Local resident Pablo Castaneda was one of the thousands evacuated after the Fuego volcano erupted
Guatemala has evacuated thousands of people after the Fuego volcano started spewing ash and lava.
Volcanologists said powerful eruptions were catapulting burning rocks as high as 1,000m (3,280ft) above the crater and lava was flowing down its slopes.
Local residents reported how the roaring of the volcano shook windows and roofs in nearby villages.
Experts say the eruption of the Fuego, 50km (31 miles) south-west of Guatemala City, is the biggest since 1999.
Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina said the eruption could affect people as far away as the capital.
"We will do the best we can to avoid people being harmed," he said.
Cars, lorries and buses covered in grey ash could be seen speeding away from the area towards Guatemala City.
Many evacuees sought shelter at a school in Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa
'Pressure cooker'
Some of those who fled their homes headed for an emergency shelter at a school in the town of Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa.
Miriam Carumaco, 28, who arrived there with 16 members of her family, said: "We heard loud thunder and then it got dark and ash began falling.
"It sounded like a pressure cooker that wouldn't stop."
Head of Emergency Evacuations Sergio Cabanas originally said evacuation orders for more than 33,000 people in 17 towns and villages had been issued.
However, he later said that 11,000 had been evacuated and no more would be necessary as the eruptions had died down by late Thursday.
"It is hoped that by tomorrow [Friday] the volcano will return to normal activity and that families will be able to return home," he said.
Officials said lava was covering a 7km (4.3-mile) area on the south and south-western side of the Fuego.
The authorities recommended that air traffic controllers suspend flights in the vicinity of the volcano, as the ash cloud emanating from its crater was spreading quickly.
The 3,760m-tall (12,336ft) Fuego is one of Central America's most active volcanoes.
course: BBC news Latin America & Caribbean
Opponents say the move will have a drastic effect on smaller retailers
India's government has once again cleared a controversial plan to open up its lucrative retail sector to global supermarket chains.
Last year, the government suspended a similar plan after fierce opposition from its allies and political rivals.
International firms such as Walmart and Tesco will now be able to buy up to a 51% stake in multi-brand retailers.
The government on Friday also approved a plan to allow foreign airlines to buy 49% stakes in local carriers.
Correspondents say that Friday's cabinet decision was taken against the background of India's worsening economic outlook.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is reported to have told cabinet colleagues that "the time for big bang reform has come, we have to go down fighting".
The government was forced to back down after the cabinet first undertook to open up India's retail sector last November.
The move had been strongly opposed by tens of thousands of small businesses and cornershops who fear they will be put out of business.
But this latest move has already been welcomed by economists and industry who say it will transform the way Indians shop and boost the country's flagging economy.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and the Communists called it a "betrayal of democracy".
course: bbc news India
Protesters in Khartoum vented their anger on the German and British embassies
Protesters angered by a film mocking Islam have attacked the German and British embassies in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.
Demonstrators started fires and tore down the German flag, raising an Islamist banner in its place.
In the Lebanese city of Tripoli, one person was killed as demonstrators set fire to a KFC fast-food restaurant.
Five people were injured in protests in Cairo, state media said. There are also clashes in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.
'Million-man march' A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office confirmed to the BBC that a demonstration was taking place outside the embassy in Khartoum, and said Sudanese police were at the scene.
However, the spokesperson could not say whether protesters had entered the embassy, or whether the demonstration was about the anti-Islam film.
In Cairo, police firing tear gas pushed about 500 protesters back from the US embassy. The streets nearby have been blocked with barbed wire, concrete and police vehicles.
Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Mursi has called for protests to remain peaceful.
Islamist groups and others had called for a peaceful "million-man march" in the city, but a number withdrew those calls on Friday.
In Lebanon, protesters in Tripoli, in the north of the country, set fire to a KFC branch, sparking clashes with security forces.
cource: BBC news Africa
The US federal government has added about 50 types of cancer to the list of illnesses to be covered by a 9/11 health treatment programme.
The decision entitles 70,000 surviving emergency service workers and other survivors to free care.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety announced the change on the eve of the attacks' 11th anniversary.
Some 1,000 deaths have been linked to illnesses caused by toxic dust issuing from wreckage at Ground Zero.
Construction workers, emergency workers, office cleaners and others all fell ill in the decade after the attacks.
The institute said last June that it was in favour of expanding the existing $4.3bn 9/11 health programme to include people with 50 types of cancer, following a recommendation from an advisory committee.
Cancers to be covered include lung, colorectal, breast, bladder, leukaemia, melanoma and all childhood cancers.
The medical coverage comes under the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama last year.
Until now, most of the health compensation was for respiratory diseases linked to the toxic dust and fumes from the fallen towers.
John Howard, administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program established by the Zadroga law, said Monday's announcement marked "an important step in the effort to provide needed treatment and care to 9/11 responders and survivors".
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement the decision would "continue to ensure that those who have become ill due to the heinous attacks on 9/11 get the medical care they need and deserve".
The compensation has been held up by a dispute over whether there was evidence of a direct link between the World Trade Center tragedy and cancer.
Source: BBC news US & CANADA
Hundreds of miners and their families blocked off roads by scattering stones on the tarmac
Road access to Bolivia's main city, La Paz, has been blocked off by miners demanding that the government hand over part of a tin and zinc mine.
Hundreds of miners belonging to a private co-operative blocked the three main highways leading into La Paz.
The Colquiri mine, which used to belong to Swiss company Glencore, was expropriated by the government in June.
Various mining groups have been arguing over who should run it ever since.
Police say they seized dynamite from the opposing groups, which they feared were heading for a clash.
Officials said the miners had cut off the road leading from La Paz to Chile, as well as those leading to Peru and the northern Yungas region.
'Irreconcilable enemies'
A spokesman for the protesters, Simon Condori, said they would "stay at the three blockades until a positive result for the (private) co-operative is reached".
The group says the government agreed to hand over the richest vein in the Colquiri mine.
A rival group employed by the state-run Bolivian Mining Corporation (Comibol) wants the government to run the whole of the mine and to ban other groups from mining it.
A union leader for the Comibol group, Severino Estallani, said 5,000 of its members were heading for La Paz to make their demands heard.
The opposing groups crossed paths during their marches in La Paz on Tuesday and traded insults.
Interior Minister Carlos Romero called on both groups to keep their demonstrations peaceful.
