World News in Pictures

[Mr Lick]

[Mr Lick]

[Mr Lick]

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former head of the International Monetary Fund, leaves his rented town home on Franklin Street in the Tribeca section of Manhattan, Saturday, Sept. 3, in New York. Strauss-Kahn was believed to be heading to his native France on Saturday, leaving the United States behind after the collapse of a sensational sexual assault case that cost him his job and possibly his French presidential ambitions.



Piazza Navona's famous del Moro (Moor Fountain) fountain in Rome, Italy, suffered at the hands of vandals overnight, Sept. 3, with two figures flanking one of the faces broken.

[Mr Lick]

Beachgoers run for shelter as the rain starts pouring down, Sept. 3, in Dauphin Island, Ala. As Tropical Storm Lee continues advancing toward the Louisiana coast, the storm dumps sporadic heavy rain along the coasts.

[Mr Lick]

Usain Bolt of Jamaica sprints to the finish line between Walter Dix of the U.S. (2nd L) Nickel Ashmeade of Jamaica (L) Bruno de Barros of Brazil (2nd R) and Rondel Sorrillo of Trinidad and Tobago (R) to win the men's 200 metres final at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Sept. 3.

[Mr Lick]

Greenham Common peace camp 30th anniversary marked



Women who protested at the US base at Greenham Common in the 1980s and 90s have returned to mark the 30th anniversary of the peace camp.

The first camp was set up on 5 September 1981 to raise awareness of plans to install nuclear Cruise missiles at the Berkshire base.

Some of the women have returned to the site - now a commemorative garden - for a film and talks.

The airbase was closed in 1993 but the camp remained until 2000.

The first missiles were delivered to Greenham Common in November 1983. The last one was removed in March 1991.

During the height of the protests, thousands of women blocked the entrances to the base, cut through perimeter fences and formed human chains around the site.

[Mr Lick]

Vatican rejects cover-up claims over Cloyne report



The Vatican has rejected claims by Irish PM Enda Kenny that it sabotaged efforts by Irish bishops to report child-molesting priests to police.

It follows the damning Cloyne Report that showed how allegations of clerical sex-abuse in Cork had been covered up.

In a speech to parliament in July, Mr Kenny accused the Church of putting its reputation ahead of abuse victims.

The Vatican said it was "sorry and ashamed" over the scandal but said his claims were "unfounded".

"The Holy See is deeply concerned at the findings of the commission of inquiry concerning grave failures in the ecclesiastical governance of the diocese of Cloyne," said the Vatican, in a detailed response to the allegations.

"The Holy See... in no way hampered or sought to interfere in any inquiry into cases of child sex abuse in the Diocese of Cloyne."

"Furthermore, at no stage did the Holy See seek to interfere with Irish civil law or impede the civil authority in the exercise of its duties."



Enda Kenny accused the Catholic Church of putting its reputation ahead of child rape victims

[Mr Lick]

Brazil Kaxinawa Indian 'may be world's oldest woman'



A Brazilian Indian who celebrates her birthday on Saturday may be the oldest woman in the world - and by some distance.

Maria Lucimar Pereira, a member of the Kaxinawa tribe, is 121 years old, says a tribal rights group.

It says she has a birth certificate showing she was born in 1890.

But the Guinness Book of Records says she has not been registered with them.

The verified oldest living woman is 115-year-old American Besse Cooper.

[Mr Lick]

Members of the Chilean navy transport the landing gear of a crashed plane near Juan Fernandez islands about 420 miles off Chile's coast, Sept. 3. All 21 people aboard a military aircraft that crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the remote Juan Fernandez islands perished, Chile's government said on Saturday, as rescuers and fishermen searched for bodies.Search and rescue teams have recovered four bodies so far from Friday's crash, one of Chile's worst air disasters in recent years.



People gather outside the National Chile Network, placing messages and lighting candles, one day after after a military aircraft crashed in the Juan Fernandez archipelago. Among the occupants of the aircraft was Felipe Camiroaga, one of the most popular entertainers of Chilean television.

[Mr Lick]

Typhoon Talas kills at least 18 people in Japan



At least 18 people have been killed and more than 50 are missing after powerful Typhoon Talas ripped through western Japan, local media reports.

The storm brought heavy rain and winds of up to 108km/h (68mph) after making landfall on Shikoku island on Saturday.

