British Banker Dies In Hurricane Sandy

The British boss of an investment bank has been killed in a hurricane which has been sweeping across the Caribbean.

Timothy Fraser-Smith, 66, chief executive of Deltec Bank & Trust, fell from the roof of his home in wealthy Lyford Cay a private gated community on the western tip of New Providence Island in the Bahamas as he tried to repair a window shutter.

His death, on Thursday night, was one of 43 across the Caribbean caused by the hurricane that was briefly downgraded to a tropical storm on Saturday before being upgraded to a hurricane again.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in the Bahamas on October 25."

Mr Fraser-Smith joined Deltec in June 2000 as chief executive, according to the company's website, having worked in many countries. Deltec said he studied law at the University of Edinburgh before gaining an MBA from Cranfield Business School, Bedfordshire.

On Saturday, Sandy spun away from the Bahamas, churning northward towards the US East Coast, where it threatens to join with winter weather fronts to create a superstorm.

In Haiti, the number of people who have died reached 26 on Friday.

With the storm projected to hit the US Atlantic Coast early on Tuesday, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned it could merge with two other systems to become a hybrid, monster storm dubbed "Frankenstorm".

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Obama V Romney: 'Microtargeting' In Ohio

By Dominic Waghorn, US Correspondent

Campaigning in the US presidential election has reached fever pitch but what we are seeing is only half the story.

Behind the campaign stops, speeches and rallies, a fierce digital battle is underway, as never before.

What will decide this election is the so called ground war on the doorsteps of swing voters and this time both sides are armed with the latest technology.

The buzzword in 2012 is "microtargeting" - applying the tactics and tricks of state of the art consumer marketing to politics.

In Cincinnati in the crucial battleground state of Ohio, campaigners are still pounding the streets with clipboards knocking on doors.

But behind those conventional methods an ever more sophisticated machine is at work.

President Obama speaks at a campaign event in Cincinnati in the summer

Obama canvassers are armed with a new app for instance. Anyone can download it and acquire a surprising amount of information at the touch of a button.

Press the 'CANVASS' button and you are taken to a map showing the street you are standing on with blue flags highlighting houses where votes may be up for grabs.

Click on the flag and the first name of the homeowner is revealed, then his or her age and political inclination. The next page offers a doorstep script to help persuade voters to vote for Obama.

Importantly, there is also a box to enter information acquired during the conversation. That is fed back to the campaign's central database, adding to a huge amount of data already gathered in the last election.

More information helps campaigners target voters more effectively and in turn gather more data from them. It is a virtuous circle of data collection.

Campaigns are also buying voter information from data brokers just like businesses do.

Romney campaigning in the swing state of Ohio

John Aristotle Phillips, a data miner whose job is finding facts about people and selling them, said: "What would be important to the campaign is for instance if someone is a licenced gun owner or they're a hunter or a fisher or someone who has an interest in particular environmental causes or they're interested in certain charitable donations.

"And so there are these different ways of determining what the voter's orientation might be and most importantly what their interests might be."

The techniques were pioneered by the Democrats in the last election but Republicans seem to be catching up. They are reportedly using the similar methods although appear less willing to talk about them.

In a Republican 'victory centre', 19-year-old volunteer Patrick Reagan is busy working the phones.

He is happy to admit that from what he is seeing politics is becoming a business.

"They use a lot of what Mitt Romney used in his business days, a lot of crunching the numbers finding the solution, they target the right people. You'd be shocked by the amount of data that's being collected."

Campaigners doorstep voters in the traditional way in Cincinnati

In theory better technology means more precise targeting. But try telling that to overwhelmed voters like Ken Hughes.

He is irritated by the constant knocks at the door and feels bombarded indiscriminately by the television and radio ads, and all the political junk mail that comes through the letter box.

"Sometimes it is humorous but we find it more insulting than anything else. We just can't wait for the election to be over.

"I just want to hear the real facts and I feel like I'm reading a fairy tale," he said.

He was not impressed by the Obama campaign app either.

"I guess you feel less of a human being and more a target than a person. The second part of it is it's an infringement on your privacy," Mr Hughes added.

Like it or not, the digital campaign revolution seems here to stay because its methods seem to work.

In the land of the free, politics is being boiled down to a digital process in which voters are surveyed, sampled and sifted. In turn, strategies are becoming ever more sophisticated and efficient at securing people's vote.

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US Child Killings: Police Search Nanny's Home

Police are searching the US home of a nanny suspected of murdering two children in her care.

Yoselyn Ortega remains in a critical condition in hospital after apparently slitting her own throat, moments after stabbing Leo Krim and his sister, six-year-old Lucia.

Police are investigating whether Ortega had sought psychiatric support in the weeks leading up to the tragedy.

Leo and Lucia were found by their distraught mother, Marina, dying of knife wounds in the bathtub of their luxurious Upper West Side apartment near Central Park.

Mrs Krim had returned to the flat with her three-year-old daughter Nessie, whom she had taken for a swimming lesson.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the investigation has yet to reveal anything amiss in the household before the slayings.

Detectives were searching Ortega's home in Washington Heights, a working-class neighbourhood north of where she worked and near Harlem.

It emerged that Ortega had worked for the Krims as a nanny for two years and there did not appear to be any problems.

A Web journal kept by the children's mother spoke lovingly about travelling to the Dominican Republic last February to stay at the home of Ortega's sister.

"We met Josie's amazing familia!!! And the Dominican Republic is a wonderful country!!" she wrote.

Pictures posted on the blog showed the two families posing together for a happy photo, with Ortega hugging Nessie, their cheeks pressed together.

Mrs Krim's husband, Kevin Krim, a CNBC digital media executive, wrote that Ortega's family had nicknamed Nessie "Rapida y Furiosa," (or Fast and Furious), for her energy.

There are tens of thousands of nannies working in New York City, but reports of serious violence by caregivers against children are exceedingly rare.

Across the street from the building where the Krims lived, several nannies with children in pushchairs stood as if stricken, watching police officers milling around the entrance.

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Arnie Gets Back To His 'Barbarian' Roots

Former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is reprising one of his most famous movie roles - Conan The Barbarian.

Universal Pictures said Schwarzenegger, 65, will play the sword-swinging hero in The Legend Of Conan, 30 years after the film that launched the Austrian body-builder as a Hollywood star.

"I always loved the Conan character, and I'm honoured to be asked to step into the role once again," Schwarzenegger said in a statement.

