Koran burning 'would be disaster' NY imam warns

The New York imam leading efforts to build an Islamic centre near the World Trade Center site says plans by a small US church to burn Korans would have sparked "a disaster".

Feisal Abdul Rauf told ABC News that the event - now called off - would have "strengthened radicals".

Rallies for and against the proposed centre marred the 9/11 commemorations.

Meanwhile, two people died in eastern Afghanistan as protests sparked by the threatened book burning continued.

Security forces opened fire when some demonstrators tried to storm the district governor's office in Baraki Barak, in Logar province, on Sunday.

Protests have erupted across the Muslim world since Florida Pastor Terry Jones announced plans to burn Korans outside his church to mark the 9/11 attacks.

Mr Jones said he cancelled the event because those behind the Islamic centre near Ground Zero had agreed to relocate it - a claim denied by Mr Rauf.

"How can you equate the burning of any person's scripture with an attempt to build inter-faith dialogue?" Mr Rauf told ABC.

"This is a house with multi-faith partners, intended to work together towards building peace".

He said burning the Koran would have sparked "a disaster" in the Muslim world.

"It would have strengthened the radicals. It would have enhanced the possibility of terrorist acts against America and American interests," he said.

The group led by Mr Rauf hopes to turn an abandoned building into a community centre and prayer space.

BBC News

French New Wave film-maker Claude Chabrol dies

One of France's best-known film directors, Claude Chabrol, has died at the age of 80.

Chabrol is best known for 1960s and 70s thrillers such as The Unfaithful Wife, The Butcher and This Man Must Die.

A member of the French New Wave movement, his contemporaries included Eric Rohmer and Jean-Luc Godard.

"With the death of Claude Chabrol, French cinema has lost one of its maestros," said French Prime Minister Francois Fillon in a statement.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy described Chabrol as a "great author and great film-maker".

Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe hailed Chabrol as "the inventor of inspired, rich and profoundly human movies".

Thierry Fremaux, who runs the Cannes Film Festival, told French radio station, France Info: "Claude Chabrol is part of our national patrimony - for his films and also for his personality".

BBC News

Palestinians killed after rocket fire

JERUSALEM, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in northern Gaza after mortar shells and Qassam rockets were fired at southern Israel, Israelis said.

Palestinian media reports said Ibrahim Abu Said, 91, and his teenage grandson Hussam Abu-Asad were killed by artillery shells near Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza. A third Palestinian identified as Ismail Abu Udah, 20, also was killed, the Maan news agency said Sunday night.

An Israeli army spokesman said the three attempted to fire anti-tank missiles at Israeli troops. Soldiers responded firing warning shots before a tank shell was fired towards the three, killing them and injuring five others.

Palestinian media reports in Gaza said the three were farmers.

The incident occurred shortly after three mortar shells were fired from Gaza at southern Israel, and exploded in a kibbutz in the Sha'ar Hanegev regional council. No one was injured and no damage reported.

UPI

Iran says it will free U.S. hiker on bail

TEHRAN, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Iran said Sunday it will free one of three American hikers it charges with spying on bail, but lengthened the detention of two others.

Sarah Shourd, 32, will be released on $500,000 bail, Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi told Iranian news agencies cited by the Los Angeles Times.

On Sunday, Shroud, Joshua Fattal and Shane Bauer were formally charged with espionage and trespassing into Iran, and the detention of the men was extended for two months, their attorney, Massoud Shafii, told the Times.

The hikers were arrested in the summer of 2009 at the Iran-Iraq border during what relatives called an ill-fated hiking trip.

Shafii predicted Shourd would be allowed to leave Iran at once, though the prosecutor said she is supposed to show up for trial.

UPI

Alonso claims Monza victory for Ferrari

(CNN) -- Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso secured an emotional victory for Ferrari at their home Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sunday.

The 29-year-old started from pole position and delighted the "Tifosi" -- the name given to Ferrari's legion of passionate fans -- with a superb drive to finish ahead of world champion Jenson Button, with Felipe Massa third in the second Ferrari.

Button claimed the better start and led for the first 36 laps, but Alonso took the lead following a pit stop and held on for Ferrari's first "home" win in four years.

"That was one of the great wins of my career, so emotional and so special for me and for this team. For me it is there with my Spanish Grand Prix of 2006," Alonso told reporters.

"Now we must go back to work -- we need to find consistency in the last five races of the season," he added.

CNN

Deutsche Bank confirms €9.8bn rights issue

Frankfurt, Germany and London, England (FT.com) -- Deutsche Bank on Sunday announced a €9.8bn rights issue, as Germany's biggest bank moves to strengthen its capital base.

The issue, bigger than the €8bn-€9bn suggested late last week by people close to the deal, comes as regulators gathering in Basel, Switzerland, were putting the finishing touches to a deal to toughen the capital requirements for banks around the world.

