Carroll rejects Hammers move

By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent
West Ham United have failed in a bid to sign Andy Carroll despite Liverpool accepting their £19 million offer.

PA PhotosAndy Carroll's future remains uncertain

The Hammers had agreed a £2 million season-long loan with a stipulation that they pay £17 million at the end of the season should they retain their Premier League status.
However, having spent weeks working on the bid and finding the resources to fund the England international's £80,000 a week wages, Carroll has rejected the chance to move to Upton Park.
"Sadly we have a deal in place with Liverpool, but the player does not want to come permanently at this time," a club source told ESPN.
West Ham had hoped that the fact Carroll's agent, Mark Curtis, also represents Sam Allardyce and Kevin Nolan may boost their chances of a move, with Nolan a good friend of the striker.
However, it is understood that Carroll is only willing to play for a club that is competing in European competition, and Newcastle United, who had earlier seen a bid rejected, would be his preferred destination if he is forced to leave Anfield.

Is Dempsey heading to Liverpool?

By ESPN staff and Harry Harris
Liverpool transfer target Clint Dempsey has not travelled with the Fulham squad for their pre-season training camp in Switzerland.

PA PhotosFulham have made clear their desire to keep Clint Dempsey

Dempsey, who scored 23 goals in 45 games for Fulham last season, held talks with manager Martin Jol and it was agreed he should remain in London and train with the youth team.
The Cottagers insist the decision was based purely on the 29-year-old's lack of fitness, rather than a desire to facilitate any move to Liverpool, who made an enquiry for Dempsey earlier this summer.
A Fulham spokesperson told ESPN: "Clint remained behind to work on his fitness along with Hugo Rodallega.
"Contrary to popular belief the player has not refused to go, he has not had a bust up with the manager, he and Martin Jol get on fine.
"Equally we have not had an offer for Clint and nor would the club welcome one."
Dempsey has previously said he is keen to play in the Champions League before the end of his career and is looking to move on this summer, with Liverpool seemingly leading the race for his services.
Fulham will play Nice in France on Saturday after spending the week in Switzerland.

Bond villain unveiled

Javier Bardem's blond Bond villain unveiled

 

Bardem won an Oscar in 2008 for his role in No Country for Old Men

A new trailer for the latest James Bond film Skyfall has given fans their first glimpse of Oscar-winning actor Javier Bardem's blond villain in action.

Bardem's character, named Silva, is seen confronting a manacled Bond, played by Daniel Craig, and is later shown disguised as a British policeman.
The trailer features actor Ben Whishaw as "The New Q" and explosive action in various London locales.
It also shows Bond being "killed" in action and M typing up his obituary.
Played by Dame Judi Dench, 007's boss is then seen being chastised by Ralph Fiennes' character Gareth Mallory for losing a disc drive containing details of undercover British agents.
Subsequent scenes depict an explosion at MI6's Thameside HQ and a Tube train plummeting into an underground vault.

Click the Link below to view the trailer
 http://cnthis.blogspot.com/2012/07/new-bond-movie-trailersky-fall.html


The trailer reveals previously unknown plot points, one of which appears to have been drawn from Ian Fleming's novel You Only Live Twice.
The 1964 book concludes with an obituary for Bond written by M after the secret agent is believed to have been killed during a mission in Japan.
The latest trailer comes shortly after Craig's cameo appearance during the Olympic Opening Ceremony in a short film that showed Bond escorting the Queen to the Olympic Stadium.
Audiences in the US were treated to a teaser of the new footage during NBC's telecast of the London 2012 launch.

 

 Daniel Craig's James Bond features in another newly released Skyfall image

Other scenes unveiled on Tuesday include one showing British actress Naomie Harris, in her role as field agent Eve, "shooting" Bond off the roof of a moving train in Turkey.
Skyfall, to be released in the UK on 26 October, marks Craig's third big-screen appearance as Fleming's legendary spy.
The 44-year-old was previously seen in the role in 2006's Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace in 2008.
Spanish actor Bardem won the best supporting actor Oscar in 2008 for his villainous role in No Country for Old Men.
The 43-year-old, who is married to fellow Spaniard Penelope Cruz, was also Oscar-nominated in 2001 and 2011.

Mitt Romney Spokesman Tells Reporters 'Kiss My …' at Polish Holy Site

Romney wraps up overseas tour amid tensions with media

'This is a holy site for the Polish people'

US presidential candidate Mitt Romney wrapped up his overseas tour in Poland, as frustrations between his campaign and journalists boiled over.

In a foreign policy speech in Warsaw, the former Massachusetts governor praised Poland's economy as a model of small government and free enterprise.
But it was a Romney spokesman who captured headlines by lashing out at US reporters asking questions.
The Republican is set to challenge President Obama in November's polls.
On Tuesday, Mr Romney's travelling press secretary, Rick Gorka, lost his cool with reporters who tried to question the candidate after he visited Warsaw's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

'Shove it'

At a public plaza near the memorial, journalists from CNN, the New York Times and Washington Post asked Mr Romney about "mishaps" and "gaffes" on his trip.

Mr Gorka said: "Kiss my ass. This is a holy site for the Polish people."

He then told a reporter from Politico to "shove it". The press secretary apologised soon afterwards to correspondents.
Mr Romney later told Fox News that journalists had been more interested in "finding something to write about" other than reporting on the economy and national security threats.
But US media have been complaining that Mr Romney only took three press questions - outside Downing Street in London - during the entirety of his six-day trip.

"Mr Romney won't answer any questions and even his press team finds it difficult to respond to the most basic inquiries about what their candidate has said”

Mark Mardell North America editor

 

Mr Romney's tour of the UK, Israel and Poland was intended to burnish his profile globally, but it has been overshadowed by media reports of his perceived missteps.
At the weekend, he declared Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel, even though US policy holds that the city's designation is a matter for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
He was also accused of racism after he told an audience of Jewish donors that cultural differences explained why Israel's economy was much larger than that of the Palestinians.
And he was excoriated by the British media on the first leg of his tour in London, when he questioned the country's readiness to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

Swipe at Obama?

Following the press secretary's outburst on Tuesday, Mr Romney delivered a set-piece speech.

He praised Poland's efforts since the fall of communism to embrace small government and a market economy - the same formula he says is needed to revive sluggish US growth.

He said Poland had spurned the "false promise" of a government-dominated economy, remarks that correspondents said were aimed at President Obama and his Democratic allies.
Speaking in the library of Warsaw University, Mr Romney said: "The world should pay close attention to the transformation of Poland's economy.
"A march toward economic liberty and smaller government has meant a march toward higher living standards, a strong military that defends liberty at home and abroad, and an important and growing role on the international stage."
Analysts say Mr Romney's two-day trip to Poland was designed to attract Polish-American and Catholic voters in the US.