Arnie, pictured in 1977, shows off the body that was to make him a star

The original films, Conan The Barbarian in 1982 and Conan The Destroyer two years later, together grossed more than $70m (£43.5m) at the US box office.

A 2011 remake, with Game Of Thrones star Jason Momoa, failed to repeat the success of its predecessors, earning only $21m (£13m) at the North American box office, according to film tracking site BoxOfficeMojo.com.

The new Conan film is the latest Hollywood venture by Schwarzenegger since the action movie hero ended his term as governor of California in January 2011.

He starred alongside Hollywood's veteran action heroes in this summer's The Expendables 2, and is lined up to star in five other films, including thriller Ten and Triplets, a sequel to his hit 1988 comedy Twins alongside co-star Danny DeVito.

Republican Schwarzenegger also has launched a global policy think-tank in his name at the University of Southern California.

Earlier in October he released a memoir called Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life.

The book revealed details of the child Schwarzenegger fathered with his family's housekeeper 15 years ago, while married to Maria Shriver.

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Syria: Tank And Sniper Fire Threatens Truce

Three people are reported to have been killed by tank and sniper fire in Syria's capital, hours after a ceasefire was agreed.

The Damascus suburb of Harasta was apparently targeted in a violation of the temporary truce agreed to mark the four-day Muslim holiday of Eid Al Adha.

Rebels in a northern town close to the Turkish border also reported one of their fighters was shot dead by a sniper, and a Reuters journalist in the town heard what sounded like four rounds of tank fire.

The ceasefire was brokered by UN and Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. The regime and the main rebel force, the Free Syrian Army, had both agreed to temporarily lay down their arms.

In a statement read on state television after the deal, the Syrian army said it would still respond to gunfire or roadside bombs and keep rebels from bolstering their positions or getting supplies.

President Assad pictured at a prayer service on Friday

A Free Syrian Army commander also said rebels would retaliate if they were attacked.

On Friday morning, Syrian state television showed President Bashar al Assad attending morning prayers for the start of Eid at a mosque in Damascus.

He was pictured smiling and looking relaxed as he spoke to other worshippers, in his first television appearance for more than a month.

During prayers, Imam Walid Abdel Haq called on Syrians to "stop quarrelling because you are all brothers".

"Do you not see what has been happening for two years in the country, the destruction and death? Stop this," he said.

Protests were reported to have taken place in Raqa in the north east, where security forces fired tear gas, and in the southern Deraa province, where three people were injured as police fired live rounds to disperse demonstrators.

Activists said protests also took place in Damascus and Aleppo.

In the Idlib village of Al-Habit protesters chanted against Mr Assad, saying: "Traitor, give up, you have destroyed Syria."

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Afghanistan Suicide Bomber Kills Worshippers

A suicide bomber has attacked a mosque in Afghanistan as people gathered to celebrate the Eid al Adha holiday.

Between 36 and 41 people, including at least five children, died in the attack in the town of Maymana, capital of northern Faryab province.

Top provincial officials, including the governor and the police chief, were inside the building when the bomber set off his explosives outside the packed Eid Gah mosque.

The officials were not hurt, but the dead included police officers, soldiers, intelligence agents and civilians. Dozens were wounded.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but suicide bombings are a favourite weapon of Taliban Islamists trying to topple the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai.

One eyewitness, Sayed Moqeed, described the bomber as appearing to be in his early teens.

"Suddenly I heard a very big explosion," he said. "Everywhere were pieces of bodies, hands and limbs. The suicide attacker was in police uniform, he looked to be around 14 or 15 years old."

Deputy Governor Abdul Satar Barez said: "The targets of the bomber were all the officials inside the mosque."

It appeared to be the deadliest suicide attack in recent months.

On September 4, 25 civilians were killed and more than 35 wounded in Nanghar province, and on September 1, 12 people were killed and 47 wounded in a suicide attack in Wardak province.

Mr Karzai strongly condemned the attack, saying that those who carried it out were "enemies of Islam and humanity."

The attack came as Mr Karzai was urging Taliban insurgents "to stop killing other Afghans".

In his Eid al Adha message to the nation, Mr Karzai called on the insurgents to "stop the destruction of our mosques, hospitals and schools".

The United Nations says that Taliban attacks account for the vast majority of civilian casualties in the 11-year war. The insurgents routinely deny that they are responsible for attacks on civilians, saying they target only foreign troops or members of the Afghan security forces.

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British Oil Executive Shot Dead In Brussels

A British oil executive - named by Sky sources as Nicholas Mockford - has been shot dead in Brussels.

The killing took place on October 14 but Belgian investigators have only just revealed information about his death.

Mr Mockford, who worked for ExxonMobil,  was gunned down as he left a restaurant with his wife.

The Foreign Office said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Brussels on October 14 and we are providing consular assistance."

Police said the businessman was shot three times as he left an Italian restaurant in Neder-Over-Heembeek, a suburb of the Belgian capital.

It happened at around 10pm as he walked with his wife Mary from the Da Marcello restaurant on Rue de Beyseghem to their car, which was parked nearby.

The attack took place in the Neder-Over-Heembeek area of Brussels

Mrs Mockford was violently attacked and struck several times on her face as one of the attackers tried to grab her handbag.

A second attacker opened fire on the 60-year-old oil executive, who later died of his injuries.

He was shot three times, once as he lay on the floor, and his wife Mary was left beaten and covered in blood, cradling her husband and shouting for help. He died on the way to hospital.

Witnesses say they saw the couple walk across the street to their Lexus 4x4 car before shots were fired.

It is understood that the two men were carrying motorcycle helmets and they initially fled on foot before taking a ring road on a "two-wheeled vehicle".

Shortly after the events, a white van passed Rue de Beyseghem and came across the victims.

Investigators have been questioning the driver of this vehicle.

A neighbour, who doesn't want to be identified, rushed out to the scene and said: "I heard a strange sound like tak! tak! I thought that was strange so I went out to have a look.

"And there was someone lying on the footpath on the other side of the street and someone saying "Au secours! Au secours!" (Help! Help!). There was someone lying unconscious next to a car."

The neighbour first thought her husband had been in a hit-and-run: "I stayed with them. At one point he stopped breathing and I gave him first aid and he came back round.

"Then he was again unconscious and I again gave him first aid and brought him round, then the ambulance arrived."

The neighbour then understood that the man had been shot.

"I saw when the ambulance arrived and cut open his shirt and that he had a bullet in his chest and blood on his head. But of course I didn't want to move him."

The Daily Telegraph said police in Belgium were considering all possible motives for the shooting, including a carjacking, although Mr Mockford's car was not stolen.

