Police seize video gamer live on cam

28 August 2014 Last updated at 17:06

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WATCH: The moment when the police raided the gamer's room

A video gamer's office near Denver, US, was dramatically raided by armed police - and the incident was broadcast live online.

Jordan Mathewson, known as Kootra online, was playing popular title Counter-Strike when several officers entered the room and arrested him.

According to ABC News, he was later released without charge.

Officers said they were now trying to trace what they believed was a hoax call, possibly targeting the gamer.

"The caller claimed to have shot two co-workers, held others hostage, and threatened to shoot them. He stated that if the officers entered he would shoot them as well," the Littleton Police Department said in a statement.

"There were no victims or any evidence that a shooting had taken place.

"If the investigation determines that today's incident was a hoax, those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

'Swatting'

As is popular with many gamers, Mr Mathewson had been live-streaming his game online.

At one point, Mr Mathewson told people listening that he thought the building was "being swatted".

Moments later, several armed officers enter the room, shouting and ordering Mr Mathewson to the ground where he is handcuffed.

The full video of the incident, which contains strong language and video game violence, was posted on YouTube.

In it, Mr Mathewson can be heard telling police: "I'm sitting there playing a game, people are watching it, and I guess a joker thought it would be funny to call you guys in."

As the incident played out, the game continued to take place without Mr Mathewson taking part.

"Swatting" is a growing issue for police in the US, in which hoax calls are made with the intention of sounding serious enough to provoke the SWAT - Special Weapons And Tactics - team into deployment.

Several cases of disgruntled gamers making hoax calls have been reported this year. Littleton police warned that hoaxes could have serious consequences.

"Fortunately there were no injuries today," the statement said.

"But a massive law enforcement response wastes resources and greatly increases the chances of innocent people being injured or killed."

At the end of the match, the game can be heard declaring: "Terrorists win."

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VIDEO: Taps run dry amid California drought

California has been hit by its worst drought in a century, leaving hundreds of households and landowners without water.

Authorities are drilling deeper and more often in search of ground water, but with little success.

Now experts say the problem is set to worsen, with Nasa scientists predicting the dry conditions could become "the new normal".

Alastair Leithead reports.

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VIDEO: TV crew member killed filming robbery

A member of a television crew filming for reality TV show, Cops, has been accidentally killed in cross fire by police officers who responded to a robbery in Omaha.

The city's police chief said the robber, who also died in the incident on Tuesday, fired at the officers with a pellet gun that looked like a real pistol.

In the confusion, soundman Bryce Dion, was hit with a single bullet and died.

Peter Bowes reports.

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VIDEO: Giant waves sweep California coast

Waves as high as 20ft (6m) in southern California have damaged waterfront homes, knocked out pier pilings and attracted scores of surfers.

The waves are the result of swells produced by Hurricane Marie in the Pacific, 800 miles (1,300km) west of Mexico's Baja California peninsula.

David Eades reports.

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FBI probes JP Morgan 'cyber-attack'

28 August 2014 Last updated at 11:40

The FBI says it is investigating reports in the US media of recent cyber-attacks against several US banks.

The reports suggest between two and five banks have been targeted, including Wall Street giant JP Morgan Chase.

JP Morgan Chase declined to comment on the reports directly, but said companies of its size experienced cyber-attacks "nearly every day".

The FBI did not indicate who it suspected of being behind the attacks.

A statement from the bureau said it was working with the US secret services to determine the scope of the attacks.

But Bloomberg News, which first reported the attacks, said the investigation was looking at the possible involvement of Russia, amid worsening relations with the US over crises in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Bloomberg quoted security experts saying that the capabilities of the hackers to breach several layers of security appeared to be "far beyond the capability of ordinary criminal hackers".

Eastern Europe

But others questioned why this attack involved the apparent theft of data, rather than the disruption of services more characteristic of retaliatory attacks from state actors.

"This is very different from the alleged Iranian attacks earlier in 2012 and late 2013 that were purely of a denial-of-service nature," said Amichai Shulman, chief technology officer at security firm Imperva.

"I find it odd that someone who was actually able to break into a bank is not using it for making immediate profit.

"Everyone is trying hard to tie this with the whole political situation with Russia. However, it is well known that for a few years now, a large portion of banking attacks and financially related hacking has consistently been coming from Eastern Europe."

A spokeswoman for JP Morgan Chase said: "Companies of our size unfortunately experience cyber-attacks nearly every day.

"We have multiple layers of defence to counteract any threats and constantly monitor fraud levels."

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Pitt and Jolie wedding announced

28 August 2014 Last updated at 14:14

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Colin Paterson: "They said they'd never get married until same sex marriage was legal in California"

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are now married, according to a spokesman for the Hollywood couple.

Pitt, 50, and Jolie, 39, tied the knot in France on Saturday, ending years of speculation over when and where they would finally walk down the aisle.

The actors were wed in a small chapel in Chateau Miraval in a private, nondenominational, civil ceremony attended by family and friends.

The couple's children took part in the wedding, the Associated Press reports.

Jolie walked along the aisle with her eldest sons Maddox and Pax, 13 and 10 respectively, while her daughters Zahara, nine, and Vivienne, six, threw petals.

Eight-year-old Shiloh and six-year-old Knox served as ring bearers, according to the couple's spokesman.

The couple obtained a marriage licence beforehand from a California judge who travelled to France to conduct the ceremony.

Chateau Miraval in Correns, a village in the southern French region of Var, has been their second home since 2008.

Pitt was previously married to Friends star Jennifer Aniston, while Jolie was previously married to actors Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton.

The couple, whose relationship began after they starred together in the 2005 film Mr and Mrs Smith, have been engaged since April 2012.

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US supermarket sale ends bitter feud

28 August 2014 Last updated at 16:46

The US supermarket chain Market Basket has agreed to sell to a majority stake to former boss Arthur T Demoulas, ending a months-long dispute.

In announcing his purchase, Mr Demoulas told workers, who had gone on strike in July to protest against his firing, "You are simply the best".

The 70-plus stores belonging to the chain are mostly located in the northeastern United States.

It was estimated the company was losing $70m (£42m) a day during the strike.

Late on Wednesday, Mr Demoulas announced that he had reached an agreement to purchase the 50.5% of the company he did not control from a rival faction controlled by his cousin, Arthur S Demoulas, for $1.5bn.

"Words cannot express how much I appreciate each and every one of you," Mr Demoulas said while addressing workers outside the company's Massachusetts headquarters on Thursday morning.

The company employs roughly 25,000 people in the area.

Long-running dispute

The saga - which had shades of a soap opera - began in June, when Mr Demoulas was ousted as chief executive of the company by a rival faction of his family, which controlled 50.5% of the firm.

The dispute was said to have been over a series of investments Mr Demoulas had authorised, which led to large losses and smaller payouts for Market Basket's shareholders.

However, the dispute simmered for a month until the new management fired eight workers who had protested against Mr Demoulas's demise in July.

That is when a campaign led by Market Basket workers and customers to "Save Market Basket" began to gather steam.