"Both have to accept that they have to work together, they can't deny each other's rights and exclude each other as if they were irreconcilable enemies," Mr Romero said.
He called on the groups to enter into negotiations with the government.
Source: BBC news Latin America &Caribbean
The US has condemned the attack on its consulate "in the strongest terms"
A US state department official was killed and at least one other American was wounded when militiamen stormed the US consulate in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi.
It is believed the protest was held over a US-produced film that is said to be insulting to the Prophet Muhammad.
The building was set on fire after armed men raided the compound with grenades.
Protests have also been held at the US embassy in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
In the attack in Benghazi, unidentified armed men stormed the grounds, shooting at buildings and throwing handmade bombs into the compound.
Security forces returned fire but Libyan officials say they were overwhelmed.
"One American official was killed and another injured in the hand. The other staff members were evacuated and are safe and sound," Libya's deputy interior minister Wanis al-Sharif told AFP.
The identity of the US official killed is not yet known. The consular worker was reported to have been shot.
Social media calls
In a statement, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton confirmed the death, saying: "We are heartbroken by this terrible loss".
"Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet," she said in a statement.
"The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind."
No-one was said to have been in the building when it was set on fire
Reports say a militia known as the Ansar al-Sharia brigade was involved in the attack, but the group has denied the claim, the BBC's Rana Jawad in Tripoli says.
Our correspondent says many people are still armed following the conflict that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi last year.
The US state department earlier said it condemned the attack "in the strongest terms" and was working with Libyan security forces to secure the compound.
The film that sparked the demonstration is said to have been produced by a 52-year-old US citizen from California named Sam Bacile, and promoted by an expatriate Egyptian Copt.
The two men are described as having anti-Islamic views.
A trailer of the low-budget movie has appeared on YouTube translated into Arabic.
There were calls on social media networks for protests against US interests in the capital, Tripoli, but no disturbances have been confirmed, our correspondent says.
'Abuse freedom of speech'
The rally followed a demonstration in Cairo, in which protesters breached the US embassy and tore down the United States flag, which was flying at half mast to mark the 9/11 attacks, and replaced it with an Islamist banner.
Thousands of protesters had gathered outside the US embassy in the Egyptian capital.
In Cairo, the US flag was torn down and set alight by the demonstrators
Egyptian protesters condemned what they said was the humiliation of the Prophet of Islam under the pretext of freedom of speech.
"Both Muslims and Christians are participating in this protest against this offence to Islam," said one protester, according to Associated Press.
The US embassy earlier issued a statement condemning "the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims - as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions".
The statement added: "We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others."
US Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney criticised President Barack Obama for his response to the protests.
"It's disgraceful that the Obama administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathise with those who waged the attacks," he said in a statement.
source: BBC news Africa
Some 1.5 million Catalans took to the streets of Barcelona to march for independence
Some 1.5 million people have been taking part in Catalonia's annual independence rally in Barcelona, according to police.
Tens of thousands of people poured into the city waving the region's independence flag and brandishing the colours red and yellow.
This year's march aimed to be the biggest ever - and a protest against the Spanish government's tax laws.
Catalonia wants Madrid to review its tax agreement and provide a bailout.
The size of the turnout for the rally, which is held annually on 11 September to mark the Siege of Barcelona 300 years ago, forced organisers to change its route.
Alfred Bosch, an MP from the Republican left of Catalonia, told the BBC: "All the flags I can see are the pro-independence flags of Catalonia with the lonely star right in the middle of the triangle.
"And everybody is wearing these flags. I have never seen so many pro-independence flags in my all life."
Protester Teresa Cabanes told Reuters: "This is a blow for the government. People like me came from everywhere. I don't think they were expecting something as big."
The huge volume of people overwhelmed the mobile phone network, which shut down for hours as a result, reports say.
Fiscal autonomy Spain's economic crisis, which has left one out of four people unemployed, has sharpened Catalonia's demand for fiscal independence from Spain, as well as political autonomy.
Last month Catalonia demanded a bailout from Madrid of 5bn euros
Catalonia, which is Spain's wealthiest region and represents a fifth of the Spanish economy, wants to be able to raise its own taxes and spend them.
Last month, Catalonia demanded a bailout from Madrid of 5bn euros (£4bn), on the basis that it believes the central government owes the region that much in overpaid taxes.
But, as with the rest of Spain, the region faces big economic challenges.
Catalonia has to take out 13bn euros (£10bn) in loans this year to refinance maturing debt, on top of funding its deficit for the current year.
The BBC's Madrid correspondent, Tom Burridge, also says economists have warned that the Catalan government has barely enough money to pay its public sector workers.
Regional bailouts Pro-autonomy leaders claim Catalonia pays a disproportionate level of taxes to Madrid in relation to the funding it receives.
Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has said fiscal independence for Catalonia would achieve nothing in the country's overall battle against economic collapse.
Mr Rajoy and Catalonia's regional leader, Artur Mas, are due meet on 20 September.
Spain's struggling economy has declined for three consecutive quarters as it continues to suffer from the effects of its property bust caused by the financial crisis.
Other regions have appealed to the government for bailouts. The latest, Andalusia, asked for an immediate injection of 1bn euros (£800m) last week.
Valencia and Murcia have also requested bailouts in recent weeks.
12 September 2012 Last updated at 02:48 GMT
The White House has denied that President Barack Obama refused to meet Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu this month, amid tensions over Iran.
Mr Netanyahu's team had asked for talks during the UN General Assembly in New York, but US officials said Mr Obama's schedule would not allow it.
Mr Netanyahu has met Mr Obama on all but one of his US trips since 2009.
Earlier, Mr Netanyahu criticised the US for not being tough enough on Iran over its nuclear programme.
Western countries believe Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon - a claim that Tehran denies.
'Wait until when?' US officials said the president and Mr Netanyahu were in "frequent contact" and that the Israeli leader would meet Secretary of State Hillary Clinton instead.
Mr Obama - who is in the middle of an election campaign - is due to speak at the UN General Assembly in New York on 25 September, while Mr Netanyahu will give an address on 28 September.
Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes
"They're simply not in the city at the same time," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said.
He added: "Contrary to previous press reports, there was never any request for a meeting between the prime minister and president in Washington, nor was this request ever denied."
