S. secretary of state flew back from London. "I saw your comments this morning," Lavrov said to Kerry, according to a senior State Department official. During a 14-minute conversation that had been previously scheduled, the Russian foreign minister said he would speak out about the issue but played down the idea that a proposal was on the table, the official said.

PAKISTANI QUAKE AREA STRUCK AGAIN A 6.8-magnitude earthquake has struck south-

The joint United Nations-OPCW mission visited 21 out of 23 sites, the OPCW statement said, and 39 of the 41 facilities at those sites. The remaining two sites were too dangerous for the inspectors to go to, it said, but Syria had declared those sites as abandoned. The chemical weapons equipment there was moved to other sites, which were inspected. The OPCW said it was "now satisfied that it has verified -- and seen destroyed -- all of Syria's declared critical production and mixing/filling equipment."

An Agence France-Presse reporter in Awaran said hundreds of patients being treated after the last quake fled a hospital in panic as the latest tremor struck. Saturday’s quake was felt as far away as Karachi. An office worker there described his chair shaking: “At first I thought it was a delusion or a false feeling. But all my colleagues ran out of the office. The shakes were heavy.” Officials have estimated that about 300,000 people were affected by the earlier.

LANDSLIDES, FLOODS KILL AT LEAST 19 IN NORTHERN PHILIPPINES Heavy monsoon rains have left at least 19 people dead, most of them children, in the northern Philippines, state media reported. Four other people are still reported to be missing, and many towns are flooded. Most of the people were killed by landslides set off by the rain in the province of Zambales on Luzon, the largest island in the archipelagic nation, the government-run Philippines News Agency (PNA) said, citing the regional disaster management council. The landslides killed 16 people in the town of Subic, the council said. At least 10 of the victims were aged 12 or younger. An 84-yearold man died of hypothermia in nearby Castillejos, PNA reported, and two people drowned in the neighboring province of Bataan. A landslide engulfed a house in San Marcelino, Zambales, on Sunday night and four of its inhabitants, including three young children, remain missing, authorities said. Monsoon rains cause flooding and deaths in the Philippines each year. The disaster management council said that as of Tuesday morning, parts of Zambales, Bataan and two other provinces, Pampanga and Bulacan, are still under as much of four feet (1.2 meters) of water. More than 11,000 people have been displaced by the effects of the monsoon rains, the national disaster management council said.

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CHINA CUTS RIBBON ON FREE TRADE ZONE China cut the ribbon on its new free trade zone in Shanghai on Sunday, with the government promising to deliver a wide range of reforms to develop the economy. The zone of about 29 square kilometers is an experiment in promoting trade, expanding foreign investment access and liberalizing the financial sector, all of which are tightly controlled and regulated now by the government.

China's Commerce Minister, Gao Hucheng, said at the ceremony in Shanghai that the free trade pilot "reflects a more active strategy of opening-up." China's general framework for the area includes expanded foreign access in industries that previously placed heavy restrictions on outside companies, including banking. The government said that 11 financial institutions have been authorized to launch in the free trade zone, including the Chinese joint ventures of U.S.-based Citigroup (C, Fortune 500) and Singapore's DBS. A total of 36 companies have been licensed to launch in the zone, according to state media. While Citi and DBS are already operating in Shanghai, this green light means they'll be able to engage in China's financial experiments in the free trade zone. That means greater yuan convertibility and looser cross-border currency flows. The banks may also benefit from market-based interest rates "under the precondition that risks can be controlled," according to a blueprint released Friday. The government hasn't said how it will implement these changes. Nomura economist Zhiwei Zhang called these measures "rather limited," as they only liberalize some interest rates, such as for bonds, and not deposit rates. "The government is still cautious," he said. Other sectors the government plans to open up includes shipping, investment management, construction, human resources, medical services and entertainment.

