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There has been a huge increase in anti-Muslim incidents since the murder of a British soldier in Woolwich, an inter-faith charity has said.

 

Faith Matters, which runs a helpline, said they had received 162 calls since Wednesday's attack, up from a daily average of six.

 

A number of people have been charged after allegedly offensive comments were made on social media websites.

 

Drummer Lee Rigby was killed near Woolwich Barracks on Wednesday.

 

Shortly after his killing, 28-year-old Michael Adebolajo was filmed by a passer-by saying he had carried out the attack because British soldiers killed Muslims every day.

 

Mr Adebolajo and a second suspect, Michael Adebowale, 22, were arrested at the scene and remain in hospital after they were shot by police. Both men were known to the security services, sources told the BBC.

 

'Significant online activity''Significant online activity'

Fiyaz Mughal, director of Faith Matters, said the nature of the incidents ranged from attacks against mosques, graffiti, the pulling off of Muslim women's headscarves and more general name calling and abuse.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: "What's really concerning is the spread of these incidents. They're coming in from right across the country.

 

"Secondly, some of them are quite aggressive very focused, very aggressive attacks.

 

"And thirdly, there also seems to be significant online activity... suggesting co-ordination of incidents and attacks against institutions or places where Muslims congregate."

 

Since the attack, a number of people have been charged by police after allegedly offensive messages were posted on social media websites.

 

These include a 22-year-old man from Lincoln, a 28-year-old man from London, a 23-year-old woman from Southsea, and a 19-year-old man from Woking.

 

Three men - two from Gateshead and one from Stockton - have been arrested by Northumbria Police on suspicion of posting racist tweets.

 

It came ahead of a protest by the English Defence League (EDL) in Newcastle in which around 1,500 people took part. It had been planned for months.

 

MI5 approach

A friend of Mr Adebolajo, Abu Nusaybah, was arrested on Friday night on BBC premises following an interview with BBC Newsnight.

 

The arrest was not directly related to the murder of Drummer Rigby, the Met Police said.

 

Mr Nusayabah told the programme that Mr Adebolajo had rejected an approach by MI5 to work for them around six months ago.It followed a trip to Kenya where Mr Nusaybah said Mr Adebolajo had been detained by security forces.

 

He said he noticed "a change" in Mr Adebolajo when he returned from Africa last year.

 

Abu Nusaybah said Mr Adebolajo suggested he had been physically and sexually abused during an interrogation in a prison cell in the African country.

 

Next week the director general of MI5 Andrew Parker is expected to present an initial report on the role of the security services to a Parliamentary committee, which is carrying out an investigation.

 

Media reports have suggested that both suspects attended the University of Greenwich.

 

But in a statement released on Saturday, vice-chancellor Prof David Maguire said the university had no records relating to Mr Adebowale.

 

"Our records show that a Michael Adebolajo was registered in academic years 2003/2004 and 2004/2005. His academic progress was unsatisfactory and he was not permitted to complete his studies here," he said.

 

Prof Maguire also said an investigation was being launched into whether there was any evidence of extremism, past or present, at the university.

 

'Solidarity'

Both Mr Adebolajo and Mr Adebowale, Britons of Nigerian descent, are understood to be converts to Islam, with Mr Adebolajo originally coming from a Christian family.

 

Maajid Nawaz, from the anti-extremism think tank the Quilliam Foundation, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there is a "disproportionate number of convicted terrorists who've come from a conversion background".

 

Batool Al-Toma, an Irish-born woman who converted to Islam 25 years ago, said converts may be "vulnerable" to more radical views because they feel a "sense of isolation and alienation from family and friends".

Speaking about the fight against the rise of the extremist ideology, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Sir Peter Fahy told the BBC there had been a "steady stream of plots", which had on the whole been foiled by police.

 

But he said the police and the security services were "particularly concerned" about people travelling from Britain to conflict areas such as Mali, Syria and Iraq and the increase in extremist websites.

 

Tributes have continued to be paid to Drummer Rigby, with a steady stream of well-wishers adding to the hundreds of flowers already placed near the scene of the killing.

 

Scores of motorcyclists supporting the Help For Heroes charity rode past the scene in a show of support for Drummer Rigby's family.

 

And a "solidarity march" by the Nigerian community took place on Saturday morning from Plumstead station to Woolwich town centre.

 

On Friday, Drummer Rigby's wife Rebecca, the mother of his two-year-old son, said she had been aware of the dangers of her husband serving in countries where there was armed conflict, including Afghanistan, but added: "You don't expect it to happen when he's in the UK. You think they're safe."

 

She said: "I love Lee and always will. I am proud to be his wife. He was a devoted father to our son Jack and we will both miss him terribly."

 

Drummer Rigby's stepfather, Ian Rigby, said: "We would like to say 'Goodnight Lee, rest in peace our fallen soldier. We love you loads and words cannot describe how loved and sadly missed you will be'."

 

 

 

 

 

 

There has been an upsurge in fighting in the strategic Syrian town of Qusair, both sides in the conflict say.

 

The army, which began an offensive to recapture Qusair last Sunday, says it has now launched a three-pronged attack on the rebel-held town.

 

The rebels say they are under heavy bombardment from Lebanese Hezbollah militants, who back Syria's government.

 

Meanwhile the main opposition group has said it will attend a peace conference only if the Syrian leader steps down.

 

The international conference, which Russia and the US are attempting to convene, would take place in Geneva next month.

