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Mauritania clashes with militants

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Mauritania has launched a military operation against militants linked to al-Qaeda along the border with Mali, officials in the two countries say.

Some unconfirmed reports say the fighting has moved across the border into Mali itself.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has been behind numerous attacks in north-west Africa.

France believes the group is behind the kidnapping of seven people, including five French citizens, in Niger.

Initial reports quoted Mauritanian security sources saying the clashes were taking place near the border with Mali’s Timbuktu region.

A Malian security source was later quoted by AFP as saying fighting was taking place in Mali, at Hassissidi, about 100km (60 miles) north of Timbuktu, but this could not be confirmed.

AQIM emerged in 2007 after an Algerian militant group aligned itself with Osama Bin Laden’s international terror network.

It has carried out suicide attacks and ambushes in Algeria, and in recent years become more active in the Sahara, where governments struggle to impose their authority.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Afghans vote amid Taliban threats

A policeman searches a motorcyclist at a check point in Kandahar. Photo: 17 September 2010Security has been stepped up across the country ahead of the poll

Voters in Afghanistan are due to cast their ballots in key parliamentary elections, despite fears of violence and threats from Taliban militants.

More than 2,500 candidates are vying for 249 seats in the lower house of parliament, the Wolesi Jirga.

Some 280,000 soldiers and police are being deployed around the country.

The poll is seen as a test of credibility for Mr Karzai after last year’s presidential elections, which were marred by widespread fraud.

Mr Karzai – under strong diplomatic pressure – eventually accepted that irregularities had occurred but his main rival, Abdullah Abdullah, withdrew from a run-off saying the vote could not be free or fair.

Washington is watching Saturday’s poll closely, as US President Barack Obama prepares a war strategy review in December that is expected to consider the scale of plans to start withdrawing American troops from next year.

Nearly 6,000 polling stations in 34 provinces are due to open at 0700 local time (0230 GMT) and will close at 1600 local time (1130 GMT). But about 1,000 will not open because of security fears.

AFGHAN ELECTIONS

Afghan election workers in Kabul load ballot materials on a lorry to be transported to polling stations. Photo: 14 September 2010

Date of voting: 18 SeptemberNumber of eligible voters: about 10.5 millionNumber of seats: 249Total number of candidates: 2,514, including 406 womenTotal number of polling centres: 6,835Polling centres closed because of security concerns: 1,019Estimated cost: $150m (£95.5m), paid by international partnersQ&A: Afghan elections

There are more than 10 million registered voters, but the UN says a turnout of five to seven million would be a success, given the difficulty of holding a poll in the middle of a war.

Afghan soldiers and army will be guarding the polls, backed up by nearly 150,000 foreign troops.

Ahead of the vote, President Karzai urged Afghans to cast their ballots, despite threats from the Taliban to attack voters and election officials.

“Tomorrow’s election is very important. I hope all our people in all corners of the country, in any village will go to the polling centres and to vote for their favourite candidate,” Mr Karzai told reporters on Friday.

The Taliban have warned voters to boycott the poll and “stick to jihad”.

In what correspondents say is a thinly veiled threat, the insurgents have said in a statement that they have “already chalked out certain measures… to frustrate this American process and will implement them on the day when the illegitimate process of elections is conducted”.

The Taliban has already claimed responsibility for kidnapping two parliamentary candidates and 18 poll officials and campaign workers in separate incidents in the run-up to the elections.

Another major concern for Afghan election officials and international observers is that the polls will not be free or fair.

Mr Karzai on Friday admitted that “under the circumstances we must expect that there’ll be irregularities, there’ll be problems and there’ll be allegations as well”.

The UN special envoy to Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, also acknowledged earlier this week that the elections “will not be perfect”.

On Tuesday, officials from Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) said 3,000 forged voter registration cards had been confiscated in the central province on Ghazni.

However, IEC officials stressed that they had taken a number of measures – including the usage of an indelible ink to avoid double voting – to prevent fraud.

Preliminary results are to be announced on 22 September, with the final results due on 31 October.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Brand arrested for LA ‘assault’

Russell Brand (file picture)Russell Brand is currently working on a remake of the 1982 film Arthur

Actor and comedian Russell Brand has been arrested at Los Angeles airport, after allegedly pushing a photographer, police have said.

The 35-year-old Briton was with his fiancee, singer Katy Perry, when they were apparently surrounded by cameramen and paparazzi.

According to police, the photographer he is accused of assaulting placed him under citizen’s arrest.

Brand was released from custody after posting $20,000 (£12,800) bail.

It is understood that he will face a charge of battery, although neither Brand nor his spokespeople have made any comment about the incident.

The British star is a familiar face in Los Angeles, says the BBC’s Peter Bowes, and his Hollywood career is blossoming.

