Cambodia: Lost Ancient City Found In Jungle

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

An ancient city lost for 1,200 years has been discovered in the Cambodian jungle by archaeologists using laser scanning technology.

The city, which was linked to Cambodia's famous Angkor temples complex, was uncovered using airborne lasers which penetrated thick vegetation to provide evidence of roads, canals and buildings.

The discovery was announced in a peer-reviewed paper released early by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The lost city of Mahendraparvata was found atop Phnom Kulen mountain in Siem Reap province, about 25 miles (40km) north of the Angkor complex.

"What we have now with this instrument is just 'bang' - all of a sudden, an immediate picture of an entire city that people didn't know was there before, which is remarkable," University of Sydney archaeologist Damian Evans, the study's lead author, told Australia's The Age in a video interview from Cambodia.

"So instead of this kind of very long gradual process, you have this kind of sudden eureka moment where you bring the data up on screen the first time and there it is - this ancient city very clearly in front of you."

The laser technology, known as lidar, works by firing laser pulses from an aircraft to the ground and measuring the distance to create a detailed, three-dimensional map of the area.

It is a useful tool for archaeologists because the lasers can penetrate dense vegetation and cover swathes of ground far faster than they could be analysed on foot.

Lidar has been used to explore other archaeological sites, such as Stonehenge.

The new city was found 25 miles north of Angkor, deep in Cambodia

In April 2012, the Australian researchers loaded the equipment onto a helicopter, which spent days crisscrossing the dense forests from 800 metres above the ground.

The team then confirmed the findings with an on-foot expedition, hacking their way through thick jungle.

"We had reasonable expectations, I guess, of what we would find using the lidar data, but what we've ended up with has just blown our minds," Mr Evans told The Age.

"It's just absolutely incredible what we can see."

Even the archaeologists' local guide had no idea of the existence of many of the temple complexes discovered using the data.

The origins of the city have been dated to about 800AD, at the start of the Khmer Empire that went on to build all the Angkor temples.

At their height, around 900AD, the Hindu-worshipping Khmers ruled over most of the area that is now Cambodia, Thailand and Laos.

The researchers theorise the civilisation at Mahendraparvata, like that at Angkor, eventually collapsed because of deforestation, and broken canals and reservoirs after the 15th century.

Mr Evans told the newspaper it is still not known how large Mahendraparvata was because the lidar search only covered a limited area.

"The network doesn't stop at the edge of the survey area," he said, adding that money is being raised for further research.

"Maybe what we are seeing was not the central part of the city, so there is a lot of work to be done to discover the extent of this civilisation."

With little known about the origins of the Khmers, it is hoped that exploration of the site will shed new light on how and why the civilisation flourished and then died.

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UK Weather: Hottest Days Of Summer So Far

Britain is expected to bask in its hottest days of the year so far today and tomorrow, forecasters say.

Temperatures are expected to reach highs of 26 to 30°C (79-86°F) in the south east of England.

But it does not look to be a completely dry day.

The heat will trigger some heavy showers and thunderstorms across southern England and East Anglia, lasting into the night.

Weather experts say this wet end is not unusual.

Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "This pattern of weather is not unusual at this time of year.

"In fact, it is well summarised by the well-known, if somewhat tongue in cheek, definition of a British summer - three fine days then a thunderstorm."

For those further north and in the west of the UK and in Ireland it will remain drier but not as hot.

On Thursday, temperatures will fall back to the low 20Cs.

The welcome warm blast follows what the Met Office said was the coldest spring since 1962.

There was a mean temperature across March, April and May of 6C (43F), which is calculated as being 1.7C below the long-term average.

:: Proud of your photo skills? Upload your pictures to the glorious summer section on Sky's Your Photos.

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Saatchi: 'Nigella Lawson Caution Was Best'

Advertising guru Charles Saatchi says he took a police caution for assaulting his wife Nigella Lawson to avoid having the incident "hanging over all of us".

The 70-year-old voluntarily attended a central London police station and accepted the caution after photographs emerged showing his hand around Lawson's neck.

The pair were pictured having an argument on the terrace of a restaurant on June 9.

Lawson, 53, the daughter of former chancellor Lord Lawson, was reportedly seen weeping following the episode outside Scott's in Mayfair, central London.

Speaking to the London Evening Standard, Saatchi said: "Although Nigella made no complaint, I volunteered to go to Charing Cross station and take a police caution after a discussion with my lawyer because I thought it was better than the alternative of this hanging over all of us for months."

Police cautions are not criminal convictions and are given to adults who admit minor offences. Failure to agree to be cautioned can lead to an arrest or charge.

Earlier, Saatchi told the Standard: "About a week ago, we were sitting outside a restaurant having an intense debate about the children, and I held Nigella's neck repeatedly while attempting to emphasise my point.

"There was no grip, it was a playful tiff.

"The pictures are horrific, but give a far more drastic and violent impression of what took place.

"Nigella's tears were because we both hate arguing, not because she had been hurt.

