'Rival' killed Mexico politician

6 October 2011 Last updated at 03:07 Judicial officials in Mexico say the murder of a federal Congressman in the southern state of Guerrero last month was ordered by a political rival.

Moises Villanueva, a representative in Mexico's lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, was found dead two weeks after being abducted.

Police said two men confessed to the crime and implicated a local mayor.

The suspects said the mayor, whom the authorities have not named, paid them $22,000 to kill Mr Villanueva.

Mr Villanueva was abducted along with his driver, Erick Estrada Vazquez, on 4 September.

Their bodies were found by the roadside in the southern state of Guerrero two weeks later. Forensic reports at the time said they had been shot dead.

Attorney General for Guerrero State Alberto Lopez Rosa said the two suspects, who are brothers, had confessed to the murder.

He said the suspects, one of whom is a police officer, had intercepted Mr Villanueva and his driver in the town of Huamuxtitlan.

Mr Lopez Rosa said they confessed to beating the two men and forcing them into the boot of their car before driving them to a bridge, from which they dumped them.

It is not clear whether the politician and his driver were still alive at the time.

Mr Lopez Rosa said he would soon reveal the identity of the man the suspects said had hired them to kill Mr Villanueva.

Day in pictures

4 October 2011 Last updated at 18:17

Photos from around the world on 6 October

Tributes to Apple founder Steve Jobs

Protesters march on New York's financial district

Readers' pictures on the theme of gardens.

Photojournalist dies at the age of 84

Photos from around the world on 5 October

Photos from around the world on 4 October

Court overturns convictions of Knox and Sollecito

Attack in the Somali capital, Mogadishu

Hundreds camp out in New York's financial district

VIDEO: House of Lords

Obesity is the worst epidemic to affect the UK for 100 years and the only solution is for people to eat less, a former surgeon has said.

Conservative peer Lord McColl of Dulwich said politicians refused to admit that the cause of obesity was over-eating and claimed ministers were "misleading" people by suggesting it could be tackled through exercise.

His comments came during a debate in the House of Lords on non-communicable diseases, on 6 October 2011.

Lord McColl said: "It's killing millions, it's costing billions and the cure is free - eat less."

He went on: "What a strange world it is. Half the world is dying of starvation, the other half is gorging itself to death."

Crossbench peer and former NHS chief executive Lord Crisp, who called the debate, warned of a worldwide "epidemic" of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, cancer and mental health problems.

He said the epidemic of what tended to be called "preventable diseases" was linked to diet, smoking, alcohol, lack of exercise, stress and social pressures.

Lord Crisp told peers it was a "growing problem" that "we are ill-equipped to deal with", calling for a a "massive focus on prevention" from politicians.

I'm not giving up, says Hamilton

By Sarah Holt
BBC Sport in Suzuka F1 drivers on Massa-Hamilton spat

Under-fire Lewis Hamilton has defended his driving this season, saying: "I'm not doing anything wrong".

The McLaren driver has been in trouble for a spate of incidents, including a clash with Ferrari's Felipe Massa at the last race in Singapore.

"I'm trying my best to avoid those things but I've been in awkward positions this year," said Hamilton ahead of Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.

"I'm trying my hardest. I'm still here, still fighting, and I'm not giving up."

The incident with rival Massa during the Singapore Grand Prix was the latest controversy in a season the 26-year-old has called the "most testing" of his career.

Hamilton's two brilliant wins in China and Germany have been overshadowed by a string of incidents.

Continue reading the main story

What people need to understand is that when you're driving a Formula 1 car there is not one second that you drive that is the same next time around. You are juggling tons of balls and sometimes you drop one of them

Lewis Hamilton

Asked by BBC Sport whether he was in a "good place", Hamilton said: "Good place, that's a good question. Obviously I'd like to be winning and doing a better job.

"Am I in the best place in my life? No, there's been a lot of negative stories.

"But what's most important is still I rise, I'm here, fighting again, I'm here in front of all the cameras and media regardless of how many negative stories there are and I'm here to fight another day."

Asked to explain why he had made so many mistakes this season, Hamilton said: "It's just been unfortunate."

Felipe Massa defends Ferrari order to 'destory Hamilton's race'

"When things go that quickly, sometimes you get it wrong. What people need to understand is that when you're driving a Formula 1 car there is not one second that you drive that is the same next time around.

"You are juggling tons of balls and sometimes you drop one of them. You can drop the ball that gets you a penalty and I just seem to be dropping that particular ball quite often."

Hamilton has found himself in hot water with the stewards more often than any other driver so far this season.

Most notably in Monaco, the Englishman received two drive-through penalties after clashing with Massa and Pastor Maldonado's Williams and went on to launch a furious attack on the stewards.

