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Engineers are to blow up a third section of a Mississippi River levee to relieve a flood threat in Missouri, as waters continue to threaten several US states.
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Sandor Kepiro held a sheet stating: “Murderers of a 97-year-old man!” A 97-year-old Hungarian accused of massacring civilians in Serbia in 1942 has gone on trial in Hungary.
Sandor Kepiro was listed by the Simon Wiesenthal Center as the world’s most wanted Nazi war crimes suspect.
More than 1,200 Jewish, Serb and Roma civilians were murdered over three days by Hungarian forces in a notorious massacre in the city of Novi Sad.
As Mr Kepiro arrived at court he told reporters he was “completely innocent” and called the trial a “circus”.
After using a walking stick on his way into the court in Budapest, he took his seat and displayed a printed sheet of paper stating: “Murderers of a 97-year-old man!”
He is accused of “complicity in war crimes”. Prosecutors said he would be charged with having ordered the rounding up and execution of 36 people.
Hundreds of families were rounded up by the Hungarians, allies of Nazi Germany, in January 1942 on the banks of the Danube River in Novi Sad and then shot.
A survivor of the killings, Lea Ljubibratic, said people were “thrown into the river under the ice. They would take people from their houses and shoot them in the street.”
Sandor Kepiro was convicted of involvement in the killings in Hungary in 1944 but his conviction was quashed by the fascist government and he later fled to Argentina.
He returned to Hungary in 1996 and was tracked down by the Nazi-hunting Simon Wiesenthal Center a decade later to a flat opposite a synagogue in Budapest.
Mr Kepiro had sued the director of the Center, Efraim Zuroff, for defamation. But that case was dismissed on Tuesday. The Budapest tribunal said Mr Zuroff had the right to call him a war criminal because of the 1944 verdict.
He has admitted his presence at the Novi Sad raid, but told Hungarian television last year: “I haven’t regretted anything, all I did was my duty!”
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The Royal Navy has been involved in clearing mines off the Libyan port of Misrata, which they say were laid by pro-Gaddafi forces.
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Sheryl Cwele, wife of South Africa’s intelligence minister is convicted of drug trafficking.
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Libya’s rebels say they need more money to keep fighting Col Muammar Gaddafi’s forces An international grouping is meeting in Rome to discuss financial aid for Libya’s rebels.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Libya Contact Group would also look at ways to put pressure on Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi.
She said the desired outcome was an end to violence against civilians and a “democratic transition”.
Meanwhile, a ship has evacuated people from the besieged port of Misrata to the main rebel city of Benghazi.
The ship, the Red Star One, was chartered by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) was fired on as it docked at Misrata to embark wounded people and foreign workers.
Five people were killed in the shelling.
Amid scenes of panic, families were separated and the ship had to re-dock twice before finally setting sail with 1,300 passengers – mostly wounded people and foreign workers stranded as the city was besieged by Col Gaddafi’s forces.
They have now arrived, tired and bedraggled, in Benghazi, says the BBC’s John Sudworth.
Misrata is the only substantial city in western Libya still held by rebels trying to overthrow Col Gaddafi.
Rebels hold much of the east of the country, around the city of Benghazi, while Col Gaddafi holds most of the west.
The rebels in both Benghazi and Misrata say they need assistance.
Those in Misrata have been holding on to the city against repeated attacks and say they need more Nato air strikes as well as more weapons and ammunition to continue the ground fight.
In Benghazi, the rebel administration is running out of money. A spokesman for the Transitional National Council said the rebels need $1.5bn (£0.9bn) in the coming months, the Associated Press news agency said.
The Libya Contact Group, composed of Nato members, Arab states and international organisations, is looking at ways to finance the rebels, either through loans or the sale of oil from rebel-held areas.
“Today we will be discussing in depth how better to increase the pressure on Gaddafi and those around him diplomatically, politically, economically [and] how we can bring about the outcome that the people of Libya and the international community seek – an end to the violence against civilians and the beginning of a democratic transition to a better future,” said Hillary Clinton ahead of the group’s meeting in Rome.
Nato is enforcing a UN mandate to protect civilians caught in the conflict.
In a report to the UN Security Council, the chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said between 500 and 700 people were believed to have been killed in Libya in February alone – the month the conflict began.
He said he was seeking warrants for the arrest of top Libyan officials, but did not name them.