The Belgian prosecutor's office said last night that there was a "judicial instruction" from Martine Quintin, the investigating judge, that meant they could give no "explanation" and no detail about the killing, which a spokesman said was "usual in such a serious murder investigation", the newspaper reported.

However, Chief Inspector Wim Van Leifferenge said the killing had been reported by media in the country since it happened.

Mr Van Leifferenge said no-one had been arrested and those responsible were still on the run.

Mr Mockford is understood to have worked for ExxonMobil since the 1970s and was head of marketing for interim technologies for ExxonMobil Chemicals, Europe, promoting new types of greener fuel.

Brought up in Leicestershire, he had moved abroad from Chichester some years ago, living in Belgium and Singapore.

He was married to his Belgian wife for 15 years and has three grown-up children living in Britain from his first marriage, according to the Telegraph.

A family member, who asked not to be named, told the newspaper they thought he had been killed in a professional hit.

The relation said: "We are all confused about what has happened. Nick was a genuinely lovely, clean-cut, mild-mannered, family man."

He added: "He was shot so calmly and so quickly, it smacks horribly of a professional hit, but we can't fathom why. He isn't the type to cave in to blackmail and it just doesn't compute."

A spokesman for ExxonMobil said: "Mr Mockford, a British national, was a department manager at our office close to Brussels, but we have no indication that the incident was work related.

"Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues and we are supporting them as best we can at this very difficult time."

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Fukushima Nuclear Plant 'Is Still Leaking'

High radiation levels found in fish caught off Japan's east coast could mean the Fukushima nuclear plant is still leaking, according to research.

Marine chemist Ken Buesseler reviewed official data on atomic caesium levels in fish, shellfish and seaweed collected near the crippled plant.

He concluded lingering contamination may be due to low-level leaks from the facility or contaminated sediment on the ocean floor.

The research was published on Thursday in the American journal Science.

Mr Buesseler found, while the vast majority of the catch off Japan's northeast coast is well within safety limits, some fish caught near Fukushima are considered unfit for consumption under Japanese regulations.

"To predict how the patterns of contamination will change over time will take more than just studies of fish," he said.

"What we really need is a better understanding of the sources and sinks of caesium and other radionuclides that continue to drive what we're seeing in the ocean off Fukushima."

Contamination levels vary across fish species and are not declining.

Bottom-dwelling fish such as cod and skate consistently show the highest caesium counts from the damaged plant.

A huge tsunami, sparked by a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea earthquake, swamped the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in March 2011.

Reactors went into meltdown, spewing radiation over a large swathe of Japan's agriculture-heavy north east, in the world's worst atomic disaster for a generation.

Around 19,000 people were killed or remain missing.

Scientists estimate that the vast bulk of the plant's radiation found its way into the ocean, either by direct releases of contaminated cooling water in the early weeks of the disaster, or through the water cycle.

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Malala Shooting: Police Name Prime Suspect

Police have named the prime suspect in connection with the shooting of Malala Yousafzai, the teenage activist who spoke out against the Taliban.

Detectives are attempting to track down 23-year-old Atta Ullah Khan, a chemistry student from the Swat district where Malala was attacked.

Khan's mother, brother, and fiancee have been arrested, as well as six other men.

The suspect's relatives are not accused of involvement, a senior police official is reported to have said.

Malala is being treated at a hospital in Birmingham

Alam Zeb, the principal at Jahanzeb College where Khan is studying for a physics degree, said Khan had given school officials three or four dates of birth.

He condemned the attack and said he was surprised to hear that a former student may have been involved.

The 15-year-old girl became a symbol of courage after being shot in the head by the Taliban earlier this month for demanding education for girls.

She is now being treated in Britain, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham.

The teenager is a high-profile campaigner against the Taliban

The hospital has said she continues to make steady progress and is in a stable condition after she was admitted a week ago following initial treatment in Pakistan.

She had been able to stand with help for the first time in hospital and was "communicating very freely", according to Dr Dave Rosser, medical director of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.

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Hurricane Sandy Hits Cuba After Jamaica

Hurricane Sandy tore down power lines and trees as it pounded Jamaica, before heading for Cuba and the Bahamas.

The storm had developed from a Category One to Category Two hurricane when it made landfall just west of Santiago de Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 114mph.

The US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami said Sandy was moving north-northeast at 15mph and was expected to keep its hurricane strength as it moved through the Bahamas.

"It is a big storm and it's going to grow in size after it leaves Cuba," said Michael Brennan, a hurricane forecaster at the NHC.  

Storm clouds gathered over Cuba as Sandy approached

In Jamaica, schools and businesses were closed and authorities moved residents in low-lying, flood-prone areas into shelters amid steady rain and fierce winds.

Residents reported widespread power outages, flooded streets and some severely damaged homes.

One man was crushed to death by stones that fell from a hillside as he tried to get into his house in a rural village near Kingston, according to a police official.

Earlier on Wednesday, a woman in Haiti was swept away by a rushing river she was trying to cross.

Widespread flooding was reported across Jamaica

Cruise ships changed their itineraries to avoid the storm, which made landfall five miles east of the capital and airports were closed.

Curfews were imposed on 80 communities in an attempt to prevent the looting which has followed previous storms.

Many people refused to evacuate their homes because they were fearful their possessions would be stolen.

Officers said suspected looters shot and wounded a police official as he led a group through a volatile section of West Kingston called Craig Town.

In some southern towns on Jamaica, a few crocodiles were caught in rushing floodwaters that carried them out of the mangrove thickets, into housing districts, local residents reported.

One large crocodile reportedly took up temporary residence in a family's front yard in the city of Portmore.

Sandy dumped heavy rain on Jamaica and Cuba

Sandy was expected to dump a total of 6in to 12in of rain as it made its way across parts of Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and eastern Cuba.

It could possibly bring tropical storm conditions along the southeastern Florida coast, the Upper Keys and Florida Bay by Friday morning.

Forecasters are also warning Sandy could merge with a strong autumn cold front and develop into a potentially historic storm along the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coast from Sunday through until Wednesday.

A satellite image of Sandy heading toward Cuba

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Windows 8 Marks Fightback From Microsoft

Microsoft is unveiling a dramatic overhaul of its Windows operating system - with the latest version being designed to run on all computers from desktops to tablets.

Windows 8 represents the biggest change to the industry's dominant operating system in 17 years.

The new operating system also marks the first time that Microsoft has made touch-screen control the top priority, although the system can still be switched into the familiar desktop mode that allows for control by keyboard and mouse.