Mr Vietor also said that Mr Obama was not scheduled to conduct any bilaterals at the General Assembly.
The White House said in a statement later on Tuesday night that Mr Obama had just spoken with Mr Netanyahu for an hour.
"The two leaders discussed the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program, and our close co-operation on Iran and other security issues," said the statement.
"President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu reaffirmed that they are united in their determination to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and agreed to continue their close consultations going forward."
The announcement came after Mr Netanyahu made remarks condemning other countries for failing to draw up "red lines" over Iran.
"The world tells Israel: wait, there's still time. And I say: wait for what? Wait until when?" he told a news conference on Tuesday in Jerusalem with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.
"Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don't have a moral right to place a red light before Israel," he added.
Mr Netanyahu has described Iran as "the greatest threat to world peace", and the ratcheting up of his rhetoric is prompting speculation over the possibility of conflict between the two countries.
Israel's Haaretz newspaper described the prime minister's comments as "an unprecedented verbal attack on the US government", on its website.
Washington argues that deadlines are counterproductive and wants to allow more time for diplomacy and sanctions to take effect. Officials have said they are against any unilateral military action by Israel.
Iran says its nuclear programme is only for civilian purposes, saying it needs it for energy and medical needs.
course: BBC news /middle east /
By the CNN Wire Staff
C.Y. Leung, the city's chief executive, said Saturday individual schools would have the option to adopt the controversial curriculum called "Moral and National Education." "We're giving the authority to the schools," he said. 
A student addresses a crowd in front of government headquarters in Hong Kong on Friday, September 7 during a protest against plans to introduce Chinese patriotism classes. 
Students shout slogans in front of the Central Government Offices in Hong Kong on September 3, 2012. China subject prompts HK protests
China subject prompts HK protests
China subject prompts HK protests
China subject prompts HK protests
China subject prompts HK protests
China subject prompts HK protests
Hong Kong (CNN) -- The Hong Kong government has scrapped plans to introduce a mandatory Chinese civic education subject critics had slammed as pro-mainland propaganda.
The decision came on the eve of local elections and after a series of protests including a 10-day hunger strike on the steps of the government headquarters.
C.Y. Leung, the city's chief executive, announced Saturday that individual schools would have the option to adopt the controversial curriculum called "Moral and National Education."
"We're giving the authority to the schools," he said. "This is very much in line with our school-based education policy."
New curriculum angers Hong Kong students A coalition of concern group had protested against the subject which they said amounted to "brainwashing" impressionable young minds with pro-mainland Chinese propaganda.
China's critics cry 'brainwashing' Hong Kong has a large degree of autonomy from the Beijing government as part of the agreement made with Britain after the 1997 transfer of power.
The course material had been outlined in a government booklet called "The China Model," which was distributed to schools in July.
China's ruling party is "progressive, selfless and united," the booklet said. It criticized multi-party systems as bringing disaster to countries such as the United States.
The booklet also makes no mention of major events that many view as integral to China's history, such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
Anger over the government's initial plans to give schools a three-year deadline to introduce the subject prompted a number of major protests. The most recent was on Saturday when 100,000 protesters took to the streets, according to organizers' figures quoted by the South China Morning Post.
The SCMP reported that Leung denied the government back-down was timed to influence results of Sunday's Legislative Council election.
"If it hadn't been for the decision of the last administration, national education would not have been on the agenda of this government," Leung said, according to the SCMP.
"I would rather concentrate on housing, poverty and other livelihood issues. I've held numerous talks with the chief secretary on major policymaking, [and] none of our conversations ever touched on national education," he added.
 |
| Megan-Leigh Peat was stabbed to death at a friend's house in June |
An ex-Premier League academy footballer has admitted killing a teenager he had a relationship with.
Andrew Hall, released from Stoke City Academy at the end of last season, pleaded guilty to murdering Megan-Leigh Peat, 15, at a house in Ampthill, Bedfordshire.
The 18-year-old from Flitwick pleaded guilty to murder at Luton Crown Court.
Ms Peat, of Westoning, was found stabbed at the house in Ailesbury Road on 9 June.
Hall admitted stabbing Ms Peat multiple times in the head and body at the house which belongs to a mutual friend.
She died at about 01:30 BST from her injuries and severe blood loss after being treated by emergency services.
Horrific injuries Hall, who suffered injuries to his hands, was at the end of a three-year scholarship at Stoke City academy.
The court heard the midfield player was on the brink of signing as a professional with a future in the club's development side.
He had returned home to Robin Close in Flitton and had spent the evening at nearby pubs with Ms Peat, a pupil at Harlington Upper School in Dunstable.
Ms Peat was described as a caring girl who looked after her friends but also enjoyed her social life.
Luton Crown Court heard that she was subjected to an horrific attack.
Hall spent several days in hospital being treated for hand and arm wounds after the killing.
Resource: BBC NEWS UK
 |
| King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit |
Head of state: King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy.
Its king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, assumed the throne in June 1946 and is the world's longest-reigning monarch.
The royal family is revered by many Thais.
Prime minister: Yingluck Shinawatra
Yingluck Shinawatra, the youngest sister of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, led the opposition Pheu Thai party to a landslide victory in July 2011 and became Thailand's first woman prime minister.
Yingluck Shinawatra said she would use her femininity
to promote national reconciliation
In the country's first general election since 2007, Pheu Thai won 265 seats out of a possible 500 - enough to form a single-party government.
However, in what is seen as a shrewd political move, the party announced it would form a coalition with four smaller parties, thus broadening its support in parliament for promised reforms.
Ms Yingluck, aged 44 at the time of her election and a successful businesswoman, has promised to bring stability and reconciliation to her troubled country. However, critics have been quick to point out her inexperience, given that she had never before run for office nor held a government post.
The influence of her brother, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and convicted of graft two years later, loomed large throughout the election. Despite living in self-imposed exile in Dubai, Thaksin Shinawatra still effectively controls the Pheu Thai party.
Suspicions that Thaksin Shinawatra was still pulling the strings were reinforced when he summoned government ministers for a meeting by web-cam a few weeks after his sister took office.
In the wake of Ms Yingluck's victory, Thaksin said he had no immediate plans to return. But fears remain that any hasty attempts to allow him back as a free man would anger his powerful enemies and threaten his sister's tenure, as well as the stability of the kingdom, which is deeply split between Thaksin's supporters and enemies.
