Captain held over liner disaster

• The luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia leans on its starboard side as seen from the Giglio harbour

Forty people from the stricken cruise liner Costa Concordia are still missing as it was reported that the ship's captain and first officer were being questioned by Italian prosecutors on suspicion of manslaughter.
The country's state television claimed Master Francesco Schettino and the officer were being quizzed over the events that led to at least three deaths among passengers and crew after the Italian-owned liner listed and keeled over a few hundred metres from the tiny Tuscan holiday island of Giglio on Friday evening after apparently sailing off course.
Unconfirmed reports indicated they were being held on suspicion of "abandoning ship" and "multiple manslaughter".
The incident happened in the centenary year of the Titanic disaster, in which more than 1,500 people died when the luxury liner struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage.
Despite the panic among passengers and crew as the Costa Concordia began to list, the vast majority of more than 4,200 people on board made it to safety as a massive rescue operation swung into action.
Initial estimates had put the number of missing at 70 but as rescue operations continued that figure fell to 40.
British consular staff were on hand to help the 37 Britons aboard the Concordia - 25 passengers and 12 crew members. Costa Cruises said all were accounted for but the Foreign Office was unable to confirm this.
It was thought some of the Britons had headed to Rome and consular staff were working to secure emergency travel documents for them to fly home after their passports were lost.
Divers continue to scour the submerged hull for the missing. It is not known yet what caused the liner to crash into rocks ripping a massive gash in its hull. Pictures showed a 150ft long rip, with a huge rock embedded in the side of the ship towards the stern.
The Italian media later reported that a man and a woman had been located alive on board the stricken ship. It is said the survivors were on the deck levels above the water line and a team of firefighters had been sent on board the vessel to rescue them.

Guatemala congressman Valentin Leal shot dead

 

Mr Leal had received death threats since the elections

A Guatemalan congressman and his brother have been shot dead in Guatemala City, a day before the new government is due to take office.

Valentin Leal Caal was attacked by gunmen on a motorcycle as he was being driven through the city centre.
He had recently agreed to defect to the party of the president-elect, Otto Perez Molina.
Mr Perez Molina, 61 - a former general - was elected last year after promising an "iron fist" against violent crime.
Police said 17 bullets hit Mr Leal's car in the attack, which happened close to the Congress building.
He and his brother Erick died at the scene and his bodyguard was wounded.
Mr Perez Molina said: "We lament the violence and insecurity, it is sad that these kind of situations keep happening."
He added that Mr Leal had received numerous threats since he was re-elected to Congress last September, and had been thinking of going into hiding.
Violent legacy Mr Leal represented the northern region of Alto Verapaz, where Guatemala's security forces have been struggling to contain the influence of Mexico's Zetas drugs cartel.
He stood for election as a member of the right-wing opposition Lider Party, but a few days ago agreed to join Mr Perez Molina's Patriotic Party.
Political violence is not unusual in Guatemala, which emerged from a 36-year civil war in 1996.
The country has one of the highest murder rates in the world, but few killers are ever brought to justice.
Much of the violence is blamed on street gangs and drug traffickers with links to Mexico's cartels, but senior figures in politics and the military have also been implicated.
Since 2008 a UN-backed International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala has been working to reform the justice system and tackle organised crime.
Mr Perez Molina, who is the first former military figure to lead Guatemala since the end of the civil war, has promised to boost police numbers and deploy troops to combat violent crime.

'Fake' Mother Snatches Baby From Hospital

A New Zealand woman allegedly fooled her family into believing she was pregnant for nine months before walking into a maternity hospital and abducting a baby.Police say 24-year-old Neha Narayan, of Fijian-Indian descent, told her partner she was about to give birth last Wednesday so he dropped her off at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital where she was able to roam the maternity ward.
She was able to bypass the ward's security measures and pick up an Indian baby.
"She just helped herself," police spokeswoman Ana-Mari Gates-Bowey told Sky News.

"She then walked out of the hospital having called her partner to ask him to pick her up.
"A nurse became suspicious and followed her to the exit. As she made her way to the car the nurse said 'what are you doing, come back inside'," said Ms Gates-Bowey.

It is alleged the baby's actual parents also saw her carrying away their child and alerted other staff who called the police.
Spokeswoman for the hospital, Lauren Young, told Sky News: "This is a very rare event. This person managed to avoid normal checks in a closed ward. We will be reviewing the security systems to make sure this does not happen again."
Middlemore Hospital has New Zealand's busiest maternity unit.
CCTV cameras are in operation and doors are unlocked using identity cards. Only parents, close family and staff are normally allowed on the wards.
"The woman was apprehended before leaving the hospital environment," said Ms Young. "Thankfully it turned out well."
Neha Narayan has been charged with abduction. She was remanded on bail and will appear in court again later this month.
If found guilty of abducting a young person she faces a maximum of seven years in prison.