KENNETH BAE'S MOTHER LEAVES NORTH KOREA 'MORE ANXIOUS THAN EVER' TO BRING SON HOME The mother of Kenneth Bae has left North Korea "more anxious than ever" to bring her imprisoned and ailing son home. In a statement she released Tuesday, Myunghee Bae said she was able to visit her son three times and was relieved to see his health was improving. "I was happy to see him and to hold him, but it broke my heart to leave him behind," she said. "I am more anxious than ever to bring him home. His year-long imprisonment has taken a heavy toll not only on Kenneth but on the whole family; every day the pain and anxiety continue to carve a deep scar on all of our hearts."

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JAPAN EXTENDS THE FUKUSHIMA CLEAN-UP DEADLINE TO 2017 Plans to decontaminate six towns and villages close to Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant have to be delayed by up to three more years, officials say. The clean-up of the exclusion zone around the crippled plant was initially due to be completed by next March. More than 90,000 people remain unable to return home. Fukushima has been hit by a series of toxic water leaks in recent months. The latest contamination was reported on Sunday after unexpectedly heavy rain. Water with high levels of the toxic isotope Strontium-90 overflowed containment barriers around water tanks, operator Tepco said. The tanks are being used to store contaminated cooling water from reactors damaged by the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011. Cooling systems for reactors were knocked out, causing meltdowns at three of them. On Monday Japan’s environment ministry acknowledged the decontamination of towns around the plant is proving much more complicated than originally thought.

NORTHERN CHINA SMOG CLOSES SCHOOLS AND AIRPORT IN HARBIN Smog has choked China’s northern city of Harbin, Heilongjiang province, forcing schools and highways to shut and disrupting flights on Monday. The density of airborne particles was several times above World Health Organisation recommended limits. Visibility was reduced to below 50m (160ft) in parts of the city, reports said. Local media have linked the pollution to the city switching on its public heating system for winter. PM2.5 levels, used to measure the amount of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres in the air, were above 500 micrograms per cubic metre on Monday morning, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

“My mother called... and asked how the air in Changchun was, and if I was coughing. I feel ok, I should be able to live to see my graduation.” Tens of thousands of workers are engaged in the massive clean-up effort, removing millions of tonnes of topsoil and vegetation. But in the most highly contaminated areas work is yet to begin. The government’s latest prediction is that residents will be able to return home by 2017. But the BBC’s Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Tokyo says many have already decided they will never go back.

The plant was badly damaged by the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011 Ministry officials cited several reasons for the delay, including a lack of space for the waste from the decontamination work. Water is being pumped in to cool the reactors. However, this creates large amounts of contaminated water that must be stored securely. Some of the water has leaked from the tanks, pipes and damaged structures, leading to concerns that contaminated water is mixing with groundwater flowing into the sea. On Sunday, the rainwater run-off - which becomes contaminated when it hits polluted surfaces areas - overflowed concrete barriers surrounding a group of tanks, reports citing the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) say. Tepco says that in one area, readings of Strontium-90 were at 70 times the legal limit for safe disposal. “Our pumps could not keep up with the rainwater. As a result, it flowed over some containment areas,” Tepco spokesman, Yoshikazu Nagai, told Reuters news agency.

World Health Organization guidelines say average daily concentrations of PM2.5 should be no more than 25 microgrammes per cubic metre. All of Heilongjiang province’s highways, and the Taiping International Airport in Harbin were forced to close, Xinhua reported. A red alert for thick smog had been issued in the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning, the news agency added. Earlier this year, air pollution in China’s capital, Beijing, also soared past hazardous levels. The smog generated extensive discussion on Sina Weibo, one of China’s Twitter-like microblogs.“We were all late for class today because we couldn’t find the academic building,” microblog user MaltzZz from Jilin province wrote. Harbin-based Sina Weibo user Backpacker Xiao described Harbin as “today’s dead city”. “Beijing, you’re no longer alone. You have us too now,” he wrote, in reference to the frequent air pollution suffered by Beijing. Meanwhile, netizen Pen and Ink Silent, a student in Changchun, Jilin, posted the following tongue-in-cheek message: “My mother called... and asked how the air in Changchun was, and if I was coughing. I feel ok, I should be able to live to see my graduation.”