"We had made up by the time we were home. The paparazzi were congregated outside our house after the story broke yesterday morning, so I told Nigella to take the kids off till the dust settled."

Lawson's spokesperson said there would not be any comment on Saatchi's explanation, but did confirm that she "isn't at the family home".

Police confirmed they had not received a complaint of assault from Lawson or anyone else.

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Abu Qatada Could Be 'Deported In Days'

Abu Qatada could be removed from the UK by the end of the week after the King of Jordan approved a new treaty designed to prompt the radical cleric's deportation.

Government sources say the agreement, unveiled by the Home Secretary in April, aims to allay fears that evidence extracted through torture will be used against the terror suspect at a retrial.

Last month, Qatada unexpectedly volunteered to leave the country as soon as the treaty between the UK and Jordan was ratified by both countries.

The treaty must be published in the Jordanian Government's Official Gazette before the Jordanian process is complete, while the UK Government expects the treaty to be ratified in Britain by Friday.

Security Minister James Brokenshire said: "The Government remains committed to securing Abu Qatada's deportation as quickly as possible."

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Bieber's Collision With Photographer 'No Crime'

Justin Bieber struck a pedestrian with his car in Hollywood but there was no crime and the injuries are not life-threatening, police have said.

Lt Craig Valenzuela said Bieber's car collided with someone - possibly a photographer - at 11.45pm Monday in block 8800 of Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles.

Lt Valenzuela said nobody was cited or arrested and officers determined no crime was committed.

He said investigators are trying to establish whether the pedestrian was in the roadway.

A video posted by the showbusiness website TMZ.com showed Bieber getting into a white Ferrari.

The footage showed him being surrounded by paparazzi and as the car drove off, one fell to the ground and gripped his knee.

There was no immediate comment from Bieber's publicist, Melissa Victor.

Bieber has been involved in a number of car incidents this year.

Last month he was chased by the NFL's Keyshawn Johnson after allegedly whizzing past the footballer's daughter in his Ferrari.

In January, a paparazzo was killed while taking photos of the Ferrari while it was stationary.

At the time, Bieber released a statement calling for legislation to cover the activities of photographers.

He said:  "While I was not present nor directly involved with this tragic accident, my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim.

"Hopefully this tragedy will finally inspire meaningful legislation and whatever other necessary steps to protect the lives and safety of celebrities, police officers, innocent public bystanders and the photographers themselves."

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Girl Killed With Friend On Rail Line Named

A teenage boy and girl from the same school have died after being hit by a high-speed train in Hertfordshire.

The youngsters - one of whom has been named as 15-year-old Charleigh Disbrey - are believed to have climbed over a fence close to Elstree and Borehamwood station.

There are no level crossings near the station and the deaths are not being treated as suspicious.

Miss Disbrey, a singer whose music videos have been viewed thousands of times on YouTube, was in year 10 at Hertswood Academy in Borehamwood.

The teenagers' friends at Hertswood Academy are being offered counselling

The other teenager - an 18-year-old sixth form pupil who was midway through his A-level exams - has not yet been named.

Their headteacher, Paul Gillett, said: "As a close community, obviously we are devastated by this tragedy. Both students were talented, hard working and well respected members of our academy. 

"Our thoughts are with their families at this most difficult time.  We are supporting our students and staff in coping with this terrible loss."

Friends of the two teenagers paid tribute to the pair on social networking sites.

The teenagers were struck by a train in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire

One Twitter user wrote: "I'm actually so shocked. I saw them walking together like nearly everyday on the way to Hertswood. They looked so happy. #RIP"

Another said they would both be missed, adding: "I hope heaven looks after you."

"I will never forget you and the memories we made," a friend of Miss Dibrey posted on Facebook.

"At peace and with the angels. God bless," wrote another.

The youngsters were struck close to Elstree and Borehamwood station

A spokesman for British Transport Police said both teenagers were pronounced dead at the scene.

"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the two teenagers involved in last night's tragic and acutely sad incident," Superintendent Phil Wilkinson said.

"Although my officers are continuing their investigations, as part of our work to prepare a file for the local coroner, there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances and no one else is believed to have been involved."

The empty First Capital Connect train was travelling from St Albans to Sutton when the youngsters were struck.

A spokesman for the train operator said: "This was a shocking incident and our hearts go out to all those involved."

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Ian Brady Said To Have Chronic Anger Levels

Moors murderer Ian Brady has been denied the use of a pen because of fears he will use it as a weapon against other patients at the psychiatric hospital where he is being kept.

On the second day of a mental health tribunal being held in public, a lawyer representing Ashworth Hospital said he has "chronic levels" of anger which "can erupt on the smallest provocation".

The serial killer, who has been at the maximum security hospital for 26 years, wants to be transferred to a prison to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Sky's North of England Correspondent Mike McCarthy, who is watching proceedings, said: "Eleanor Grey QC portrayed Brady as an irritable and frequently hostile and angry individual who lied about the past and targeted other patients or members of staff with 'verbal tirades'.

"She said he was aloof and suffered paranoia and suspicion which made him fearful of attack from fellow patients."