Brand is currently working on a remake of the 1982 comedy Arthur, in which he plays the title role.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Pope set for PM meeting and vigil

Pope BenedictPope Benedict will meet several politicians before heading to Westminster Cathedral

Pope Benedict is to meet the prime minister and senior politicians on the third day of his four-day state visit.

As well as seeing David Cameron, the Pope will meet Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and acting Labour leader Harriet Harman.

He will then celebrate Mass at Westminster Cathedral before visiting a home for older people in south London.

The day ends with a prayer vigil in Hyde Park. Opponents of the visit are to march and rally in central London.

Pope’s visit18 September: Mass at Westminster Cathedral; Open-air vigil in Hyde Park19 September: Beatification Mass at Cofton Park Birmingham; Meets bishops of England, Scotland and Wales; Leaves for Rome.Pope offers hand of friendship Tatchell heads anti-Pope protests In pictures: Pope’s visit day two

During the Mass at Westminster, the Pope will send a message of greeting to the people of Wales, as he is unable to visit them “because of the pressures of time” according to a spokesman.

Afterwards he will greet an invited crowd of 2,500 young people in the Cathedral Piazza outside, who will include a representative from every parish in England and Wales, a contingent from Scotland, and a number of volunteers from Catholic youth organisations.

About 80,000 people are expected to attend the open-air vigil in London’s Hyde Park later.

But there will also be a march on Saturday afternoon organised by the Protest the Pope – and umbrella group opposed to the Pope’s visit – from Hyde Park Corner to Downing Street, where a rally will be held.

On Friday, in his keynote speech to MPs, senior members of British society and religious leaders at Westminster Hall, the Pope warned that religion – and Christianity in particular – is “being marginalised” around the world.

Pope Benedict XVI warned that there were some people who wanted to see “the voice of religion be silenced”.

He returned to the subject in a service at Westminster Abbey, asking Christians to speak out about their faith.

In his speech at Westminster Hall, the Pope called on those in attendance to seek ways to promote faith “at every level of national life”.

He added: “I cannot but voice my concern at the increasing marginalisation of religion, particularly of Christianity, that is taking place in some quarters, even in nations which place a great emphasis on tolerance.

Pope Benedict XVI

The Pope says that religion is ‘marginalised’ during his speech in Westminster Hall

“There are those who would advocate that the voice of religion be silenced, or at least relegated to the purely private sphere.”

He also expressed concern over arguments that the public celebration of festivals such as Christmas should be discouraged, in the belief it may offend those “of other religions or none”.

Earlier on Friday, the Pope met Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams at Lambeth Palace – a meeting attended by Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops from different parts of the UK.

The Lambeth Palace meeting marked the first time a Pope has met the archbishop at his official residence.

It was viewed as an important event more than 40 years after official talks began about possible reunification of the two churches.

Divisions remain over Roman Catholic opposition to the ordination of women priests, while the Church of England’s General Synod left the way open for appointing women bishops at its meeting in July.

The Vatican angered many supporters of women’s ordination by describing it as a “grave crime” to be dealt with in the same process as sex abuse, though it denied it was equating the two.

Dr Williams said in his opening remarks that the Pope was “most welcome” at Lambeth Palace.

He then praised the pontiff’s “consistent and penetrating analysis of the state of European society”.

Meanwhile, six men remain in custody as counter-terrorism detectives investigate an alleged threat to Pope Benedict XVI’s visit.

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This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Pope suspects remain in custody

Pope Benedict and security guardsSecurity for the Pope has been tight during his state visit to Britain

Anti-terrorism police are continuing to hold six men arrested in relation to a potential threat to Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Britain.

All six, who were street cleaners, were arrested in London and taken to a police station in the capital.

Officers are searching a number of homes and business premises in the city, including a cleaning depot.

The men work for Veolia Environment Services, a cleaning company working for Westminster Council.

At least five of the men were not British nationals.

Armed officers arrested the first five men at the company’s Chiltern Street depot in west London as they were preparing to go on shift. A sixth man was later taken into custody.

In a statement from Scotland Yard, the Metropolitan Police said the men had been arrested in an operation under the Terrorism Act 2000 by officers from the force’s Counter-Terrorism Command.

All six men were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

They are 26, 27, 29, 36, 40 and 50 years old and most are understood to be Algerian. Police are continuing to search eight residential premises in north and east London and two business premises in central London.

Officers have not found any hazardous items.

In the statement, the Metropolitan Police said policing arrangements for the papal visit were reviewed following the arrests, and that police were satisfied that the current policing plan for the Pope’s visit remained appropriate.

“The itinerary has not changed. There is no change to the UK threat level,” the statement added.

The current official threat level in the UK is “severe”, which means that security chiefs believe a terror attack is “highly likely”.