CHINA NAVY PLOTS COURSE TO STOCK MARKET Capital markets have funded wars for centuries. Now the People's Liberation Army is also turning to the stock market to help propel China's ambitious naval expansion plans. Beijing's military spend, at $166bn last year, is second only to the US. The country has been ramping up its naval prowess amid territorial disputes in the South China Sea and other surrounding waters. But with its largest defence contractors still predominantly state-owned, China wants to push them closer to the private sector and on to public markets to foster their growth. Launching what it described as the start of a push to use capital markets to fund China's defence industry, state-controlled China Shipbuilding Industry Co, the country's biggest shipbuilder, said it would raise Rmb8.5bn ($1.4bn) through a private placement of shares to buy production facilities and equipment to make warships. Chinese investors cheered the prospect of being able to invest in the country's military-industrial complex, driving the Shanghai-listed shares of China Shipbuilding up by the daily limit of 10 per cent. Shares of other companies expected to benefit, such as Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, a maker of large steel structures, also surged.

MALALA: WE MUST TALK TO THE TALIBAN TO GET PEACE A Pakistani teenager shot in the head by the Taliban for championing girls' rights to education has said talks with the militants are needed for peace. Malala Yousafzai was attacked by a gunman on a school bus near her former home in Pakistan in October 2012. The targeting of a schoolgirl who had spoken out for girls' rights to education caused outrage in Pakistan and around the world. The 16-year-old was treated in the UK and now lives in Birmingham. She spent months in hospital and required several operations to repair her skull. In her first in-depth interview since the attack, Malala told the BBC that discussions with the Taliban were needed to achieve peace. "The best way to solve problems and to fight against war is through dialogue," she said. "That's not an issue for me, that's the job of the government... and that's also the job of America."

Malala Yousafzai was attacked by a gunman on a school bus near her former home in Pakistan in October 2012. In July, plans for talks involving the Taliban, the US and the Afghan government were frustrated by a row over the status of the Taliban's newly opened office in Doha, Qatar. Malala said it was important that the Taliban discussed their demands. “They must do what they want through dialogue," she said.” "Killing people, torturing people and flogging people… it's totally against Islam. They are misusing the name of Islam." Malala also described the day of the attack for the first time. She said the street her school bus was travelling on was unusually deserted before the vehicle was flagged down and the gunman opened fire. "I could see that there was no-one [there] at that time. "Usually there used to be so many people and boys and they used to be standing in front of shops. But today... it was vacant."

CLERICS RULE BESIEGED DAMASCUS RESIDENTS MAY EAT DOGS A group of Syrian clerics have issued a ruling - or fatwa - allowing people living in besieged suburbs of Damascus to eat meat that is normally forbidden. In a video, the Muslim clerics said people could eat cats, dogs and donkeys to stave off hunger. The fatwa comes amid reports of starvation in the besieged, rebel-held Damascus suburb of Muadhamiya. Aid agencies have urged the government to allow humanitarian supplies to the area, where many residents are trapped. Hundreds of civilians, some carried on stretchers, were able to flee Muadhamiya at the weekend following a temporary ceasefire. The clerics said it was a cry for help to the whole world, adding that if the situation continued to deteriorate, the living would have to eat the dead.

CONTINENTS NEWS

MEXICO ARRESTS 'UGLY BETTY,' ALLEGED LEADER OF NEW JUAREZ CARTEL

The suspected leader of Mexico's New Juarez Cartel has been arrested, the state-run Notimex news agency reported Sunday, the latest in a series of high-profile drug arrests. Alberto Carrillo Fuentes, aka "Ugly Betty," was captured in the western state of Nayarit, Notimex said. The report did not describe the circumstances of his arrest, nor did it say when it happened. Last month, Mexican authorities arrested Mario Armando Ramirez Trevino, a suspected leader of the country's Gulf Cartel.

