Schoolboy's killers facing life

Three men found guilty of murdering 16-year-old Ben Kinsella are due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey later. Ben, the brother of EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella, was stabbed 11 times after a row in a north London bar. Michael Alleyne, 18, Juress Kika, 19, and Jade Braithwaite, 20, all from London, face mandatory life sentences. After their conviction on Thursday, Ben's father George said he hoped their sentences would "reflect the brutality that was inflicted on our son". It will be up to the Common Serjeant of London, Judge Brian Barker QC, to set the minimum tariffs they must serve before being considered for release. The trial heard Ben was running away from the fight in Islington when he was attacked on 29 June last year. He had been at the bar with friends to celebrate the end of their GCSE exams. The court heard he was stabbed in revenge for a claim that Braithwaite had earlier been "disrespected". Although the confrontation in the bar had nothing to do with him, Ben was chased along the street with other youngsters - and was attacked and stabbed to death when he stopped running. The defendants had admitted punching him but each denied being responsible for stabbing him. Ben's family said walking away from trouble had "cost him his life". Speaking outside court, Ben's father George, 49, said: "Almost one year ago, our precious gentle son, Ben was brutally murdered on the streets of London. "How many more families will have to stand outside the Old Bailey to get justice for their child? "Our son's only crime was to be the last one, running away, from those animals. "Knife crime is now sadly embedded in the very heart of Great Britain. Parents live in fear until their children are safely home. "It can be for a wrong word, a wrong look, or a wrong post code ... in Ben's case it was simply nothing to do with him at all. "We are happy with the verdict given and really hope that the sentencing will reflect the brutality that was inflicted on our son." Previous convictions Ben's sister Brooke said: "There is never going to be enough justice but we have got it now."
Ben's mother Deborah Kinsella had earlier told the trial judge her son's life was "cruelly" taken. She said: "We had brought Ben up to always walk away from trouble. This sadly cost him his life." After the verdicts, it emerged Kika had been on the run from police following a robbery in which a man was stabbed nine days before Ben's death. He had convictions for cannabis possession, robbery, affray and for restricting or obstructing a constable while Braithwaite had been given a community order for an attempted robbery. Alleyne was being supervised by the local youth offending team as part of an 18-month detention and training order for drug dealing.
He was a convicted cocaine and heroin dealer and also had convictions for robbery and possession of cannabis. He had been released three months earlier after serving half the sentence in a detention centre.

Police 'consider Omagh retrial'

The police are examining the possibility of a retrial of a South Armagh man cleared of involvement in the Omagh bombing. The revelation came during a meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board on Thursday. South Armagh man Sean Hoey was cleared of murdering 29 people in Omagh, at the end of his trial in December 2007. The trial judge seriously criticised the police handling of evidence, and said two officers had lied. However, an investigation by the Northern Ireland's Police Ombudsman concluded there was no evidence to support the claim the officers had lied and questioned the defence team's claim that the evidence from Altmore Forest had been wrongly handled. Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris told the board that police have been "reviewing the entire case." "After the ombudsman reports of February this year we have revisited all of the evidence again, not only in respect of the Omagh bombing but other bombing attacks around that time involving the Real IRA," he said. "Working through that what we are looking for is new evidential opportunities, realistically we have to find substantial new evidence if there is any possibility of a criminal prosecution." When the review is completed, it will be up to the Public Prosecution Service to decide if there is enough evidence to merit a new trial.

Iraq releases three of five US contractors

US security contractors are no longer immune from prosecution in Iraq Iraqi police have released three of five US citizens detained in connection with the killing in Baghdad last month of a fellow American. A judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to hold the American security contractors, an Iraqi spokesman said. The US embassy in Iraq has confirmed the release of only one man so far. The case has been seen as the first test of a new US-Iraqi security pact which allows US contractors to be subject to Iraqi laws. The five men were taken into custody last week in connection with the murder of Jim Kitterman, a 60-year-old American construction company owner. His body was found bound, blindfolded and stabbed to death on 22 May in Baghdad's highly-fortified Green Zone. The men were never formally charged with a crime. US and Iraqi officials have said they were not accused of Mr Kitterman's death, but detained as part of the investigation. The role of US contractors came under intense scrutiny after the killing of up to 17 civilians in Baghdad in 2007 by private security guards from the US company Blackwater . The incident led the Iraqi government to revoke the immunity from prosecution that private contractors had enjoyed in the first six years of the war. Under the new joint security pact , private contractors are wholly bound by Iraqi law.

