EU agrees to cap bankers' bonuses

28 February 2013 Last updated at 04:56 ET

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David Cameron says regulations need to be flexible enough for UK-based banks to compete internationally

European Union officials have struck a provisional deal on new financial rules, including capping bank bonuses.

Under the agreement, bonuses will be capped at a year's salary, but can rise to two year's pay if there is explicit approval from shareholders.

The UK, which hosts Europe's biggest financial services centre, was opposed to any caps on bank bonuses.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the EU should concentrate on tightening up banks in other ways.

"We are absolutely clear that we must be able to implement the Vickers plan in the UK, which in some ways is tougher than regulations that are being put in place in other European countries.

"We want to have this proper ring fence between retail banks and investment banks and the rules must allow that to happen."

'Restrict growth'

The Vickers plan, based on the Independent Commission on Banking report led by Sir John Vickers, is designed to keep saver and business deposits from being compromised by the more speculative activities typically undertaken by investment banking operations.

London argues the EU's bonus rules would drive away talent and restrict growth in the financial sector.

The UK had been trying to rally other governments in the 27 countries in the EU behind its position.

Top bankers and financial traders can earn bonuses multiple times their base salaries. But there has been public outrage over bonuses following the huge bail-outs of banks.

The agreement was reached during eight hours of intense talks in Brussels between members of the European parliament, the European Commission and representatives of the bloc's 27 governments.

Core business

Othmar Karas, the European Parliament's chief negotiator, said: "For the first time in the history of EU financial market regulation, we will cap bankers' bonuses.

"The essence is that from 2014, European banks will have to set aside more money to be more stable and concentrate on their core business, namely financing the real economy, that of small and medium-sized enterprises and jobs."

But Joe Rundle, head of trading at ETX Capital, in London, said the cap would backfire. He told the BBC: "It will drive up fixed salaries to compensate. Businesses that do not need to be inside the European Union will leave. And when banks invest in future divisions, it will be outside the EU."

The deal paves the way for Basel III, an overhaul of banking rules.

The G20 group of rich nations had originally planned to bring in Basel III last month, but that has been delayed to January 2014.

Basel III focuses on a ratio of high-quality capital - called tier 1 - which is needed to cushion it against any future shocks. It will rise to 9% after the rules come into effect.

Once the proposals are formally agreed it will start the biggest shake-up of the banking system since the global financial crisis.

The lack of solid financial cushions meant that many banks were vulnerable, and eventually required taxpayer-funded bailouts to avoid bankruptcy.

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Bangladesh Islamist sentenced to die

28 February 2013 Last updated at 05:20 ET

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The BBC's Anbarasan Ethirajan: Protesters erupted with joy at the verdict

A tribunal in Bangladesh has sentenced Islamist leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi to death for crimes committed during the country's 1971 war of independence.

The Jamaat-e-Islami chief was found guilty of charges including mass murder, torture and rape. He is the most senior figure convicted so far.

His opponents erupted in cheers on hearing the verdict.

Critics of the tribunal have said that the charges against Sayeedi and others are politically motivated.

The Jamaat-e-Islami party rejects the court and has been staging a strike in protest.

Official estimates say more than three million people were killed in the war.

Angry demonstrations

Security was tight around the capital, Dhaka, as the judgement was being read out. On hearing the verdict, protesters gathered at a busy intersection in the city erupted into cheers.

"We've been waiting for this day for the last four decades," one man told local television, the Agence France-Presse news agency reports.

Thousands had staged a protest in the capital on Wednesday, demanding the death sentence be handed down to him.

Continue reading the main story

• Civil war erupts in Pakistan, pitting the West Pakistan army against East Pakistanis demanding autonomy and later independence
• Fighting forces an estimated 10 million East Pakistani civilians to flee to India
• In December, India invades East Pakistan in support of the East Pakistani people
• Pakistani army surrenders at Dhaka and its army of more than 90,000 become Indian prisoners of war
• East Pakistan becomes the independent country of Bangladesh on 16 December 1971

Recent weeks have seen a series of angry demonstrations demanding the execution of Jamaat leaders being tried by the tribunal. But there have also been protests against the court.

Several people have been killed during violent clashes over the issue around the country.

The verdict is the third issued by the controversial tribunal, which is trying a total of nine Jamaat leaders and two members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Sayeedi was accused of working with the Al-Badr group during the independence struggle and carrying out numerous atrocities, including forcibly converting Hindus to Islam.

His critics say that during the war he formed a small group to loot and seize the property of Bengali Hindus and those who supported independence.

The tribunal found Sayeedi guilty of eight out of the 20 charges levelled against him. These were mass murder, torture, rape and forcibly converting Hindus to Islam.

State prosecutor Syed Haider Ali described the verdict as a "victory for the people", AFP reports. But in court Mr Sayeedi protested, blaming the judgement on the influence of bloggers and pro-government forces.

Earlier this month another Jamaat leader, Abdul Kader Mullah, was sentenced to life for crimes against humanity. Huge crowds have been demanding he be executed.

In January, former party leader Abul Kalam Azad was found guilty in absentia of eight charges of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death.

In the wake of the public outcry calling for the execution of Abdul Kader Mullah, Bangladesh's parliament earlier this month amended a law which will allow the state to appeal against his life sentence.

The special court was set up in 2010 by the current Bangladeshi government to deal with those accused of collaborating with Pakistani forces who attempted to stop East Pakistan (as Bangladesh was then) from becoming an independent country.

But human rights groups have said the tribunal falls short of international standards. Jamaat and the BNP accuse the current government of pursuing a political vendetta.

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Man 'dragged by SA police van' dies

28 February 2013 Last updated at 06:11 ET

South Africa's police watchdog is investigating the death of Mozambican who had allegedly been handcuffed to the back of a police vehicle and dragged through the streets.

Video footage taken by a bystander of the alleged incident has been shown in the local media.

A spokesman for the Police Investigative Directorate said he was "shocked" by the footage.

South African police are often accused of brutality, correspondents say.

'Dies in custody'

Local media reported that police initially assaulted the 27-year-old Mozambican, a taxi driver, accusing him of parking his vehicle incorrectly in Daveyton, east of Johannesburg.

The video shows a large crowd gathering, as uniformed policemen tie him to a van, dragging him as they drive away.

He was later taken into custody, where he died, local media report.

"We are investigating an incident involving the death of man, allegedly at the hands of the police. We are shocked by the footage which has been released," Independent Police Investigative Directorate spokesman Moses Dlamini is quoted by AFP news agency as saying.

"The circumstances surrounding his death are still allegations... Let's find out what really happened."

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US 'to step up' help to Syria rebels

28 February 2013 Last updated at 06:13 ET

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Live coverage of John Kerry's visit to Rome to discuss Syria crisis

New US Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting Syrian opposition leaders in Rome, as the US prepares to increase its support for rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad.

He is attending a gathering of the Friends of Syria group of nations that support the Syrian opposition.

Mr Kerry is expected to announce increased "non-lethal" aid for the rebels but not weapons.

The UN estimates 70,000 people have died in the Syrian conflict since 2011.

Mr Kerry says US wants to "accelerate the political transition" in Syria.

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said the Friends of Syria were determined to "ramp up" assistance to the opposition.

"We are entering a new phase in the response of western and Arab nations to the crisis in Syria," he said.

Mr Hague said the UK would be sending equipment that would "save lives", the details of which would be announced next week.

Specific promises

The main opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) had threatened to boycott the meeting in Rome in frustration at the "the world's silence" at the violence.

But it agreed to attend after the US and UK indicated there would be specific promises of aid.

The increased US support is expected to involve food and medical supplies for rebel-controlled areas.

It could also include training, armoured vehicles and night-vision equipment, the New York Times reported, citing senior US officials.

The Obama administration has so far made it clear that it will not supply weapons to the Syrian rebels.

But arms are clearly what the Syrian opposition want and they are becoming ever more frustrated at the level of help they are getting, BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says.

According to UN estimates, more that 70,000 people have been killed in Syria since the revolt against President Assad began nearly two years ago.

Opposition fighters have been constantly outgunned as President Assad's forces deploy tanks, aircraft and missiles against them.

Continue reading the main story

Aid to Syria opposition

• The US has provided $384m (£253m) in humanitarian aid to victims of the conflict in Syria
• It says it has also provided $54 million in "non-lethal" support to the political opposition, but not to rebel fighters
• Obama administration reported to be divided over whether to provide weapons, amid fears they could fall into the hands of militants who might later attack western interests
• EU nations also provide humanitarian and "non-lethal" aid, but an arms embargo is in force
• Syrian rebels thought to be getting covert weapons supplies from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey

The US Secretary of State, who succeeded Hillary Clinton, is on an 11-day tour of Europe and the Middle East.