POLICE FIND STASH OF 213 GRENADES BURIED IN EL SALVADOR Buried underground about 30 miles from El Salvador's capital city, police made a staggering find this week: 213 grenades. Investigators described the arsenal uncovered Tuesday as "anti-tank grenades" -- the kind of weapons only members of the military are allowed to use in the Central American country.

Who hid the grenades there? And how were they planning to use them? Key questions remain after the discovery: Who hid the grenades there? And how were they planning to use them? Authorities say they suspect the stash is yet another sign that Mexico's brutal Zetas cartel has extended its reach. And members of the military could be involved, they said. "According to our investigations, these have been sold to Zetas drug traffickers in Guatemala and Mexico," Salvadoran Attorney General Luis Martinez told reporters. "And we are going to investigate this. And also we are going to see where they came from." Authorities have asked the United States for assistance with their investigation into the weapons' origin. Police said the grenades, buried about 4 feet underground, were manufactured in China and the United States.

MEXICO CARTEL FIGURE ARELLANO FELIX KILLED AT CABO HOTEL A former member of Mexico's Tijuana Cartel was shot and killed in the popular Cabo tourist area, authorities said. Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix was shot Friday night at a "party venue" at a beachfront hotel in Cabo San Lucas on the Baja California peninsula, the state-run Notimex news agency reported. The agency said authorities received some reports that the attack was carried out by two men, one of whom may have been dressed as a clown. Arellano Felix, 63, was killed by gunfire to the head.

SURVIVORS RECALL PINOCHET COUP, 40 YEARS ON

September 11 has been somewhat eclipsed in the last decade by a more notorious anniversary, but it remains a date etched in Chileans' minds: in 1973, this was the day General Augusto Pinochet seized power from the democratically elected Socialist government of Salvador Allende. Forty years after that sudden coup, and 23 years since its return to democracy, Chile is still recovering from the effects of Pinochet's brutal rule. Its relevance today may not be immediately obvious. The world's attention is focused firmly on the Middle East, particularly the brutal civil war in Syria. As the international community debates what its responsibilities might be, people are dying. The shadow of Iraq looms large, obscuring and darkening the potential consequences of humanitarian intervention. Yet among all this, Chile's influence can be felt. Javier Zuniga, 70, is a Mexican human rights activist and special advisor at Amnesty International; he argues that "what happened in Chile goes beyond its borders, because it shook the international community into understanding that human rights violations were the business of everybody, inside Chile and outside Chile." Zuniga visited the country many times during Pinochet's rule, documenting abuses and disappearances, and has since campaigned tirelessly on behalf of the relatives of the disappeared. Carlos Reyes-Manzo is one of many thousands who were detained and tortured by the Pinochet regime. Now 68 and living in London, before the coup he worked for the Allende government, specifically for Chile Films, while also working as part of the Socialist Party. When the government was overthrown, he remembers how suddenly it happened: "In a way, we were expecting something would happen. [But] we never expected it would happen so quickly, and in such a way." By sheer luck, Reyes-Manzo had been at meetings when the militia raided his apartment, and initially avoided capture. Seeing what was happening, he decided to head for the Socialist Party headquarters in the center of Santiago. "It was quite near to the presidential palace, and on my way I saw bodies in the street. The military immediately started shooting and killing people... And very soon they put fire to the Socialist Party headquarters." Carlos pauses. "That was the day, there was just shooting everywhere and killing everywhere." By the end of that bloody day, President Allende was dead, having committed suicide as troops stormed the presidential palace. Within 24 hours, the Socialist government had been deposed and replaced by a military junta. Some were pleased, particularly in the United States, where the coup enjoyed the covert support of the Nixon administration. Allende's sweeping nationalizations and quite radical reforms had proved unpalatable for many Chileans and outside observers, particularly transnational corporations. After the coup, free market economic policies were pursued with vigor, inspired by the theories of Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman and others. As for the Socialist Party members, Reyes-Manzo recalls what happened next: "The leaders of the party were detained, some were killed, and some went underground. I went underground myself. So I spent six months underground, working there, just trying to get everything back into place... [Eventually] someone I was working with gave my name and I was detained. They came to my house and almost ransacked everything... I was with two little children and was taken away." Reyes-Manzo spent months in detention, being moved around to different locations and tortured regularly. In one prison, he found he recognized the voice of the person in charge: it belonged to a man called Romo, whom he had known before the coup -- not that this changed anything. "They were not shy -- in a way they wanted you to know who they were."