It was also seen as a way of highlighting his hawkish stance toward Russia, whom he once labelled America's "number one geopolitical foe".
Taking a swipe at Poland's neighbour on Tuesday, Mr Romney said: "In Russia, once-promising advances toward a free and open society have faltered."
The Republican also praised the Polish trade union movement, Solidarity, which helped topple communist rule.
But Solidarity distanced itself from Mr Romney on Monday, saying he had supported attacks on unions in his own country.



 

Ye Shiwen row: IOC says it will catch Olympics drugs cheats

IOC's Mark Adams: "We have a very strong drugs testing programme. If there are cheats then we will catch them."

Olympic organisers have said their drug testing programme is strong and "if there are cheats, we will catch them".

Doubts were raised over the performance of Chinese gold medallist Ye Shiwen but she said she would never use banned substances and British Olympics chief Lord Moynihan said she was "clean".
Ahead of the start of athletics, GB's track and field team flew into the UK from a training camp in Portugal.
Britain's equestrian team won a silver medal in the eventing competition.
Germany took gold in the contest at Greenwich Park.
The GB team of Tina Cook, William Fox-Pitt, Mary King, Zara Phillips and Nicola Wilson won Britain's fourth medal of the Games so far.
Phillips' mother, the Princess Royal - President of the British Olympic Association, who herself competed in the same event in the 1976 Montreal Olympics - later presented the eventing teams with their medals.
GB won eventing silver in the 2004 Athens games and bronze in 2008.

 

More than two million fans watched the first two days of the Games

Ye Shiwen took seconds off her personal best to break the world record and win a gold medal in the 400m medley on Saturday, swimming faster in the last 50m than the winner of the men's event.

"Ye Shiwen deserves recognition for her talent”

Lord Moynihan Chairman, British Olympic Association

US coach John Leonard - the executive director of the World Swimming Coaches Association - said her performance was "unbelievable" and "disturbing".

But there is no evidence against her and all medal winners are drug-tested.
Ye Shiwen herself said: "There is no problem with doping. The Chinese team has a firm policy so there is no problem with that."
And in response to the questions, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said London 2012 has "some of the most rigorous, if not the most rigorous, anti-doping procedures in place for any Olympics".
At a news conference, British Olympic Association chairman Lord Moynihan said the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) was "on top of the game... Ye Shiwen deserves recognition for her talent".
International Olympic Committee communications director Mark Adams told a separate news conference: "We have a very strong drugs testing programme. And we're very confident that if there are cheats then we will catch them."

Ye Shiwen will seek her second gold medal later

Mr Adams said that before the Olympics began the IOC had issued one suspension and one temporary suspension.
He said there had been 1,706 tests so far, of which 1,344 were urine and 362 were blood.
The first five athletes are tested automatically and then two others at random, he said.
Mr Adams said the public should not be surprised if they saw big performances.
"We need to get real here here - these are the world's best athletes competing at the highest level with records being broken all over the place," he said.

British Man Rescued After Trying To Swim To U.S.

It's only the opening weekend, and already Olympic swimming seems to be making the biggest splash. But one of the biggest stories didn't happen in the Olympic pools -- it happened on the beach in the south of France.
According to the Daily Mail, a 34-year-old man from London was enjoying a holiday at the Biarritz beach when suddenly he was taken with Olympic fever.
He bid his friends farewell, explaining that the only cure was to swim across the Atlantic to New York City and infect America with his enthusiasm.
His friends figured it was a joke, and let him take to the waves, assuming the strong swimmer would turn around eventually. After 300 yards, the lifeguards couldn't see him.
Sadly, the Londoner's hopes and dreams were dashed to pieces when a helicopter dropped a diver in the ocean to remind him that the distance from Biarritz to New York is 3,594.69 miles. He persisted, citing his advanced aquatic skills, but eventually accepted a line from a rescue dinghy and made his way back to the beach.

While his confidence is to be admired, we're left thinking that a train to Le Havre followed by a quick dip in the English Channel en route to London would have made far more sense.

Big drug bust in Australia

Australian Police have arrested seven men in connection with a large record breaking drug shipment worth half a billion dollars. more watch it here.http://cnthis.blogspot.com/2012/07/australian-police-record-drug-bust.html

Romney Comments Insults Palestinians

Palestinians attack Mitt Romney for 'racist' comments

 

Mitt Romney has travelled to the UK, Israel and Poland - all close US allies

Mitt Romney has been accused of racism for suggesting to Jewish donors that "culture" might explain Palestinians' income inferiority to Israel.

A senior Palestinian aide said the Republican presidential candidate had failed to note economic restrictions placed by the Israeli occupation.
But the Romney campaign said his remarks in Israel were misinterpreted.
The former Massachusetts governor is now in Poland, for the third and final leg of a week-long foreign tour.
Mr Romney is set to face Barack Obama in November's presidential election.
'Hand of providence' Speaking at a breakfast of about 40 donors in Jerusalem on Monday, Mr Romney said he had thought about how Israel had achieved greater prosperity than its neighbours.

"This breakfast remark is perhaps not a gaffe in any sense - it is of a piece with [Mr  Romney's] attitude generally, and what he thinks.”

 

Mark Mardell North America editor

"As you come here and you see the GDP [Gross Domestic Product] per capita, for instance, in Israel which is about $21,000 dollars, and compare that with the GDP per capita just across the areas managed by the Palestinian Authority, which is more like $10,000 per capita, you notice such a dramatically stark difference in economic vitality," Mr Romney is reported to have said.

He referred to a book called The Wealth And Poverty Of Nations, by David Landes, which examines how some societies became more prosperous than those of their neighbours.
Mr Romney said he had concluded from the book that "if you could learn anything from the economic history of the world it's this: culture makes all the difference.
He added: "And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognise the power of at least culture and a few other things."
Mr Romney also said he recognised "hand of providence in selecting this place [Israel]".
The economic disparity between Israel and the Palestinian Authority is even wider than Mr Romney's remarks suggest.
According to a World Bank report, in 2011 Israel's GDP was $31,000 per head, compared with just over $1,500 in the West Bank and Gaza.
'Scratching their heads' Saeb Erekat, an aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, responded quickly to the comments.
"It is a racist statement and this man doesn't realise that the Palestinian economy cannot reach its potential because there is an Israeli occupation," Mr Erekat said.
"It seems to me this man lacks information, knowledge, vision and understanding of this region and its people.
"He also lacks knowledge about the Israelis themselves. I have not heard any Israeli official speak about cultural superiority," he added.

