Nursing home fire kills 18 in South Africa

Johannesburg, South Africa (CNN) -- Eighteen elderly residents died Sunday night after a fire broke out at a Nigel, South Africa nursing home, according an emergency services spokesman.

Chris Botha, a Netcare (911) Limited spokesman, said another 84 residents escaped the flames. Three of those were taken to hospitals for serious injuries.

When paramedics and firefighters arrived, the building was engulfed in flames and emergency personnel worked to rescue the elderly from the burning building.

After the blaze was extinguished, firefighters found 17 victims had died in the inferno. Another resident died of a suspected heart attack after being transported to a safe holding area at a local church, Botha said.

Many of the elderly were disabled, according to news reports from the South African Press Association.

CNN

Police arrest robber told to 'seek Jesus'

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Florida police arrested a man who they said was convinced not to rob a store by a manager who told him to "seek Jesus," but then went on to rob a nearby store.

Broward County sheriff's deputies said Israel Camacho, 37, of Coral Springs, attempted to rob a cellphone store July 23, but he was talked out of the crime by manager Nayara Goncalves, 20, who urged him to "seek Jesus," The Miami Herald reported Monday.

However, deputies said Camacho robbed a Payless shoe store a few miles away less than 2 hours after he left the cellphone store.

The sheriff's office described Camacho as a "serial robber" who has been in and out of jail since 1998.

Camacho faces charges of armed robbery, attempted armed robbery and failure to pay child support.

UPI

Central Russian hospitals reopen after blaze evacuations

Two of the three hospitals that were evacuated last week over wildfires in the central Russian city of Voronezh have resumed work, local health officials said Monday.

Forest fires have been raging around Voronezh since Thursday. Flames have killed five people and left over 500 homeless.

The patients and staff of three city hospitals were evacuated on Thursday and Friday as flames encroached.

"Routine work has now been resumed in hospitals No. 4 and No.11. Hospital No.8 will resume work after the Emergencies Ministry issues a permit," an official said.

The worst wildfires in decades have swept across much of the central part of European Russia as temperatures soar to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered on Monday the governors of 14 Russian regions affected by the blazes, which have so far have killed at least 34 people, to hand in lists of casualties and reconstruction plans.

RIA Novosti

Dean Cain to headline Syfy flick

EW YORK, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. actor Dean Cain has signed up to star in the small-screen alien flick, "Frost Giant," Syfy said Monday.

Cain is best known for playing Superman/Clark Kent on TV's "Lois and Clark," and for serving as host of "Ripley's Believe it or Not".

His latest project is to air on Syfy Saturday night.

In it, he and a team search for a 19th century shipwreck off the coast of Antarctica.

"After the team digs up an alien ice creature that has been buried in the ice for over 200 hundred years, the creature kills the explorers and heads to the mainland, where it begins sucking the heat energy from Earth," the network said in a news release.

"Frost Giant" also stars Lucy Brown from TV's "Primeval".

UPI

S. Korea seawall is record-breaker

SEOUL, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- South Korea says its Saemangeum seawall has snagged a Guinness world record as the longest man-made sea barrier in the world.

The country's Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said Guinness officially confirmed the 21-mile-long seawall is an eighth of a mile longer than the dike at the Zuiderzee Works in the Netherlands, Yonhap news agency reported Monday.

The Saemangeum project, begun in 1991 and officially completed April 27, links the port of Gunsan, 170 miles southwest of Seoul on the country's western coast, with Byeonsan Peninsula.

The seawall carries a four-lane highway cutting driving time from Gunsan to Byeonsan to 30 minutes from the previous 90 minutes.

UPI

ISAF: Suicide bombing kills 5 children in Afghanistan

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- An explosives-laden vehicle driven by a suicide bomber detonated before reaching its target Monday, killing five Afghan children and injuring an Afghan police officer, according to a statement by the U.S.-led international military force.

The statement said the attack was aimed at the governor of the Dand district in Kandahar province, but the explosives detonated prematurely, causing civilian casualties. Another explosive device detonated nearby, causing no casualties, the statement said.