Yingluck Shinawatra has degrees in politics and until now has pursued a corporate career in telecommunications and property. She is married and has one son.
Resource: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-15639418
A chronology of key events:
 |
| Thai Royal navy oarsmen in acient warrior costume |
1782 - Beginning of the Chakri dynasty under King Rama I, which rules to this present day. The country is known as Siam. New capital of Bangkok founded.
1868-1910 - Reign of King Chulalongkorn. Employment of Western advisers to modernise Siam's administration and commerce. Railway network developed.
1917 - Siam becomes ally of Great Britain in World War I.
1917 - Siam becomes ally of Great Britain in World War I.
1932 - Bloodless coup against absolute monarch King Prajadhipok. Constitutional monarchy introduced with parliamentary government.
1939 - Siam changes its name to Thailand ("Land of the Free").
1941 - Japanese forces land. After negotiations Thailand allows Japanese to advance towards British-controlled Malay Peninsula, Singapore and Burma.
1942 - Thailand declares war on Britain and US, but Thai ambassador in Washington refuses to deliver declaration to US government.
Post-war uncertainty
1945 - End of World War II. Thailand compelled to return territory it had seized from Laos, Cambodia and Malaya. Exiled King Ananda returns.
Capital: Bangkok
 |
Bangkok, known as "Krung Thep" - City of Angels
- Population: 7.2 million
- Original settlement established by Chinese traders
- Became capital of Kingdom of Siam in 178
|
1946 - King Ananda assassinated.
1947 - Military coup by the wartime, pro-Japanese leader Phibun Songkhram. The military retain power until 1973.
1965 onwards - Thailand permits US to use bases there during the Vietnam War. Thai troops fight in South Vietnam.
Short-lived civilian rule
1973 - Student riots in Bangkok bring about the fall of the military government. Free elections are held but the resulting governments lack stability.
1976 - Military takes over again.
1978 - New constitution promulgated.
1980 - General Prem Tinsulanonda assumes power.
1983 - Prem gives up his military position and heads a civilian government. He is re-elected in 1986.
1988 - General Chatichai Choonhaven replaces Prem after elections.
1991 - Military coup, the 17th since 1932. A civilian, Anand Panyarachun, is installed as prime minister.
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| Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep temple is located near northern city of Chiang |
1992 - New elections in March replace Anand with General Suchinda Kraprayoon. There are demonstrations against him, forcing him to resign. Anand is re-instated temporarily. Elections in September see Chuan Leekpai, leader of the Democratic Party, chosen as prime minister.
1995 - Government collapses. Banharn Silpa-archa, of the Thai Nation party, elected prime minister.
1996 - Banharn's government resigns, accused of corruption. Chavalit Yongchaiyudh of the New Aspiration party wins elections.
Financial turmoil
1997 - Asian financial crisis: The baht falls sharply against the dollar, leading to bankruptcies and unemployment. The IMF steps in. Chuan Leekpai becomes prime minister.
1998 - Tens of thousands of migrant workers are sent back to their countries of origin. Chuan involves the opposition in his government in order to push through economic reforms.
1999 - Economy begins to pick up again. Thai media highlight high cost of drug treatments for Aids and HIV. Thailand begins to pressurise drugs companies to find ways to make the drugs cheaper.
Drugs
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| Thousands were killed in controversial anti-drug drive |
2001 - New Thai Love Thai party wins elections after partial re-run of poll. Leader Thaksin Shinawatra forms coalition government. Burma-Thailand border crossing which was closed after clashes between respective troops in February re-opens after Thaksin pays visit to Burma.
2002 - Burma closes border with Thailand again after Thai army fires shells into Burma during battle between Burmese army and ethnic Shan rebels. Border reopens in October.
Temple row
2003 - Serious diplomatic spat with Cambodia over Angkor Wat temple complex. Controversial crackdown on drugs starts; more than 2,000 suspects are killed. The government blames many killings on criminal gangs; rights groups say extra-judicial killings were encouraged by the authorities.
2004 - Martial law imposed in largely-Muslim south after more than 100 killed in a wave of attacks blamed on Islamic militants. More than 100 Islamic militants die in coordinated attacks on police bases in the south. An inquiry finds that the deaths of 85 Muslim protesters in army custody not deliberate. Thousands killed as a tsunami, triggered by a powerful undersea earthquake, devastate communities on the south-west coast, including the resort of Phuket.
Hero for a time
Policeman-turned-tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra transformed
Thai politics but was ousted in a military coup
2005 - Thaksin begins a second term as PM after his party wins February's elections by a landslide. He is given new powers to fight continuing violence in south. By November, death toll stands at more than 1,000. Country also battling outbreaks of bird flu.
Coup
2006 - Snap election, called by Thaksin amid mass rallies against him, is boycotted by the opposition and is subsequently annulled, leaving a political vacuum. The PM takes a seven-week break from politics. Military leaders stage a bloodless coup while Thaksin is at the UN General Assembly. Retired General Surayud Chulanont is appointed as interim prime minister in October.
2007 - First draft of new constitution approved by committee appointed by the military administration. Ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai party is banned. Voters in a referendum approve a new, military-drafted constitution. December general elections mark the first major step towards a return to civilian rule. The People Power Party (PPP), seen as the reincarnation of Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party, wins the most votes.
Temple row
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| The Preah Vihear temple sparked a border standoff with Cambodia |
2008 - An elected parliament convenes for the first time since 2006. Samak Sundaravej is sworn in as prime minister. Ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra returns from exile, but flees to Britain after failing to appear in court to face corruption charges. Cambodia and Thailand move troops to disputed land near ancient Preah Vihear temple after decision to list it as UN World Heritage Site fans nationalist sentiments on both sides.
Unrest
2008 - State of emergency in Bangkok after thousands of pro- and anti-government demonstrators clash following a week of mass protests calling for the resignation of the premier. PM Samak Sundaravej is dismissed for breach of a conflict of interest law. Somchai Wongsawat becomes PM, but anti-government protests continue. Thaksin Shinawatra is found guilty of corruption in absentia. PM Somchai Wongsawat is forced from office by a court ruling disbanding the governing People Power Party for electoral fraud and barring its leaders from politics for five years. Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva becomes third new leader in three months.
