8 suspected German militants reported killed in Pakistan

(CNN) -- Eight people thought to be German nationals were killed in a suspected drone strike in northwestern Pakistan, two Pakistani officials said Monday.

The strike happened in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan, the officials said.

Missiles struck a building that held the eight, who are believed to have been members of the group Jihad al Islami, the officials said.

The strike comes a day after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI issued a joint bulletin warning that terror attacks were being plotted against targets Europe. European intelligence officials said Monday that a group of jihadists from Germany were at the heart of the plots, but it was not immediately clear if the warning and the suspected drone strike were related.

The reported plots prompted the U.S. State Department to issue a Europe-wide security advisory for Americans traveling abroad.

The alert did not cite specific countries because the information about the threat was not specific enough to do so, a State Department spokesman said Monday.

CNN

Russian scientists expect increased solar radiation, not doomsday in 2012

The scientific community does not expect the end of the world in 2012 as predicted by the Mayan Prophecy, although increased solar activity may harm satellites and endanger astronauts, a Russian doctor of physical and mathematical sciences said on Monday.

"The solar exposure on near-Earth space will increase, causing perturbations in the atmosphere, which will break space apparatus," Vladimir Kuznetsov who works for the Institute of Earth magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio waves of the Russian Academy of Sciences said. "Enhanced radiation could also endanger cosmonauts".

December 12, 2012 is the end of a calendar created by the ancient Mayan civilization of South America. Over the years, scientists and speculators have proposed numerous astronomical alignments and formulas, which allegedly prove that the end is nigh.

RIA Novosti

Baseball gives hope to township kids

Cape Town, South Africa (CNN) -- Baseball is virtually unheard of amongst South Africa's poorest communities, but in one township it is changing children's lives.

Coaches started teaching baseball in Philippi township on the outskirts of Cape Town, an area blighted by drugs, crime and poverty.

It has given a positive focus for children who grow up in cramped accommodation with hundreds of thousands of other families, living in shacks with no heating, power or running water.

Coach Nyameko Gabada, who introduced baseball to this community four years ago after South Africa did well in the World Baseball Classic, said: "I found there's a lot of crime that's abusing the children of this place".

CNN

Chilean president says miners' rescue 'very close'

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has said he hopes 33 trapped miners will be brought to the surface by the end of next week.

Mr Pinera said rescuers were "very close" to getting the men out, and he hoped they would be freed before his planned trip to Europe on 17 October.

Drills digging to reach the miners have been making rapid progress, shortening the expected rescue timetable.

The men have now been trapped underground for two months.

"We are very close to rescuing them," Mr Pinera said, without naming a precise date when the rescue attempt would start.

"I hope we can rescue them before I go to Europe, I want to share that moment with the miners".

Last week the government said the rescue attempt would begin in the second half of October, having previously said it would start in early November.

But the three drills racing to reach the men are advancing rapidly.

BBC News

Vandals set fire to West Bank mosque

Beit Fajjar, West Bank (CNN) -- Vandals torched a West Bank mosque and sprayed graffiti on its walls early Monday, officials said.

Palestinian witnesses said four people tried to set fire to the mosque, burning carpets and 12 Qurans around 3:30 a.m. (9:30 p.m. ET Sunday).

Authorities were investigating whether Israeli settlers were behind the act.

The arsonists sprayed "revenge" and "price tag" on the walls, Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said.

CNN Producer Kareem Khadder observed burned carpets and tiles that had been broken off pillars inside the mosque. Spray-painted graffiti in Hebrew read, "This is toilet number 18" and "Revenge and avenge".

A Palestinian woman who lives across from the mosque, Mariam al-Sheikh, said she saw smoke and fire billowing from the mosque. She said she and others threw buckets of water on the flames.

The Israeli police and military are investigating the fire, which occurred in the village of Beit Fajjar south of Bethlehem in the West Bank.

CNN

Memorial service Monday for film star Tony Curtis

(CNN) -- The memorial service for screen legend Tony Curtis will be held Monday at the Palm Mortuary and Cemetery, Green Valley in Las Vegas, Nevada, his manager said.

The service will take place at 11 a.m. (2 p.m. ET), said Cecelia Jackson with the funeral home.

The Curtis family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Shiloh Horse Rescue, which rescues "abused, unwanted, neglected, and slaughter bound horses of all types," the actor's manager Mike Einfeld said.

Curtis died Wednesday. He was 85.

CNN

73 work ban violators reported by Dubai

The Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs in the emirate of Dubai has reported to the Ministry of Labour the names of 73 firms, which violated the decision of the ministry on the afternoon work ban, to take appropriate action against them.

Major General Mohammed Al Marri, head of the committee, said in a statement that the committee inspected 3,950 firms to ensure they implemented the ban decision since the enforcement of decision on June 15.

He disclosed that the inspection teams of the committee monitored the companies to oversee whether they implement the decision of labour minister on the afternoon work ban or not, indicating that the inspection team reported that 3,877 firms observed the ministerial decision on the work ban at afternoons, while 73 firms were caught violating the ban decision.