"This act of terrorism and the many like it should be all it takes for people to understand the motivation and thought process of the insurgents," said Maj. Gen. Michael Regner, deputy chief of staff for combined joint operations of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command.

CNN

Violence in Kashmir leaves 8 dead, 67 hurt

Srinagar, India (CNN) -- Eight people, including a young boy, were killed and 67 were wounded Monday in continued clashes between protesters and security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir, a police spokesman said.

The spokesman said four people were killed when mobs attacked police stations, police camps, and railway and government property in south and north Kashmir. Police and security forces tried to disperse the mobs by using tear gas and baton charges. When the mob kept throwing rocks and setting property on fire, police fired on the crowd, the spokesman said.

Another person was killed in a stampede when police chased away a mob in Sangam in south Kashmir, the spokesman said. However, locals alleged that the person was beaten by the security forces, not killed in a stampede.

Another stampede critically injured an 8-year-old boy in Batmallo near Srinagar, the capital of Indian-administered Kashmir. The boy died Monday evening, the spokesman said.

Tension gripped Bijbehera in south Kashmir, he said, after a 22-year-old who was critically wounded during fighting Saturday died from his injuries Monday morning.

Indian police also fired Monday at a rock-throwing mob in the south Kashmir town of Kulgam, killing a youth and wounded four others, the police spokesman said.

Overall, nine civilians, 29 police officers, and 28 soldiers were injured Monday, he said.

CNN

Dodging death and danger, the pair finally enter 'civilization'

Editor's Note: Ed Stafford, 34, from Leicestershire, central England, has been walking the length Amazon River since April 2, 2008, to raise awareness of the region. He began his trek at the source of the river in Peru, encountering pit vipers, electric eels, anaconda, mosquitoes and scorpions. He was joined in July 2008 by Gadiel "Cho" Sanchez Rivera. The pair are due to reach the shores of the Atlantic on August 9. During his trek Ed has blogged using a laptop and a satellite internet link. You can follow his journey on theWalking the Amazon website. In his third piece for CNN he describes walking back into civilization

(CNN) -- As my tweet reported in real time on the 30th July - Cho and I have been spat out of the jungle for the very last time.

From here on in, we'll be walking through civilization and on to journey's end; Maruda; 9th August 2010.

For Cho and I, the jungle has been a place of adventure and it's also been our normality -- it's been our 'home' for so long now.

Most people I speak to via the internet say they could do a couple of days in the fetid heat, worrying about the jaguars, avoiding the pit vipers and daily trying to sleep in a place that can be as noisy as a nightclub at night, but they can't imagine doing 850 days.

The reality is; this has become our home and although we have dodged death on many occasions and faced starvation, we've also walked through community after community and found warmth and kindness that I doubt I'll ever experience again.

When we return home, Cho and I will remember all the people who've given us a bed for the night, and a hot meal, without need of anything in return. I will dream about this place for the rest of my life.

Our final day in the jungle started mutely at 5am when I silently fanned the fire embers into life and boiled rice in the dark. As the gloom lifted we broke camp and tried to make some headway down the disused power line.

To concisely explain - the power line used to supply the town of Oeiras with electricity but many of the posts have since toppled and the cables now lie knotted in vines. Light has flooded into the linear space in the years of abandonment to form a 30-foot wide, 30-foot high, 50 mile long bramble bush.

The forest to the side was razor grass one minute, dense bamboo the next. We weaved between the two searching for the fastest escape.

CNN

Senators outline plan to probe Lockerbie bomber's release

New York (CNN) -- Two U.S. senators have requested more information from the British and Scottish governments regarding the release of a Libyan man convicted in the 1988 bombing of Pam Am Flight 103, which killed 270 people.

At a Monday news conference at Newark Liberty International Airport, Senators Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg outlined the investigative portion of their plan to find more information about the circumstances surrounding the release of bomber Abdelbaset al Megrahi from a Scottish prison nearly one year ago.