Speaking in Paris on Wednesday, he said he wanted to hear from the Syrian opposition how best to end the bloodshed.

``We want their advice on how we can accelerate the prospects of a political solution because that is what we believe is the best path to peace, the best way to protect the interests of the Syrian people, the best way to end the killing,'' he said.

Russia 'crucial'

Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande is in Moscow to discuss Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia is a key ally of President Assad, supplying him with weapons and blocking resolutions against him at the UN.

But it also been encouraging the Syrian government to hold direct talks with the opposition and has offered to host negotiations in Moscow.

Speaking before the meeting, President Hollande said Mr Putin had a crucial role to play in efforts to find a political solution to the conflict.

"We must finally start the process political dialogue that has not yet begun in Syria," Mr Hollande told Ekho Moskvy radio.

"A lot will depend on President Putin's stance."

Western powers say President Assad must step down as part of any political solution, as do the opposition, but Russia does not agree.

In contrast to the slow pace of diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, the fighting on the ground has continued to escalate, with grave humanitarian consequences.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

Most of [the refugees] have lost everything"

End Quote Antonio Guterres UN High Commissioner for Refugees

'Tragedy'

On Wednesday UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said more than 40,000 Syrians were fleeing the country each week, and the total number of registered refugees was approaching one million.

"The refugee numbers are staggering, but they cannot convey the full extent of the tragedy.

"Three-quarters of the refugees are women and children; many of them have lost family members; most of them have lost everything," he told the Security Council.

In some of the latest fighting, activists say government jets bombed rebels who were attacking a police academy outside Aleppo, Syria's second city.

"The rebels are still trying to storm the school, but they can't because the regime is carrying out airstrikes and bombarding rebel forces," said the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group.

Along with the capital Damascus, Aleppo is a key battleground in the conflict and has seen some of the most intense fighting.

Opposition groups are particularly enraged by what they say is the government's use of Scud missiles to bombard rebel-held areas of the city, causing mass civilian casualties.

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China letter urges political reforms

27 February 2013 Last updated at 00:45 ET By Celia Hatton BBC News, Beijing

Some of China's most prominent scholars, journalists and activists have released an open letter urging leaders to implement political reforms, for the second time in three months.

More than 100 people signed the open letter urging Beijing to ratify an international human rights treaty.

The letter was posted on several prominent Chinese websites and blogs.

It comes just days before Chinese leaders gather for the annual parliamentary session in Beijing.

At the meeting, new Communist Party leader Xi Jinping will be installed as China's president, taking over from Hu Jintao, completing the 10-yearly power transition.

'Feasible goal'

"We solemnly and openly propose the following as citizens of China," the letter begins, "that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) be ratified, in order to further promote and establish the principles of human rights and constitutionalism in China."

Continue reading the main story

• Dai Qing: Activist and writer. A one-time Communist Party member, Dai quit the party in 1989 after her book, Yangtze! Yangtze!, protesting the construction of the Three Gorges dam, was banned by the authorities. Since then, she has spoken out on a variety of environmental and political issues.
• Pu Zhiqiang: Human rights lawyer. Pu is a Beijing-based human rights lawyer with a long list of sensitive clients, including renowned artist Ai Weiwei and Tibetan environmentalist Karma Samdrop.
• Wang Keqin: Investigative journalist. Wang is a top investigative reporter in China. For decades, he has made his name exposing crime and corruption at all levels of Chinese society.
• Mao Yushi: Economist. Mao is a an outspoken proponent of free markets and a more transparent political system in China. Mao is one of the founders of the Unirule Institute of Economics, an independent think tank that advocates for political and economic reform in China.
• He Weifang: Legal Scholar. A professor at the Peking University Law School, He Weifang has made his name pushing for legal reform and the establishment of the rule of law within China.

The ICCPR is part of the International Bill of Human Rights created by the United Nations. It calls for basic civil and political rights of individuals, including freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

Beijing signed the treaty in 1998 but the Chinese parliament has never ratified the document.

The open letter was signed by many prominent thinkers in China, including economist Mao Yushi, legal scholar He Weifang and Dai Qing, an outspoken political activist.

In December, many of the same people also signed a strongly worded open letter demanding political reform within China, including an independent judiciary and meaningful democratic change.

"If reforms to the system urgently needed by Chinese society keep being frustrated and stagnate without progress," December's letter warned, "then official corruption and dissatisfaction in society will boil up to a crisis point and China will once again miss the opportunity for peaceful reform, and slip into the turbulence and chaos of violent revolution."

The language in the more recent letter was much more conciliatory, acknowledging the difficulties of enacting meaningful political change within China while also emphasising that signing the ICCPR would be a "feasible" goal for Chinese leaders.

In an interview with the BBC, investigative journalist Wang Keqin said he was confident China's leaders would ratify the ICCPR during the upcoming parliamentary session, a goal he acknowledged was "very mild and conservative".

"We don't dare to dream that China will make a lot of progress in one giant leap," Mr Wang said. "The country develops step by step and our efforts are also aimed at changing things step by step. This is the embarrassing situation we are in now."

He did not want to identify the person who first wrote the letter and collected the signatures, blaming his reluctance on "China's special situation".

According to the China Media Project, a group based at Hong Kong University which monitors the Chinese media, this week's letter was scheduled to be released on Thursday.

However the authorities reportedly heard about the letter early, leading its supporters to bring publication forward by two days. Mention of the letter has since disappeared from many internet sites within China.

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EU ministers back fish dumping ban

27 February 2013 Last updated at 05:51 ET By Roger Harrabin BBC environment analyst

European Union fisheries ministers have agreed to phase out the controversial practice of dumping unwanted fish.

After a tense all-night meeting, ministers said a ban on "discards" should be phased in, starting in January 2014 for certain types of fish.

It is a victory for campaigners who have demanded the end of a practice that has brought the EU into disrepute.

But activists fear that exemptions for certain countries could open loopholes to be exploited in future talks.

'Historic moment'

The UN says Europe has the world's worst record of throwing away fish. Almost a quarter of all catches go back overboard dead because they are not the fish the crews intended to catch.

The decision reached early on Wednesday morning was driven by northern European nations, including the UK.

They prevailed over mainly Mediterranean countries, which were fighting to protect the interests of their fishermen.

The ban will apply to pelagic stocks like herring and whiting from next year, and to white fish stocks from January 2016.

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How a UK trial uses CCTV on fishing boats to crack down on discards

Spain, France and Portugal managed to cling on to some restricted exemptions, particularly relating to crews operating far from land in mixed fisheries where the cost of landing unwanted fish is deemed to be prohibitive.

These crews will be allowed to discard 9%, shrinking to 7%. This figure is too high for the northern nations and the European Commission, which say the public expects that in a hungry world no fish should be thrown away.

Details of how exactly the discards ban will work in practice with the quota system or its projected replacement will be debated later.

The British government, one of the campaigners for change, said it was disappointed that the ban was not absolute, but that last night's result was an historic victory to end a "scandalous" policy.

It is one instance in which mass public pressure has clearly influenced the politicians, with almost a million people on the Online campaign site Avaaz demanding an end to discards.

UK Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon said: "This is a historic moment in reforming the broken Common Fisheries Policy. The scandal of discards has gone on for too long.

"I am disappointed that some of the measures required to put this ban into place are no longer as ambitious as I had hoped but it's a price I am willing to accept if it means we can get the other details right.

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The technology on trial at Denmark's North Sea Centre

"The result we have achieved today is another step in the right direction and will prove to be good for both fishermen and the marine environment."

The deal builds on a recent commitment to fish sustainably, and to allow more regional decision making. Many crucial details are still to be resolved over exactly what sustainably means, how the policy is enforced, how fishing crews are supported and how they are helped to buy gear that fishes more selectively.

Follow Roger on Twitter @rharrabin

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Pope recalls joy and 'choppy waters'

27 February 2013 Last updated at 05:52 ET

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Pope Benedict XVI: "Thank you from the bottom of my heart, I'm really moved"

Pope Benedict XVI has admitted he faced "choppy waters" during his eight years at the helm of the Roman Catholic Church, but says he was guided by God and felt his presence every day.

The Pope, 85, will retire on Thursday - the first pope to abdicate since Gregory XII in 1415.

Thousands of pilgrims gathered in St Peter's Square in the Vatican for Pope Benedict's final general audience.

His successor will be chosen in a conclave to take place in March.

Pope Benedict told the crowd his papacy had been "a heavy burden" but he accepted it because he was sure that God would guide him.

At times he "felt like St Peter with his apostles on the Lake of Galilee", he said, making reference to the Biblical story when the disciples were battling against heavy waves and Jesus Christ appeared to them.

