UN's Syria envoy Brahimi has crisis talks in Turkey

The UN-Arab League envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, has had talks in Turkey amid rising tensions between Ankara and Damascus.

Mr Brahimi met Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to hear Turkey's perspective on the crisis.
A BBC correspondent in Turkey says no breakthroughs were expected, and none were reported.
Several days of cross-border firing followed the killing of five Turkish civilians by Syrian shelling last week.
Earlier this week, Turkey intercepted a Syria-bound plane amid reports it had Russian-made defence equipment aboard.
Syria has dismissed the claim as a lie, challenging Turkey to show any evidence.
In Syria itself, there were reports on Saturday that rebel fighters had shot down a Syrian military jet outside Aleppo.
Footage posted online showed the burning wreckage of what appeared to be an aircraft, but the claim has not been independently verified.

Space shuttle Endeavour rolls through Los Angeles

Los Angeles residents have been turning out to watch the US space shuttle Endeavour as it inches through the city on a giant trolley, bound for a museum.

The spacecraft that once reached 17,000mph (28,160km/h) is trundling down the city's famously low-level boulevards at a stately 2mph.
"It's pretty neat to see a spaceship in the street," a spectator told local TV.
Endeavour began its 12-mile, two-day journey on Friday and is due to end up at the California Science Center.

The 75-ton spacecraft entered service in 1992, making 25 trips, logging 123m miles and circling the globe almost 4,700 times.

Replacing Challenger, which was destroyed in an accident in 1986 that killed seven astronauts, Endeavour was the baby of the shuttle fleet.
Nasa took its shuttles out of service last year in order to focus on destinations beyond low-Earth orbit, such as asteroids and Mars.
The three other surviving shuttles are already in museums or will be eventually

Cuban refugees' raft sinks off Mexico's Isla Mujeres

An improvised raft carrying 23 Cuban refugees has sunk as it approached a Mexican island near the popular resort of Cancun.

Two people have died and 11 are missing and presumed dead.
Survivors told Mexican media that their home-made raft sank as it hit the reefs surrounding Isla Mujeres on Friday morning.
The refugees said they headed for Mexico in the hope of joining relatives in the United States.
The accident happened some 150 metres (140 yards) off Isla Mujeres, in an area known for its strong currents, the Mexican Navy said.

Ten Cuban refugees managed to swim to safety.

But they said the others were taken away by the currents or fatally injured as they were pushed towards the rocks by the big waves.
"One of them head a head injury and died on the beach. The other one, a woman, was taken to hospital but also died of her injuries," said a Navy official, Ismael Gonzalez Gil.
There were no children among the 23 Cuban refugees.
The survivors said group's intention was to reach the Mexican coast, which lies some 220km (140 miles) west of Cuba, and eventually cross the border into the United States.

Egypt leader Mursi backs down in row with prosecutor

President Mohammed Mursi of Egypt has agreed to allow the Mubarak-era chief prosecutor to keep his job after an embarrassing public row.

Spokesmen for Mr Mursi and the prosecutor, Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, confirmed an agreement had been reached at talks in the capital, Cairo.
Mr Mahmoud earlier returned to work, escorted by judges and lawyers.
He has been criticised for acquitting officials accused of attacking protesters under Hosni Mubarak.
The acquittals sparked violent protests in Tahrir Square in Cairo on Friday when supporters and opponents of President Mursi clashed.
More than 110 people were injured in the worst violence seen since he took office at the end of June.

Colombia apology for devastation in Amazon rubber boom

Colombia's president has apologised to indigenous communities in the Amazon for deaths and destruction caused by the rubber boom around 100 years ago.

Backed by Colombia's government, a Peruvian firm tapped rubber from 1912 to 1929 near La Chorrera in the south.
Up 100,000 people were killed and communities devastated, according to indigenous leaders.
President Juan Manuel Santos asked for forgiveness "for all the dead and their orphans".
He apologised "in the name of a company, a government".

Mursi muss Generalstaatsanwalt im Amt lassen

(13.10.2012) Ägyptens Präsident Mohammed Mursi wollte seinen Generalstaatsanwalt absetzen - und bot ihm deshalb einen Posten als Botschafter im Vatikan an. Der Chefankläger weigerte sich jedoch zu gehen. Nun hat er den Machtkampf für sich entschieden.