They also released the first in a series of letters to the Scottish government requesting new information.

Menendez will chair a Senate hearing on the matter in the coming months, which was originally scheduled for July 29 but was postponed when key witnesses from BP and the Scottish and British governments declined to testify on that date.

He has announced a new plan to gather information, which includes an investigation that his office will spearhead and that will help inform the Foreign Relations Committee's hearing.

The senators plan to review all documents already made public by the British and Scottish governments and all documents newly released to Menendez by the British government.

CNN

U.N. announces panel will investigate Gaza flotilla incident

United Nations (CNN) -- Calling it an "unprecedented development," United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced Monday the U.N. will launch a panel of inquiry to investigate the May 31 Gaza flotilla incident that left nine Turkish activists dead.

"For the past two months, I have engaged in intensive consultation with the leaders of Israel and Turkey on the setting-up of a panel of inquiry on the flotilla incident," Ban said in a statement. "Today I am very pleased to announce the launch of the panel. This is an unprecedented development. I thank the leaders of the two countries with whom I have engaged in last-minute consultations over the weekend, for their spirit of compromise and forward looking cooperation".

The panel will be led by Geoffrey Palmer, former prime minister of New Zealand, as chairman and Alvaro Uribe, outgoing Colombian president, as vice-chair, Ban said. Representatives from Israel and Turkey will be the panel's other two members.

The panel will begin its work on August 10 and submit its first progress report by mid-September, the statement said. Ban said he hopes the panel's work will "give me recommendations for the prevention of similar incidents in the future".

He said he also hopes the agreement will "impact positively on the relationship between Turkey and Israel as well as the overall situation in the Middle East".

CNN

Colonialism and the 'scramble for Africa'

Editor's note: This year 17 African nations mark 50 years of independence from their former colonial rulers. Eight of those countries celebrate their anniversary in August, they include Benin, Ivory Coast and Gabon. CNN.com is marking this major milestone with special coverage in August looking at the continent's past, present and future

(CNN) -- The wave of Independence across Africa in the 1950s and 1960s brought to the end around 75 years of colonial rule by Britain, France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and -- until World War I -- Germany.

Before 1880, Europeans had only made small incursions into Africa, with forts and trading posts mainly around the coast, according to Richard Dowden, director of the Royal African Society in Britain.

The interior until then remained largely inaccessible to Europeans because of disease and difficulty of travel.

"Then the new unified Germany began to flex its muscles. It saw Britain and France ruling the world and wanted to compete for its 'place in the sun'. Its explorers were beginning to penetrate the continent," Dowden told CNN.

When the explorer Henry Morton Stanley -- who had already rescued David Livingstone -- set out on another rescue mission, King Leopold of Belgium asked him to claim land along the Congo River for Belgium.

"This was a vast grab from little old Belgium, which upset Britain and France," said Dowden. "Britain already had India and didn't really want Africa too, but felt they should have it if everyone else was".

In 1884-5, the Berlin Conference was called to carve up Africa between Britain, France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Germany.

"They didn't want to be seen to be fighting amongst themselves, because then Africans would realize that white men could be killed," said Dowden. "Instead they drew lines on a map of places they had never been to, with no regards for existing kingdoms, geography or the people that lived there.

"They believed they were bringing civilization to 'savage people'. They introduced Christianity, trade, education, justice and a good deal of looting and forced labor".

It was beginning to emerge that Africa had mineral and agricultural wealth, which the Europeans were keen to exploit.

CNN

Supermodel's war crimes testimony could be delayed

(CNN) -- The defense in the war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor filed an emergency motion to delay supermodel Naomi Campbell's testimony against him, the court announced Monday.

She is scheduled to take the stand against him at the Special Tribunal for Sierra Leone on Thursday.

Prosecutors say Taylor gave her a diamond during the brutal war in Sierra Leone, contradicting Taylor's testimony that he never handled the precious stones that fueled the conflict.

The defense says it hasn't seen a copy of her testimony, which interferes with Taylor's right to a fair trial. Under tribunal rules, the defense team should get advance access to prosecution witness testimony so it can prepare its arguments.

