Teen Dies After Being Sucked Into Drainpipe

A teenage boy has reportedly died after being sucked down a drainpipe while he was collecting golf balls in floodwaters.

The body of Luke O'Neill, 17, was found by his friend while he was scouring reeds near the exit of the drain at the Kew Country Club in New South Wales, Australia, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Police said Luke was in waist-deep water scooping golf balls with some friends when he was suddenly dragged into large drainpipe by the force of the water.

The area has been hit by heavy rain

A 16-year-old, who has not been named, was also pulled into the pipe as he tried to find Luke at the drainpipe entrance.

He travelled under water for the length of the 100m pipe but ended up in a dam at the other end where he was able to escape.

Inspector Kim Fehon, from the Mid North Coast local area command, said: "They were just looking for the golf balls, it was a regular thing they did."

Luke, who was a member of the Camden Haven Bombers AFL club, was described by a member as a very gifted and "wonderful boy".

Committee member Chris Wright said: "He was the type of kid who could turn his hand to anything."

Torrential rain and gales have battered the Mid North Coast region for the second time in a month.

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Microsoft Becomes Latest Victim Of Hackers

Microsoft has become the latest victim of computer hacking following US technology giants Facebook and Apple.

In a blog posting, Microsoft said it had found no evidence that any customer data had been stolen in the cyber attack, which saw malicious software planted on a small number of its computers.

General manager Matt Thomlinson said: "As reported by Facebook and Apple, Microsoft can confirm that we also recently experienced a similar security intrusion.

"During our investigation, we found a small number of computers, including some in our Mac business unit, that were infected by malicious software using techniques similar to those documented by other organisations."

Microsoft  gave few other details about the break-in, except to say that was it similar to a hacking attack that online social networking leader Facebook disclosed last week.

Facebook said malware that infected some of its machines came from a mobile developer website that had been booby-trapped.

A "small number" of computer systems at Apple were infected but they were isolated from the main network and there was no evidence that any data left Apple, the company said.

Online messaging service Twitter also recently disclosed that hackers may have stolen information about 250,000 of its users.

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Pentagon Grounds Fleet Of F-35 Fighter Jets

The Pentagon has grounded the US military's entire fleet of F-35 fighter jets after discovering a cracked engine turbine blade in one plane.

The problem was discovered during what the Pentagon called a routine inspection of an F-35A Lightning II, the US Air Force's version of the new plane.

The US Navy and the US Marine Corps are buying other versions of the F-35, which is intended to replace older fighter jets like the Air Force's F-16 and the Navy and Marine Corps' F/A-18.

All versions - a total of 51 planes - were grounded on Friday pending an investigation.

The Pentagon said it was too early to know the full impact of the newly discovered problem.

It said: "On February 19, 2013, a routine engine inspection revealed a crack on a low pressure turbine blade of an F135 engine installed in a CTOL test aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

"Engineering teams are shipping the turbine blade to Pratt & Whitney's Engine Facility in Middletown, CT, to conduct a thorough evaluation and root cause analysis.

"It is too early to know the fleet-wide impact of this finding, however as a precautionary measure, all F-35 flight operations have been suspended until the investigation is complete and the cause of the blade crack is fully understood.

"The F-35 Joint Program Office is working closely with Pratt & Whitney and Lockheed Martin at all F-35 locations to assess the integrity of the engine, and to return the fleet safely to flight as soon as possible."

The F-35 is the Pentagon's most expensive weapons programme, with a total estimated cost of nearly $400bn (£262bn).

The Pentagon has planned to buy more than 2,400 F-35s, but some members of Congress are hesitant due to the hefty price tag.

The UK has ordered 48 F-35s to fly off the Royal Navy's new Queen Elizabeth carrier once it is built in 2018. Britain has also invested in the development of the jet.

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Carl Blue Executed: Killer Gets Lethal Injection

A man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend by dousing her with gasoline and setting her on fire has been executed in Texas.

Carl Blue, 48, was convicted of the September 1994 death of Carmen Richards-Sanders, 38, at her apartment in Bryan, about 100 miles northwest of Houston.

Blue also tossed gasoline on a man in the apartment, but he survived and testified against Blue, who claimed the attack was a prank gone wrong.

In his final statements, he greeted the victim's daughter, Terrella Richards, as she entered the death chamber viewing area by telling her he loved her.

"I never meant to hurt your mama," Blue said while strapped to a gurney in the state's death chamber.

"If I could change that, I would. ... I forgive you. I hope you can forgive me."

He also told his parents, watching through another window, that he loved them.

"I did something wrong, and now I'm paying the ultimate justice," he said. "It may be crooked justice but I forgive those people."