Al Marri noted that the errant firms this year were the least compared to the previous years.

Emirates 24|7

Fifa issues world ban to Nigeria

Fifa has suspended Nigeria from international competition because of government interference in the sport.

The decision was taken on Monday after several members of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) were hauled before the law courts.

Fifa rules prohibit any government intervention with its members.

"The Fifa Emergency Committee decided today...to suspend the NFF with immediate effect on account of government interference," Fifa said.

"During the period of suspension, the NFF will not be able to be represented in any regional, continental or international competitions, including at club level, and also not in friendly matches," the Fifa statement added.

Nigeria's ban from international football leaves their weekend's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea in Conakry in doubt.

The world governing body said the ban follows a bid by Nigeria's Minister of Sports to restart the league without relegations from the previous season.

The decision by the Nigeria Sports Commission to force the NFF's secretary-general Musa Amadu to stand down from his position did not go down well with Fifa.

A court action barring the newly-elected members of the NFF also drew the ire of the world governing body.

BBC Sport

Brazil set for start of presidential run-off campaigns

Brazil's leading presidential hopefuls are preparing to return to campaigning ahead of a second round of elections.

It comes after Dilma Rousseff, backed by outgoing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, failed to secure the 50% of votes needed for an outright victory.

She now enters a 31 October run-off against Social Democratic Party (PSDB) candidate Jose Serra, who won 33%.

Green Party candidate Marina Silva surprised many in the first round by winning 19% of the vote.

Ms Rousseff, of the Workers Party, had been the favourite to win but official results showed she had 46.9% of votes, after apparently losing supporters to former environment minister Ms Silva.

As the results emerged, Ms Rousseff said she was confident that a second round would give her the opportunity to give more detail on her policies to reduce poverty and increase development in Brazil.

She told her supporters the party had traditionally fared well in second round elections - Mr Lula also had to contest a second round in both the 2002 and 2006 elections.

Mr Serra, who lost against Mr Lula in the 2002 run-off, told his supporters he was "going to march to victory" in the election and promised to "build a better country" if he won.

BBC News

Hamburg cell at heart of terrorist plot against Europe

Hamburg, Germany (CNN) -- A group of jihadists from the German city of Hamburg are alleged to be at the heart of the recent al Qaeda plot to launch co-ordinated terrorist attacks against European cities, according to European intelligence officials.

The plan prompted the U.S. State Department to issue a Europe-wide security advisory for Americans traveling in Europe.

Japan issued a similar alert Monday, citing the warnings issued by the United States and by Britain, which raised the level highest for France and Germany.

Western intelligence officials say they learned about the plot when Ahmed Sidiqi, a German citizen of Afghan descent was arrested in Afghanistan in July and taken to the U.S. airbase at Bagram for questioning. He has not been charged and intelligence sources in Germany say he is co-operating with the investigation.

In early 2009, Sidiqi and 10 others left Hamburg for the tribal areas of Pakistan -- where most joined a jihadist group fighting U.S. and coalition forces across the border in Afghanistan, according to German intelligence officials.

Sidiqi told American interrogators that at least one member of his travel group was to be a "foot-soldier" in the plot, with other members of the group helping to plan the attacks, a European counter-terrorism official told CNN.

CNN

Iraqi oil reserves estimated at 143B barrels

(CNN) -- Iraq's estimated oil reserves have grown by nearly 25 percent, the oil ministry announced Monday.

"Iraq's oil reserves which are extractable are 143.1 billion barrels," said Hussein al-Shahristani, Iraq's oil minister, based on data provided by Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

The OPEC figures are about 28 billion barrels higher than previous estimates.

At $81 a barrel, about what oil was trading at early Monday, the added reserves would be worth about $2.27 trillion.

About 70 percent of all reserves are concentrated in Iraq's southern oil fields, with 20 percent in the north and 9 percent in the country's center.

CNN

Vatican slams Berlusconi over anti-Semitic, sexist jokes

Rome, Italy (CNN) -- The Vatican's official newspaper has strongly criticized Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, calling it "deplorable" that he tells blasphemous, anti-Semitic and sexist jokes.

Sunday's editorial came a day after the Italian Catholic bishops' newspaper said Berlusconi needed to show more respect.

The Catholic newspapers were responding to videos posted on the internet showing Berlusconi telling jokes about the Holocaust and a female opposition politician, and using a fairly common but blasphemous curse, "Pig God".

All the jokes seem to have been made in private or semi-private settings and recorded on cell phones or similar devices.

In one, the prime minister jokes about a Jewish family charging another Jewish man a daily rate to hide him from the Nazis during World War II, then not telling him when the war is over.

In another, he says Italian opposition politician Rosy Bindi is so unattractive that she frightens off a man who's always trying to charm women.

CNN

Counterterrorism chief says Yemen is open to help fighting al Qaeda

Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- The United States has been involved in airstrikes in Yemen in the past, the director of Yemen's counterterrorism unit acknowledges, but there is no American military presence in the country.