 

The opposition said it welcomed the conference but demanded that President Bashar al-Assad leave power first.

 

A spokesman for the National Coalition, Louay Safi, told the BBC: "We would like to find a political solution. But we don't want to be deceived again by this regime, which has deceived us many times.

 

Previous efforts to find a political solution to the conflict have foundered on preconditions from the two sides.Hezbollah warned

Correspondents say Qusair is a strategic conduit for the rebels, through which weapons and fighters can be transported from Lebanon, about 10km (six miles) away.

 

The town is also important for President Assad because it is located between Damascus and the Alawite heartland of the embattled government on the Mediterranean coast. And it is not far from the motorway linking the capital to the city of Homs.

 

The week-long fighting in Qusair intensified early on Saturday, when activists reported heavy bombardments, including two ground-to-ground missiles and an air strike as well as artillery and rocket fire.

 

They say Hezbollah fighters, who are widely reported to have played a major role in the attack on Sunday, were trying to advance again.

 

"I've never seen a day like this since the battle started," activist Malek Ammar told Reuters news agency from the town. "It's like they're trying to destroy the city house by house."

 

Syrian state media said the army had launched a three-pronged offensive in the north, centre and south of Qusair, and was making big advances, killing many rebel fighters.

 

However, official media made no mention of the part played by Hezbollah.

 

The Lebanese group is also known to have lost a number of fighters in Qusair, prompting Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to warn the Shia militia against getting "bogged down in the sands of discord".

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group that monitors the conflict, said at least 22 people including 18 rebels had been killed in the latest fighting in Qusair. Dozens had been wounded, it added.

 

The violence has sparked clashes in Lebanon itself, with fighting between opponents and supporters of Mr Assad in the northern city of Tripoli.

 

More than 25 people are reported to have been killed there in recent days. The fighting is also reported to have intensified on Saturday.

 

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is due to give his first public comments on the group's involvement in Qusair later on Saturday.

 

 

 

An intimate love story between two young women has received rave reviews in Cannes as the film festival draws to a close.

 

Directed by Tunisian-born French director Abdellatif Kechiche, Blue is the Warmest Colour, has shocked some critics with its graphic sex scenes.

 

Variety magazine said it contained "the most explosively graphic lesbian sex scenes in recent memory".

 

The film is the bookmakers' favourite to win the Palme d'Or on Sunday.

 

But reviewers have speculated the film may require editing to secure cinema distribution.

 

The three-hour character study centres on the 15-year-old Adele, played by French actress Adele Exarchopoulos, and her lover Emma, played by Lea Seydoux.

 

The Hollywood Reporter said the "sprawling drama" would "raise eyebrows" as it crossed the barrier "between performance and the real deal".

 

Kechiche, best known for his critically acclaimed 2007 film Couscous, said he would consider cutting some scenes to allow the widest possible audience to see the work.

 

"We wouldn't want the film not to be screened because of one scene," he said. "But of course that wouldn't apply if it were the whole thing."Meanwhile, director Alexander Payne, best known for his Oscar-winning films The Descendants and Sideways, received a standing ovation at the premiere of his latest production Nebraska.

 

Cannes judges Nicole Kidman and Ang Lee joined Payne on the red carpet alongside stars of the road movie, Bruce Dern and Will Forte.

 

Dern portrays an ageing resident of the US state of Montana who is convinced he has won $1m (£663,000) in a sweepstake and is determined to travel to a prize headquarters in Nebraska to collect the winnings.

 

His son, played by Saturday Night Live comedian Forte, agrees to drive him, taking a side trip to the small Nebraska town where his father was born.

 

Critics have praised the film, which is also a late contender for the Palme d'Or.

 

In his four-star review, Robbie Collins in the Daily Telegraph described it as a "resounding return to form for Payne".

 

The Guardian called Dern's performance "terrific" in the "thoroughly sweet and charming movie".Elsewhere, the stars at Cannes were at an exclusive hotel on the French Riviera for the 20th American Foundation for Aids Research (amfAR) gala.

 

Hosted by actress Sharon Stone, the event attracted stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jessica Chastain, Janet Jackson and Goldie Hawn and raised around $25m (£16.6m) for Aids research.

 

The Great Gatsby actor DiCaprio agreed to travel into space aboard the Virgin Galactic alongside a bidder who paid $1.5m (£1m) to join him on the journey.

 

The event, which also saw bids for Oscar tickets and a six-a-side football game against a team led by Zinedine Zidane, raised more than twice the amount collected last year.

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The reason we struggle to recall memories from our early childhood is down to high levels of neuron production during the first years of life, say Canadian researchers.

 

The formation of new brain cells increases the capacity for learning but also clears the mind of old memories.

 

The findings were presented to the Canadian Association of Neuroscience.

 

An expert at City University in London said the mouse study called into question some psychological theories.

 

Neurogenesis, or the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus - a region of the brain known to be important for learning and remembering, reaches its peak before and after birth. It then declines steadily during childhood and adulthood.

 

Continue reading the main story

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Start Quote

 

Before the ages of four or five, we have a highly dynamic hippocampus which can't stably store information”

 

Dr Paul Frankland

Hospital for Sick Children

Dr Paul Frankland and Dr Sheena Josselyn, from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and the University of Toronto, wanted to find out how the process of new neuron generation impacted on memory storage.

 

They carried out their research on younger and older mice in the lab.

 

Early amnesia

In adult mice, they found that increasing neurogenesis after memory formation was enough to bring about forgetting.