Iran Guard warns reformist groups

Turnout for Friday's election is expected to be high [Reuters] The political chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guard has warned reformists in the country against seeking what he called a "velvet revolution", vowing that it would be "nipped in the bud". Yadollah Javani's comments appeared aimed at Mir Hossein Mousavi, a reformist candidate in the country's presidential elections and followed another day of bitter exchanges between Mousavi and his rival and current president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The Revolutionary Guard is one of the pillars of the Iranian establishment and controls large military forces as well as a nationwide network of militia. In a statement on its website, Javani drew parallels between Mousavi's campaign and the "velvet revolution'' that led to the 1989 overthrow of the communist government in then Czechoslovakia. "There are many indications that some extremist [reformist] groups, have designed a colourful revolution ... using a specific colour for the first time in an election," the statement said.Calling that a "sign of kicking off a velvet revolution project in the presidential elections", Javani vowed that any "attempt for velvet revolution will be nipped in the bud". Javani also accused the reformists of planning to claim vote rigging and provoke street violence if Mousavi loses. Ahmadinejad, the president, is believed to have wide support in the Revolutionary Guard and among Iran's ruling clerics, though neither have given public endorsements in the presidential race. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Sadegh Zibakalam, professor of political science at Tehran University, said that the Revolutionary Guard chief's statement would not change the course of the election. "Over the last three weeks, hundreds, thousands - perhaps millions - of Iranians have been pouring onto the streets. More than supporting Mousavi or other candidates, they have been expressing their opposition to Ahmadinejad and his policies," he said. "I do not think the Revolutionary Guard's interference will change anything because it is not as though there is a conspiracy that requires them to step in." Trading barbs In the final hours of campaigning before the election on Friday, candidates traded bitter accusations. Ahmadinejad accused his rivals of using Hitler-style smear tactics and said they could face jail for insulting the president. "Such insults and accusations against the government are a return to Hitler's methods, to repeat lies and accusations ... until everyone believes those lies," the semi-official Fars news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. Insulting senior officials is a crime in Iran punishable by a maximum of two years in prison. Mousavi, a reformist and former prime minister, accused Ahmadinejad of isolating Iran with his vitriolic attacks on the US and said he lied about the country's economy. All campaigning was banned from Thursday morning and cars plastered with pictures and campaign material would be stopped and seized, state television reported. But even after the official end of campaigning, tens of thousands of Mousavi supporters remained in the streets, dancing on cars, waving green flags and passing out pro-Mousavi fliers. 'Unpredictable' election Mahdi Karroubi, a reformist and former parliamentary speaker, and Mohsen Rezai, a former commander of the Revolutionary Guard, are also standing in Friday's election.Al Jazeera's Alireza Ronaghi, reporting from Tehran, said this was the most unpredictable and most exciting Iranian presidential election in years because the main contenders each had strong support. It was clear that Mousavi had a slight edge over Ahmadinejad in the capital, Tehran, but in other provinces it was a totally different story, our correspondent added. Trita Parsi, the president of the Iranian-American Council, told Al Jazeera that Ahmadinejad's attacks on Mousavi "seems to have backfired and may have motivated the youth to come out and vote, supporting Mousavi's platform of change". Afshin Molavi of the New America Foundation told Al Jazeera that accusations against Ahmadinejad and the ruling elites of corruption and fat cat insider dealings "will continue to hang in the air long after these elections, and many Iranians know this about the ruling elites". He said that while Iran has traditionally had high voter turnout, "when we're seeing so many voters than previous polls, it tends to reflect a switch to reformist candidates". Iran's reformists are hoping that a high turnout on Friday will help them oust the conservative Ahmadinejad, whom they accuse of increasing the country's international isolation and compounding its economic difficulties. Mousavi's campaign appears to have motivated the youth in a country where one-third of the electorate is under 30 and born after the time of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. "I believe it is a new beginning and I want to take part in it," Parastou Pazhoutan, a 26-year-old Mousavi supporter, said. "A month ago, I would have said Ahmadinejad was a sure bet,'' Sharif Emam Jomeh, a political analyst, said. "There was apathy especially with the youth. But now, until 3am, they are out in numbers and they care ... Below the surface, something was boiling."

