Syrians Vote In 'Show Of Force' Election

By Sherine Tadros, Middle East Correspondent

Syria's presidential elections have begun in government-held areas as a brutal three-year civil war continues across the country.

For the first time in the country's history there is more than one candidate competing for the top job.

Running against President Bashar al Assad are Maher Hajjar, a little-known parliamentarian from Aleppo, and Hassan al Nouri, a former government minister and businessman from Damascus.

Both were vetted by the government and neither have a chance of winning.

Syria's Supreme Court earlier disqualified 21 candidates from the race and a restrictive election law essentially made it impossible to run without government approval.

One of Bashar al Assad's posters in Damascus

This election is not about democracy, but rather a show of force by Assad.

By holding elections as planned, he is sending a message to the international community and Syrians that he is winning the war.

Two years ago the opposition thought Assad's days were numbered and the West portrayed his demise as imminent.

Not only has he survived but the momentum on the ground is in his favour. Pro-Assad forces recently reclaimed the Old City of Homs from the rebels, negotiating a ceasefire there. As the heart of the uprising, the regime's victory in Homs was an important milestone.

Millions will be prevented from voting - not just those in rebel-held areas where polling stations won't operate, but also the hundreds of thousands of refugees not officially registered, as well as those who are internally displaced or who lost their documents when they fled their homes.

Syrian refugees in Tripoli protest against the possible election of Assad

In Lebanon, where there are more than a million registered Syrian refugees, people queued for hours to vote at the one polling station in the Syrian embassy in Beirut.

Some were clearly eager to show their support for Assad; others were afraid if they didn't vote they would be punished or refused entry back into Syria.

In three years of fighting, an estimated 160,000 people have died and more than three million have fled the country with another million internally displaced. Many Syrians say privately they do not trust Assad or the various opposition forces. 

The incumbent is heading for victory and a third, seven-year term. For him and his allies this election signals a new phase in the conflict where he will be able to use the election to prove he is the legitimate leader of Syria. 

Many fear more intense fighting as an empowered Assad moves to crush rebel fighters. Others see this election as the start of an official splitting up of the Syrian state, as Assad consolidates power in the areas under his control.

Either way, there is no end in sight for the millions of Syrians who continue to bear the brunt of this war.

:: Sky News has been refused visas to enter Syria to report on the political situation in the country. Sky's Sherine Tadros is reporting from Cairo.

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Female Hurricanes More Deadly Than The Male

Hurricanes given female names are more likely to leave more casualties in their wake than those given male names, according to a study.

The reason, say researchers, is because people are less likely to be scared of a female-named hurricane and therefore take fewer precautions.

The study, to be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, comes at the start of the Atlantic hurricane season.

More than 1,000 test subjects with no meteorology or disaster science experience were interviewed by behavioural scientists at the University of Illinois.

The interviewees said they were slightly more likely to leave their homes from an oncoming storm named Christopher than Christina, Victor than Victoria, Alexander than Alexandra and Danny than Kate. They found female names less frightening.

A wave crashes over protecting sandbags ahead of Hurricane Sandy in 2012

In reality, the two deadliest storms to hit land in the US since 1979 - when male names were first introduced - were named Katrina and Sandy.

"People are looking for meaning in any information that they receive," said study co-author Sharon Shavitt.

"The name of the storm is providing people with irrelevant information that they actually use."

Professor Shavitt said both men and women "are likely to believe that women are milder and less aggressive".

It fits with other research about gender perception differences, she said.

Residents of Florida survey damage after Hurricane Katrina hits in 2005

Sandy, which can also be a male name, was chosen as a female name by weather authorities in 2012 and Professor Shavitt said she discovered it also ranked as rather feminine when she asked a small group of people to assess names on a masculine-feminine scale.

To examine past death rates, Ms Shavitt and a PhD student used a scale that rated names from 1 to 11 in terms of masculinity and femininity and then looked at death rates going back to 1950, finding that, in general, the deadlier storms were those with the female names.

The one setback was that male-named storms were not introduced until 1979.

The data collected since that date is small because of the sample size of 92 (with 54 hurricanes after 1979) but the trend becomes statistically significant when combined with data from 1950, the professor said.

Also telling is that the amount of damages is not much different between male and female storms, indicating the big difference is not the size of the storm but how people react to it, her researcher pointed out.

This year's hurricane names will be Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, René, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred.

The study's authors said one name jumped out at them immediately as a potential concern: Dolly. The name is considered highly feminine.