Formel-1-Qualifying in Korea

Funk-Fehler bringt Vettel um Pole – Schumacher Zehnter

(13.10.2012) Ein Funk-Missverständnis mit seinem Team hat Sebastian Vettel die Pole Position in Südkorea gekostet. Hinter seinem Teamkollegen Mark Webber wurde der Formel-1-Champion Zweiter. Trotzdem ist er zuversichtlich, am Sonntag zu siegen.

Syrien bietet Türkei Gespräche an

Nach mehreren Zwischenfällen an der Grenze hat Syrien einen gemeinsamen Sicherheitsausschuss mit der Türkei vorgeschlagen. Dieser solle einen "Mechanismus zur Überwachung der Grenze unter Beachtung der nationalen Souveränität festlegen", erklärte das syrische Außenministerium. Diesen Vorschlag habe die Regierung in Damaskus auch schon mit dem Botschafter des syrischen Verbündeten Russland abgesprochen.
Die Türkei, früher selbst Verbündete des syrischen Präsidenten Baschar al Assad, unterstützt mittlerweile die Rebellen in dem Nachbarland. Der Konflikt zwischen Syrien und der Türkei eskalierte in der vergangenen Woche, nachdem syrische Artilleriegeschosse in einem türkischen Grenzort eingeschlagen waren und fünf Zivilisten getötet hatten.
(Tagesschau)

Assad sperrt syrischen Luftraum für türkische Flugzeuge

14.10.2012
Syrien hat ab Mitternacht ein Flugverbot für türkische Passagierflugzeuge über dem Land verhängt. Dies berichtet die amtliche syrische Nachrichtenagentur Sana. Wenige Tage vorher hatte die Türkei ein syrisches Flugzeug zur Landung in Ankara gezwungen. Es soll Waffen an Bord gehabt haben. 

La Tunisie a décroché son billet pour la CAN 2013

La Tunisie a décroché son billet pour la CAN 2013

La Tunisie s'est qualifiée à la CAN 2013 après avoir fait un matcg null (0-0) face à la Sierra Leone aujourd'hui, Samedi 13 octobre 2012 au Stade de Monastir.
Sachant que le match aller entre les deux équipes a été soldé par un null de 2 buts partout.

Missing journalist in Syria possibly kidnapped

A 40-year-old Ukrainian journalist  went missing in Syria. Colleagues and relatives believe she may have been kidnapped.

Well-known Russian blogger and the ex-deputy of the Russian State Duma Daria Mitina reported that journalist Anhar Kochneva may have been kidnapped 20 kilometers from the city of Homs, near the town of Al-Qusayr by the Syria-Lebanon border. That area has witnessed violent clashes between the Syrian government and the opposition forces recently

On Monday, Kocheva traveled to Tartus with a colleague, journalist Elena Gromova, where the two gave speeches to the city's residents. Kocheva was supposed to return to Damascus after the trip, but changed her mind and went to Homs instead to prepare a report for the NTV television station.

“The latest information we have is that yesterday [on Friday] around noon Anhar tried to establish connection with our TV crew in Damascus,” Mitina said. “She called their hotel, but connection broke and she never called back.”

The Russian embassy in Damascus is currently investigating the situation. Sources in Lebanon’s security forces told RIA-Novosti that their “contacts in the Free Syrian Army (FSA) operating near the Syrian town of Al-Qusayr don’t have any information on the matter.”

Anhar Kochneva is a Ukrainian citizen, and lives in Moscow. Since the ongoing conflict in Syria began in 2011, she has collaborated with several Russian news outlets, including RT. She was an outspoken supporter of Bashar al-Assad’s government, and frequently criticized opposition forces, which may have been the reason for her possible kidnapping, Kochneva's employer, the Utro news outlet claimed.

As EU basks in Nobel win, separatist movements on rise

 October 13. 2012 -

ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Historic world port and fashionista capital, Antwerp has always lived on the crest of the wave. Now, a separatist party heading into municipal elections Sunday wants to use the city as a base for breaking away from Belgium — putting it at the forefront of a European breakaway trend just as the EU celebrates winning the Nobel Peace Prize for fostering continental unity.