Iran death sentence for 'CIA spy' Amir Mirzai Hekmati

 

Amir Mirzai Hekmati was shown on state television "confessing" to being a CIA spy

A US man of Iranian descent has been sentenced to death by a court in Tehran for spying for the CIA.

Amir Mirzai Hekmati was "sentenced to death for co-operating with a hostile nation, membership of the CIA and trying to implicate Iran in terrorism," semi-official Fars news agency said.
The 28-year-old's US-based family say he was in Iran visiting grandparents.
The sentence comes at a time of fresh tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran's nuclear programme.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday that further sanctions imposed by the West "will not have any impact on our nation".
"The Islamic establishment... knows firmly what it is doing and has chosen its path and will stay the course," he said in a speech broadcast on state television.
Televised 'confession' Iran says that, as a former US marine, Mr Hekmati received training at US bases in Afghanistan and Iraq before being sent to Iran for his alleged intelligence-gathering mission.

Iran's judicial and political systems place huge emphasis on the importance of confessions. So, for many in Iran's establishment, Amir Hekmati's guilt was proven beyond doubt during a televised confession broadcast on Iranian state TV in December.
In his televised statement, Mr Hekmati said he had been sent to Iran by the CIA to infiltrate Iran's intelligence agencies and spread misinformation. So it's little surprise that Iran's Revolutionary Court has now sentenced him to death.
The US state department says Mr Hekmati has been falsely accused, and his family say he had simply gone to Iran to visit his grandmothers.
Mr Hekmati is now expected to lodge an appeal against his sentence with Iran's Supreme Court.
It's difficult to predict how the case against him will now proceed. Mr Hekmati has a high profile and holds an American passport. A decision to go ahead with his execution may have an impact on tensions between Iran and the West - which have got worse in recent weeks.

Iranian officials said his cover was blown even before he had arrived in the country, because he had been spotted by Iranian agents at the US-run Bagram military air base in neighbouring Afghanistan.

On 18 December, Mr Hekmati was shown on Iranian state television allegedly confessing to being part of a plot to infiltrate Iran's intelligence services for the CIA.
Televised confessions form a central part of Iran's political and judicial system, the BBC's Iran correspondent James Reynolds says. But human rights organisations strongly question their validity.
During his trial later in December, according to Fars, Mr Hekmati admitted he did have links to the CIA, but had never intended to harm Iran.
"I was deceived by the CIA... Although I was appointed to break into Iran's intelligence systems and act as a new source for the CIA, I had no intention of undermining the country," Fars quoted him as saying.
Mr Hekmati's family, who live in Arizona, say the charges against him are fabricated and that he was in Iran to visit his grandmothers - and they had "struggled to provide Amir with an attorney in Iran".
His father, Ali Hekmati, a college professor in Flint, Michigan, said his son joined the US military in 2001 and served in the Marines, where he was an Arabic translator.

Dual-nationality arrests in Iran

• May 2007: Four Iranian-American academics - including Haleh Esfandiari -detained for some three to four months on suspicion of spying
• June 2009: Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari detained for four months for being a spy after covering post-election unrest
• Jailed 2009: Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi detained for four months on spying charges

At the time of his visit to Iran and subsequent arrest, Amir Hekmati was working in Qatar as a contractor for a company "that served the Marines", Mr Hekmati was quoted by the Associated Press as saying.

The US has demanded his release, saying he has been "falsely accused".
The state department said Swiss diplomats in Iran - who handle Washington's interests because of an absence of US-Iran diplomatic relations - were not allowed to see Mr Hekmati before his trial.
Mr Hekmati has 20 days to appeal against the sentence.
'Red line' The sentence further heightens the tensions which rose after the US said it would impose new sanctions on Iran's central bank and the European Union would impose an embargo on Iran's oil exports.

 

The West believes Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, although Tehran has always insisted its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.
In response to the sanctions threat, Tehran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz - a key route from the Gulf through which 20% of the world's traded oil passes.
US defence chiefs on Sunday warned that they would take action if Iran closed the strait.
Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said such a move would cross a "red line" and "we would take action and reopen the strait."

Eyewitness: Syria observers tour town

Unscheduled visit by Arab League observers to a Damascus suburb

Mohammad Ballout, accompanied three Arab League observers to the town of Irbine, on the outskirts of Damascus. This is his eyewitness report.

An extraordinary day for the residents of the town of Irbine. The town, a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus, was visited by observers from the Arab League on Thursday. They broke off from their official programme to visit the area unhindered by an official escort.
The BBC was able to film the ensuing demonstration without being stopped by the army or pro-government militia.
The security forces stayed on the sidelines, allowing the protest to go ahead. During the five hour visit, the observers moved about the town freely.