WHO declares swine flu pandemic

Many countries already have swine flu precautions in place The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global flu pandemic after holding an emergency meeting. It means the swine flu virus is spreading in at least two regions of the world with rising cases being seen in the UK, Australia, Japan and Chile. WHO chief Dr Margaret Chan said the move does not mean the virus is causing more severe illness or more deaths. The swine flu (H1N1) virus first emerged in Mexico in April and has since spread to 74 countries.Official reports say there have been nearly30,000 cases globally and 141 deaths with figures rising daily. Hong Kong said it was closing all its nurseries and primary schools for two weeks following 12 school cases. It is the first flu pandemic in 40 years - the last in 1968 killed about one million people. However, the current pandemic seems to be moderate and causing mild illness in most people. Most cases are occurring in young working age adults and a third to a half of complications are presenting in otherwise healthy people. Dr Chan said: "We have evidence to suggest we are seeing the first pandemic of the 21st century. "Moving to pandemic phase six does not imply we will see increased in deaths or serious cases." She added it was important to get the right balance between complacency and vigilance and that pandemic strategies would vary between countries depending on their specific situation. And the WHO do do not recommend closure of borders or any restrictions on the movement of people, goods or services. But the picture could change very quickly. "No other pandemic has been detected so early or watched so closely," Dr Chan said. One factor which has prompted the move to a level six pandemic was that in the southern hemisphere, the virus seems to be crowding out normal seasonal influenza. The move was not prompted by the situation in any one country but the reports of several pockets of community spread, officials said. The BBC's Imogen Foulkes, in Geneva, says that while the number of cases has made the declaration inevitable, the WHO will have to manage the global anxiety the declaration of a pandemic will generate. Experts have warned that poorer nations, especially those in the southern hemisphere now heading into their winter season, face the greatest risk from the flu pandemic. Pandemic planning There have been more than 800 cases in the UK with some areas of Scotland being particularly hard hit.The government has been stockpiling antivirals such as Tamiflu and has ordered vaccine, some doses of which could be available by October.Chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson said the WHO declaration of a pandemic would not significantly change the way the UK was dealing with swine flu at the moment.But he added there could be some minor changes to who received antivirals."The declaration of a pandemic per se doesn't make a big difference to the to the way we are handling the outbreaks we have."We are going to continue to investigate every case that occurs and treat their contacts with antivirals even though they may not be ill."The difference is that the Health Protection Agency has learnt a lot about approaching this question of antiviral prophylaxis and they are going to be treating the closer contacts of the cases, rather than the more far-flung contacts, because they feel that that is supported by what they know so far about how the disease is transmitting.He added: "These flu viruses can change their pattern of attack, so when we come into the flu season in the autumn and winter in this country, when we expect a big surge of cases, we need to watch very carefully to see if the character of the virus is changing."Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said a move to level six means that countries need to be ready to implement pandemic plans immediately but the UK was already operating at a "heightened state of readiness".But it could affect the speed at which the UK gets pandemic vaccine supplies but that had been factored into pandemic planning.Flu expert Professor John Oxford said people should not panic as the outbreak was milder than others seen in the past century."It is global and fulfilling the requirements of a pandemic but I don't think anyone should worry because nothing drastic has happened between yesterday and today."

