Authorities reopen probe into Natalie Wood's 1981 drowning death

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office is reopening its investigation into the death of movie star Natalie Wood, who drowned in 1981 while boating off Catalina Island near the California coast, authorities said Thursday.

Homicide investigators are taking a new look at one of Hollywood's most enduring mysteries after they were contacted by people who claimed they had "additional information" about the drowning, the sheriff's department said in a statement.

Authorities didn't provide further details late Thursday and said a news conference on the matter will be held Friday at 11 a.m. (2 p.m. ET).

Last year, the actress' sister, Lana Wood, and the captain of the yacht on which Wood sailed with her husband, actor Robert Wagner, had asked the sheriff's office to reopen the case.

On Thursday, L.A. County Sheriff's Deputy Benjamin Grubb couldn't say whether the sister and the yacht captain have prompted the renewed investigation.

"I don't know if that's related, but that's what the press conference is about tomorrow," Grubb told CNN.

Natalie Wood once said in a televised interview that her greatest fear was of dark seawater. On November 29, 1981, she drowned in the Pacific Ocean off the isthmus of Catalina Island.

Wood's body was found floating in the water about a mile away from the yacht.

According to police reports, Wood was found wearing a long nightgown, socks, and a down jacket.

The autopsy report shows Wood had two dozen bruises on her body, including a facial abrasion on her left cheek, and bruises on her arms.

"My sister was not a swimmer and did not know how to swim, and she would never go to another boat or to shore dressed in a nightgown and socks," said Lana Wood.

Although the county coroner's office ruled that Wood's death was an accident, others say the case hasn't made sense.

In 2010, Lana Wood told CNN she believes a highly charged argument between her sister and husband on the yacht's back deck preceded Wood's drowning. She told CNN last year she does not suspect foul play.

"I just want the truth to come out, the real story," she said last year.

Dennis Davern, the former captain of the yacht Splendour broke his long silence with a detailed account in "Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour," a book he wrote with his friend Marti Rulli. It was published in September 2009.

Davern has said he believes Wood's death was a direct result of the fight with Wagner.

Lana Wood and Davern couldn't be reached immediately for comment Thursday.

Wagner's publicist Alan Nierob issued a statement saying the actor's family "fully support the efforts of the LA County Sheriff's Dept. and trust they will evaluate whether any new information relating to the death of Natalie Wood Wagner is valid, and that it comes from a credible source or sources other than those simply trying to profit from the 30 year anniversary of her tragic death."

Nierob said no one from the sheriff's department has contacted Wagner or anyone in his family about the case.

In a lengthy interview with CNN in 2010, Davern said he now believes the investigation of Wood's death was incompetent and suggested there was a cover-up. He said he regrets misleading investigators by keeping quiet at Wagner's request.

Wood and Wagner married in 1957, divorced in 1962, then remarried in 1972. They often sailed their yacht off the coast of California and they invited Wood's "Brainstorm" co-star, Christopher Walken, to join them on a sail on Thanksgiving weekend in 1981.

Walken and Wood had been filming "Brainstorm" at the time and the Hollywood rumor mill was abuzz with speculation that Wagner was jealous over Walken, but authorities have said Walken witnessed only the events leading up to an argument between the couple.

Walken couldn't be reached immediately for comment Thursday.

Wagner admitted his jealousy in his book "Pieces of My Heart," also published in September 2009. He acknowledged that there had been a fight with Wood, writing that he smashed a wine bottle on a table.

After Wagner argued with Walken and broke the wine bottle, Wood left in disgust and went to her stateroom, Davern told CNN last year. Walken also retired to a guest room, Davern added, and Wagner followed his wife to their room. A few minutes later, Davern said, he could hear the couple fighting.

Embarrassed, Davern said he turned up the volume on his stereo. At one point, Davern recalled, he glanced out of the pilot house window and saw both Wagner and Wood on the yacht's aft deck. "They'd moved their fight outside ... you could tell from their animated gestures they were still arguing," he said.

A short time later, Wagner, appearing to be distraught, told Davern he couldn't find Wood. Davern searched the boat but couldn't find her. He noticed the rubber dinghy also was missing.

Wagner shrugged and poured them both drinks, Davern said. He suggested his wife had probably gone off in a temper.

Wagner's story, as told in his book, differs from Davern's. He maintains that after the argument with Walken, Wood went to her room and prepared for bed while he and Walken sat on the deck, cooling off.

Wagner writes that he went to check on Wood, but she wasn't there. He maintains that he and Davern searched the boat and noticed the dinghy was missing. Wagner wrote that he assumed his wife had gone ashore on her own.

He radioed the restaurant on shore where they'd had dinner and called the harbor master to see if anyone had seen Wood.

The dinghy was found about a mile away from the yacht, and a mile from where Wood's body was found.

Wood's first starring role was as a child in "Miracle on 34th Street" in 1947, and she played alongside some of Hollywood's top leading men -- James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause" and Warren Beatty in "Splendor in the Grass." She was nominated for Oscars in both of those films, as well as for "Love With the Proper Stranger" (1963), according to IMDb. One of her more memorable roles was as Maria in "West Side Story."

Wagner's striking good looks landed him roles in dozens of films in the 1950s and '60s before he hit it big in television. He starred in two popular series, "It Takes a Thief" (1968-70) and "Hart to Hart" (1979-84), and more recently as Number Two in the "Austin Powers" spy spoofs.

Demi Moore is divorcing Kutcher

Actress Demi Moore said Thursday she plans to divorce Ashton Kutcher.

"It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have decided to end my six-year marriage to Ashton," Moore, 49, said in a statement.

"As a woman, a mother and a wife there are certain values and vows that I hold sacred, and it is in this spirit that I have chosen to move forward with my life," she said. "This is a trying time for me and my family, and so I would ask for the same compassion and privacy that you would give to anyone going through a similar situation."

Kutcher, 33, currently stars in "Two and a Half Men."
The prolific Twitter user sent a message Thursday afternoon: "I will forever cherish the time I spent with Demi. Marriage is one of the most difficult things in the world and unfortunately sometimes they fail. Love and Light, AK"

The couple started the Demi & Ashton Foundation (DNA) to combat the international sexual slavery trade.

Moore and Kutcher began dating in 2003 and married in September 2005.

It was the first time to tie the knot for Kutcher, the third for Moore. Before Bruce Willis, Moore was married to rock musician Freddy Moore.