The late Carrillo Fuentes was known as the "Lord of the Skies" because of the large ﬂeet of jetliners he used to transport cocaine from Colombia to Mexico. Los Zetas known for 'complete absence of scruples,' expert says They nabbed Zetas leader Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, one of Mexico's most wanted drug lords, in July -- marking the most significant blow to drug trafficking in Mexico since President Enrique Pena Nieto took office in December.

AIR FRANCE PLANE SEARCHED IN CARACAS AFTER EXPLOSIVES SCARE An Air France flight leaving Caracas, Venezuela, for Paris was stopped and searched on Saturday, after French intelligence alerted the Venezuelan government about the threat of an explosive device, a Venezuelan minister said. The evening Air France Flight 385 was grounded for a security sweep that involved explosives experts and a canine team, according to a statement posted on the website for Miguel Eduardo Rodriguez Torres, Venezuela's minister of popular power for international relations, justice and peace.

"The flight was suspended and (there was) a thorough review of the aircraft to confirm the situation, since allegedly a terrorist group planned to detonate the explosives during the flight." The statement quoted Rodriguez Torres speaking to Venezuelan state television as saying: "The flight was suspended and (there was) a thorough review of the aircraft to confirm the situation, since allegedly a terrorist group planned to detonate the explosives during the flight." He estimated the operation ran for four hours. It was not clear if the threat referred to a Caracas to Paris flight, or vice versa. Air France said in a statement that Flight 385 had been postponed before passengers boarded the plane "in accordance with a decision by local authorities in relation to security measures." It said all 279 passengers and 13 crew members would fly from Caracas to Paris on Sunday evening.

URUGUAY SET TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA Notimex reported that Carrillo Fuentes is the brother of Amado Carrillo Fuentes, who died in 1997 as a result of undergoing plastic surgery to alter his appearance in an effort to avoid capture. The late Carrillo Fuentes was known as the "Lord of the Skies" because of the large fleet of jetliners he used to transport cocaine from Colombia to Mexico.

LIGHTNING STRIKE ON BEACH KILLS 3 IN ARGENTINA A lightning strike killed three people on a beach in Argentina Thursday and injured 22 others, state media reported. "We were hiding in a tent to take shelter from the storm when we felt an explosion, and then I saw my friend thrown to the ground," Rafael Vinuela told the state-run Telam news agency. He ran to find a doctor after seeing that his friend's arm was burned. "When they arrived, they told us that he had died," he told Telam. The state news agency reported that another victim, a 17-year-old, was playing soccer on the beach when the lightning hit, killing him and injuring several members of his family.

The injured victims included 16 adults and six children. The storm struck the seaside community of Villa Gessell, located about 230 miles (375 km) southeast of the country's capital, around 5 p.m. Thursday. The injured victims included 16 adults and six children, a health official said, according to Telam. It's summer in Argentina, and several witnesses told the state news agency they were vacationing in the area. Buenos Aires province Gov. Daniel Sciolio called the incident "a tragedy that surprised families" at the beach.

