Australian Student 'Shot For Fun' By US Teens

An Australian student on a baseball scholarship in the US has been gunned down for "the fun of it", in an alleged random shooting by three teenagers.

Chris Lane, 23, was jogging in the small town of Duncan in Oklahoma last Friday, after visiting his girlfriend Sarah Harper, when he was shot in the back and left to die.

"He went by a residence where these three boys were, they picked him as a target, they went out and got in a vehicle and followed him," said Danny Ford, chief of Duncan Police Department.

"(They) came up from behind and basically shot him in the back with a small calibre weapon, then sped away."

Chris Lane was on a baseball scholarship

Witnesses saw him stumble across the road and collapse in the gutter.

A woman tried CPR, and paramedics were quickly on the scene, but the student was pronounced dead an hour later.

The young couple had only been back in the US for three days after visiting Chris' family in Melbourne.

Sarah posted an emotional tribute on Facebook, calling their four years together "the most amazing of my life".

"I love you so much babe," she wrote.

"From 2009 until forever you will always be mine and in a very special and protected place in my heart."

The student's devastated father, Peter Lane, said his son's death was so pointless.

"There's not going to be any good come out of this because it was just so senseless," he told reporters in Melbourne.

"There wasn't anything he did or could have done. He was an athlete going for a jog like he would do five or six days a week in terms of his training schedule. To try and understand it is a short way to insanity."

Police at the murder scene. Pic: KOCO-TV

Police in Oklahoma said it appeared the 15, 16 and 17-year-olds were on a "killing spree", after leaving a chilling message on Facebook.

"They wanted to be Billy Bob Badasses," Chief Ford said.

"I think they were on a killing spree. We would have had more bodies that night if we didn't get them."

On one of the alleged killer's Facebook pages, investigators said they found the message: "Bang. Two drops in two hours."

The boys were arrested, with the 16-year-old allegedly confessing to the killing, saying it was done "for the fun of it".

The three are due to face first degree murder charges, which carry a potential death penalty in Oklahoma.

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Egypt's Ex-Dictator Mubarak 'To Be Freed'

Deposed dictator Hosni Mubarak is expecting to be freed from jail after being cleared of corruption charges, his lawyer claims.

Mubarak was toppled from power in February 2011 following an uprising and has been held by authorities since.

He has made numerous appearances at Cairo's courthouse since on charges relating to the death of protesters during the revolution and of corruption.

However, according to his lawyer Fareed El Deeb, judicial authorities ordered that 85-year-old Mubarak should be released on one of the remaining corruption charges against him.

He said that the only legal grounds for the former leader's detention would be another corruption case, which is expected to be concluded later this week.

He said: "All we have left is a simple administrative procedure that should take no more than 48 hours. He should be freed by the end of the week."

Mubarak still faces charges of complicity in the murder of protesters during the 2011 revolution. His trial has been adjourned until August 25.

The development came after Egyptian authorities disclosed that suspected militants had attacked two police minibuses with rocket-propelled grenades, killing 24 officers in Sinai.

The ambush, condemned by Egypt's interior ministry as the work of "armed terrorist groups", took place as the two vehicles were driving through a village near the border town of Rafah in the volatile Sinai Peninsula.

The van was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades

Two officials, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, said that three officers had also been injured.

Sinai has been witnessing near daily attacks by suspected militants since the Islamist president Mohamed Morsi was ousted on July 3.

It is estimated nearly 50 security officials have been killed in the region since then, and the army claims to have killed nearly 70 "terrorists" in the same time.

In response to the attack Egypt closed the Rafah border crossing with the Palestinian Gaza Strip.

The latest attack follows the suppression of Mr Morsi's supporters in Cairo in scenes of bloodshed over the last five days, which have left at least 750 people dead.

A police officer in hospital after violent clashes in Cairo

The military, which assumed control of the country from Mr Morsi, has been rounding up the former president's Muslim Brotherhood supporters and there have been more than 1,000 arrests.

The Brotherhood has vowed to continue its demonstrations.

Foreign Secretary William Hague has said that the continued unrest across the Middle East represented one of the most significant events of the 21st century so far.

He told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme that events in Egypt and surrounding countries could echo for decades and that the international community should expect significant "setbacks".

European Union ambassadors are discussing the crisis in Egypt amid international alarm.