"Hang on," he told them. "Cowboy up. I'm fixin' to ride and Jesus is my vehicle."

He took about a dozen breaths as the lethal drug began taking effect, said he could "feel it," then slipped into unconsciousness.

Blue was pronounced dead at 6:56 p.m.

Blue's death was the first execution this year in the nation's most active death penalty state.

Prosecutors said Blue walked seven miles from his home to a convenience store and had been drinking malt liquor and smoking crack.

He bought 50 cents' worth of gasoline which he put in a "Big Gulp" cup.

Court records said he waited outside Richards-Sanders' apartment, then rushed in when she opened the door, telling her: "I told you I was going to get you."

He doused Richards-Sanders and ignited her.

She was trying to start her life over after the couple broke up months earlier," and Carl wasn't part of that, and that was a problem for Carl," Shane Phelps, a prosecutor at Blue's punishment trial, said before the execution.

When Blue discovered Larence Williams at the apartment, he threw what was left of the gasoline on Williams, setting him on fire.

"He had only one true love in his life ... and here she was with another guy," recalled John Quinn, the lead defence attorney at Blue's 1995 trial.

Hours later, Blue turned himself in to police.

"When I went to knock, she snatched the door open and had a cigarette," Blue told police in a tape-recorded statement played at his trial.

"I wasted gas on both of them. And she caught on fire, and he caught on fire, and I took off running ... I was scared, man."

Five years after his conviction, his death sentence was among about a half-dozen in Texas overturned by a federal judge who ruled it was improper for a former state prison psychologist to testify that the black man's race could indicate a propensity for violence.

Blue again was sentenced to die at a second punishment trial in 2001.

At least 11 other prisoners are scheduled for lethal injection in the coming months in Texas, which executed 15 inmates last year.

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Oscar Pistorius: Bail Decision Expected

A judge is today expected to decide on whether to grant bail to Oscar Pistorius, the athlete accused of shooting his girlfriend dead in South Africa.

Prosecutors have argued he is a cold-blooded killer and should be kept locked up, while his own lawyers say that he is far too famous to flee prosecution.

The bail hearing, which began last Friday, is resuming at 0800 GMT.

His coach Ampie Louw says that if the athlete is granted bail, he will start training again next week.

On Thursday, police were forced to pull their lead detective off the athlete's case after it emerged he himself faces attempted murder charges for shooting at a minibus.

Defence lawyers for Pistorius say the athlete shot dead his girlfriend by a terrible mistake, and deserves bail to prepare for his case.

Oscar Pistorius claims the death was a tragic mistake

They say the case has been marred by a bungled police investigation.

The 'blade runner', whose lower legs were amputated in infancy, is said to have killed model Reeva Steenkamp, 29, in the early hours of St Valentine's Day at his home.

Prosecutors have told the court it was a premeditated murder, with Pistorius firing four shots through a locked toilet door at Ms Steenkamp on the other side.

She was hit in the head, arm and hip.

Witnesses said they heard gunshots and screams from the home in a gated community surrounded by three-metre-high stone walls and an electric fence.

Pistorius contends he was acting in self-defence.

He says he mistook Ms Steenkamp for an intruder and felt vulnerable because he was unable to attach his prosthetic limbs in time to confront the threat.

The 26-year-old said he grabbed a 9-mm pistol from under his bed and went into the bathroom.

Pistorius described how he fired into the locked toilet door in a blind panic in the mistaken belief that the intruder was lurking inside.

Bail hearings in South Africa allow for prosecutors and defence lawyers to lay out their basic arguments, based on preliminary evidence.

The arrest of Pistorius stunned millions who watched in awe last year as the Olympic and Paralympic sprinter reached the semi-final of the 400m in the London Olympics.

The impact has been greatest in sports-mad South Africa, where Pistorius was seen as a rare hero who commanded respect from both blacks and whites, transcending the racial divides that persist 19 years after the end of apartheid.

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Spurs Fans Attacked By Gang In Lyon Bar

Three Tottenham fans are reported to have been taken to hospital after a group of up to 50 masked thugs attacked a bar on the eve of Spurs' game in Lyon.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers smashed doors and threw cast iron chairs, wooden objects and a flare in to the Smoking Dog pub in Lyon.

Up to 150 Spurs fans were drinking in the bar, popular among ex-pats in the French city, ahead of tonight's Europa League match.

It is the second time that Tottenham fans have been targeted in apparent anti-Semitic attacks in the last three months.

In November, fans of the club, which has a traditionally strong Jewish following, were ambushed inside a pub in Rome on the eve of their game against Lazio.