In an exclusive interview with CNN, Gen. Yahya Saleh said Yemen continues to receive much-needed funds from the United States for training, development and intelligence-sharing, and he said the country should be open about the kind of assistance it requires in its fight against al Qaeda.

"We are now in a global war against terrorism. And there shouldn't be any shame about any kind of cooperation," said Saleh, who heads the country's Central Security Forces. "We need to be clear and truthful. There is international cooperation in fighting terror. The thing that we can't do is to be shy about asking for cooperation from others. And that's why we shouldn't be ashamed to announce that there is cooperation and intelligence sharing and cooperation in searching for al Qaeda elements".

Last week, Yemen's Foreign Minister, Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, told the Saudi-owned Al-Hayat newspaper that the U.S. had carried out airstrikes in Yemen, marking his government's first official confirmation of a U.S. military role in its fight against terrorism.

Al-Qirbi said the airstrikes ended in December because the "Yemeni government ascertained they weren't achieving results".

CNN

McDowell clinches Ryder Cup for Europe

Graeme McDowell held his nerve to win the final singles match of the Ryder Cup and regain the trophy for Europe after a thrilling climax against the United States.

The U.S. Open champion, from Northern Ireland, clinched his singles match with Hunter Mahan on the 17th hole to ensure Europe beat the United States 14 1/2 to 13 1/2 on an historic final day.

Five American players won their singles matches and when Ricky Fowler managed to win the last three holes to claim a half point from Edoardo Molinari the fate of the Ryder Cup came down to the last match left on the course.

McDowell was one up when he holed a vital putt on the 16th green to give him the opportunity to seal the match for Colin Montgomerie's team on the 17th.

Mahan left his tee shot to the par three short, then mis-hit his second to open the door for McDowell to clinch the game and spark wild scenes of celebration at Celtic Manor in Wales.

CNN

France seeks extradition of al Qaeda suspect in Italy

Paris, France (CNN) -- France has requested the extradition of an al Qaeda suspect arrested in Italy, a French court official said Monday.

Didier Allard of the Palais de Justice appeals court identified the man as Riahd Hennouni, and said an anti-terror judge in Paris had requested his arrest.

Paris has not yet heard back from Rome about its extradition request, Allard said.

The request comes a day after Italian police told CNN they detained a French citizen of Algerian origin suspected of being a member of al Qaeda.

The man was arrested by Italian police in Naples following a European arrest warrant requested by France, Naples chief prosecutor Gian Domenico Lepore told CNN.

He was arrested "about a month ago," but there was no announcement at the time, Lepore said, adding: "We don't report every arrest that we make".

The Italians say he is 28. The French say he is 34.

CNN

Ecuador's government maintains unrest was coup attempt

(CNN) -- Three days after police officers protesting a new law physically attacked Ecuador's president and allegedly held him at a hospital for hours, the country's interior minister says the government remains convinced that the uprising was an attempted coup.

Interior Minister Gustavo Jalkh told CNN en Espanol Sunday that the intentions of the police officers involved were clear when the president's attempts to talk drew a violent reaction from a crowd of protesters Thursday.

"The president was talking with some police who wanted to talk with us. We were talking. Why else would they throw bombs at a politician?" he said.

The police officers said they were angered by a new law that would take away their bonuses and reduce their compensation. President Rafael Correa, who was roughed up and hit by tear gas, said the law would do no such thing and said the police officers had not even read it.

"We were starting to talk when all of the sudden they started insulting us. And the insults had nothing to do with the supposed labor issues... There was a campaign of distortion and deception," said Jalkh, who as interior minister also oversees the national police.

He repeated the government's earlier assertions that former president Lucio Gutierrez was behind the unrest. And he said "the risk was very serious" for Correa.

But Gutierrez has denied any involvement, and local media reports have questioned whether Correa's life was ever in danger, claiming that other government officials were able to enter and leave the hospital while Correa remained inside.

"The elements for a coup do not exist. There was no political movement or a call for the president to leave office. There was no intent to put the presidency in the power of another person. What occurred was an uprising from part of the police," analyst Roberto Izurieta told CNN en Espanol Friday.

CNN

Russia's Rokot carrier rockets to launch two ESA satellites

Russia's Rokot carrier rockets will take two European Space Agency (ESA) scientific satellites to orbit in 2012-2013, the head of the ESA Moscow Office said on Monday.

"We have signed contracts for two launches of ESA remote sensing satellites on Russia's Rokot carrier rockets," Rene Pischel said.

The first launch will deliver to orbit the SWARM satellite, which will survey the geomagnetic field of the Earth.

It is unknown what spacecraft will be conveyed into space on the second Rokot, but the launch is expected to take place in 2012-2013, Pischel said.

The Rokot launch vehicle is a modified version of the Russian RS-18 (SS-19 Stiletto) intercontinental ballistic missile. It uses the two original lower stages of the ICBM, in conjunction with a Breeze-KM upper-stage for commercial payloads.

The ESA launched its CryoSat-2 satellite onboard Russia's Dnepr booster in this April. The satellite is designed to monitor the effects of global warming on polar glaciers and has a life span of three years.

RIA Novosti