Gu Kailai, wife of disgraced top politician Bo Xilai, has admitted murdering British businessman Neil Heywood and blamed her actions on a mental breakdown, Chinese state media report.
The Xinhua news agency reports Gu Kailai has apologized for the “tragedy”.
She said she would “accept and calmly face any sentence”, the agency added.
Gu Kailai was charged with the murder of Neil Heywood, who was found dead in November 2011, in a one-day trial on Thursday.
Gu Kailai has admitted murdering Neil Heywood and blamed her actions on a mental breakdown
The prosecution alleged Gu kailai and her son Bo Guagua fell out with Neil Heywood over “economic interests” and that Gu Kailai was worried about “Neil Heywood’s threat to her son’s personal security”.
The Xinhua report said that Gu Kailai had addressed the court towards the end of its session, and said: “Those few days last November, when I saw how my son was in danger, I suffered a nervous breakdown. A tragedy happened because of me”.
Earlier on Friday, four senior police officers admitted covering up evidence linking Gu Kailai to the murder, a court official said.
The dates for the verdicts in both trials are yet to be announced.
The case appears to have ended the career of Chongqing’s ex-leader Bo Xilai, who had been seen as a likely candidate for a top job in the leadership transition due later this year.
Seven members of the nine-strong politburo Standing Committee are due to retire, paving the way for a new generation of leaders.
But former high-flier Bo Xilai, a populist and an ambitious politician, has not been seen in public since the investigation into his wife was announced.
The Wikipedia pages dedicated to US presidential candidate Mitt Romney and other members of the Republican Party who may run alongside him have been locked down.
Wikipedia has put a silver padlock icon on the top right hand side of their entries.
This means that anonymous users cannot make editorial changes to content relating to the politicians.
The measures were taken after comedian Stephen Colbert suggested on US TV that viewers should edit the pages.
Wikipedia locked Mitt Romney entries after comedian Stephen Colbert suggested on US TV that viewers should edit the pages
Stephen Colbert was following up on earlier media reports suggesting that the popularity of election candidates could be determined by the number of edits their entries on Wikipedia had received, said volunteer media coordinator David Gerard.
As a result, more people started to tinker with the politicians’ pages.
They now have a partial lock, meaning that anonymous users and those without a Wikipedia account are currently unable to make changes to the pages of Mitt Romney, Senators Rob Portman and Marco Rubio, Governor Chris Christie and others.
“It’s supposed to be an encyclopedia so a bit of amusement is fine but too much gets messy really,” said David Gerard.
“We try to keep stuff as open as possible, so once it calms down they’ll probably be open again.”
It is particularly important that entries about living people are editorially sound, David Gerard said.
Not many pages are completely locked down.
A Wikipedia page about the Virginia Tech massacre, in which 32 people were killed at an American college, is fully protected for sensitivity reasons, and an article about episodes of Disney children’s programme Hannah Montana was completely restricted in 2011 following “persistent vandalism” said David Gerard.
“A lot of people don’t understand what to do if there’s something terrible in their article,” he said.
“If you email us with a concern I promise a volunteer will take the problems seriously.”
The new generation of Crème Fraîche de Beauté by Nuxe is a range of deliciously light and moisturizing skin savers tipped as the next big thing.
From facial creams to serums, the range aims to give your skin 24-hour hydration.
With 8 Plant Milks and Aloe Vera to boost the skin’s water reserves and natural-origin Hyaluronic Acid to maintain optimum water levels, your skin is left perfectly moist and refreshed.
From facial creams to serums, Crème Fraîche de Beauté range aims to give your skin 24-hour hydration
The Crème Fraîche de Beauté line also ensures to help sufferers of dry skin and offers a fondant cream for fresh, soft and replumped skin or a fine, light cream with pure, fine powder from rice grain that absorbs excess oil and delivers matte, supple skin.
You will have to wait until September to get your hands on the latest batch of skin savers, and they can be found at Spacenk.com or feelunique.com
Before clicking “send” on your e-mails is better to take a little more care.
Spelling or grammatical errors in the message can leave a lasting negative impression, research has found.
Two-thirds of people say that they regard simple mistakes as “shoddy” and would “have no faith” in the sender.
And next time you head off on holiday, don’t forget to leave an out of office email, or you could return to some angry inbox messages.
The report, by Staples UK, found that taking time over an “Out of Office” email over the summer holidays and Olympic period can have a positive effect on relationships with colleagues, clients and suppliers.
Spelling or grammatical errors in the message can leave a lasting negative impression
Worryingly 58% of office workers said they felt irritated and wouldn’t do business with people who took annual leave and failed to leave any “Out of Office” message at all as it showed a lack of professionalism and care.
But the research reveals there is a way that absence can help a business when it comes to emails.
Amee Chande, managing director of Staples UK, said: “People read out of office more often than you think.
“Beyond the basics, why not take the opportunity to communicate your own personality or that of your company by being creative, humorous and thoughtful.
“Tell them, for example, if you’re taking a well-earned day off to go and see the Olympics, that you’ll get back to them faster than Usain Bolt on your return.
“Or if you’re on paternity leave, perhaps make note that you’ve been left holding the baby. As long as you remember to include an alternative contact and the date you’ll be back in the office, your clients and colleagues will appreciate that everyone is entitled to time off.”
The survey also found that 46% of UK businessmen and women named rude or abrupt Out of Office message as one of the biggest workplace irritations.
Despite the obvious need to keep clients and co-workers informed and happy, a majority of companies have no policy on Out of Office emails, with 52% of business workers left to their own devices and 18% never bothering to use the option at all.
HOW NOT TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION ON EMAIL
It’s not just “out of office” emails that drive people round the bend; the research revealed these top grievances when it comes to emails:
• Kisses on emails to clients (66% don’t like this)
• Smiley faces on emails to clients (44%)
• Terms of endearment to clients, such as “honey” or “dear” (54%)
• Abbreviations such as “OMG” (50%)
• Cheesy lines such as “Happy Friday” (28%)
• Asking clients about plans for the weekend (17%)
Antonio Conte, Juventus manager and coach, has been banned for 10 months after an investigation into match-fixing.
Last year Antonio Conte, 43, led the club to the Serie A title in his first season in charge without losing a single game.
He was accused of failing to report alleged match-fixing involving former club Siena in the 2010-11 season.