 

In infant mice, they discovered that decreasing neurogenesis after memory formation meant that the normal forgetting observed at this age did not occur.

 

Their research suggests a direct link between a reduction in neuron growth and increased memory recall.

 

They found the opposite to be true also - a decreased ability to remember when neurogenesis is increased (as happens during infancy).

 

The researchers said this provided an explanation for the absence of long-term memory events from early childhood, known as infantile amnesia.

 

Previous studies have shown that although young children can remember events in the short term, these memories do not persist.

 

Dr Frankland, senior scientist in neuroscience and mental health, at the hospital, said: "Why infantile amnesia exists has long been a mystery.

 

"We think our new studies begin to explain why we have no memories from our earliest years.

 

"Before the ages of four or five, we have a highly dynamic hippocampus which can't stably store information.

 

"As new neurons are generated, memory may be compromised by that process."

 

Dr Bettina Forster, from the cognitive neuroscience research unit at City University in London, said the research showed a clear link.

 

"This is a very interesting and elegantly executed study which shows a direct link between neurogenesis and memory formation.

 

"The results questions the long assumed link between verbal development and infantile amnesia and calls into question some psychological and psychotherapeutic theories on this topic.

 

 

China has offered soldiers to the new UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, UN officials say.

 

Talks are underway, and more than 500 Chinese peacekeepers and engineers could potentially take part in the mission, according to UN officials.

 

Mali's government was deposed in a coup in 2012, and Islamist rebels controlled the north of the country until French troops ousted them in January.

 

Around 6,000 African troops are currently in Mali providing security.

 

The UN peacekeeping mission had "received pledges and offers of contributions from a number of countries around the world, including China," UN spokesman Andre-Michel Essoungou told AP news agency.

 

The 12,600-strong force, which is expected to deploy before planned elections in July, is intended to incorporate the West African soldiers already in the country.

 

UN diplomats, speaking on condition on anonymity, said China had offered "between 500 and 600 soldiers", and described it as "a significant move by China", AFP news agency reported.

 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei did not confirm the reports.

 

However, he told reporters: "We hope the international community will continue to help Mali realise national reconciliation and stability, and China will also play a positive role in this regard."

 

China has more than 1,800 peacekeepers deployed in UN operations, and contributes more troops than the four other permanent Security Council members.

 

However, its troops primarily perform non-military operations

 

Sarah McClay, 24, was attacked by a Sumatran tiger in an enclosure at South Lakes Wild Animal Park, near Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, on Friday.

 

She died at Royal Preston Hospital where she had been taken suffering from head and neck injuries.

 

David Gill, the park's owner, told BBC Radio 5 live there was "no reason" for Ms McClay to be in the enclosure with the tigers.

 

He said she was a "very experienced" staff member who had worked with big cats and was "proficient and passionate" at her job, but staff should have no direct contact with the tigers.

 

'Bubbly and happy'

Mr Gill said: "We have very strict protocols and procedures for working with big cats, but it seems she failed to follow correct procedures.

 

 

"For inexplicable reasons she opened a door and walked into the enclosure.

 

"We will never know why she entered without telling anyone. There was no reason for her to go in there."

 

Mr Gill described Ms McClay as a "bubbly, happy girl" and described her death as a "tragedy for her family and all the staff".He said the attack happened at about 16:00 BST on Friday and he believed it was witnessed by one member of the public.

 

The park was closed early and all visitors evacuated from the area, but following discussions with investigators and staff a decision had been made to reopen as usual on Saturday.

 

Mr Gill said: "The public were not at risk and we followed all our accident procedures to the letter.

 

"We had a meeting of all staff at 5.30pm and asked what they wanted. There was a huge consensus of opinion that we carry on.

 

"It would not do any good to close the park as there is no safety issue."

 

He said the Sumatran tiger, which has lived at the park for 10 years since it was a cub, would not be destroyed.

 

"He didn't do anything wrong. He's a tiger and his natural instinct is to kill. We all know that and that's why all the protocols are in place.

 

"He didn't make a mistake, he was just there. We don't blame him for what happened."

 

The attack is being investigated by Cumbria Police and Barrow Borough Council.

 

Ms McClay's family were "very shocked and distressed", officers said.

 

Karima El-Mahroug said she had "made up" details about erotic parties held at his villa while he was still PM.

 

She was testifying at the trial of three former Berlusconi aides accused of soliciting prostitutes for him.

 

Mr Berlusconi is being tried separately on charges of paying for underage sex with Ms El-Mahroug.

 

Both the dancer and Mr Berlusconi have denied the allegations.

 

Ms El-Mahroug is not charged with any crime in either case and is formally recognised in both as an injured party.

 

'Talked nonsense'

On Friday, she appeared as a witness at the trial of TV presenter Emilio Fede, celebrity agent Lele Mora and Nicole Minetti, a local councillor and former showgirl.

 

They are accused of providing prostitutes for Mr Berlusconi's so-called "bunga-bunga" party evenings.

 

Ms El-Mahroug, known as "Ruby the Heart Stealer", told the court she had lied about receiving 187,000 euros (£160,000) from Mr Berlusconi for attending several of his parties.

 

She said she "made up" the sum to show off.

 

The dancer also went back on testimony that young women had bathed naked at Mr Berlusconi's residence, saying they had only stripped off to their lingerie and there had been "no contact" with the ex-PM

"I am sorry I talked nonsense when I spoke to prosecutors," said Ms El-Mahroug who is thought to have been aged 17 when she went to the parties.