Workers went on strike, truck drivers refused to deliver fresh produce and meat, and shoppers boycotted stores, leading to empty shelves and the near-collapse of the firm.

Efforts on social media also paid off, with an anonymously-run Facebook page to save the firm gathering over 90,000 likes and the hashtag, #MarketBasket, trending often on Twitter.

This brought national and international attention to the plight of the workers, stunning many in the industry both because the workers were not unionised and because they were campaigning for an almost-unheard of thing: the reinstatement of their boss.

Although negotiations between Mr Demoulas and his cousin, Arthur S Demoulas, continued through July, tensions were further agitated when Market Basket's new co-chief executives announced a job fair in early August to hire replacement workers.

'In awe'

Now, those workers are breathing a sigh of relief.

Many tweeted pictures of newly-stocked shelves at several stores where meat counters and fresh produce areas had been empty for the past few weeks.

The question now is whether the chain, which has been essentially not in operation for two months, can recover from the essential collapse of its operations.

Boycotting customers said they would return to shop at the store immediately, as the chain is known for its lower-than-average prices.

"See you at 7 AM tomorrow to buy anything on the shelves!!!! I don't even have a dog but I'll buy dog food if needed!!" wrote one.

Mr Demoulas, in finishing his address to workers before going to inspect several processing facilities, echoed the sentiments of many participants and observers when he said:

"I am in awe of what you have all accomplished."

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Ford 'threatened' fellow school coach

29 August 2014 Last updated at 02:33

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's time as a youth football coach allegedly included threatening a teacher and making players roll in goose droppings, according to newly released documents.

Mr Ford was fired from the volunteer job at the city's Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School in May 2013.

His brother, Councillor Doug Ford, called the school board's documents "fictitious rumours and allegations".

Mr Ford admitted using crack-cocaine "in a drunken stupor" last year.

However, the mayor has refused to step down and is running for re-election in October. In May he entered rehab for alcohol and drug abuse.

The school board files were released following a records request by Canadian media. Mr Ford himself has yet to comment on the allegations.

Concerns

More than 300 pages document the school's concerns about Ford staying on as volunteer coach and emails on how best to handle firing him.

It was initially believed Mr Ford was sacked because of comments about the school's students and parents he made on Canadian television in March 2013.

In an interview with Sun News Network, the mayor said the parents did not care about their children, who were involved in gangs and drugs.

The documents suggest the interview was a breaking point for an already strained relationship between the Toronto mayor and the school.

Among the documents' allegations:

• Mr Ford turned up drunk to a practice before a championship football game
• He promised to pay for helmets, then said he had already given enough money, leaving the school with the rest of the bill
• He encouraged high school players to be a "human shield" at the height of media interest in his cocaine habit
• He threatened a staff coach and teacher, and later apologised
• Mr Ford offered cash to cleaning staff to keep the school open an hour longer
• He swore at players while forcing them to roll in grass with goose droppings

Toronto Catholic District School Board spokesman John Yan told the Associated Press news agency the incidents only came to light after the board began a review of Ford's time at the school following his comments.

"The investigation revealed that what were first thought to be isolated incidents connected to form a pattern," Mr Yan said.

"As with any organisation, an individual is entitled to due process and this always takes time."

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No charges in US accidental shooting

29 August 2014 Last updated at 06:10

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Video released by the Mojave County Sheriff's Department shows Charles Vacca teaching the nine-year-old shortly before the accident happened

Officials say there will be no charges after an incident in which a nine-year-old girl fatally shot a gun instructor.

The death of Charles Vacca, 39, was "being viewed as an industrial accident," Mohave County Sheriff's office said in a statement.

Vacca was giving the girl a lesson at an Arizona shooting range when the recoil from a firearm caused her to lose control of the Uzi submachine gun.

He died after being airlifted to a hospital in Las Vegas.

The girl was at the shooting range with her parents, who filmed the lesson.

The footage shows the instructor coaching her as she fires a single shot at a target at the Last Stop shooting range in White Hills, Arizona.

The Uzi then appears to be switched to automatic as the girl pulls the trigger and loses her grip of the weapon.

The video, edited and released by the Mojave County Sheriff's office, ends abruptly before the instructor is shot.

Children and guns by the numbers:

• 18: The number of people age 24 and younger killed by firearms in the US each day
• 55: The percentage of US homes with children and firearms in which one or more weapons are kept in an unlocked place
• 1.6: The number, in millions, of children 18 and under who are estimated to be living in homes with loaded and unlocked firearms
• 72: The percentage of parents who say they have spoken with their children about the hazards of guns

Source: Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, ABC News

Guns a part of American childhood

The unnamed girl and her family were on a visit to Arizona from New Jersey.

A spokeswoman for the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health confirmed that the agency was also investigating the shooting, but would give no further details.

The website of the shooting range, called Bullets and Burgers, says children aged eight and older can shoot a weapon if they are accompanied by a parent and an instructor.

Range operator Sam Scarmardo told the Associated Press news agency the facility had not had an accident in the 12 years it has been open.

"We really don't know what happened. Our guys are trained to basically hover over people when they're shooting," he told a local broadcaster.

"If they're shooting right-handed, we have our right-hand behind them ready to push the weapon out of the way. And if they're left-handed, the same thing."

A similar incident in 2008 killed an eight-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself in the head during a gun expo in Massachusetts.

Uzis

• Submachine gun designed in 1950s for Israel's army
• Exported to many countries and used in many conflicts
• Capable of automatic or semi-automatic fire
• Standard rate of fire 600 rounds per minute

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Rivers 'resting' after health scare

29 August 2014 Last updated at 09:30

US comedienne Joan Rivers is "resting comfortably" and with her family after reportedly going into cardiac arrest during surgery on her vocal cords.

"We ask that you continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers," said the 81-year-old's daughter Melissa.

Rivers was taken ill on Thursday at an outpatient centre in the Yorkville neighbourhood of Manhattan.

The comic is understood to have stopped breathing during surgery and was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

According to unconfirmed reports, the performer's heart had stopped beating during the procedure.

Before being admitted to hospital, Rivers had been due to appear on Friday at a theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey.

The veteran performer and outspoken fashion critic has won both fans and detractors with her acerbic remarks and waspish sideswipes at the rich and famous.

News of her condition prompted a deluge of get well wishes from members of that community, among them Star Trek actor Zachary Quinto and singer Courtney Love.

"I want to thank everyone for the overwhelming love and support for my mother," said Melissa Rivers in a statement.

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US 'soccer moms' sue over concussion

28 August 2014 Last updated at 03:21

A group of young American footballers and their parents have sued Fifa and US football groups over the risks from concussions.

The California class-action lawsuit accuses the sport's governing bodies of acting "carelessly and negligently" and failing to protect young players.

The filing also calls for new safety rules, including limiting the number of headers for young players,

The US collegiate sports authority settled a similar suit last month.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) agreed to toughen rules over how long players have to rest after a head injury, and to create a multi-million dollar fund to test athletes for brain trauma.

The Fifa suit, filed by two former youth football players and parents of current young players, does not seek monetary damages, but calls for a medical monitoring programme for those who played football as children and young adults and may have suffered concussions.