Antonio Conte, whose assistant coach Angelo Alessio was also banned, is set to appeal the decision and Juventus said both retained their full support.
Charges against Antonio Conte of direct involvement in match-fixing were dismissed last month, but the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) said it was satisfied Conte was aware it was taking place during his time with Siena.
Antonio Conte, Juventus manager and coach, has been banned for 10 months after an investigation into match-fixing
Antonio Conte had a plea bargain deal rejected by the FIGC earlier this month. He put forward a proposal which would have seen him serve a three-month suspension and pay a fine of 200,000 Euros.
The federation has now confirmed the 10-month sanction.
Police had previously said Antonio Conte was being investigated on suspicion of sporting fraud and fraudulent association over allegations concerning a match between his Serie B side Siena and Novara in April 2011.
In addition to the ban for Angelo Alessio, who was Antonio Conte’s assistant at Siena, former Lecce president Giovanni Semeraro and ex-Grosseto president Piero Camilli are also facing suspensions.
“Juventus reiterates its full support for Antonio Conte and Angelo Alessio in the hope the next stage of the process will finally prove their innocence,” read a Juventus statement.
“A group of legal professionals have been appointed by the individuals concerned and, with the full support of the club, is already working to prepare grounds for an appeal.”
Grosseto and Lecce have both been excluded from Serie B, the Italian second tier, for the 2012-13 season for their part in the scandal of direct involvement in match-fixing. Both clubs have been relegated to Lega Pro, which covers Italy’s third and fourth divisions.
Six other players – Leonardo Bonucci, Simone Pepe, Marco di Vaio, Salvatore Masiello, Daniele Padelli and Giuseppe Vives – have been acquitted of the charges against them.
In May, police searched more than 30 homes, including those of players, trainers and administrators of clubs in Serie A, Serie B and the lower divisions.
Lazio captain Stefano Mauri, 32, was held along with former Genoa midfielder Omar Milanetto, while officers visited Italy’s pre-Euro 2012 training camp to question left-back Domenico Criscito, 25.
Five people were also arrested in Hungary on suspicion of being part of an illegal international betting ring.
Austin Weirschke, a teenager from Wisconsin, has out-tapped the competition to hold onto the title of being the US’s fastest texter.
Austin Weirschke, 17, beat 10 other competitors at the sixth National Texting Championship held in New York.
Contestants had to do one task with their vision blocked and another with their hands behind their back.
Austin Weirschke said he planned to put the $50,000 prize money towards paying for his college education.
Austin Weirschke, 17, beat 10 other competitors at the sixth National Texting Championship held in New York
The competition – which is sponsored by LG Electronics and featured one device with a physical keyboard – put three skills to the test: accuracy, speed and dexterity.
Two of the tests were straight-forward – memorizing and then typing phrases as quickly as possible, and translating text abbreviations into “regular speak” such as TTYL (talk to you later).
But others were more challenging, including writing words backwards – or text sdrawkcab as the round was dubbed – and having to tap out the words to the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star within 45 seconds while wearing darkened glasses that blocked the competitors’ view.
The champion said he typically sent 500 texts a day to his friends, but attributed his success to added practice with his mother.
The writer Malcolm Gladwell once wrote that studies suggested that it typically took 10,000 hours – or 417 full days – of practice to become an elite performer.
This suggests that despite Austin Weirschke’s proficiency, he still has room for improvement.
New research has shown that when placed under stressful situations, men rate larger women as more attractive.
British researchers found that men exposed to tasks that were designed to put them under pressure preferred a wider range of female body sizes.
They conclude that stress can act to alter judgments of potential partners.
The work by a team from London and Newcastle is published in the open access journal Plos One.
“There’s a lot of literature suggesting that our BMI (body mass index) preferences are hard-wired, but that’s probably not true,” said co-author Dr. Martin Tovee, from Newcastle University.
New research has shown that when placed under stressful situations, men rate larger women as more attractive
Dr. Martin Tovee and his colleague, Dr. Viren Swami, have previously researched what factors could alter BMI preferences, including publishing a paper in the British Journal of Psychology on the effect of hunger, and the influence of the media.
But through this new work they aimed to investigate whether known cross-cultural differences in body size preferences linked to stress were also mirrored in short-term stressful situations.
“If you look at environments where food is scarce, people’s preferences for body size in a potential partner are shifted. [The preference] appears to be much heavier compared to environments where there’s plenty of food and a much more relaxed atmosphere,” he explained.
“If you’re living a far more stressful, subsistence lifestyle, you’re going to have higher stress levels.”
To simulate heightened stress, a test group of men were placed in interview and public speaking scenarios and their BMI preferences compared against a control group of non-stressed men.
The results indicated that the change in “environmental conditions” led to a shift of weight preference towards heavier women with the men considering a wider range of body sizes attractive.
“These changes are comparatively minor in comparison to those you get between different [cross-cultural] environments. But they suggest certain factors which might combine with others and cause this shift,” Dr. Martin Tovee said.
The research supports other work that has shown perceptions of physical attractiveness alter with levels of economic and physiological stress linked to lifestyle.
“If you follow people moving from low-resource areas to higher resource-areas, you find their preferences shift over the course of about 18 months. In evolutionary psychology terms, you try to fit your preferences to what works best in a particular environment,” said Dr. Martin Tovee.
Moreover, the researchers were keen to emphasize how fluctuating environmental conditions could alter the popular perception of an “ideal” body size.
“There’s a continual pushing down of the ideal, but this preference is flexible. Changing the media, changing your lifestyle, all these things can change what you think is the ideal body size,” he said.
Preparations for a huge party at the French home of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have sparked fevered speculation that they are secretly preparing to marry.
Guests, including Brad Pitt’s parents, have arrived at the chateau ahead of the bash, to be held at Chateau Miraval this weekend.
Jeweller Robert Procop, who made Angelina Jolie’s $250,000 diamond and platinum engagement ring, is also thought to be in attendance.
The couple’s engagement was revealed back in April, after seven years and six children together.
A source told The Sun newspaper: “Brad flew in to oversee preparations but they’re all here now.
“They say it’s for Jane and Bill, but some think this could be it. Even Angelina’s private jeweller is here.”
Guests are said to include George Clooney, who is currently a short flight away at his home on Lake Como, Italy.
Preparations for a huge party at the French home of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have sparked fevered speculation that they are secretly preparing to marry
The source added: “There’s a real buzz around the estate.”