 

"The majority of the things I said were not true."

 

Prosecutors are expected to make their closing statements on 31 May.

 

Meanwhile, a verdict in Mr Berlusconi's trial on charges of sleeping with an underage prostitute is due on 24 June.

 

Earlier this week, a prosecutor who requested a six-year sentence and a lifelong ban from office, said she received threats including a letter with two bullets.

 

Mr Berlusconi already faces a four-year prison sentence and five-year ban from public office for a fraud conviction.

 

He is expected to appeal against the verdict to Italy's highest court, the Court of Cassation.

 

Earlier this month Italian prosecutors requested a new corruption trial against Mr Berlusconi, saying he had allegedly bribed a left-wing senator to defect to his right-wing People of Freedom party (PDL) in 2006.

 

Mr Berlusconi claims he is the victim of a campaign by left-wing magistrates..

      writting by Fadi Elhusseini

 

 

 

 

As we are approaching spring, it reminds us of Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu theatrical gesture at the United Nations General Assembly last September, while holding up a cartoon-like drawing of a bomb with a fuse as he drew the famous “red line” for Iran’s nuclear program. That red line represents this spring and is just below a presumed “final stage” to a bomb. But, let us conjure up the initial question: is Israel going really to attack Iran?! Many observers tend to give a simple answer of “NO”, saying all this is sheer fantasy, especially with the prospective structure of the new Israeli government coalition and the current developments in the Middle East. This article aims to shed light on the circumstances, perceptions and provide an analytical assessment of this state of affairs.

Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and a national right, yet the fiery speeches and comments delivered by its officials proffer neither good gestures nor convincing assurances to the international community or its sympathizers.

Drills to prepare for the prospect of war have terrified not only the Israeli people, but people across the Middle East and the rest of the world. Surveys in Israel show that most Israelis oppose launching unilateral attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Whilst Israeli and International newspapers have been recently consumed by reports that Israel has decided to launch an attack on Iran, the remarks of Israeli officials have also increased speculation that Israeli action is imminent. "It's no longer a question of if but when," an Israeli analyst replied when asked if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would respond militarily if Iran crossed his "red lines" and acquired a nuclear bomb, according to CNBC news.

A senior Israeli official said: “Iran’s ability to harm Israel, in response to an attack from us, has diminished dramatically,” adding “The Iranian response will be far more minor than what could have been expected if the northern front still existed.” According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry Assad can’t help Tehran for fear of losing power.

Experts believe that any Israeli attack would not deter the Iranian nuclear program and its ambition would not be ended, but simply delayed. Israeli military and intelligence chiefs believe that a strike on Iran is a bad idea, while the Obama administration has told Israel to back off and wait for sanctions to work.

While it would be naive to disregard the possibility that these reports and drills do indeed reflect something cooking on low heat, pure rhetoric and psychological war still remain a possibility. According to the Washington Post; "A sort of psychological conflict has developed between Israel and Iran, a war of signals." Tehran wants to demonstrate to Israel that a strike would be too costly and too ineffective to be worthwhile and Israel wants to demonstrate that its will – and its defenses – are unshakable, so Iran might as well just give up on the program now".

Many have downplayed the possibility of an Israeli attack on Iran, especially in aftermath of the results of the Israeli parliamentary elections. The emergence of the leftists and moderates on the map of Israel’s politics, some may argue, will eventually discourage such an approach and Israel may adhere to a more peaceful tactic towards Iran. "It seems that Lapid is not as committed as Bibi (Netanyahu) to prevent Iran from becoming nuclear," Dr Boaz Ganor, director of the Herzliya Institute for Counter-Terrorism has argued in The Times of Israel.

Personally I believe that no Israeli coalition will go soft on Iran because it poses intolerable threats to Israel, and the latter will always regard Iran and its nuclear program as an overriding concern and a direct threat to the existence of the state. Taking action is therefore an entrenched dogma rather than a choice. Throughout the past decade, decision makers in Israel have built up this consciousness in the believing and cognitive system of their citizens, and a change in the structure of their new government would do little to change this belief.

On the other hand, the efficiency and credibility of Israel's soft power were critically damaged during the Netanyahu- Lieberman coalition. It was clearly reflected in Israel's inability to promote and encourage the US and international powers to attack or take further steps against Iran. The recent war on the Gaza Strip, confronting international calls for restraint and criticism of the continuing illegal settlement activities, rupturing relations with the prominent regional player "Turkey" and the freeze in the peace process, are among the reasons for Israel losing its ability to convince its traditional allies and friends to commence a campaign against Iran.

However, with the current changes in the structure of Israel government, things are expected to change.  A rapprochement with Turkey may happen soon. Negotiations with the Palestinians may be resumed soon and no wars against Gaza Strip or the West Bank seem on the horizon. Among other tools, Israel's ability to promote its plans will increase noticeably.

I believe these are reasons enough to keep the chances of a potential Israeli attack on Iran on the table.

But, such a decision depends on a number of other factors, including the potential repercussions of the current disarray among Iran's allies along with the general situation in the Middle East.

In his article in the Guardian on 18 August 2012, Thomas Rogan stated his belief that “Israel could attack Iran without causing a major war in the region”. While it is likely that Iran would retaliate against Israel and possibly the US in response to any attack, it is unlikely that Iran will instigate a major war. Albeit for different reasons, Iran, Israel and the US all understand that a war would not serve their interests.