'Serenity of spirit'

Continue reading the main story

At the scene

This was a farewell, but without a funeral. The sight of a living Pope here in St Peter's Square taking his leave of the faithful reinforces the sense of the Catholic Church at an unprecedented moment in its extraordinary history.

No other pope has ever asked over a billion Catholics throughout the world to pray for him "and for the new Pope", as Benedict XVI did here in Vatican City.

Was this the message of a man moving with the times? A Pope accepting with serenity that the Church at a time of crisis needs a younger, fitter man?

Certainly Pope Benedict looked and sounded frail - worn out, even - as he delivered his opening prayer, flanked by the Swiss Guards who will be withdrawn from his side on Thursday evening at the moment he relinquishes the papacy.

But his decision to quit leaves behind a Papal in-tray piled high with challenges over sex abuse and financial scandals his supporters insist he has done so much to confront while conceding there is far more still to be done.

After Benedict XVI steps down, he will become known as "pope emeritus".

"I took this step [resignation] in full awareness of its gravity and novelty but with profound serenity of spirit," he said in his address.

The surprise announcement of his abdication has required the rules of electing a successor to be changed to allow the next pope to be chosen before Holy Week, which leads up to Easter.

The white "popemobile" rolled slowly through St Peter's Square, carrying the 85-year-old Pontiff, who waved to the assembled pilgrims.

They chanted his name and thanked him for his service to the Church. At one point, Pope Benedict paused to kiss a baby who was passed up to him.

Many of the cardinals who will elect his successor are in the square.

The BBC's Alan Johnston in Rome says that on Thursday the Pope will travel by helicopter to his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, about 15 miles (24km) south-east of Rome. He will cease to be Pope at 20:00 local time.

He will retain the honorific "His Holiness" after his abdication and will continue to be known by his papal title of Benedict XVI, rather than reverting to Joseph Ratzinger.

He will wear his distinctive white cassock without any cape or trimmings, but will surrender his gold ring of office and his personal seal will be destroyed.

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Nuns and monks were among thousands running into the square to take their place in history

He will also give up wearing his red shoes.

"On the one hand I felt that since the decision that he would leave office and resign became public, Pope Benedict is relieved," said the head of the German bishops' conference, Archbishop Robert Zollitsch.

"But he also now feels the sympathy of the people for him, and therefore he will have a sense of melancholy and nostalgia, a bit of sadness."

Farewell

The title "emeritus" is used when a person of status, such as a professor or bishop, hands over their position, so their former rank can be retained in their title.

Continue reading the main story

Timeline to Thursday's resignation

• Thursday 1000 to 1115 GMT: Cardinals gather in the Vatican to bid farewell to Pope Benedict
• About 1515 GMT: Benedict is driven to a helipad within the Vatican
• About 1600 GMT: Papal helicopter flies to Castel Gandolfo near Rome
• About 1700 GMT: Pope appears at a window overlooking the public square in Castel Gandolfo to bless a crowd
• About 1900 GMT: Benedict ceases to be pope; Swiss guards at the entrance to Castel Gandolfo leave their posts

The Pope is to spend his final hours at his Vatican residence saying farewell to the cardinals who have been his closest aides during his eight-year pontificate, says the BBC's David Willey at the Vatican.

His personal archive of documents will be packed up and, at 20:00 (19:00 GMT) on Thursday, the Swiss Guard on duty at his Castel Gandolfo residence will be dismissed, to be replaced by Vatican police.

This will mark the formal end of his papacy and the beginning of the period of transition to his successor, due to be chosen next month.

From 4 March, the College of Cardinals will meet in general congregations to discuss the problems facing the Church and set a date for the start of the secret election, or conclave, to elect Pope Benedict's successor.

That successor will be chosen by 115 cardinal-electors (those younger than 80 years old) through ballots held in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.

A two-thirds-plus-one vote majority is required. Sixty-seven of the electors were appointed by Benedict XVI, and the remainder by his predecessor John Paul II.

About half the cardinal-electors (60) are European - 21 of them Italian - and many have worked for the administrative body of the Church, the Curia, in Rome.

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'Several dead' in Swiss shooting

27 February 2013 Last updated at 06:10 ET

Several people have been killed and seriously injured during a shooting at a factory near the Swiss city of Lucerne, police say.

The incident happened at the Kronospan wood processing plant in the town of Menznau, police said in a statement.

Swiss media said shooting started in the canteen at around 09:00 (08:00 GMT).

Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world, but relatively little gun crime.

The Swiss police statement said emergency services were on the scene.

Three helicopters had arrived, the Swiss news website 20minutes said.

It said an emergency telephone line had been set up for families of the factory's employees.

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Bad sleep 'dramatically' alters body

25 February 2013 Last updated at 19:28 ET By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News

A run of poor sleep can have a dramatic effect on the internal workings of the human body, say UK researchers.

The activity of hundreds of genes was altered when people's sleep was cut to less than six hours a day for a week.

Writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers said the results helped explain how poor sleep damaged health.

Heart disease, diabetes, obesity and poor brain function have all been linked to substandard sleep.

What missing hours in bed actually does to alter health, however, is unknown.

So researchers at the University of Surrey analysed the blood of 26 people after they had had plenty of sleep, up to 10 hours each night for a week, and compared the results with samples after a week of fewer than six hours a night.

More than 700 genes were altered by the shift. Each contains the instructions for building a protein, so those that became more active produced more proteins - changing the chemistry of the body.

Meanwhile the natural body clock was disturbed - some genes naturally wax and wane in activity through the day, but this effect was dulled by sleep deprivation.

Prof Colin Smith, from the University of Surrey, told the BBC: "There was quite a dramatic change in activity in many different kinds of genes."

Areas such as the immune system and how the body responds to damage and stress were affected.

Prof Smith added: "Clearly sleep is critical to rebuilding the body and maintaining a functional state, all kinds of damage appear to occur - hinting at what may lead to ill health.

"If we can't actually replenish and replace new cells, then that's going to lead to degenerative diseases."

He said many people may be even more sleep deprived in their daily lives than those in the study - suggesting these changes may be common.

Dr Akhilesh Reddy, a specialist in the body clock at the University of Cambridge, said the study was "interesting".

He said the key findings were the effects on inflammation and the immune system as it was possible to see a link between those effects and health problems such as diabetes.

The findings also tie into research attempting to do away with sleep, such as by finding a drug that could eliminate the effects of sleep deprivation.

Dr Reddy said: "We don't know what the switch is that causes all these changes, but theoretically if you could switch it on or off, you might be able to get away without sleep.

"But my feeling is that sleep is fundamentally important to regenerating all cells."

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Egypt balloon crash kills tourists

26 February 2013 Last updated at 06:18 ET

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Eyewitness Christopher Michel: "We heard a loud explosion"

British, French, Hong Kong and Japanese nationals are among at least 18 tourists killed in a hot air balloon crash near the Egyptian city of Luxor.

The balloon was at 1,000 ft (300m) when it caught fire and plunged onto fields west of Luxor, officials said.

At least two people, including the balloon's pilot, survived, reportedly by jumping out of the balloon before it crashed.

Luxor is home to some of Egypt's most famous pharaonic-era ruins.

It lies on the banks of the River Nile in the south of the country, and has long been a popular tourist destination.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

People were jumping out of the balloon from about the height of a seven-storey building"

End Quote Witness Cherry Tohamy

British tour operator Thomas Cook confirmed that four of its clients were on board the balloon - two had died and two were in hospital.

"We have a very experienced team in resort with the two guests in the local hospital, and we're providing our full support to the family and friends of the deceased at this difficult time," Peter Fankhauser, CEO of Thomas Cook UK and Europe, said.

The Chinese embassy in Egypt has confirmed that nine Hong Kong tourists died in the balloon crash.

Egyptian police have said the other tourists include four from Japan and two from France. At least one Egyptian also died.

Earlier reports suggested 19 people had been killed.

Previous crashes

The crash happened on one of the many dawn hot air balloon flights that give tourists an aerial view of Luxor's famous sites, such as Karnak temple and the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

The balloon's operating company, Sky Cruise, confirmed that a gas cylinder exploded on board the balloon, bringing it down in an agricultural area just west of Luxor.

Cherry Tohamy's balloon was landing when she heard an explosion and saw flames from a balloon above.

"Our pilot told us that the balloon had hit a high pressure electrical cable and a cylinder on board exploded," said Ms Tohamy, an Egyptian living in Kuwait who was on holiday in Luxor.

"People were jumping out of the balloon from about the height of a seven-storey building."

She said ambulances were at the scene within 15 minutes.

Continue reading the main story

Luxor

• Site of ancient city of Thebes
• Temples of Karnak and Luxor in city itself
• Royal tombs in Valley of the Kings and Queens lie across River Nile
• Dawn hot air balloon rides popular way to see sites
• Luxor has seen a drop in visitor numbers since the 2011 uprising

Another witness, US photographer Christopher Michel said his balloon was just about to land when he "heard an explosion and saw smoke".

