World News from Times Online

Hopes fade for missing backpacker Jamie Neale as father joins search

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:45 GMT

Less than 24 hours after flying in from London, the father of a British backpacker who is missing in the Australian bush today joined the search for his son by taking an emotional helicopter flight over the Sydney mountain range where the teenager was last seen.

Man killed and Briton gored at Pamplona bull-running festival

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:35 GMT

A Spaniard was killed and a British man injured yesterday at the San Fermin Running of the Bulls festival in Spain, the event's first fatality in 14 years.

Youssouf Fofana jailed for the torture and murder of Ilan Halimi

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:31 GMT

A 28-year-old African who styled himself as a barbarian was sentenced to life in prison last night for kidnapping and torturing to death a Jewish man in a case that exposed anti-Semitism in France’s immigrant suburbs.

Afghanistan: 7 years, 9 months, 184 lives

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:29 GMT

In the most devastating day for British ground troops in Afghanistan, the death toll rose above the 179 killed in the six-year Iraq campaign.

Savita Bhabhi cartoon porn website blocked by Indian security law

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:26 GMT

With her ample bosom, skimpy sari and mischievous grin, Savita Bhabhi, India’s first and only online cartoon porn star, might not look like a threat to national security. But the country’s Government has made the fictional housewife seductress the first target of new laws, passed after last year’s terror attacks on Mumbai, that allow the authorities to block dangerous websites.

Seven Somalis beheaded by extremists for 'spying for government'

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:23 GMT

Seven people accused of renouncing Islam and spying for the Government were beheaded in Somalia yesterday in a move that underlined the growing authority of the country’s Islamist insurgents.

Strong turbulence likely cause of Steve Fossett plane crash

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:23 GMT

Strong winds and turbulence made the adventurer Steve Fossett lose control of his small aircraft and plunge into a mountain in California.

Jackson death may have been 'homicide', says police chief

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:22 GMT

The Los Angeles police chief has raised the prospect of a homicide charge over the death of Michael Jackson.

Soldiers repatriated: a cry of mourning ripped through the silence

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:18 GMT

There is something cathartic about a respectful silence, when a whole town falls quiet to honour the dead, and something unbearable when it is ripped asunder.

China closes Urumqi mosques on day of prayer

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:04 GMT

Padlocks secured the iron grill gates to mosques across the Chinese city of Urumqi yesterday.

Sarah Brown says 'no thanks' to veal at G8 summit - twice

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:03 GMT

Sarah Brown says that she twice refused to eat veal during her visit to Italy for the G8 summit.

Soldiers rely on patience in the heat of battle against Taleban

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

“They are fighting in sandals with two magazines of ammunition. We’ve got 100 pounds on our backs trying to chase after them.” Pouring sweat, unwashed for three days, ruddy faced and peeling viciously in the midday sun Sergeant Matthew Parry and Lance Sergeant Colin Skitt, both 31, tried to explain the experience of their unit, the Welsh Guards, over the past two months fighting in the Nad Ali district of Helmand.