Leading figures in soccer call on Blatter to step down

Leading figures in the world of soccer, including superstar David Beckham, on Thursday blasted FIFA President Sepp Blatter for controversial remarks he made on racism in an interview with CNN World Sport.

The head of world football told CNN's Pedro Pinto there is no on-field racism in football and that any player who has been abused should simply shake hands with his opponent at the end of the match and move on.

Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand, a former England captain, expressed his outrage on Twitter, blasting Blatter's comments as "so condescending it's almost laughable."

"I think the remarks were appalling, personally," Beckham said in an interview with CNN's Paul Vercammen. "All I care about is keeping racism out of soccer and out of sport. Because it's not just in sports it's in life in general. So it has to be stopped and we're part of that."

Beckham, who plays in the United States for LA Galaxy, said something should be done, but he stopped short of saying Blatter should step down.
The chief executive of England's Professional Footballers' Association, Gordon Taylor, told CNN that Blatter should quit.

"He should step down," he said. "This is the straw that broke the camel's back. We need football to set a good example, so this is inexcusable.

The Swiss was re-elected unopposed as the head of football's governing body in June after his main rival was suspended amid corruption allegations. The bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups was also dogged by bribery allegations.

Soon after Blatter gave his interview to CNN on Wednesday, his position appeared to be undermined when the English Football Association charged Liverpool's Luis Suarez with racism toward a fellow player.

Suarez allegedly taunted Manchester United's French defender Patrice Evra. Suarez, from Uruguay, denies the claims.

London's Metropolitan Police are also investigating allegations of racism against Chelsea and England captain John Terry. He denies claims he racially abused the brother of Rio Ferdinand, Anton, during a Premier League match.

Blatter: No on-field racism in football

The UK sports minister Hugh Robertson echoed calls for Blatter to quit. "Racism is a criminal offense in this country and anybody who is caught will face criminal sanctions," he told CNN.

"What Sepp Blatter has said, in this country, is just completely wrong as well as morally indefensible. This is the latest episode that calls into question whether this man should be the head of world football. For the sake of the game, he should go.

"We have been consistent in our calls for improved governance at FIFA and this underlines the need for that once more. We must never be complacent in our efforts to tackle racism. There is no place or excuse for it either on or off the pitch."

The "Kick It Out" group, who campaign against racism in football, said Blatter's comments were worryingly out of touch.

"Shaking hands to compensate for a racial slur is not what the game has signed up to, and trivializes the work of campaigns like Kick It Out."

Blatter clarified his comments in a statement on FIFA's website that carried a picture of him embracing Tokyo Sexwale, a prominent South African politician who has campaigned against racism.

Ferdinand responded to the picture on his Twitter account, saying: "Fifa clear up the Blatter comments with a pic of him posing with a black man..I need the hand covering eyes symbol!!"
Thursday, Blatter responded to Ferdinand directly on Twitter, writing: "The 'black man' as you call him has a name: Tokyo Sexwale. He has done tremendous work against racism and apartheid in Africa.

"We have done several joint activities to raise awareness on the struggle against racism in South Africa. FIFA has a long standing and proud record in the area of anti-discrimination which will continue."

Later Ferdinand replied: "To say what you said about racism in football spoke volumes of your ignorance to the subject. If we want to stamp out racism in society a football pitch is a good place to start -- loved by billions of people around the world (sic)."

In an exclusive interview with CNN, Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said racism was still prevalent in football, but the top tier in the English game was fighting hard to eradicate it.

He said: "Racism certainly still exists in football, albeit reduced, but there are still issues, of course there are, and we're not complacent about that.

"But I think it's a bit of a stretch to say it doesn't exist because it does."

"The English game had led and been at the forefront of reducing incidents of racist behavior -- it's totally unacceptable, everybody in the game in England understands it is totally unacceptable.

"We have that reputation, as far as I'm aware, that reputation is still intact but the game will deal with whatever is thrown against it. There is no place for it in football, let alone in England, and we will strive to eradicate it."

Sports journalist and London Evening Standard columnist Mihir Bose said Blatter's views demonstrated that he is out of touch with the modern game.

He told CNN, "This won't topple him. It will damage him further but you could argue he was damaged goods anyway.

"Blatter wants to be a showman, he wants to be in the public eye ... but these comments are incredibly insensitive and crass."

Bose said that although great strides have been made in the fight against racism in football, there is still much work to do.

"Much of the racist attitudes that saw bananas being thrown onto the field at black players has gone, but there is still a pervasive racism," he added.

"White players feel racism has been conquered but there remains a feeling of discrimination in the game which is why black players have reacted with outrage at Blatter's comments.

"They feel there is still not a level playing field -- they feel all they have fought for over the years has been devalued."

Can European soccer stamp out racism?

There have also been several instances of racism in European football this year.

Former Brazil player Roberto Carlos walked off the pitch during a game in Russia when a banana was thrown at him and Chelsea's Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun was taunted during a game in Malaysia.

Soldier faces court martial for alleged role in Afghan sport killings

The court martial of another U.S. soldier accused of taking part in killing unarmed Afghan civilians for sport is set to begin Wednesday.

Staff Sgt. David Bram is one of 12 members of the Army's 5th Stryker Brigade facing charges in connection with the killings that took place over a period of five months at or near Forward Operating Base Ramrod in southern Afghanistan's volatile Kandahar province last year.

Three have pleaded guilty to the murders and agreed to testify against fellow soldiers. Another six have been convicted of lesser crimes.

And last week, a military court-martial found another, Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs, guilty of murdering three Afghan civilians, illegally cutting off pieces of their corpses to keep as "souvenirs" and planting weapons to make the men appear as if they were Taliban fighters killed in legitimate firefights.
The platoon was tasked with patrolling small villages in the area to build relationships with an Afghan population wary of the U.S. presence in their country.

Instead, prosecutors say the group of rogue soldiers allegedly plotted to murder civilians and then planted weapons on them.

Bram is not accused of murder or conspiracy to commit murder.

Prosecutors charged him with conspiracy to commit assault and battery, unlawfully striking another soldier, violating a lawful order, dereliction of duty, cruelty and maltreament and endeavoring to impede an investigation.

He faces 9 1/2 years in prison if he is convicted of all charges, the military said.

Pakistan security forces kill 20 militants

Security forces killed 20 militants in an operation in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, military officials said.