Deaths in Iraq car bomb attack

Nobody claimed responsibility for the attack but the governor of Nasiriya blamed al-Qaeda [Reuters] At least 30 people have been killed and 70 others injured after a car bomb ripped through a market in a town in southern Iraq. Ali Fahad, the mayor of al-Bathaa, said that children and women were among those killed in the attack on Wednesday. "We are now transporting the casualties to the general hospital in Nasiriya." Al-Bathaa is situated 30km west of Nasiriya in the province of Dhiqar. Al-Qaeda suspected Mohammed al-Nasiry, a journalist in Nasiriya, told Al Jazeera: "It's the first time in three years since we've had such a big explosion in Nasiriya. "High security measures have been taken by authorities, bridges are being closed and the city is under semi-curfew. There are fears of another suspicious car that may explode at any time," he said. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack, but car bombings are regarded as being a standard form of attack by al-Qaeda in Iraq. Talib al-Hassan, the governor of Nasariya, said : "We accuse al-Qaeda ... the security forces are working to get precise information." 'Creating havoc' The local police chief was sacked following the attack, and an inquiry launched to determine whether police could have prevented it. Hussein Salim, a witness, said the market was supposed to be guarded by the police, adding: "The police neglected their job. "How could the car enter the market? It was crowded with people." The death toll from the explosion could rise, Akram al-Tamimi, the media manager of the Nasariya provincial council, said. The attack comes just weeks before US troops are due to pull out of all towns and cities across the country. Fereydun Rafiq Hilmi, an Iraqi political analyst, told Al Jazeera: "... the philosophy of a car bombing is to create havoc and a feeling of insecurity, a situation where the government look weak, the forces that are actually keeping law and order, look weak. "Violence is escalating. Even today it is not the only bombing or violent attack that we have seen. There have been attacks all over Iraq, in Baghdad and Mosul and Fallujah and in other places. The shootings and a grenade here and there is not reported. "This happened in an area which has been quiet for some time and that is why I think we have this in the news today whereas the others are ignored."

Crowds watch Bongo's body return

Mr Bongo will be buried in the Bateke region of his birth in south-east Gabon Up to 10,000 Gabonese have turned out to see the body of the late President Omar Bongo arrive back home from Spain, where he died on Monday. Mourners lined the route from the airport in the capital Libreville as the car carrying the leader's coffin drove slowly through the city. His body is to lie at the presidential palace ahead of the burial next week. The senate's speaker was sworn in on Wednesday as interim head of state. Elections must be held within 45 days. Earlier, a small funeral ceremony was held at Barcelona airport before the Spanish Air Force plane took off for West Africa, reports the AP news agency. Daughter weeps Mr Bongo, who was in power for nearly 42 years, is to be buried at Franceville in the Bateke region of his birth in south-east Gabon on Thursday of next week. Interim leader Rose Francine Rogombe must organise elections in 45 days At least 10 heads of state, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy, are expected to attend the funeral. Under Mr Bongo, Gabon retained close economic and political ties to France, its former colonial power. Politicians, diplomats and military officials were on the tarmac to receive the coffin, draped in the national flag, with full honours on Thursday. Mr Bongo's daughter and cabinet chief, Pascaline, reportedly fell sobbing into the arms of Congo's President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, who was also Mr Bongo's father-in-law. Gabonese journalist Linel Kwatsi says thousands of people, many in black clothing or wearing T-shirts with Mr Bongo's image, turned out along the waterfront and waved at the vehicle bearing the late leader's body as it cruised past. He says the anxiety that overshadowed the country as news of the president's death emerged is vanishing. There is relief that the mechanisms of democracy appear to be working and that fears of a coup have proved unfounded, he adds. The hope now is that interim leader, Rose Francine Rogombe, an ally of Mr Bongo, will organise fair presidential polls. The ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) has been deciding who should succeed the late president, with his 50-year-old son, Defence Minister Ali-Ben Bongo, tipped as a leading contender. OMAR BONGO Led Gabon for nearly 42 years Oil money means Gabon officially one of richest countries in Africa He denied corruption charges in French courts Allowed multi-party polls in 1993; opposition said they weren't fair Having a laugh with Omar Bongo Gabon teacher not mourning Bongo Ms Rogombe, 66, a lawyer and ruling party member dubbed "the iron lady", is constitutionally ineligible from standing in the presidential poll. Likely opposition candidate Pierre Mamboundou - leader of the Union of the Gabonese People - has called on citizens to back Ms Rogombe while she organises polls to help "guarantee transparency during the vote". It emerged last month that Mr Bongo was being treated in a Barcelona clinic, amid unconfirmed reports he had cancer. The government said on Monday the 73-year-old had died of a heart attack, hours after saying he was alive and well. Libreville's mayor has banned large gatherings and ordered nightclubs and bars to close, while security forces have been on patrol.