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Spain: Calls For A Republic After King Abdicates

Juan Carlos Held Reins During Rocky Times

Updated: 2:20pm UK, Monday 02 June 2014

Juan Carlos may have been tainted by recent scandals, but he can abdicate knowing he has led his country through some very testing times.

One of the most testing was when he helped bring an end to a failed coup that nearly sent Spain - now a member of the EU - back to being ruled by a military junta in 1981.

Soon after politicians were pictured cowering under their benches as armed guards burst into parliament, Juan Carlos appeared on television in his green military uniform ordering an end to the revolt.

He said: "I have ordered the civil authorities and the chiefs of staff to take the necessary measures to maintain constitutional order."

It's now largely forgotten in Britain how close one of Europe's most powerful countries came to reverting to military dictatorship.

Juan Carlos kept his son Felipe, then aged 13, at his side throughout the crisis.

"I wanted him to see what one has to do when one is king," he said later.

For years, the Royal family remained popular as Spain emerged from being one of the EU's poorer countries to being one of its most powerful.

After the Madrid train bombings in March 2004, Juan Carlos and his wife Queen Sofia threw protocol aside at a memorial service when they comforted the families of some of the 191 people killed.

But, with the onset of the financial crisis in 2008, things began to change. 

Juan Carlos' image was dealt a blow after he went on a luxury elephant-hunting safari in April 2012 as his subjects struggled in a recession, during which one in four people was unemployed.

Then, his family became embroiled in a corruption investigation when a judge indicted former Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin, the husband of the king's youngest daughter Cristina, who has also been accused of involvement.

He has also suffered long term health problems, undergoing surgery nine times between 2010 and 2013.

But, despite the setbacks, history may in time be kinder to him.

He is regarded as playing a determining role in Spain's modern history by stepping up as the first crowned head of state in 44 years, after the death of Franco.

He then defied the hopes of the Francoists for an extension of autocratic rule and instead oversaw the creation of a new system of parliamentary monarchy, with a new constitution that was approved by referendum in 1978.

Without his guiding hand, the country many people regard as their favourite holiday destination could have remained being run by those who followed a similar ideology to Adolf Hitler.

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'Mega Earth' Discovered In Distant Star System

A rocky planet dubbed a "mega earth" has been discovered in a distant star system.

The planet, known as Kepler-10c, is so old that theoretically it should have become a "Jupiter-like gas giant" - but has remained solid like Earth.

It is twice as old as Earth and has 17 times the mass, and its discovery suggests potentially life-bearing rocky planets could be far more abundant than previously thought.

"This is the Godzilla of Earths, but unlike the movie monster, Kepler-10c has positive implications for life," said Dr Dimitar Sasselov, from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

"Finding Kepler-10c tells us that rocky planets could form much earlier than we thought. And if you can make rocks, you can make life."

The Kepler-10 star system is an estimated 11 billion years old, which means it formed less than three billion years after the Big Bang.

Earth is roughly 4.5 billion years old.

Kepler-10c circles its equivalent of the Sun - part of the Draco constellation - every 45 days.

It has at least one neighbour, known as Kepler-10b, which is a scorching "lava world" that navigates its star in just 20 hours.

Observers at the Italian Galileo National Telescope in the Canary Islands realised the planet was made from rock - not gas - after discovering it had 17 times the mass of Earth.

"We were very surprised when we realised what we had found," said astronomer Dr Xavier Dumusque, also from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, who led the research.

"Kepler-10c didn't lose its atmosphere over time. It's massive enough to have held onto one if it ever had it - it must have formed the way we see it now."

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'Egyptian Jon Stewart' Quits After Sisi Win

A TV satirist dubbed "Egypt's Jon Stewart" has quit his show that mocked ex-army chief Abdel Fattah al Sisi because of "enormous" pressure.

Saudi-owned channel MBC took Bassem Youssef's show Al Bernameg off air in May to avoid "influencing" the presidential election that Mr Sisi won with more than 90% of the vote.

But the programme did not return as planned on May 30 and, ahead of official confirmation of the military strongman's victory, Youssef announced he was pulling the plug.

Bassem Youssef presenting his hit show Al Bernameg

He told a news conference: "The circumstances and pressure were more enormous than anyone. We preferred to end the programme rather than demean it."

Youssef with Amy Poehler when he was honoured by Time magazine

Youssef rose to fame with a homemade satire show posted on YouTube that became popular for its send-ups of the country's ruler Hosni Mubarak during Egypt's 2011 uprising.