Damaged caused inside the Smoking Dog pub

Eyewitnesses inside the Smoking Dog said the thugs attacked the bar at 10.18pm on Wednesday night and then returned shortly after to launch another assault on the pub, which was damaged extensively as a result.

The pub's landlord, Dave Eales from Retford, said: "At 10.18 the pub was rammed with Tottenham fans watching the Champions League on the television.

"The front of the pub, which is made up of reinforced glass, was attacked by 20-25 people.

"They threw projectiles through the windows. There was a stand off. They didn't get in to the bar. Then it calmed down. Then they came back a second time and it all started again.

"There were three injured Tottenham fans taken away by ambulance. One of them had a head injury. I'm not sure how bad it was."

Far-right thugs were blamed for the knife attack on Tottenham's supporters in Rome and two eye-witnesses claimed the attack could have had an anti-Semitic motive.

Scene of the attack on Spurs fans in Rome in November

One, who did not want to be named, said: "There were 50 who attacked in the first wave and 25 in the second.

"It's a pretty scary thing when you're confronted by people doing Nazi salutes."

Spurs fan Christian Radnege, who was in the bar at the time of the attack, said: "They came in making Nazi salutes. It was frightening."

Mr Eales, 42, said he had anticipated trouble may occur and that he had told the Lyon police as much earlier this week.

He added: "The most disappointing thing is that I spoke to the police a couple of days ago about the potential for trouble because of what people associate Tottenham being."

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "We are aware of reports of an attack on British nationals in France and are offering consular assistance."

Tottenham said they were aware of reports of the attack.

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Pistorius Cop Faces Attempted Murder Charges

The investigating officer in the Oscar Pistorius murder case is facing seven charges of attempted murder from a 2011 shooting.

Hilton Botha and two other officers reportedly opened fire on seven passengers in a taxi mini-bus in an attempt to stop it. It is alleged that the officers, who were on duty at the time, were drunk.

They were arrested after the event in October 2011 and charges were initially dropped but were reinstated by the state prosecutor yesterday.

Botha is set to appear in court in May to face the charges, but police plan to keep him on the Pistorius murder case despite them.

The South African Police Service has confirmed the charges against the detective and launched an investigation which may see Botha suspended.

Hilton Botha arrives at court to give evidence at Pistorius' bail hearing

Spokesman Neville Malila said: "We were only informed yesterday that attempted murders charges against Hilton Botha have been reinstated."

He said that Botha's case would not hamper his investigation into the circumstances of the Valentine's Day shooting at Pistorius' Silver Lakes home.

It is unclear why the charges against Botha were reinstated. He denies being drunk and  has told a South African news channel that he was chasing suspects.

Medupe Simasiku, the spokesman for National Prosecution Agency, said he could not say how the charges would affect the case against Pistorius.

He said: "The (Pistorius) prosecutors were not aware of those charges (against Botha).

Oscar Pistorius is due to find out whether he will be granted bail

"We are calling up the information so we can get the details of the case. From there we can take action and see if we remove him from the investigation or if he stays."

Under cross-examination during Pistorius' bail hearing, Botha was accused of contaminating the crime scene in the paralympic star's home and backtracked on key details, including the distance of witnesses from the house.

In his often confused testimony, Botha, who was described as a 24-year police veteran with 16 years as a detective, conceded that police had left a 9 mm slug from the barrage that killed Steenkamp inside a toilet at the scene.

Police also lost track of illegal ammunition found inside the house, Botha said, and the detective himself walked through the crime scene without wearing protective shoe covers, potentially contaminating the area.

He also claimed in court that police found boxes of testosterone and needles in multiple Paralympic champion Pistorius' bedroom following the Valentine's Day shooting last week, but then said later he wasn't sure what the exact name of the substance was.

The lead defence counsel Barry Roux accused the police of oversights and mistakes on their initial investigation.

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Oscar Pistorius Arrives For Bail Verdict

Pistorius: Prosecution vs Defence

Updated: 2:01pm UK, Tuesday 19 February 2013

Two very different versions of what happened in the moments before Reeva Steenkamp's death have been heard at a bail hearing for Oscar Pistorius.

The athlete has been charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend in the early hours of Valentine's Day. He denies murder.

Below are the key arguments from the prosecution, along with Pistorius' account of events as read from his statement in court.

:: The Prosecution

Pistorius fired his gun four times into the door of a bathroom, knowing that Ms Steenkamp was inside after an argument.

She had locked herself in the room after fleeing down a seven-metre passage from the bedroom following the row at Pistorius' luxury home in Pretoria, South Africa.

Pistorius followed her with his 9mm pistol, first putting on his prosthetic legs.