An accurate prognosis of the likely future course of events must rely on analyzing the trends of decision making in Israel, as well as the surrounding circumstances and perceived repercussions.

First, Netanyahu does not believe Obama will take a military action against Iran's nuclear program. He has been pressing the US for long time to take action beyond sanctions and negotiations, but has failed to produce any results. Second, there is a growing Israeli realization that neither the sanctions nor the 5+1 talks (new rounds of talks will take place soon in Istanbul- Turkey) will stop Iran’s nuclear program which is developing quickly and is about to reach the “red line”. Third, the whole Middle East region is plunged into turbulence, and most players are too busy to get involved in any new ventures. Fourth, the state of chaos among Israel's neighbors will bring Israeli public to understand and accept the need for higher security arrangements (including attacking enemies at times) at any cost in order to secure their state from surrounding threats. Fifth, the focus of the Israeli decision makers will be on maximizing the success of the attack and minimizing any negative consequences that might follow. Sixth, neither Israel nor Iran aims at upping the ante that can reach a comprehensive confrontation for several reasons. Seventh, any "direct" Iranian response in retaliation for a prospective Israeli attack would be limited to either direct missile attacks or targeting Israeli interests Israeli worldwide. In the latter case, Israel is the expert and well-known for its strong ability in  own interests, while with regards to the first possibility of direct missile attacks, recent success with advanced defense systems has helped increase Israeli confidence in its ability to absorb this method of retaliation. It is well understood that in case of many Israeli citizens getting killed, a major Israeli retaliation might follow. Other options such as attacking US interests or bases in the Gulf area would drag Iran into a direct confrontation with the US. Any Iranian attempts to close or mine the straits of Hormuz could not be sustained for very long, because this would lead to a price spike in global oil markets and increased international ramifications, which might cause more trouble for Iran, not only the US, but also with other major powers in Asia and Europe.  Sixth, any "indirect" Iranian response is limited to a number of options: 1) Hamas in Gaza: and it appears recently that Hamas is distancing itself from Iran, especially in the aftermath of the Syrian revolution. 2) Hezbollah of Lebanon: it is too busy watching and assessing the developments in Syria. Hezbollah is under fire from its domestic political rivals, who will not forgive any unnecessary attack on Israel. Further, in light of the current developments, Hezbollah’s main goal is to survive according to its own theory of “the art of survival” rather than getting into a dangerous confrontation for the sake of serving political or even ethnical agendas. 3) Syria: Assad is too busy with his own domestic upheaval, and attacking Israel is reserved as a final trump card, not as part of a proxy war. Finally, Israeli decision makers are confident that if things go bad, the US will not leave them at their peril. Neither the US, whose most difficult decisions are usually taken in the second presidential term, nor other international powers would leave Israel alone unaided or accept an Israeli defeat. Iranian decision makers are also aware of the fact that initiating a major war would lead to an eventual American intervention and an inevitable confrontation with the world's biggest military might.

 

 

 

 

 

The outgoing leader of Syria's main opposition coalition Moaz al-Khatib has put forward a detailed plan for the transition of power.

 

Mr Khatib's proposal comes as opposition delegates begin three days of key talks in Istanbul.

 

The proposal stipulates that President Bashar al-Assad must leave office, a demand likely to be rejected by Mr Assad and his key backer, Russia.

 

The UN estimates at least 80,000 people have died in the uprising so far.

 

Mr Khatib's proposal calls for Mr Assad and his family to be given a safe exit if he stands down.

 

The Syrian president would have 20 days to accept the offer, under the terms of the initiative, which would then allow Mr Assad a further month to hand over power to his prime minister or vice president.

 

Mr Khatib was elected head of the National Coalition in November 2012 but is shortly to step down, having resigned in March.

 

 

However, Mr Assad has made clear that he has no intention of standing down, and indeed plans to stand in presidential elections in June 2014, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Beirut.With Mr Assad's forces currently making some gains on the ground, he is clearly in no mood to concede defeat by what he regards as a foreign-backed conspiracy, our correspondent says.

 

The Syrian government, backed by Russia, has said it will not accept any preconditions for talks. However, the opposition leadership, largely made up of exiles, risks losing what little credibility it has inside Syria if they abandon the demand for Mr Assad to step down, he adds.

 

Hezbollah involvement

The talks in Istanbul are aimed at revamping the own membership and leadership of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.

 

They come amid intensifying diplomatic manoeuvres to try to bring about an end to the conflict.

 

Also on Thursday, further reports emerged about the involvement of the Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah in the conflict on the side of the regime.

 

A source close to Hezbollah told the AFP news agency that 75 fighters had died in Syria since late last year.

 

The UK-based activist group the Syria Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) puts the figure of dead Hezbollah fighters even higher, at 104.

 

There have been reports of Hezbollah's involvement in the conflict for months but the militia has recently admitted sending fighters for the first time, in fighting over the key strategic town of Qusair.

 

The Local Co-ordination Committees, a network of activists in Syria, said 53 people had died in violence in Syria on Thursday.

 

 

 

 

 

"The soldier killed in an attack in London has been named as Drummer Lee Rigby of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

 

Drummer Rigby, 25, from Manchester, leaves behind a two-year-old son.

 

Two suspects shot by police after Wednesday's attack in Woolwich remain under arrest. A further two people have been arrested on conspiracy to murder.

 

The suspects, one of whom is said to be Islamist protester Michael Adebolajo, were known to security services.

 

Scotland Yard said the latest arrests were of a man and woman, both aged 29.