He earned a slot on Egypt's CBC network but faced prosecution under the previous president Mohamed Morsi, who the army overthrew after millions of protesters demanded his resignation.

The satirical show earned comparisons with Jon Stewart's Daily Show, and the US host even popped up as a guest on Al Bernameg.

Stewart told the show's audience: "If your regime is not strong enough to handle a joke, then you don't have a regime."

Youssef was mobbed when he faced court in 2013 over criticism of Morsi

Youssef, a 40-year-old trained heart surgeon, was also named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2013.

Nevertheless, CBC dropped the show last year after Youssef mocked the cult-like adulation of Mr Sisi's supporters, and increasing intolerance of criticism of the retired field marshal and the army.

Youssef chats with friend Jon Stewart and news anchor Brian Williams

Since Morsi was ousted in July 2013, the military-installed government has launched a crackdown on his Muslim Brotherhood in which at least 1,400 people died in street clashes.

More than 15,000 people have been arrested, including secular activists who protested against the new regime.

"This isn't a suitable atmosphere for a comedy show," Youssef said.

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FBI Chases 'Ringleader' Behind Cyber Threat

How Serious Is 'Ominous' Global Cyber Threat?

Updated: 12:41pm UK, Tuesday 03 June 2014

By Tom Cheshire, Technology Correspondent

It's a dramatic countdown: you have just two weeks to protect yourself against a "powerful computer attack", the National Crime Agency has warned.

All very ominous, but how serious is the threat?

Around 15,500 computers are already infected in the UK. To put that in context, there are at least 21 million computers in the country, before secondary devices like laptops, tablets and phones are counted. That's less than a 0.1% infection rate.

And although Game Over Zeus - one of the pieces of malware involved - has caused some serious financial harm to individuals, authorities estimate it is responsible for hundreds of millions of pound of fraud.

To put that in context, cybercrime worldwide costs around £60bn annually, according to one estimate.

So why the stark warning?

First, the botnet, the network of infected computers controlled by criminals, is pretty resilient.

It works on a peer-to-peer mechanism, and uses a lot of encryption. Compared to other botnets, which can sprawl into the millions, this one was tightly controlled, by gangs from Russia and Ukraine.

That's who the NCA, FBI and US Department of Justice have moved against, and that's unusual.

The authorities rarely seize or disrupt a botnet. They can do so for only two weeks, as it's an expensive operation.

At the same time, they're aiming to arrest the gang's ringleaders through more traditional, legal means.

But it's a new line in the sand, showing that international forces are willing and able to collaborate on cybercrime.

Pity, then, that the UK government's Get Safe Online site wasn't quite so joined up: it crashed under the weight of concerned internet users.

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Tiananmen Anniversary: China Blocks Google

A number of Google websites in China have been blocked ahead of the 25th anniversary of pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square.

It is thought the Chinese Government has been targeting Google's search engine, alongside YouTube and Twitter, to block access ahead of dates the ruling party considers sensitive.

China's Communist Party has been tightly controlling the public discussion of the violent crushing of protests in 1989, with a number of activists being detained when they met to discuss the protests.  

Twenty-five years ago, hundreds of students calling for democratic reform were shot dead by the Chinese Army after a seven-week-long peaceful protest in Tiananmen Square following the death of Communist Party official Hu Yaobang.

The block on Google's services coincides with the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters 25 years ago, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people in Beijing. 

A mock tank at an exhibtion in Hong Kong

A system known as the 'Great Firewall' is being employed to prevent internet users accessing information ahead of the anniversary, not just in China but also on overseas versions of Google.

GreatFire.org, which monitors censorship in China, said: "The block is indiscriminate as all Google services in all countries, encrypted or not, are now blocked in China."

Google has said the four-day shutdown in China will "severely disrupt" its online presence in the country.

The search engine giant released a statement regarding the information crackdown on its website.

It said: "The 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square incident is coming. This highlights another fierce battle in the war between China censorship authority and information flow."

Ahead of sensitive anniversaries or political meetings it is common for China to censor access to particular websites outside of the country.

GreatFire.org has suggested the blocks could be down to the increase of encryption, which allowed fully-accessible searches in China "unless the Chinese authorities directly blocked access to Google".

Google stopped offering a search engine service in mainland China in 2010 due to censorship issues but users were redirected to the Hong Kong version of the website, which was sometimes available.

The website has confirmed the online restrictions are not under its control.