Deutsche also issued a tender offer of €24-€25 a share for the shares in Postbank that it does not already own, though that was below the €27.04 price that the post office bank shares closed at on Friday. Deutsche currently owns just under 30 per cent of Postbank.

Deutsche Bank said in a statement: "The capital increase is primarily intended to cover capital consumption from the planned Postbank consolidation, but will also support the existing capital base to accommodate regulatory changes and business growth".

European bank shares had fallen on Friday as Deutsche Bank's plans to tap investors fuelled talk of a round of capital raisings by banks seeking to bolster their balance sheets.

Investors renewed their scrutiny of the health of Europe's banks ahead of the Basel meeting of global banking supervisors.

Deutshe Bank's plans have cemented a belief that other European banks will also try to go to investors for capital to meet the new Basel III standards. "The key question is how many will follow Deutsche: if Credit Agricole or Société Générale do so, it will be big news. I'm a little more nervous now going into next week," said a leading banks analyst.

Deutsche Bank's move was also taken as a sign that Europe's banks -- most of which passed stress tests two months ago -- faced a worsening economic outlook that would hit earnings.

CNN

Six killed in Kentucky mobile home park

MOUNT CARMEL, Ky., Sept. 12 (UPI) -- A domestic dispute in a Mount Carmel, Ky., mobile home park has left six people dead, including the shooter, the Kentucky State Police said.

Stanley Neace, 47, killed his wife, stepdaughter and three neighbors before shooting himself in the head, the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader reported Sunday.

Neighbors said Neace walked through the park Saturday firing at the victims with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun.

Police identified the dead as Sandra Neace, 54; Dennis Turner, 31; Sandra Strong, 28; Tammy Kilborn, 40 and Teresa Fugate, 30.

An intended victim, Steve Smith, said Neace shot at him and missed, then went to his own mobile home.

UPI

Bad press for Saudi growth denounced

JEDDAH: Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal has strongly criticized what he called the “negative coverage” by the world media of the progress taking place in Saudi Arabia in all walks of life.

“The development achieved by the Kingdom in a short span of time is unprecedented in history,” he told well-wishers who visited him at his home Friday night to convey their Eid greetings.

He said most of media, particularly the international one, look only at the negative aspects and do not go deep to see the reality of the Kingdom and convey it to the readers and viewers.

“If we look at the education in the Kingdom we will see a big difference between what is happening now and what was the situation in the past. We have built universities and educational institutions which are almost unparalleled in the world,” he said.

Prince Khaled said the media continue to do injustice to the Saudi citizen portraying him as naive and stupid. “The media coverage of the Kingdom is not at the desired level,” he lamented.

The governor, on the other hand, said the Saudi leadership is giving maximum attention to the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah and is keen about the welfare and prosperity of their residents and visitors. He said the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has ordered a study of the streets and roads in Makkah to end the transport problem.

“The king is deeply concerned about the services being provided to pilgrims and visitors in order to do their rituals in ease and comfort. The king is giving utmost concern to the development of the holy sites for the welfare of pilgrims and visitors,” said the governor.

Prince Khaled asked all able citizens to contribute to the development of the holy sites.

Arab News

Sirius XM-5 satellite delivered to Baikonur for October launch

A giant An-124 Ruslan cargo plane has landed at the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan with a telecommunications satellite that will be launched for Sirius XM radio in mid-October, the Russian Space Agency said on Sunday.

The Sirius XM-5 satellite and an array of support equipment were unloaded and taken to a clean room for final assembly and testing, Roscosmos said on its website.

The launch is expected to take place on October 14. The satellite will function as an in-orbit spare for the Sirius XM satellite radio network. All four previous Sirius satellites were launched on Proton rockets.

The October launch will be the sixth time a Proton-M heavy carrier rocket has lifted off with a foreign satellite in 2010. Three other Proton-M rockets have orbited Russian satellites.

The final assembly of the rocket started at Baikonur last month.

RIA Novosti

Number of injured in Russia's Vladikavkaz bombing up to 173

The official list of people injured in Thursday's suicide bombing at a market in the southern Russian city of Vladikavkaz has increased by six to 173, regional officials said on Sunday.

Seventeen people, not counting the bomber, were killed in the explosion in the capital of the North Caucasus republic of North Ossetia.

"In total, 120 are receiving inpatient treatment in hospitals, not counting those who were sent for inpatient treatment in hospitals in Moscow," the Health Ministry of North Ossetia said.

Late on Thursday, 12 hours after the attack, the republic's Health Ministry said the number of injured was 138.

The federal government has announced that people injured in the blast will receive between 200,000 rubles ($6,500) and 400,000 rubles ($13,000).

Relatives of those killed will receive 1 million rubles ($33,000) in compensation.