He shot his gun four times through the door, killing an "unarmed and defenceless" woman. The door was then broken open from the outside.

There was "no possible explanation" to support Pistorius' claim of mistaken identity - that he believed the person inside the bathroom was a burglar.

If that were the case, prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued, why wasn't Pistorius' first thought to the whereabouts of his girlfriend?

Mr Nel argued there was a motive for the killing.

:: The Defence

Pistorius had "no intention" of killing his "beloved" Ms Steenkamp and he is "absolutely mortified" by her death.

In the early hours he heard a noise and thought an intruder had come through a bathroom window and was hiding there. He felt vulnerable and shouted for the intruder to get out and for Ms Steenkamp to call police.

It was dark and Pistorius thought Ms Steenkamp was lying on her bed, not that she was in the bathroom. He wanted to protect her.

Pistorius hobbled to the bathroom on his stumps and fired his gun, a 9mm pistol he kept under his bed because he had received death threats.

After the shooting, he returned to his bed and saw that Ms Steenkamp was not there.

He shouted for help, broke open a door with a cricket bat and found her still alive. He carried her downstairs.

He had got up to fetch a fan from the balcony when he heard the noise in the toilet earlier, which is why he did not notice Ms Steenkamp was not on the bed.

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At Least 14 Injured In Kansas City Gas Blast

Fourteen people have been injured after a huge gas explosion in a shopping district in Kansas City.

Images show dozens of firefighters battling the blaze that spread through a number of buildings including shops, restaurants, flats and offices.

The manager of JJ's restaurant, which was destroyed in the blaze, has been unable to account for three people but it was unclear whether they were caught in the blaze or had left earlier.

Kansas City Manager Troy Schulte revealed there had been a gas leak shortly before the explosion.

Earlier police spokeswoman Rhonda Flores said a car appeared to have crashed into the gas main near the restaurant at around 6pm local time.

An initial call for three ambulances was then increased to 10 as the blaze took hold.

Kerry O'Connor, a spokeswoman for St Luke's Hospital, said several patients were sent to the hospital. She added they "appear to be critical at this time".

The University of Kansas Hospital was treating five people injured in the blast, according to spokesman Bob Hallinan.

He said one was in critical condition, two in serious condition and two others were expected to be released. They had all suffered traumatic injuries, including broken bones, rather than effects of the fire.

The area, a shopping district, includes retail shops, restaurants, apartments and offices.

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Sony PlayStation 4 Launch To 'Reveal Future'

The hotly-anticipated PlayStation 4 is expected to be unveiled later.

Sony is holding an event in New York, during which it has promised to reveal "the future".

But the console manufacturer has refused to confirm widespread rumours that the latest version of its PlayStation will be launched.

However previous events have been used to premiere new hardware like the current PlayStation and the Vita hand-held console.

Recent photographs leaked online appear to show a prototype controller with a touchpad alongside the classic DualShock-style controls.

The unveiling will excite millions of video game fans across the world and add fuel to the on-going battle between Sony, Xbox 360 manufacturers Microsoft and Nintendo, the makers of the Wii system.

Since the first PlayStation console launched in December 1994, Sony has sold more than 310 million home consoles worldwide and 2.9 billion games.

Microsoft is also tipped to reveal details of its next generation console in the coming months.

Larry Hryb, Xbox's director of programming, recently fuelled speculation by posting a countdown to June's E3 games show on his blog.

Today's event in New York is being seen by many as an attempt by Sony to steal a march on its fierce competitor.

Last time around it was beaten to the market by Microsoft, with the Xbox 360 coming out in November 2005 - a year before the PlayStation 3.

Console sales in the UK were down by a third last year, but games industry body UKIE has suggested the dip may be partly due to shoppers saving their money for next generation machines.

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Oscar Pistorius: Defence Steps Up Bail Case

Lawyers acting for Oscar Pistorius will set out their case in an attempt to keep the athlete out of prison as his bail hearing continues.

The Paralympian arrived at the court in the back of a police car with a blue blanket covering his head.

Pistorius' father Henke and brother Carl - who have supported him in the two previous hearings - sat in the public gallery.

It is understood that Carl spent time with his brother in the holding cells earlier today.

Sky's Alex Crawford said it will be a "pretty explosive day" in terms of the details the court will hear about what is alleged to have happened.

Investigating officer Hilton Botha is expected to respond to Pistorius' version of events.

On the first day of the hearing, the court heard him claim he shot his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp because he thought she was a robber.

But the chances of him being given bail lessened after Magistrate Desmond Nair ruled the case a schedule six offence - meaning premeditated murder.

It means his lawyers now have to prove "exceptional circumstances" for him to be granted bail until he goes to trial.