It is thought that the couple will wed in a private chapel in the grounds of their home, with civil ceremonies only allowed at the town hall in France.
“We don’t know anything about it,” Patrick Mareschi, deputy culture secretary of the nearby village of Correns, told Reuters.
“Under French law couples have to get married at the town hall. Unlike with a religious wedding, there’s no way a couple can hold a civil ceremony at their own home,” he added.
It has long been known that the pair was planning to hold their wedding at their $55million estate in the South of France.
After their engagement was announced it was learnt that a huge reception hall was under construction at the Provence home.
Aerial images of the site in February showed a large white building being erected next to the quaint chapel.
Angelina Jolie has been married twice before – to British actor Jonny Lee Miller between 1996 and 1999 and then Billy Bob Thornton, from 2000 to 2003.
Brad Pitt’s marriage to Jennifer Aniston lasted five years before they announced they were divorcing in early 2005 – which came after he had met Angelina on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
Brangelina – as they became known – quickly became a Hollywood power couple, with a brood of six children, Maddox, 10, Pax, eight, Zahara, seven, five-year-old Shiloh and twins Knox and Vivienne, aged three.
The couple once insisted they wouldn’t wed until the legalization of same-sex marriage in America.
But Brad recently admitted he didn’t feel they’d be to wait that long because of mounting pressure from their children.
“It seems to mean more and more to our kids,” he said in January.
“We made this declaration some time ago that we weren’t going to [get married] till everyone can. But I don’t think we’ll be able to hold out … it means something to me, too, to make that kind of commitment.”
Angelina Jolie has also said that their children often ask why they aren’t married like “Shrek and Fiona”.
Angelina Jolie said just months ago: “We’ve explained to them that our commitment, when we decided to start a family, was the greatest commitment you could possibly have.
Britney Spears took time out of her busy schedule to focus on her business empire as she shot her latest fragrance Fantasy Twist campaign yesterday.
Britney Spears, 30, dressed as an ancient Egyptian as she posed for the ads for Fantasy Twist.
Posting a photo behind-the-scenes on her Twitter page, Britney Spears wrote: “Channelling my inner Cleopatra today at Elizabeth Arden Fantasy Twist shoot. Fragrance is out in Sept. 1st look on Path.”
In the shoot, Britney Spears strikes a pose in a gold embellished dress with feathered sleeves, lots of bangles and a gold headpiece.
The singer also has Cleopatra-style heavy eyeliner on her eyes, with her long blonde hair hanging down.
Britney Spears took time out of her busy schedule to focus on her business empire as she shot her latest fragrance Fantasy Twist campaign
Fantasy Twist is the latest release in Britney Spears’ billion-dollar perfume empire.
Britney Spears released her first fragrance Curious in 2004 after signing a deal with Elizabeth Arden.
By 2009, Britney Spears had released another seven fragrances, including Fantasy and Curious.
Britney Spears has earned an estimated $1.5 billion from her perfume empire and dominates the celebrity fragrance market.
Meanwhile, Britney Spears is set to become the target of a bidding war for her next record contract.
Blake Fielder-Civil, Amy Winehouse’s former husband, was rushed into hospital two nights ago after suffering from multiple organ failure.
And although he’s still in a coma, Blake Fielder-Civil’s girlfriend, Sarah Aspin, is continuing to keep a bedside vigil and is convinced he’s starting to make a slight improvement.
Blake Fielder-Civil was put into a medically induced coma after being treated for multiple organ failure and remains on a life-support machine after an alleged drink and drugs binge.
But Sarah Aspin, the mother of his 15-month-old son Jack, said she believed he was beginning to wake up in the hospital in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
Blake Fielder-Civil, 30, who has long battled drug addiction, was found choking in bed by Sarah Aspin last Friday – just weeks after the first commemoration of Amy Winehouse’s death.
Blake Fielder-Civil, Amy Winehouse's former husband, was rushed into hospital two nights ago after suffering from multiple organ failure
Sarah Aspin, 34, who met him in rehab, said: “He needs to come out of this, if not for me or himself then for Jack. Jack is only young but knows something is wrong.
“He has been calling for his dadda. I’m praying for him and would ask everybody to do the same. I know he is going to pull through – he keeps waking up.
“I go down to the hospital every day – it’s heartbreaking to see Blake lying there. The doctors aren’t really giving us any indication of how he is doing.
“He looks like he is getting there though, bit by bit. He hadn’t been taking heroin and he is not a big drinker so I think he may have been taking tablets and they don’t mix well with alcohol.
“I just hope he realizes that he can’t do this anymore. He needs to think of Jack. This has got to be a wake-up call for him.
“If this doesn’t act as a wake-up call for Blake then I don’t know what will.”
Sarah Aspin revealed that the couple had discussed getting married last week – shortly before he staggered home after a drinking session and collapsed.
She called paramedics, who said Blake Fielder-Civil had swallowed his tongue, choked on vomit and that his left lung was not working.
Meanwhile, last night, Amy Winehouse’s father Mitch told the singer’s fans to pray for Blake Fielder-Civil, who was released from prison two weeks ago after being jailed in June last year for burglary and possession of an imitation firearm.
Mitch Winehouse tweeted: “Terrible news about Blake this morning. Remember Amy loved him. Let’s pray for his recovery. Mitch.”
Amy Winehouse met Blake Fielder-Civil, a music video assistant, in a pub in 2005. They married in 2007 before divorcing two years later.
Amy Winehouse, who also struggled with drug addiction, was found dead on July 23 last year at her home in Camden, North London, aged just 27.
A coroner found she was more than five times the drink-drive limit and ruled the singer’s death was the result of drinking too much alcohol.
Blake Fielder-Civil, a recovering drug addict, had gone out drinking with a friend the previous day and Sarah Aspin said she believed he might have taken an illicit substance.
The day before she was having to prepare herself “that he may never wake up”.
Sarah Aspin told The Sun: “The doctors say they don’t know the prognosis. They said they put him in a coma to help him and due to infection.”
Blake Fielder-Civil’s friend, Yeya Jáuregui, said yesterday that he was still in a coma and urged his fans to “keep on praying”.
She said on Twitter: “Honestly, I haven’t read news about this but I have Blake on Facebook and all of his friends are concerned about him.”
Google is unveiling an enhanced version of Voice Search to its iPhone app that could rival Apple’s inbuilt Siri software.