Helicopters launched an aerial assault on militant hideouts in central Kurram Agency, a semiautonomous tribal area bordering Afghanistan, the officials said.

The officials did not want to be named because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

A Pakistani soldier died in the operation, the officials said.

The operation was part of an ongoing offensive by security forces against militants in South Waziristan, Kurram and Orakzai agencies.

Man arrested in White House shooting incident

A man wanted in connection with a White House shooting incident was arrested Wednesday in western Pennsylvania, the U.S. Secret Service announced.

Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, who was arrested by Pennsylvania State Police, was allegedly involved in a shooting Friday night that may be responsible for two bullets found at the White House.

One bullet hit a window and was stopped by bulletproof glass, and another was found on the White House exterior, the Secret Service said. Both bullets were found Tuesday.

Lt. Brad Shields of the Pennsylvania State Police said a tip came in Wednesday morning that the man sought by federal authorities in the Washington shooting was at a Hampton Inn in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

According to Shields, the man had stayed at the hotel with an unspecified number of companions for a few days before the Friday shooting incident.

When the man returned to the hotel on Wednesday, an unidentified staff member recognized him from a photo provided by authorities and notified police, Shields told a news conference. The man was arrested without any resistance in the hotel lobby, asking why he was being detained, Shields said.

A bag he was carrying was checked by sniffer dogs, but no weapons were found, according to Shields.

The man was being questioned by state police and Secret Service agents, Shields said. An initial federal court appearance will take place Wednesday night or Thursday in either Pittsburgh or Johnstown, Pennsylvania, he said.

In Idaho Falls, Idaho, police spokesperson Joelyn Hansen said the man -- identified as Oscar Ramiro Ortega -- was reported missing October 31. Hansen said Ortega is the same man that the Secret Service is calling Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez.

The bullets were found on the south side of the White House, the official told CNN.

"A round was stopped by ballistic glass behind the historic exterior glass. One additional round has been found on the exterior of the White House. This damage has not been conclusively connected to Friday's incident, and an assessment of the exterior of the White House is ongoing," a Secret Service statement said.

Last Friday night at about 9 p.m., U.S. Park Police and the Secret Service investigated after hearing shots fired about 700 to 800 yards from the White House, the Secret Service statement said.

Within five minutes, officers located a vehicle in the 2300 block of Constitution Avenue. "Evidence in the vehicle led to U.S. Park Police obtaining an arrest warrant for Oscar Ortega-Hernandez," described as a 21-year-old Hispanic male, 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds.

A weapon registered to Ortega-Hernandez was found in the car, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation.

The Secret Service interviewed people who know Ortega-Hernandez, and determined he had a "direction of interest toward the president and the White House" -- a term that does not suggest a direct specific threat.

The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Metropolitan Police Department all took part in the search for Ortega-Hernandez, officials said.

"There's always an outer perimeter and this was on the very outer perimeter of our security," the Secret Service official said. "The gun and car were found within several minutes. We have a lot of security -- a lot of layered security down there and the security worked."

The law enforcement official familiar with the investigation said when shots were heard Friday night, there were reports of tires screeching and cars racing.

Protesters take to the streets of Spain

Several thousand demonstrators took to the streets of the Spanish capital Sunday, protesting unemployment a week before voters elect a new government.

The march past the world-famous Prado museum and Madrid's city hall ended at the Puerta del Sol plaza, where economic protests began last May.

As riot police passed the demonstrators, protesters shouted "Less police, more education," a criticism of cutbacks in education during Spain's deep economic crisis.

The demonstration was smaller than one held October 15, when at least 10,000 people marched in Madrid on a day when Occupy Wall Street-style protests spread to Europe, Asia and Australia.

The Spanish newspaper El Pais said tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Barcelona that day.

Similar protests over the economy turned violent in Italy, with at least 70 people injured and a government building set on fire, but the Spanish demonstrations remained peaceful.

Protester Esteban Guerrero, 25, who's been to a dozen protests since last May, said he was not discouraged by the smaller crowd on Sunday.

"Each demonstration is not just one more," Guerrero said. "Many young people and workers take part. Some are bigger than others but what's important is that thousands turn out each time."

A journalism student in his final year of university, he said his job prospects after graduation are bleak, with the country's youth unemployment rate about 45%, twice the national average.

"It's a very precarious situation for young people in Spain, and getting worse, like it is for youth in Greece and Portugal. There's a big deterioration," Guerrero said.

Next Sunday's election, which the opposition conservatives are expected to win, will not be enough to change things, he added.

"I think it's necessary to vote, but that's not enough. People feel the elections won't change the situation. They won't stop the cutbacks," he said.

That's why people keep coming out onto the streets, he said.

Obama pushes the trans-Pacific trade deal at APEC

President Barack Obama, in Hawaii for a weekend economic conference, said Saturday that leaders of nine nations have agreed on the "broad outlines" of a trans-Pacific free trade agreement.

The United States has been negotiating with Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, Vietnam, Chile and Peru to develop the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which officials have said could eventually expand to include other nations.

Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Honolulu, Obama pushed the expanded trade deal as a way to help boost investment and exports, create jobs, and "compete and win in the markets of the future."

The president is on a nine-day trip through the Asia-Pacific region that will include stops in Australia and Indonesia.

"I'm very pleased to announce that our nine nations have reached the broad outlines of an agreement. There are still plenty of details to work out, but we are confident that we can do so. So we've directed our teams to finalize this agreement in the coming year. It is an ambitious goal, but we are optimistic that we can get it done," he said, according to remarks provided by his office.

The next round of negotiations is scheduled for early next month.

Obama said the TPP has the potential to be a model for future trade agreements elsewhere in the world, as it will address issues not covered in previous pacts. It will ensure that state-owned enterprises compete fairly with private companies and address trade and investment in digital technologies.

Obama's administration is taking care to highlight the importance of strong Asia-Pacific relations to the president's efforts to create jobs domestically.

"The U.S. exports to this region are essential to the president's goal of doubling U.S. exports in the next several years," Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, told reporters in a briefing this week. "In fact, nearly all of the efforts that we're going to be making towards that export goal take place in this part of the world."

The 21 members of APEC account for 55% of the world's gross domestic product, 43% of world trade and 58% of U.S. exports, according to the group.