Hot air balloon crashes have happened in Luxor before. Two British women were among 16 injured when their balloon came down after hitting a communications tower in April 2009.

Balloons were grounded for six months after that crash while safety measures were tightened up and pilots were re-trained by Egypt's Civil Aviation Authority.

But, says the BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Cairo, since the 2011 revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak, the rule of law is not being respected in many aspects of Egyptian life, so it has been difficult for the tourism ministry to impose its authority on sites like this.

Luxor, like many other parts of Egypt, has seen a sharp downturn in visitor numbers since the uprising.

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Italy deadlock after protest vote

26 February 2013 Last updated at 05:19 ET

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The BBC's Katya Adler says many people are lost for words over the result

Italy's parliamentary elections have ended in stalemate and the possibility of a hung parliament.

With all domestic votes counted, Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left bloc won the lower house vote but has failed to secure a majority in the Senate.

News of the results led to a sharp fall on Italian financial markets.

Mr Berlusconi conceded the lower house vote but control of both houses is needed to govern. A protest movement led by comedian Beppe Grillo won 25%.

Meanwhile a bloc led by current Prime Minister Mario Monti came a poor fourth, with about 10%.

The outcome of the election, which comes amid a deep recession and tough austerity measures, was so close that the margin of victory given in interior ministry figures was less than 1% in both houses of parliament.

"It is clear to everyone that a very delicate situation is emerging for the country," said centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani as the last of the votes were being counted.

Continue reading the main story

The horse-trading will now begin. Pier Luigi Bersani has enough votes to dominate the lower house. That is not the case in the Senate. Even if he were to join forces with the former Prime Minister Mario Monti he would not be able to command a majority there.

He may try to operate a minority government but that will clearly be unstable. There may be an attempt to form a wider coalition to govern the country at a time of economic crisis but it is unlikely to survive the summer.

One unanswered question is whether Beppe Grillo will be open to a deal. Would his movement support, say, a centre-left coalition in exchange for widespread reforms of the political system? We don't know. Buoyed up by success he has only promised to clear out the political class.

Sooner rather than later the country will hold another election.

Mr Berlusconi conceded to his opponents in the lower house. He said that everyone should now reflect on what to do next, but fresh elections should be avoided. He would not do a deal with Mr Monti's centrist bloc, he added, saying that the prime minister's poor showing was down to popular discontent with his austerity measures.

With returns from all polling stations processed, the interior ministry figures gave Mr Bersani's centre-left bloc 29.54% of the vote for the lower house (Chamber of Deputies), barely ahead of the 29.18% polled by Mr Berlusconi's bloc.

But the winning bloc is guaranteed 340 seats, giving it an automatic majority.

Votes cast outside Italy are still to be collected.

Mr Bersani also won the national vote for the Senate, but was unable to secure the 158 seats required for a majority.

As bonus seats are distributed in the upper house according to regional votes, Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right bloc was expected to emerge with a higher number of seats.

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Chamber of Deputies (lower house):

• Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left Democratic Party-led bloc: 29.54% of the vote (will have 340 seats as the winning bloc)
• Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right People of Freedom Party-led bloc: 29.18% (124 seats)
• Beppe Grillo's anti-austerity Five Star Movement: 25.55% (108 seats)
• Mario Monti's Civic Choice movement: 10.56% (45 seats)

The Senate (upper house):

• Neither of the two biggest parties and their allies thought to be close to the 158 seats needed to have a working majority
• Latest figures show the Democratic Party bloc winning about 113 seats (31.63% of the vote)
• The People of Freedom Party bloc to win 116 seats (30.72% of the vote)
• Five Star Movement to win 54 seats (23.79%)
• Civic Choice 18 seats (9.13%)

Source: Interior ministry

'Jump to nowhere'

The results produced a mixed reaction in the rest of Europe.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle urged Italy to continue its reforms, and called for a government to be formed "as quickly as possible".

But his Spanish counterpart there was "extreme concern" about the financial consequences.

"This is a jump to nowhere that does not bode well either for Italy or for Europe," Garcia-Margallo said, quoted by Reuters news agency.

Markets fell as the outcome of the election became clear.

Italy's FTSE MIB index fell 4.7%, while London's FTSE 100 shed 1.5% and share markets in Frankfurt and Paris also fell more than 2%.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.55% and Asian markets lost between 0.7% and 2.2%.

The yield on Italian government bonds rose sharply, implying markets are more wary of lending to Italy.

Mr Berlusconi, 76, left office in November 2011, facing claims of economic mismanagement as the eurozone struggled to contain Italy's debt crisis.

Italians have had more than a year of technocratic government under Mario Monti. But his attempts to reduce spending caused widespread public resentment and his decision to head a centrist list in the parliamentary elections attracted little more than 10% of the vote.

"Some supposed we'd get a slightly better result but I am very satisfied, we are very satisfied," he said.

In a surge in support, Beppe Grillo's anti-austerity Five Star Movement attracted 25.54% of the vote, making it the most popular single party in the lower chamber.

Correspondents say this was an extraordinary success for the Genoese comic, whose tours around the country throughout the election campaign - hurling insults against a discredited political class - resulted in his party performing well in both chambers.

"We've started a war of generations," Mr Grillo said in an audio statement on his website which taunted the leaders of the mainstream parties.

"They are all losers, they've been there for 25 to 30 years and they've led this country to catastrophe."

As the extent of his success became clear on Monday night, Mr Grillo's supporters in his home town of Genoa celebrated early into Tuesday morning.

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Sri Lanka Tamils 'raped in custody'

26 February 2013 Last updated at 05:53 ET

Sri Lankan security forces have committed crimes of sexual violence against ethnic Tamils in state custody, a new Human Rights Watch report says.

The study focuses on cases of rape of men, women and minors detained between 2006 and 2012 because of their alleged links to Tamil Tiger rebels.

Based on its report, HRW is urging Sri Lanka to open criminal investigations.

Sri Lanka's government has consistently rejected allegations levelled against it by human rights organisations.

The country's troops defeated Tamil rebels in 2009 after 26 years of civil war.

As many as 100,000 people are thought to have died as the government battled secessionist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighting for a separate homeland.

Both sides were accused of human rights abuses in the conflict's final stages, when thousands of civilians were trapped in a thin strip of land in the north of Sri Lanka as fighting raged around them.

The report comes during a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, where a resolution against Sri Lanka's human rights record and the army's conduct at the end of the war is expected to be tabled.

'Unlawful tool'

The new HRW report says sex crimes committed by government security forces "sharply increased" following the ceasefire breakdown in 2006.

Most of the abuses were politically motivated, according to the report.

"Rape was one of the unlawful tools used by the military and police against suspected LTTE members or supporters to gather intelligence during the fighting and immediately after the conflict ended in May 2009, as well as to obtain information about any remnants of the LTTE since then, whether in Sri Lanka or abroad," it says.

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• Investigate allegations of rape and other sexual violence by Sri Lankan security forces
• Prosecute those responsible for these crimes
• Abolish detention without charge or trial
• Lift access restrictions for NGOs
• Release individuals held without charge under emergency or anti-terrorism laws

The findings focus on 75 cases of alleged rape of 31 men, 41 women, and three boys aged under 18, all arrested for suspected links to Tamil rebels.

HRW conducted the interviews over a 12-month period with former detainees in Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

The research was carried out secretly because of government access restrictions, the organisation says. As a result, it was able speak only to ex-captives and not to current detainees, whose "fate is of urgent concern".

Based on the witness accounts, those behind the sex crimes are thought to have included members of the Sri Lankan army, police, and pro-government Tamil paramilitary groups.

"In all of the cases documented, the acts of rape and sexual violence were accompanied by other forms of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment by state security forces," the report says.

"The continued large-scale deployment of the armed forces in former LTTE areas of northern Sri Lanka, coupled with increased surveillance of civil society groups, has stymied community responses to rights abuses including sexual violence."

Based on its findings, the report has called on the Sri Lankan government to investigate and prosecute "those responsible, including persons with command or other superior responsibility, in proceedings that meet international fair trial standards".

Other recommendations include abolishing detention without charge or trial; granting humanitarian groups better access to the north of the country; and releasing individuals held without charge under emergency or anti-terrorism laws.

In 2011, a UN panel accused Sri Lankan forces and LTTE rebels of committing war crimes during the civil conflict.

It alleged that Sri Lankan troops had shelled civilians in a so-called no-fire zone and targeted hospitals in their push to finish off the Tamil Tigers. The government has denied such accusations.