Google announced on Wednesday that the new features will be added to its iOS app on iPhone and iPad (iOS version 4.2+) within the next few days.
Voice Search on iOS will be able to find map information, weather results, and information on individual people and topics.
“Often the most natural way to ask a question is by asking aloud” said Amit Singhai, Senior Vice President of Google Search, on Google’s official blog.
Google is unveiling an enhanced version of Voice Search to its iPhone app that could rival Apple's inbuilt Siri software
“So we’ve combined our speech recognition expertise, understanding of language and the Knowledge Graph so that Voice Search can better interpret your questions and sometimes speak the answers back as full sentences.
“You just need to tap the microphone icon and ask your question, the same way you’d ask a friend. For example, ask <<What movies are playing this weekend?>> and you’ll see your words streamed back to you quickly as you speak.
“Then Google will show you a list of the latest movies in theaters near you, with schedules and even trailers. It works for everything from celebrity factoids to the height of Kilimanjaro and more. When Google can supply a direct answer to your question, you’ll get a spoken response too.
“These are baby steps, but important ones on our way to building the search engine of the future – one that is much more intelligent and useful than it was just a few years ago. It’s a very exciting time to be working in this field.”
Egypt’s Bedouin tribal leaders in Sinai peninsula have agreed to help restore security in the lawless border area with the Gaza Strip and Israel.
In talks with Interior Minister Ahmed Gamal al-Din, they also backed plans to destroy smuggling tunnels into Gaza.
The move comes as Egyptian troops mass in the area in an operation to contain Islamist militants who have built up a presence in the area.
The militants are suspected of killing 16 Egyptian border guards on Sunday.
Egypt has deployed extra troops, tanks and other armored vehicles.
Ahmed Gamal al-Din met the tribal leaders late on Thursday night at al-Arish, about 50 km (30 miles) west of the Gaza border, to ask for their support.
He later told reporters: “With the help of the people [of Sinai], the mission will succeed.”
Egypt's Bedouin tribal leaders in Sinai peninsula have agreed to help restore security in the lawless border area with the Gaza Strip and Israel
Sheikh Atef Zayed, a member of Al-Rishad tribe, said all present had pledged to support the military’s operation.
“Egypt’s security is a part of Sinai’s security,” Reuters news agency quoted him as saying.
Another tribal leader, Eid Abu Marzuka, said the tribes had also reached a consensus that the tunnels should be destroyed.
“Let Hamas be upset, we don’t care,” he said, of the Islamist group which control the Gaza Strip.
Eid Abu Marzuka said Israel’s contact with Palestinians in Gaza should be through the official Rafah border crossing.
There are more than 1,200 illegal tunnels along the Egypt-Gaza border. They are used to get basic goods past Israel’s blockade of the enclave but also smuggle in weapons and people.
The militants who launched Sunday’s attacks are believed to have used them as an escape route.
Egypt’s Mena news agency reports that the army has already begun sealing them off.
The latest violence in the Sinai region began on Sunday, when militants carried out the deadliest and most brazen attack against Egyptian troops in the Sinai region for decades, killing 16 border guards.
There were further attacks on checkpoints in al-Arish on Wednesday, which left a number of people wounded.
Egypt launched its military offensive hours later, carrying out missile strikes from helicopters.
According to military officials, 20 people were killed in the village of Touma, while the Sheikh Zuwaid area to the west was also hit.
Further armoured personnel carriers could be seen overnight on Thursday, heading eastwards towards the border region.
Egypt’s military presence in Sinai is limited and requires Israeli approval under the terms of the 1979 peace treaty which returned Sinai to Egyptian control.
Analysts say that the security situation in the area has deteriorated following the fall of Hosni Mubarak last year, and that Islamist extremists appear to have gained a foothold.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak is visiting islands also claimed by Japan, in a move set to raise diplomatic tensions.
Lee Myung-bak flew to the islands, which are known as Dokdo in South Korea and as Takeshima in Japan.
A Kyodo news agency report said Japan had summoned South Korea’s ambassador to protest against the visit.
Both South Korea and Japan say they have a historical claim to the islands, and the issue has been a long-standing thorn in relations.
The islands, which are roughly equidistant from the two countries, are small but lie in fishing grounds which could also contain large gas deposits.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak is visiting islands also claimed by Japan, in a move set to raise diplomatic tensions
South Korea has controlled them since 1954 and stations a small coastguard detachment on them.
Lee Myung-bak is the first South Korean leader to visit the islands. The visit was announced by his spokeswoman early on Friday.
“If the visit is made, it would go against our country’s position and so we strongly urge its cancellation,” Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told journalists.
“We must respond to it firmly.”
He said the visit “would definitely have a large impact” on ties.
The South Korean president was first due to visit Ulleung Island before flying on to the disputed area, his spokeswoman said.
Lee Myung-bak’s visit comes with the two countries’ football teams due to play off for the Olympic bronze medal later in the day.
It also comes shortly before South Korea marks the anniversary of the end of Japanese colonial rule.
Disputed islands:
• Known as Dokdo (Solitary islands) in Korea, Takeshima (Bamboo islands) in Japan
• Also known as Liancourt rocks
• Claimed by Japan and South Korea, but occupied by South Korea since 1954
Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi is expected to be appointed as the new UN-Arab League envoy for Syria, according to diplomats.
If confirmed, Lakhdar Brahimi would succeed former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who resigned last week saying he could no longer carry out the role.
A six-point peace plan proposed by Kofi Annan failed to come into effect, and violence has escalated.
Rebels lost control of a key area of Aleppo after weeks of fighting.
The rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) confirmed it had retreated from the strategic Salah al-Din district in the face of a large-scale government offensive launched the previous day.
Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi is expected to be appointed as the new UN-Arab League envoy for Syria
Lakhdar Brahimi’s appointment could be announced as early as next week, barring last-minute objections from governments, diplomatic sources told journalists.
Lakhdar Brahimi, 78, has held a long series of high-profile diplomatic posts.
As a senior Arab League official between 1984-91, he brokered an end to the Lebanese civil war, going on to serve as Algerian foreign minister between 1991-3.
Later, he was twice appointed as the UN’s top envoy for Afghanistan, in 1996-8 and in 2001-4. He has held similar roles for Haiti and South Africa.
Stepping down last week, Kofi Annan said he was unable to fulfill his role because of the growing militarization of the conflict in Syria, as well as the continuing deadlock over the issue in the UN Security Council.