RIA Novosti

Russian Progress craft docks with International Space Station

The Progress M-07M cargo spacecraft docked as planned with the International Space Station on Sunday, two days after it was launched from Kazakhstan.

The docking took place at 11:58 GMT, when the ISS was over western Mongolia. The rendezvous was fully automated with no intervention required of the space station crew.

The freighter carried more than 2 tons of equipment, fuel, oxygen, food and water to the station, as well as census forms for the Russian cosmonauts on board. They are expected to be among the first Russian citizens to complete the questionnaires.

The previous Russian census was taken in 2002.

RIA Novosti

Putin to attend session of UN Health Organization in Moscow

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will participate in the 60th session of the UN World Health Organization's Regional Committee for Europe on Monday, the government press service said.

The Soviet Union was one of the cofounders of WHO and the European Committee is one of six regional departments of the UN organization, which unites 53 nations with a total population of 780 million.

The session's agenda includes issues on developing health systems in Europe and beyond, as well as the perspectives of strategic partnership, conceptual bases for developing strategic partnerships and national strategies, and programs and plans in health systems.

The session will be held September 13-16 in Moscow.

RIA Novosti

Head of anti-extremism department shot dead in Dagestan

The head of an international department for the fight against extremism in Russia's South Caucasus Federal District was shot dead in the capital of Dagestan, a department spokesman said on Sunday.

Gapal Gadzhiyev was shot in his Toyota Avensis while on his way to work on Sunday morning in Makhachkala, Mark Tolchinksy told RIA Novosti.

On Saturday, a bomb placed under a car went off in the republic's capital, injuring a police officer who was hospitalized with shrapnel wounds. His family, who was with him at the time, was not injured in the incident.

Russia's North Caucasus republics, in particular Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, have seen frequent attacks on police and officials despite the end of a decade-long special regime for counterterrorism operations in Chechnya the last years.

Last week, a suicide bomber on a Volga car blew himself up at a market in Vladikavkaz, the capital of the North Caucasus republic of North Ossetia, killing at least 17 people and injuring more than 160.

The bombing is the latest in a series of terrorist attacks that have rocked the troubled North Caucasus in recent weeks, including a suicide attack on a military camp in Dagestan.

RIA Novosti

Number of Ukrainian schoolchildren hospitalized with food poisoning reaches 63

The number of children hospitalized for food poisoning in the Crimean city of Yevpatoria on the Black Sea has reached 63, the Ukrainian Emergencies Ministry's press service said on Sunday.

The children became ill on Friday after eating poorly prepared macaroni with meat and eggs for lunch. In all, 167 children ate in the school cafeteria.

"There are 63 children in stable and slightly weak condition [in the hospital] as of 7:00 a.m. local time [GMT 04:00]," the press service said in a statement.

The incident is currently being investigated by Ukraine's Health Ministry.

RIA Novosti

Ex-Argentine President Kirchner hospitalized due to heart problems

Nestor Kirchner, the former president and husband of Argentina's current president, has been hospitalized with heart problems, Argentine news agencies reported on Sunday.

According to Noticias Argentinas, the ex-president was hospitalized in Buenos Aires on Saturday where he underwent angioplasty surgery.

According to Kirchner's doctor, Victor Caramutti, the ex-president is currently in excellent condition following the surgery.

In February of this year, Kirchner was hospitalized for a blood clot in his carotid artery.

Kirchner, 59, said earlier that either he or his wife and current president, Cristina Elizabet Fernandez de Kirchner, 57, would run for the office of president of Argentina in 2011.

RIA Novosti

Russia's Zvonareva misses second chance to win Grand Slam title

Russia's Vera Zvonareva was defeated on Saturday in the US Open finals by defending champion Kim Clijsters of Belgium.

It took one hour for the second-seeded Clijsters to easily beat seventh-seeded Zvonareva (6-2, 6-1), who appeared to be too nervous and out of focus to offer significant resistance.

Zvonareva, who turned 26 earlier this week, missed a second chance to win her first Grand Slam title, after losing to Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final in July.

Clijsters, 27, won her second U.S. Open title in a row and third overall (2005, 2009, and 2010).

In addition to the prestigious silver cup, the talented Belgian tennis star was awarded $2.2 million.

RIA Novosti

Moscow hosts international peace marathon

The Russian capital will host on Sunday the 30th Moscow International Peace Marathon.

According to organizers of the event, the marathon route runs around the most beautiful historic places in Moscow, including Red Square, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and the St. Basil's Cathedral.

The event includes a full marathon (42 km and 195 m), a 10 km race, a 10 km race for disabled people on wheelchairs, and a 1 Moscow mile race.

Runners from 400 Russian cities and 40 foreign countries are expected to take part in the event.

RIA Novosti

Russia's most powerful warship returns home after tour-of-duty

Russia's Pyotr Veliky nuclear-powered missile cruiser will return on Sunday to its home base in northern Russia after a tour-of-duty that lasted for almost six months, a Navy official said.