2009 - Continuing unrest forces the cancellation of an Asean summit after anti-government protesters storm the venue. Leaders of the protest group that helped topple Thaksin Shinawatra apply to register themselves as the New Politics Party. Thousands of pro- and anti-Thaksin protestors hold regular rallies in Bangkok and elsewhere. Row with Cambodia grows over the appointment of Thaksin as an economic adviser to Phnom Penh. Up to 20,000 Thaksin supporters rally in Bangkok to demand fresh elections. Thailand deports about 4,000 ethnic Hmong back to communist-ruled Laos, deeming them to be economic migrants. The UN and US expressed concern about their possible reception in Laos.
Hmong expulsion
 |
| The UN voiced concern about the fate of Hmong repatriated from Thaila |
Red shirts
2010 - Tens of thousands of pro-Thaksin protesters - in trademark red shirts - paralyse parts of central Bangkok for two months to demand PM Abhisit's resignation and early elections; after negotiations fail, troops storm the protesters' barricades and end the demonstrations. Death toll from Thailand's worst political violence in modern history put at 91. Thailand resumes diplomatic ties with Cambodia after Phnom Penh announces Thaksin's resignation.
2011 Tensions rise as Cambodia charges two Thai citizens with spying after they were arrested for crossing the disputed border. Respective forces exchange fire across the border. Both sides agree to allow Indonesian monitors to prevent further clashes. Sister of fugitive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck, elected country's first female prime minister. Cambodia and Thailand agree to withdraw troops from disputed border area. Worst floods in 50 years kill hundreds, engulf outskirts of Bangkok.
Protest politics
 |
| Thailand's polarised politics has led to waves of mass protest |
2012 February - Bomb blasts in Bangkok thought to target Israeli diplomats.
June - Anti-government yellow-shirts blockade parliament to prevent debate on proposed reconciliation bill aimed at ending six-tear-old political tensions. Group fears that a proposed amnesty would enable the return of ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra.
ភ្នំពេញៈ ខណៈកងទ័ពវៀតណាមកំពុងចូលកៀកមកទីក្រុងភ្នំពេញកាលពីដើមឆ្នាំ ១៩៧៩ លោក នង សុផង់ ដែលជាអ្នកជំនាញខាងសារទូរលេខក្នុងរបបខ្មែរក្រហម មានការងាររវល់យ៉ាងខ្លាំងក្នុងការដុតបំផ្លាញឯកសារភស្តុតាង រស៊ើបៗ។
លោក នង សុផង់ អ្នកកាន់សារទូរលេខសម័យខ្មែរក្រហម ។ រូបថត អ.វ.ត.ក
Joe Freeman
ភ្នំពេញ ប៉ុស្តិ៍លោក នង សុផង់ ដែលដាក់លេខកូដ និងដោះលេខកូដសារទូរលេខរវាងកម្មាភិបាលជាន់ខ្ពស់របស់ខ្មែរ ក្រហម និងកម្មាភិបាលថ្នាក់តំបន់ បានប្រាប់អង្គសវនាការសំណុំរឿង០០២ កាលពីម្សិលមិញថា លោកពុំបានភ្លេចនូវឯកសារណាមួយទេ នៅមុនពេលលោកចាកចេញ។
អតីតគ្រូបង្រៀនអាយុ៦០ឆ្នាំ ដែលចូលនិវត្តន៍រូបនេះបានថ្លែងថា៖ «អ្វីៗទាំងអស់ត្រូវបានដុតចោល។ ដូច្នេះព័ត៌មានឬឯកសារសម្ងាត់ដែលអ្នកទទួលបាន គឺជាផ្នែកនៃឯកសារនោះ ដែលស្ថិតនៅក្រោមការគ្រប់គ្រង ឬការទទួលខុសត្រូវរបស់ខ្ញុំ»។ លោកបន្តថា៖ «ខ្ញុំគឺជាអ្នកចុងក្រោយ ដែលចាកចេញនៅថ្ងៃទី៧ មករា ១៩៧៩ម៉ោង៩:៣០នាទីព្រឹក»។
លោកបន្តទៀតថា ៖ « ខ្ញុំជឿថា នៅពេលដែលខ្ញុំចាកចេញ ខ្ញុំមិនអាចត្រឡប់មកវិញបានទេ ដូច្នេះខ្ញុំត្រូវតែធ្វើការសម្រេចចិត្តដោយខ្លួនឯងផ្ទាល់»។
ក្នុងអំឡុងសវនាការលើកមុនៗ លោក នង សុផង់ បានផ្តល់សក្ខីកម្មដែលងាយយល់ អំពីការងារនៃប្រព័ន្ធលាក់កំបាំងឯកសារខ្មែរក្រហម និងកម្រិតនៃការទទួលខុសត្រូវពាក់ព័ន្ធនឹងផ្នែកនេះ។
ប៉ុន្តែកាលពីម្សិលមិញលោកលើកឡើងដោយសង្ខេប អំពីសារទូរលេខដ៏កម្រមួយចំនួន ដែលភាគច្រើនពាក់ព័ន្ធនឹងការឃោសនា អំពីជ័យជម្នះកងទ័ព ដែលមិនតម្រូវឲ្យមានការដាក់លេខកូដលាក់បាំងពិសេសទៅលើឯកសារ ទាំងនោះទេ។
ឧទាហរណ៍ នៅពេលទាហានខ្មែរក្រហមចូលកាន់កាប់ទីក្រុងភ្នំពេញនៅថ្ងៃទី១៧ ខែមេសា ឆ្នាំ១៩៧៥ ពួកគេមានការត្រេកអរជាខ្លាំង ក្នុងការចែកចាយព័ត៌មានគ្នា ដូចជា តាមការផ្សាយតាមវិទ្យុជាដើម។ លោក សុផង់ បានទទួលព័ត៌មានមុនគេនៅក្នុងអង្គភាពលោក ហើយត្រូវរៀបចំព័ត៌មានទាំងនោះទៅជាឯកសារ បន្ទាប់មកផ្សព្វផ្សាយព័ត៌មាននោះ តាមរយៈវិទ្យុផ្សាយសំឡេងរណសិរ្សរំដោះជាតិកម្ពុជា។
បន្ទាប់ ពីពិពណ៌នាអំពីការផ្សព្វផ្សាយតាមវិទ្យុ អំពីជ័យជម្នះនោះ លោក សុផង់ បានងាកទៅរៀបរាប់អំពីរយៈពេលពីរ បីឆ្នាំក្រោយមក គឺក្នុងឆ្នាំ១៩៧៨ នៅពេលដែលអំពើហិង្សានានាបានកើតមានជុំវិញរូបលោក នៅក្នុងខណៈដែលរបបមួយនេះបានចាប់ផ្តើមដួលរលំទៅវិញ។
លោក រៀបរាប់ថា ៖ «គ្រាប់បែកដៃជាច្រើនត្រូវបានបោកនៅតាមកន្លែងផ្សេងៗ និងមានការសម្លាប់ទៅលើមន្រ្តីការទូតបរទេស និងមានការធ្វើឃាតកម្មទៅលើកម្មាភិបាលខ្មែរក្រហមមួយចំនួន ផងដែរ ដែលបានកើតឡើងក្នុងឆ្នាំ១៩៧៨»។ លោកថ្លែងបន្តថា៖ «ដោយសារមូលហេតុទាំងអស់នោះ ខ្ញុំមិនបានរស់នៅដោយមានសេចក្តីសុខនោះទេ ខ្ញុំតែងតែមានក្តីបារម្ភជាប់ខ្លួនជានិច្ច»។