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Hunger Games Salute Banned In Thailand

The Thai military says it will arrest anyone who uses a three-fingered salute borrowed from the Hunger Games as a form of protest against the country's recent coup.

The raised arm gesture has become a symbol of opposition to the military takeover on May 22 and a response to bans on political gatherings of more than five people.

Junta spokesman Colonel Weerachon Sukhondhapatipak said authorities were "monitoring the movement" and would take action if the salute is performed in large groups.

He said that if protesters ignore a warning to stop "we will have to make an arrest".

Jennifer Lawrence in the Hunger Games franchise

In the Hunger Games books and films, which star Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, the salute symbolises rebellion against totalitarian rule.

Critics of the coup, including the youngest daughter of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, have posted photographs of themselves flashing three fingers on Facebook and other social media sites.

"Dear #HungerGames. We've taken your sign as our own. Our struggle is non-fiction," wrote one Twitter user.

It is unlikely that people who post photos of the salute on the internet will be detained.

Despite the warning to protesters, the junta offered a reprieve to the country's vital tourism industry.

It lifted the curfew at three popular beach resorts - Phuket, Koh Samui and Pattaya - to ease the impact on tourists.

The Hunger Games films, which also star the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, have become worldwide box office hits.

Last week Taylor Swift apologised to fans after cancelling a Bangkok concert scheduled for June 9 due to events in the country.

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Pakistan Fighter Jet Crashes Into Bus Station

At least four people have been killed and nine injured after a fighter jet crashed at a busy bus station.

The accident happened in the Baldia Town district, west of Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city and commercial hub.

Part of the jet's fuselage is among the smouldering wreckage

A Pakistan air force spokesman said: "Both pilots embraced martyrdom in the fighter jet crash today."

The accident happened in the Baldia Town district

Police said two people on the ground were killed and nine hurt.

A military helicopter buzzes overhead as men survey the damage

Sajid Sadozai, a senior police official, told the AFP news agency that two buses parked at the terminal were destroyed while another was damaged.

TV footage showed plumes of black smoke rising from the scene as rescue teams rushed in.

A body is carried away on a stretcher after the crash

Another security official said the crashed plane was a Mirage jet, which could be part of Pakistan's large fleet of refurbished Mirages.

The air force blamed the crash on technical reasons but gave no details.

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US Pledges $1bn To Boost Military In Europe

Barack Obama has promised $1bn (£597m) to bolster its military influence in Europe amid worries of more land grabs by the Kremlin.

The US president said extra military equipment would be sent to the region in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine, and that more American troops would take part in military exercises.

"We need to make sure that the collective defence ... is robust, it is ready, it is properly equipped," Mr Obama told a news conference in Warsaw's Belweder Palace.

"Today, I'm announcing a new initiative to bolster the support of our Nato allies here in Europe.

"Under this effort, and with the support of Congress, the US will preposition more equipment in Europe."

Pro-Russian troops have forcibly taken charge in areas of Ukraine

There are worries that states on Russia's western borders could be at threat after the country took control of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.

Mr Obama's plan also proposes more regular naval deployments in the Black Sea and Baltic Sea, right on Russia's doorstep.

No announcement was made on permanent US troop deployments in Europe but the White House said it would review the matter.

It said: "These efforts will not come at the expense of other defence priorities, such as our commitment to the Asia Pacific rebalance."

The extra $1bn will also help boost the defence capability of Western-friendly states bordering Russia, such as Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. For example, through extra training for their troops.

There are fears Vladimir Putin's military could move into other countries

The European Reassurance Initiative - as the plan is called - must first be signed off by the US Congress.

Mr Obama was speaking at a joint news conference with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski at he beginning of a four-day visit to Europe.

He also urged other Nato members to do more to help the alliance's defence role, although he admitted the US had to play the biggest role.

Nato states have a target of spending 2% of GDP on defence, but many lag behind.

"Everyone has the capacity to do their fair share, to do a proportional amount to make sure we have the resources, the planning, the integration, the training in order to be effective," said Mr Obama.

The US leader's remarks come ahead of a potential meeting with Russia President Vladimir Putin at D-Day commemorations in France.

The pair have no meeting scheduled but White House officials have not ruled one out. The men have not met since the Ukraine crisis began.

"Mr Putin has a choice to make," Mr Obama said, speaking about the Russian leader reining in pro-Kremlin troops in Ukraine.

"That's what I will tell him if I see him publicly. That's what I have told him privately."

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