Roll of honour: British troop deaths in Afghanistan since 2002

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Darren John George, date of death 09/04/02, age unknown, Private. Robert Busuttil, 17/08/02, 30, Sergeant. John Gregory, 17/08/02, 30, Corporal. Jonathan Kitulagoda, 28/01/04, 23, Private. Steven Sherwood, 29/10/05, 23, Lance Corporal. Mark Cridge, 22/03/06, 25, Corporal. Peter Edward Craddock, 27/03/06, 31, Lance Corporal. Jim Philippson, 11/06/06, 29, Captain. David Patton, 04/07/06, 38, Captain. Paul Bartlett, 04/07/06, 35, Sergeant. Jabron Hashmi, 01/07/06, 24, Lance Corporal. Peter Thorpe, 01/07/06, 27, Corporal. Damien Jackson, 05/07/06, 19, Private. Alex Eida, 01/08/06, 29, Captain. Ralph Johnson, 01/08/06, 24, 2nd Lieutenant. 5ss Nicholls, 01/08/06, 27, Lance Corporal. Andrew Barrie Cutts, 06/08/06, 19, Private. Leigh Reeves, 09/08/06, 25, Private. Sean Tansey, 12/08/06, 26, Lance Corporal. Bryan James Budd, 20/08/06, 29, Corporal. Jonathan Peter Hetherington, 27/08/06, 22, Lance Corporal. Anare Draiva (Fijian), 01/09/06, 27, Ranger. Steven Johnson, 02/09/06, 38, Flight Lieutenant. Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore, 02/09/06, 28, Flight Lieutenant. Gareth Rodney Nicholas, 02/09/06, 40, Flight Lieutenant. Allan James Squires, 02/09/06, 39, Flight Lieutenant. Steven Swarbrick, 02/09/06, 28, Flight Lieutenant. Gary Wayne Andrews, 02/09/06, 48, Flight Sergeant. Stephen Beattie, 02/09/06, 42, Flight Sergeant. Gerard Martin Bell, 02/09/06, 48, Flight Sergeant. Adrian Davies, 02/09/06, 49, Flight Sergeant. Benjamin James Knight, 02/09/06, 25, Sergeant. John Joseph Langton, 02/09/06, 29, Sergeant. Gary Paul Quilliam, 02/09/06, 42, Sergeant. Oliver Simon Dicketts, 02/09/06, 27, Corporal. Joseph David Windall, 02/09/06, 22, Marine. Craig O’Donnell, 04/09/06, 24, Private. Mark William Wright, 06/09/06, 27, Corporal. Luke McCulloch, 06/09/06, 21, Lance Corporal. Paul Muirhead, 06/09/06, 29, Lance Corporal. Gary Wright, 19/10/06, 22, Marine. Jonathan Wigley, 05/12/06, 21, Marine. Richard J. Watson, 12/12/06, 23, Marine. James Dwyer, 27/12/06, 22, Lance Bombardier. Thomas Curry, 13/01/07, 21, Marine. Mathew Ford, 15/01/07, 30, Lance Corporal. Jonathan Holland, 21/02/07, 23, Marine. Scott Summers, 21/02/07, 23, Marine. Ross Clark, 03/03/07, 25, Lance Bombardier. Liam McLaughlin, 03/03/07, 21, Lance Bombardier. Benjamin Reddy, 06/03/07, 22, Marine. Michael Smith, 08/03/07, 39, Warrant Officer Class 2. Chris Gray, 13/04/07, 19, Private. Simon Davison, 03/05/07, 22, Guardsman. George Russell Davey, 20/05/07, 23, Lance Corporal. Daniel Probyn, 26/05/07, 22, Guardsman. Darren Bonner, 28/05/07, 31, Corporal. Mike Gilyeat, 30/05/07, 28, Corporal. Paul Sandford, 06/06/07, 23, Lance Corporal. Neil Downes, 09/06/07, 20, Guardsman. Thomas Wright, 24/06/07, 21, Drummer. Sean Dolan, 30/06/07, 40, Captain. Dave Wilkinson, 01/07/07, 33, Sergeant. Daryl Hickey, 12/07/07, 27, Guardsman. Alex Hawkins, 25/07/07, 22, Lance Corporal. David Atherton, 26/07/07, 25, Guardsman. Barry Keen, 27/07/07, 34, Sergeant. Michael Jones, 27/07/09, 26, Lance Corporal. Tony Rawson, 10/08/07, 27, Private. David Hicks, 11/08/07, 26, Captain. John Thrumble, 23/08/07, 21, Private. Aaron McClure, 23/08/07, 19, Private. Robert Foster, 23/08/07, 19, Private. Christopher Bridge, 30/08/07, 20, Senior Aircraftman. Damian Wright, 05/09/07, 23, Private. Ben Ford, 05/09/07, 18, Private. Craig Brelsford, 08/09/07, 25, Sergeant. Johan Botha, 08/09/07, 25, Private. Ivano Violino, 17/09/07, 29, Corporal. Phillip Newman, 20/09/07, 36, Colour Sergeant. Brian Tunnicliffe, 20/09/07, 33, Private. Alexis Roberts, 04/10/07, 32, Major. Jake Alderton, 09/11/07, 22, Lance Corporal. John McDermid, 14/11/07, 43, Captain. Jack