Mitt Romney: It would be "foolish not to take Iranian threat seriously"

Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said his remarks had been "grossly mischaracterised".
His campaign added that the candidate's comments had been more general and had included examples of income disparities between the US and Mexico, and Chile and Ecuador.
Meanwhile, a White House spokesman said Mr Romney's comments had left some people "scratching their heads a little bit".
At the breakfast, Mr Romney sat next to casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who has given millions of dollars to Republican presidential campaigns.
The owner of the American football team New York Jets, Woody Johnson, and hedge fund manager Paul Singer were also guests at the breakfast, which is thought to have raised about $1m.
Deputy Israeli Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon came to Mr Romney's defence.
"It is unfortunate that the Palestinians find every reason and opportunity to discomfit or to criticise or to attack Israel or anyone who pays respect to Israel and Jewish culture," he said, reports the Associated Press.
On Sunday, Mr Romney caused controversy when he described Jerusalem as the country's capital.
He said in an interview with CNN that he would favour moving the US embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, where it is currently located.
The status of Jerusalem is a key issue in peace negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Mr Romney's visit to Israel followed a three-day visit to London. There, he was criticised in the British press for expressing doubt about whether Britain was ready to stage the Olympic Games.

Ebola Confirmed in Ugandan Capital Kampala

Uganda's Yoweri Museveni warns of Ebola threat

 

Up to 90% of those who contract Ebola die from the virus

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has urged people to avoid physical contact, after the deadly Ebola virus claimed one life in the capital, Kampala.

Fourteen people have now died since the outbreak began in western Uganda three weeks ago, he said in a broadcast.
There have been no confirmed cases of the infection spreading in Kampala.
Ebola, one of the most virulent diseases in the world, is spread by close personal contact and can kill up to 90% of those who become infected.
Mr Museveni said health officials were trying to trace everyone who had had contact with victims so that they could be quarantined.
People should avoid shaking hands, kissing or having sex to prevent the disease from spreading, he added.
Mr Museveni said relatives and friends should not bury anyone who is suspected to have died of Ebola.
"Instead call health workers because they know how to do it," he said.
Shocked Mr Museveni said seven doctors and 13 health workers at Mulago hospital - the main referral hospital in Kampala - were in quarantine after "at least one or two cases" were taken there from Kibaale district, about 170km (100 miles) west of Kampala.
One victim - a health worker who had been transferred to the capital - later died.
"I wish you good luck, and may God rest the souls of those who died in eternal peace," Mr Museveni said as he ended his address to the nation.
The BBC's Ignatius Bahizi in Kampala says that some people have not yet heard about the latest outbreak of Ebola and are shocked when they find out.
At a bus station in the city centre, our correspondent saw officials warning passengers about the virus and telling them to avoid physical contact.
The first victim of the latest outbreak was a pregnant woman.
It then spread at a funeral, Mr Museveni said.
Uganda has seen three major Ebola outbreaks over the past 12 years.
The deadliest was in 2000 when 425 people were infected. More than half of them died.
There is no vaccine for the virus. Symptoms include sudden onset of fever, weakness, headache, vomiting and kidney problems.

Pussy Riot members plead not guilty over Moscow protest

Pussy Riot band in court

All three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot have pleaded not guilty to charges of hooliganism over an anti-Vladimir Putin protest at Moscow's main cathedral.

The women were taken into custody in February after the protest at Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral.
The case has divided Russia and inflamed the religious establishment, correspondents say.
The song outraged the Russian Orthodox Church. It accused them of blasphemy.
Supporters say the case reflects the state's growing intolerance of government opponents.

In a written statement, band member Mariya Alekhina said the performance was an administrative offence, but had become a criminal case "as a result of the influence of political, law-enforcement and spiritual elites".

At the start of the trial, the three women, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Ms Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich, were led into court in handcuffs, and locked into a cage of bullet-proof glass.
In court, Ms Tolokonnikova said that although they were pleading not guilty, that did not mean they were not prepared to apologise for the pain their performance in the cathedral had caused.
They each stood up and answered a series of questions from the judge in turn, which included their educational level, citizenship and the birth dates of their children.
The women are facing the charge of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred or hostility and could face up to seven years in prison.
In an interview with UK newspaper The Times, which was also broadcast on Russian TV, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has said it is up to the court to decide whether the women have committed a crime.
"This case is a high-profile one because it really is about our understanding of the rights and freedoms of an individual.
"However, there will always be differences in the perception of what is permitted and what is not permitted from a moral point of view and of where moral misdemeanours transform into criminal offences."
Bail denied The women caused outrage when they stormed on to the altar of Christ the Saviour Cathedral, and sang an obscenity-laced song that implored the Virgin Mary to "throw Putin out".
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has said the act amounted to blasphemy.
The case has divided Russia, with many feeling the women have been too harshly treated, and are being made an example of as part of attempts to clamp down on the opposition, the BBC's Daniel Sandford reports from the court.
Two of the women have young children, and all three have repeatedly been denied requests to be given bail while awaiting trial.
Pussy Riot made headlines around the world late last year when footage of their controversial public performances at Moscow landmarks such as Red Square attracted millions of viewers on the internet.
More than 100 prominent Russian actors, directors and musicians have urged the authorities to release the three.
Western musicians such as Sting and the Red Hot Chili Peppers have also criticised the women's arrest.
Activists have said the case indicates that President Putin, now serving a third term in office, is not heeding calls for him to be more tolerant of political opponents.

At the scene

Daniel Sandford BBC News, Moscow

We watched as the three young women were led down the concrete stairs and into the courtroom.
Their handcuffs were only removed once they were locked inside the bullet-proof cage.
As so often in this case, they were smiling despite their imprisonment. But their relatives sitting only a couple of metres away looked nervous.
The trial is getting widespread publicity both in Russia and overseas, and there were too many reporters to fit in the courtroom.
Cameras were allowed in briefly before proceedings, but the judge arranged a live internet broadcast from inside the court.
International superstars from the world of music have backed Pussy Riot. But their supporters believe the Kremlin could be much more influential on the outcome of this case.

Another Olympian Booted Out For Racist Comments

Switzerland's Olympic football team has expelled defender Michel Morganella from the tournament for posting racist comments on Twitter.

An offensive message aimed at South Korean people was posted from his Twitter account after

The 23-year-old's Twitter account has since been deleted and he apologised.

He said he accepted the consequences of his actions. "I made a huge mistake after a disappointing result," he said.

Morganella added: "I wish to apologise to the people in South Korea and their team, but also to the Swiss delegation and Swiss football in general."
Earlier this month, Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was expelled from her country's Olympic team over comments she posted on Twitter which were deemed racist.
She later apologised for the "unfortunate and tasteless joke".
Switzerland head coach Gian Gilli said Morganella, who plays his club football for Palermo in Italy, had let the team down.
"He discriminated, insulted and violated the dignity of the South Korean football team and people," he said.
Morganella has one senior cap for Switzerland and started both Olympic Group B games for his country, who have taken just one point from a possible six.
Switzerland round off their group campaign against Mexico at the Millennium Stadium on Tuesday.