Israel zeroes in on Obama's 2-year deadline

With US President Barack Obama having allegedly set a two-year deadline for the formation of a Palestinian homeland, Tel Aviv moves to bring the US plan under question. Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Yaalon on Tuesday floated the idea that the quest for a Palestinian state is not likely to bear fruit for around five years -- which is well after President Obama leaves the White House. Faced with global criticism over its policies against the natives of the land, the Israeli government has snubbed US calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state as well as requests for a freeze in Israeli settlement activities in Palestinian territories. In an address at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Yaalon claimed that the "instant peace" plan sought by Obama may lead to the establishment of "Hamastan" in the West Bank. Yaalon insisted that the Israeli occupation and settlement activities do not constitute major obstacles to peace and blamed the Israeli failure to relinquish control of Palestinian lands in the past sixty years on Palestinians who "do not accept that the two state solution". "In their view, one state should be the Palestinian state and the national identity of the other state should remain undefined, so that in the future it can become a Palestinian state as well," he claimed. The speech comes at a time that an unprecedented rift has been developed between the US and Israel since the new government in Tel Aviv rejected the road map agreement. Although the US image has been marred as a result of its decades of unrelenting support for Israeli aggression, Tel Aviv has accused the incumbent president in the White House of meddling in its internal affairs. Yaalon also proposed that a different "road map" be adopted for the realization of peace. "We believe that an almost exclusively top down approach that characterizes the way the Palestinian issue was handled under the Oslo and Annapolis processes should be replaced by a determined performance based, bottom up approach that characterizes the road map," he said.

Iraq market explosion death toll hits 32

The death toll from an explosion in Iraq's Dhiqar province has reached 32 and is expected to further rise as some of the 70 injured are reported to be in critical condition. A sticky bomb planted on a car went off in a food market in the town of al-Bathaa, 30 km (20 miles) west of the capital Nassariya, when the market was packed with shoppers. Initial reports had put the death toll at 28 and the number of injured at 40. Children and women are said to form a considerable portion of the casualties. "We are now transporting the casualties to the General Hospital in Nasiriyah," al-Bathaa mayor Ali Fahad said. Al-Bathaa's police chief was immediately sacked following the deadly attack and an inquiry has been launched to determine whether police could have averted the tragedy. Local resident say they had told the police about a suspected car being parked near the market adding that the authorities did not pay attention to the report. Although bombings often happen in the capital Baghdad and the restive northern city of Mosul, attacks are rare in Dhiqar and its capital Nasiriyah.

Road particles pose 'higher risk'