"So I think when the American people see the president traveling in the Asia-Pacific, they will see him advocating for U.S. jobs and U.S. businesses," Rhodes said. "He will be trying to open new markets, and he will be trying to achieve new export initiatives, and he will be trying to foster a trade agreement through the, for instance, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, that takes us beyond the Korea Free Trade Agreement towards a multilateral agreement that, again, has very high standards to ensure that our interests are being protected."

During the weekend conference, Obama was also scheduled to have a discussion with business leaders, as well as side meetings with Russian President Dimitry Medvedev and Chinese President Hu Jintao. Obama met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Saturday.

After a break Monday for a political fundraiser, Obama is scheduled to depart Tuesday for Australia and later Bali, Indonesia, where he will stress the U.S. role in the Asia-Pacific region and seek to reassure U.S. allies of the nation's continued commitment to the region, Rhodes said.

Speaking to business leaders on Saturday, the president addressed the need to campaign aggressively on behalf of the United States to boost business.

"We've been a little bit lazy, I think, over the last couple of decades. We've kind of taken for granted -- well, people will want to come here and we aren't out there hungry, selling America and trying to attract new business into America," he said. "We can do much better than we're doing right now."

Ambani calls for the younger leadership in India

Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man, has called for a generational change in the country's gerontocratic leadership, and urged the government to move faster to implement reforms that would help meet its young population's economic ambitions.

"We've had a mystery [in India] where we think that [important] jobs can only be done by 60-yearr-old plus [people]. . . I think we're now fast moving to say that our 40-year-olds can take more responsibility and can perform better," Mr Ambani, 54, told business leaders and policymakers at the World Economic Forum's India Economic Summit in Mumbai.

He added that moving towards "leadership [that] reflects our demographics", should be a top priority for the country.

The tycoon's call for younger leadership comes as 41-year-old Rahul Gandhi prepares to take greater responsibility in India's ruling Congress party from his ailing mother Sonia, the party president, and as the country's economy recedes from much-wanted double-digit growth.

Many political analysts are expecting an imminent transition of power in which Mr Gandhi -- the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty -- takes a more visible role following the treatment of his 64-year-old mother for an unknown illness in the US over the summer.

Some expect him to take the party's presidency before crucial elections in Uttar Pradesh next year.

About 70 per cent of India's 1.2bn people are under 35. Mr Ambani's call to "align leadership with demographics" is an appeal for greater dynamism in Asia's third largest economy at a time when the administration of Manmohan Singh, the 79-year-old prime minister, is flagging. The opposition Bharatiya Janata party is led by the 83-year old L.K. Advani.

Likewise, some of its leading businesses, such as the Tata Group, are led by septuagenarians.

One of the top complaints of Mumbai industrialists, alongside high domestic borrowing costs, is paralysis in India's parliament and bureaucracy following a slew of embarrassing high-profile corruption scandals.

Mr Singh and his top economic team were absent from the WEF, viewed as a key investment showcase held this year for the first time in India's financial capital. Previously, Mr Singh has used the event to sell his country's prospects to foreign investors.

Janmejaya Sinha, the chairman of the Boston Consulting Group in the Asia-Pacific region, said: "The government's record in addressing the big issues is abysmal."

"The issues are ethical not economic, but we keep saying it is an economic problem," he said about New Delhi's failure to push through improvements in education, healthcare and power.

Mr Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries, India's largest family-controlled conglomerate by market capitalisation, emphasised that it was essential for the government to speed up reform to meet the demands of the fast growing private sector. "The reality is that India is a land of a billion opportunities and not of a billion problems," he said.

Room at the top

Oldies

Manmohan Singh Prime minister, 79, a respected technocrat in his second term as PM

Pranab Mukherjee Finance minister, 75, and Congress party's troubleshooter

L.K. Advani Leader of opposition Bharatiya Janata party, 83

Sonia Gandhi Congress president, 64, Italian-born wife of murdered former PM Rajiv Gandhi

Ratan Tata Tata Group chairman, 73. A search is on for his successor at the head of one of India's largest industrial groups

Youngsters

Rahul Gandhi Congress general secretary, 41, widely tipped as a future PM

Sachin Pilot Junior minister of technology, 34, son of a late Congress politician

Varun Gandhi A BJP leader, 31, Rahul's cousin who has gone over to the Hindu nationalist opposition

Madhu Kannan Managing director of Bombay Stock Exchange, 38

Sachin Bansal FlipKart chief, 28, founded India's answer to Amazon.com with his brother

Boeing secures record the Emirates deal

Boeing on Sunday won its single largest ever commercial aircraft order when Emirates, the fast-growing Gulf carrier, announced it would buy at least 50 twin-aisle passenger airplanes from the US manufacturer.

The order for 50 Boeing 777 long-haul aircraft is worth $18bn at list prices, a record contract by value for the US company.

Unveiled at the Dubai air show, the deal provides a much-needed boost for Boeing, which has been badly trailing Airbus -- its arch rival -- in the number of orders won this year.
The contract also underlines the ambitions of Emirates, the Dubai-based carrier that is rapidly becoming a strong rival to Asian, European and US airlines.

Emirates currently has a fleet of 162 aircraft and is already the biggest operator of Boeing's 777 aircraft and Airbus' A380 superjumbos.

Jim Albaugh, head of Boeing's commercial aircraft division, said Boeing's single largest order by dollar value in its 95-year history was an "extremely proud moment", adding that the Emirates' deal would sustain several thousand jobs in the US.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates' chief executive, said the 777 order was part of the airline's strategy to expand across Africa, Asia, Europe and the US.

Emirates is buying 50 Boeing 777-300 ER planes, which seat 365 passengers, and deliveries of the aircraft will start in 2015.

Although the order is worth $18bn at list prices, Emirates is expected to pay significantly less because airlines typically secure discounts on large deals. Boeing's previous record single order was a 2006 deal with Air India for 68 planes, worth $11bn at list prices.

Emirates has taken out options on a further 20 Boeing 777-300 ER planes, which means the order's value could rise to $26bn at list prices.

Nick Cunningham, analyst at Agency Partners, said the order should represent "very profitable" business to Boeing because the US company has finished the 777's costly development phase.

He added that Airbus had effectively "missed out" on the opportunity to secure Emirates' order because of the European manufacturer's decision to delay its planned new alternative to the 777-300 ER. Airbus' A350-1000, which will seat 350 passengers, was due to enter service in 2015, but the timetable has slipped to 2017.