 

Drummer Rigby's family issued a statement on Thursday, saying: "Lee was lovely. He would do anything for anybody, he always looked after his sisters and always protected them. He took a 'big brother' role with everyone.

 

"All he wanted to do from when he was a little boy, was be in the Army.

 

"He wanted to live life and enjoy himself. His family meant everything to him. He was a loving son, husband, father, brother, and uncle, and a friend to many."

 

'Popular and witty'

A post-mortem examination was being carried out on Thursday.

 

The Ministry of Defence also paid tribute to Drummer Rigby.

 

"An extremely popular and witty soldier, Drummer Rigby was a larger than life personality within the Corps of Drums and was well known, liked and respected across the Second Fusiliers.

 

"He was a passionate and life-long Manchester United fan."

 

Drummer Rigby, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, joined the Army in 2006. He was described as a "loving father to his son Jack" and someone who would be "sorely missed by all who knew him".

 

In other developments:

 

The two suspects who were shot remain in separate London hospitals in stable conditions with non-life-threatening injuries

Video footage, obtained by the Daily Mirror, has emerged of the moment the two men were shot by police

Six residential addresses are being searched: three in south London, one in east London, one in north London and one in Lincoln

Items were recovered from the Woolwich scene, police said

An increased police presence will be in Woolwich and the surrounding areas through Thursday night and "as long as needed", Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Crime and Operations Mark Rowley said

With dozens of witnesses to the killing, police are urging them to contact the Met's anti-terrorism hotline with information

US President Barack Obama says his country "stands resolute with the United Kingdom, our ally and friend, against violent extremism and terror"

Military charity Help for Heroes said since the attack people had been "spontaneously showing support for the armed forces"

Two men have been charged with separate attacks on mosques, in Kent and Essex, after the death of the soldier

'Senseless murder'

Drummer Rigby had taken up a post with the Regimental Recruiting Team in London in 2011.

 

"An experienced and talented side drummer and machine gunner, he was a true warrior and served with distinction in Afghanistan, Germany and Cyprus," said his commanding officer Lt Col Jim Taylor.

 

"His ability, talent and personality made him a natural choice to work in the recruiting group."

 

Capt Alan Williamson said: "Drummer Rigby or 'Riggers' as he was known within the platoon was a cheeky and humorous man, always there with a joke to brighten the mood."

 

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "This was a senseless murder of a soldier who has served the Army faithfully in a variety of roles including operational tours in Afghanistan.

 

"Our thoughts today are with his family and loved ones who are trying to come to terms with this terrible loss."

 

Mr Hammond was asked if the attack showed how vulnerable soldiers were, whether they were in uniform or not.

 

He replied: "I think it reminds us how vulnerable we all are, but it also reminds us, by the response of the public, that we are not going to be cowed by this kind of terrorist action."

 

Chief of Defence Staff General Sir David Richards said: "It's always a tragedy, it's particularly poignant that it happened on the streets of this capital city of ours.

 

"We're absolutely determined not to be intimated into not doing the right thing - whether it's here in this country or in Afghanistan or wherever we seek to serve the nation."

 

Continue reading the main story Security at Woolwich Barracks and others in London has been increased, and Gen Richards said: "I'm confident that base security is as tight as it's ever been, and necessarily so.

 

"It's a very difficult balancing act. We are very proud of the uniform we wear, we have huge support around the country, this is a completely isolated incident."

 

Shortly after the killing, a man, thought to be 28-year-old Mr Adebolajo, was filmed by a passer-by, saying he carried out the attack because British soldiers killed Muslims every day.

 

Sources said reports the men had featured in "several investigations" in recent years - but were not deemed to be planning an attack - "were not inaccurate According to BBC sources, Mr Adebolajo, a Briton of Nigerian descent, comes from a devout Christian family but took up Islam after leaving college in 2001.

 

The BBC has uncovered its own footage of one of him taking part in an Islamist demonstration in April 2007 against the arrest of a man from Luton.

 

Mr Adebolajo can be seen standing in a crowd of men outside Paddington Green police station, holding a placard reading "Crusade Against Muslims".

 

He is standing next to Anjem Choudary, who was the leader of al-Muhajiroun, a now-banned organisation.

 

Mr Choudary said Mr Adebolajo was previously associated with the group, but went his own way in around 2010.

 

The Independent Police Complaints Commission sent 12 investigators to look at the scene.

 

They reviewed CCTV footage from a local authority camera, and said two officers fired shots and one officer discharged a Taser.

 

One of the shot men received first aid from the firearms officers.

 

 

"At this stage we are not pursuing any criminal or misconduct offences," said Commissioner Derrick Campbell.

 

 

"The soldier killed in an attack in London has been named as Drummer Lee Rigby of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

 

Drummer Rigby, 25, from Manchester, leaves behind a two-year-old son.

 

Two suspects shot by police after Wednesday's attack in Woolwich remain under arrest. A further two people have been arrested on conspiracy to murder.

 

The suspects, one of whom is said to be Islamist protester Michael Adebolajo, were known to security services.

 

Scotland Yard said the latest arrests were of a man and woman, both aged 29.

 

Drummer Rigby's family issued a statement on Thursday, saying: "Lee was lovely. He would do anything for anybody, he always looked after his sisters and always protected them. He took a 'big brother' role with everyone.

 

"All he wanted to do from when he was a little boy, was be in the Army.

 

"He wanted to live life and enjoy himself. His family meant everything to him. He was a loving son, husband, father, brother, and uncle, and a friend to many."