The filing argues "there is an epidemic of concussion injuries in soccer at all levels around the world" and that "Fifa presides over this epidemic and is one of its primary causes" through its ability to set the rules of the game.

The US Soccer Federation, US Youth Soccer Associations and several other football groups are also named as defendants.

A Fifa spokeswoman told US media they had no comment as they had not yet seen the lawsuit.

The spokeswoman, Delia Fischer, told the Bloomberg website the association has assigned a "high priority" to prevention and treatment of head injuries, and has "clear recommendations" for team doctors.

The lawsuit particularly focuses on heading, citing research that the practice is more damaging for young people because their neck muscles are weaker and cannot slow the impact of the ball on the head.

Among the changes sought are limiting the number of times a player under 17 can head the ball and allowing temporary substitutions in professional leagues if a player has received a head injury.

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Cops crew member killed by US police

27 August 2014 Last updated at 23:42

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Police chief Todd Schmaderer: "It became a chaotic scene"

A crew member on a US police reality TV show has been shot and killed after Nebraska police opened fire on a robbery suspect.

Bryce Dion, 38, was wearing a bulletproof vest but the bullet that hit him "slipped into a gap" in the arm and entered his chest, police said.

Dion was a sound operator on Cops for seven years, the show's producer said.

Police also killed the robbery suspect, Cortez Washington, who was on parole from prison.

"This is very hard for us," Morgan Langley, who hired Dion, said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Cops is a long-running US television series that follows police officers while they are on-duty. The show has featured police forces from at least 140 US cities and three other countries.

Dion and a cameraman were with two officers who responded to a call for backup at a fast-food restaurant in Omaha.

Washington fired a pellet gun, which police and witnesses thought was a real weapon, Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said.

Chief Schmaderer told reporters police fired back and Washington was struck by officers' gunfire but fled outside of the restaurant before collapsing.

Dion was struck as police continued to fire on Washington as he left the restaurant.

The Omaha World-Herald reported police fired at least 30 shots during the incident.

Chief Schmaderer said his officers were "taking this very hard".

"Bryce was their friend."

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Millions knocked offline in US

28 August 2014 Last updated at 08:09

A fault with Time Warner Cable's network left millions of people cut off from the internet in the US.

The firm said the problem affected customers in all 29 of the states in which it offered broadband connections.

The problem started in the early hours of Wednesday morning, which will have limited its effect.

The company said that most, but not all, of its 11.4 million internet subscribers were back online within four hours of the problem's start.

"Unfortunately, I do not have an estimate time of repair," the service's Twitter account responded to one user who asked when his home connection would be restored.

"During an overnight network maintenance activity in which we were managing IP [internet protocol] addresses, an erroneous configuration was propagated throughout our national backbone, resulting in a network outage," explained a company spokesman.

"We immediately identified and corrected the root cause of the issue and restored service by 07.30 ET.

"We apologise for any inconvenience this caused our customers. A failure of this size is very serious and we are taking the necessary steps to improve our processes with the objective of making sure this doesn't happen again."

Time Warner Cable is in the process of being acquired by Comcast, another US internet service provider.

In a separate development, TWC has been ordered to pay a fine following earlier problems with its network.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said that the company had failed to report the disruptions in a timely manner.

As part of a settlement, TWC has agreed to pay a $1.1m (£660,000) penalty and implement a three-year compliance plan.

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US F-15 jet crashes in Virginia

27 August 2014 Last updated at 17:40

A US military jet has crashed in Virginia but the fate of the pilot is unknown, military officials say.

Witnesses near the crash site in the town of Deerfield reported hearing a loud noise and seeing a large plume of smoke in the sky.

Officials lost contact with the Massachusetts Air National Guard F-15 shortly before the crash, police said.

No injuries on the ground have been reported and rescue workers have been dispatched to the area, police added.

Major Matthew Mutti, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Air National Guard, said the single-seat aircraft had been on a routine training exercise and had no munitions on board.

Augusta County Sheriff's office said the plane went down at around 09:00 local time (13:00 GMT).

Jenny McNeal, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office, said the crash site was in a rural area near Deerfield town in George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.

Rebecca Shinaberry, a 63-year-old who lives on a farm near the crash site, told the AP news agency that she saw a "big plume of smoke" after hearing "the loudest noise I've ever heard."

The US Air Force currently has 249 F-15 jets in operation and they have been deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years.

The type that crashed in Virginia was an F-15C, which costs $30 million (£18m).

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US hostage mother makes video plea

27 August 2014 Last updated at 20:45

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Shirley Sotloff appeals for the release of her son

The mother of Steven Sotloff, a US journalist being held by Islamic State (IS) militants, has made an emotional video appeal for his release.

Shirley Sotloff addressed her plea directly to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the militant group.

Mr Sotloff, who vanished last year in Syria, appeared in a video showing the killing of US journalist James Foley.

The militant on the video said his life depended on the next move of US President Barack Obama.

The US has recently carried out dozens of air strikes against IS targets in Iraq.

In her video message, Mrs Sotloff described her son as a journalist who had travelled to the Middle East to cover the "suffering of Muslims under the hands of tyrants".

"Steven has no control over the actions of the US government. He's an innocent journalist. I've always learned that you, the caliph, can grant amnesty. I ask you to please release my child," said Mrs Sotloff.

"I ask you to use your authority to spare his life and to follow the example set by the Prophet Muhammad."

Mr Sotloff's case was not widely reported after his mother was told by IS militants he would be killed if she publicised it.

But last week, Mr Sotloff appeared at the end of an IS video showing the beheading of James Foley.

The masked militant who beheaded Mr Foley held Mr Sotloff by the collar and said: "The life of this American citizen, Obama, depends on your next decision."

Analysis: Christopher Voss, ex-FBI hostage negotiator, CEO of Black Swan Group

Shirley Sotloff was respectful of the kidnappers, and that was wise of her. Demonstrating respect is one of the best things to do in these situations, and it's also one of the hardest things.

The chances of success are slim, and it takes a lot of courage to try something that most likely will fail. To be able to pull yourself together and choose this kind of approach is an indication you're an extremely strong human being.

Still it's a wise choice. I believe she would never be able to forgive herself if she hadn't gone ahead and tried.

Earlier on Wednesday, another US journalist who was recently freed by militants in Syria, thanked everyone who had helped with his release.

Peter Theo Curtis, 45, was released on Sunday after being held captive for almost two years by al-Nusra militants.

"I had no idea so much effort was being expended on my behalf," Mr Curtis said.

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Jasper Johns aide in $6.5m art theft

27 August 2014 Last updated at 21:02

An assistant of American painter Jasper Johns has pleaded guilty to selling artworks worth $6.5m (£3.9m) he stole from the artist's studio

James Meyer, 52, stole 22 artworks deemed not completed by Johns and sold them to buyers who agreed they would be kept private for eight years.

Johns, 84, is known for his use of flags and numbers in his art.

Meyer, who faces up to 10 years in prison, was an assistant in Johns' Connecticut studio for 25 years.

He pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property and admitted moving the art works from the studio to an art gallery in Manhattan from 2006 to 2011.

"James Meyer made millions by stealing and selling the valuable artworks that he was entrusted with maintaining," prosecutor Preet Bharara said in a statement.

"With his guilty plea today, Meyer will now have to pay for that decision."

Meyer told a gallery owner nearly two dozen incomplete works had been personal gifts from Johns, and provided fake documentation.

He also created fake inventory numbers and pages in a ledger book of registered Johns artwork to further assure the gallery owner the works were authorised.

The gallery sold the works for $6..5m, with Meyer eventually receiving $3.4m.

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US girl, nine, kills gun instructor

27 August 2014 Last updated at 22:08

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Video released by the Mojave County Sheriff's Department shows Charles Vacca teaching the nine-year-old shortly before the accident happened

A nine year-old girl in the US has killed her shooting instructor by accident while being shown how to use a high-powered submachine gun.

The instructor was giving the girl a lesson at a shooting range in Arizona when the recoil from the automatic fire caused her to lose control of the Uzi.

Charles Vacca, 39, was shot in the head and died after being airlifted to a hospital in Las Vegas.

The girl was at the shooting range with her parents, who filmed the lesson.

The footage shows the instructor coaching her as she fires a single shot at a target at the Last Stop shooting range in White Hills, Arizona.

The Uzi then appears to be switched to automatic as the girl pulls the trigger and loses her grip of the weapon.

The video, edited and released by the Mojave County Sheriff's office, ends abruptly before the instructor is shot.

The website of the shooting range, called Bullets and Burgers, says children aged eight and older can shoot a weapon if they are accompanied by a parent and an instructor.

Range operator Sam Scarmardo told the Associated Press news agency the rule was industry standard but the range is reviewing its safety procedures.

Americans react to Arizona shooting

Todd Watkins, Atlanta, Georgia

I am pro-gun and I own 112 guns. I have hunting firearms and defensive firearms. I use an AR-15 for protection.

For me the issue is that this child was firing an automatic weapon. I would not have my child training with automatic weapons. Automatic firearms are harder to control.

Brianna Grocholski, Richmond, Virginia

With all of the mass killings and violence that children are regularly exposed to, I do not find it necessary to advocate for children to shoot.

Children should be preoccupied with what is important: their education. Academics is our priority and the longer our children can remain innocent, the better.

Arizona shooting: America reacts

The facility has not had a safety accident in the 12 years it has been open, he added.

"We really don't know what happened. Our guys are trained to basically hover over people when they're shooting," he told a local broadcaster.

"If they're shooting right-handed, we have our right-hand behind them ready to push the weapon out of the way. And if they're left-handed, the same thing."

A similar incident in 2008 killed an eight-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself in the head during a gun expo in Massachusetts.

Correspondents say it is common in parts of the US for children to be taught how to use firearms.

Many firing ranges have strict safety rules on instructing children, Arizona firearms safety expert Ronald Scott told the Associated Press.

But instructors usually also have their hands on a high-powered firearm while children are firing such weapons.

"You can't give a nine-year-old an Uzi and expect her to control it," Mr Scott said.

Uzis

• Submachine gun designed in 1950s for Israel's army
• Exported to many countries and used in many conflicts
• Capable of automatic or semi-automatic fire
• Standard rate of fire 600 rounds per minute

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Southern California sees giant waves

28 August 2014 Last updated at 00:23

Waves as high as 20ft (6m) in southern California have damaged waterfront homes, knocked out pier pilings and attracted scores of surfers.

The waves are the result of swells produced by Hurricane Marie in the Pacific, 800 miles (1,300km) west of Mexico's Baja California peninsula.

Dangerous wave conditions are expected to continue through Thursday despite a weakened storm.

One person has died while surfing on a beach in Malibu.

But it is unclear if the death was caused by the surf or a medical condition.

Despite the danger, thousands of spectators lined the Wedge, a popular surf spot in Newport Beach, to watch surfboarders take on the waves, town officials said.

The swells are the largest seen in southern California since a pair of hurricanes hit the Pacific within weeks of each other in 1997, National Weather Service weather specialist Stuart Ceto said.

Have you been affected by the rare extreme waves? You can email your experience and photos to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.

Read the terms and conditions

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Ambassador 'suspect in girl beating'

28 August 2014 Last updated at 05:55

Equatorial Guinea's ambassador to the US is suspected of beating a girl with a wooden chair leg but will not be arrested because he has diplomatic immunity, officials say.

Police in Arlington, near Washington DC, were called to Ambassador Ruben Maye Nsue Mangue's residence on Monday.

Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said they found a juvenile with a large cut to her head and other injuries.

"We determined the ambassador was the primary suspect," he said.

Mr Sternbeck said the girl had sustained a "significant laceration" to her head, bruises and a swollen eye and was taken to Virginia Hospital Center.

He said she had been beaten with the wooden leg of a chair.

Mr Sternbeck added that police officers, who do not have jurisdiction in cases involving diplomats, did not make any arrests and informed the US state department.

A state department official said the agency was in contact with local authorities but could not discuss the incident further.

The girl was widely reported to be the ambassador's teenage daughter. On Wednesday, a woman at the residence told the Associated Press news agency by telephone that the ambassador's daughter was fine and was in good spirits.

The embassy of Equatorial Guinea - a Central African country with a population of about 740,000 people - has not commented on the incident.

Mr Sternbeck said Arlington police had been called to the same residence over a domestic incident in December 2013 but due to diplomatic immunity no-one was detained or charged,

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FBI probe JP Morgan 'cyber-attack'

28 August 2014 Last updated at 11:40

The FBI says it is investigating reports in the US media of recent cyber-attacks against several US banks.

The reports suggest between two and five banks have been targeted, including Wall Street giant JP Morgan Chase.

JP Morgan Chase declined to comment on the reports directly, but said companies of its size experienced cyber-attacks "nearly every day".

The FBI did not indicate who it suspected of being behind the attacks.

A statement from the bureau said it was working with the US secret services to determine the scope of the attacks.

But Bloomberg News, which first reported the attacks, said the investigation was looking at the possible involvement of Russia, amid worsening relations with the US over crises in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Bloomberg quoted security experts saying that the capabilities of the hackers to breach several layers of security appeared to be "far beyond the capability of ordinary criminal hackers".

Eastern Europe

But others questioned why this attack involved the apparent theft of data, rather than the disruption of services more characteristic of retaliatory attacks from state actors.

"This is very different from the alleged Iranian attacks earlier in 2012 and late 2013 that were purely of a denial-of-service nature," said Amichai Shulman, chief technology officer at security firm Imperva.

"I find it odd that someone who was actually able to break into a bank is not using it for making immediate profit.

"Everyone is trying hard to tie this with the whole political situation with Russia. However, it is well known that for a few years now, a large portion of banking attacks and financially related hacking has consistently been coming from Eastern Europe."

A spokeswoman for JP Morgan Chase said: "Companies of our size unfortunately experience cyber-attacks nearly every day.