Russia and China have vetoed resolutions on the crisis three times, citing their opposition to any action which might be seen as regime change imposed from outside.
After taking up his post in February, Kofi Annan formulated a peace plan that called for an end to the use of heavy weaponry, the free passage of aid, freedom of media and demonstration and for a Syrian-led political process to address the aspirations and concerns of the Syrian people.
It was supposed to come into effect in mid-April, but government forces continued to shell opposition strongholds and the opposition forces never fully committed to it.
The fighting recently intensified in the two main cities, with experts describing it as a new phase in the conflict.
Rebel fighters had been heavily embedded in Aleppo’s Salah al-Din district since seizing the densely packed area of narrow streets three weeks ago.
The rebels still control several other districts, including some in the east of Aleppo that activists said came under very heavy bombardment on Thursday.
State television said dozens of rebels had been killed or wounded in fighting in the Hananu quarter.
Aleppo is Syria’s largest city, and Salah al-Din is considered a vital supply route for government troops coming from the south.
US engineers have created Meshworm, a robot that mimics a worm’s movements – crawling along surfaces by contracting segments of its body.
The technique allows the machine to be made of soft materials so it can squeeze through tight spaces and mould its shape to rough terrain.
It can also absorb heavy blows without sustaining damage.
The Pentagon’s DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) research unit supported the Meshworm project, suggesting a potential military use.
Work on the machine was carried out by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University in the US, and Seoul National University in South Korea.
Details are published in the journal IEEE/ASE Transactions on Mechatronics.
Meshworm is a robot that mimics a worm's movements, crawling along surfaces by contracting segments of its body
“[The] soft body, which is essentially compliant, exhibits large strains and enables the robot to traverse small openings and reconstitute shape, and survives from large impact force on falling,” the engineers wrote.
They added that using a worm-like motion helped reduce the noise such machines produce, making them suitable “for reconnaissance purposes”.
Previous attempts to create such a robot have used gears and air-powered or pneumatic pumps. But these added to the bulk of the machines making them less practical for real-world uses.
The DARPA-supported team instead moved their machine by using an “artificial muscle” made out of nickel and titanium wire designed to stretch and contract with heat.
By wrapping this wire around a mesh-like tube the engineers replicated the circular muscle fibres of an earthworm, creating different segments in the process.
When a current was applied to part of the wire it contracted, squeezing the tube.
The team created algorithm to send a contraction wave across each of the machine’s five segments in turn, squeezing the tube and propelling it forward. This mimics the movement of its biological counterpart.
They were able to make the robot move at a rate of about 5 mm per second (0.2 inches/sec).
Two additional “muscles” were added to the sides of the machine to pull it left and right, allowing its direction to be controlled.
The researchers said that the soft nature of the robot’s body allowed it to be subjected to hammer blows and be trod on without sustaining any damage because its shape changed to help absorb the blows.
“You can throw it, and it won’t collapse,” said Sangbae Kim, assistant professor in mechanical engineering at MIT.
“Parts in Meshworms are all fibrous and flexible. The muscles are soft and the body is soft… [and] we’re starting to show some body-morphing capability.”
The Meshworm is just one of several animal-inspired projects being funded by DARPA.
Other examples include a robotic “cheetah” that can run at speeds of 18 mph (29 km/h), a micro-aircraft equipped with a camera that looks like a hummingbird, and AlphaDog – a four-legged robot designed to carry soldiers’ gear.
US sprinter Manteo Mitchell revealed he broke his leg half way round the track but still managed to finish the men’s 4×400 meter Olympic relay final.
Manteo Mitchell, a 25-year-old 200 and 400 meter runner, ran the first leg of America’s heat on a blazing hot day inside London’s Olympic stadium and although he finished with a limp there was no obvious sign of the pain he was feeling.
“I got out pretty slow, but I picked it up and when I got to the 100-metre mark it felt weird. As soon as I took the first step past the 200-meter mark, I felt it break. I heard it.
“I even put out a little war cry, but the crowd was so loud you couldn’t hear it,” Manteo Mitchell said.
“I knew if I finished strong we could still get it (the baton) around. I saw Josh Mance motioning me in for me to hand it off to him, which lifted me.
“I didn’t want to let those three guys down, or the team down, so I just ran on it. It hurt so bad.”
Manteo Mitchell revealed he broke his leg half way round the track but still managed to finish the men's 4x400 meter Olympic relay final
Manteo Mitchell’s decision to go through the pain barrier allowed his U.S. team mates to sprint to a joint finish with the Bahamas in identical times of 2 minutes 58.87 seconds, the fastest ever run in the first round of the relay at the Olympic Games.
Manteo Mitchell, who ran his leg in 46.1 seconds, said that he had slipped on a stairway this week in the Olympic village but had completed workouts since, including a warm-up for Thursday’s race.
After the race an x-ray revealed he had broken his left fibula bone.
The U.S. team was already without 2008 Olympic 400m champion LaShawn Merritt, whose title defense lasted only moments last Saturday when he pulled up with hamstring problems.
The U.S., one of the favorites for gold, will name their final line-up on Friday.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan proves why she was once called “the most beautiful woman in the world” in new images for a jewellery advertising campaign.
The Bollywood star looks radiant and slim with glowing skin as she poses in traditional Indian wedding dress in one picture and wrapped in gold fabric in another for the pictures for Kalyan jewellers.
The former Miss World, who is married to Abhishek Bachchan, the son of one of India’s best-loved stars, gave birth to her daughter, Aaradhya, in November last year. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was then lambasted for not snapping immediately back into shape.
And now Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has appeared in these pictures looking slim, critics have suggested she only looks so good because she has been photoshopped.
Bollywoodlife.com said: “We can’t figure out if she’s really lost weight or if the pictures are heavily photoshopped. The ad has been shot aesthetically, which gives an impression that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is floating in golden-hued water.”
They added: “The actress was last spotted with baby Aaradhya in June this year, and it’s quite surprising that she has got back to her lean self within a matter of two months, or as we said before – the images might be a result of heavy editing.”
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan looks radiant and slim with glowing skin as she poses in traditional Indian wedding dress for Kalyan jewellers
But cameraman Kiran Deohans who shot the latest advertising campaign posters defended the star and praised her work ethic and beauty.