Demonstrators inside the al Fath mosque in Cairo

Meanwhile, the family of four Irish siblings caught up in violence have said their relatives are being held by Egyptian authorities.

Omaima Halawa, 20, her two sisters Fatima, 22, Somaia, 27, and their younger brother Ibrihim, 17, were among hundreds of people cleared out of the al Fath mosque when security forces stormed the building on Saturday.

They were forced to seek sanctuary in the mosque on Friday after violent clashes between supporters of Mr Morsi and the security forces killed more than 80 people.

Speaking from the family home in Dublin, their sister Nasaybi Halawa said that her 17-year-old brother could have been beaten in the mosque.

Security forces arrive at the Cairo mosque

Miss Halawa said: "The person I'm speaking to told me they were beating men to hell. She doesn't know how my brother looks but she told me 'I can guarantee for you, all the men were beaten there. They didn't exclude anyone from hitting them'."

However, Sky sources understand that the four have been visited in Tora Prison by a Turkish diplomat who reported they were "all well".

Irish diplomats have said they are due to be brought to the prosecutor's office at 2pm on Monday and they were "confident" they would be released.

Hundreds of Morsi supporters also fled to the building in the Ramses area of Cairo, shoving furniture against the doors to stop police from breaking their way in.

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Oscar Pistorius Formally Charged With Murder

Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius has now left court after a judge told him he will go on trial in March over the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius returned to Pretoria Magistrates' Court this morning for the short hearing, in which a judge set his trial date for March 3 next year.

The judge asked him if he was well, to which he replied: "Under the circumstances, your honour."

He was formally charged and told that his bail conditions remained the same.

Court documents show that more than 100 witnesses will be called to give evidence at the trial, including one of Pistorius' ex-girlfriends.

Sky's Alex Crawford said that Pistorius was "very emotional", and appeared to be praying with his brother and sister before the proceedings started.

The three siblings held hands in a small circle, and at one point Pistorius wiped his face with a tissue.

Ms Steenkamp was shot dead at Pistorius' home in February

His brother Carl later tweeted a photograph of Pistorius and Ms Steenkamp, adding: "Remembered like yesterday. My life was impacted by u @reevasteenkamp & the lady u were! Always close to our hearts."

The 26-year-old double amputee is accused of killing Ms Steenkamp, who would have turned 30 today, in a shooting incident at Pistorius' home in February.

Pistorius denies he committed murder and says he shot Ms Steenkamp by mistake, thinking she was an intruder.

The case was sent to the High Court in Pretoria.

A judge will preside over the trial and ultimately pronounce the world-famous athlete innocent or guilty. South Africa does not have trial by jury.

The mandatory sentence for someone convicted of premeditated murder in South Africa is life with a minimum of 25 years in prison.

Meanwhile, Ms Steenkamp's uncle has said he has already forgiven Pistorius for killing her.

Mike Steenkamp said the family have coped with her death by concentrating on her life rather than how she died.

In an interview on ITV's Daybreak, Mr Steenkamp said: "I think from the beginning and onset that we decided that we could never be sidetracked from Reeva's life, and I think that's helped us tremendously."

The family have gathered in Port Elizabeth for a family event to mark Ms Steenkamp's birthday.

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German City Hall Hostage Crisis: People Held

An armed man has taken several people hostage in the historic city hall of the Bavarian city of Ingolstadt and is making demands to police over the telephone.

Police spokesman Guenther Beck said that the man had taken the hostages shortly before 9am (7am GMT) on Monday but that it was not clear what weapons he had.

He said there were "several" hostages but that he couldn't be specific about the number. He did not disclose what demands the hostage-taker had made.

Special forces police arrive at the hostage situation

The scenes unfolded just hours before the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, was due in the city, home to car manufacturer Audi, for a rally which has since been cancelled.

The Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann arrived at the city hall and had joined negotiators.

Mayor Alfred Lehmann told BILD.de: "I was in my office when suddenly the secretary came in and said there was a hostage situation. This was at 9am . Then we left the building."

Emergency vehicles line up outside the Old City Hall

He said the hostages were being held on the second floor of the building.

The German media were suggesting that Sepp Misslbeck, the third Mayor, was among the hostages.

The Old City Hall is home to the mayor's office, the tourist information office and a number of other administrative departments, and is one of two city halls in the Ingolstadt.

More follows...