Talas has now moved over Japan and into the Sea of Japan (East Sea), Japan's Meteorological Agency said on Sunday.

But it warned that heavy rains and strong winds will continue - raising the threat of floods and landslides.

Nearly 500,000 people in parts of western and central Japan were issued with evacuation orders and advisories, Kyodo News agency reported.

Some of the worst hit areas appeared to be in Nara and Wakayama prefectures, with reports of homes being swept away by flood waters and landslides.

[Mr Lick]

Alistair Darling: Gordon Brown as PM was 'chaos'




Gordon Brown's final years in office were pervaded by a "permanent air of chaos and crisis", according to former Labour chancellor Alistair Darling.

In his memoirs, serialised in the Sunday Times, Mr Darling said the prime minister "did not trust his advice".

He told the BBC he was attacked for "exaggerating" the impact of the 2008 banking crisis, which he said Mr Brown believed would only last six months.

But another colleague said Mr Brown had shown "great leadership" at the time.
In excerpts of Mr Darling's book - due to be published on Wednesday - the MP for Edinburgh South West said his meetings with the prime minister were "tortuous", with decisions unable to be reached and appointments cancelled and rearranged at the last minute.

"The management of Gordon's time by No 10 was, from my perspective, hopeless. There was a permanent air of chaos and crisis," he said.

[Mr Lick]

Ugandan police ban 'regime change' rally



Uganda's government says it will not tolerate attempts to depose President Yoweri Museveni


Ugandan police have banned a rally to celebrate the overthrow of North African leaders, saying it could incite violence.

Opposition group Activists For Change called the rally for Friday to "celebrate people power in North Africa".

It printed a flyer, suggesting that Uganda's long-serving President Yoweri Museveni could also be deposed.

A government crackdown on protests in April killed nine people.

Police spokesman Vincent Sekate said the rally had been banned because of a dispute over the venue.

[Mr Lick]

Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant connected to national grid




Iran's first nuclear power station has been connected to the country's electricity grid, state news reports.

Bushehr was supplying 60 megawatts of its 1,000 megawatt capacity to the national grid, officials said.

The reactor's generating unit began operating at a low level in May, prompting Israel and other nations to express fears the reactor could help Iran develop nuclear weapons.

Tehran says its intentions are purely peaceful.

But the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said it is "increasingly concerned" that Iran is also secretly working on components for a nuclear weapons programme.

[Mr Lick]

India judge Soumitra Sen quits before impeachment vote




A high court judge in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta has resigned, just weeks after India's upper house of parliament voted to impeach him on corruption charges.

Soumitra Sen was found guilty by the Rajya Sabha of "misappropriating" public money. He denies any wrongdoing.

He was set to appear before the lower house of parliament on Monday, which was also to vote on the impeachment.

Such a move requires a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament.

Justice Sen's lawyer Subhas Bhattacharya told reporters that the judge had resigned as he "felt he had failed to convince the members [of his innocence] . . after the voting in the Rajya Sabha".

If the lower house or Lok Sabha had voted against him on Monday, Justice Sen would have become the first senior Indian judge to be impeached.

In 1993 Justice Ramaswamy of the Supreme Court survived a vote to impeach him.

[OhOh]

Iran's first nuclear power plant connected to grid

"(Reuters) - Iran's first nuclear power plant has started adding electricity to the national grid, media reported on Sunday, coming on stream on Saturday night after years of delays.

"The Bushehr nuclear power plant joined the national grid on Saturday at 23:29 (7:59 p.m. British time) with the power of around 60 megawatts," the ISNA news agency reported.

Hamid-Khadem Qaemi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organisation, told Iran's Arabic language TV station al-Alam the plant would be officially inaugurated by September 12, by which time it would be operating at 40 percent capacity.

The agency was not immediately available to comment.

The $1-billion (617-million pound), 1,000-megawatt plant on the Gulf coast is the first of what Iran hopes will become a network of nuclear facilities that will reduce its reliance on its abundant fossil fuels."

"Facts" rather than BBC propaganda.

[Mr Lick]

A local man prays in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary surounded by crosses on the "Hill of Crosses" (Krizu Kalnas), in northern Lithuania at the pilgrimage site near Siauliai on Sept. 3. Crosses, giant crucifixes, carvings of Lithuanian patriots, statues and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries have been brought by Cathilic pilgrims to the site over nearly two centuries.The exact number of crosses is unknown, but 2006 estimates put the number at arround 100,000.