សាក្សីលោក នង សុផង់ នឹងបន្តផ្តល់សក្ខីកម្ម នៅថ្ងៃពុធនេះបន្តទៀត៕
នាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តីខ្មែរ ហ៊ុន សែន កាលពីថ្ងៃម្សិលមិញបាននិយាយថា ពេលនេះខ្លួនកំពុងពិចារណាក្នុងការធ្វើវិសោធនកម្មមាត្រាមួយចំនួន នៃរដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញកម្ពុជា ដែលបានរារាំងមិនឲ្យមានការកែប្រែខ្សែបន្ទាត់ព្រំដែន។
សារព័ត៌មានសេរី
នាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តីខ្មែរ ហ៊ុន សែន
លោក ហ៊ុន សែន បានលើកឡើងថា ការវាស់វែងនាពេលបច្ចុប្បន្នតាមបច្ចេកវិទ្យាថ្មី ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាអាចនឹងមានផ្ទៃក្រឡាសរុបរហូតដល់ ១៨១.៦០៦គីឡូម៉ែត្រក្រឡា។ ដូច្នេះផ្ទៃក្រឡាប្រទេសកម្ពុជាដែលមានសរុប ១៨១.០៣៥គីឡូម៉ែត្រក្រឡា គឺតូចពេកហើយ។
នាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តីខ្មែររូបនេះបានបន្តថា លោកបានស្នើសុំឲ្យមានការសិក្សាមួយ ដើម្បីធ្វើវិសោធនកម្មរដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញត្រង់មាត្រាទី២។ ហើយថា លោកចាំបាច់ត្រូវធ្វើការវាយតម្លៃពីទំហំផ្ទៃដី នៃប្រទេសកម្ពុជាឡើងវិញ។
មាត្រាទី២ នៃរដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញកម្ពុជាបានចែងថា បូរណភាពទឹកដីរបស់ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា មិនអាចរំលោភបានដាច់ខាតក្នុងព្រំដែនរបស់ខ្លួនដែលមានកំណត់ក្នុង ផែនទីខ្នាត ១/១០០.០០០ ធ្វើនៅចន្លោះឆ្នាំ១៩៣៣-១៩៥៣ ហើយដែលត្រូវបានទទួលស្គាល់ជាអន្តរជាតិ នៅចន្លោះឆ្នាំ១៩៦៣-១៩៦៩។
គួរបញ្ជាក់ថា បច្ចុប្បន្ននេះប្រទេសកម្ពុជា និងប្រទេសជិតខាងទាំងបី គឺប្រទេសថៃ ឡាវ និងវៀតណាម កំពុងស្ថិតក្នុងដំណាក់កាលបោះបង្គោលព្រំដែននៅឡើយ។ ដោយឡែកសម្រាប់ការបោះបង្គោលព្រំដែនរវាងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា និងវៀតណាម ដែលជាប្រភពបញ្ហាដ៏ចម្រូងចម្រាស់ជាច្រើនទសវត្សរ៍មកហើយនោះ ត្រូវបានមន្រ្តីរដ្ឋាភិបាលអះអាងថា នឹងបិទបញ្ចប់នៅក្នុងរយៈពេលឆាប់ៗខាងមុខនេះហើយ៕
Rights groups say no evidence was presented showing the activists had used or advocated violence An appeals court in Bahrain has upheld the convictions of 20 activists and opposition figures for allegedly plotting to overthrow the state.
The verdicts, originally issued by a military court following the crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations last year, include eight life sentences.
Among those convicted was Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who went on a 110-day hunger strike in protest at his detention.
The defendants, seven of whom were tried in absentia, plan to appeal.
Human rights groups have demanded their release and said no evidence was presented by the authorities at the trial showing the activists had used or advocated violence during the protests against King Hamad.
At least 60 people are said to have been killed since protests erupted in February 2011, demanding more democracy and an end to discrimination against the majority Shia Muslim community by the Sunni royal family.
The king has tried to address some of the protesters' demands by announcing constitutional reforms intended to lead to accountability.
But the opposition, as well as human rights activists, say the promises are empty and that the crackdown on dissent is continuing.
Aleppo has seen some of the worst of the recent fighting
Opposition activists in Syria say more than 25 people have been killed by an air strike in al-Bab, Aleppo province.
More than 100 people have also died elsewhere, they said, including five killed by a bomb in Damascus.
In an interview with the BBC, the new international envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, has said his mission to stop the fighting is "nearly impossible".
Mr Brahimi, who takes over from Kofi Annan, is expected to hold talks in Syria with President Bashar al-Assad.
Separately, the head of the Red Cross was beginning a three-day visit to Syria on Monday in an attempt to improve aid access to civilians.
Peter Maurer said in a statement that "an adequate humanitarian response is required to keep pace" with the worsening violence.
'Bulldozers'
Human rights groups said several women and children were among the more than 25 people killed when a building in al-Bab was attacked by a government jet.
The town, north-east of Aleppo city, appears to be largely in rebel hands and has been heavily pounded by government forces in recent weeks, says the BBC's Jim Muir in Lebanon.