"We have multiple layers of defence to counteract any threats and constantly monitor fraud levels."

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US girl, nine, kills gun instructor

27 August 2014 Last updated at 09:54

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Video released by the Mojave County Sheriff's Department shows Charles Vacca teaching the nine-year-old shortly before the accident happened

A nine year-old girl in the US has killed her shooting instructor by accident while being shown how to use a high-powered submachine gun.

The instructor was giving the girl a lesson at a shooting range in Arizona when the recoil from the automatic fire caused her to lose control of the Uzi.

Charles Vacca, 39, was shot in the head and died after being airlifted to a hospital in Las Vegas.

The girl was at the shooting range with her parents, who filmed the lesson.

The footage shows the instructor coaching her as she fires a single shot at a target at the Last Stop shooting range in White Hills, Arizona.

The Uzi then appears to be switched to automatic as the girl pulls the trigger and loses her grip of the weapon.

The video, edited and released by the Mojave County Sheriff's office, ends abruptly before the instructor is shot.

Correspondents say it is common in parts of the US for children to be taught how to use firearms.

Many firing ranges have strict safety rules on instructing children. It is not clear what age limits the range has.

Uzis

• Submachine gun designed in 1950s for Israel's army
• Exported to many countries and used in many conflicts
• Capable of automatic or semi-automatic fire
• Standard rate of fire 600 rounds per minute

Are you a parent in the US? Has your child had shooting lessons? You can email your reactions to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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Fight for leg room diverts flight

26 August 2014 Last updated at 17:36

A US airliner has been diverted after a row broke out over one passenger's use of a device to prevent the seat in front of him from reclining.

A male and female passenger were involved in a heated dispute on Sunday, after the male passenger attached a Knee Defender to his seat.

The argument forced the United Airlines flight from Newark to Denver to make an unscheduled stop in Chicago.

Police investigated the incident but said it was a customer service issue.

The passengers involved were reported to be sitting in the Economy Plus section of the plane, which already provides an extra four inches (10cm) of leg room.

Unruly behaviour

The fight began when the male passenger, seated in a middle seat of row 12, used the Knee Defender to stop the woman in front of him from reclining while he used his laptop, officials said.

A flight attendant asked him to remove the device - a small piece of plastic costing $21.95 (£13.25) which slots onto the tray table - but he refused.

The woman reacted by standing up, turning around and throwing a cup of water at him.

The flight crew then made the decision to divert the plane to Chicago, where police were waiting to meet it.

Under US law, the passengers, both 48, could have been fined for unruly behaviour.

But police decided the incident was not a threat to aviation security.

Despite this, the passengers were not allowed to continue onto Denver.

'Be courteous'

The US Federal Aviation Administration has said it is up to individual airlines to set rules about whether they allow the use of the Knee Defender on flights.

Most major US airlines, including United Airlines, have banned the device.

Its inventor, Ira Goldman, has said people should be courteous and tell the passenger sitting in front of them when they are using a Knee Defender.

"The Knee Defender says right on it: 'Be courteous. Do not hog space. Listen to the flight crew.' Apparently that is not what happened here," he told USA Today.

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Sherlock in triple Emmy Awards win

26 August 2014 Last updated at 07:55

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Sherlock and Breaking Bad both enjoyed success at this year's Emmys

BBC One drama Sherlock has won a hat-trick of awards at the US Primetime Emmys in Los Angeles.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman won best actor and best supporting actor in a mini-series, although neither was at the ceremony.

Steven Moffat also won best writing in a mini-series for the final episode of Sherlock's third season.

Drug drama Breaking Bad was the biggest winner on the night, scooping five awards including best drama series.

It was the second consecutive year that the show, which ended last September after five seasons, had picked up the ceremony's highest honour.

Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston was named best actor in a drama series for a fourth time as the teacher-turned-drug kingpin Walter White.

He beat a host of Hollywood heavyweights including Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson for their roles in the acclaimed crime drama True Detective.

"I have gratitude for everything that has happened," Cranston said.

His co-stars Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn were also honoured for best supporting actor and supporting actress in a drama series.

Collecting the award for best drama series, Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan said: "Holy cow! This is indeed a wonderful time to be working in television. Thank you for this wonderful farewell to our show."

In other categories, The Good Wife star Julianna Margulies won the Emmy for best lead actress in a drama series for her part as lawyer Alicia Florrick.

"I feel like this is the golden age of television, but it's also the time for women in television," she said. "I feel very grateful to be here."

There were also best actress and best supporting actress in a mini-series awards for Oscar winners Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates for their roles in American Horror Story: Coven.

Although there was a considerable amount of British talent up for awards, success only came from Sherlock's triple win and a best director award for Colin Bucksey for Fargo.

ITV drama Downton Abbey walked away empty-handed despite nominations for its stars Michelle Dockery, Dame Maggie Smith, Joanne Froggart and Jim Carter.

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Big screen style at the Emmys

BBC series Luther also lost out in the best mini-series category to FX's small screen adaptation of Fargo.

Game of Thrones actress Lena Headey, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Idris Elba, Helena Bonham Carter, Minnie Driver and Ricky Gervais were among the other British stars who were nominated.

Sitcom Modern Family was named best comedy series for a fifth consecutive year, equalling the record set by 1990s show Frasier for most comedy wins.

Ty Burrell also walked away with best supporting actor in a comedy for his role on the show.

The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons won best actor in a comedy series. Julia Louis-Dreyfus won her third consecutive Emmy for playing foul-mouthed US Vice President Selina Meyer in political satire Veep.

Allison Janney won the best supporting actress in a comedy series for Mom.

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Billy Crystal paid tribute to his friend Robin Williams

The ceremony also paid tribute to industry members who died in the past year.

They included James Garner, Ruby Dee, Sid Caesar, Carmen Zapata and Elaine Stritch.

It concluded with a special homage to Robin Williams by long-time friend Billy Crystal, who remembered the actor as "the brightest star in a comedy galaxy".

"It is very hard to talk about him in the past because he was so present in our lives," Crystal said.

"While some of the brightest of our celestial bodies are actually extinct now, their energy long since cool, but miraculously, because they float in the heavens so far away from the sound, their beautiful life will continue to shine on us forever.

"And the glow will be so bright, it will warm your heart, it will make your eyes glisten, and you'll think to yourself, Robin Williams - what a concept."

The main ceremony at the Nokia Theatre followed the Creative Arts Emmy prize-giving on 16 August, honouring TV guest stars and behind-the-scenes crew.

There were four awards for Sherlock including best cinematography, music, single-camera picture editing and sound editing.

"It's great to see Sherlock being recognised so spectacularly at the Emmys," Ben Stephenson, controller of BBC drama said.

"I'm delighted that the BBC is home to so much world class acting and writing talent."

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Funeral held for Ferguson teenager

25 August 2014 Last updated at 19:51

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As Aleem Maqbool reports, hundreds of people celebrated Michael Brown's life

Hundreds of people have attended the funeral for the black teenager killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri.

Mourners at the Friendly Temple Baptist Church in St Louis sang, prayed and remembered the life of Michael Brown.