The flagship of the Northern Fleet has covered about 28,000 nautical miles since the beginning of the mission on March 30 and accomplished a wide range of tasks in line with a comprehensive program of combat training.

The cruiser sailed through the Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Indian Ocean to take part in the Vostok-2010 strategic drills in the Pacific in June-July.

On the way back to its home base in Severomorsk, the Pyotr Veliky held joint PASSEX-type drills with the Indian frigate INS Trishul on August 11 and with the French frigate FNS Latouche-Treville on September 6.

The Kirov class cruiser has a displacement of between 24,000 and 26,000 tons, and a speed of up to 31 knots (almost 57 km/h). The ship is 251 meters in length and has a crew of more than 700 sailors.

RIA Novosti

Klitschko defends boxing titles in rematch with Nigerian Nightmare

IBF, IBO and WBO World Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine, also known as Dr. Steelhammer, defended his titles by defeating Nigeria's Samuel Peter.

The two heavyweights faced off at Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt-on-Main, Germany late on Saturday before the crowd of over 50,000 boxing fans.

Klitschko (54-3, 48 KOs), who had a significant advantage over his opponent throughout the whole bout, won by a knock-out in the 10th round.

Samuel Peter (34-3, 27 KOs), nicknamed the Nigerian Nightmare, was active in the first few rounds and withstood a number of shattering hits delivered by Klitschko.

However, by the 10th round Klitschko's dominance took its toll on Peter, and the Nigerian boxer finally succumbed to a flurry of hits that sent him to the floor.

Klitschko beat Peter in a 2005 title elimination bout for the IBF and IBO world titles by points.

RIA Novosti

Czech lawmakers may again consider legalizing prostitution

Prague authorities are proposing to legalize prostitution in the Czech Republic, the Czech capital's deputy mayor said.

According to Rudolf Blazek, the mayor's office has prepared a draft law legalizing prostitution, which will soon be submitted to the parliament.

"Practicing prostitution would be considered legal if a relevant business license is obtained. The interested parties must pay taxes, have insurance and pass mandatory monthly health examinations," Blazek told journalists on Saturday.

The bill stipulates that only women older than 18 would be allowed to work as prostitutes in brothels, in their own homes or on-call by clients.

At the same time, the draft law prohibits public advertisement of sex services.

According to Prague authorities, there are at least 70 illegal brothels in the Czech capital alone, and over 800 throughout the country.

RIA Novosti

Russian film Silent Souls grabs FIPRESCI prize at Venice festival

The film Silent Souls (Ovsyanki) by Russian film director Alexei Fedorchenko has been awarded International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Prize at the 67 Venice Film Festival.

The film is a screen adaptation of a novel by Russian writer Denis Osokin. It tells a story of two men on a journey. One of the men, Miron, carries the dead body of his beloved wife so as to burry it in the area where they spent their honeymoon.

Fedorchenko's film has also grabbed the Italian Premio Nazareno Taddei Prize.

The film distinguishes by eroticism, frequent in the Russian cinema.

RIA Novosti

Arrested man, 44, dies at police station

An investigation was under way today after a 44-year-old man died at a police station.

Police said the man who died at Peterlee Police Station, Co Durham, had been arrested following a disturbance in Seaham yesterday afternoon.

A Durham Police spokesman said: "An investigation is being carried out into the death of a man following his arrest by Durham Constabulary.

"The man, aged 44, was arrested after police were called to a disturbance in Ash Crescent, Seaham, at 4.45pm.

"The man was taken to Peterlee Police Station and on his arrival his condition gave cause for concern.

"Medical assistance was summoned but the man was pronounced dead at the scene".

The spokesman said a postmortem examination is due to take place later today.

An investigation has already begun by Durham Police's professional standards department and the Independent Police Complaints Commission has been informed and is attending the scene.

The dead man has not been named.

The Independent

Girl, 11, dies in boating incident

An 11-year-old girl has died after a boating accident at a watersports club.

Marie-Simone Cronje is understood to have fallen off an inflatable craft and then been struck by the boat that was towing it at the Princes Club, near Feltham, west London, yesterday.

She was taken to West Middlesex hospital in Isleworth where she died. A 22-year-old man has been arrested.

A spokesman for London Ambulance Service said: "We were called shortly before 4.50pm yesterday to assist South Central Ambulance Service to an incident near Clockhouse Lane, Feltham. We sent two single responders in cars and one ambulance crew to the scene.

"Our staff treated one patient, a girl reported to be 11 years old, who was taken to the West Middlesex hospital as a priority".

The Princes Club's website claims that it is Europe's "largest waterski and wakeboard facility" and has five boat lakes, a gym, squash courts, restaurant and clubhouse.

The Guardian