Airbus -- a subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space company -- has announced 1,038 orders for new aircraft net of cancellations in the first nine months of this year, compared to Boeing's 426.

Airbus' higher tally is partly due to strong demand for its A320 NEO, the planned new single-aisle, short-haul plane that is more fuel efficient than the existing A320.

However, Mr Albaugh claimed Boeing's plane deliveries to customers could overtake Airbus' in 2013, partly because of demand for the US company's new 787 twin-aisle, long haul aircraft. Airbus' deliveries have surpassed Boeing's every year since 2003.

British soldiers in Libya are going home

British soldiers involved in the NATO operation in Libya are headed home, the U.K. defence ministry said, following a decision to end the mission next week.

After seven months of an aerial bombing campaign that helped depose longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi, NATO said Friday it is ending its mission in Libya on Monday.

"Our armed forces can be immensely proud that their hard work has assured the liberty of the Libyan people. This is a job well done and we will be sending our crews home from tonight," U.K. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said Friday. "I have given my personal thanks today to some of the aircrew and support personnel at Gioia del Colle."

Most British military assets have been based at the Gioia del Colle airfield in Italy during the campaign.

British air assets, including tankers and surveillance aircraft, will return home in the coming days, he said in a statement.

At the peak of the mission, Britain had 2,300 personnel, 32 aircraft and four ships, the defence ministry said.

Some operations will continue until Monday, but on a smaller basis that will require less aircraft.

NATO's announcement comes after the United Nations Security Council rescinded its March mandate for military intervention to protect civilians targeted during anti-regime protests.

Meanwhile, Gadhafi's relatives said NATO's actions led to the strongman's death, and plan to file a war crimes complaint with the International Criminal Court, a lawyer representing the family said.

"All of the events that have taken place since February 2011 and the murder of Gadhafi, all of this means we are totally in our right to call upon the International Criminal Court," said Marcel Ceccaldi, the lawyer.

Questions have been raised about how Gadhafi was killed.

Amateur videos showed him alive when captured by the opposition. He died from a shot in the head, officials said, but the circumstances surrounding the shot remain unclear.

St. Louis Cardinals Wins the World Series

The St. Louis Cardinals finished their improbable run Friday night with a convincing 6-2 win, beating the Texas Rangers and giving the franchise another World Series championship.

Instead of the furious comebacks the Cards have been known for this year, the Cards grabbed a commanding lead in the fifth inning Friday and held on.

"We got it. It is unbelievable," outfielder Allen Craig said. "This is an unbelievable group of guys. I am just glad to be a part of this."

Craig, who caught the last out of the game, was more than a part of it. He hit a home run in the third inning of Friday's game and stole a home run from Ranger Nelson Cruz leaping over the wall to bring the ball back.

Another one of the stars of Friday's game was Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who had two hits and knocked in two RBIs. Another St. Louis star was hurler Chris Carpenter, who continued his undefeated postseason run by stymieing the Rangers for six innings Friday.

Rangers pitchers were plagued with wildness Friday and throughout the series.

In the fifth inning, the Cardinals were able to get two runs and jump to a commanding 5 to 2 lead without getting a hit, capitalizing on Rangers' walks.

The win gives the Cards their 11th World Series championship. The Cardinals last won the championship in 2006.

Friday's win may have seemed a little melodramatic compared to the instant-classic World Series game Thursday, when the Cardinals displayed their never-say-die attitude.

The Cardinals were pushed to within their last strike in the ninth and 10th innings only to come back and erase two-run deficits both times.

They finished the comeback in the 11th inning beating the Rangers 10 to 9 on David Freese's walk-off home run.

Freese was named the most valuable player of the series.

"This is a dream come true," Freese said. "This is why you keep battling."

Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa said the fans, cheering and supporting, helped his team to the muster the strength to comeback so many times.

"It is amazing, incredible," La Russa said. "This is for you, fans. Thank you so much."

Comebacks are nothing new for the Cards, who made a furious dash just to reach the postseason. The team erased a 10.5-game deficit with the Atlanta Braves in the last month of the regular season just to make it to the playoffs. They punctuated that comeback by taking the must-win last two games of the season and stealing the National League wild card from the Braves.

Once in the playoffs, the Cards defeated division champs Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies. Both feats defied oddsmakers.

Central Bangkok spared worst of flooding and more high tides will come

The central business district of Bangkok dodged severe flooding Saturday afternoon, but surrounding areas of the bustling capital faced further inundation at the next high tide.

A dreaded tide on Saturday spurred residents' fears that it would overwhelm defenses along the Chao Phraya River and its many canals.

Bangkok's outer suburbs were already submerged, but the central city has been largely spared the misery Thailand has been suffering for months in the nation's worst flooding since 1942.

In the east and the north of the city, water was at waist-level in some neighborhoods.
But the city -- which sits barely above sea level -- still faces two converging threats.

Massive runoff was flowing south to the sea through Bangkok, as high tides pushed the water in the opposite direction.

"The challenge is to manage the huge runoff from the north passing via the city on its way to the Gulf of Thailand," a Red Cross bulletin said.

Bangkok's Chinatown area -- normally hopping with activity on a Saturday afternoon -- was largely desolate, with few passers-by wading in knee-deep water.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra ordered work crews Friday to cut channels in roadways to allow faster drainage, according to the MCOT news agency. But the plan was rejected late in the day in favor of dredging canals and using pumps, the Bangkok Post reported.

Health concerns were rising with the water.

Bangkok residents plodded through murky waters without knowing what lurked within, the risk of infection and communicable disease worrying health officials. The government sent out crocodile hunters after reports of crocodiles and snakes in the filthy floodwater.

"We were hearing disturbing reports of dangerous animals such as snakes and crocodiles appearing in the floodwaters, and every day we see children playing in the water, bathing or wading through it trying to make their way to dry ground," said Annie Bodmer-Roy, spokeswoman for the humanitarian agency Save the Children.
As floodwater entered homes, some Bangkok residents still in the city made plans to leave.

Thanyarat Hemkittiwat said she was going to stay with relatives outside the city.

"Some families in southern Bangkok had their house flooded," said the 31-year-old worker at a furniture export company, which was shut after it also was flooded. "The water level is 2 meters (six feet) high and smells very bad," she said.