Mr Brown, 18, who was unarmed, was killed on 9 August after being stopped by a white police officer for walking in the middle of the street.

His death sparked days of protests and violent clashes, but tensions appear to have eased in recent days.

Two poster-sized photos of Mr Brown were placed inside the church near the casket, along with another photo of him as a small child.

Those in the church sang, clapped and danced to gospel music before the service started.

'Senseless killing'

Mr Brown's family addressed mourners, describing Michael as a gentle soul.

His cousin, Eric Davis, said his generation had stood up to what had happened in Ferguson.

"We have had enough. We have had enough of having our brothers and sisters killed in the streets," he said. "Hear our voice. We have had enough of this senseless killing."

Addressing the mourners, civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton said people had a right to protest without police intimidation.

"America is going to have to come to terms when there's something wrong, that we have money to give military equipment to police forces, when we don't have money for training and money for public education," he said.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon did not attend, while President Barack Obama sent three White House aides to represent him.

'There will be an uprising'

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Rajini Vaidyanathan speaks to mourners at the funeral of Michael Brown

The mood outside the church was peaceful and sombre, said BBC correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan, in St Louis.

"We don't know the Brown family but our hearts empathise with them for their loss and the senseless violence," one mourner told the BBC.

But there is still anger in Ferguson, which has a majority black population, after the shooting by police officer Darren Wilson - who is currently suspended on full pay.

"If Darren Wilson is not charged, there will be an uprising," another mourner said.

A grand jury panel of residents has begun hearing evidence in the case, though the country prosecutor has said the process could take until October.

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Michael Brown Snr on Sunday: "All I want is peace while my son is laid to rest"

Many residents have demanded that Officer Wilson should be arrested and prosecuted.

Witnesses have said Mr Brown was shot as he held his hands up in a position of surrender, while the police and supporters of Mr Wilson have said he fired during a fight with Mr Brown.

The response by the authorities, who flooded the town with hundreds of officers in riot gear and brought in the national guard, has been criticised as heavy-handed.

The authorities were also criticised for not being transparent enough in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, when they refused to name the police officer involved.

However, police also say the protests were inflamed by agitators who travelled to Ferguson from elsewhere, and that they responded to threats made against them and the firing of weapons from the crowd.

Ahead of the funeral, Michael Brown's father made a plea his plea for calm. He said on Sunday: "Tomorrow all I want is peace."

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US soldier kills herself at base

25 August 2014 Last updated at 22:19

A soldier barricaded herself inside an office on a Virginia Army base before shooting herself in the head, Army officials have said.

The unnamed soldier was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital on Monday.

The US Army's Fort Lee base was put on lockdown for part of the morning after a report of an "active shooter".

Maj Gen Stephen Lyons said the soldier was talking to negotiators before firing a small gun that was not her service weapon.

"This situation could've been worse," he told reporters during a press conference earlier on Monday, adding no-one else was hurt.

He described the soldier as "enraged" but did not say what about.

"We are sad for our solider in arms that she faced those types of challenges that she thought she had to resort to those kind of actions," said Maj Gen Lyons.

The soldier held the rank of sergeant first class, and was previously deployed to Iraq in 2007. Army officials said they were withholding her identity until family members were notified.

Gen Lyons told reporters the soldier was alone in a third-floor office while negotiators spoke to her from outside a closed door.

He added those talking to her believed they were making progress when they heard a gunshot.

The all-clear on Fort Lee was sounded at 09:50 local time (13:50 GMT), about an hour after the base went on lockdown.

In April, three soldiers were killed and 16 wounded when army Specialist Ivan Lopez opened fire at the Fort Hood Army base in Texas before taking his own life.

The same base was also the scene of a 2009 rampage in which 13 soldiers were killed and 32 wounded by Maj Nidal Hasan.

In September 2013, Aaron Alexis, a 34-year-old former US Navy reservist, killed 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard.

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US sanctions Syria air surveillance

26 August 2014 Last updated at 11:53

US President Barack Obama has authorised surveillance flights over Syria in order to gain intelligence on the activities of Islamic State (IS).

Correspondents say the move could mark the first step towards US air strikes inside Syria, where the jihadist group controls vast swathes of territory.

The US is already carrying out strikes against IS in neighbouring Iraq.

On Monday, the Syrian government said it would work with the international community in the fight against IS.

Western governments have so far rejected suggestions that they collaborate with President Bashar al-Assad in an attempt to counter the growing regional threat posed by IS.

They have repeatedly called on Mr Assad to step down since the beginning of the three-and-a-half year uprising against his rule, in which more than 191,000 people are believed to have been killed.

'Preparing options'

On Monday evening, US officials said Mr Obama had approved over the weekend reconnaissance flights by unmanned and manned aircraft.

One official later told the Associated Press that they had already begun.

The US military has been carrying out aerial surveillance of IS - an al-Qaeda breakaway formerly known as Isis - in Iraq for months and launched air strikes on 8 August.

The president cited the threat to US diplomats and military personnel and the humanitarian crisis in the north, where hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes since June as IS fighters and allied Sunni rebels have taken control of dozens of cities, towns and villages.

Mr Obama has resisted taking military action in Syria, but Pentagon officials are said to have advised him that the only way the threat from IS can be fully eliminated is to go after the group there.

A spokesman for Gen Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Pentagon was "preparing options to address Isis both in Iraq and Syria with a variety of military tools including air strikes".

The options reportedly include targeting IS leaders in and around their stronghold of the northern Syrian city of Raqqa, as well as in the east near the Iraqi border.

Last week, IS published a video showing it killing the American journalist James Foley, who was abducted in Syria in 2012. The group threatened to kill other US citizens it was holding in retaliation for US air strikes.

It later emerged that US special forces had attempted to rescue the hostages in July, but that they were not at the location in Syria where the military thought they were being held.

'Ready for co-operation'

One Obama administration official told the New York Times that the US did not intend to collaborate with the Assad government or inform him in advance of any operation.

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"Syria is ready to cooperate and coordinate all efforts, whether regional or international, to combat terrorism" - Walid Muallem, Syrian Foreign Minister

"It is not the case that the enemy of my enemy is my friend," said Benjamin Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser. "Joining forces with Assad would essentially permanently alienate the Sunni population in both Syria and Iraq, who are necessary to dislodging [IS]."

On Monday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said his government was "ready for co-operation and co-ordination at the regional and international level to fight terrorism".

But Mr Muallem warned the White House that it would view any unilateral military action as a breach of sovereignty and an "act of aggression".

The Western-backed rebel Free Syrian Army, which is fighting IS across northern Syria, meanwhile said its commanders on the ground were ready to co-ordinate with the US.

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US schools to have non-white majority

26 August 2014 Last updated at 12:51 By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent

White pupils in state schools in the United States are set to be in the minority for the first time when schools return for the new term.

According to official forecasts, enrolments for the 2014-15 school year will mark the threshold when ethnic minorities become the majority.

This demographic shift has been driven by rising numbers of Hispanic pupils.

Figures are gathered by the US Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics.