30 July 2012 Last updated at 16:47 ET Share this page Email Print 445 Share Facebook Twitter Aurora shootings: James Holmes charged with 142 counts

Cameras were not allowed in the courtoom for the second hearing

Alleged Colorado cinema gunman James Holmes has been formally charged with 142 criminal counts in one of America's worst mass shootings.

He faces 24 counts of murder, two for each of the 12 people killed, and 116 counts of attempted murder, two each for the 58 injured.
For each person killed he faces a count of murder with deliberation and one of murder with extreme indifference.
If convicted, the 24-year-old could face the death penalty.
He opened fire at random in a crowded movie theatre showing Batman film The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora near Denver on 20 July, according to the authorities.
The judge had banned cameras from Monday's hearing, so there were no pictures of the defendant, who appeared dazed during his first court appearance last week.
Defendant impassive Mr Holmes was reportedly quiet and unemotional during the hearing. At times, he appeared to be trying to focus his eyes.

Victims and family of victims arrive for the second court hearing

Denver Post reporter John Ingold tweeted that the accused appeared "not quite engaged, but listening".
When asked if he approved a delay in his bail hearing, the defendant leaned towards his lawyer and appeared to say "okay", and then said "yes" quietly to the judge.
Survivors of the shooting and family members of those killed attended the hearing.
Several wore Batman shirts, including Don Lader, who was in the eighth row of the theatre when the shooting began. He told CNN he had seen the movie twice since that day.
Among the counts on the prosecutors' sheet, Mr Holmes faces a gun charge and another of possessing an explosive or incendiary device.
He allegedly wired his apartment with enough explosives to destroy the entire building had they been detonated. It took authorities several days to dismantle the booby traps.
Court documents filed on Friday by defence lawyers said the suspect had been under the care of a psychiatrist at the University of Colorado Denver, where he had been in the process of dropping out as a neuroscience PhD student.
Insanity defence? Monday's hearing had also been expected to examine a defence motion relating to a package which the suspect addressed to that psychiatrist, Dr Lynne Fenton.

James Holmes had been under the care of a psychiatrist at the university where he studied

The package - discovered in a campus mailroom three days after the shootings - reportedly contained descriptions of an attack, including drawings of a stick-figure gunman shooting people.
The defence team has been seeking a court order requiring prosecutors to immediately turn over all evidence relating to the seizure of a package, citing doctor-patient privilege.
But plans to address the issue were postponed on Monday, according to the Denver Post.
Correspondents say it is likely that the defendant will plead insanity.
Prosecutors have said it will be several weeks before a decision is made on whether or not to seek the death penalty in the case.
As of Sunday, 10 victims of the 20 July shooting remained in hospital, four of them in a critical condition.
Ashley Moser, the critically injured mother of a six-year-old girl killed in the rampage in Aurora, has suffered a miscarriage, her family said on Saturday.

Syria conflict: Army steps up attack on rebels in Aleppo

The BBC's Ian Pannell and cameraman Darren Conway were trapped by fighting in Aleppo. Their report contains graphic images of the victims of the Syria conflict

Syrian government forces have been continuing their assault with artillery, ground forces and helicopter gunships on rebel-held areas of the second city, Aleppo.

Officials said one area, Salah al-Din, had been recaptured, but rebels said the battle there was still going on.
UN observers have reported an upsurge in violence in the city, the new head of their mission Babacar Gaye said.
He added that he had personally seen heavy shelling in the city of Homs.
Lt-Gen Gaye also said he had witnessed serious damage from shelling and fighting in the nearby town of Rastan.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon later reported that Gen Gaye's convoy had been attacked at the weekend.
'Not one metre' Government forces launched a ground assault on Aleppo on Saturday after a week of sporadic shelling and sorties by fighter jets.

Rebels are now thought to have a direct route from Aleppo to the Turkish border

With fighting into its third day, UN observers and witnesses reported fire from mortars, tanks and helicopter gunships.
Fighting has focused on the Salah al-Din neighbourhood in Aleppo's south-west, where the rebels had embedded themselves.
Syrian state television showed footage from the city and interviewed soldiers who said they had taken complete control of Salah al-Din late on Sunday.
On Monday, officials in Damascus again said they had "purged" the area.
But activists have denied that the quarter has been overrun by the army, saying rebels are still in control.
The head of the Free Syrian Army in Aleppo, Col Abdel Jabbar al-Oqaidi, told the AFP news agency the government "had not progressed one metre".
Heavy shelling and clashes have also been reported in the Sakhur quarter on the north-east side of the city centre, where another attack by government forces appeared to be under way.
And an AFP reporter said rebels had captured a checkpoint at Anadan, 5km (three miles) north-west of Aleppo, seizing government armoured vehicles.

Where Syrians are fleeing

Turkey: 43,387 Anxious Turks wait for endgame
Jordan: 36,824 Jordan's desert refugee camp
Lebanon: 31,596 Defiance at Lebanon frontier
Iraq: 8,445 Iraq pressurised by tribal ties
Internally displaced: One million
Source: UNHCR

Correspondents say that controlling the checkpoint would give the rebels a direct route between Aleppo and the Turkish border.

Meanwhile UN humanitarian chief Baroness Valerie Amos said that, according to Red Cross and Syrian Arab Red Crescent estimates, some 200,000 people had fled fighting in Aleppo.
She said others were trapped in the city and needed urgent help.
"I call on all parties to the fighting to ensure that they do not target civilians and that they allow humanitarian organisations safe access."
She said many people had fled their homes to take shelter in schools and other public buildings.
The BBC's Ian Pannell, in the Aleppo area, says residents are facing food shortages and power cuts.
He says the rebels are outgunned by the army, but they are fighting an effective guerrilla war in the streets.
Speaking of the attack on Gen Gaye's convoy, Ban Ki-moon said no-one had been injured, as personnel were protected by the vehicles' armour.
Mr Ban was initially understood to have said that the convoy had been attacked by "army tanks", but according to an official transcript of his remarks, he actually spoke of "armed attacks".
He also said the UN was "still waiting" for the Syrian government to honour its commitment to end armed violence.
Mr Ban expressed particular concern about the impact of shelling and heavy weapons such as helicopters in Aleppo.
He also called on the government to renounce any possibility of using weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons and to ensure that stockpiles were kept secure.
Last week Damascus said it would not use chemical weapons inside Syria, but did not rule out their use in the event of an attack by foreign powers.