Kiran Deohans said: “Coming back post-delivery after months and shooting for this commercial, Aishwarya is still the same. She is a true professional and has the same passion for work.
“As the director of photography, I felt she is the most beautiful woman I ever worked with. She always had that sparkling glow on her face earlier and even after pregnancy.”
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who found international fame in the Hollywood film Bride and Prejudice has always remained cool-headed about the criticism of her weight and made no secret of the fact she was in no hurry to lose the few extra pounds she gained during her pregnancy.
She has said that she simply wants to “enjoy motherhood”.
The criticism started after a photograph in May captured her with a double chin, prompting cruel comments from those who suggested it was her “duty” to her fans to regain her pre-pregnancy figure.
“She is a Bollywood actress and it is her duty to look good and fit,” one said.
Another added: “She needs to learn from people like Victoria Beckham who are back to size zero weeks after their delivery.”
Just two months after being adopted by a new family, SpongeBob, the 33lbs gigantic cat, who horrified and charmed New York, has died.
The cat gained unlikely celebrity status earlier this summer when he arrived at New York City rescue centre.
Although veterinaries said his death was not caused by his weight the 9-year-old moggie’s obesity made an operation life threatening and his new owners Courtney and Matt Farrell were forced to let him go last week.
SpongeBob arrived at Animal Haven rescue centre earlier this year after his elderly owner moved to a care home.
Staff members were shocked at the cat’s size and put him on a strict diet in a bid to improve his health and chances to get adopted.
Just two months after being adopted by a new family, SpongeBob, the 33 lbs cat, who horrified and charmed New York, has died
Kendra Mara, Animal Haven’s associate director, said at the time: “About 10 to 15 people stood around staring at him for quite a long time, because he was the largest cat we’d ever seen.
“We don’t know how he became so big. We can only guess that his owner, because he was ill, was feeding him dry food on a regular basis, maybe just leaving it out, so he was able to eat whenever he wanted.”
He was soon re-homed after winning the hearts of New York couple Courtney and Matt at a benefit gala raising money for Animal Haven.
He was given a clean bill of health by vet’s at the time of his adoption, and was regularly monitored to improve his weight loss.
Although SpongeBob’s weight was not the cause of his illness, it did make it too dangerous for vets to operate on a heart growth which had been discovered two weeks before his death.
It was discovered after SpongeBob’s asthma had worsened but sadly the growth, which was putting pressure on his heart, was inoperable due to the danger of “Sponge” dying on the operating table from the anaesthesia.
Matt and Courtney Farrell made the decision to let SpongeBob go and remained with him as he passed, giving him love to the end.
Courtney Farrell said in a statement: “This has been one of the hardest things I have ever experienced, and certainly the most difficult thing Matt and I have had to endure as a couple.
“I’m sure it’s evident to all of you that we treated ‘Sponge’ like he was our first baby.
“We loved this cat so tremendously and had so many plans for him as part of our family.
“As profoundly sad as we are, we can only try to focus on how much love we were able to give him during his last couple of months.
“We gave him a family, we gave him room to run around, and we showered him with love all the way to the end.”
We all know that eating cheese before bed tends to give you nightmares, but if you are after something a little more erotic then you should definitely try sleeping on your stomach, Hong Kong researchers have discovered.
Those who sleep on their fronts are more likely to have sexy dreams than if they went to bed in other postures.
Prone sleepers reported feeling sensations related to “sex” and “persecution” more frequently than anyone else.
Among the other racy motifs that came up for them were “being tied up”, “being locked up” and “unable to move”.
The researchers said that the increase in sexy thoughts could be because when you are on your front you do not get so much air, so your mind was imagining being constricted when you sleep.
Prone sleepers reported feeling sensations related to “sex” and “persecution” more frequently than anyone else
The research was carried out by researcher Calvin Kai-Ching Yu, of Shue Yan University in Hong Kong.
He spoke to 670 students, two-thirds of whom were female, and asked them to fill out surveys about their dreams.
The details included how often they occurred, how intense they were and what themes came up.
He also asked them to write down how often they slept on their sides, face down or face up.
Among the other ideas which came to those on their front most frequently was “erotomania”, which is when a person believes they have a secret admirer, often a famous person.
Kai-Ching Yu said: “This study provides the evidence that dream experiences, and in particular dream content, can be influenced by body posture during sleep.
“I believe that the brain during sleep is not at all totally detached from the external world, and stimuli, including those stemming from the environment, are probably incorporated into dream content more often than people observe or are awareof.
“The unconscious brains of the dreamers try to make sense, and even make use of, the external stimuli.”
Image-based social networking service Pinterest has decided to relax its sign-up policy, opening the site to all.
Previously, people needed invites to become members and “pin” online images onto its virtual “boards”.
Launched in 2010, Pinterest became the fastest-growing site ever, passing 10 million users in nine months.
Although it has tried different money-raising techniques, the company has not yet disclosed a commercial plan.
Image-based social networking service Pinterest has decided to relax its sign-up policy, opening the site to all
“They’re one of the main sites that serve the so-called social collectors, people who like to curate information across the web,” said Forrester Research analyst Darika Ahrens.
“What remains to be seen is what happens if they start to commercialize – how they’re going to do that and if they do it in a way that’s not going to alienate their users.
“So far, they have tried a number of different methods such as using monetizing links that bring in a revenue share, but they stopped that.”
Social media analyst Rob McNair said that having invites had been part of Pinterest’s marketing strategy.
“This tactic of adding exclusivity upon launch of a social network is not a new thing,” said Rob McNair from mycleveragency.com.
“Google+ adopted [it]… creating a people-referral engine and as a result built pent-up demand from the everyday user that wanted to give it a try.”
Fashion and recipes have quickly become top topics on Pinterest, and women outnumber men on the site.
Its number of users grew hugely over the past year, according to a digital media analytics company Comscore.
It said that last June, there were 1.2 million unique visitors globally – but a year later there were 31.2 million.
In February, the company had to address concerns about users “pinning” copyrighted material.
It now allows websites to opt out of being featured on Pinterest. To do so, sites can block their content by adding a line of web code.
If a Pinterest user attempts to share images or other material from a site with the “nopin” instruction, a message is displayed: “This site doesn’t allow pinning to Pinterest. Please contact the owner with any questions. Thanks for visiting!”
Curiosity rover has returned its first 360-degree color panorama from the surface of Mars.
The robot used its wideangle science camera placed high up on a mast to acquire the frames.