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Austerity measures already announced have caused widespread protests Portugal will sink into recession this year and next due to the terms of its 78bn euro ($116bn; £70bn) rescue deal, its finance minister has said.
Fernando Teixeira dos Santos said austerity measures required as a condition of the funds would see the economy shrink by 2% in 2011 and 2012.
He said Portugal would be forced into further tax rises and spending cuts.
His comments came ahead of a press conference on Wednesday to outline further details of the rescue.
The conference is being held in Lisbon by officials from the European Union and International Fund Monetary, which is providing the bail-out money.
Mr dos Santos said the planned economic restructuring would be tough, but added: “This is a programme aimed at returning to growth and employment.”
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The cholera strain that has claimed more than 4,500 lives in Haiti closely resembles strains currently circulating in South Asia, a UN investigation finds.
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Protesters gather in the coastal city of Baniyas on Wednesday Hundreds of Syrian troops have stormed the Damascus suburb of Saqba overnight – breaking into houses and making many arrests, witnesses say.
Saqba was the scene of a big, peaceful protest against the regime last week.
Tanks and troops are also reported to have been sent to other trouble spots, amid fresh reports of anti-government demonstrations in Homs and Hama.
More than 500 Syrians are though to have been killed since the protests started seven weeks ago.
At least 2,500 others have been detained around the country in recent weeks, although rights groups say the figure could be much higher.
Foreign journalists are not allowed to enter the country, so it is difficult to verify the reports.
The protests, which began on 15 March, pose the most serious challenge to four decades of rule by the Assad family in one of the Arab world’s most repressive countries.
The authorities seem to be going all out to prevent another big protest after Friday prayers, says the BBC’s Jim Muir, reporting from the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
But the protests are continuing despite the crackdown. This week, protesters have called for a “Friday of Defiance” all across the country.
Here are some of the latest developments:
In Douma, there were reports that “thugs” and security forces had raided two hospitals – Hamdan and Noor. They allegedly destroyed medical equipment and beat some doctors and patients before arresting about 10 people.Deraya, meanwhile, was reportedly still under siege, but some 300 protesters defied the security forces to stage a brief rally calling for freedomElsewhere in the country, troops and tanks are reported to have been sent to the town of Rastan near the central city of Homs, and Baniyas on the coast.
Deraa, the southern city where the protests began in March, has been under siege for about 10 days but army units have begun a “gradual withdrawal”, a Syrian military official was quoted as saying on state news agency Sana.
The military official said the army had completed its mission to “chase elements of terrorist groups… and to restore security, peace and stability”.
Since the weekend, almost 1,000 men have reportedly been rounded up in Deraa alone.
Rights groups say that security officials conduct house-to-house raids, carrying lists of wanted people. If they do not find those listed, they arrest relatives and family members instead.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on President Bashar al-Assad to end a six-week clampdown on opposition supporters.
The US has denounced the crackdown as “barbaric” and tightened its sanctions against senior Syrian officials.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Voters across the UK are set to go to the polls in a series of national and local elections as well as a referendum to decide the way MPs are elected.
Elections for the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly will be held as will polls in 279 English councils.
The public will also be asked if they want to keep the first-past-the-post system for Westminster elections or switch to the alternative vote.
Polls open at 0700 BST closing at 2200.
In addition, local authority elections are being held in Northern Ireland while there is a UK parliamentary by-election in the constituency of Leicester South.
Contests are also taking place to elect mayors in Leicester, Mansfield, Middlesbrough, Torbay and Bedford.
The BBC weather forecast suggests that most of the UK will remain dry on Thursday with above average temperatures, but that there is a chance of rain in Northern Ireland.
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Malcolm Webster’s wives Claire Morris, left, and Felicity Drumm were involved in crashes A husband has denied murdering his first wife and attempting to murder his second as he gave evidence for the first time in a long-running trial.
Malcolm Webster, 52, from Guildford, Surrey, denies murdering his first wife Claire Morris in a crash in Aberdeenshire in 1994.
He also denies attempting to kill Felicity Drumm in New Zealand in 1999.
Mr Webster told the High Court in Glasgow he had not acted for “ill-gotten gains” through life insurance.
Advocate depute Derek Ogg QC, prosecuting, described the death of Claire Morris as a “cold-blooded, premeditated, carefully-planned murder that went precisely according to plan”.
Mr Webster replied: “I’m telling you it was not a murder, it was a tragic accident.”