Juan Andres Palese says he's a frustrated entrepreneur. His business, the sale of products for growing and processing marijuana, has always been in a legal limbo in Uruguay, his country. Legally speaking, it's a complicated and risky situation. Selling accessories for the cultivation of cannabis is legal, but the production, sale and distribution of marijuana are not. "It would be fantastic," Palese says, "if we could also have access to the market of consumers." The dream of the Montevideo resident is about to come true. The Uruguayan Senate is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a controversial bill that would make the small South American country the first in Latin America to legalize marijuana. The bill was approved by the lower house of parliament in July with 50 out of 96 votes. It also has the support of President Jose Mujica. The bill has generated international headlines because, if approved, the Uruguayan government would have the authority to regulate the production, distribution and sale of marijuana. The legislation also has the support of the Broad Front, Mujica's party. Approval is widely expected. "More than anything, it's going to give me peace about growing what I like, which is marijuana. That's what I like to consume. It would give me the peace of mind of not having legal troubles for something that should not be illegal," Palese says. The bill rests on the premise that if "the state assumes the control and regulation of the activities of importation and exportation, sowing, growing, harvesting, producing ... storing, commercializing and distributing," then the ills of drug trafficking would be greatly reduced and the quality of the plants improved, benefiting patients and putting drug traffickers out of business. The bill would allow individuals to grow up to six plants of marijuana and possess as much as 480 grams for personal use. Marijuana clubs of anywhere from 15 to 45 members would also be allowed and granted permission to grow up to 99 plants at a time. Users would have to register, and those claiming to use cannabis for medical reasons would have to show a doctor's prescription. Marijuana would also be sold at licensed pharmacies. But many in the traditionally Catholic country of 3.3 million people feel legislators are espousing the wrong policy for the wrong reasons.

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7 SECRET CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

The Caribbean -- home to cerulean waters, vibrant coral reefs and sugar-white beaches -- is a near-perfect vacation destination, especially when it's arctic cold at home. There is just one problem: Everyone you know wants to go there. Cayo Espanto Just off the coast of Belize, this diminutive private island -- at just four acres, it contains six luxe private villas and one overwater bungalow -- has hosted a staggering list of seclusion-seeking A-listers (Tiger Woods and Leonardo DiCaprio among them). As befits such a clientele, every aspect of the experience here can be tailored to guests’ whims. The chef customizes daily menus, and staffers arrange outings like guided bird-watching treks, tours of Mayan ruins and beachside aromatherapy couples’ massages. Dominica Part of the Lesser Antilles, this large, jungle-covered island (much of which is a protected nature preserve) attracts mostly in-the-know ecotravelers. Stay at two-year-old Secret Bay (rooms from $360; 767445-4444), set on a clifftop on the island’s northwestern coast between two equally dazzling swimming beaches. (One has a hidden cave.) Guests stay in one of five tree house-style villas and bungalows, all built of Guyanese wood with floorto-ceiling windows and outdoor showers. Activities include guided nature hikes, kayak expeditions and yoga in an open-air pavilion. Guana Island The 850 acres that comprise this British Virgin Island are home to more than 50 bird, 14 reptile and 200 plant and insect species, not to mention the myriad sea creatures that inhabit its waters. (The land is a protected wildlife sanctuary.) Guana’s single private resort maintains some 12 miles of walking trails that allow guests to explore its tropical forests, seven beaches and sugar-plantation ruins on foot. The resort houses just 19 cottages and five lavish villas (the latter have private pools), along with a terrace restaurant, a small water-sport center and a bar for those who want to socialize. Rooms start at $695; 212482-6247. Isla Holbox Despite its proximity to the perpetually thronged Riviera Maya, this 25-mile-long island off the northern tip of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula has managed to stay sleepily unspoiled. Surprising, given that Isla Holbox is one of the best places on earth to snorkel among whale sharks -- enormous, harmless creatures that migrate to the waters here each year between June and September. Of the 20-odd lodging options, CasaSandra (rooms from $233; 52-984/8752171) -- an elegant, 18-suite Mr & Mrs Smith resort with a top-notch seafood restaurant and daily whaleshark boat trips -- leads the charge. Kamalame Cay Occupying a pristine, 96-acre private island off the north coast of Andros in the Bahamas, this boutique resort is still run by the same family that built it in the 1990s. The property, though, epitomizes modern barefoot chic, encompassing 19 breezy rooms and suites -- most with French doors, soaring Balinesestyle peaked roofs and verandas