CEO Steve Ballmer sees Windows 8 as the catalyst for a new era at Microsoft.

The touchscreen-friendly OS has been adapted for the desktop PC

He wants the operating system to ensure the company plays an integral role on all the important screens in people's lives - PCs, smartphones, tablets and televisions.

"We are trying to re-imagine the world from the ground up with Windows 8," Mr Ballmer told The Seattle Times ahead of today's official launch.

Early reaction has been mixed. Some reviewers like the way the system greets users with a mosaic of tiles displaying applications instead of relying on the desktop icons that served as the welcome mat for years.

But its critics say it is a confusing jumble that will frustrate users accustomed to the older versions, particularly when they switch to desktop mode and do not see the familiar "Start" button and menu.

Windows 8 will hit the market backed by an estimated $1bn (£620m) marketing campaign. The advertising frenzy is just one measure of how important Windows 8 is to Microsoft's future.

Analysts say Mr Ballmer's margin for error is slim after being consistently outpaced by Apple and Google in his nearly 13 years as CEO.

During his tenure, Microsoft's stock has lost nearly half its value, wiping out more than $200bn (£124bn) in shareholder wealth.

The biggest question hovering over Windows 8 is whether it is innovative and elegant enough to lure consumers who are increasingly fond of smartphones, tablets and other sleek gadgets.

Those mobile devices have been setting industry standards while Microsoft engineers have spent two years designing a new operating system.

Meet the enemy: Apple's iPad mini leaves a sour taste in Microsoft's mouth

"It doesn't seem like Microsoft is really pushing consumers into the future with Windows 8," said Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman Epps.

"What Microsoft has done is like buying a pair of shoes for a kid. The shoes may fit exactly right today, but those shoes probably won't fit six months from now."

The signs of decay have been proliferating since Apple released the iPad in 2010, hatching a tablet computer market that has combined with an already vibrant smartphone market to siphon away technology spending that used to go toward the latest desktop or laptop PCs.

Worldwide PC sales are expected to decline this year for the first time since 2001, according to research firm ISH iSuppli.

It is a drop of just 1%, but underscores a troubling trend that has been hurting Microsoft.

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Rolling Stones Fans Clamour For Surprise Gig

The Rolling Stones have surprised fans by announcing plans for a warm-up gig in Paris tonight.

Just 350 tickets went on sale for the event, after the band informed people of their plans with a message on Twitter.

Fans paid just £12 - in contrast to the £375 many had to shell out when tickets went on sale last week for a pair of gigs at London's O2 Arena to mark the band's 50th anniversary.

Fans get their hands on one of the 350 tickets on sale

Within hours of being snapped up, tickets were exchanging hands online for thousands of pounds, with some going for up to £12,000.

Fans were told this morning: "The Rolling Stones are playing a short warm-up gig tonight, Thursday 25th Oct, in Paris."

The message went on to say tickets will be available at the Virgin Megastore on Champs-Elysees at midday.

Ticket-holders will be given a wristband when they arrive at the mystery venue this evening.

The concerts are the band's first since their Bigger Bang tour ground to a halt in 2007.

Gig-goers were warned: "Mobile phones, cameras, video equipment and recording devices are strictly prohibited."

The Stones have been rehearsing in Paris in recent weeks.

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Man Killed By Shark As Friend Watches Helpless

A California surfer has been killed by a shark off a beach at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The attack was reported by another surfer on Tuesday morning off the coast of Surf Beach in Lompoc, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

Francisco Javier Solorio Jr "had a friend who he was surfing with who saw the shark bite or hit the man," said Sheriff's Sgt Mark A Williams.

"His friend ended up swimming over and pulling him from the water where he received first aid."

Another surfer called for help but the male victim was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.

He was reportedly bitten on the upper torso

The Air Force said only that the 39-year-old was not affiliated with the base, which allows public access to some of its beaches.

The type of shark involved and other details are under investigation.

There were no shark warning signs posted at Surf Beach on Tuesday, said Lt. Erik Raney, adding that beaches do not typically post such notices unless the location had a recent shark sighting.

It was the latest shark attack fatality at Surf Beach, about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

In October 2010, Lucas Ransom, a 19-year-old student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, died when a shark nearly severed his leg as he body-boarded.

Hundreds of miles south near the coast of San Diego, a 15ft great white shark is believed to have killed triathlete David Martin in 2008.

Fatal shark attacks are rare. There is an average of 65 incidents around the world every year, which typically result in two or three deaths, according to the Pew Environment Group.

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Israel Bombarded After Militants Die In Gaza

By Sam Kiley, Middle East Correspondent

Israel has been hit with more than 60 missiles in 24 hours in a surge in violence from the Gaza Strip.

Three militants from the armed wing of Hamas, which rules in Gaza, were killed in an Israeli counter-attack.

Hamas has been trying to suppress attacks against Israel by al Qaeda-related Jihadist groups in recent weeks.

Israel moved military personnel and equipment from a joint exercise with US forces and some of its homeland defence soldiers from a drill based on the fiction of an earthquake, in case of further attacks.

Three migrant Thai workers were seriously injured in the mortar and rocket strikes from Gaza and a family home was hit.

A mosque was reported to have been struck by the Israeli Air Force. Eight people were wounded, as well as the three who were killed.

A statement from the Islamist movement Hamas said those killed were members of its military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.

Israeli police survey the damage caused by a rocket fired by militants

An Israeli army spokesman said the air force had attacked two groups of Palestinians who were about to fire rockets into southern Israel.

The raids came after the attack on an Israeli patrol that wounded a soldier was claimed by a leftist group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Military officials were initially unsure what had caused the explosion, but eventually established it was "an explosive device".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again warned he would strike back at Gaza militants, which he said were supported by Tehran.

"Today we engaged in exchanges against terrorist aggression that comes from our southern border in Gaza, but it actually comes from Iran and a whole terror network that is supporting these attacks," he said.

"The way to fight terror is to fight terror, and that we shall do with great force."

Defence Minister Ehud Barak noted the explosive device was rigged to a gate on the fence, and said Israel takes the attack "very seriously".

The latest incidents came as the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, made a landmark visit to Gaza where he inaugurated a multi-million dollar project to rebuild the impoverished Palestinian territory.

An Israeli mother carrying her child after an attack

But Israel's military remains reluctant to get involved in a ground incursion into the region.

Its last major operation there, Cast Lead, was widely condemned internationally for causing civilian deaths and for the use of white phosphorous explosives in urban areas.