 

Arab League monitors surrounded by a chanting crowd in Irbine

 

Protesters gathered quickly in front of the police station, surrounded the observers and led them to the centre of the city where they were joined by hundreds of residents eager to tell them what had happened in their town.
The group of observers - made up of three Algerian diplomats - was able to record the accounts of the resident of the town freely.
Three veiled women said the security forces had taken hostage one of their brothers to force them to hand over another man. The observers were told that Ghayas Halabi was killed in an operation by the security forces, while the hostage, Yassine Halabi, was never freed.
A father told the observers that his son was killed by a sniper as he left a mosque on a protest day in the town. He said soldiers "finished off" his injured son with a knife.
A group of activists in face masks arrived in a truck and distributed banners and flags. A demonstration followed and a chant went up in the crowd demanding the execution of President Bashar al-Assad.
The observers accompanied the crowd to the city's main mosque. One of them took part in the prayer. The two other observers went into an office beside the mosque to hear the residents' complaints and to receive a list of those who had been detained or had been missing without news for more than a month.

Iowa caucuses: Republicans set for 2012 caucus votes

 

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was locked in a virtual tie in late polling with Rick Santorum and Ron Paul

Six contenders for the US Republican presidential nomination are making frantic final appeals to voters ahead of caucuses across the state of Iowa.

Tuesday evening's contest launches six months of state-by-state caucus and primary ballots.
Mitt Romney, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum lead in a race that remains too close to call. Many voters remain undecided.
The caucuses will involve about 120,000 Iowans gathering in homes, schools and public buildings.
Voters will gather at 20:00 EST (01:00 GMT) for sessions that last two hours.
Voters undecided

Iowa caucus

• 'First in the nation' contest to decide each party's nominee
• 46 TV ads - 35 from the campaigns themselves - have been broadcast in the state this election cycle
• In 2008, about 120,000 Iowa Republicans attended caucuses
• Just half of Iowa Republican winners since 1976 have gone on to become the nominee
• Only three modern Iowa winners have become president: Jimmy Carter, George W Bush and Barack Obama

The caucuses will take place in more than 1,700 locations in all of the mid-western state's 99 counties.

Iowans will elect 28 delegates to the Republican National Convention, where the party's eventual nominee will be anointed in Florida this August.
Iowa is not expected to settle the contest - John McCain, the eventual Republican nominee in 2008, came fourth in the state's caucuses that year - but it will help shape the race for the White House.
Although the candidates have been campaigning for months on end, about 40% of voters say they could still be swayed, and the Republicans made last-ditch efforts on Tuesday to win over the many undecided voters.
Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann and two of Mitt Romney's sons spoke at an afternoon "Rock the Caucus" event at a West Des Moines high school.
Mr Paul told a crowd of young voters does not believe in sending young people to war unless "absolutely necessary".
Mr Santorum told the students that government would "crush your pocketbooks", the Des Moines Register reported.
Mrs Bachmann is now travelling to Black Hawk County, where she was born, to speak at a caucus event at 17:30 CST (23:30 GMT).
'Hard to predict' Former Massachusetts Governor Romney, whose last run for the presidency in 2008 was effectively derailed in Iowa, adopted a more cautious tone on Tuesday, a day after predicting he would win.

Whoever gets the top spot in Iowa will get attention and interest and so momentum going into next week's election in New Hampshire”

Recent opinion polls suggest a knife-edge contest between Mr Romney and Texas Congressman Ron Paul, a small-government, anti-war libertarian, who enjoys widespread support in the Hawkeye state.
But former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum - whose conservative Christian message plays well in Iowa - has been closing the gap on both men.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who was until last month the front-runner in Iowa, hit back at Mr Romney on Tuesday.
He said Mr Romney should "just level with the American people" about his moderate political views.
Mr Gingrich also said it was "baloney" that Mr Romney had nothing to do with a political action committee that has pummelled Mr Gingrich with attack ads.

Republican hopefuls

• Mitt Romney: Ex-Massachusetts governor and Mormon; presumed front-runner though doubts remain for some over his conservative credentials
• Rick Perry: Texas governor; once seen as a conservative alternative to Mr Romney, his campaign has been damaged by a series of gaffes
• Ron Paul: Texas congressman and, at 76, oldest in race. Libertarian-minded, with a band of devoted followers
• Rick Santorum: Ex-Pennsylvania senator and social conservative. Nearly written off, but seen late surge in support in Iowa
• Newt Gingrich: Ex-House of Representatives' speaker; Briefly led the field, but support collapsed amid a fusillade of attacks ads
• Michele Bachmann: Minnesota congresswoman and outspoken favourite of the Tea Party, her campaign has faltered in recent months
• Jon Huntsman: Ex-Utah governor and Mormon. Has decided not to run in Iowa and concentrate efforts on New Hampshire's primary

Asked on CBS television if he was calling Mr Romney "a liar," the former House speaker said: "Yes."