The rebels were accused of holding civilians as human shields, using child soldiers and killing people who tried to leave areas under their control.

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Park sworn in as S Korea president

24 February 2013 Last updated at 23:38 ET

Park Geun-hye promised a tough stance on national security and an era of economic revival as she was sworn in as South Korea's president.

Ms Park, who defeated liberal rival Moon Jae-in in December's general election, took the oath of office in front of tens of thousands of people.

North Korea's recent nuclear test posed a "challenge to the survival" of the Korean people, she said.

Trust-building was needed to tackle the "extremely serious" security situation.

Ms Park, the first woman to lead South Korea, succeeds President Lee Myung-bak, of the same Saenuri Party, who stepped down as the law required after a five-year term.

The 61-year-old is the daughter of former military strongman Park Chung-hee, who ruled South Korea for almost two decades.

She takes office amid high tensions on the Korean peninsula in the wake of a North Korean nuclear test, on 12 February.

'Step-by-step engagement'

In her inauguration speech, Ms Park said she would "not tolerate any action that threatens the lives of our people and the security of our nation".

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• Daughter of former President Park Chung-hee
• Served as South Korea's first lady after her mother was murdered by a North Korean gunman in 1974
• First elected to the national assembly in 1998
• First bid for the presidency in 2007
• Has promised to redistribute wealth, reform big conglomerates and seek greater engagement with North Korea

"North Korea's recent nuclear test is a challenge to the survival and future of the Korean people, and there should be no mistake that the biggest victim will be none other than North Korea itself."

Calling on North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions, she said that in a challenging security environment South Korea could not "afford to remain where we are".

A trust-building process was needed, she said, promising to move forward "step-by-step on the basis of credible deterrence".

"Trust can be built through dialogue and by honouring promises that have already been made," she said. "It is my hope that North Korea will abide by international norms and make the right choice so that the trust-building process on the Korean Peninsula can move forward."

North Korea's nuclear test - its third - followed its apparently successful launch of a three-stage rocket to put a satellite into orbit in December. That launch was condemned by the US Security Council as a banned test of missile technology; diplomatic efforts to agree a response to the nuclear test are ongoing.

Ties between the two Koreas chilled considerably under Lee Myung-bak over his move to link aid to concessions on the nuclear issue. Ahead of the election Ms Park had spoken out on the need for more dialogue but the recent nuclear test may make it harder for her to appear conciliatory towards Pyongyang, observers say.

'Unfair practices'

On the economy, Ms Park promised more focus on a "creative economy" founded in "economic democratisation" that would expand beyond existing markets and sectors.

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Williamson: Park faces dual challenges

South Korea's economic growth has slowed, the population is rapidly ageing, and demands for a fairer division of wealth are now being voiced on both sides of the political divide, reports the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Seoul.

Policies would be brought in to help small and medium-sized enterprises flourish, Ms Park said.

"By rooting out various unfair practices and rectifying the misguided habits of the past... we will provide active support to ensure that everyone can live up to their fullest potential," she added, in an apparent nod to resentment towards the country's giant "chaebol" conglomerates.

She also promised a "clean, transparent and competent government".

"I will endeavour to shed popular distrust of government and strive to elevate the capital of trust," she said.

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Day-Lewis makes Oscars history

25 February 2013 Last updated at 02:02 ET

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Watch some of the key moments of the ceremony

Daniel Day-Lewis has made Oscars history by becoming the first person to win the best actor prize three times.

The British-born star, who had been the runaway favourite, was rewarded for his role in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln.

"I really don't know how any of this happened. I do know I've received much more than my fair share of good fortune in my life," he said.

Ben Affleck's Iran-set rescue thriller Argo beat Lincoln to the top prize for best picture.

In a live broadcast from the White House, First Lady Michelle Obama joined Jack Nicholson to help present the best picture prize at the end of the night.

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"Start Quote

I do know I've received much more than my fair share of good fortune in my life"

End Quote Daniel Day-Lewis

Argo, directed by and starring Affleck, is the first best picture winner not to have also been nominated for best director since 1989's Driving Miss Daisy.

Oscars host Seth MacFarlane joked at the start of the ceremony: "Argo's story is so top-secret that its director remains unknown to the Academy."

Accepting his award alongside fellow producers George Clooney and Grant Heslov, Affleck paid tribute to the "genius" Steven Spielberg, who lost out in the same category.

Referring to his previous Oscar success with 1997's Good Will Hunting, he said: "I never thought I would be back here and I am because of so many of you who are here tonight.

"It doesn't matter how you get knocked down in life, all that matters is that you get up."

Daniel Day-Lewis, who holds UK-Irish citizenship, previously won best actor for My Left Foot (in 1990) and There Will Be Blood (2008) and has a reputation for immersing himself in his roles.

This year's victory puts Day-Lewis ahead of Hollywood legends Jack Nicholson, Marlon Brando, Dustin Hoffman and Tom Hanks - who all have two best actor wins to their names.

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Anne Hathaway on winning her Oscar

Jennifer Lawrence won best actress for her role as a troubled young widow in Silver Linings Playbook.

The 22-year-old, who stumbled over her dress on her way to the stage, joked: "You guys are just standing up because you feel bad that I fell over and that's embarrassing."

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OSCARS - Main winners

Life Of Pi - Four awards, including best director for Ang Lee

Argo - Three awards, including best film

Les Miserables - Three awards, including best supporting actress for Anne Hathaway

Django Unchained, Lincoln, Skyfall - Two awards apiece

Surveying the audience in Hollywood's Dolby Theatre, she added: "This is nuts." It was the first Oscar win for Lawrence, who was previously nominated for best actress in 2011 for her performance in Winter's Bone.

Anne Hathaway won best supporting actress for her role as tragic factory worker Fantine in movie musical Les Miserables.

With her cropped hair and gaunt face, Hathaway's teary version of I Dreamed a Dream had made her an Oscar favourite. "It came true," the actress said when she collected her statuette.

Hathaway's Oscar was her first after previously nominated in 2008 for Rachel Getting Married.

She said: "Here's hoping that someday in the not too distant future, the misfortunes of Fantine will only be found in stories and not in real life."

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Adele: "Thank you so much, this is amazing."

British singer Adele won the Oscar for best original song for her Bond theme Skyfall, which she also performed during the show.

She struggled through tears to thank the Bond producers and her co-writer Paul Epworth, who collected the award alongside her.

Ang Lee won his second Oscar for directing Life of Pi, the adaption of Yann Martel's fantasy novel about a boy stranded in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. The film won four Oscars in total, more than any other film.

The Taiwanese-born director, who won previously for Brokeback Mountain in 2006, exclaimed: "Thank you, movie god!"

Life of Pi also picked up Oscars for cinematography, original score and visual effects.

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Watch the stars arrive at the 2013 Academy Awards

Christoph Waltz won his second Oscar for best supporting actor in a Quentin Tarantino film, this time for playing a German bounty hunter in the slave revenge story Django Unchained.

Picking up the award, Waltz offered thanks to his character Dr King Schultz and to "his creator and the creator of his awe-inspiring world, Quentin Tarantino".

The Austrian actor won his first Oscar as a Nazi colonel in Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds in 2010.

Tarantino won the original screenplay prize for Django Unchained, adding to the Oscar he won for writing Pulp Fiction in 1994. "I have to cast the right people to make those characters come alive and boy this time did I do it," he said.

The best adapted screenplay Oscar went to Chris Terrio for Argo, while Pixar's Scottish adventure Brave won best animated feature.

The award for costume design went to Briton Jacqueline Durran for Anna Karenina, who described the win as "completely overwhelming" and paid tribute to her children, who were "fast asleep in England".

The make-up and hairstyling award went to fellow Brits Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell for Les Miserables. Tom Hooper's musical also picked up the Oscar for sound mixing.

Unusually, there was a tie in the sound editing category - the Oscar was shared by Zero Dark Thirty and Skyfall.

Searching for Sugar Man, which tells the story of musician Rodriguez who disappeared from public view in the early 1970s but developed a cult following in South Africa, won the Oscar for best documentary.

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"Start Quote

I honestly cannot believe I'm here - It's an honour that everyone else said 'no'"

End Quote Seth MacFarlane on hosting the Oscars

Producer Simon Chinn said: "Rodriguez isn't here tonight because he didn't want to take any of the credit himself."

Austrian drama Amour won the Oscar for best foreign language film. The French-language film, directed by Michael Haneke, portrays the indignities of an elderly Parisian couple - Anne and Georges - as they cope with Anne's wish to die after a stroke.

The ceremony was hosted for the first time by Seth MacFarlane, who created the animated comedy Family Guy and directed the movie Ted.

"I honestly cannot believe I'm here," he quipped at the start of the show. "It's an honour that everyone else said 'no'."