Billboard compares Obama to Aurora Killer

This Is the Obama-Aurora Billboard Everyone's Talking AboutThis billboard got a lot of media attention this weekend for its meme-style juxtaposition of President Obama and Aurora-shooter James Holmes. Styled like something you'd see on Reddit, the billboard features side-by-side pictures of the two men with the words "kills 12 in movie theater with assault rifle, everyone freaks out" over Holmes' picture, and "kills thousands with his foreign policy, wins nobel peace prize" over Obama's picture. Maurice Clements is the guy in charge the billboard. He's part of a group who honor the memory of Libertarian Ralph Smeed. He says the group is angry over Obama not bringing the troops home. "We’re all outraged over that killing in Aurora, Colo., but we’re not outraged over the boys killed in Afghanistan," Clements said. Locals think the billboard is "pathetic," and "abhorrant."

Mississippi Church Refuses to Marry Black Couple

They had booked their wedding far in advance. The invitations had been sent, the programs printed. But one day before Charles and Te'Andrea Wilson were to be married at the Mississippi church they frequented, they said a pastor told them they would have to find another venue -- because they were black. 

 

There has never been a black wedding at the First Baptist Church in Crystal Springs, Miss., since its founding in 1883. According to Pastor Stan Weatherford, some church members objected so strongly to breaking that precedent, they threatened to oust him from his pastorship.

Rather than risk his job, Weatherford, who is white, said he decided to marry the pair at a black church down the road.

"My 9-year-old was going to the church with us. How would you say to your 9-year-old daughter, 'We cannot get married here because, guess what sweetie, we're black,'" Charles Wilson told ABC's affiliate WAPT-TV.

Outrage over the wedding's forced relocation swept the Jackson suburb of about 5,000 into a media firestorm.

The vast majority of Crystal Springs residents, blacks and whites alike, were "blown away" by the church's decision, said Theresa Norwood, 48, who was born in Crystal Springs and has lived there her entire life.

Norwood said she believes Weatherford should have married the Wilsons regardless of the risk to his job.

"That church was their home," she said. "What would Jesus have done? He would have married them, without a doubt, because it's the right thing to do. We're all God's children."

While the Wilsons were not members of the church, they often attended services there, and Te'Andrea's uncle is an employee of the church, and her father is a member. Charles Wilson told WAPT that the couple had planned to join as members after their wedding, which was held July 20.

Weatherford told WLBT-TV in Jackson that he would have liked to marry the couple as planned, but he decided to perform the ceremony elsewhere as a compromise to ensure that the Wilsons could be married while "addressing a need within our congregation."

Norwood, who is black, said her nephew came to worship at First Baptist Church while he was temporarily living with her, having been evacuated from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The church "made him feel at home," she said, but now she wonders whether he would return there when he visits Crystal Springs.

The church is now holding internal meetings to figure out how it should respond to future requests by black couples to be married there, Weatherford told WLBT-TV.

For her part, though, Norwood, who is dating a white man, said that if she and her boyfriend decide to get married, they will likely look for a different venue.

AVB slams 'nasty' tackle on Bale

By ESPN staff
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has criticised Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam for a heavy challenge on Gareth Bale in their goalless pre-season friendly in the United States.

Friendly: Liverpool 0-0 Tottenham

Spurs and Liverpool played out a 0-0 draw at the M&T Bank Stadium, home of NFL franchise the Baltimore Ravens.
In a game which marked the Liverpool debut of summer signing Fabio Borini, Villas-Boas was critical of Adam who has previous history with Bale. In May 2011 the Scotland international injured Bale in a tackle, an incident Villas-Boas was only made aware of following game in Baltimore.
Bale was out for three months with ankle ligament damage after that incident and Villas-Boas was unhappy with Adam's latest challenge.
In quotes reported by several national newspapers, Villas-Boas said: "I think it was a very nasty challenge from Charlie. The player had gone and he came in from behind on Gareth's ankle. I did not know the previous history between the two. I do now.
"It is a difficult one to be fair. You do not want to end up in a game with Liverpool with 10 men. At half-time Charlie came to me and said something about the challenge. I can accept that but I think he should go to the player to say sorry.''
The incident left Villas-Boas waiting to hear on the seriousness of Bale's injury.
He added: "If the player escapes hospital it is because he is very lucky. The last time he was out for three months and in the end it is the Premier League that suffers without a player of Bale's talent.''
Bale's appearance on Spurs' United States tour had already caused controversy as he scored in the game with Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday despite having pulled out of the Team GB squad for the Olympics with a back injury.

No let-up in Aleppo battle as Syria vows to crush rebels

 

Rebels say they repelled a government offensive on Saturday but this claim cannot be verified

Shelling and gunfire have again shaken Aleppo as Syrian government forces battle rebels for control of the country's largest city.

A BBC correspondent who is just outside Aleppo says heavy fighting is reported in the city centre near the old fort but this cannot be verified.
Syria's foreign minister said on Sunday that the rebels would be defeated.
The head of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) has called for foreign states to arm rebel fighters.
"We want weapons that would stop tanks and jet fighters. That is what we want," Abdulbaset Sayda was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying at a news conference in Abu Dhabi.
He urged Arab "brothers and friends to support the Free [Syrian] Army".
Wealthy Gulf states pledged in April to pay the salaries of rebel fighters, while the US state department has acknowledged sending non-lethal aid (such as communications equipment) to the opposition.
Food shortages Shelling has again been reported in the Salah al-Din neighbourhood, in the south west of Aleppo.

 

The town of Azaz, north of Aleppo, was badly damaged by fighting

The BBC's Ian Pannell, who was inside Aleppo on Saturday, says government troops are trying to push into rebel-held neighbourhoods.
Vehicles carrying civilians have been steadily streaming out of the city.
Civilians who remain in Aleppo face power cuts and food shortages.
Our correspondent saw a bakery open for the first time in 24 hours which was quickly surrounded by people clamouring for bread and saying they had nothing else to eat.
The rebels claim to have repelled the government offensive which began in earnest on Saturday, but our correspondent says this cannot be verified.
Syria would defeat the rebels in Aleppo and the conspiracy against it, Foreign Minister Walid Moualem said.
He was speaking on a visit to Iran, Syria's closest ally in the region.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 29 people were killed in Aleppo on Saturday - among 168 to die across the country throughout the day. The figures cannot be verified.
The total number of people killed since the Syrian anti-government uprising began in March 2011 now stands at more than 20,000, the Observatory says.
Refugees

 

The BBC's Lyse Doucet sent this image of the tents which will shelter Syrian refugees at Zaatari

Meanwhile, Jordan is opening its first official refugee camp for Syrians fleeing the fighting.
The camp at Zaatari, about 11km (seven miles) from the border with Syria, will have room for 10,000 refugees to start with but could grow to 100,000 if needed.
Jordan says 2,000 refugees are crossing the border from Syria each day - the UN says the total figure now stands at 150,000.
The BBC's Lyse Doucet, at Zaatari, says the new camp will ease pressure on existing transit camps where overcrowding has been causing tension between refugees and with local communities.