Mr Ogg told Mr Webster: “All the facts in this case that have been painstakingly researched and spoken to become a blizzard that blows in one direction – you are as guilty as sin of murdering Claire.”
He replied: “I didn’t murder Claire.”
“It’s the only safe place to murder a second wife, the other end of the world”
Derek Ogg QC Advocate depute
He told the court: “I was avoiding a motorcyclist, the lights of a motorcyclist, on my way back to the cottage.
“I swerved to the left, that’s all I can remember of the situation. I know that I didn’t hit the motorcyclist.”
Defence counsel Edgar Prais QC asked: “Did you stage the accident so that you could murder your wife?”
Mr Webster replied: “No, I did not.”
Mr Prais then asked: “Did you take out insurance policies so that, having murdered your wife, you could reap your ill-gotten gains?”
Mr Webster said: “No.”
Mr Prais asked of the New Zealand crash: “Did you deliberately leave the road?”
He said: “Yes, because I was on my way with Felicity, we were going to the bank and I knew that there were no funds there.”
Mr Webster said he did not want to kill or hurt his wife.
Mr Ogg said there were similarities between the two crashes.
He said: “That’s why you had to go to the other end of the world to carry it out, so that someone like me could not make the connection.
“It’s the only safe place to murder a second wife, the other end of the world.”
The trial, which began on 1 February before judge Lord Bannatyne, continues.
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The bodies of the man and woman were found in separate cells. Two prisoners, a man and a woman, have been found dead in their cells at Hydebank Young Offenders Centre on the outskirts of Belfast.
Samuel Carson, aged 19, died shortly after 1700 BST on Wednesday despite efforts by prison staff to revive him in his cell at the prison’s Elm 1 wing.
Frances McKeown, 23, was found in her cell a few hours later during a routine check by staff in Ash 4 wing.
The prison service said a ligature had been removed from each prisoner’s cell.
A spokesperson for the service said the families of both prisoners had been informed.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland, the coroner and Prisoner Ombudsman have also been informed and their investigations are ongoing.
The director general of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Colin McConnell, said the tragic events at Hydebank Wood had stunned everyone.
“At this very difficult time I offer my sympathies to both the Carson and McKeown families. They are in the thoughts and prayers of our entire service” he said.
“I also want to recognise the efforts made by the staff who were on duty at the time, who did everything they could to bring about a different outcome.”
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The court has ordered the confiscation of Mr Adly’s assets. Egyptian former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly has been sentenced to 12 years in jail on charges of money-laundering and profiteering.
As head of the country’s security services, Mr Adly was a key part of ex-President Hosni Mubarak’s regime.
Mr Mubarak was forced out of power in February after a popular uprising.
This is the first trial of an official from his regime. Mr Adly faces separate charges of ordering troops to fire on demonstrators.
Many Egyptians have been closely watching the fate of Mr Adly, because of the conduct of the police force during the uprisings.
At least 846 civilians were killed during 18 days of street protests. Most were shot in the head and chest.
More than 20 Mubarak-era ministers and businessmen linked to the regime have been detained since Mr Mubarak’s departure.
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Cheryl Cole shot to fame as a singer in Girls Aloud Pop star Cheryl Cole has landed a job on the judging panel of the US version of The X Factor, Simon Cowell has confirmed.
The 27-year-old Girls Aloud star, who has worked on the past three series of the UK show, is expected to start filming on Friday.
“I’m so excited to be taking part in the American version of The X Factor,” Cole said in a statement.
She will join Cowell and former record boss Antonio LA Reid on the US panel.
“I’m thrilled for Cheryl,” said Cowell. “She is massively excited about this show and has been fantastic to work with.
“She is also a complete brat. Most importantly, this girl can spot talent.”
Cole has revelled in beating Cowell in two series of the UK version of her show, with two of the acts she had mentored – Alexandra Burke and Joe McElderry – being crowned winners.
The star said she cannot wait to continue her winning streak in America.
“America is gonna love this”
Cheryl Cole
“I just can’t decide whether I am more excited to find and nurture the talent, or for the unbelievable amount of amusement and entertainment I will have watching Simon doing everything and anything he can to beat me.
“He’s tried to beat me for three years in the UK and hasn’t even come close. His ego must be so bruised. America is gonna love this.”
Speculation has been rife over the last few months as to whom would appear on the US X Factor show.