But in Suzuka a subdued Hamilton would not criticise his treatment at the hands of the authorities.

"I don't see anyone else having the problems that I'm having," he said. "But I don't see many people achieving the same things I have.

"When we're in the drivers briefing we just speak about wanting consistency [with penalties].

"For whatever reason I've had more penalties than most people but I'll continue to take them on the chin as and when they come."

Hamilton provoked Massa's ire when he tried to pass his 2008 title rival with a clumsy pass during the race in Singapore.

Despite insisting he had put the incident behind him, Massa was very vocal on the topic when facing the media throng in Suzuka.

But the Brazilian said he had no plans to make an official complaint against Hamilton to FIA race director Charlie Whiting against Hamilton in Thursday's drivers' briefing, partly because Hamilton had been penalised during the race.

"I have nothing to say because everything he's doing he's paying for that you know," said Massa.

"The FIA is doing what is inside the regulations - he had the drive-through so I think he has had time enough to learn to be honest."

Massa and Hamilton were also involved in an altercation in the media zone after the Singapore race.

The Brazilian went up to the McLaren driver as he was about to start an interview, patted his shoulder, and said: "Good job, bro."

Hamilton replied: "Don't touch me, man. Don't touch me"

Massa said he had no plans to try to talk to Hamilton again in Suzuka.

Continue reading the main story

It's not an easy situation for anyone but as a driver Lewis is very strong. He's going to turn up here in Suzuka and he's going to be very competitive

Jenson Button

"I would not go to him to speak to him," he added. "I tried to speak to him but he did not want to speak to me and that is why I was even more disappointed.

"If I was in his position I would come to say sorry."

Hamilton said he hoped to speak to Massa about "normal things" over the weekend but agreed that they would not speak again about what happened in Singapore.

"I don't think we have anything else to discuss," said Hamilton. "I don't have any problems with him.

"It's a shame we're still talking about the previous race. I'm over it, it's in the past, I had my penalty so I don't feel I owe any more."

Hamilton, who revealed he had been deliberately avoiding reading any critical press, said he tried not to be affected by what was written about him and was now focused on the task ahead in Suzuka.

"It's not about how or what I've done this year but it's how I rise above it and how I come back out on top at some stage," he added.

"What's important for me is to try and get a good again. The team are massively supportive even throughout this turbulent time.

"The plan is to get on it, stay out of trouble and get back on the top spot somehow."

Button, who has 17 more points than Hamilton, defended his team-mate, saying he expects him to answer his critics with a strong performance in Japan.

"It's not an easy situation for anyone but as a driver Lewis is very strong," said Button.

"He's not going to slow down. He's going to turn up here in Suzuka and he's going to be very competitive."

Race-by race: Hamilton's troubled season

Heroin and crack treatment falls

6 October 2011 Last updated at 12:50 An increasing number of drug users are also said to be recovering from addiction The number of heroin and crack cocaine users needing treatment in England has fallen by 10,000 in two years.

The National Treatment Agency for Substance Abuse said the number of adults that began treatment for the class A drugs fell from 62,963 in 2008/09 to 52,933 in 2010/11.

The steepest decline was in the under-30 age group.

The number of people accessing treatment for all drugs also fell for the second year running.

The latest figures also show an increase in the number of drug users "recovering" from addiction - people who no longer need treatment.

Some 27,969 users were classed as recovering in 2010/11, a rise of 18% on the previous year and 150% higher than 11,208 in 2005/06.

The figures showed that, of the 255,556 people who entered a drugs treatment programme since April 2005 for the first time, 28% (71,887) had successfully completed the course and did not need further treatment.

Paul Hayes, the NTA's chief executive, said the figures showed that "recovery is now becoming a reality for more individuals each year".

"More drug users are recovering from addiction, fewer need treatment, and more are getting over their addiction quickly," he said.

'Not complacent'

Mr Hayes went on to say he thought the figures showed England had "probably passed the high watermark of the impact of epidemic of the late '80s and early '90s and that younger groups of people were reluctant to begin patterns of behaviour... that they've seen cause damage to their older siblings, people in their community, sometimes, sadly their mums and dads."

"They realise the consequences of heroin and crack use and they're turning their backs on that," he said.

He said officials were also seeing "significant declines in purity" which "suggests that attempts to restrict supply are having an impact".

"It's extremely likely, from where we sit, that the different aspects of the government's drugs strategy are coming together to have a positive effect," he added.

But he warned that addiction remained a "serious problem" for many communities, particularly the poorest ones.

"We need to remain vigilant, particularly in a tough economic climate.

"There's absolutely no inevitability that rising unemployment among young people will see a rise to '80s levels of heroin use, but we need to watch that situation very carefully," he said.