The show also included a tribute to the James Bond franchise, followed by an appearance by Dame Shirley Bassey, who sang her theme song to the 1960s Bond classic Goldfinger.

A salute to movie musicals saw Chicago Oscar-winner Catherine Zeta-Jones and Dreamgirls winner Jennifer Hudson join Les Miserables cast members Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, Helena Bonham Carter and Amanda Seyfried on stage.

During the section of the show that pays tribute to those who died in 2012, Barbra Streisand sang the late Marvin Hamlisch's The Way We Were, from the 1973 romantic drama in which she starred with Robert Redford. It was Streisand's first Oscars performance for 36 years.

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Italians vote in close election

25 February 2013 Last updated at 05:51 ET

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The BBC's Katya Adler says many Italians have become "disillusioned" with politics

Polls have opened for a second and final day in Italy's general election - a vote seen as crucial for efforts to tackle the country's economic problems, as well as for the eurozone.

Turnout on Sunday was 55%, a drop of 7% compared with the 2008 elections, with bad weather partly being blamed.

Pre-election polls gave Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left bloc a narrow lead over Silvio Berlusconi's alliance.

But the rise of a new protest party has made the outcome unpredictable.

The anti-establishment movement, Five Star (M5S), led by former comedian Beppe Grillo, drew huge crowds during its rallies in the final stages of the election campaign.

The election was called two months ahead of schedule, after Mr Berlusconi's party withdrew its support for Mario Monti's technocratic government.

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Analysis

Alan Johnston BBC News, Italy

---

Turn-out figures are expected to be down, and it is felt that this will, at least in part, reflect the utter contempt many Italians have developed for the political establishment.

To what extent will that mood play into the hands of the Five Star Movement, a citizens' protest group? That question obsesses the analysts now.

And the Five Star activists believe that the increasingly worried establishment is capable of anything - at one point it was advising its voters to lick their pencil to help make their cross on the ballot paper just a bit harder to remove.

Meanwhile, the anti-Mafia campaigner, Roberto Saviano, has been writing of alleged vote-buying in what he calls a "corrupt and desperate" nation.

But the mood was lightened just a little by pictures taken as Silvio Berlusconi cast his vote. A young woman working at the polling station had her hands over her eyes, obviously appalled at being in the great man's presence.

"You need to learn to smile," he said. But no smile came.

'Getting favours'

Italians will vote until 15:00 (14:00 GMT), and the first results are expected within hours.

But there is huge uncertainty as to what the results may bring, although everyone believes the outcome will be close, the BBC's Alan Johnston reports from Rome.

Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left Democratic Party (PD) was a consistent frontrunner in the pre-election opinion polls at nearly 35%, and is widely believed to remain in the lead.

But Mr Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PdL) centre-right alliance, which narrowed the PD lead in the final weeks of campaigning, may have done enough to prevent his opponents winning an overall majority, our correspondent says.

Mr Grillo's Five Star Movement was running third in the polls, with Mr Monti's party expected to gain fourth place.

The elections are taking place amid a deep recession and austerity measures, brought in by Mr Monti's government, that have caused widespread public resentment.

They are also being closely watched in the eurozone, with the Italian government's future commitment to austerity measures particularly under scrutiny.

If he wins the election, Mr Bersani, a former Communist, has pledged to continue with Mr Monti's reforms, but suggests current European policy needs to do more to promote growth and jobs.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

Beppe Grillo has built a protest movement which demands nothing less than a political revolution in Italy"

End Quote

Emerging from one polling station in Milan, voter Attilio Bianchetti told Reuters: "I'm not confident that the government that emerges from the election will be able to solve any of our problems."

Luciana Li Mandri, a civil servant in Palermo, shared his pessimism: "We're all about getting favours when we study, getting a protected job when we work. That's the way we are and we can only be represented by people like that as well."

'The best'

As Mr Berlusconi voted in Milan on Sunday, he was confronted by topless women with Basta Berlusconi (Enough Berlusconi) scrawled on them.

The three-time PM is embroiled in two trials, accused of tax fraud and sex with an underage prostitute.

He has also been under fire for giving a TV interview on Saturday, which opponents said was a breach of the campaigning ban.

Mr Berlusconi's office said the interview had been granted only with the explicit agreement that it would be broadcast after polls close on Monday.

Some 47 million eligible voters are electing both chambers of parliament - the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Control of both is needed in order to govern.

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Election facts

• Voting takes place on Sunday and Monday
• Voting for both upper and lower houses
• Pits centre-left coalition led by Pier Luigi Bersani against coalition led by former PM Silvio Berlusconi
• Surge in popularity of anti-establishment movement of comedian Beppe Grillo
• Key battlegrounds include Lombardy, Campania, Sicily and Veneto

Recent polls have suggested that Mr Bersani's alliance could easily win the lower house of parliament, but may fail to gain a majority in the Senate.

The Senate is elected on a region-by-region basis and much may depend on the results from the heavily-populated regions around Milan and Naples, our correspondent notes.

Many predict Mr Bersani will seek to form a coalition with Mr Monti if he fails to win an outright majority.

However, observers say that the race has been thrown wide open by the popularity of Mr Grillo's 'Five Star' movement, whose activists show a searing contempt for Italy's traditional parties and the whole political establishment.

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Horsemeat found in Ikea meatballs

25 February 2013 Last updated at 06:09 ET

Swedish-style meatballs intended for sale at Ikea outlets in the Czech Republic have been found to contain horsemeat, inspectors have revealed.

The discovery comes as European Union agriculture ministers meet in Brussels for talks widely expected to focus on the growing horsemeat scandal.

Inspectors said horsemeat was found in meatballs labelled as beef and pork, set for sale at the furniture giant.

The scandal began last month with frozen meals and burgers.

It spread from the UK and Ireland, with traces of horsemeat and horse DNA being found in food across the EU.

Supermarkets across Europe have had to withdraw affected prepared meals from their shelves.

Some 760kg (1,675lb) of the Swedish-style meatballs were intercepted and stopped from reaching Czech shelves, officials told the Associated Press.

Horsemeat was also found in beef burgers imported from Poland, the Czech State Veterinary Administration said.

'Concrete action'

The labelling of the origin of meat and the traceability of the products will be high on the agenda at the EU ministers meeting.

The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Brussels says the original agenda of the ministerial meeting included support for rural communities and the common fisheries policy.

However, the ministers will now try to come up with measures to tackle the horsemeat scandal.

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• In mid-January, Irish food inspectors announced they had found horsemeat in some burgers stocked by UK supermarket chains
• Subsequently, up to 100% horsemeat found in several ranges of prepared frozen food in Britain, France and Sweden
• Concerns that a drug used to treat horses, and which may be harmful to humans, could be in food chain
• Meat traced from France through Cyprus and the Netherlands to Romanian abattoirs
• Investigation suggests adulteration was not accidental but the work of a criminal conspiracy

Our correspondent says that there seems to be consensus that this is a pan-European problem that requires a concerted approach.

France and Germany both want compulsory labelling and traceability.

UK Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said on Friday that he would "continue to insist on concrete, co-ordinated action right across Europe when I meet European agriculture ministers on Monday".

But a workable deal could be difficult, our correspondents says. The discovery of horsemeat comes in long, complex and poorly regulated supply chains in the meat industry.

At least a dozen countries are involved in the horsemeat affair, which implicates some of the biggest meat processors and food producers.

Italy joined the list on Saturday, reporting horsemeat in some lasagne products.

On Friday, Germany's consumer affairs ministry announced it had found traces of horse DNA in 67 of 830 food products tested.

Irish authorities on Friday suspended production at one processing plant after horsemeat was found labelled as beef.

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Mali operation reaches 'final phase'

23 February 2013 Last updated at 19:02 ET

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President Hollande has said the fighting in Mali is entering its final phase, as Denise Hammick reports

French President Francois Hollande has said his country's forces are engaged in the "final phase" of the fight against militants in northern Mali.

He said there had been heavy fighting in the Ifoghas mountains, where members of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) were thought to be hiding.

Mr Hollande also praised Chadian troops for their efforts in the same area.

Thirteen Chadian soldiers and some 65 militants were killed in clashes on Friday, according to the Chadian army.

Chad's government has promised to deploy 2,000 troops as part of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (Afisma).

US drones

Speaking in Paris on Saturday, President Hollande said "heavy fighting" was taking place in the far north of Mali, near the Algerian border.

Continue reading the main story

Our Chadian friends launched an attack yesterday which was very harsh with significant loss of life"

End Quote Francois Hollande President of France

"This is the final phase of the process since it is in that massif [the Ifoghas mountains] that AQIM forces have probably regrouped," he said.

"Our Chadian friends launched an attack yesterday which was very harsh with significant loss of life," Mr Hollande added. "I want to praise what the Chadians are doing."