Cole’s relatively low profile in America had seemed to rule her out of contention in some pundits’ eyes.
It is not clear whether the singer will have a role in the UK version of the show when it returns later this year.
Last month ITV announced Cowell would not be involved in the audition process but may appear in later editions of the British programme.
The X Factor looks for undiscovered talent from the age of 12 or over, who will be given the chance to win a $5 million (£3m) recording contract.
Cole, who divorced football player husband Ashley last year, shot to fame in 2002 when she won a place in Girls Aloud in ITV talent show Popstars: The Rivals.
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Liverpool are set to reveal a loss of £20m for the last full year of the reign of former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
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Lloyds has broken ranks with the rest of the banking industry and will now pay up Lloyds Banking Group has set aside £3.2bn to pay compensation to customers who were mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI).
The bank is inviting past purchasers of PPI to get in contact and lodge a claim for compensation if they think they were mis-sold the policies.
PPI policies are supposed to cover loan repayments if someone falls ill, has an accident or loses their job.
The huge bill has pushed Lloyds into the red to the tune of £3.47bn.
Lloyds’ decision will put huge pressure on other lenders to follow suit.
The bank made it clear that its move followed the recent High Court defeat for the British Bankers’ Association (BBA).
The BBA had challenged new rules imposed by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) which lay down new rules for selling PPI and which, importantly, require banks and other lenders to review all past sales of the insurance.
“This [PPI provision] will be welcomed by thousands of Lloyds customers, although it will be very expensive for Lloyds ”
Lloyds said: “Since publication of the judgment, the group has been in discussions with the FSA with a view to seeking clarity around the detailed implementation of the policy statement.
“As a result, and given the initial analysis that the group has conducted of compliance with applicable sales standards which is continuing, the group has concluded that there are certain circumstances where customer contact and/or redress will be appropriate.”
The FSA would like Lloyds to contact all past purchasers of PPI, inviting them to lodge a claim if appropriate.
So far, Lloyds has agreed instead to ask its customers to take the initiative.
It has published phone numbers for customers to call and told them they can also submit a complaint via the bank’s website.
“We invite customers to contact us and we will look into it,” said a bank spokeswoman.
Lloyds’ decision on PPI could hardly be more dramatic, or more expensive for the bank.
It has thrown in the towel after years in which the banking industry has denied there was much of a problem.
Banks have fobbed off hundreds of thousands of complaining customers.
Of course, not all PPI policies were mis-sold and some have paid out.
But millions were sold, by credit card and hire purchase providers as well as banks.
The FSA’s initial estimate of an industry-wide bill for mis-selling of a bit over £3bn is now looking like a wild underestimate.
The chances must be that the rest of the banks will finally do as they have been told by the regulators.
Those whose recent claims have been put on hold pending the outcome of the recent High Court case will be processed without any further prompting, she said.
The consumers association Which?, one of many consumer bodies that have campaigned against PPI mis-selling during the past few years, expressed its delight.
“This is great news for the millions of Lloyds customers who have been mis-sold PPI,” said Which? executive director, Richard Lloyd.
“It’s refreshing to see a bank break ranks from its peers and do the right thing by its customers.
“The rest of the UK’s banks must now follow suit and draw a line under the great PPI mis-selling scandal by withdrawing their legal challenge of the FSA and proactively reimbursing the millions of customers who were mis-sold PPI,” he added.
The Lloyds chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio, who took over at the beginning of March, said he was now abandoning the BBA’s legal challenge.
“We will no longer be participating in the BBA’s judicial review,” he said.
“We do not want to continue a long-standing debate of this with the regulator.”
Last year, the FSA estimated that if the UK’s banks contacted past customers, even those who had never complained, then about 20% would respond, generating a bill for the whole industry of just over £3bn, spread over the next five years.
Lloyds’ figures suggest that if other banks follow its example then the bill for the whole of the UK banking industry could far outstrip these estimates.
Dan Plant, of MoneySavingExpert.com, said: “Lloyds has finally seen sense, yet as millions of PPI policies have been mis-sold over years, the other massive institutions involved must now follow suit, admit that customers were badly treated and give the billions of pounds back.”
The BBA said: “The British Bankers’ Association is presently carefully reviewing the judgment of 20 April and considering whether to make an application to appeal.
“This decision must be made by 10 May 2011. We will make a decision in due course,” it added.
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