 

'Popular and witty'

A post-mortem examination was being carried out on Thursday.

 

The Ministry of Defence also paid tribute to Drummer Rigby.

 

"An extremely popular and witty soldier, Drummer Rigby was a larger than life personality within the Corps of Drums and was well known, liked and respected across the Second Fusiliers.

 

"He was a passionate and life-long Manchester United fan."

 

Drummer Rigby, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, joined the Army in 2006. He was described as a "loving father to his son Jack" and someone who would be "sorely missed by all who knew him".

 

In other developments:

 

The two suspects who were shot remain in separate London hospitals in stable conditions with non-life-threatening injuries

Video footage, obtained by the Daily Mirror, has emerged of the moment the two men were shot by police

Six residential addresses are being searched: three in south London, one in east London, one in north London and one in Lincoln

Items were recovered from the Woolwich scene, police said

An increased police presence will be in Woolwich and the surrounding areas through Thursday night and "as long as needed", Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Crime and Operations Mark Rowley said

With dozens of witnesses to the killing, police are urging them to contact the Met's anti-terrorism hotline with information

US President Barack Obama says his country "stands resolute with the United Kingdom, our ally and friend, against violent extremism and terror"

Military charity Help for Heroes said since the attack people had been "spontaneously showing support for the armed forces"

Two men have been charged with separate attacks on mosques, in Kent and Essex, after the death of the soldier

'Senseless murder'

Drummer Rigby had taken up a post with the Regimental Recruiting Team in London in 2011.

 

"An experienced and talented side drummer and machine gunner, he was a true warrior and served with distinction in Afghanistan, Germany and Cyprus," said his commanding officer Lt Col Jim Taylor.

 

"His ability, talent and personality made him a natural choice to work in the recruiting group."

 

Capt Alan Williamson said: "Drummer Rigby or 'Riggers' as he was known within the platoon was a cheeky and humorous man, always there with a joke to brighten the mood."

 

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "This was a senseless murder of a soldier who has served the Army faithfully in a variety of roles including operational tours in Afghanistan.

 

"Our thoughts today are with his family and loved ones who are trying to come to terms with this terrible loss."

 

Mr Hammond was asked if the attack showed how vulnerable soldiers were, whether they were in uniform or not.

 

He replied: "I think it reminds us how vulnerable we all are, but it also reminds us, by the response of the public, that we are not going to be cowed by this kind of terrorist action."

 

Chief of Defence Staff General Sir David Richards said: "It's always a tragedy, it's particularly poignant that it happened on the streets of this capital city of ours.

 

"We're absolutely determined not to be intimated into not doing the right thing - whether it's here in this country or in Afghanistan or wherever we seek to serve the nation."

 

Continue reading the main story Security at Woolwich Barracks and others in London has been increased, and Gen Richards said: "I'm confident that base security is as tight as it's ever been, and necessarily so.

 

"It's a very difficult balancing act. We are very proud of the uniform we wear, we have huge support around the country, this is a completely isolated incident."

 

Shortly after the killing, a man, thought to be 28-year-old Mr Adebolajo, was filmed by a passer-by, saying he carried out the attack because British soldiers killed Muslims every day.

 

Sources said reports the men had featured in "several investigations" in recent years - but were not deemed to be planning an attack - "were not inaccurate According to BBC sources, Mr Adebolajo, a Briton of Nigerian descent, comes from a devout Christian family but took up Islam after leaving college in 2001.

 

The BBC has uncovered its own footage of one of him taking part in an Islamist demonstration in April 2007 against the arrest of a man from Luton.

 

Mr Adebolajo can be seen standing in a crowd of men outside Paddington Green police station, holding a placard reading "Crusade Against Muslims".

 

He is standing next to Anjem Choudary, who was the leader of al-Muhajiroun, a now-banned organisation.

 

Mr Choudary said Mr Adebolajo was previously associated with the group, but went his own way in around 2010.

 

The Independent Police Complaints Commission sent 12 investigators to look at the scene.

 

They reviewed CCTV footage from a local authority camera, and said two officers fired shots and one officer discharged a Taser.

 

One of the shot men received first aid from the firearms officers.

 

 

"At this stage we are not pursuing any criminal or misconduct offences," said Commissioner Derrick Campbell.

 

 

 

President Barack Obama has defended the use of drones in a "just war" of self-defence against deadly militants and a campaign that had made America safer.

 

In a wide-ranging speech on a programme shrouded in secrecy, he said there must be "near certainty" that no civilians would die in such strikes.

 

In a renewed push to shut Guantanamo Bay, he said he had lifted a moratorium on prisoner transfers to Yemen.

 

Mr Obama also defended the use of drones to kill four US citizens.

 

"We are at war with an organisation that right now would kill as many Americans as they could if we did not stop them first," he said in Thursday's address at the National Defense University in Washington DC.

 

"So this is a just war - a war waged proportionally, in last resort, and in self-defence."

 

Heckler.He added: "And yet as our fight enters a new phase, America's legitimate claim of self-defence cannot be the end of the discussion. To say a military tactic is legal, or even effective, is not to say it is wise or moral in every instance."

 

Declaring America at a "crossroads" in its efforts to combat militancy, Mr Obama also said his administration would be willing to accept increased oversight of drone strikes outside war zones like Afghanistan.

 

Human rights groups have long condemned the use of unmanned drones to carry out killings.