It records the number of pupils in the state school system across the United States - and it publishes forecasts of enrolments in the years ahead.

Population shifts

The figures show a steady decline in the numbers of white pupils since the mid-1990s and a broadly stable number of black pupils, but a sharply rising number of pupils identified as Hispanic.

The school figures show the number of Hispanic pupils has more than doubled over the past two decades and is projected to continue rising in the next decade.

It means that in autumn 2014 the proportion of white pupils is expected to have fallen marginally below 50% for the first time, with about 26% of pupils Hispanic and 15% black.

There are also smaller ethnic groups of Asian pupils, native Americans and Pacific Islanders. Fewer than 3% are identified as mixed race.

The figures show how the increase in the Hispanic population has changed the demography of the school population, rising from 14% of pupils in the mid-1990s and forecast to reach 30% by the mid-2020s.

In the mid-1990s, white pupils represented almost 65% of pupils in the US state school system. The projections show that by the mid-2020s that figure will be about 45%.

But the Pew Research Center, which analyses public policy and social trends, has highlighted how there is a very different pattern in private schools, with a high proportion of white pupils. About one in 10 pupils attends a private school.

There have also been questions raised about the use in education of the term ethnic "minority", when there is no longer a majority ethnic group within the school population.

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American 'fighter' dies in Syria battle

27 August 2014 Last updated at 00:07

An American man, believed to be fighting alongside Islamist militants in Syria, has been killed, the White House has confirmed.

A cousin of Douglas McAuthur McCain told the BBC the US government had called his mother to confirm his death.

McCain was found dead by Free Syrian Army fighters after a battle at the weekend, according to NBC.

The US government believes a small number of Americans have travelled to Syria to fight for extremist groups.

Senior US officials told broadcaster CNN McCain was fighting for Islamic State (IS), which now controls large areas of Iraq and Syria.

"My family is accepting the confirmation that was given to us by the government," his cousin Jocelyn Smith told the BBC. "I am really shocked."

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Pentagon: We think about IS in an imminent way

Ms Smith said the family had not been surprised when McCain converted to Islam a decade ago, but had no idea he had travelled to Syria or was potentially fighting for militants there.

"He was a beautiful person and whatever thoughts that were going on that made him make this decision were not out of hate," she said.

"I thought he was in Turkey and why he was in Turkey was unclear to us."

McCain was born in the US state of Minnesota and had moved to California with family, she added.

Americans killed fighting in Syria

Hundreds of foreign fighters have gone to Syria in recent years. Two of them, Nicole Lynn Mansfield and Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, 22 have died in the conflict.

Mansfield, 33, was a Muslim convert. She died in May 2013, apparently while trying to attack Syrian government forces.

Salha, who is originally from West Palm Beach, Florida, died in an explosion on 25 May during an attack on the Syrian army.

He had joined a rebel group, Nusra Front, and became the first American suicide bomber in the Syria conflict.

Western officials have warned of foreign fighters returning to the US and Europe after receiving training in Syria.

"We were aware of US citizen Douglas McAuthur McCain's presence in Syria and can confirm his death," National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in a statement.

"We continue to use every tool we possess to disrupt and dissuade individuals from traveling abroad for violent jihad and to track and engage those who return."

Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm John Kirby told the BBC's Katty Kay the death "brings home one of the real threats here about [IS] and why we think about them in an imminent way".

The US ordered air strikes against IS in Iraq and Mr Obama has called the militant group a "cancer".

After the killing of journalist James Foley by the group, they are demanding more than $6m (£3.6m) for the ransom of a female foreign aid worker, US media report.

The 26-year old woman was working for a number of humanitarian organisations in Syria when she was kidnapped last year.

The US government and the woman's family have requested she not be named because of fears for her safety.

The woman is one of at least three known hostages currently held by IS militants.

Another is the US journalist, Steven Sotloff, who was seen alive at the end of the footage that showed James Foley's execution.

The militants have also demanded the release of the Pakistani neuroscientist, Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who is being held in a Texan jail after she was convicted in 2010 of planning to attack US officials.

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Lockheed Martin in space junk deal

27 August 2014 Last updated at 07:50

US defence giant Lockheed Martin has struck a deal with an Australian technology firm to track space debris that can damage satellites.

It has signed a "strategic co-operation agreement" with Canberra-based Electro Optic Systems (EOS) to build a new tracking station in Western Australia.

The site will employ advanced optical and laser technology to detect, track and identify specific space objects.

Debris threatens orbiting satellites daily and can cause millions in damage.

"Ground-based space situational awareness is a growing priority for government and commercial organisations around the world that need to protect their investments in space," said Lockheed Martin Space Systems executive vice president Rick Ambrose in a statement.

"We'll offer customers a clearer picture of the objects that could endanger their satellites, and do so with great precision and cost-effectiveness."

There are nearly 2,000 commercial and government satellites orbiting the Earth.

However, they face up to 200 threats a day from debris as small as a fingernail given they are travelling at speeds of about 17,500 miles an hour.

It is estimated that there are 300,000 pieces of space junk ranging from one-centimetre to the size of bowling balls, and that on average one satellite is destroyed each year.

EOS chief executive Dr Ben Greene says that they have invested 80m Australian dollars ($74,6m; £45m) into developing their light-based technology systems, which have become cheaper than the use of radar.

Currently, mostly radar-based systems are being used to track space junk, such as the US Air Force's Space Fence. It can follow as many as 200,000 objects in space.

EOS is one of the largest makers of major optical telescopes in the world. They also operate Australia's Space Research Centre at Mount Stromlo.

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Freed US journalist returns home

27 August 2014 Last updated at 11:07

US journalist Peter Theo Curtis, freed two days ago after being held captive for almost two years by al-Nusra militants in Syria, has returned home.

He was greeted by his mother in his hometown Boston late on Tuesday.

In a statement, Curtis, 45, said he was "moved beyond all words" by the people who welcomed him home.

US officials had worked with more than 12 countries to help secure his release, which comes days after a US journalist was beheaded in Syria.

On 20 August, the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria released a widely condemned video of the moments before and after the beheading of James Foley, 40, who was seized in 2012.

UK secret services are reportedly close to identifying a suspected British jihadist from the footage of that killing.

'Unspeakable tragedy'

On Tuesday Curtis's mother said she was "overwhelmed with relief" after speaking to her son. She said she had immediately written to James Foley's mother, Diane.

"We've been through so much together, and I didn't want her to hear it from the media first," Nancy Curtis told ABC from her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Curtis was reportedly abducted in Turkey on his way to Syria.

The United Nations confirmed that it had facilitated his release.

It said the journalist was handed over to UN peacekeepers in the Golan Heights. After an initial health check, he was then transferred to US government representatives.

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The church was "completely packed" for the James Foley memorial, reports Barbara Plett Usher

The news of Curtis's release on Sunday came as a memorial service was being held for Foley in his hometown of Rochester in New Hampshire.

Foley was abducted in November 2012. He had reported across the Middle East, working for US publication GlobalPost and other media outlets.

Who are Islamic State (IS)?