The Bangkok Post reported that government buses had evacuated a number of elderly residents from the northern and eastern suburbs, and would pick up residents of the capital on Saturday and take them out of Bangkok. As of Saturday, an estimated 1 million of the city's 12 million residents had left.

Another Bangkok resident said she was worried about abandoning her house, which has been flooded for five days, and would not leave.

Panic buying has led to a shortage of food and bottled water in the capital, residents said.

And the worst might not yet be over.

Another high tide -- expected to reach about 4 meters (13 feet) high -- is forecast for Sunday morning.

Officials urged tourists to steer clear of Bangkok, while noting that many of the other tourist spots, such as Phuket, remained dry and open for business.

Thailand's Ministry of Public Health had transferred 280 of the capital's 520 patients in severe condition to 22 hospitals upcountry, the MCOT news agency reported.

The remaining 240 patients will be taken to hospitals in other provinces by Sunday, it said, citing Permanent-Secretary for Health Paichit Varachit.

Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri said that, after months of flooding, 107,101 Thais have been diagnosed with stress, 6,214 with depression and 878 at risk of suicide. In all, 1,356 people were under observation by health officials, the minister said, according to MCOT.

The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert on Thursday, recommending against all but essential travel to affected areas. It noted that most tourist destinations, such as Phuket and Chiang Mai, were unaffected.

U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenny said the crisis was slow-moving and it was hard to know what would be hit next.

The floods, caused by monsoon rains that saturated rivers, have killed 373 people nationwide and affected more than 9.5 million people,

Are you there? Share photos, video but stay safe
 The government has called the flooding the worst to afflict the nation in half a century and said it might take more than a month before the waters recede from some areas.

The government has set up more than 1,700 shelters nationwide, and more than 113,000 people have taken refuge in them.

Overall damage from the floods could exceed $6 billion, the Thai Finance Ministry said.

Rebel attack in South Sudan

South Sudanese rebels launched an attack in oil-rich Unity state that killed 39 people, a spokesman for that fledgling government said Saturday.

Yein Matthew, the government spokesman, said the attacks in Mayom were carried out against civilians by militias of the South Sudan Liberation Army.

South Sudanese government forces were pursuing the attackers through nearby woods, according to Matthew. One militia leader has been captured and is being questioned.

Liberation army members have clashed with the military of South Sudan, which separated from Sudan and became independent in July.

Since then, the world's newest nation has been challenged by a number of rebel militias. Led by former officers of the southern army that fought Khartoum in a 22-year civil war, the militias have taken up arms against their former comrades for various reasons.

The South Sudan Liberation Army, for instance, has said that it is fighting corruption and domination of Dinkas, the new nation's main ethnic group.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has offered amnesty deals to the rebels. Several truces have not been honored, according to the Enough Project, which seeks to end genocide and crimes against humanity.

NATO: Kabul suicide bomb attack

Five troops and eight civilians were killed in central Kabul when a suicide bomber struck a vehicle in a military convoy, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said Saturday.

One Canadian was killed in the attack, said Lt. Colonel Christian Lemay.

A U.S. military official had said earlier that 13 Americans had died, but an ISAF spokesman could not confirm that number.

The U.S. official emphasized details are continuing to unfold. A heavily damaged vehicle was believed to be an armored bus that was carrying U.S. troops from one base to another. A senior NATO official identified it as a custom-built, heavily armored Rhino.

The attack caused a "number" of NATO and local Afghan casualties, ISAF said in a statement. Four Afghans, including two students, were also killed, said Hashmat Stanikzai, spokesman for Kabul's police chief.
A Taliban spokesman confirmed Saturday's attack in a text message, saying it killed "16 foreign soldiers, one civilian" and injured many others.

Taliban casualty counts are often inflated; there was no other reliable indication 16 foreigners were killed.

Stanikzai said the vehicle used in the attack appeared to be a red Toyota Corolla packed with a significant amount of explosives.

It was unclear how many people were wounded, said Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul expressed condolences to families and said it will continue the victims' "dedicated work on behalf of peace in this country and region."

"It's a shock. It makes you mad. It makes me angry," said U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker. "We are not going to let these guys win."

The attack was one of two targeting NATO-led forces on Saturday.

U.S. and coalition casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq

A gunman wearing an Afghan army uniform turned his weapon on coalition forces during training, killing three and wounding several others, ISAF said. The shooter was killed in the incident in southern Afghanistan.

The coalition did not provide any other details about the shooting, and did not disclose the nationalities of those killed.

In another suicide attack in northeastern Afghanistan, a woman in a burqa detonated herself near the nation's intelligence agency.

She tried to enter the National Directorate of Security and was shot at, but she still managed to detonate herself, said Sabour Alayar, deputy police chief of Kunar province.

Two officers and two civilians were wounded, he said, adding that the female suicide bomber was about 25 years old.

Alayar said they had intelligence of a suicide bomber looking for a target, and their security forces were on alert.

Gen. John R. Allen, commander of ISAF, condemned Saturday's attacks across the country.

"I am both saddened and outraged by the attacks that took place today against Coalition forces and the people of Afghanistan," Allen said in a statement. "The enemies of peace are not martyrs, but murderers. To hide the fact that they are losing territory, support, and the will to fight, our common enemy continues to employ suicide attackers to kill innocent Afghan fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, as well as the Coalition forces who have volunteered to protect them."

The U.S.-led war in Afghanistan marked its 10th year earlier this month having passed two major milestones: The Taliban has been forced out of power and Osama bin Laden is dead.

But Afghanistan has been hit by a wave of high-profile attacks in recent months that have jeopardized the peace negotiations.

September's turban bomb assassination of former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani, revered by many as a father of the Mujahedeen movement that ousted the Soviets in the 1980s, appears to have dealt the biggest blow to the peace process.

Rabbani was the chairman of President Hamid Karzai's High Council for Peace, which has been trying for a year to foster dialogue with the Taliban -- a strategy that Karzai publicly abandoned following Rabbani's killing.

Nearly 2,800 troops from the United States and its partners have died during the 10 years of war, according to a CNN count.

Could 'Earthscraper' turn architecture on its head?

A team of Mexican architects have designed a 65-story glass and steel pyramid to sit in the middle of Mexico City's most historic plaza. But, if it ever gets built, you won't see it anywhere on the skyline.