Former head of Israel's National Security Council Ilan Mizrahi said: "It is a very delicate situation. We do not have a free hand like we did in the past.

"Now we have to consider our relationship with Egypt more carefully. I would expect Cairo will try to pacify the situation and we should be careful not to provoke the Egyptians.

"However, it will be impossible to allow this to continue for a long time."

The attacks follow a visit to Gaza by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, who pledged $400m (£250m) for a 3,000-home development in what appeared to be a major boost for the reputation of Hamas, which is struggling to balance its militant elements and instincts with its responsibilities as the administration.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Hamad said: "We are seeing a dangerous escalation of Israeli actions. They are targeting us following the recent visit of the Emir of Qatar which took place successfully.

"They are targeting us to disrupt the atmosphere of the Eid holiday and to score political points ahead of the upcoming [Israeli] elections."

Following the violence, Israel closed schools in the areas close to the Gaza Strip - the first time that has happened since Operation Cast Lead.

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Woman 'Set Herself On Fire In Staged KKK Attack'

A woman who told police she had been subjected to a racist attack in which three men set her alight and scrawled KKK on her car was lying, according to US investigators.

"The wounds were self-inflicted," said Kyle Hanrahan, a spokesman for the FBI's Louisiana bureau.

Sharmeka Moffitt, 20, was seriously burned in the fire and remains in a critical condition.

She called police from a park in the town of Winnsboro on Sunday night and told them three men in white hoodies had doused her with a flammable liquid and ignited it.

The letters KKK, for the white supremacist organisation Ku Klux Klan, and a racial slur were scrawled on her car in what appeared to be toothpaste.

According to local media, investigators decided the burns were self-inflicted after finding Ms Moffitt's fingerprints on a cigarette lighter and lighter fluid.

Louisiana's KATC News reported her family had issued a statement saying: "Our family is devastated to learn the circumstances surrounding our daughter's injuries.

"While this was not the resolution we had expected, it is a resolution, and we appreciate the thorough investigation by the local and state police as well as federal agencies.

"We are sincerely sorry for any problems this may have caused and wish to express our appreciation for the outpouring of love, prayers and support we have received from friends, acquaintances, church organisations and government officials."

The FBI was called in to assist local authorities because the apparent attack was initially considered a possible hate crime.

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Republican: Rape Baby Is 'Gift From God'

A Republican politician has described pregnancies after women have been raped as a "gift from God".

Richard Mourdock, a US Senate candidate from Indiana, made the remarks at the end of a debate when he was asked if abortion should be allowed in cases of rape or incest.

He replied: "I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realise life is that gift from God.

"I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that's something God intended to happen."

Mr Mourdock is locked in a tight race with Democrat Joe Donnelly, who said after the debate that he does not believe "my God, or any God, would intend that to happen".

Indiana Democratic Party chair Dan Parker added: "As a pro-life Catholic, I'm stunned and ashamed that Richard Mourdock believes God intended rape."

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney sought to distance himself from the controversial remarks.

His spokesman Andrea Sail said: "Governor Romney disagrees with Richard Mourdock's comments and they do not reflect his views."

Mitt Romney campaigning in Colorado

With the presidential candidates neck and neck, women voters in key swing states could decide the November 6 election, and a fresh row over abortion would distract from Mr Romney's focus on the sluggish US economy.

The Democratic National Committee quickly moved to connect Mr Romney to Mr Mourdock and sent out a link to a television ad where he endorsed the Senate candidate, although the video does not mention abortion or other social issues.

Mr Obama has long accused Mr Romney and other Republicans of having extreme views on abortion and women's rights.

Mr Romney, who has vowed to be a "pro-life president", has previously said he opposes abortion except in cases of rape or incest, or to save the mother's life.

His current presidential platform supports overturning the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalised abortion, letting states decide on the legality of the practice.

Todd Akin's comments on rape were condemned by both parties

Mr Mourdock's comments come two months after Republican Todd Akin, a Missouri GOP US Senate candidate, said women's bodies have ways of preventing pregnancy in cases of what he called "legitimate rape."

Those remarks dominated the US news cycle for days, provoking an avalanche of condemnation from both parties and calls by Mr Romney and other Republicans for Mr Akin to quit the race.

He refused to step aside, potentially damaging Republican hopes of wrestling back control of the 100-member Senate from Democrats in congressional elections, which will also be held on November 6.

The race for the White House is now entering a crucial stage with the two candidates frantically campaigning as the vote looms in just under two weeks.

Mr Obama is embarking on a 48-hour sprint through Iowa, Colorado, Nevada and Florida. He will also head to Virginia and Ohio, where Mr Romney will be campaigning.

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Obama Aggressive In Final Presidential Debate

Romney Avoids Foreign Policy Blow

Updated: 10:35am UK, Tuesday 23 October 2012

By Dominic Waghorn, US Correspondent

This was always going to be a tough one for Mitt Romney.

The Republican challenger has not distinguished himself on foreign policy. 

And on many foreign issues there is not enough swinging room between him and the President to let him land a punch.

The President probably won on points, but his challenger held his own and made no gaffes. Given his previous form on foreign policy, that's an improvement.

This debate was about foreign policy when the election is not. The economy remains the overriding issue.

It was predictable then that both men would try to bring the debate back to domestic issues.

President Obama was the first, 25 minutes in, stressing that nation building starts at home.

Mr Romney joined in, forcefully making the argument that America will only be respected overseas if it's strong at home. 

Then followed a slew of argument that had nothing to do with foreign policy from healthcare reform to classroom sizes. 

There were cheers in the adjoining "spin room" from journalists when moderator Bob Schieffer tried to return the discussion to foreign affairs even if it was largely in vain.

With the odds stacked against him, Mr Romney was largely avoiding losing.

His most dangerous moment was one of his own creation, a tactical error he could have avoided.

He probably should not have mentioned foreign trips, given how badly his last one went, offending the British, Palestinians and the press travelling with him.

But he brought up the President's visits overseas all the same, accusing him of indulging in an "apology" tour allowing his opponent to come right back at him.

"If you want to talk about trips governor," came back the president. Mr Obama then compared his visit to Israel, which included a tour of the Yad Vashem holocaust museum, to Mitt Romney's which he said was more about attending fundraisers.

Many Americans will not have been watching. This was a big sports night.

In the Tailgaters Sports Bar in Daytona Beach up the coast, most people weren't focused on the debate. The Chicago Bears were playing the Detroit Lions, by coincidence the home town teams of each candidate.