The gold-medallist, known as the Blade Runner, is accused of murdering Miss Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria, South Africa, last Thursday.

His lawyer, Barry Roux, read out a statement which gave his version of the events that led to Miss Steenkamp's death.

Miss Steenkamp's funeral was held in Port Elizabeth

The 26-year-old denies murder and said the couple were "deeply in love".

In the statement, Pistorius said he felt vulnerable because he was not wearing his prosthetic legs. He claimed he fired his gun into the bathroom, but then realised Miss Steenkamp was not in bed.

He said: "It filled me with horror and fear."

After realising his mistake, he said he put on his legs, walked towards the bathroom and broke down the locked door with a cricket bat.

He then ran downstairs carrying his 29-year-old girlfriend, but "she died in my arms".

Pistorius went on: "I fail to understand how I could be charged with murder, let alone premeditated murder, as I did not plan to murder my girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp."

The couple went to sleep shortly after 10pm, Pistorius said, but in the middle of the night he woke up and thought an intruder had climbed in through his bathroom window.

He said he grabbed a 9mm pistol - which he kept under his bed after receiving death threats - and made his way in the darkness towards the bathroom door.

"As I didn't have my prosthetic legs on I was vulnerable," he said. "I fired a shot at the toilet door and shouted to Reeva to call the police."

Pistorius, who won two gold medals and a silver at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, described how he was "absolutely mortified at the death of my beloved Reeva".

The bail hearing came as Miss Steenkamp's funeral was held in her home town of Port Elizabeth.

The memorial service was attended by family and friends who had travelled from around the world.

Six pallbearers carried her coffin, draped with a white cloth and covered in white flowers.

Her brother, Adam Steenkamp, said after the service: "There's a space missing inside all the people that she knew that cannot be filled again."

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Oscar Pistorius: Grief of Girlfriend's Mother

The mother of Reeva Steenkamp, who was allegedly murdered by boyfriend Oscar Pistorius, has asked: "Why my little girl?"

Speaking out for the first time about the death of her 29-year-old daughter, June Steenkamp told the Times of South Africa: "She had so much of herself to give and now all that is gone - just like that, she is gone.

"In the blink of an eye and a single breath, the most beautiful person who ever lived is no longer here.

"All we have is this horrendous death to deal with ... to get to grips with.

"All we want are answers ... answers as to why this had to happen, why our beautiful daughter had to die like this."

She said: "Why my little girl? Why did this happen? Why did he do this?"

Gold medal-winning Paralympian Pistorius was arrested and charged last Thursday with the premeditated murder of Miss Steenkamp, a model who he had been dating since November.

Oscar Pistorius had been dating Reeva Steenkamp since November

Miss Steenkamp's father Barry said on Sunday he did not hate Pistorius following his arrest.

More than 100 people are expected to attend an hour-long memorial service for the law graduate on Tuesday.

She will be cremated in her home town of Port Elizabeth, in a private ceremony for family and friends.

Well-wishers have already begun placing bouquets of flowers outside the family home.

Thousands of people saw her appear in a TV programme on Saturday night after her family said they wanted the broadcast to go ahead.

There had been controversy over the airing of Tropika Island of Treasure as Miss Steenkamp talked about how making the right 'exit' was important.

The broadcast went ahead after the programme makers said they had been told that the family wanted it to be shown.

Her uncle Mike Steenkamp said the family had been overwhelmed with offers of help.

Police have said Miss Steenkamp was shot four times in the early hours of Thursday by a pistol owned by Pistorius and died of her wounds at the scene.

His family has insisted that the evidence will refute "any possibility of a premeditated murder or indeed any murder at all".

Pistorius, 26, who broke down sobbing in his first court appearance on Friday, has built up a powerful team of lawyers, medical specialists and public relations experts for his defence.

Stuart Higgins, a former editor of The Sun newspaper, whose lengthy list of clients includes British Airways, Chelsea FC and Manchester United football club, will be handling Pistorius' public relations.

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South Africa: Shooting At Anglo American Mine

At least 13 workers have been wounded by machetes and rubber bullets in the latest wave of violence to hit a South African mine.

Police said the attacks at the Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) site in Rustenburg were provoked by a dispute between two rival unions.

The news agency Reuters said around 1,000 members of the Association for Mineworkers and Construction Union gathered at the mine, about 70 miles northwest of Johannesburg, after four people believed to belong to the National Union of Mineworkers tried to occupy an office.

Security guards at the mine used rubber bullets to disperse the rival groups.

Machetes were seen during separate disputes in the country in 2012

A police spokesman said the 13 injured workers were admitted to hospital.