Moves toward separatism have been getting a bigger these past months as the economic crisis pushes people faster toward stark choices on nationhood and their future. It is no different in Spain's Catalonia, another wealthy region grousing that it has to pay for others in its crisis-hit country.

Scotland, too, is looking at the option of going its own way, making the United Kingdom a little less united.

Two days after the European Union won the Peace Prize for bridging ties between former enemies, Belgium holds municipal elections in which separatists hope to pick up city halls across Dutch-speaking northern Flanders. Bart De Wever, the leader of a Flemish separatist party, is running for mayor of wealthy Antwerp and has been perennially at odds with ailing French-speaking Wallonia.

If elected, De Wever plans to use city hall as a platform for the 2014 national election and an even more ambitious program of separatism.

By that time, he says, he will be counting on a "democratic revolt" at the polls.

Obama touts recovery of auto industry

October 13. 2012 - President Obama devoted his Saturday radio address to one of his top election issues, the recovery of the American auto industry.

Tying his remarks to the introduction of the new 2013 car models, Obama said the industry was "flatlining" a few years ago, but is now flourishing thanks to a government-led re-organization of General Motors and Chrysler.

"We bet on American workers and American ingenuity, and three years later, that bet is paying off in a big way," Obama said.

The president has frequently touted the auto bailout on the campaign trail. Polls indicate the issue has been notably successful for him in the pivotal state of Ohio, where an estimated one in eight jobs depends on car making..

Republicans also salute the recovery of the car industry. but say most of the economy continues to struggle under Obama's stewardship.

In the weekly Republican radio address, congressional candidate Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma said, "our economy doesn't need more meddling -- it needs more certainty.

"And we don't need more regulators," Mullijn said. "We need more representatives who understand what it takes to create jobs, and who will inspire us to overcome doubt and commit ourselves to a future of growth and prosperity."

In the presidential radio address, Obama says U.S. companies have "some pretty good looking cars coming out" this fall, and suggested it is a preview of a comeback for the economy a whole.

"Next time you see one of those brand new 2013 models on TV or on the lot, think about how far we've come together," he said.

Alex Rodriguez back in Yankees lineup, batting sixth

October 13. 2012 - NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez is back in the New York Yankees' lineup for Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.

The third baseman was scheduled to hit sixth in the Yankees' batting order as they face the Detroit Tigers at 8:07 p.m. ET Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

Rodriguez was benched for the Yankees' 3-1 victory against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night in the winner-take-all Game 5 of the AL Division Series. Manager Joe Girardi also pinch-hit for Rodriguez late in Games 3 and 4.

Rodriguez went 2-for-16 with nine strikeouts in the ALDS, including going 0-for-12 with all nine strikeouts against right-handers. That led to speculation that Rodriguez might not start any of the games in the ALCS because Detroit has all right-handed starting pitchers.

Rodriguez is the highest-paid player in the major leagues this season with a $29 million salary. He has five years and $114 million remaining on a 10-year, $275 million contract beyond this season.

"This is a guy we know is capable of doing a lot," Girardi said. "I talk about how you go with your gut sometimes when you make the lineup and I just think he's raring to go. If we're going to make some noise, we're going to need Alex to be Alex."

Rodriguez has been labeled as a player who fails to come through in the postseason, though he has hit .268 with 13 homers and 41 RBI in 72 games.

"You go through 225 days to get to this point," Girardi said. "You sacrifice a lot, physically, mentally and with family. I think guys just want it so bad at this time of year that they try too hard.

"Something that people don't talk about enough is that teams that usually get to the playoffs have good pitching, so runs are going to be at a premium. It's October, and the ball isn't going to carry as far. Bullpens are fresher with the off days. It's just tough to hit in the postseason."

In other Yankees news, Girardi has set his rotation beyond Game 1, which left-hander Andy Pettitte will start. Hiroki Kuroda will start Game 2 on three days of rest then Phil Hughes and lefty CC Sabathia will pitch Games 3 and 4 on the regular four days of rest.

It will be the first time Kuroda will pitch on short rest in his five major-league seasons.

ADVERTISEME