The low-resolution vista shows at centre the big mountain that lies in the middle of Gale Crater, the deep depression in which the rover landed.
Curiosity rover has returned its first 360-degree color panorama from the surface of Mars
Curiosity’s ultimate goal is to drive towards this peak – informally known as Mount Sharp – to study its rocks.
Evidence from satellite photos has suggested there are sediments exposed at the base of the mountain that were laid down in the presence of abundant water.
Curiosity rover will uses its science instruments to try to understand what kind of environments existed at the time of the rocks’ formation, and whether there were periods in Mars history when any type of microbial life could have thrived.
Bobbi Kristina Brown has paid tribute to her mother Whitney Houston by inking a tattoo on her wrist in her honor.
Marking what would have been Whitney Houston’s 49th birthday today, the 19-year-old old and her boyfriend Nick Gordon had matching tattoos with Houston’s initials framed by four doves etched on their wrists.
In a series of tweets, Bobbi Kristina Brown wrote late last night: “Once it hits 12 am mommy it’s your birthday & I am going2celebrate it2thee fullest!”
She continued: “Bc YOU deserve it damn it, YOU deaerveNothingburtheBEST! [sic]”
Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon have paid tribute to Whitney Houston by inking a tattoo on their wrists in her honor
Bobbi Kristina Brown, who is said to be dating her “adoptive brother” Nick Gordon, explained they were heading to a tattoo parlor for a session that would be filmed for her reality show, The Houston Family Chronicles.
The Lifetime series, expected to premiere in 2013, will follow the Houston family “as they take on their greatest challenge, supporting and guiding Bobbi Kristina Brown as she faces the world alone, without the one person she relied on the most, her mother”, according to the network.
Taking to Twitter, Bobbi Kristina Brown chronicled her tribute to Whitney Houston last night: “On the way with MYbooboo @nickdgordon :)heading2 #Inksomnia for our TATTSSS !this is for you mommy (: we love you, happybirthday OurladyXx
“You all will get2see! No worries :)we’ll show you & so will our #Realityshow ! #TheHoustonChronicals !make sure you look out for it nxtyr!”
Then, debuting the artwork, Bobbi Kristina Brown wrote: “Tat tat tatted YURP.. 😉 now your truly ALWAYS with us mommy (: we love you @nickdgordon always&forever[<3].”
Whitney Houston’s only child, her daughter with singer Bobby Brown, is said to have grown closer to Nick Gordon in the wake of her mother’s February 11 death, when she was found unresponsive in the bathtub of room 434 at the Beverly Hilton.
Authorities called her death an accidental drowning, complicated by heart disease and cocaine use.
While the pair are not actually being blood relatives, Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon grew up together after Whitney Houston took him in at the age of 12 when his father went to prison and his mother was unable to take care of him.
Nick Gordon was never formally adopted by the singer, and with Bobbi Kristina Brown’s mother passing away in February couple have reportedly been sharing her $1.2 million Atlanta home together.
The 22-year-old fuelled rumors about their relationship status in a tweet written last March, exclaiming: “Yea we got a little closer and what!!!”
Bobbi Kristina Brown subsequently listed Nick Gordon as her “partner” in a short bio on the micro-blogging website.
The pair batted away rumors of an engagement shortly after, while Bobbi Kristina Brown’s grandmother, Cissy Houston, branded their relationship “incestuous” in an interview with TMZ.
Despite family feuds over the matter, the Houstons are expected to unite later this month to honor Whitney Houston’s memory with the posthumous release of her final feature film, Sparkle.
The Salim Akil drama is scheduled to premiere on August 17.
Google has to pay the largest fine ever imposed on a single company by the US Federal Trade Commission.
Google agreed to pay $22.5 million after monitoring web surfers using Apple’s Safari browser who had a “do not track” privacy setting selected.
The firm does not have to admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
The penalty is for misrepresenting what it was doing and not for the methods it used to bypass Safari’s tracker cookie settings.
Cookies are small text files that are installed onto a computer to allow it to be identified so that a user’s web activity can be monitored.
“No matter how big or small, all companies must abide by FTC orders against them and keep their privacy promises to consumers, or they will end up paying many times what it would have cost to comply in the first place,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said in a statement.
Google agreed to pay $22.5 million after monitoring web surfers using Apple's Safari browser who had a "do not track" privacy setting selected
The government agency launched its inquiry after a Stanford University researcher noticed the issue while studying targeted advertising.
He revealed that the search giant was exploiting a loophole that let its cookies be installed via adverts on popular websites, even if users’ browsers’ preferences had been set to reject them.
This allowed the firm to track people’s web-use habits even if they had not given it permission to do so.
Google said no “personal information” – such as names or credit card data – had been collected, and that the action had been inadvertent.
Apple’s browser automatically rejects tracking cookies by default. But Google got around this block by adding code to some of its adverts to make Safari think that the user had made an exception for its cookie if they interacted with the ad.
At the same time as using the exploit the search giant said on its help centre that Safari users did not need to take extra steps to prevent their online activities from being logged.
Google said the workaround had been employed to help it deploy its +1 button – letting users show their approval for something on the web – a feature it introduced for its Google+ social network.
“We set the highest standards of privacy and security for our users,” said a spokesman.
“The FTC is focused on a 2009 help centre page published more than two years before our consent decree, and a year before Apple changed its cookie-handling policy.
“We have now changed that page and taken steps to remove the ad cookies, which collected no personal information, from Apple’s browsers.”
But Nick Pickles, director of privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch, said it was right that Google should be penalized.
“It’s an essential part of a properly functioning market that consumers are in control of their personal information and are able to take steps to protect their privacy,” he said.
“The size of the fine in this case should deter any company from seeking to exploit underhand means of tracking consumers. It is essential that anyone who seeks to over-ride consumer choices about sharing their data is held to account.”
The trial of Bo Xilai’s wife, Gu Kailai, for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood has ended in the Chinese city of Hefei, after one day.
A court official told reporters Gu Kailai had not contested the charge that she killed Neil Heywood by poisoning in 2011.
The date of the verdict would be announced later, the official said.
Gu Kailai is the wife of former high-flying politician Bo Xilai, whose career in office was ended by the scandal surrounding Neil Heywood’s death.
Gu Kailai, herself a prominent lawyer, is on trial along with her aide, Zhang Xiaojun, who was described by the court as an accomplice.