Sadler, 04/12/07, 21, Trooper. Lee Johnson 08/12/07, 33, Sergeant. Darryl Gardiner, 20/01/08, 25, Corporal. Damian Lawrence, 17/02/08, 25, Corporal. Damian Mulvihill, 20/02/08, 32, Corporal. John Thornton, 30/03/08, 22, Lieutenant. David Marsh, 30/03/08, 23, Marine. Gary Thompson, 13/04/08, 51, Senior Aircraftman. Graham Livingstone, 13/04/08, 23, Senior Aircraftman. Robert Pearson, 21/04/08, 22, Trooper. Ratu Babakobau, 02/05/08, 29, Trooper. James Thompson, 19/05/08, 27. Dale Gostick, 25/05/08, 22, Marine. Daniel Gamble, 08/06/08, 22, Private. Nathan Cuthbertson, 08/06/08, 19, Private. David Murray, 08/06/08, 19, Private. Jeff Doherty, 12/06/08, 20, Private. James Bateman, 12/06/08, 29, Lance Corporal. Sean Robert Reeve, 17/06/08, 28, Corporal. Richard Larkin, 17/06/08, 39, Lance Corporal. Sarah Bryant, 17/06/08, 26, Corporal. Paul Stout, 17/06/08, 31, Trooper. Joe Whittaker, 24/06/08, 20, Private. Michael Williams, 24/06/08, 40, Warrant Officer Class 2. Dan Shirley, 27/06/08, 32, Warrant Officer Class 2. James Johnson, 28/06/08, 31, Lance Corporal. Jason Barnes, 22/07/08, 25, Corporal. Kenneth Rowe, 24/07/08, 24, Lance Corporal. Jonathan Mathews, 28/07/08, 35, Sergeant. Peter Cowton, Peter, 29/07/08, 25, Private. Wayne Bland, 11/08/08, 21, Signaller. Barry Dempsey, 18/08/08, 29, Corporal. Justin Cupples, 04/09/08, 29, Ranger. Gary O’Donnell, 10/09/08, 40, Warrant Officer Class 2. Jason Rawstron, 12/09/08, 23, Private. Nicky Mason, 13/09/08, 26, Lance Corporal. James Munday, 15/10/08, 21, Trooper. Yubraj Rai, 04/11/08, 28, Rifleman. Neil Dunstan, 12/11/08, 32, Marine. Robert McKibben, 12/11/08, 32, Marine. Krishna Bahadur Dura, 15/11/08, 36, Colour Sergeant. Alexander Lucas, 24/11/08, 26, Marine. Georgie Sparks, 27/11/08, 19, Marine. Tony Evans, 27/11/08, 20, Marine. Damian Davies, 12/12/08, 27, Marine. Marc Birch, 12/12/08, 26, Corporal. Steven Fellows, 12/12/08, 26, Lance Corporal. John Manuel, 12/12/08, 38, Sergeant. Aaron Lewis, 15/12/08, 26, Lieutenant. Stuart Nash, 17/12/08, 21, Rifleman. Robert Deering, 21/12/08, 33, Corporal. Ben Whatley, 24/12/08, 20, Lance Corporal. Liam Elms, 31/12/08, 26, Corporal. Christopher Reed, 01/01/09, 25, Sergeant. Travis Mackin, 11/01/09, 22, Marine. Tom Sawyer, 14/01/09, 26, Captain. Danny Winter, 14/01/09, 28, Corporal. Richard Robinson, 17/01/09, 21, Corporal. Daniel Nield, 30/01/09, 31, Corporal. Darren Smith, 14/02/09, 27, Marine. Stephen Kingscott, 16/02/09, 22, Lance Corporal. Paul Upton, 25/02/09, 31, Lance Corporal. Jamie Gunn, 25/02/09, 21, Rifleman. Michael Laski, 25/02/09, 21, Marine. Tom Gaden, 25/02/09, 24, Corporal. Christopher Harkett, 14/03/09, 22, Lance Corporal. Dean John, 15/03/09, 25, Corporal. Graeme Stiff, 15/03/09, 24, Corporal. Tobie Fasfous, 28/04/09, 29, Lance Sergeant. Sean Binnie, 07/05/09, 22, Corporal. Adrian Sheldon, 07/05/09, 25, Rifleman. Ben Ross, 07/05/09, 34, Sergeant. Kumar Pun, 07/05/09, 31, Corporal. Mark Evison, 12/05/09, 26, Lieutenant. Jason Mackie, 14/05/09, 21, Marine. Petero Suesue, 22/05/09, 28, Fusilier. Jordan Rossi, 23/05/09, 22, Sapper. Kieron Hill, 28/05/09, 20, Lance Corporal. Robert Richards, 28/05/09, 24, Lance Corporal. Stephen Bolger, 30/05/09, Corporal. Nigel Moffett, 30/05/09, 28, Lance Corporal. Cyrus Thatcher, 02/06/09, 19, Rifleman. Robert McLaren, 11/06/09 ,20, Private. Paul Mervis, 12/06/09, 27, Lieutenant. Sean Birchall, 19/06/09, 33, Major. Joshua Hammond, 01/07/09, 18, Trooper. Rupert Thorneloe, 01/07/09, 39, Lieutenant. David Dennis, 04/07/09, 29, Lance Corporal. Robert Laws, 04/07/09, 18, Private. Dane Elson, 05/07/09, 22, Lance Corporal. Ben Babington-Browne, 06/07/09, 27, Captain. Christopher Whiteside, 07/07/09, 20, Trooper. Two unnamed, 09/07/09. Six unnamed, 10/07/09