The latest fighting was between Islamists militants and ethnic Tuareg in the In-Khalil area, near the border town of Tessalit.

The MNLA - a secular Tuareg group which seeks an independent homeland in the Sahara and Sahel regions of Mali, Libya, Algeria, Niger and Burkina Faso - was at one time allied to the Islamists but now supports the French-led offensive.

France has deployed 4,000 troops since 11 January to help the Malian government eject Islamist militants who seized control of the north of the country last year.

The French-led forces faced little resistance during the initial offensive, when they recaptured major towns of Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu.

Meanwhile, more help for the French and African forces is being offered by the United States, which is sending Predator drones to Niger.

The unarmed drones would be used to overfly the zone of combat in Mali and provide information about deployments, US officials said.

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Italy votes in key general election

24 February 2013 Last updated at 04:07 ET

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Estimates have given a lead to Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left alliance

Italians have begun voting in general elections seen as crucial for the country's effort to tackle its economic problems, as well as for the eurozone.

Estimates published before a ban on polls two weeks ago gave a lead to Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left alliance.

It was thought to be a few points ahead of the centre-right bloc led by ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

On Saturday, Mr Berlusconi gave a TV interview - in what his opponents said was a breach of the campaigning ban.

However, Mr Berlusconi's office later said the interview had been granted only with the explicit agreement that it would be broadcast after polls close on Monday.

A centrist coalition led by outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti is also running in the election, held on Sunday and Monday.

And opinion polls suggested there would be a strong turnout for popular comedian Beppe Grillo's anti-establishment movement.

The election was called two months ahead of schedule, after Mr Berlusconi's party withdrew its support for Mr Monti's technocratic government.

Hung parliament fears

The voting is taking place amid a deep recession and austerity measures that have caused widespread public resentment.

It is also being closely watched in the eurozone, with the Italian government's future commitment to austerity measures particularly under scrutiny.

Continue reading the main story

• Voting takes place on Sunday and Monday
• Voting for both upper and lower houses
• Pits centre-left coalition led by Pier Luigi Bersani against coalition led by former PM Silvio Berlusconi
• Surge in popularity of anti-establishment movement of comedian Beppe Grillo
• Key battlegrounds include Lombardy, Campania, Sicily and Veneto

On the first voting day on Sunday, polls across Italy opened 08:00 (07:00 GMT) and will close at 22:00.

The voting will resume again on Monday at 08:00 and finish at 15:00. First results are expected in the early evening.

Some 47 million eligible voters are electing both chambers of parliament - the The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.

The electoral system is based on proportional representation and party lists, with a series of thresholds to encourage parties to form coalitions.

Mr Bersani's centre-left Democratic Party (PD) has been a consistent frontrunner in the opinion polls at nearly 35%.

Mr Bersani, a former Communist, has pledged to continue with Mr Monti's reforms, but suggests current European policy needs to do more to promote growth and jobs.

However, recent weeks have seen a narrowing of his lead over Mr Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PdL) alliance, who is critical of austerity measures.

Mr Grillo's Five Star Movement (M5S) was running third in the polls.

London-based analysts Capital Economics said an unclear outcome to the election was its biggest concern.

"A hung parliament might plunge Italy and the eurozone back into crisis rather sooner," it said.

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US Cardinal urged to avoid conclave

24 February 2013 Last updated at 05:55 ET

Roman Catholics in the US have delivered a petition asking Cardinal Roger Mahony to stay away from the conclave in Rome to choose a new pope.

The former Archbishop of Los Angeles was stripped of his duties last month over allegations he protected priests accused of child sex abuse.

Continuing scandals over sex abuse in the Church have cast a shadow over the process of choosing a new pope.

Benedict XVI - who is abdicating - is giving his final Sunday blessing.

Pope Benedict, 85, is due to step down on Thursday. Tens of thousands of people have gathered at St Peter's Square to hear the Angelus blessing.

'Slap in face'

Activist group Catholics United gathered nearly 10,000 signatures asking Cardinal Mahoney to recuse himself from the conclave that will chose the next leader of the world's Catholics.

Handing in the petition in Los Angeles, the group's communications director, Chris Pumelly, said he was delivering a "message of pain" from thousands of Catholics.

"Cardinals, bishops and leaders of the church, listen to the cries of your flock, respect the victims of abuse and cover up, don't run from it," he said.

"Your scandal brings pain to the faithful."

On Saturday Cardinal Mahony answered questions for more than three hours from lawyers investigating sexual abuse by priests while he was Archbishop of Los Angeles from 1985-2011.

Church files unsealed under a court order last month show that in the 1980s he sent priests known to be abusers out of California to protect them from criminal prosecution.

The Cardinal was expected to board a plane for Rome shortly being questioned under oath.

On Friday he tweeted that were just hours to go before his departure.

But Joelle Casteix of the activist group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said he should not be involved in the conclave.

"It's a total slap in the face to victims to think he can cover up 25 years of child sex abuse and then go prancing off to Rome like a prince of the church," she said.

Roger Mahony is one of 177 cardinals under the age of 80 called to the Vatican to vote for the next pope following Benedict XVI's surprise announcement last week that he was abdicating because of ill-health.

Sex abuse by priests around the world was one of the defining issues of Benedict's eight-year reign.

The whiff of scandal involving Cardinal Mahony and a separate case involving Scottish Cardinal Keith O'Brien is overshadowing the transition period to the next papacy, the BBC's David Willey in Rome says.

On Saturday the Vatican criticised the media for reporting "misinformation" about alleged intrigue and corruption in the church.

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DR Congo peace accord is signed

24 February 2013 Last updated at 05:57 ET

Regional African leaders have signed a UN-brokered accord which aims to bring peace to the troubled eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The deal was signed in the presence of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

He said he hoped it would bring "an era of peace and stability" to the region.

As many as 800,000 people have been displaced since the March 23 rebel group took up arms against the Kinshasa government last May.

"It is only the beginning of a comprehensive approach that will require sustained engagement," Mr Ban said.

The agreement, signed by leaders and representatives of 11 countries of the Great Lakes region, may lead to the establishment of a special UN intervention brigade in eastern Congo, along with political efforts to bring peace.

An initial attempt to get the peace agreement signed last month was called off at the last minute.

Mineral riches

Leaders from Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Republic and South Sudan were present at the signing in Addis Ababa.

The M23 rebels say they want to improve living conditions for the people of eastern DR Congo, but the UN says they are supported by Rwanda, which has been heavily involved in its eastern neighbour since those responsible for the country's genocide fled there en masse in 1994.

Bosco Ntaganda, who set up M23, was an officer in the Rwandan army before he left to join a rebel movement in DR Congo. The ICC accuses him of using child soldiers and the UN says he controls several mines in the east of the country.

The group briefly seized control of the city of Goma last November after carving out an area for themselves in North Kivu province.

Congo's government and rebels have been holding talks in Uganda aimed at reaching an agreement on a range of issues. In January, the rebels declared a unilateral ceasefire.

An earlier attempt to reach a deal collapsed in December after the group accused President Joseph Kabila of failing to honour a deal to integrate rebels into the army.

The region's mineral riches have been plundered by numerous groups and countries over the past 15 years and little has been spent on DR Congo's infrastructure.

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'Civilians killed' by Aleppo rockets

22 February 2013 Last updated at 18:12 ET

Three missiles have crashed into residential areas of Syria's northern city of Aleppo, killing at least 12 civilians, activists say.

Video footage posted online claims to show the aftermath, with people carrying away the wounded and a wide area reduced to rubble.

Activists say families are buried under the rubble in one neighbourhood.

Meanwhile, opposition politicians say they have agreed to form a government for rebel-held areas.

Umbrella group the Syrian National Coalition, meeting in Cairo, said it would meet again in Istanbul on 2 March to name a prime minister.

The UN estimates that about 70,000 people have died since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's regime began in March 2011.

'Horrible sight'

The reasons for the latest attack are unclear, and it is also not clear who launched the missiles.

Earlier this week, activists accused the government forces of targeting other areas of Aleppo with Russian-made Scud-type missiles.

Video footage allegedly of the latest incident shows chaotic scenes, but the darkness of the images makes it difficult to identify the type or size of the rockets.

An activist called Baraa al-Youssef told Reuters news agency that 30 homes had been destroyed by one of the rockets.

"Nothing can describe it, it's a horrible sight," he said.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 12 bodies had been recovered and more than 50 people had been wounded.

Risky proposition

In the early months of the uprising Aleppo, Syria's commercial capital, was largely spared the violence.

But the course of the conflict dramatically shifted in summer 2012, and the northern city become an intense battleground.

Many thousands have fled the violence, and in recent months the rebels and government forces appear to have reached stalemate, neither side being able to gain the upper hand.