Two British diplomats were in court to observe the trial, but no foreign media were given permission to attend.
In an unusual news briefing outside the court, the court official, Tang Yigan, said Gu Kailai and Zhang Xiaojun “did not raise objections to the facts and the charges of intentional homicide”.
The trial of Bo Xilai’s wife, Gu Kailai, for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood has ended in the Chinese city of Hefei, after one day
Reading from a statement, Tang Yigan said the prosecution alleged that Gu Kailai had been involved in a business dispute with Neil Heywood, and believed he had “threatened the personal safety of her son… and decided to kill him”.
The prosecution alleged she had arranged for Neil Heywood to travel to Chongqing from Beijing, accompanied by Zhang Xiaojun.
Gu Kailai spent the evening of 13 November with Neil Heywood at the Nanshan Lijing Holiday Hotel, where they drank tea and alcoholic drinks.
“After Heywood became intoxicated, vomited and asked for a drink of water, she poured a poison into his mouth that had been prepared beforehand and that she had given to Zhang Xiaojun to bring along, causing Heywood’s death,” said the statement.
“The facts of the crime are clear and backed by ample evidence,” it said.
Tang Yigan said Gu Kailai had been “in good shape and mentally stable,” throughout the trial.
“The trial committee will announce the verdict after discussion,” he said.
The two defendants face a possible death penalty if found guilty.
China’s state news agency Xinhua later reported that four police officers would go on trial on Friday, accused of trying to protect Gu Kailai from prosecution.
Neil Heywood’s body was found at the hotel in Chongqing in November 2011.
The death was recorded as a heart attack at the time, but four months later Bo Xilai’s right-hand man, police chief Wang Lijun, fled to a US consulate to allege murder and a massive cover-up.
Bo Xilai was the Communist party head in Chongqing at the time of Neil Heywood’s death.
He had been seen as a strong contender for one of China’s top jobs, as the country prepares to install a new generation of leaders.
But he was sacked in March and is currently under investigation for unspecified “disciplinary violations.
The facts of the case may be as they have been reported by the court, but that there is a strong political element to the story.
The case raises questions about corruption at the highest level, so it is almost certain that this will be a politically managed trial as well as a criminal one.
The court may take into account mitigating circumstances in its verdict, he adds, including the assertion that Gu Kailai had been concerned for her safety and that of her son.
Gu Kailai, Zhang Xiaojun and Bo Xilai have not been seen in public since April, when the investigation was announced.
One of Gu Kailai’s supporters, who gave his name as Mr. Han, criticized the process of the trial, and said she should have been allowed to choose her own lawyer rather than accept one appointed by the court.
“She should have been granted the right to defend herself to the media,” he said.
“I won’t accept any verdict before I hear their side of the story.”
But there was a mixed reaction on Chinese social media, with many posts expressing satisfaction at the verdict.
“All the corrupt officials try their best to sing the praises of the present system, but I wonder what they say now after they have been tried!” said Lian Zhugen on Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter.
The trial is being held in Hefei, 1,000 km (650 miles) from Chongqing.
Syrian rebel commanders say they have lost control of the strategic Salah al-Din district in the northern city of Aleppo after a government offensive.
The city has come under fresh bombardment, as the army attempts to recapture areas seized by rebels.
Iran called for dialogue between the government and opposition, at the start of a summit on the crisis in Tehran.
Meanwhile, Lebanese authorities have detained a former minister with close ties to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad.
Michel Samaha, who is known for his pro-Syrian views, was taken for questioning by the Lebanese Internal Security Forces over what were described as security reasons.
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) has confirmed it has retreated from Salah al-Din, a densely packed area of narrow streets on the south-west side of Aleppo, where rebel fighters had been heavily dug in.
Syrian rebel commanders say they have lost control of the strategic Salah al-Din district in the northern city of Aleppo after a government offensive
State media had reported the army was in full control of the district, saying it had inflicted heavy losses on hundreds of “terrorist mercenaries”.
“We have staged a tactical withdrawal from Salah al-Din,” rebel commander Hossam Abu Mohammed of the Dara al-Shahbaa Brigade in Aleppo told the AFP news agency by phone.
“The district is completely empty of rebel fighters. Regime forces are now advancing into Salah al-Din.”
The rebels still control several other districts, including some in the east of the city which activists say are coming under very heavy bombardment.
State television reported clashes there too, in the Hananu quarter. It said dozens of rebels had been killed or wounded, while others had thrown down their weapons and fled.
On Wednesday, Syria’s state military launched a large operation to retake Aleppo from rebel fighters, who overran some areas three weeks ago.
Aleppo is Syria’s largest city, and Salah al-Din is considered a vital supply route for government troops coming from the south.
The Syrian Observatory said at least 26 people were killed in Aleppo on Wednesday – it said they were among 130 people killed across the country.
Meanwhile, three days after Prime Minister Riad Hijab defected to the opposition, the health minister Wael al-Halqi has been named as his replacement.
Wael al-Halqi is a Baath Party loyalist from Deraa in the south of the country, where the uprising began in March last year, and where violence is still raging.
Riad Hijab, whose defection was considered the most significant since the revolt began, was said to have crossed into Jordan on Wednesday.
Opening a 29-nation conference in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said dialogue between both sides was the only solution to crisis.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran firmly believes that the Syrian crisis can only be resolved through serious and inclusive talks between the government and opposition groups that enjoy popular support in Syria,” Ali Akbar Salehi said in a speech broadcast on TV.
Western governments, which are not taking part, have expressed skepticism that Tehran can mediate, given its recent strong commitments to the survival of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is a staunch ally of the Assad regime, said the summit would be a gathering of countries with “a correct and realistic position” on the Syrian conflict.
On Tuesday, Iranian security chief Saeed Jalili expressed strong support for President Bashar al-Assad during a visit to Damascus, describing Syria as a crucial part of a regional “axis of resistance”.
Kuwait’s foreign ministry told al-Seyassah newspaper it would not be sending a representative. Lebanon also said it would not attend while Moscow sent its ambassador and not its foreign minister.
On Thursday, Lebanese sources confirmed the detention of Assad ally Michel Samaha, who is being questioned over alleged plans to cause instability in Lebanon.
Michel Samaha was information minister for more than 10 years, serving under the assassinated Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Allies of Rafiq Hariri accused Syria of being involved in the attack.
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