Mr Romney lost Iowa in 2008 amid voter scepticism over his Mormon faith and conservative credentials.
But he can win this time, analysts say, if the evangelical Christian vote is split across competing conservative candidates - including Mr Santorum, Texas Governor Rick Perry and Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann.
Chilly forecast Iowa experts say the state's weather could be a determining factor in voter turnout on Tuesday, with Mr Paul's dedicated supporters the most likely to brave poor conditions.
The forecast for Iowa on Tuesday is partly cloudy, BBC Weather says, with temperatures likely to hover just above freezing during the day.
After Iowa, the state of New Hampshire holds its primary election on 10 January. Mitt Romney has a big lead there.
Over the next six months, each US state will vote on the presidential contenders before a final nominee is selected.
The candidate will run in the 6 November general election against Democratic President Obama, who is seeking a second term.
Mr Obama, meanwhile, plans to host a web-chat with supporters in Iowa on Tuesday as the caucuses take place.
Voters remain concerned by the slow pace of economic recovery from the recession that started during the end of the presidency of George W Bush and officially ended in 2009.

Europe leaders warn of difficult 2012

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel heads Europe's largest economy

European leaders have warned of a difficult year ahead, as many economists predict recession in 2012.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Europe was experiencing its "most severe test in decades" but that Europe was growing closer in the debt crisis.
France's President Sarkozy said the crisis was not finished, while Italy's president called for more sacrifices.
Growth in Europe has stalled as the debt crisis has forced governments to slash spending.
The leaders' new year messages came as leading economists polled by the BBC said they expected a return to recession in Europe in the first half of 2012.
The cost of borrowing for some of the eurozone's largest economies, including Italy and Spain, has shot up in recent months as lenders fear governments will not be able to pay back money they have already borrowed.
With growth stalled, the pressure is on governments across Europe, not just ones using the single currency, to cut spending in order to meet debt obligations.
Fears are now focusing on a potential second credit crunch, triggered by the exposure of banks across Europe to Italy's huge debt.
Euro defended In her TV address, Chancellor Merkel said that despite Germany's relatively good economic situation, "next year will no doubt be more difficult than 2011".

The most likely outcome in pure economic terms is a moderately bad fiscal crisis, a survivable sovereign debt event and a sharp growth downturn, all in the first half of the year”

"The road to overcome it [debt crisis] remains long and not without setbacks, but at the end of this path Europe will re-emerge stronger from the crisis than it was when it entered it."

She defended the euro, saying it had made "everyday life easier and our economy stronger... and protected from something worse" in the financial crisis of 2008.
Heading into an election year trailing his Socialist rival Francois Hollande in the polls, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said structural changes to the economy were needed in order to return to growth.
"I know that the lives of many of you, already tested by two difficult years, have been put to the test once more," he said in a televised address.

 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy faces an uphill battle to be re-elected in April

"You are ending the year more worried about yourselves and your children," he said.
But after having already pushed budget cuts in order to forestall a downgrade of France's treasured AAA sovereign credit rating, he promised there would be no more budget cuts.
"What was to be done was done by the government," he said.
Mr Sarkozy is due to meet Mrs Merkel in early January to push forward a European Union agreement in December for a new fiscal compact.
'Unavoidable' sacrifices The president of Italy, the eurozone's third-largest economy, urged people to make sacrifices to prevent the "financial collapse of Italy".
President Giorgio Napolitano said: "Sacrifices are necessary to ensure the future of young people, it's our objective and a commitment we cannot avoid."

 

Government austerity has undermined growth and caused a great deal of anger around Europe

 

Fears that Italy might need a Greek-style bailout that Europe would have difficulty dealing with have forced the government's borrowing costs up and led to the replacement of Silvio Berlusconi by Mario Monti, leading a cabinet of unelected experts.
"No-one, no social group, can today avoid the commitment to contribute to the clean-up of public finances in order to prevent the financial collapse of Italy," President Napolitano said.
"The sacrifices will not be in vain, especially if the economy begins to grow again."
Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos, another technocrat who was appointed to lead an interim coalition government after the debt crisis forced George Papandreou to resign, also warned of a difficult year ahead.
"We have to continue our efforts with determination, so that the sacrifices we have made up to now won't be in vain," he said in a televised address.
His government has imposed harsh austerity measures in order to ensure Greece continues to receive an international bailout.
The austerity measures, begun in 2010 by the previous government, have led to mass protests and riots as high unemployment, raised taxes, salary cuts and reduced government services take their toll.