That's because it would be the world's first ever "earthscraper" -- a 300-meter deep office and living space with ambitions to turn the modern high-rise, quite literally, on its head.

"There is very little room for any more buildings in Mexico City, and the law says we cannot go above eight stories, so the only way is down" explains Esteban Suarez, co-founder of BNKR Arquitectura, the firm behind the proposals.

"This would be a practical way of conserving the built environment while creating much-needed new space for commerce and living," he added.

But would it really be that practical? The design, which would cost an estimated $800 million to build, is the shape of an inverted pyramid with a central void to allow for some much-needed natural light and ventilation.

Suarez says the first 10 stories would hold a museum dedicated to the city's history and its artifacts. "We'd almost certainly find plenty of interesting relics during the dig -- dating right back to the Aztecs who built their own pyramids here," he says.

The following 10 floors are assigned to retail and housing, with the remaining 35 intended for commercial office space, says Suarez.

Suarez concedes that getting natural light and fresh air down to the lower floors will be a problem and he is investigating a "system of fiber optics" that could deliver sunlight from the surface.
The design also includes a series of a series of "earth lobbies" that would store plants and trees with the intention of improving air-quality and, no doubt, the gloomy subterranean landscape.

Suarez says renewable energy could be generated by a turbine powered from collected groundwater. Enough to keep the lights on in an underground office block 24 hours a day? "I couldn't say at this stage" replies Suarez.

But although it has the hallmarks of a fossil-fuel guzzling Goliath -- and a name to match -- Suarez says the "Earthscraper" has great eco-credentials. "In many ways, this project is all about the environment -- not just in how we preserve our historic skyline, but how we prevent the serious problem of urban sprawl into the countryside," he says.

According to the 32-year-old architect, Mexico City's main square -- commonly known as the "Zocalo" -- is one of the biggest city plazas in the world. "It's a massive empty plot, which makes it the ideal site for our program," he said.

To conserve the numerous activities that take place on the 190,000 square-foot plaza throughout the year -- including concerts, protests, open-air exhibitions and military parades -- the void will be covered with a glass floor that Suarez believes will allow the life of the "Earthscraper" to blend with everything happening on top.

At present, Suarez and his team are in the process of presenting their idea to the local authorities. So, if you were in their shoes, what would you say? Is the "Earthscraper" a genuinely feasible innovation or a pretty but impractical pipe dream? Tell us you thoughts in the comments section below.

Nokia unveils the first Windows smartphones

How do you say "here goes nothing" in Finnish?Nokia's  bet-the-company moment is now underway, as the Finnish mobile phone maker unveiled two new smartphones Wednesday that will run Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system -- the first Nokia devices to run anything but the company's own software platform.

The struggling handset manufacturer is hoping the major strategy shift will boost its flagging fortunes in the booming smartphone market.
The two new devices, dubbed Lumia 800 and Lumia 710, will go on sale in Europe next month and represent the company's attempt to gain traction in the market dominated by Apple's  iPhones and Google's  Android operating system.

But Nokia has not yet committed to selling the phones in the United States. The company said it would begin selling Windows Phone devices here in early 2012, but it's not clear whether it will be a Lumia or another yet-to-be-released device.
Nokia did say it would sell U.S. devices next year built for the CDMA network, which Verizon  and Sprint use, as well as the HSPA standard, used by AT&T  and T-Mobile. Nokia's presence in the United States has been severely diminished in recent years, and it has not sold devices on the Verizon or Sprint networks since 2005.

As he unveiled the Lumia 800 in London, Nokia Chief Executive Stephen Elop said the company intends to be "leaders in smartphone design and craftsmanship." The top-tier Lumia 800 is based on the much-hyped N9 device, which Nokia unveiled earlier this year.

U.S. cell phones, tablets outnumber Americans

The Lumia phones put the emphasis on entertainment, navigation and sports, offering music mixes and a partnership with ESPN for mobile coverage.
The announcement follows Nokia's partnership with Microsoft in February. The phones, Elop said, were part of "a new dawn for Nokia."

Nokia also launched four new mobile phones that it said blur the line between smartphones and more traditional handsets by offering keyboards and touchscreens, combined with Internet access and integrated social networking.
Elop is under pressure to rejuvenate the company which, despite selling the highest volume of mobile phones worldwide, has suffered in the smartphone market. Earlier this year, Apple overtook Nokia to become the world's top smartphone maker.
Nokia announced last month that it plans to cut 3,500 jobs by the end of 2012. Those were in addition to 4,000 job cuts announced in April.

Obama reveals new refinance rules at Western trip start

President Barack Obama traveled to Las Vegas on Monday to launch a Western trip that mixes campaigning with presidential business -- and an appearance on "The Tonight Show."

After a campaign event at The Bellagio hotel and casino Monday afternoon, Obama met with homeowners at a private residence to announce new efforts to help homeowners with refinancing.

The government's Home Affordable Refinance Program will be changed to make it easier for homeowners to capitalize on current low interest rates by refinancing old, high-interest mortgages.

The new rules will allow homeowners who owe more than 125% of the market value of their homes to get the new loans.

"So let me just give you an example. If you've got a $250,000 mortgage at 6 percent interest rates, but the value of your home has fallen below $200,000, right now you can't refinance. You're ineligible," Obama said, according to a copy of his remarks released by the White House.

"But that's going to change. If you meet certain requirements, you will have the chance to refinance at lower rates, which could save you hundreds of dollars a month, and thousands of dollars a year on mortgage payments."

In addition, Obama told the gathering,"there are going to be lower closing costs, and certain refinancing fees will be eliminated -- fees that can sometimes cancel out the benefits of refinancing altogether." The changes also will allow consumers to shop around for better rates beyond their original lenders, he said.

Learn why the program probably won't help the real estate market

The president then traveled to Los Angeles, where he was expected to deliver remarks at two more campaign events.
On Tuesday, Obama will tape an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," according to the White House.

The last time the president appeared on the show, in March 2009, he caused controversy by attempting to poke fun at his poor bowling skills -- evident during a 2008 campaign stop. He told Leno he bowled 129 in the White House bowling alley and said his bowling skills were "like Special Olympics or something."

Before the show aired, the president called Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver to apologize, White House officials said, and stress his intention was not to humiliate the disabled. Shriver called Obama's apology "sincere and heartfelt," but noted in a written response, "This is a teachable moment for our country."