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Mexico: 23 Bodies Found In Drugs 'Hot Land'

At least 23 bodies with gunshot wounds and hands bound have been found in western Mexico where drug cartels, vigilantes and and security forces have been fighting for much of the year.

The bodies were discovered on an abandoned property near the town of Buenavista Tomatlan in Michoacan state along with a sign indicating they may have been members of the Knights Templar cartel, state prosecutor's spokesman Alejandro Arellano said.

The area near the Jalisco state border has suffered a wave of violence for most of this year, as vigilante groups have risen up against the Knights Templar cartel which has controlled the area through violence and extortion.

Authorities believe some vigilante groups are supported by a rival cartel, Jalisco New Generation, which is fighting for the Knights Templar territory. The groups deny the claims.

Mr Arellano said the sign found alongside the bodies read: "For those who continue to support the Knights Templar, we are here, united."

He said the note was signed with the initials of the New Generation, as well as the initials G C, indicating another vigilante group.

Thousands of police were sent into the area in May to battle the cartels

President Enrique Pena Nieto's government sent thousands of troops and police to the area in May to try to regain control of the state.

While residents initially welcomed their arrival and some vigilante groups agreed to put down their arms, the calm was short-lived.

Although the government claims that killings across Mexico are down, it has struggled to come up with an effective strategy for Michoacan and neighboring Guerrero states - an area known as the Tierra Caliente, or Hot Land, for its climate.

The Knights Templar launched a co-ordinated attack on police last month, killing at least four officers and wounding a number of others.

They also killed one of Mexico's highest-ranking navy officers and a bodyguard last month when they ventured on to a local road in Michoacan to get around a roadblock.

Around the same time, residents in Guerrero were forced to flee their villages because of drug violence.

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Diana's Death: Police Handed New Information

New information that alleges Princess Diana was murdered has been passed to Scotland Yard through military sources, it has emerged.

The information, thought to include the allegation that the Princess of Wales, Dodi al Fayed and their driver were killed by a member of the British military, will be assessed by officers from the Specialist Crime and Operations Command.

According to Sky sources it was given to the police by the former parents-in-law of a former soldier.

The deaths of Princess Diana and Mr al Fayed in Paris in 1997 were investigated and examined during a 90-day inquest led by Lord Justice Scott Baker at the Royal Court of Justice in 2007.

On April 7, 2008, the jury concluded their verdict as "unlawful killing, grossly negligent driving of the following vehicles and of the Mercedes".

Princess Diana and Dodi al Fayed leaving the Ritz Hotel on August 31, 1997

The Metropolitan Police said its assessment was not a re-investigation and does not come under Operation Paget, the inquiry led by Lord Stevens into conspiracy theories surrounding Princess Diana and Mr al Fayed's deaths.

A royal spokeswoman said there will be no comment on the matter from Prince William or Prince Harry, or from Clarence House.

After the inquest, the Metropolitan Police said it had spent £8m on services arising from it and the Operation Paget investigation from 2004 to 2006.

Former Met Police commissioner Lord Stevens published his report in December 2006, rejecting claims that Princess Diana and Mr al Fayed had been murdered.

The wreckage of the Mercedes the pair were travelling in when it crashed

Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "We understand this information includes an allegation that Princess Diana and Dodi al Fayed and the driver of their car were killed by a member of the British military.

"The information we're told was passed to Scotland Yard quite recently. It also includes, we understand, references to something known as Diana's diary.

"These are very early days, the information has just come in, and Scotland Yard is adamant in saying that this is not a reopening of its investigation from 2004 when it spent three years looking into the circumstances of the Princess' death.

"But it is taking the information seriously and it is considering and it is possible that a new investigation may open."

Princess Diana, Mr al Fayed and their driver Henri Paul died after the Mercedes crashed in a Paris tunnel on August 31, 1997.

Diana was 36 at the time of her death and Mr al Fayed, the son of former Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed, 42.

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Egypt: EU To Review Relations Amid Violence

The European Union has said it will "urgently" review its relations with Egypt in the coming days as the violence shows no sign of ending.

In a statement, the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso called on all sides to show restraint and prevent further escalation of the violence.

"To this effect, together with its member states, the EU will urgently review in the coming days its relations with Egypt and adopt measures aimed at pursuing these goals," the statement said.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague told his Egyptian counterpart that the "disproportionate use of force" by security forces over recent days must stop.