The game was on a much bigger screen than the debate in the bar.

But a few were paying attention to the candidates.

Carl Dephillipe told Sky News the debate had made all the difference to his vote.

"I am a Democrat so I was leaning towards Obama but I hadn't heard anything about his foreign policy till tonight so finally being to sit down tonight to listen to his foreign policy I'll definitely be giving him my vote," he said.

Further down the bar David Daley was also critical of Mr Romney.

"I think he's basically selling the American people a dream. That he's promising a lot of things that he's not going to be able to do," he said. 

For the record, the President's team beat Mr Romney's by 13 to 7.

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Monster Energy Drink 'Linked To Five Deaths'

The heavily-caffeinated Monster Energy Drink is being investigated by US officials for its reported link to five deaths and one non-fatal heart attack.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is looking into claims that people had adverse reactions after they consumed the 24 oz (680ml) can, which contains 240 milligrams of caffeine.

It has three times more caffeine than an 8.4 oz (240ml) can of its nearest rival, Red Bull, and seven times the amount in a regular 12 oz (340ml) cola.

Although the FDA is investigating the allegations, which date back to 2004, the agency said the reports do not necessarily prove that the drinks caused the deaths or injuries.

"As with any reports of a death or injury the agency receives, we take them very seriously and investigate diligently," spokesperson Shelly Burgess said in a statement.

News of the FDA's investigation follows the launch of a wrongful death lawsuit in California, by the parents of a 14-year-old Maryland girl who died after drinking two Monster Energy Drinks in just 24 hours.

Anais Fournier died in December 2011 after consuming two cans in 24 hours

A post mortem examination found that Anais Fournier died of cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity that impeded her heart's ability to pump blood.

She also suffered from an inherited disorder that can weaken blood vessels. Her parents claim Monster failed to warn about the risks of drinking its products.

"I was shocked to learn the FDA can regulate caffeine in a can of soda, but not these huge energy drinks," her mother Wendy Crossland told The Record Herald.

"With their bright colors and names like Monster, Rockstar, and Full Throttle, these drinks are targeting teenagers with no oversight or accountability."

However labels on the cans do state that the drinks are not recommended for children and people who are sensitive to caffeine.

Monster said last week that it was "unaware of any fatality anywhere that has been caused by its drinks".

The company is the market leader in the US for energy drinks with a 35% share, while Red Bull has 30% and Rockstar has 19%.

But the company's shares plunged $7.59, or 14.2%, to close at $45.73 in trading on Monday after news of the FDA investigation.

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Malala: Al Qaeda Slates Support For Shot Girl

Al Qaeda has reportedly hit out at the widespread support for a schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban - and asked why she has been hailed a heroine.

Malala Yousafzai, 15, is being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham after being attacked by a gunman in Pakistan, and has since received thousands of goodwill messages.

The hospital said she continues to make steady progress and is in a stable condition after she was admitted a week ago following initial treatment in Pakistan.

The teenager was shot with two classmates as they made their way home from school in Swat, in the north west of the country.

She was attacked by the Taliban for promoting the education of girls and criticising the militant group.

A protest in Pakistan against the attack on Malala Yousafzai

The hospital said a bullet that struck her just above her left eye had grazed the edge of her brain. Foreign Secretary William Hague described the atrocity as "barbaric".

In a letter translated by the Site Intelligence Group, al Qaeda's Pakistani spokesman Ustad Ahmad Farooq asked why Malala's blood was "more important" than those of women killed in military operations.

He also asked why the media and the public were silent about women who die due to poverty.

In the letter, called Why Mourn Malala So Much? and addressed to "(my) beloved Pakistani brothers and sisters", Farooq said: "Nobody spoke up for thousands of such Malalas who became victims of military operations, and nobody protested for them on the roads.

"But these circles made so much noise when we targeted this girl who made fun of jihad, the veil and other Islamic values on behest of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

"This attack created shockwaves in the ruling circles around the world. They issued a number of statements condemning the attack on Malala. I may ask why? Why is Malala's blood more important than those killed by the army?"

Thousands of people have rallied across Pakistan in support of Malala, and people have called for the government to act. Pakistani authorities claim to have made a number of arrests.

Malala has been able to stand with help for the first time in hospital and is "communicating very freely", according to an official.

The girl still cannot talk because she has a tracheotomy tube inserted to protect her airway, which was swollen after the shooting, but she is writing notes, according to Dr Dave Rosser, medical director of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.

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MoD To Control Afghan Drones From UK Base

The Ministry of Defence is to double the size of its armed drone fleet in Afghanistan - and will run its 'spies in the skies' from the UK for the first time.

A batch of five new MQ-9 Reaper drones, which are used to gather surveillance and monitor enemy movements, will be operated from RAF Waddington.

The unmanned aircraft will be based in Afghanistan and will not be flown from the Lincolnshire base.

A spokesman for the MoD said: "The RAF announced in May 2011 that RAF Waddington is to host a new Reaper squadron, known as 13 Squadron.

"The squadron will be officially 'stood up' at a ceremony this Friday. However, operations will not begin immediately.

"Once operational, the squadron will double the UK Reaper intelligence and surveillance capability to 10 aircraft."

The Afghan drones are controlled remotely. Picture: Ministry of Defence

The Reaper drones are the only remote-controlled aircraft from which an aerial attack can be launched.

On the "rare occasions" when weapons are fired, "strict rules are followed", the MoD spokesman said.

"The vast majority of unmanned aircraft flying is surveillance and reconnaissance in support of our front-line troops, providing them with vital intelligence and helping to save lives in Afghanistan," he said.

"Since 2006, they have provided over 100,000 hours of persistent intelligence."

The Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, was first used in Afghanistan in 2007 as a means of keeping tabs on Taliban insurgents.

Some of the drones will continue to be flown from an US Air Force base in Creech, Nevada.

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'Al Qaeda Terror Plot' Foiled By Jordan

Jordanian authorities have said they foiled an al Qaeda plot targeting shopping malls and Western diplomats.

Sameeh Maaytah, a spokesman for the Jordanian government, said 11 suspected militants were in police custody.

State news agency Petra reported that the men had been planning a wave of attacks on diplomatic missions, hotels and other key sites.

Mr Maaytah said the men - who are all Jordanian citizens - had brought arms into Jordan from neighbouring Syria to use in the alleged plot.

"The kind of weapons, explosives they were ready to use include mortars and machine guns," he said.

"I say again they hold Jordanian nationality, they went to Syria and came back using the Samr route which crosses the Syrian-Jordanian border."