It asked the court to decide by Wednesday whether Campbell would testify Thursday, according to court papers.

Campbell did not want to be involved in the trial but was subpoenaed on July 1 to appear at the tribunal for Taylor, who faces war crimes charges over a brutal conflict in Sierra Leone that was fueled by rough diamonds, also known as blood diamonds or conflict diamonds.

Witnesses have said Taylor gave Campbell a diamond.

CNN

HSBC profit hits $11.1bn as bad debts fall

(FT) -- Pre-tax profit more than doubled at HSBC in the first six months of the year as bad debts fell to the lowest level since the start of the financial crisis and its investment banking division revealed a surprisingly resilient performance.

Group pre-tax profit rose to $11.1 billion from $5.02 billion a year ago. HSBC was profitable in every region except the US, where it posted a loss of around $80 million.

Douglas Flint, finance director, said on Monday the profit growth had been driven by the bank's retail and commercial businesses, which made a profit of about $4.3 billion in the first half compared with around $1.2 billion a year ago.

The personal financial services business returned to profit for the first time in two years, driven by a better performance in the US.

While the North American business still made a loss, this was sharply lower than a year ago.

HSBC said the division, which had been ravaged by losses on subprime loans, was boosted by a marked fall in loan impairments and a recovery in its core businesses. HSBC also sold its $4.3 billion US car loan portfolio.

CNN

BP gears up for two-phase effort to plug Gulf oil well

New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) -- One of two efforts to seal the ruptured BP oil well in the Gulf once and for all could begin as early as Monday night, officials said.

The "static kill" involves pouring mud and cement into the well from above -- a process that had been delayed while debris from a tropical storm was cleared out.

"I do have a lot of confidence we'll be successful," Doug Suttles, the oil giant's chief operating officer, said Sunday.

It will be followed by a final "bottom kill" after a relief well intercepts the crippled well -- a step estimated to start about five to seven days after the static kill is complete.

However, federal officials remain cautious.

The government point man on the Gulf oil spill last week warned against elevated optimism.

"We should not be writing any obituary for this event," said Thad Allen, a retired Coast Guard admiral.

As the oil giant prepares to launch the latest effort, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is expected to travel to New Orleans Monday. Napolitano will review the oil spill response with federal, state and local officials.

CNN

Pakistan summons British envoy after Cameron's remarks

Islamabad, Pakistan(CNN) -- Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Britain's high commissioner for talks Monday, less than a week after British Prime Minister David Cameron criticized the country's handing of terrorism.

"We can confirm that the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Mr. Adam Thomson, is meeting this morning with Foreign Minister Qureshi at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the British Foreign Office in London said Monday.

The outcome of the session was not immediately clear.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has said he will proceed with a scheduled visit to the United Kingdom this week despite Cameron's remarks, a government official said.

"There is no reason to bark at each other. We have had good relations in the past and we want to progress our relations," Pakistan Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said Saturday.

CNN

NASA: Spacewalks may be used to fix space station cooling problem

(CNN) -- Crew members on the International Space Station may need to conduct spacewalks this week to fix the station's cooling system, NASA said Sunday.

Warning alarms awakened crew members Saturday night when a circuit breaker tripped, shutting off power to the pump that feeds ammonia to part of the station's cooling system, NASA said in a statement.

"The crew is not in any danger and is monitoring systems and relaxing on an otherwise off-duty day," NASA said.

Engineers are reviewing preliminary plans for two crew members to conduct one spacewalk this week to replace the failed pump, and then another spacewalk several days later to complete fluid and electrical connections, NASA said.

NASA said the cooling loop shut down around 8 p.m. ET Saturday after monitors detected a power spike in the pump that sends ammonia through the loops. The problem forced other systems on the space station to shut down, NASA said.

The alarms came two days after NASA officials warned space debris could pose a risk to the station. Later Thursday, scientists said the debris was no longer a threat.

Six people -- three Americans and three Russians -- are on the International Space Station.

CNN