Anglo American, which owns the mine and is listed on the London Stock Exchange, saw a 2.75% fall in its share price on the FTSE 100 when news of the trouble emerged.

The violence follows a two-month illegal strike at the same site last autumn, when police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades to separate groups of workers.

The continuing dispute is related to anger over Amplats' plans to lay off an additional 14,000 workers amid poor company results which showed a loss of $225m (£143m) for 2012.

It is among several mining companies in South Africa grappling with higher expenses amid the worst industrial action the country has seen for decades.

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Oscar Pistorius Sobbing During Bail Hearing

Oscar Pistorius has broken down in tears during his bail hearing after being charged with murdering his girlfriend.

The 26-year-old Paralympian is accused of killing model Reeva Steenkamp, 29, in the early hours of last Thursday.

Police said she was shot four times with a pistol owned by Pistorius at his home in South Africa. Hundreds are expected to attend her funeral in Port Elizabeth this morning.

In the courtroom in Pretoria, Sky's Alex Crawford said his "face was creased in pain" and he was "weeping" as the prosecutor outlined the case against him.

For the first time, Pistorius is expected to explain how his girlfriend died during the hearing.

Crawford said his defence team will detail why he should be given bail, arguing that he is not danger to society or himself and is not going to abscond.

More follows...

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British Worker Feared Kidnapped In Nigeria

Gunmen in northern Nigeria have kidnapped a group of foreign workers including one Briton, according to local authorities there.

The group attacked a construction company camp, killing a guard and then abducting seven foreigners, police said.

"From the report we have received, the hostages are seven in all. They include four Lebanese, an Italian, a Briton and a Greek," Bauchi state police spokesman Hassan Auyo said.

This would make it the biggest kidnapping yet in a region that is under attack from Islamic extremists.

Greece, Lebanon and Italy have all said their citizens are involved. However, Britain's Foreign Office has not confirmed if a Briton is among them.

The kidnapping on Saturday night happened in Jama'are, a town in a rural portion of Bauchi state.

The gunmen attacked a local prison first, burning two police trucks, another Bauchi state police spokesman, Hassan Muhammed told the Associated Press.

Then they targeted a workers' camp for a construction company called Setraco, which is in the area building a road, Mr Muhammed said.

The gunmen shot dead a guard at the camp before kidnapping the foreign workers, he added.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office in Britain said: "We are aware of the reports and are making inquiries with local authorities."

Nigeria's predominantly Muslim north has been under attack by the radical Islamic sect known as Boko Haram in the last year and a half.

The country's weak central government has been unable to stop the group's bloody guerrilla campaign of shootings and bombings.

The sect is blamed for killing at least 729 people in 2012 alone, according to an AP count.

Foreigners have been frequently abducted by militant groups and criminal gangs for ransom in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta and have become increasingly targeted in Nigeria's north as the violence has grown.

Sky News Special Correspondent Alex Crawford said: "Nigeria, particularly the north of Nigeria, has got a big problem. It's the scourge of the country and has been for many years now.

"Local Islamist groups called Boko Haram have been largely responsible for carrying out the kidnappings.

"This is one of the militant groups who have operating inside Mali. They are one of five extremist groups who are believed to have been running operations inside Mali and around the Sahel."

Gunmen who authorities say have links to Boko Haram also kidnapped an Italian and a British man last year in northern Kebbi State.

They were later killed during a rescue operation by Nigerian soldiers backed up by British special forces. The sect later denied taking part in that abduction.

Chinese construction workers have also been killed by gunmen around Maiduguri, the northeastern city in Nigeria where Boko Haram first began.

Setraco Nigeria, a construction and civil engineering company, is a subsidiary of Setraco International Holding group.

The Nigerian company, which was established in 1977, is currently working on expanding a major road in the north of the country.

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Mindy McCready Dies In Apparent Suicide

Country singer Mindy McCready has been found dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, US authorities have said.

Cleburne County Sheriff's Office, in Arkansas, said McCready, 37, was found dead on Sunday afternoon with what appeared to be a single wound.

She was found on the front porch of a home.

McCready hit the top of the country charts before personal problems sidetracked her career.

In 1996, her song Guys Do It All the Time rose to No 1 in the country charts.

Her live-in boyfriend David Wilson was found shot dead in their home on January 13 and police said the case was suspicious.

She later appeared on television to deny she had played any role in the shooting.

Her death comes only days after she was released from rehab.

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Breastfeeding Could Save 95 Babies Every Hour

The lives of 95 babies could be saved every hour if mothers started breastfeeding their newborns in the hour after their birth, a charity has said.

Receiving a mother's first milk within an hour will kickstart the child's immune system, making a newborn three times more likely to survive, according to a report by Save the Children.