'Momentum'

Simon Antrobus, chief executive of Addaction, said it was "hugely encouraging" that young people were shunning heroin and crack cocaine.

He said underlying drug use still needed tackling, and it was important "not to let our guard down".

"While these figures suggest that fewer young people were turning to crack and heroin, Addaction is concerned that an older generation of long-term problem users remains; causing huge problems not only for themselves, but for their children.

"And we know that the children of this group are more likely to develop their own problems.

"So, while we hope today's figures prove to be a milestone in the tackling of the UK's drug problems, we certainly cannot be complacent."

Turning Point's director of substance misuse, John Mallalieu, said the figures were "promising" and the drug support charity had witnessed greater numbers of people recovering from drug addiction.

"This is made easier for them because as a nation, we are becoming more ambitious for drug users and giving them more opportunities to become part of society again.

"It is important that we ensure the right methodologies are kept in place to tackle the wide range of problems that contribute to a person's substance misuse such as mental health, unemployment, housing and physical health.

"The current momentum must be continued so that those 27,969 who are still in treatment have a better chance of turning their lives around too," he said.

'CIA doctor' faces treason charge

6 October 2011 Last updated at 18:12 Bin Laden was top of the US 'most wanted' list A Pakistani commission investigating the US raid that killed Osama Bin Laden says a doctor accused of helping the CIA should be tried for high treason.

Dr Shakil Afridi is accused of running a CIA-sponsored fake vaccine programme in Abbottabad, where Bin Laden was killed, to try to get DNA samples.

He was arrested shortly after the 2 May US raid that killed the al-Qaeda chief.

The commission has been interviewing intelligence officials and on Wednesday spoke to Bin Laden family members.

Pakistan, which was deeply embarrassed by the raid, has described the covert US special forces operation as a violation of its sovereignty.

A government commission, headed by a former Supreme Court judge, has been charged with discovering how the US military was able to carry out the raid deep within Pakistan without being detected.

It is also investigating how Bin Laden was able to hide in Abbottabad, a garrison town, for several years.

DNA sought

After questioning Dr Afridi, the commission said that in view of the record and evidence it was "of the view that prima facie, a case of conspiracy against the State of Pakistan and high treason" should be launched against him.

Washington has been arguing that Dr Afridi should be freed and allowed to live in the US.

In the weeks after the Bin Laden raid, reports emerged that Dr Afridi, a senior Pakistani doctor, had been recruited by the CIA to organise the phoney vaccine drive.

After having tracked down a Bin Laden courier to a high-walled compound in Abbottabad, the CIA wanted to confirm Bin Laden's presence by obtaining a DNA sample from the residents.

It is not clear if any DNA from Bin Laden or any family members was ever obtained.

After the raid, Pakistani authorities took three of Bin Laden's widows and two of his daughters into custody.

The commission said on Thursday that statements had been taken from them and they were no longer required for its investigation.

France acts against net pirates

6 October 2011 Last updated at 11:43 France is trying to tackle those who pirate pop by throwing them offline Sixty French net users could have their connection turned off for a month after ignoring letters telling them to stop infringing copyright.

They are the first to reach the end of the controversial process France operates as a way of tackling pirates.

About 650,000 people have received one warning and a further 44,000 are on their second warning.

The statistics were revealed in the annual report from the French agency that runs the scheme.

Deterrent effect

A government advisor is set to visit the 60 people who have ignored warnings to find out more about their circumstances.

The information gathered during the interviews will determine whether a case file is passed to prosecutors. Those who are prosecuted and found guilty could have to pay a fine of 1,500 euros (£1,295) or have their net link disconnected for up to a month.

The tough anti-piracy laws are overseen by an agency called Hadopi (Haute Autorite pour la Diffusion des Oeuvres et la Protection des Droits sur Internet) which was set up in January 2010 but only began sending out letters to suspected infringers in October of that year.

The three-strikes law gives people several chances to mend their ways when found to be infringing copyright by swapping music, movies and games via peer-to-peer networks.

Speaking to French broadcaster TF1, Hadopi boss Marie-Françoise Marais said research it had done suggested the letters it was sending out were acting as a deterrent. However, she added, the results had to be taken with "caution".

Ms Marais said Hadopi was looking into reports that some file-sharers had turned to different technologies to avoid detection and keep on infringing. So far, she said, the agency could not pursue those people because the law only requires it to monitor peer-to-peer services.

The French approach is seen as one of the toughest crackdowns on net piracy.

In the UK, the government plans a letter-writing campaign to people who are persistently downloading movies and music without paying for it.

The letters are intended to educate users rather than punish them, the government has said.

No letters have yet been sent because the Digital Economy Act, which deals with illegal file-sharing, is on hold while the government waits for the European parliament to approve changes to it.