Shevchenko calls time on career

By ESPN staff
Ukraine legend Andriy Shevchenko has announced his retirement from football as he plans for a new career in politics.

PA PhotosAndriy Shevchenko netted 48 goals for Ukraine over the course of a 17-year international career

• Shevchenko to decide on future
It had been suggested that Shevchenko, 35, would sign a contract extension with Dynamo Kiev if the club reached the group stage of the Champions League, but he has now decided to bring down the curtain on an illustrious career.
"Recently, there has been a lot of talk that I could sign a new contract with Dynamo or play abroad," he said. "I can say, with confidence, that neither will happen. Perhaps this will shock everyone: I have decided to bring an end to my football career and to enter politics."
He vowed to reveal more details of his future plans in the imminent future. "I will make an official statement," he said. "I hope to have your support."
In his prime, Shevchenko had been one of the deadliest strikers in world football. He had risen to prominence when his partnership with Sergei Rebrov made Dynamo Kiev a European force in the 1990s, and a move to AC Milan in 1999 enhanced an already strong reputation.
Across two spells with the Rossoneri, he became the club's second highest scorer of all-time behind the great Gunnar Nordahl, with 175 goals in 322 appearances.
His career took a backwards step, however, with an ill-fated move to Chelsea in 2006, with the forward struggling to find his place at Stamford Bridge and eventually being allowed to move on, with a loan return to Milan in 2008 followed by a permanent return to Dynamo in 2009.
He is also by some distance the all-time leading scorer for the Ukraine national team, with 48 goals in 111 appearances. At the recent European Championship, Shevchenko had scored a brace in Ukraine's opening game in Kiev to inspire a 2-1 victory over Sweden.

Outbreak of Ebola in Uganda kills 13

 

Up to 90% of those who contract Ebola die from the virus

An outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus has killed at least 13 people and infected a further seven in Uganda.

The health ministry says emergency measures are in place to deal with the outbreak, which began in late June but has only just been confirmed as Ebola.
The cases have been reported in Kibaale district, about 170km (100 miles) to the west of the capital Kampala.
Officials say most are linked to one family, who may have contracted the virus while attending a funeral.
Another suspected infection, at Kampala's Mulago hospital, is also being investigated by doctors, says the BBC's Catherine Byaruhanga in the capital.
Ebola is one of the most virulent diseases in the world. It is spread by close personal contact, and kills up to 90% of those who become infected.
There is no vaccine for the virus. Symptoms include sudden onset of fever, weakness, headache, vomiting and impaired kidneys.
The first victim of this outbreak was a pregnant woman.
More than 1,200 deaths from the virus have been recorded since it was discovered in 1976.
Uganda has seen three major outbreaks over the past 12 years.
The deadliest was in 2000 when 425 people were infected, more than half of them died.

Ethiopia: 20,000 flee Moyale clashes - Red Cross

 

Conflicts over land and water rights have caused clashes between local communities in the past

Ethnic clashes in southern Ethiopia are reported to have left at least 18 people dead and 12 others injured.

More than 20,000 people have crossed into Kenya to escape the fighting, the Kenyan Red Cross says.
A spokesman told the BBC that people were continuing to cross the border although Ethiopian government forces had intervened to stop the fighting.
The clashes, in the Moyale area, are thought to have been sparked by a simmering dispute over land rights.
Fighting involving the Borana and Garri communities is said to have started mid-week, and to have continued until Friday.
Local reports speak of armed militias taking up positions in outlying villages on Wednesday, with the fighting spreading to Moyale town, on the Ethiopia-Kenya border, on Thursday.
Many of those who fled across the border into the Kenyan side of Moyale are having to sleep out in the open.
The Red Cross says it is providing those who have been displaced with food, water and tarpaulins.

Syria army mounts air and land attack on Aleppo

The BBC's Ian Pannell says rebels in Aleppo are "upbeat"

Syrian forces have kept up a day-long ground and air attack against rebels in parts of the city of Aleppo.

The BBC's Ian Pannell, who is in Aleppo, has seen fierce battles, with a number of rebel fighters killed.
Rebels with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) say they have repelled an army incursion and destroyed tanks, but there is no independent verification.
Western nations have warned of a potential massacre in Aleppo, Syria's most populous city.
There are also reports of fighting in the western city of Homs, where state media said a number of rebels had been killed, and in the provinces of Hama and Deraa.
Activists said Syrian tanks began moving in on south-western districts of Aleppo city early on Saturday.
The bombardment of rebel-held areas intensified throughout the day, with military aircraft flying over at low altitudes, they said, and violent clashes were reported around the Salah al-Din and Hamdanieh quarters near the centre.

Our correspondent says there has been constant shelling and mortar rounds all day, with helicopter gunships deployed.

The rebels in Aleppo are upbeat but vastly outgunned and outmanned by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, he adds.
A government official told the AFP news agency: "Rebels are stationed in narrow streets, in which fighting will be difficult."
Both sides are braced for heavy casualties.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 29 people were killed in Aleppo on Saturday. They were among at least 90 people to die across the country throughout the day.
Syrian state television said that rebels, having failed in Damascus, were now trying to turn Aleppo into a den for their terrorism.
On Friday, the Red Crescent suspended some of its operations in Aleppo because of the heavy fighting, which began more than a week ago.
A steady stream of vehicles has been heading out of the city carrying hundreds of families trying to escape the violence and deteriorating conditions.


Tens of thousands of people have fled Syria over the past few months. Jordan, to the south, is preparing to open its first official camp to house some of the 140,000 Syrians who its say have crossed its border.

Rebel fighters have been battling to maintain control of Aleppo

Russia, an ally of Syria, warned of a "tragedy" in Aleppo, saying international support for the rebels would lead to "more blood".
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Syrian government could not be expected to "stand by" when rebels were occupying Aleppo and other areas and that the West and Syria's neighbours were "essentially encouraging, supporting and directing an armed struggle against the regime".
Later, Mr Lavrov also denied speculation that Moscow would offer asylum to Mr Assad if he chose to leave Syria.
"We have said more than once publicly that we are not even thinking about this," he told reporters.
Rebel gains The fighting comes after two weeks during which rebels made significant gains.
On 18 July, an attack at Syrian security headquarters in Damascus killed four senior officials, including the defence minister and President Assad's brother-in-law.
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) took control of several parts of Damascus before being driven out by a government counter-offensive. The rebels also seized several border crossings with Turkey and Iraq.
Earlier this week, thousands of government forces were moved from the border with Turkey to join fierce fighting in Aleppo, activists said.
On Friday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the Syrian government to halt its offensive and demanded a clear statement that chemical weapons would not be used under any circumstances.