overlooking the beach. The island sits adjacent to the Andros Barrier Reef (the third largest in the world), which teems with sea life; guests can explore with scuba and snorkeling excursions from the on-site dive center, guided half- or full-day bonefishing trips or borrowed kayaks from the resort’s fleet. Rooms start at $407; 876-632-3213. Peter Island Though it’s one of the largest British Virgin Islands, the nearly 2,000-acre Peter Island is private, unlike many of its neighbors. Yet its eponymous resort offers the sorts of amenities one would find at much larger properties, including a full-service, 15-slip yacht club; a 10,000-square-foot Ayurvedic spa; a dive shop and water-sports center; and several restaurants and bars (one of which hosts a weekly vintner’s dinner). Many of the 55 spacious rooms, suites and villas are set directly off the stunning sweep of Deadman’s Beach. Rooms start at $385; 800346-4451. Petit St. Vincent Part of the Grenadines, this 115acre private island resort is a luxurious place to unplug. There are no phones or Internet connectivity in the 22 seaside stone-and-timber villas, nor at the casual beach bar or the sumptuous tree-house spa or along the nearly two miles of shoreline. (There is, however, WiFi at the hilltop restaurant and reception area.) Instead of checking e-mails or uploading Instagram photos, guests can enjoy cruises aboard the resort’s lovely traditional wood sailing sloop, snorkeling with sea turtles in the nearby Tobago Cays or lazing in one of the property’s ubiquitous shady hammocks. Rooms start at $1,100; 954-963-7401.

EL SALVADOR'S CHAPARRASTIQUE VOLCANO ERUPTS FOR FIRST TIME IN 37 YEARS El Salvador's Chaparrastique volcano erupted Sunday, sending a dark cloud of ash miles into the sky, forcing thousands to evacuate from their homes and snarling travel in the Central American country as airlines canceled flights. "We are not certain there will be new eruptions, but we can't rule out that possibility either," President Mauricio Funes said in a televised address urging residents near the volcano in the department of San Miguel to leave their homes and head to shelters. According to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the eruption began at 10:30 a.m. and produced a column of gas and ash approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) high. Authorities warned residents not to approach the area near the volcano, which is located in eastern El Salvador. The international airport in San Salvador, the capital, redirected some flights to other airports, including in Guatemala, to avoid the ash. Avianca airlines announced Sunday night that it had canceled 33 flights scheduled to arrive and depart from El Salvador as a precautionary measure due to the ash cloud. Iberia and United Airlines also canceled flights that had been scheduled to arrive in San Salvador Sunday night.

MEXICO ARRESTS ALLEGED LEADER OF KIDNAPPING CELL Authorities have arrested a man they say was the leader of a kidnapping cell responsible for kidnapping, raping and torturing victims along the U.S.-Mexico border. Serafin Medina-Angel was arrested at his home in Tijuana, Mexico, on September 1, according to a Monday statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

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BEAUTY QUEEN'S KILLERS NABBED, VENEZUELA SAYS

Beauty queen Monica Spear posted scenic photos and videos of the Venezuelan countryside online in the days before her death. Now, days after attackers gunned down the soap opera star and her ex-husband, investigators say Spear's camera was a key link that helped them track down her killers. Police found the camera inside the home of one of seven suspects authorities have arrested in connection with the slayings, the head of Venezuela's national crime investigation agency said Thursday. Four suspects are still on the loose, he said.

The victims’ 5-year-old daughter, Maya, witnessed the roadside shooting and suﬀered a gunshot wound herself but survived.

He is accused of kidnapping Mexican citizens attempting to cross into the United States from Mexico. His victims were tortured and raped while accomplices tried to collect ransoms from their families, CBP said. Medina-Angel was arraigned last week and charged with three counts of kidnapping, the statement said. Many migrants moving through Mexico on their way to the United States are victims of violence along the border, but the journey is perilous from the moment it begins. The danger has grown as Mexico's drug gangs expand their reach.