The BBC understands that the information acted on by the police was received by Scotland Yard and did not involve intelligence gathered by MI5, the domestic security service.

Map showing where five men were arrested

Andrew Redhead, former national police firearms tactical adviser, told the BBC that “every allegation, every bit of information that comes to light will be vetted and taken seriously”.

He added: “Obviously it would appear that the concerns are such [in this case] that persons have been arrested, and it is being taken seriously.

“Is this just a group of people speaking loudly and someone has overheard, or is it something more sinister? Obviously the police authorities and the specialists will have to work through that in due course.”

Reacting to the first five arrests, Father Federico Lombardi, the Pope’s press spokesman, said the Vatican was “totally confident” in Scotland Yard and the ability of its officers.

In a statement, Dr Leith Penny of Westminster City Council, said: “Veolia and Westminster City Council work closely with the relevant authorities to constantly ensure that all the people working on their behalf are subject to right to work checks as prescribed by the Home Office to assess their eligibility to work in the country.”

In all, the policing bill for the visit is expected to top £1m.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Man not guilty of vicar’s murder

Ronald GlazebrookRonald Glazebrook’s dismembered body was found in woods

A former altar boy who spent eight years in jail after being found guilty of murdering an East Sussex vicar has been cleared following a retrial.

Christopher Hunnisett, 26, formerly of St Leonards, had said his 81-year-old landlord the Reverend Ronald Glazebrook sexually abused him in the bath.

Lewes Crown Court heard Mr Hunnisett admitted punching him before locking himself in his bedroom.

He said he found the vicar’s body in the bath the following day.

The Court of Appeal had quashed his 2002 murder conviction because of new evidence earlier this year and ordered the retrial.

During the retrial, Mr Hunnisett was accused of killing Mr Glazebrook, dismembering the body and leaving the remains at woodland locations across East Sussex.

On Friday, a jury cleared him of murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter after more than six hours of deliberation.

Judge Mr Justice Keith told him: “You have been acquitted of the charges. You are free to go.”

Jurors were told Mr Hunnisett first met the vicar at the age of 12 when he was a church server at Christ Church and started living with the vicar at the age of 15 after experiencing difficulties at home.

The trial heard that Mr Glazebrook was an active “independent spirit” who helped many people with their problems, who came to know him through Christ Church in St Leonards-on-Sea.

But Mr Hunnisett said after he moved in, Mr Glazebrook began to abuse him and he grew to “hate” the clergyman.

He said he would lie down during the abuse and pretend it was not happening, and resorted to placing his bed in front of the bedroom door at night.

On 27 April 2001, when Mr Hunnisett was 17 years old, he said the vicar touched him inappropriately in the bath.

He said he punched the clergyman and the force of the blow caused him to fall on top of him.

He told jurors he ran to his bedroom and found Mr Glazebrook dead in the bath the following morning.

The court heard of other earlier allegations of abuse by Mr Glazebrook.

One man said he was abused in similar circumstances to Mr Hunnisett on sailing adventures while he was a church server in the 1940s.

Philip Katz QC, prosecuting, said Mr Hunnisett had admitted preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead person during his first trial in 2002.

He said Mr Hunnisett had explicitly denied there was “anything sexual” about his relationship with Mr Glazebrook during his first trial.

But he said he had first mentioned the “wholly unlikely story” of sexual abuse at this trial.

After telling Mr Hunnisett he had been acquitted of the charges, Judge Mr Justice Keith turned to Mr Glazebrook’s daughter, who was sitting in the public gallery.

He told her it must have been difficult to have heard her father’s name “tarnished” during the retrial.

He told the court: “This must have been a trying few weeks for her as she has heard her father’s reputation tarnished.

“He may well have behaved shamefully in his life and he may well have been a discredit to the clergy but she must be desperately unhappy during the trial and I want her to know that.”

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

US airlines create global leader

United AirlinesContinental spurned a merger with United two years ago

United Airlines and Continental Airlines have been cleared to merge, creating the world’s largest carrier.

Shareholders in the two airlines overwhelmingly voted to approve the deal on Friday.

The merged airline will be known as United Airlines, with Continental’s chief executive Jeff Smisek taking on the same role at the new carrier.

Global airlines have struggled due to overcapacity, and United was forced into bankruptcy protection.

United and Continental announced their merger proposal in May, two years after Continental spurned similar advances from United.

The merger plan already has antitrust clearance from the US and European Commission.

“In approving the transaction, our stockholders recognised the value of bringing together Continental and United to create a platform for increased profitability and sustainable long-term value,” Mr Smisek said in a statement.

Many carriers have struggled in recent years due to terrorist threats, soaring fuel prices and economic recession.

Several airlines have sought safety through merging. British Airways plans deals with Spain’s Iberia and American Airlines.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.