Maj-Gen Robert Mood said President Assad could not remain in office for long

Syria has implicitly acknowledged that it has chemical weapons but says it will not use them against its own people, only against foreign invaders.
The former head of the UN monitoring mission in Syria, Maj Gen Robert Mood, said it was "only a matter of time" until President Assad was ousted.
On Saturday, the Syrian Observatory said that more than 20,000 people, including civilians, rebels, government soldiers and government figures, since the uprising began in March last year.
The UN said in May that at least 10,000 people had been killed.
In June, the Syrian government, which blames the violence on foreign-backed "armed terrorist gangs", reported that 6,947 Syrians had died, including at least 3,211 civilians and 2,566 security forces personnel.

'joker' held in Maryland over alleged gun threats

 

 This police photo shows the guns found in possession of the suspect

A heavily armed man who called himself a "joker" has been arrested after threatening his employer in the US state of Maryland, police say.

Neil Prescott, 28, allegedly said he was going to "load my guns and blow everybody up" at his workplace.
Wearing a t-shirt that read "guns don't kill people. I do" when arrested, he was in the process of being fired.
The suspect in last week's massacre at a Colorado Batman screening reportedly told police he was The Joker.
Mark Magaw, police chief of Prince George's County in Maryland, told reporters they were taking "all threats seriously" in light of last Friday's shootings.
"If you're going to make a threat, we will take action," he said.
'Very quiet' Mr Prescott had several thousand rounds of ammunition and about two dozen firearms in his apartment when it was searched by the authorities on Friday morning.
Police said he was "very quiet" and co-operative when arrested at his home in Crofton, near Annapolis.
He allegedly made multiple threats this week, including telling a supervisor at the mailroom supplier where he worked that he wanted to see his "brain splatter on the floor".
Mr Prescott was receiving a mental health evaluation with charges pending.
Meanwhile, a defence motion filed on Friday says that James Holmes, the suspect in the Colorado shooting, was being treated by a psychiatrist at the university where he studied.
On Friday in Colorado more than 1,000 people attended the funeral of Micayla Medek, one of the 12 victims of last week's shooting.
The 23-year-old was a student who had gone to the movie with a group of friends.
A full military funeral is scheduled next Friday for Jonathan Blunk, a navy veteran.

Aurora shootings: Suspect 'saw psychiatrist'

 

James Holmes recently dropped out of a PhD programme in neuroscience

The suspect in the Colorado cinema shooting was being treated by a psychiatrist at the university where he studied, according to court records.

Earlier reports said James Holmes, 24, had sent a notebook describing a massacre to the university.
Defence lawyers are seeking the source of the media leak, saying it violated a court order and put a fair trial in "serious jeopardy".
The neuroscience drop-out will be formally charged on Monday.
The court said it would consider the defence team's request then.
Threat assessment The suspect's lawyers argued that the notebook was a communication between a patient and his doctor, and was therefore confidential.
It is unclear if the package reportedly containing the notebook arrived at the university before the 20 July shootings.
University officials say it was delivered and investigated on Monday 23 July, but US media reports had suggested otherwise.
The legal motion described Mr Holmes as a "psychiatric patient" of Dr Lynne Fenton at University of Colorado Denver, where he was in the process of dropping out as a neuroscience PhD student.
Dr Fenton is a member of the campus-based behavioural and threat-assessment team that helps staff deal with "problematic" individuals, reports Reuters news agency.
James Holmes is accused of killing 12 and wounding 58 during a midnight showing of the new Batman film in Aurora near Denver a week ago.
Of the wounded, 11 remain in hospital, with five in critical condition.

Kristen Stewart cheating scandal:Director Rupert Sanders’ father says it's ‘all a lot of fuss about nothing'

Despite being married for 10 years, the director threw caution aside on July 17 when he met up with Stewart for a steamy rendezvous in Los Angeles

By Cristina Everett / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Friday, July 27, 2012, 1:43 PM

Marianna Massey/Getty Images

Director Rupert Sanders and Kristen Stewart have both publicly apologized for their fling.

Kristen Stewart’s fling with her “Snow White and the Huntsman” director, Rupert Sanders, is the latest cheating scandal that has rocked Hollywood and shocked fans around the world.
But despite the careless dalliance hurting the people close to those involved, Sanders’ father doesn’t see the big deal.
"From what I gather nothing really happened and it is all a lot of fuss about nothing. I should imagine it was something very brief," Michael Sanders told People. "She is a very pretty girl and when you work that closely with someone for so long, sometimes things happen."

Liberty Ross and husband Rupert Sanders attend the Los Angeles premiere of 'Snow White and The Huntsman' in May. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Despite being married to model-actress Liberty Ross for 10 years, Sanders threw caution aside on July 17 when he met up with Stewart for a steamy rendezvous in Los Angeles.
Photos in the new issue of Us Weekly show the two kissing in Stewart’s car and embracing near a park-like area overlooking the Hollywood sign. In one shot, Sanders is pressed against the back of his much-younger lover, his arms wrapped around her waist and his mouth nuzzling her ear.
Both Stewart, 22, and Sanders, 41, have issued groveling public apologies for their wrongdoings, specifically begging their significant others for forgiveness. For the past three years, Stewart has been dating her “Twilight” co-star Robert Pattinson, who reportedly packed his bags and left the Los Feliz, Calif. home the couple shares after news of the affair broke. Sanders, on the other hand, is father to two young children with Ross.

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart first met on the set of 'Twilight' and have been dating for three years. (Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

"He is very honorable, hardworking and (a) dedicated father and filmmaker," Michael Sanders continued to defend his son, adding that the director is far from the philanderer the media has made him out to be.
Though the future for Stewart and Pattinson remains unknown, Michael Sanders seems to believe there’s hope that his son’s marriage won’t end.
"Of course their relationship will survive this,” he said. “This is nothing – they will definitely survive all of this. It is all a lot of fuss about nothing."

Usain Bolt mobbed in Olympic Village

Reuters

LONDON – Usain Bolt has arranged a personal entourage comprising Jamaican track colleagues to shield him from the attention of other athletes in the Olympic Village. On Thursday, Bolt was mobbed by excited Olympians when he strolled into the vast dining hall as hundreds stood to cheer and applaud the defending triple gold medalist.
Since even the biggest stars are not allowed to bring their own security into the sanctuary of the Village, Bolt has had to call upon a group of Jamaican teammates to ensure he does not face too much intrusion away from the track.

"Mr. Bolt descended on the food hall for lunch," British field hockey player Chloe Rogers said. "We were loving the whole entourage around him, including his training buddy and rival Yohan Blake."
Discus thrower Jason Morgan, shot putter Dorian Scott (who has worked part-time as a bouncer in Jamaica) and 4x100 meter relay reserve Kemar Bailey-Cole have been tasked with shadowing Bolt whenever he ventures outside the Vesta House, the apartment block in the Village where the entire Jamaican contingent is staying.
"They are with him wherever he goes," an Olympic athlete told Yahoo! Sports. "The whole [dining room] went crazy when he first came in. For a couple of minutes everyone just turned into a fan. No one actually went up and asked for an autograph but it wouldn't have been a surprise.
"I got a photo with Bolt at the Village in Beijing but that won't be happening this time around. Those guys, especially the big shot putter, won’t let anyone get close."