Mr Hague made the comments in a phone call with Nabil Fahmy after security forces stormed the al Fath mosque in Cairo while Muslim Brotherhood supporters have been blamed for attacks on Coptic Christian churches.

Brotherhood supporters had barricaded themselves inside

At one point, troops exchanged gunfire with men shooting from a minaret of the mosque on Ramses Square, where hundreds of supporters of Mohamed Morsi had fled overnight after violent clashes killed 173 people.

The interior ministry said 385 people inside the mosque had been arrested.

Four Irish citizens, the children of the imam of Dublin's largest mosque, who were besieged in the mosque were released.

It is understood the Irish ambassador to Egypt has now requested a meeting with the siblings.

A statement by the Anti-Coup Alliance said several marches would take place in the capital this afternoon, continuing the daily campaign of protests in defiance of an intensifying crackdown.

State TV ran an English 'Egypt fights terrorism' caption as the PM spoke

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "The foreign secretary and the Egyptian foreign minister spoke about the tragic violence and loss of life over recent days.

"The foreign secretary emphasised UK condemnation of all acts of violence, whether disproportionate use of force by the security forces or violent actions by some demonstrators.

"They also discussed the recent attacks on places of worship and the foreign secretary stressed that attacks on mosques and churches were unacceptable and that places of worship must be protected."

Mr Hague also underlined the need for urgent steps by all sides "to end the violence and enable a return to dialogue", the spokeswoman said.

Meanwhile, the interim army-backed government announced it had begun deliberations on whether to ban the Muslim Brotherhood, a long-outlawed organisation that swept to power in Egypt's first democratic elections a year ago.

Egyptian presidential adviser Mostafa Hegazy said: "When you talk about a difference or a divide that's happening in Egyptian society, I think it's either wrongful thinking or wishful thinking.

"Egyptians today are more united than ever before. We are not only united towards a common dream, but we're united against a common enemy."

Last night, Islamist marchers clashed with civilians in the port city of Alexandria during the funeral of politician Khalid Mohsen, who was shot on Friday.

A few hours later Alexandria's streets were deserted, as night fell and a dusk to dawn curfew began.

The curfew was imposed when Egypt's military rulers declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, and is set to remain in place for at least a month.

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China's Bo Xilai Goes On Trial On Thursday

Disgraced senior Chinese politician Bo Xilai will stand trial later this week for bribery, corruption and abuse of power, it has been announced.

Bo, once one of the country's most powerful leaders, will face the charges on Thursday at Jinan Intermediate People's Court in the eastern province of Shandong, Xinhua news agency said.

"The open trial will start at 8:30 am (0030 GMT) on August 22 at its 5th courtroom," Xinhua said.

Bo's wife Gu Kailai has been jailed for the 2011 murder of British businessman Neil Heywood in Chongqing, where Bo was Communist Party chief.

The scandal emerged last year, ahead of a once-a-decade leadership transition in which Bo had been considered a candidate for the Politburo Standing Committee, China's most powerful body.

Gu has been jailed for Mr Heywood's murder

But his glittering career came crashing down amid the allegations his wife - later convicted of murder - was involved in Mr Heywood's death and Bo had sought to block the police investigation.

The case has also seen Bo's police chief Wang Lijun jailed for 15 years.

Bo, who has been in custody since his dramatic downfall, was indicted on the charges last month.

It is almost certain 64-year-old Bo, a "princeling" son of a late vice premier, will be convicted as China's prosecutors and judges are controlled by the ruling Communist Party.

Mr Heywood was found dead in his hotel room in 2011

President Xi Jinping came to power in March vowing rid the country of corrupt officials - from the high-ranking "tigers" to low-level "flies".

How Bo's case is handled will be a test of Mr Xi's battle against corruption and also show his authority over the party.

During Gu's trial, she admitted to poisoning Mr Heywood, claiming that she had acted after he threatened her son, Bo Guagua, when a business deal turned sour.

Before he was found dead in a Chongqing hotel room in November 2011, Mr Heywood had been a long-time friend of Bo and Gu and helped their son settle into Britain.

Last week, Mr Heywood's Chinese wife and British mother announced they were seeking compensation for his death.

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Shark Attack: 'Hero' Teacher Saves Tourist

A PE teacher has been hailed a hero after rescuing a German holidaymaker who lost her arm in a shark attack in Hawaii.