After the "Tonight Show" taping, Obama will travel to San Francisco for a fundraiser, according to the White House. On Tuesday night, he will be in Denver to push his jobs agenda. Other private fundraisers will also be sprinkled in, officials said.

A Democratic official estimates the campaign will haul in more than $4 million from six fundraisers in three states.

It's the second time in less than a month that Obama has headed west to push for jobs and raise campaign cash.

A senior campaign official noted the importance of spending time in the region, saying the "campaign has already established an extensive operation in Western states."

And they expect to make "heavy investments there."

The official singled out Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona, where the campaign has offices and field staff.

In 2008 Obama won decisively in Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico, but lost to Republican John McCain in McCain's home state of Arizona.

This time around the economy remains under heavy downward pressure despite efforts by the Obama administration to turn things around.

In Nevada, home prices have plummeted by 53% since the peak, and according to online real estate site Zillow, 85% of the state's homeowners owe more than their homes are worth.

At his fundraiser at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas Monday, the president acknowledged that "things are tough right now," but he reminded the audience of some 300 supporters of his accomplishments.

"As tough as things are right now, we were able to stabilize this economy and make sure it didn't go into a great depression," the president said.

While the campaign is targeting key Western states, officials realize every vote will be critical.

"Our goal in 2011 is to build the biggest organization possible to compete on the widest playing field possible in 2012," the campaign official said.

4 killed in attack on car carrying school exam papers

Four people were killed and several injured in an attack on a vehicle carrying government officials transporting school examination papers in northeastern Kenya Thursday, police said.

The incident occurred about 110 kilometers (68 miles) from Mandera, a border town with Somalia, Kenya Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere said.

It was unclear who carried out the attack on the car, he said, and police had been given conflicting accounts of what happened.

The Kenyan Red Cross said four people had been killed in heavy machine-gun fire on a small car heading from Mandera to a school.

Mandera is in a part of Kenya which suffers from chronic insecurity and both banditry and incursions by militant groups are relatively common.

Earlier this week, Kenya was shaken by twin grenade attacks in the capital, Nairobi -- one at a nightclub and a second at a crowded downtown bus station during rush hour -- which left one person dead and 20 injured.

A Kenyan man pleaded guilty Wednesday to being a member of the Islamic militant group Al-Shabaab and was charged with causing grievous bodily harm in the bus station attack.

It is not clear if Thursday's vehicle attack is linked to Monday's violence.

The U.S. Embassy in Kenya warned last week it had credible information regarding an imminent terror attack, but offered no details on who might carry out such an attack.

Kenya has been on edge since it sent troops across the border into Somalia nearly two weeks ago to pursue militants with Al-Shabaab, an Islamist group that the United States and other countries consider a terrorist organization. Kenya's action followed the recent abductions of tourists and aid workers in Kenya. It blames the abductions on Al-Shabaab, which has denied involvement.

Al-Shabaab has threatened to attack Kenya if it does not withdraw its forces from Somalia.

Al-Shabaab leaders contact Kenyan government to negotiate

Conflicting accounts emerged Thursday over whether the extremist group Al-Shabaab has signaled a desire to negotiate with Kenya amid a Kenyan military offensive targeting the group.

"They want to talk," said a Kenyan official who did not want to be named because he is not authorized to talk to the media.

A spokesman for the Kenyan government, however, disputed that account and said Kenya wouldn't talk with Al-Shabaab even if the group did want to negotiate.

"Al-Shabaab has not contacted Kenya in any way," said the spokesman, Alfred Mutua. "There are no plans whatsoever for Kenya to negotiate with Al-Shabaab. Kenya does not negotiate with outlawed groups."

He said Kenyan troops have enjoyed success since crossing the border into Somalia to pursue Al-Shabaab, which the United States and several Western nations view as a terrorist organization.

"They are running scared. I think they are busy running for their lives," Mutua said. "They don't have time to talk."

Kenyan troops struck several Al-Shabaab training sites in Somalia early Thursday, a military spokesman said. The militant group, which includes many rival factions with different leaders, operates from Somalia.

The group's leaders were said to be reaching out for possible negotiations two weeks after Kenyan troops stormed into Somalia to hunt for Al-Shabaab, which Kenya blames for recent kidnappings of foreigners in the nation.

But Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali, Al-Shabaab's second-in-command who is also known as Abu Mansur, told supporters protesting in Mogadishu against the Kenyan incursion that if Kenya struck targets in Somalia, the militant group would strike back.
Kenya has said its forces aim to take the Somali port city of Kismayo, described by the United Nations as a key stronghold and source of cash for Al-Shabaab. The United Nations estimates the group collects up to $50 million a year from businesses in Kismayo, about half of its annual income.

Robow urged what he said were Al-Shabaab-trained fighters in Kenya to take action in return, with the Kenyan port of Mombasa a target.

''Carry out attacks with heavy losses on Kenya," Robow said. "If Kenya closes the sea port in Kismayo, attack its banks, its port, its foreign guests and wherever there is a high-value target."

Kenyan officials have declared self-defense justifies crossing the border with Somalia, saying a recent spate of abductions threatened its security and constituted an attack. Kidnappers have seized two aid workers and two European tourists in the past month.

"We have looked at what is going on ... and decided that unless we move in now, Al-Shabaab is not diminishing, it is becoming bigger and bigger," Mutua said.

The war on terror cannot be won without dismantling the group's power, he said.

Efforts to flush out the terror group will take a "couple of months, if that," Mutua said, adding that "weeks" would be a more ideal time frame.

Analysts and diplomats have raised concerns over the incursion, saying it gives the terror group a reason to strike Kenya.

"If there is anything we have learned in the last couple of decades is that foreign intervention, especially military intervention, doesn't work in Somalia," said Rashid Abdi, an analyst for International Crisis Group. "I definitely understand Kenya's anxiety about the terror threat emanating from Somalia ... but I think there is more that Kenya could have done inside the country."

While noting Kenya's "right to defend itself," the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi said it was not part of the decision to send troops to Somalia.

"The United States did not encourage the Kenyan government to act nor did Kenya seek our views," said Katya Thomas, the embassy's press officer. "We note that Kenya has a right to defend itself against threats to its security and its citizens."

Somali President Sharif Ahmed thanked Kenya on Wednesday for helping battle the extremist group two days after he accused the nation of overstepping its boundaries.