Bolt was able to enjoy a relatively peaceful existence in the Village at Beijing, but his profile is now far greater after winning Olympic gold in the 100 and 200 meters and the 400 relay in spectacular fashion. He is guaranteed to generate significant attention at every turn.
"The boys have got my back," Bolt said. "We are a close team and everyone looks out for each other. I want the others to win for Jamaica just as much as I want to win for myself. They help me out and I will be cheering for them."

Even his choice of food on Thursday was scrutinized. With hundreds of pairs of eyes watching him, Bolt walked past the counter for McDonald's, whose chicken nuggets he famously ate before his finals four years ago, and instead opted for grilled chicken from a Caribbean food kiosk.
Bolt begins his Olympic campaign on August 4 in the preliminary heats of the 100 meters.

Injured President return home

Mali's President Diouncounda Traore returns from Paris

Mr Traore is expected to form a new government of unity within days of his arrival

Continue reading the main storyMali's interim President Diouncounda Traore has arrived back home after a two-month absence.

He has been recovering in Paris from injuries sustained when he was beaten by supporters of March's coup.
Journalist Idrissa Fane told the BBC Mr Traore was greeted by a large crowds at the airport and looked to be healthy.
Analysts say he has a tough task ahead in trying to resolve the political stalemate caused by the coup and an Islamist rebellion in the north.
Tuareg rebels and Islamist militants capitalised on the chaos following an army coup in March and took control of the north of the country, but their uneasy alliance has collapsed.
The al-Qaeda Islamists now control all three of the region's main cities - Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal. Thousands have fled the north.
Smiling Idrissa Fane told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme there was a huge security presence at the airport.

The smiling president was greeted by politicians, diplomats, religious and security leaders, he said.
Crowds of Mr Traore's party supporters also lined the road from the airport to his residence.
Correspondents says there is high hope in Mali that this is not just a symbolic return.
Mr Traore is expected to form a new government of unity within days of his arrival and deliver a strategy to reclaim the northern region of Mali back from rebel control.
The BBC's West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy says Mr Traore will also have to handle with care the group of soldiers that overthrew the previous administration and agreed to an interim government after the intervention of the regional bloc, Ecowas.
Coup leader Capt Amadou Sanogo remains very influential in the management of the state's affairs, he says.
Mr Traore also faces a growing humanitarian crisis mainly with more than 4.5m people at risk of food insecurity.
According to the UN, nearly 200,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition.
Our correspondent says it is also not clear whether Mr Traore will back Ecowas's plan to send 3,000 troops to intervene in northern Mali.
There has been international condemnation of the Islamist fighters in the ancient city of Timbuktu where they have been destroying centuries-old shrines to Islamic saints revered by Sufi Muslims.
Their Salafist beliefs condemn the veneration of saints and they regard the mausoleums as idolatrous.

Facebook shares drop to new low

Shares in Facebook have fallen to a new low, as investors react to the social network's first set of results since its flotation. Late Thursday, in its first report as a public company, Facebook said it lost $157m (£100m) from April to June.

Facebook Inc.

Last Updated at 27 Jul 2012, 15:59 ET

price	change	%
-23.74	-3.11	-11.59

Its shares plunged more than 16% to $22.37 when trading began in New York on Friday, worse than the declines seen in after-hours trade on Thursday.
Facebook shares were priced at $38 when it listed on the Nasdaq in May.
Monetising mobile Facebook's results on Thursday showed that revenue in the second quarter of the year had grown 32% to $1.18bn, just beating forecasts. But analysts at Piper Jaffray said it appeared investors wanted "more than a slight beat".
The number of monthly active users (MAUs) rose 29% from the same period last year to 955 million, but some analysts question the reliability of this data given the number of fake profiles on the social network.
The number of people who logged in daily to Facebook's site from their mobile devices surged 67% year-on-year to 543 million.
But the company has yet to resolve how it generates profits as users move from the computer desktop version to accessing the site via mobile phone.
"We don't view these results as dramatically good or bad," said Citi analyst Mark Mahaney.
"Key questions remain: the future of Facebook mobile monetisation and the future of Facebook user engagement."

Gerrard: We will finish top four

By ESPN staff
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is confident the club will finish in the top four this season and earn a place in the Champions League.

GettyImagesSteven Gerrard also skippered the England team at Euro 2012 this summer

Gerrard, who was also full of praise for new manager Brendan Rodgers, believes Liverpool cannot find themselves languishing down in eighth place again this term and must make sure they return to Europe's elite for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign.
Rodgers is expected to bring a more attacking style to Liverpool this season which excites Gerrard, and he hopes the club will no longer find themselves frustrated by the opposition - an issue which led to the Reds drawing more home games than any other side in the Premier League last season.
"We'll see a bolder Liverpool team - and more exciting too," Gerrard is quoted as saying by the Sun. "It's not just been these last few days that I've had a chance to learn about the new manager, he's been in touch with me since he came in.
"He has made me aware of where he's at and what he's trying to do - I've been really impressed with him. His man-management is fantastic and if he can do that with all the players in the squad, then it can be really good for the club.
"I don't think a team has ever gone from eighth to first. But there's still other big targets for us to achieve short-term and that's getting in that top four again - that's the priority. And if you perform hard enough and well enough, it will come. That is the only way you get it and I am confident we will.
"But the other players have got to think how I think and use the hurt of what happened to make up for it. That is the only way you can do it. I honestly think we will get in the top four because if we play like we did in a lot of games last season and take our chances, we will be high up the table.
"The idea is to improve and have some fun along the way in the cup competitions, like we did last year. We were brilliant at times in the league too, it's just we never got out of them what we deserved. But there were times you would come off thinking 'no wonder we are sixth, seventh and eighth'.
"It was frustrating but if you look at the season, you can't use it as an excuse for finishing eighth. It wasn't good enough. Over the years sometimes Liverpool have come up against a certain type of opposition and shown them too much respect. But maybe we have had to, because of the style we've been asked to play.
"There were times under previous managers when we showed too much respect, but Brendan wants us to play like a big team. He's been coaching for 20 years and dealing with big players. I've been impressed with his knowledge and how he's dealt with me. The players who have worked with him over the past few weeks have said the same."
"There is a lot of hard work to be done sharpish. But already in training, in only my second session, we are doing team shape and he is telling players what he expects movement wise.
"We are Liverpool, we can't finish eighth. We have to put that right."