Authorities said there were several possible targets in the capital Amman

He added al Qaeda operatives based in Iraq have been assisting the suspects with the manufacture of explosives.

The suspects were arrested over the past few days by Jordanian intelligence agents, he said.

A judicial source told news agency AFP the case had been referred to the prosecutor of the state security court - a military tribunal.

"They will face two charges: conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts and possession of explosives," said the source who declined to be named. The charges carry the death penalty.

The group scouted possible targets in Amman, experimented with explosives after getting hold of raw materials to make bombs, and had begun selecting possible suicide bomb candidates, Petra reported.

Among their alleged plans were attacks on two malls as well as a major attack in the upmarket Abdoun neighbourhood in western Amman.

A security source told Reuters the cell had manufactured explosives "aimed at inflicting the heaviest losses possible".

"The group was able to devise new types of explosives to be used for the first time and planned to add TNT to increase their destructive impact," the source said.

Jordan is a key US ally and is one of the safest countries in the Middle East. However, it has seen al Qaeda-linked violence before.

In 2005, triple suicide bomb attacks at luxury hotels in Amman killed 60 people.

Jordanian authorities have reportedly arrested a number of jihadists in recent months who have crossed into Syria to join the anti-regime armed insurgency there.

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Lebanon: Gun Clashes After Official's Funeral

Two people have been killed and more than a dozen injured after clashes between Sunni and Shi'ite gunmen in Lebanon, security officials said.

Troops managed to separate the gunmen and restore calm to two neighbourhoods in the capital Beirut where fighting had erupted.

Heavy overnight clashes were also reported in the northern city of Tripoli.

A man was killed in a shooting in the Wadi Zayneh area north of Sidon and another person died in the Tripoli clashes, officials said. At least six people were wounded in Beirut and 10 in Tripoli.

Lebanon has seen significant unrest since Friday after an anti-Syrian top intelligence official was killed in a car bombing.

The assassination has threatened to shatter the country's fragile political balance.

Many politicians have blamed Syria for the killing and angry protesters attempted to storm the government palace after Brigadier General Wissam al Hassan's funeral on Sunday.

There have been calls for Prime Minister Najib Mikati - whose government is dominated by pro-Syrian parties - to resign.

Mr Mikati offered to resign over the weekend, but will remain in position after President Michel Sleiman's request to avoid a "political vacuum" in the country.

The opposition bloc has blamed Syrian President Bashar al Assad for the bomb attack.

It also holds Mr Assad responsible for the 2005 assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri, who was also killed in a Beirut car bombing.

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Rosneft To Buy 50% Stake In TNK-BP From BP

BP has said it will sell its 50% stake in its joint venture TNK-BP to Rosneft as part of a £16.7bn deal.

Russia's state owned oil company will pay the British energy firm $17.1bn (£10.6bn) in cash and $9.7bn (£6bn) in shares for the stake.

The deal, which is subject to state and regulatory approvals, will take BP's stake in the Rosneft to 19.75%, and see it gain two seats on its board.

As well as buying BP's TNK-BP share, Rosneft also announced it would buy the remaining stake owned by AAR, a group of Russian oil oligarchs, in a separate deal.

As a result, the company - which is already Russia's biggest oil producer - will control almost half of the country's oil output, making it the world's largest listed energy company.

The deal comes after weeks of talks - as revealed by Sky News' City Editor - and is tipped to become one of the most significant alliances ever struck in the energy industry.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin described the agreement as a "good deal at a good price".

While BP's chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg said it was "an important day for BP".

"Russia has also been an important country for us over the past 20 years. Our involvement has moved with the times," he said.

"TNK-BP has been a good investment and we are now laying a new foundation for our work in Russia."

Despite a fraught relationship with AAR, BP is believed to have earned $19bn (£11.8bn) in dividends from the venture.

Rosneft and BP now have an exclusivity period of 90 days to negotiate fully-termed sale and purchase agreements.

BP shares rose 1.1% to 455p following the announcement, while Rosneft shares were up 3%.

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Lance Armstrong: UCI Upholds Usada Life Ban

Lance Armstrong has been banned for life and stripped of his seven Tour de France titles over his role in "the most sophisticated doping programme sport has ever seen".

The international cycling union (UCI) said it would not appeal the decision taken by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada), which had compiled a damning 1,000-page dossier detailing the allegations.

"Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling," UCI president Pat McQuaid told a press conference.

"I was sickened by what I read in the Usada report. I'm sorry that we couldn't catch every damn one of them and throw them out of the sport at the time.

"Cycling has a future. This is not the first time cycling has reached a crossroads or that it has had to begin anew."

UCI president Pat McQuaid arrives at the press conference

The move prompted Oakley to follow Armstrong's other major sponsors in cutting their ties with the 41-year-old.

It issued a statement, saying: "When Lance joined our family many years ago, he was a symbol of possibility.

"We are deeply saddened by the outcome, but look forward with hope to athletes and teams of the future who will rekindle that inspiration by racing clean, fair and honest."

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme had said the race would go along with whatever cycling's governing body decided and will have no official winners for the years of Armstrong's consecutive wins, from 1999-2005.

Armstrong had previously chosen not to contest the Usada charges, prompting the agency to propose his punishment pending confirmation from cycling's world governing body.

Former team mates of Armstrong, at his US Postal and Discovery Channel teams, were given reduced bans by the American authorities after testifying against him.

Armstrong's sporting reputation as the cancer survivor who fought back to win cycling's most gruelling and celebrated race has been shattered since the revelations, leading to sponsors leaving him in droves.

Nike became the most high-profile sponsor to abandon the Texan, saying he had misled the firm for more than a decade and citing "seemingly insurmountable" evidence against him.

Lance Armstrong addresses participants at the Livestrong Challenge Ride

The allegations also saw Armstrong step down as chairman of the charity he formed, Livestrong, which raised hundreds of millions of dollars for people affected by cancer.

On the eve of the UCI decision, Armstrong spoke for about 90 seconds to a 4,300 cyclists at the Livestrong Challenge charity benefit, a 100-mile (160-kilometre) race in his hometown of Austin, Texas.

"I've been better, but I've also been worse," he said.

"Obviously it has been an interesting and difficult couple of weeks."

Mr McQuaid succeeded Hein Verbruggen as president of world cycling after Armstrong's seventh and final Tour victory in 2005 and is credited with boosting the body's anti-doping programme - notably with the pioneering blood passport programme.