In Damascus, one building was badly damaged by a car bombing in the suburb of Jaramana. Five people were reported killed. Syrian state news agency Sana said women and children were also among the victims there.
No group has said it carried out the attack, but Sana blamed "an armed terrorist group".
The explosion is the second deadly bombing within a week targeting the predominantly Druze and Christian area of Jaramana.
Also in Damascus, there were reports that the government was bulldozing houses in the Tawahin district, in what activists said was collective punishment for protests against President Assad.
"The bulldozers are bringing down shops and houses. The inhabitants are in the streets," one woman told Reuters.
'Brick wall'
Analysis
Lyse Doucet Chief International Correspondent, BBC News
Lakhdar Brahimi has embarked on one of the world's toughest jobs.
But as one of the UN's most experienced troubleshooters, he may offer the skills needed in a conflict where both sides seem to believe they have no choice but to fight to the end.
Mr Brahimi often deployed a "no victor, no vanquished" power-sharing approach in previous mediations, including the 1989 agreement that ended Lebanon's 15-year civil war.
UN sources who have worked closely with Mr Brahimi over many years say he will be more involved in the minutiae of the process, engaging personally with all the key players, and drawing on his own extensive experience and contacts in the region and beyond, not to mention his understanding of Arab politics and language.
He plans to base his office in Damascus if possible, or in Cairo, and to spend as much time as possible in the region.
But for the time being, there is little optimism anywhere that much can be done. Even Mr Brahimi sees his job as keeping expectations low.
'Brick wall' Mr Brahimi, the new UN-Arab League envoy on Syria, was appointed after Mr Annan resigned following the failure of his peace plan.
"I'm coming into this job with my eyes open, and no illusions," Mr Brahimi told the BBC's Lyse Doucet in an interview in New York. "I know how difficult it is - how nearly impossible. I can't say impossible - [it is] nearly impossible."
The new international envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, tells Lyse Doucet he views his new mission as "nearly impossible"
Mr Brahimi said he had so far failed to see "any cracks" in the "brick wall" that had defeated Mr Annan - an "intransigent" Syrian government, escalating rebel violence and a paralysed UN Security Council, where China and Russia have vetoed several resolutions aimed at putting pressure on Damascus.
He said he would keep Mr Annan's six-point peace plan in his "tool box" for possible adaptation, but admitted he "had ideas, but no plan yet", apart from talking to as many people as possible.
Addressing the Syrian government, he said the need for political change in Syria was "fundamental and urgent", but he refused to be drawn on whether President Assad should step down, as the opposition and several Western leaders are demanding.
"Change cannot be cosmetic," he said. "There will be a new order, but I do not know who will be the people in the order. That's for Syrians to decide."
Last month, the UN wound up the observer mission that had been tasked with monitoring the ceasefire in Syria under the Annan plan.
Information Minister Omran Zoabi said on Monday that any peace talks would collapse as long as foreign countries were supporting and arming the rebels, a frequent accusation by Damascus.
The Syrian government has also said it could use chemical or biological weapons if it were attacked from outside.
But on Monday, European leaders said they would respond robustly if it did so, with France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius saying the response would be "massive and blistering".
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he had asked the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to ensure that UN experts could be deployed quickly if there were any reports of such weapons "being used or moved".
Activists say 20,000 people have died since the uprising against the Syrian government began last March.
Human rights groups say August was the deadliest month, with more than 5,000 people killed, according to the pro-rebel Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Obama: 'I need you to stand with me, Ohio'
US President Barack Obama has appealed to voters in the swing state of Ohio on the eve of the Democratic party's gala in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Mr Obama told auto workers in Toledo that his bet to bail out US car makers was "paying off for America".
The convention, which kicks off on Tuesday, is to feature speeches from the president, his wife Michelle Obama and former President Bill Clinton.
Mr Obama faces Republican nominee Mitt Romney in the race for the White House.
"I stood with American workers, I stood with American manufacturing, I believed in you," Mr Obama said in Ohio on Monday, the US Labor Day holiday.
"I bet on you. I'll make that bet any day of the week and because of that bet, three years later, that bet is paying off for America."
'Good old days' Campaigning in Detroit, Michigan, a major hub for car manufacturing, Vice-President Joe Biden stuck to the same message, saying: "America is better off today than they left us when they left."
He roused the crowd with the familiar slogan: "Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive."
But in North Carolina, a state that both parties are vying to win in November's general election, Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan was on the campaign trail, offsetting the Democratic message.
"Simply put, the Jimmy Carter days look like the good old days compared to where we are now," he told supporters, referring to the Democratic president ousted from office after just term in 1980 by Ronald Reagan.
Paul Ryan pledges a Romney presidency will get America back on track
While most Americans spent Monday marking Labor Day, Mr Romney issued a statement from his lakeside home in the state of New Hampshire, saying: "For far too many Americans, today is another day of worrying when their next paycheck will come."
Correspondents say the Democratic push to highlight what they see as Mr Obama's economic achievements comes the day after a key Obama supporter, Governor Martin O'Malley of Maryland, suggested Americans were not better off than they were four years ago.
Mr O'Malley sought to clarify his remarks on Monday, telling CNN: "We are clearly better off as a country because we're now creating jobs rather than losing them.
"But we have not recovered all that we lost in the Bush recession. That's why we need to continue to move forward," with a second Obama term, he added.
'Weather gods' The three-day Democratic National Convention follows on the heels of the Republican National Convention held in Tampa, Florida, last week.
A Gallup opinion poll released on Monday suggested the convention had given the Republicans only the slightest of boosts, with 40% saying they were now more likely to vote for Mr Romney but 38% of respondents describing themselves as less likely to.
Mr Obama maintained a lead over Mr Romney of one percentage point - as he had done before the event.
The Democratic convention, which begins on Tuesday, will see Mr Obama and Mr Biden formally re-nominated as the party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
Scheduled to speak on Tuesday is First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as Democratic city mayors including Julian Castro of San Antonio, Texas.
On Wednesday the podium will see speeches from Elizabeth Warren, who is fighting Republican incumbent Scott Brown in a high-profile race for a Massachusetts Senate seat, and former President Bill Clinton are to take to the podium.
The convention is to culminate on Thursday with speeches from the Democratic candidates - Mr Obama and his running mate Mr Biden.