• Formed out of al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) in 2013, IS first captured Raqqa in eastern Syria
• By early 2014, it controlled Falluja in western Iraq
• Has since captured broad swathes of Iraq, seizing the northern city of Mosul in June
• Fighting has displaced at least 1.2 million Iraqis
• Pursuing an extreme form of Sunni Islam, IS has persecuted non-Muslims such as Yazidis and Christians, as well as Shia Muslims, whom it regards as heretics
• In July alone, IS expanded dramatically, recruiting some 6,300 new fighters largely in Raqqa, an activist monitoring group said

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California begins quake clear-up

25 August 2014 Last updated at 20:13

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As Alastair Leithead reports, the earthquake is the strongest felt in the area for 25 years

Workers are assessing damage and have begun to clear up after a 6.0 magnitude quake in California's San Francisco Bay area, the strongest there in 25 years.

No-one has been killed but scores of people sought medical care after Sunday's quake, which struck four miles from the town of American Canyon.

The quake started fires, cracked roads, caused gas and water leaks and left dozens of buildings uninhabitable.

Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in the affected area.

President Barack Obama has also been briefed on the earthquake.

'It was burning'

The city of Napa was one of the worst affected areas, where fire-fighters tackled some six blazes, as well as dozens of burst water mains and gas pipes.

On Monday, officials said an initial assessment found dozens of buildings made unsafe by the earthquake, including a Napa County courthouse where a 10ft (3m) wide hole showed the offices inside.

The Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa reported treating 172 people, although many were for minor injuries.

One adult is still in critical condition, while a 13-year-old boy is in serious condition after being hit by debris from a fireplace.

Several residences in a mobile home park were destroyed by a fire caused by the quake.

"There were some explosions, and it was burning. Everybody was out in the street. I didn't get anything out of the house," Nola Rawlins, a resident of a mobile home park told the Associated Press (AP).

The quake came as many of the region's vineyards were preparing to harvest their crop. The shaking broke thousands of wine bottles and toppled barrels.

Richard Ward of Saintsbury Winery told AP he lost at least 300 bottles and his grape harvest would be pushed back several days.

City public works director Jack LaRochelle said the immediate concern in Napa was the water main system.

He said teams were working in 12-hour shifts to restore water, but that the roads were not seriously damaged and bridges were "in pretty good shape".

The US Geological Survey (USGS) warned that aftershocks of up to 5.0 magnitude were likely in the coming week.

It said Sunday's quake struck at 03:20 local time (10:20 GMT) at a depth of 6.7 miles.

The epicentre was 51 miles from Sacramento and about 30 miles north-east of San Francisco.

California lies on the San Andreas Fault, which forms the tectonic boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, two of the large moving plates that form the Earth's crust.

In 1989, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck south of San Francisco, killing more than 60 people, many when part of motorway in Oakland collapsed, and injuring hundreds.

Are you in northern California? Has the earthquake affected you? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.

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Burger King and Tim Hortons in talks

26 August 2014 Last updated at 06:53

Burger King has said it is in takeover talks with Tim Hortons, the Canadian coffee and doughnut chain.

A merger would create the world's third-largest fast-food combine, one with a stock market value of about $18bn (£10.9bn; 13.6bn euros).

At close of the US stock market on Monday, Burger King's shares were up by 19.5%, and those in Tim Hortons by 19%.

The firms have said that any new group would have its HQ in Canada, where corporate taxes are lower.

These so-called "tax inversion" deals are attracting increasing criticism in the US, where President Barack Obama is understood to be looking at how they can be prevented in future.

The US corporate tax rate is 35%, but 26.5% in Ontario, Canada, where Tim Hortons is based.

Brand identities

Burger King's majority shareholder, 3G Capital, would stay in overall control.

The New York and Rio de Janeiro-based investment company bought Burger King in 2010 for about $3.3bn and floated the company in 2012, holding on to nearly 70% of the shares.

If a deal goes ahead, the remaining shares will be distributed between the current shareholders of Burger King and Tim Hortons.

According to reports, the companies will retain their separate brand identities but save costs by sharing corporate services.

Combined, Burger King and Tim Hortons would have an estimated revenue of $22bn a year from around 18,000 restaurants in 100 countries.

Tim Hortons used to be owned by US fast-food chain Wendy's, before being spun off as a separate company in 2006.

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US sanctions Syria air surveillance

26 August 2014 Last updated at 11:53

US President Barack Obama has authorised surveillance flights over Syria in order to gain intelligence on the activities of Islamic State (IS).

Correspondents say the move could mark the first step towards US air strikes inside Syria, where the jihadist group controls vast swathes of territory.

The US is already carrying out strikes against IS in neighbouring Iraq.

On Monday, the Syrian government said it would work with the international community in the fight against IS.

Western governments have so far rejected suggestions that they collaborate with President Bashar al-Assad in an attempt to counter the growing regional threat posed by IS.

They have repeatedly called on Mr Assad to step down since the beginning of the three-and-a-half year uprising against his rule, in which more than 191,000 people are believed to have been killed.

'Preparing options'

On Monday evening, US officials said Mr Obama had approved over the weekend reconnaissance flights by unmanned and manned aircraft.

One official later told the Associated Press that they had already begun.

The US military has been carrying out aerial surveillance of IS - an al-Qaeda breakaway formerly known as Isis - in Iraq for months and launched air strikes on 8 August.

The president cited the threat to US diplomats and military personnel and the humanitarian crisis in the north, where hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes since June as IS fighters and allied Sunni rebels have taken control of dozens of cities, towns and villages.

Mr Obama has resisted taking military action in Syria, but Pentagon officials are said to have advised him that the only way the threat from IS can be fully eliminated is to go after the group there.

A spokesman for Gen Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Pentagon was "preparing options to address Isis both in Iraq and Syria with a variety of military tools including air strikes".

The options reportedly include targeting IS leaders in and around their stronghold of the northern Syrian city of Raqqa, as well as in the east near the Iraqi border.

Last week, IS published a video showing it killing the American journalist James Foley, who was abducted in Syria in 2012. The group threatened to kill other US citizens it was holding in retaliation for US air strikes.

It later emerged that US special forces had attempted to rescue the hostages in July, but that they were not at the location in Syria where the military thought they were being held.

'Ready for co-operation'

One Obama administration official told the New York Times that the US did not intend to collaborate with the Assad government or inform him in advance of any operation.

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"Syria is ready to cooperate and coordinate all efforts, whether regional or international, to combat terrorism" - Walid Muallem, Syrian Foreign Minister

"It is not the case that the enemy of my enemy is my friend," said Benjamin Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser. "Joining forces with Assad would essentially permanently alienate the Sunni population in both Syria and Iraq, who are necessary to dislodging [IS]."

On Monday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said his government was "ready for co-operation and co-ordination at the regional and international level to fight terrorism".

But Mr Muallem warned the White House that it would view any unilateral military action as a breach of sovereignty and an "act of aggression".

The Western-backed rebel Free Syrian Army, which is fighting IS across northern Syria, meanwhile said its commanders on the ground were ready to co-ordinate with the US.

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