The Irishman was under pressure to answer how Armstrong and his teams managed to dope for so long without being detected. But he rejected calls to quit.

Former UCI officials have denied claims they helped cover up Armstrong's positive drug tests.

The Usada report said Armstrong was at the heart of "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen".

It stated: "He was not just a part of the doping culture on his team. He enforced and re-enforced it."

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White House Denies Iran Nuclear Talks Report

The White House has denied reports it has agreed to stage one-on-one talks with Iran to find a diplomatic solution to concerns over its nuclear programme.

The New York Times reported on Saturday that the US and Iran had agreed in principle to negotiations, which would take place after the November 6 presidential election.

But National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor denied there was any agreement.

He said: "It's not true that the US and Iran have agreed to one-on-one talks or any meeting after the American elections.

President Obama and Mitt Romney will likely discuss Iran in Monday's debate

"We continue to work with the P5+1 on a diplomatic solution and have said from the outset that we would be prepared to meet bilaterally."

He added that efforts to get Iran back to the negotiating table with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany - the so-called "P5+1" - will continue.

President Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney meet on Monday night in the third and final presidential debate focusing on foreign policy - with Iran's nuclear ambitions a likely topic.

Mr Obama has said he will prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and that he hopes sanctions can get Tehran to halt its uranium enrichment.

Mr Romney has accused the president of being weak on Iran and says the US needs to present a greater military threat.

Iran has continued with its nuclear programme despite tough sanctions and measures imposed by the US and European nations.

Those measures have taken their toll, particularly on the Iranian economy, and authorities have been forced to quell protests in recent weeks over the plummeting value of the Iranian rial.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is for energy and research purposes, but Western nations fear it is determined to develop nuclear weapons.

Israel has also threatened to strike its nuclear facilities if it does not halt uranium enrichment.

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Body Found At Family Shooting Suspect's House

Police have found a body at the burnt-out home of a man suspected of breaking into a nearby house and shooting five members of a family, killing two of them.

Investigators believe Desmond John Moses, 55, set his own bungalow on fire before entering the neighbouring home around 4am on Saturday and firing 10 shots.

A four-year-old boy and his 30-year-old father, who was shielding two children when he was shot, were taken to hospital but both died in surgery.

The man's wife and two other children were also injured in the attack in Inglewood, California, near Los Angeles.

Despite being shot in both legs, in what police described as an "extraordinary rescue attempt", she managed to carry the four-year-old, who was shot in the head, out of the house.

A six-year-old boy suffered a gunshot wound to the pelvis and a seven-year-old girl was shot in the chest.

The mother, 28, and daughter are in hospital in a stable condition. The six-year-old boy has been released, while an eight-year-old boy escaped unharmed.

The shooting happened in Inglewood, near Los Angeles

Police later found the body in Moses' house after a search which took hours because it was packed with debris. The body has not been formally identified.

About 15 neighbouring houses in Inglewood were evacuated after the shooting as officers searched for the suspect.

Police cordoned off the area and residents were told to stay indoors as officers combed the area for evidence and clues.

A neighbour, Judy Castellanos, told the Los Angeles Times the suspect was "really weird" and "dangerous".

She said he had not paid his rent for years and that a new property owner had been trying to evict him.

"He had been asked to leave by the end of this month," she told the newspaper, adding that he was reclusive and would not let anyone look inside his home.

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Lebanon: Thousands Mourn Killing Of Spy Chief

Thousands of people have gathered in the Lebanese capital Beirut for the funeral of a top intelligence official who was assassinated by a car bomb.

Lebanese forces set up road blocks and cordoned off Beirut's Martyrs' Square as well as boosting security in the capital.

Brigadier General Wissam al Hassan's coffin will be brought to the square for burial.

Al Hassan, 47, was a powerful opponent of Syria in Lebanon and headed an investigation over the summer that led to the arrest of former information minister Michel Samaha, a politican who was one of Syria's most loyal allies.

He was among eight people killed in the attack on Friday, which many have blamed on the Syrian regime.

Wissam al Hassan was killed by a massive car bomb on Friday

Even before the bombing, the civil war in neighboring Syria had set off violence in Lebanon and deepened tensions between supporters and opponents of President Bashar Assad's regime.

The attack heightened fears that Lebanon could easily plunge back into cycles of sectarian violence and reprisal that have haunted it for decades.

Dozens of anti-Syrian protesters erected eight tents near the cabinet headquarters in central Beirut, saying they will stay until Prime Minister Najib Mikati's government, which is dominated by the Shiite militant group Hezbollah and its allies, resigns.

Hezbollah is Syria's most powerful ally in Lebanon, which for much of the past 30 years has lived under Syrian military and political domination.

Syria's hold on Lebanon began to slip in 2005, when former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, an opponent of Syria, was assassinated by a truck bomb along Beirut's Mediterranean waterfront.

Syria denied any role, but broad public outrage in Lebanon expressed in massive street protests forced Damascus to withdraw its tens of thousands of troops from the country.

For years after the pullouts, there was a string of attacks on anti-Syrian figures in Lebanon without any trials for those responsible.

Al Hassan will be buried in Martyrs' Square next to the late Hariri.

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Thirteen Dead In Damascus Car Bomb Blast

At least 13 people have been killed after a car bomb exploded near a police station in the Syrian capital of Damascus.

A state official speaking from the scene said an explosives-rigged taxi blew up 50 metres from the Bab Touma neighbourhood's main police station.

The mainly Christian neighbourhood is a popular attraction for shoppers and inhabited mostly by the Christian minority.

Pro-government television said seven people had been killed and 15 wounded.

Mr Assad has met with UN peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 10 had died and dozens were wounded, adding that it was unclear if the victims and the wounded were civilians or policemen.

A reporter at the scene said he saw blood stains in the street and on the pavements. He said glass windows of several shops in the area were shattered and at least four cars were completely burnt.

The blast came as President Bashar al Assad opened talks with visiting UN peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who is trying to broker a truce to start during a Muslim holiday this week.

Mr Brahimi told reporters following a closed-door meeting that he had earlier met with unidentified Syrian opposition groups inside and outside the country to consult on his truce plan.

He said he received "promises" but not a "commitment" from them to honour the cease-fire.

"There is a promise to stop fighting," he said, referring to the opposition.

He noted that he "found an overwhelming response" from Mr Assad's opponents to his cease-fire plan and that "all of them have said that it's a good idea which they support."

State news agency Sana said the president supported "any sincere effort to find a political solution to the crisis, based on respect for Syrian sovereignty and rejecting foreign intervention".

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