G8 summit could be the last as rising nations want their voices heard

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

World leaders wrapped up the G8 summit in L’Aquila last night, saying that it could be the last meeting of its kind.

Pledges of help and not a whiff of a showgirl

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Silvio Berlusconi, who has been engulfed in scandals since his wife, Veronica Lario, demanded a divorce in May, declared the summit a success and added that a press campaign to unseat him over his relationships with showgirls had failed.

Taleban mastery of makeshift bomb takes toll on British troops

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The big increase in British casualties in southern Afghanistan in the past ten days has enveloped the whole campaign with a sense of foreboding.

Arbitrary G8 forum has lost its reason to live in today’s climate

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Does the G8 serve a useful purpose any more? President Obama, for one, is unsure. The annual summit of the industrialised world powers should include major emerging economies — such as India and China, he suggested. In any case most of the other big nations attend on the final day. Should the G8 not be folded into the G14 or G20, as several leaders at the summit argued yesterday?

Han Chinese emerge as the main victims as Urumqi riots death toll rises

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

China yesterday revealed the ethnicity of those killed in rioting in the western city of Urumqi last week, and increased the official number of dead to 183.

Africa turns out to give the Obama First Family a triumphant welcome

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Barack Obama and his family were expected to receive a rapturous welcome in Ghana last night as the African nation prepared for the arrival of America’s first black President.

2,000 protest in heart of London over ‘rigged’ Iranian election

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Green flags and banners fly as a crowd of 2,000 or so demonstrators chant anti-Iranian regime slogans. Many pump their fists into the air, screaming in Persian: “Guns and tanks are of no use to you any more because the people have now spoken.” It’s a chant followed by: “Ahmadinejad, you’re a murderer.”

Sarah Palin resigned ‘for the money’, says ex-boyfriend Levi Johnston

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sarah Palin resigned as Governor of Alaska to cash in on the business opportunities presented by her new-found fame, the estranged boyfriend of her eldest daughter said yesterday.

President Mugabe is questioned by Trevor Gifford of CFU over land grabs

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:19:20 GMT

There was rare public questioning for President Mugabe over his land-grab programme yesterday during an investment conference — and his answer did not exactly reassure visiting foreign businessmen.

Search for Han Chinese sister whose family were butchered by Uighurs

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:03:23 GMT

What was once a grocery shop is now a blackened mess. Two boys in shorts and singlets play in the rubble but the usual occupants are absent. Five days ago a Han Chinese family was butchered in this small shop — victims of the Uighurs who rampaged through Urumqi.

Obama meets Pope for talk on abortions and stem-cell research

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:15:16 GMT

President Obama met the Pope for the first time today in a groundbreaking encounter which should help repair the US leader’s relations with America’s Catholic hierarchy.

Police to investigate Binyam Mohamed's torture claims

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:10:09 GMT

The Metropolitan Police are to investigate claims that British agents colluded in torture, Scotland Yard said today.