If the mother continues feeding for the next six months, then a child growing up in the developing world is up to 15 times less likely to die from killer diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhoea, the report said.

According to the charity, there has been enormous progress in reducing child mortality, but more could be done if mothers were encouraged to breastfeed.

"Despite the benefits of breastfeeding being widely known in the developed world, and it being a free, natural way to protect a newborn baby, too little attention is being paid to help mums breastfeed in poorer countries," said Justin Forsyth, Save the Children's chief executive.

"If every baby was fed during the first hour of life – what we call the 'power hour' - we estimate that up to 830,000 newborn deaths could be prevented every year - that's 95 babies every hour."

Breastfeeding rates are declining across East Asia and in some of Africa's most populous countries such as Ethiopia and Nigeria, according to the report, called Superfood For Babies.

Australian actress Isla Fisher is an ambassador for Save the Children

The charity cites as factors a lack of empowerment and education for women, severe shortages of midwives and health workers in the developing world, and lack of adequate maternity legislation.

It also cites "inappropriate" marketing techniques by some baby milk substitute companies leading mothers to believe formula is the best way to feed their babies.

Save the Children's new ambassador, actress Isla Fisher, recently visited Brazil as part of the organisation's campaign.

The charity is calling on the UK Government to use its G8 presidency to fund nutrition work with breastfeeding and on other donor countries to step up their funding.

"This year's G8 - with the UK in the driving seat - is a once in a lifetime opportunity to focus effort on a final push to end hunger," said Mr Forsyth.

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Pakistan: Dozens Killed In Market Bomb Blast

A bomb blast has ripped through a crowded market in southern Pakistan, killing at least 64 people and wounding 180 others.

The blast left many victims buried under rubble. Police said many of those wounded in the explosion in Quetta remain in critical condition.

Senior police officer Wazir Khan Nasir said the bomb, set off in a residential suburb, was detonated by remote control.

Another officer, Samiullah Khan, said police were investigating whether the bomb was planted in a rickshaw parked in the crowded vegetable market.

He said the device was detonated while dozens of women and children were shopping.

Local residents rushed the victims to three different area hospitals.

The attack was the deadliest since bomb blasts in the same city killed 86 people in January and led to protests that eventually toppled the local government.

Shiites, a minority in the Sunni Muslim-dominated country, have been increasingly attacked by militant groups who view them as heretics and non-Muslims.

Most of the Shiites in the area are Hazaras, an ethnic group who migrated from Afghanistan over 100 years ago.

In recent years the Shiites have come under renewed attack, mostly at the hands of Laskher-e-Jhangvi, a Sunni militant group.

"This evil force is operating with the patronage of certain elements in the province," said Qayum Changezi, the chairman of a local Hazara organization.

After days of protests following the January attack, Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf flew to the city to meet with protesters and sacked the chief minister and his cabinet.

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Meteor: Rescue Teams Rally To Recovery Effort

A major recovery effort is under way to replace thousands of windows shattered by the shockwave from a meteor that exploded over Russia, as some 24,000 workers began arriving in the Chelyabinsk region to help relief efforts.

The shockwave blew out glass in more than 4,000 buildings in the region and injured about 1,200 people, largely with cuts from the flying debris.

Forty of those injured remained in hospital on Saturday, two of them in a serious condition, the state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Regional governor Mikhail Yurevich said the damage from the high-altitude explosion - which was estimated to have been as powerful as 20 Hiroshima bombs - is estimated at 1bn rubles (£21m).

A man repairs the window of a damaged sports hall in Chelyabinsk

He promised to have the 200,000 square metres of broken windows replaced within a week.

Rescuers are also scouring the bottom of a lake for the remains of the meteor, which plunged to Earth in a fireball on Friday.

Part of the space rock, which was the size of a bus and blazed across western Siberia, is believed to have landed in the frozen Lake Chebarkul.

Curious onlookers gathered nearby were prevented from venturing out on to the lake by police as the search continued.

More than 24,000 rescuers and recovery workers have already been dispatched to the region around Chelyabinsk to help residents.

Workers in Chelyabinsk examine the damage to a large building

The workers will gather warm clothes and food, cover windows, and make other relief efforts. Crews from glass companies in adjacent regions have also begun to arrive.

Experts are also examining major buildings in case they have been structurally damaged by the blast.

Residents who had poured into the streets to watch the light show after spotting the initial flash were wounded by glass shattered by the subsequent sonic boom.

Experts said the meteor strike was the largest recorded in more than a century.

The meteor burned brightly in the sky as it plunged to Earth

As the recovery mission begins in earnest, the emergencies ministry said six divers would be inspecting the lake for any pieces of meteorite.

Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov added: "We have a special team working ... that is now assessing the seismic stability of buildings. We will be especially careful about switching the gas back on."

Scientists will be desperate to examine the rock for any clues about the cosmos but Mr Puchkov said no fragments had yet been discovered.

The explosion appears to have been one of the most stunning cosmic events over Russia since 1908, when an asteroid was blamed for a massive blast in Siberia.

Nasa estimated that the amount of energy released when the meteor crashed into the Earth's atmosphere was about 20 times more than the force of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb.                 

The meteor hit in the Urals on Friday morning

"We would expect an event of this magnitude to occur once every 100 years on average," said Paul Chodas of Nasa's Near-Earth Object Programme Office.

The drama happened just hours before an asteroid whizzed safely past the Earth at an unprecedented distance of 17,200 miles.

This is closer than some distant satellites and set alarm bells ringing in some Russian circles about the need for joint global action to protect Earth from space.

The Russian parliament's foreign affairs committee chief Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter: "Instead of fighting on Earth, people should be creating a joint system of asteroid defence."

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Pistorius: Girlfriend's TV Show Goes Ahead

A reality show featuring the dead girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius has aired, as his family says the paralympian is numb with grief over her death.

Tropika Island of Treasure, showing Reeva Steenkamp on location in Jamaica last year, was broadcast on Saturday night despite her shocking death on St Valentine's Day.

Miss Steenkamp, who had been going out with Pistorius since November, was shot four times at his house in a heavily guarded complex in Pretoria on Thursday.

Local media have reported that she was shot through a bathroom door. A 9mm pistol was found at the scene.

Pistorius broke down in court at the mention of premeditated murder

The decision to air the show emerged as Pistorius' uncle said the athlete was "numb with shock, as well as grief" as he remained in custody facing charges of premeditated murder.

In the family's first public comments since the shooting, Arnold Pistorius said they were "in total shock" by what he called an "unimaginable human tragedy".

Tropika Island of Treasure producers said Miss Steenkamp's family wanted her appearance on the reality show for South Africa's national broadcaster to be aired as a tribute.

Before the programme aired a poignant pre-recorded interview with Miss Steenkamp was released in which the 29-year-old talked about the importance of leaving a positive mark in life.

Pistorius (right) after his arrest on Thursday

"I think the way that you go out, not just your journey in life, but the way that you go out and the way you make your exit is so important," Miss Steenkamp said in the video.

"You either made an impact in a positive or a negative way, but just maintain integrity and maintain class and just remain true to yourself.

"I'm going to miss you all so much and I love you very, very much."

Tropika Island of Treasure sees celebrities paired with contestants and put through a series of challenges as they compete for a cash prize.

Executive producer Samantha Moon said: "This is how they want to remember her. This is what she would have wanted. She was happy, healthy, beautiful and vibrant and that's the way she should be remembered."

Spokesman for broadcaster SABA, Kaizer Kganyago, said: "The mother agreed that we should go ahead and we are free to go ahead. We are working on how to pay tribute to her."

Miss Steenkamp's cousin, Sharon Steenkamp, said she "was proud of being in the show".

"Her last words to us personally was that she wants us to watch it," she said.

Reeva Steenkamp, 29, with Pistorius last November

Production company Stimulii said it was "devastated" by the model's death and described her as a "wonderful human being" with a "zest for life".

Pistorius, who made history by competing in both the Olympics and Paralympics last year, sobbed through his first court appearance on Friday.

He is being held in a police cell ahead of a new hearing on February 19, when prosecutors are set to oppose any request for bail.

The chief magistrate delayed the bail hearing until next week at the request of the defence, who asked for more time.

A statement issued by Pistorius' family and management following the initial hearing said: "The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms."

And in Saturday's statement, Arnold Pistorius insisted there was "no substance" to the allegation of premeditated murder "or indeed any murder at all" as he spoke of his nephew's happiness with the model and rising star.

"They had plans together and Oscar was happier in his private life than he had been for a long time," he told the Associated Press.

"Words cannot adequately describe our feelings. The lives of our entire family have been turned upside down forever by this unimaginable human tragedy and Reeva's family have suffered a terrible loss.

"As a family we are trying to be strong and supportive to Oscar as any close family would be in these dreadful circumstances.

"We deeply regret the allegation of premeditated murder. We have no doubt there is no substance to the allegation and that the State's own case, including its own forensic evidence, strongly refutes any possibility of a premeditated murder or indeed any murder at all."

Premeditated murder carries a mandatory life sentence in South Africa. If found guilty, Pistorius would not be eligible for parole for 25 years.

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