Much of Syria is in a similar situation, and even areas controlled by the rebels are subject to intense bombardment from the air.

The political opponents of Mr Assad mostly live in exile.

They have floated the idea of a transitional government ever since their opposition coalition was formed in Qatar last November.

The BBC's Jim Muir in Cairo says it is a risky and complicated proposition, and that is why it is taking so long.

If the transitional government fails to attract sufficient financial and diplomatic support, and if it cannot operate inside rebel-held areas of Syria, the coalition may lose its already shaky credibility, our correpondent adds.

But if the coalition does not try, it risks leaving those areas to slide further into the hands of the radical Islamist factions that are making the running on the ground, he says.

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'Many die' in Mali mountain clashes

23 February 2013 Last updated at 02:51 ET

Thirteen Chadian soldiers and 65 Islamist insurgents have been killed in heavy fighting in a remote part of northern Mali, Chad's military says.

It says Friday's clashes occurred in the Ifoghas mountains, where many militants are believed to be hiding.

Last month France led an operation to help oust Islamists who seized the vast northern region of Mali in 2012.

The US military says it has deployed surveillance drones in Niger to gather information on the Islamist militants.

The intelligence collected by a 100-strong contingent of US personnel from across the border is being shared with French troops in Mali, who are assisting thousands of troops from African states.

US drones

Islamist rebels are believed to have retreated to the Ifoghas mountains - a desert area in the Kidal region near the border with Algeria - after being forced from northern population centres in recent weeks.

In a statement issued late on Friday, the Chadian army said it had "destroyed five vehicles and killed 65 jihadists", adding that 13 of its soldiers had been killed and another five wounded.

Earlier this month, some 1,800 Chadian soldiers began patrolling the city of Kidal.

Chad has pledged to send 2,000 troops to Mali as part of the African-led mission.

Fighting between Islamist insurgents and Malian troops - backed by French soldiers - also continued in the central city of Gao.

On Thursday, the coalition said it had recaptured the city hall, which had been seized by militants a day earlier.

France intervened in January in its former colony, fearing that al-Qaeda-linked militants who had controlled Mali's north since April 2012 were about to advance on the capital Bamako.

The French have said they are planning to start withdrawing their 4,000 soldiers next month, and would like the African-led contingent to become a UN peacekeeping operation.

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Spanish royal questioned by judge

23 February 2013 Last updated at 04:50 ET

The King of Spain's son-in-law is being questioned by a judge in Mallorca over a growing corruption scandal that has embarrassed the royal family.

Inaki Urdangarin, the Duke of Palma, is suspected of misusing millions of euros in public funds that were given to a charitable foundation he ran.

The duke has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crime. It is the second time he has been questioned.

A crowd of protesters jeered as he arrived at the court in Palma.

Inaki Urdangarin, 45, and his former business partner Diego Torres are suspected of siphoning off money given by regional governments to the non-profit Noos Institute to organise sporting events.

It is alleged that some of the money ended up in companies controlled by the duke and in offshore bank accounts.

The events allegedly happened between 2004 and 2006, when the duke stepped down as head of the institute.

Mr Torres - who was questioned by the judge last week - has also denied any wrongdoing.

Emails

The duke, a former Olympic handball player, is married to King Juan Carlos's second child, Princess Cristina. He was suspended from official royal engagements in December last year.

Anti-corruption campaigners have urged the judge to formally name Princess Cristina as a suspect, alleging that she may also have been involved.

The Spanish monarchy has tried to distance itself from the scandal.

But emails published by Spanish newspapers last week appear to show that King Juan Carlos took a close interest in his son-in-law's business affairs.

Support for the royal family has diminished in recent years, amid criticism that is out of touch with ordinary Spaniards as they struggle with a severe economic crisis.

Last week Pere Navarro of the Catalan Socialist Party became the first prominent politician to call on King Juan Carlos to abdicate in favour of his son, Crown Prince Felipe.

Juan Carlos is credited with guiding Spain's transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.

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Vatican attacks resignation 'gossip'

23 February 2013 Last updated at 05:39 ET

The Vatican's chief spokesperson has criticised the media for reporting "misinformation" about the Church.

Father Federico Lombardi said some were trying to profit from a time of disorientation in the Catholic Church to spread "gossip" and "slander".

Father Lombardi made the comments in an editorial on the Vatican radio website.

Pope Benedict XVI's resignation, the first by a pope in nearly 600 years, takes effect on Thursday. His decision surprised many within the Church.

There have been recent articles in the Italian and international media suggesting intrigue and corruption in the Church.

'Unacceptable pressure'

An unconfirmed report in one of Italy's biggest newspapers, La Repubblica, suggested that the Pope had resigned shortly after being presented with a dossier detailing a network of Vatican priests, "united by sexual orientation" who were being blackmailed.

Continue reading the main story

Whoever has money, sex and power at the forefront of their mind sees the world through these parameters"

End Quote Father Federico Lombardi Vatican spokesperson

Without giving credence to such allegations or addressing the report specifically, the Vatican spokesman said those putting themselves in positions of judgement had no authority to do so.

"Whoever has money, sex and power at the forefront of their mind sees the world through these parameters and cannot see beyond, even when looking at the Church," he said.

"Their view cannot look to the heights or go in-depth to understand the spiritual dimensions and motivations of existence," he added.

Last year, the Pope appointed three retired cardinals to conduct an investigation into a scandal that became known as Vatileaks. The Pope's former butler Paolo Gabriele was convicted and later pardoned for stealing documents from his office.

Referring to the upcoming conclave, during which the next leader of the Catholic Church will be chosen, Father Lombardi also suggested that the media was exerting "unacceptable pressure to condition the vote of one or other member of the college of cardinals".

The BBC's Vatican correspondent, David Willey, says that this is probably directed towards attempts by the American media to dissuade US cardinals alleged to have covered up clerical sexual abuse scandals from travelling to take part in the vote.

Later on Saturday, the Pope is due to hold a farewell meeting with the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

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Chavez 'breathing problems persist'

21 February 2013 Last updated at 21:14 ET

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is still suffering breathing problems following his return from Cuba where he was treated for cancer, officials say.

Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said Mr Chavez was continuing to receive treatment at a military hospital in Caracas.

It was the first official communique on the president's health since he returned to Venezuela on Monday.

Mr Chavez went to Havana for surgery on 11 December.

It was his fourth operation in an 18-month period for cancer, which was first diagnosed in mid-2011.

He is said to have suffered a severe respiratory infection following the latest surgery.

"The breathing insufficiency that emerged post-operation persists, and the tendency has not been favourable, so it is still being treated," Mr Villegas said in a televised statement.

President Chavez, in office for 14 years, was re-elected for another six-year term in October 2012, but his swearing-in was delayed because of his illness.

Doubts remain about whether his health will allow him to return to active politics.

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India minister visits blast sites

22 February 2013 Last updated at 04:40 ET

India's Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has visited the sites of two blasts in the city of Hyderabad in which 16 people were killed.

Mr Shinde said Thursday's bombs had been planted on bicycles 150m (500ft) apart near a crowded fruit market.

No group has yet said it carried out the attack.

Major Indian cities have been put on alert as police investigate the blasts, which Mr Shinde said also left 117 people injured.

On Friday, he visited the sites of the blast in the Dilsukhnagar area, a busy commercial and education hub, as well as visiting some of the injured in hospital.

Asked who he thought could be behind the blasts, Mr Shinde said: "At this moment we cannot say anything. The matter is under investigation."

Mumbai alert

On Thursday Mr Shinde told reporters in Delhi that authorities had received intelligence about possible attacks in the country but no specific information as to where or when they might occur.

The explosions hit the busy Dilsukhnagar neighbourhood, which is crowded with cinemas, shops, restaurants and one of India's largest fruit and vegetable markets.

Senior police officer V Dinesh Reddy told the Associated Press news agency that improvised explosive devices had been used.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the explosions a "dastardly attack" and said the "guilty will not go unpunished".

Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra state have been put on high alert following the blasts, with measures such as increased police presence on the streets and random vehicle searches.

Meanwhile, Australia's cricket team says it has held talks with Indian authorities about its players' safety in the wake of the bombings. The second Test of the India-Australia series is due to start in Hyderabad on 2 March.

The blast is the first major attack in India since a September 2011 bombing outside Delhi's High Court killed 13 people.

There have been at least nine attacks on the city since 1992, including twin explosions in 2007 that killed more than 40 people.

The city has a sizeable Muslim minority, is a stronghold of the Muslim political party, MIM, and has a long history of religious tension, says the BBC's Soutik Biswas in Delhi.

He says religious tensions grew from the 1980s and 1990s with Hindus and Muslims moving out of mixed areas into community ghettos.

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