 

Mr Obama warned that a "perpetual" US war on terror, whether through drone strikes, special forces operations or troop deployments, would be "self-defeating".

 

In a Republican rebuttal later, Senator John McCain argued the US remained at war with al-Qaeda.

 

"Al-Qaeda will be with us for a long time," Mr McCain said.

 

As the president addressed efforts to close the detention centre at the US base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, he was interrupted by a protester shouting about the current hunger strike at the prison.

 

 

"I'm willing to cut the young lady who interrupted me some slack because it's worth being passionate about," he said.

 

Mr Obama told his audience: "Guantanamo has become a symbol around the world for an America that flouts the rule of law."

 

'Nastiest killers'The Democratic president made shutting the prison a top priority at the beginning of his first term, but his effort foundered amid strong bipartisan opposition in Congress.

 

Calling on Congress not to block his efforts to transfer the facility's inmates to American high-security jails, he added: "No person has ever escaped from one of our super-max or military prisons in the United States."

 

Mr Obama said he was appointing envoys from the defence and state departments to negotiate transfers of detainees to other countries, and said he would lift a moratorium on transfers to Yemen.

 

After the speech, Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss told reporters Mr Obama was wrong to lift the Yemen moratorium because Yemeni authorities could not be trusted to "handle them".

 

"We've got 166 of the meanest nastiest killers in the world located at Guantanamo Bay today," he said. "If we were to transfer them to Yemen, it would be just like turning them loose. We should try those individuals at Guantanamo in the courtrooms and then make a decision about what to do with them.Meanwhile, Yemen welcomed the move, a spokesman at the country's Washington embassy said.

 

Mr Obama's speech coincides with the signing of new "presidential policy guidance" on when drone strikes can be used, the White House said.

 

The policy document curtails the circumstances in which drones can be used in places that are not overt war zones, such as Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia.

 

Drone 'rules'

In an outline of the new policy released to the news media, the administration said it preferred to capture terrorist suspects, with drone strikes used only amid a "continuing, imminent threat" to the US.

 

Beyond that, the administration listed criteria for the approval of a drone strike:

 

 

President Obama is heckled over his failure to close the Guantanamo Bay prison "Near certainty" the target was present and that civilians would not be injured or killed

Capture would not be feasible

Authorities of the country in question could not or would not address the threat

No other reasonable alternatives were available

On Wednesday, the US disclosed that four Americans had been killed in drone strikes in Yemen and Pakistan since 2011, marking the first formal public acknowledgement of the US citizen deaths in drone strikes.

 

In a letter to the Senate judiciary committee, US Attorney General Eric Holder defended the targeted killing in 2011 of Anwar al-Awlaki, whom he described as a "senior operational leader" of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

 

Awlaki, who was born in the US state of New Mexico, was killed in a missile strike from an unmanned plane in Yemen in September 2011 along with Samir Khan, a naturalised US citizen who produced an online al-Qaeda magazine.

 

Awlaki's 16-year-old son Abdulrahman, born in Colorado, was killed in Yemen a month later.

 

Mr Holder also confirmed Jude Kenan Mohammad, a North Carolina resident, had been killed in a drone strike. He is thought to have died in a strike in November 2011 in Pakistan's South Waziristan region.

 

Mr Holder said only Awlaki had been "specifically targeted and killed", and that the other men "were not specifically targeted by the United States".

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) is deeply concerned by reports that some members of Azerbaijan's parliament, the Milli Mejlis, have prepared draft legislation that would serve as yet another blow to local civil society. 

 

Prepared and presented to the Parliament by MP Gudrat Hasanguliyev, who is loyal to the authorities, the draft law "On the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan" has certain provisions that could create criminal liability for representatives of local and international NGOs. 

 

Those provisions would criminalize the cooperation of Azerbaijani citizens with any Armenian organization or entity, or their representatives. 

 

The draft law also states: "Agencies of all foreign countries (except for diplomatic missions), their representatives, foreign nationals cooperating with the aggressor state (Armenia), or directly and indirectly involved in implementation of these activities, as well as decision-making regarding the implementation will be banned from operating in Azerbaijan. The criminal sanctions determined in both sections will be applied to all legal entities and civilians." 

 

In their interviews with different media outlets during April and May of this year, members of the Azerbaijani Parliament – Ganira Pashayeva, Zahid Oruj, Mubariz Gurbanli and Gudrat Hasanguliyev – mentioned that there were plans to adopt this bill. But only at the end of last week it became clear that the bill contains certain provisions that could seriously threaten the operations of local and international NGOs. Although the press service of the Milli Mejlis has denied the existence of such legislation, Member of Parliament Gudrat Hasanguliyev confirmed that he had submitted the draft for consideration. 

 

IRFS stresses that with its anti-civil society provisions, the above-mentioned bill would be the most damaging in a series of regressive legislation introduced this year, in the run-up to Azerbaijan's upcoming presidential election in October. Other recent worrisome action by the Milli Mejlis includes restricting the operations of NGOs, increasing the penalties for organizing or participating in unsanctioned protests, extending the maximum period of administrative detention from 15 days to two months, and criminalizing defamation online. 

 

IRFS calls on the Azerbaijani parliament to not include those provisions in the law "On the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan", which could provide for administrative or criminal liability for local and international civil society organizations. 

 

IRFS further calls on Azerbaijani and international civil society organizations to raise their voices and condemn such potentially dangerous legislative initiatives by certain members of the Azerbaijani Parliament and call on them to refrain from initiating such bills.