MEXICAN COASTAL HIGHWAY COLLAPSES

Part of a picturesque toll highway that tourists use to travel between the Mexican towns of Ensenada and Tijuana collapsed this weekend, civil protection officials in Mexico said. One of the holes created by the landslide was more than 40 feet deep and stretched 200 feet long. A cement truck was stuck when the ground started shifting, but the driver made it out safely, officials told CNNMexico. The truck ended up tumbling into the Pacific Ocean, which is just west of the road. Officials say it may take as long as a year to repair the damage. Building a temporary road is one option being considered, authorities said. For now, motorists will use a nearby free road. It is unclear what caused the landslide. According to the United States Geological Survey, a magnitude-4.6 earthquake centered about 60 miles southeast of Ensenada struck on December 19, but the events might not be connected. On the Facebook page of the Baja California Civil Protection services, officials said the road is not in an area where there is a fault line. The damage occurred about 60 miles from Mexico’s border with the United States.

70 PEOPLE INJURED IN ARGENTINE FISH ATTACK Their Christmas Day did not go as planned. About 70 people were injured Wednesday when a swarm of carnivorous fish attacked at a beach near the city of Rosario, on the Parana River, Argentina's state-run Telam news agency reported. It described the fish as a relative of the piranha. No one was killed.

It described the ﬁsh as a relative of the piranha. But swimmers suffered various injuries, including a 7-yearold girl who lost a part of one of her pinky fingers, Telam said. Ricardo Biasatti, sub secretary of Natural Resources for the province of Santa Fe, described the incident to the agency as "isolated and insignificant," when the size of the river is taken into consideration. Julian Aguilar, president of a local fisherman's group, also downplayed it, saying the likelihood of such an event happening again was low, as attacks by this type of fish on humans are "occasional." The area is a popular swimming spot this time of year in Argentina, where it is summer.

No one has been charged, but officials say there is evidence linking the group of suspected gang members to the double homicide. The high-profile case has galvanized Venezuelans to turn up the pressure on their government to act on the country's high crime rates and prompted pledges from officials to end the violence. The victims’ 5-year-old daughter, Maya, witnessed the roadside shooting and suffered a gunshot wound herself but survived. “It’s terrible that this happened, and society has to react,” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said at a security meeting he convened with mayors and governors on Wednesday. “It is not time to faint, to throw in the towel, to let our guard down. To the contrary, it’s time to react.” For many Venezuelans, what happened to Spear is nothing new. Violence on Venezuelan roads and highways, they say, is all too common. A nonprofit that tracks homicides in the South American country says there were almost 25,000 violent deaths last year in the country of about 30 million people.

“I ask Venezuelans to wake up because it was Monica a few days ago, but, how many people have died on highways in this country?” said Mary Spear, the soap opera star’s aunt. “Monica had to die so that the whole world learns that we can’t be out on the street because we’re afraid.” The head of Venezuela’s national crime investigation agency said Thursday that investigators believe robbery was the motive in the attack. But during Wednesday’s meeting, Maduro theorized that the killings may not have been a robbery or a normal street crime. “This murder seems more like a contract killing,” he said. The president did not elaborate on his statement. Four men, a woman and two minors with ties to the crime have been arrested. Four other suspects remain on the loose, including the man believed to have the murder weapon, said Jose Gregorio Sierralta, director of the Corps of Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigations. “We have managed to apprehend and totally break up this dangerous gang,” he said. Sierralta stressed that dealing with violence is not just the government’s responsibility. “Crime is everyone’s problem,” he said. “We cannot distance ourselves from this reality. ... We must reflect on each case as parents, as professionals. What are Venezuelans doing to help to solve these expressions of criminality that are so strong that have been affecting us in recent months?” Throngs of mourners have come to the Caracas funeral home to pay respects to Spear. A funeral for the actress is set for Friday. Spear was Miss Venezuela in 2004 and represented her country in the Miss Universe pageant the next year.

Author: Almante Juskaite

Source: BBC&CNN

Vilnius, Lithuania

2014