Rick Moore, 57, jumped into the water and swam to help the 20-year-old woman moments after she was attacked while snorkelling off Palauea Beach on Maui island.

"As soon as we stand on the beach, we hear this blood-curdling scream," said Mr Moore, who teaches at Creekside High School in Irvine, California.

"We look out and there was blood everywhere in the white water around her.

"About 10ft from her, I saw her floating on her back, with no arm. It was completely severed from her body."

He pulled her remaining arm around his neck and swam 100 yards through strong currents to get her to the beach.

"It dawned on me, I was in danger now," he added.

"The shark is around me and she's bleeding. I start praying out loud, 'God, God protect us.' She said, 'I'm dying. I know I'm going to die.'"

The beach was closed for 24 hours while lifeguards searched for the shark

The US teacher, who is also a pastor, went on: "I started crying out to God and I got this burst of strength. I swam toward the shore."

The woman was starting to lose consciousness, as Mr Moore's friend Nicholas Grisaffi, 61, helped him pull her from the water.

They lay her limp body on a kayak and used it as a stretcher to carry her from the beach.

The woman's three friends stood watching in shock as Mr Moore performed CPR.

"Pretty much everybody was out of control except me and Rick," said Mr Grisaffi, a teacher from Laguna Beach, California.

"If we're not there, she's not saved. Nobody did a thing. They just stood there in shock, watching the blood and everything."

Emergency services arrived and the woman was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center.

Joshua Craddock, a 23-year-old from London, praised Mr Moore's bravery.

The woman was attacked while snorkelling in murky water on Maui island

"He was pretty heroic and selfless to dive in the water when by this stage she was surrounded by a pool of blood which we could see from the shore," he added.

The two teachers have visited the woman in hospital and said she was in a stable condition.

"I just can't get the screaming out of my head," Mr Grisaffi said. "I won't take risks of going too far out any more."

The beach was closed for 24 hours while lifeguards searched for the shark.

It was not clear what type of shark attacked the woman, whose name has not been released.

It was the seventh shark attack in Hawaiian waters this year, and the fourth on Maui, according to the US state's official figures.

There were 11 shark attacks in Hawaii last year. The last fatal attack was in 2004.

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Philippines: 200 Feared Dead After Ferry Crash

A ferry with more than 800 passengers and crew on board has sunk after colliding with a cargo ship near the Philippine city of Cebu.

The coastguard said the MV Thomas Aquinas listed after hitting the Sulpicio Express Seven Cargo vessel and the captain gave the order to abandon ship.

Life rafts around the cargo ship that collided with the ferry

At least 31 people, including some children, were confirmed dead, 629 were rescued and 171 were still unaccounted for, the coastguard said.

Rear Admiral Luis Tuason, vice commandant of the coastguard, warned that the number of dead would inevitably rise.

He said: "The captain managed to declare abandon ship and they distributed life jackets but, because of the speed by which it went down, there is a big chance that there are people trapped inside."

A man is pulled to safety by Navy rescuerers

He added that the ferry sank within 10 minutes of the collision on Friday night at a narrow point near the port of Cebu.

Hundreds of passengers jumped into the ocean as the ship began sinking, said survivors. Many of the 831 on board were asleep at the time of the collision.

Life rafts deployed by the ferry after the collision

Jerwin Agudong said he and other passengers leapt overboard after the ferry began taking on water and the crew distributed life jackets.

He told radio station DZBB that some people were trapped and he saw bodies in the water.

"It seems some were not able to get out. I pity the children. We saw dead bodies on the side, and some being rescued," he said.

An injured survivor is taken to hospital

"One of the persons who jumped with us hit his head on metal. He is shaking and he is bloodied."

According to news reports, an 11-month-old baby was among those saved.

Danny Palmero, a former fisherman, said he was with friends who responded to the ferry's distress call and rescued seven people on their motorized outrigger canoe.

Some of the rescued passengers

"I saw many flares being shot," he said. "As a former nautical student, I knew it was a distress signal."

Accidents at sea are common in the Philippine archipelago because of frequent storms, badly maintained boats and weak enforcement of safety regulations.

In 1987, the ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker in the Philippines, killing 4,341 people in the world's worst peacetime maritime disaster.

The ferry sank after hitting the cargo ship near Cebu

In 2008, the ferry MV Princess of the Stars capsized during a typhoon, killing nearly 800 people.

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