A newly married couple poses on the "Hill of Crosses" (Krizu Kalnas), in northern Lithuania at the pilgrimage site near Siauliai on Sept. 3.

[Mr Lick]

Page, Arizona: a tourist takes a picture of a beam of sunlight at Upper Antelope Canyon



Braemar, Scotland: spectators observe Highland dancing at the Braemar Highland games



Tel Aviv, Israel: a man takes part in a demonstration against rising house prices and social inequality

[Mr Lick]

Hesperia, California: a fire chief walks past a home burned by a wildfire in Oak Hills



Sololá, Guatemala: supporters of the presidential candidate Otto Pérez Molina attend a rally



Nevada, US: fire dancers perform at the Burning Man festival in the Black Rock desert

[Mr Lick]

Lee Pounds Gulf States, Steers North
Tropical Storm Lee pounded the Gulf coast Saturday, dumping heavy rain on Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Lee could move into the southeastern U.S. and the already-sodden Northeast within days.

[Mr Lick]

World Athletics 2011: GB's Mo Farah wins 5,000m gold





Britain's Mo Farah won 5,000m gold at the World Championships while Phillips Idowu took triple jump silver.

Farah, who won the 10,000m silver, held off the challenge of Bernard Lagat of the United States and Ethiopia's Imane Merga, to win in 13 minutes, 23.36.

"I can't quite believe it," Farah told BBC Sport. "I pictured the 10k on the last lap thinking, I came so close then I'm not going to let anyone pass me."

Triple jump defending champion Idowu was pipped to gold by Christian Taylor.

[Mr Lick]

World Athletics 2011: Bolt leads Jamaica to relay world record




Usain Bolt anchored Jamaica to a new world record of 37.04 seconds as they won the men's 4x100m relay at the World Championships in Daegu.

The Jamaican team, which also included world 100m champion Yohan Blake, won from France and St Kitts and Nevis.

The United States crashed out after colliding with Britain, who dropped the baton, on the final changeover.

Mariya Savinova produced a rousing finish to pip South Africa's Caster Semenya in the women's 800m final.

[Mr Lick]

Four missing after sponsored swim off Dorset coast



Four people remain unaccounted for after a sponsored swim off the Dorset coast.

Participants had been swimming in the sea between Bournemouth and Boscombe's piers to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

At one stage, nine people had been reported missing but five were confirmed to have gone home without informing event organisers.

Coastguards are still searching for the remaining swimmers

[Mr Lick]

Mountain mystery over vehicle near Snowdon summit




Police are investigating how a vehicle ended up on a footpath close to the summit of Snowdon.

It is believed the 4x4 was driven up on Saturday morning but may have become stuck on the descent about 400 yards (365m) from the top.

North Wales Police confirmed they were called to the incident but currently have no more details.

Snowdon is Wales's highest mountain at 1,085m (3,560 ft).

Walkers passing the Vauxhall Frontera have taken photographs of the vehicle on the Llanberis side of the summit, close to the train track.

It is unclear exactly when it was driven up there.




The vehicle was close to the Snowdon mountain railway line


Jonathan Tyler, who has worked for the Snowdon Railway for the last seven
years, said it was just below the summit.

He said he had never seen a vehicle there before.

"It's such a dangerous thing to do you would never see a 4x4 that far up," he explained.

[Mr Lick]

Italian town Filettino declares independence





A small town in central Italy has declared its independence and started to print its own banknotes.

The authorities in Filettino, 100km (70 miles) east of Rome, are protesting against austerity measures.

It has only 550 inhabitants and under new rules aimed at cutting local administration costs it will be forced to merge with neighbouring Trevi.

Town mayor Luca Sellari, who stands to lose his job because of the eurozone crisis, came up with the idea.

He created his own currency, called the Fiorito. Banknotes have his head on the back, and they are already being used in local shops and being bought as souvenirs by tourists who have started to throng the normally quiet streets.

The mayor says there is enormous enthusiasm about declaring the independence of the new principality.

There has been such an outcry by small towns across Italy at the government move to abolish local councils and merge them with larger towns that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's coalition may be forced to backtrack.

[Mr Lick]

Chile Pacific plane crash









Chilean President offering his sympathies to the victims families



Relatives waited at an airforce base in Santiago for news



A darling of national television Mr Camiroaga fronted the breakfast tv show and also a late night talk show. He was on the fateful flight