Pollution 'higher risk' to children Children may be at greater risk from the microscopic particles in traffic pollution than was previously thought. Early findings from a major study in London seen by the BBC show that the lung capacity of 8- and 9-year-olds is 5% lower than the national average. And 7% of the children - surveyed in the Tower Hamlets area - have lung function reduced to a level internationally regarded as hazardous. The London study is being led by Professor Jonathan Grigg. He works out of the Centre for Paediatrics at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Leaf clues The particles - so-called "particulates" - are produced in vehicle exhaust and are far smaller than the width of a human hair. Less than 10 microns across, they are often referred to as PM10. The results come as researchers at Lancaster University warn that levels of particulates are often higher than shown by official monitoring devices. Analysing the particulates collected on roadside leaves, the research shows that the pollution can be most intense at the height of many children. Britain already faces penalties from the European Union for multiple breaches of standards for particulate pollution. Professor Grigg told BBC News: "Our findings in the East End of London are that children living here have slightly lower lung function than what we'd expect from the national average. "Now, if that's due to air pollution, as we suspect, they're going to be at increased risk from a range of respiratory disorders such as asthma and infection, and may be at risk in adulthood." Cough test A total of 203 children at 10 different schools are taking part in regular tests over several years. Interim findings from 149 children show that 11 of them have lung capacity that is 80% or lower than the national average - a threshold regarded by researchers as vulnerable to a range of breathing conditions. One test involves encouraging the children to cough - so the carbon content of their sputum can be analysed. Microscope analysis shows how particulates are reaching deep into the lungs. These results will add pressure on the government over Britain's failure to meet European Union air quality standards. The EU requirement is for average PM10 concentrations to stay below 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air - but most of the country's major conurbations record higher levels. And the new research by Lancaster University shows that the particulate levels may be even worse than official figures show. The official data is gathered at automatic monitoring stations which typically sample air at a height of three metres - mainly to avoid the risk of vandalism. But Professor Barbara Maher and her team have devised a new technique for measuring the magnetic response of particulates on roadside leaves - many of the particles contain fragments of metal. Barbara Maher from Lancaster University offers her tips on avoiding traffic pollution And the readings show higher concentrations of particulates at lower levels. 'Progress made' Interviewed beside a busy road in Lancaster, Professor Maher said: "We're surrounded by this invisible mist of these millions of toxic particles - you can't see them but we know, we've measured them, they're here. "When we do our leaf magnetic measurements, our research shows that down at small child height the concentrations - the number - of these very fine particles is sometimes twice the current EU regulation standard." One set of measurements, outside the Cathedral School in Lancaster, revealed particulate levels that were above the EU standard. The school's head, Anne Goddard, said the findings were "quite worrying". "It's the only playground we have at the school and it's right next to the road. The levels are high so obviously the effect on the children, especially those with asthma, is a concern." The Environment Secretary Hilary Benn admits there is a problem but says 24 out of 27 members of the European Union are in breach of the standards and that most of the landmass of Britain does meet the requirements. He also said that "huge progress" had been made in the last few decades with the Clean Air Act and changes in vehicles standards. "But we need to do more and principally that will be about cars and lorries and buses," he said. "And we've been working with other countries in Europe to improve the standards to get these PM10 particles down because we know it has an effect on our health."

Oil prices rise to new 2009 high

Oil prices rose over $71 a barrel, a new high for the year so far, on hopes of an economic recovery. US light crude rose 1.5%, or $1.08, to $71.09. London Brent crude rose 1.3% to $70.53 a barrel. The price of oil has more than doubled this year on hopes the worst of the global recession is over. "I wouldn't be surprised if we're testing $80 in a week or two," said Gerard Rigby, an analyst with Fuel First Consulting. Signs of more positive business and consumer confidence, as well as slowing in the rates of economic decline in major economies, have appeared as governments have pumped trillions into bailing out the financial system. First fall in oil use since 1993 On Tuesday, the US Energy Department's Energy Information Administration predicted that oil prices would average $67 a barrel in the second half of 2009. A month ago, its forecast was $55. Oil prices have risen sharply from lows of about $32 a barrel in December, but they are still not close to the all-time high of $147 reached in July last year.

India military air crash kills 13

The plane was on a routine supply mission The Indian Air Force says no one survived when one of its transport planes carrying 13 people crashed near the border with China. Rescuers found a number of bodies among the wreckage in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, officials said. It is not clear what caused the plane to crash shortly after take-off from Mechukha, a base near the border. The AN-32 aircraft had been returning from a routine supply mission to troops serving at the frontier. Bad weather Helicopters and ground search teams had been scouring the mountainous border region since Tuesday afternoon, when contact with the plane was lost shortly after it took off from Mechukha. The search was called off on Tuesday because of bad weather, but resumed on Wednesday. The wreckage was found scattered across a hill in Arunachal Pradesh. Eastern Air Command spokesman Wing Commander Ranjib Sahu told the BBC: "It's now confirmed that the aircraft crashed and there are no survivors. Our ground searching teams have located the wreckage in a remote village - Heyoditu in Arunachal Pradesh." Those on board included the pilot, six crew and six passengers, including army personnel. Another air force spokesman said it was too early to say whether technical problems caused the crash.