As they did in 2008, the Democrats will take the event outside the convention centre for the president's prime-time speech, taking over a 74,000-seater stadium in Charlotte for the final night of speeches.
Organisers are working to ensure a full house for Mr Obama's speech. There will be over 6,000 delegates in attendance, and large groups of people associated with the event.
But organisers are concerned thunderstorms forecast to hit Charlotte during the convention could keep people away.
Mark Mardell North America editor
Come here for America in all its glory - my take on the twist and turns of the presidency, electoral races and life beyond Washington
view resource http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19468885
By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent
Protests followed the revocation of the licence for overseas students at London Metropolitan University.
Attempts to tighten the student visa system have been strongly attacked by a committee of MPs as "poorly planned and ill thought-out", and creating "chaos".
The report from the Public Accounts Committee criticised the points-based visa system introduced in 2009.
It came as London London Metropolitan University launched legal action over a ban on recruiting overseas students.
The UK Border Agency issued the ban after finding many overseas students did not have the right to be in the UK.
The government agency said the decision to revoke the university's licence to sponsor non-EU students was the "correct course of action" and it would "strongly contest" any legal action.
It had found that more than a quarter of a sample of students studying at the university did not have permission to stay in the country and there were "systemic failings" in the system.
But the institution said there was no evidence of this and it challenged the evidence gathered by the UKBA in the "strongest possible terms".
"London Met appreciates that as the first UK university to be placed in this position it has a duty to the sector to try and bring an end to the damage arising from UKBA's decision," it said in a statement on Monday evening.
Malcolm Gillies, vice-chancellor of the university, told the BBC much of the UKBA's case is "wrong".
"It is 22 pages of very detailed statistical argument and we are able to prove through working night and day over the last five days with some of the best immigration lawyers in the country, that in so many areas it is highly flawed.
"It has to be audited against what the exact rules were of the UKBA at the time, and they have changed 14 times substantially in the last three years," he added.
Up to 2,600 foreign students are affected and have until 1 December to find an alternative course or arrange to leave the UK.
The university said it was taking action so its overseas students could return to study "as a matter of urgency".
'Playing catch-up' The committee's report was written before London Met became the first UK university to be stripped of its right to recruit overseas students.
The report said that, rather than cutting illegal migration, the points-based system had created a surge of as many as 50,000 more bogus students.
It concluded that overseas students should be considered separately from net migration figures.
The MPs claimed that an unsuccessful introduction of the points-based system was followed by years of "playing catch-up" - with complex regulations and uncertainty about the reliability of migration figures.
The report highlighted a tension between efforts to clamp down on misuse of the student visa system and a recruitment drive to recruit higher numbers of overseas students.
According to the report, there was a flawed introduction for the "Tier 4 points-based system", under which approved educational institutions were allowed to sponsor overseas students.
"It is extraordinary that the UK Border Agency introduced its new points-based system for students before proper controls were in place to replace the old ones," said committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge.
"The result of the agency's poorly planned and ill thought-out course of action was chaos: an immediate high level of abuse of the new system and a surge in the number of student visas.
"In 2009 the number of migrants who abused the student route to work rather than study went up by as much as 40,000 to 50,000.
"Since then, the agency has been playing catch-up, continually adjusting the rules and procedures in order to try and tackle abuse.
"A bad situation has been made worse by the poor customer support being provided by the agency."
'Hard hitting' The report set out a series of failings.
It said that, when the points-based system was implemented three years ago, it remained too easy for bogus students to cheat the system, such as by using forged documents.
And for those students who had broken visa rules, the report claimed the border agency had not taken enough action to pursue them.
It also argued that the underlying data for debating migration, including overseas students, was "highly inaccurate", and would remain so until an electronic border system was in place.
As such the report said it might be "more informative" to exclude overseas students from net migration figures.
Universities UK backed such a call.
"It is clear that genuine international students, who come and then go, must be taken out of the definition of the net migration equation. Then we can really work with the government on any students who should not be here," said chief executive Nicola Dandridge.
In response, Immigration Minister Damian Green said: "Our hard-hitting new measures are beginning to bite - we have already seen the number of student visas issued drop by 30% in the 12 months to June 2012, compared with the same period in 2011, and recent enforcement action has seen 400 student overstayers leave the London area and return home.
"Tough new rules have seen 500 fewer colleges being able to sponsor international students and last week London Metropolitan University's licence to teach non-EU students was revoked after it failed to address serious systemic failings.
"So the message to students and education providers is clear: Britain will welcome the best and the brightest students who meet our immigration rules but we will not tolerate any abuse."
By the
CNN Wire Staff
Thick smoke rises Sunday from the hills above the San Gabriel Mountains in the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles.
-- Firefighters, air tankers and helicopters replaced hikers and campers in the recreation-rich San Gabriel Canyon on Monday after a wildfire forced authorities to close the area for Labor Day.
Authorities evacuated the canyon Sunday after the fire broke out in Angeles National Forest, an urban recreation area near Los Angeles that is popular with hikers, campers and off-road vehicle enthusiasts.
About 50 residents and 1,000 campers were evacuated, CNN affiliate KABC reported.
"I know we have some neighbors up there that didn't leave. We're really worried about them," evacuee Toni Kova told KABC.
Kova and her husband live in Camp Williams, which was evacuated Sunday.
"We saw the smoke and the fire coming over the hill. The river is literally our front yard and the mountains that the fires were coming over," she said. "We were like, we gotta start packing up."
Officials told KABC the fight was made more difficult by the steep and rugged terrain. The U.S. Forest Service in California said on its Twitter feed it expected a "very active" fire because of low humidity and high temperatures.
Between 10,000 and 12,000 people use the area during an average holiday weekend, according to Inciweb, the government fire-tracking website.
Structures in Camp Williams, a camping and recreational vehicle resort, are in danger from the fire even though it is burning to the northeast toward a wilderness area, Inciweb said.
About 400 firefighters, a heavy air tanker and six helicopters are working on the blaze, which had burned through about 4,000 acres of brush by Monday afternoon, according to Inciweb. The brush, comprised mostly of chaparral, is very thick in some areas.
The fire is 5% contained, the website said.
Inciweb said the cause of the fire was under investigation. CNN affiliate KTLA-TV in Los Angeles, citing a U.S. Forest Service official, reported the fire began when a car caught fire.
The Red Cross has opened an evacuation center in Glendora, California.