Ian Brady in police custody in 1965

Dr Adrian Grounds, a forensic psychiatrist who has interviewed Brady several times over 10 years, said he has been known to target staff with "intense ill-feeling and aggression".

He described him as a "very opinionated man" who occasionally shouts at the television and does not form close relationships.

However, he said Brady no longer requires treatment for mental illness, adding that although he has a severe personality disorder, it does not amount to psychosis.

Miss Grey QC said: "(Brady) is extremely socially withdrawn or isolated, at least since the withdrawal of his pen.

"He's got a nocturnal existence really, only coming out at night time when other patients are not there.

"At present he's currently sleeping under the covers but with his clothes on."

Myra Hindley and Ian Brady became known as the Moors murderers

The tribunal heard Brady has been spotted watching static on a television screen in his room at Ashworth.

He has made it known that he wants to starve himself to death, although Dr Grounds said his hunger strikes are protests against his treatment, not a sign of suicidal intent.

The 75-year-old left the hearing at Ashworth after around an hour, leaving doctors and lawyers to continue without him.

The tribunal is being relayed by video link to Manchester Civil Justice Centre, where journalists and victims' relatives have been watching on TV screens.

The hearing, which is expected to last about a week, was postponed last July because Brady suffered a seizure.

Brady and his partner Myra Hindley were responsible for the murders of five youngsters in the 1960s.

Some of their victims were sexually tortured before being buried on Saddleworth Moor above Manchester.

Pauline Reade, 16, John Kilbride, aged 12, Keith Bennett, also 12, Lesley Ann Downey, 10 and 17-year-old Edward Evans were all victims of the pair.

Keith Bennett's remains were never found, despite extensive searches and police taking the killers back to the Moor in 1987.

Hindley died in jail in November 2002, aged 60.

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Forrest Trial: Wife Found Message From Girl

The wife of a teacher accused of abducting a schoolgirl has told a court how she asked him to stop communicating with the pupil on Twitter after she found a message from the teenager.

Lewes Crown Court has been hearing from Emily Forrest, who said her marriage to 30-year-old Jeremy Forrest was in trouble by the end of 2011.

He is said to have begun a sexual relationship with the pupil and allegedly took the then 15-year-old to France in September of the following year.

Mrs Forrest, who was in tears at one stage as she gave evidence and asked the court for a break, told how her husband had become "really distant" in their marriage and that they would sleep in different beds.

The 32-year-old, who married the defendant in 2009, said she was concerned he would get into trouble with his boss at Bishop Bell C of E School in Eastbourne, East Sussex, after finding the tweet from the schoolgirl.

She asked him to stop sending messages to her because it was "not appropriate", the court heard.

She said: "Teachers shouldn't be tweeting children from their school. They shouldn't even be friends with them."

Earlier, the schoolgirl's mother told the court how she had learned of rumours about the pair in the months before they went missing.

She said she was first warned by the school about claims surrounding her daughter and Forrest after a school trip to Los Angeles in February of that year.

Her daughter "broke down" when she confronted her and said they were "just nasty rumours".

The court heard that in the summer of last year, Forrest called the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The mother said he was "seriously concerned" about his career and that he wanted to "nip (the rumours) in the bud" before the new school year.

"He alluded that (my daughter) was being a bit of a pain, he said (she) kept hanging around him," she told the court.

"He was upset about it getting worse, he kept going on and on about his career."

She said she apologised over her daughter's behaviour and that she was "mortified that my daughter could put someone in that position".

"I was horrified, ashamed and I had a go at her," she said.

"She said 'It's not true', she was in tears, she broke down, she said 'It's not true, it's not true'."

A police officer turned up at the girl's home in September and told the mother there were reports of indecent images of Forrest on her daughter's phone, the court heard.

Her daughter was "angry" about the claims and handed over her phone for them to look at.

The court has heard that, fearing they were about to be exposed, Forrest booked them on a cross-Channel ferry from Dover to Calais on September 20 before spending seven days on the run in France.

The mother said she did not know the whereabouts of her daughter for the seven days before she was found and had feared she was dead.

The court also heard evidence from friends of the girl, who is now 16.

One told police that the girl had stayed at Forrest's house while his wife was away.

The teenage witness, who counted herself among the schoolgirl's best friends, told police that the schoolgirl would be picked up by Forrest in his car after school and they would go to a crematorium to talk.

She said they would spend time at hotels as well as his home.

Scots-born Forrest, of Chislehurst Road, Petts Wood, Kent, denies child abduction.

More follows...

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G8: Syria Statement Omits Anti-Assad Calls

Q & A: What is the G8 all about?

Updated: 3:21pm UK, Tuesday 18 June 2013

The G8 is a group of eight countries which are among the world's richest, plus the European Union.

It comprises the UK, the US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, Russia and the EU. As a result of their shared wealth, they have common interests and meet annually to discuss the issues that affect them.

What does it do?
It aims to overcome some of the major world problems by creating and agreeing solutions. Each year, the host sets the agenda and sometimes promotes practical ways of resolving issues.

Who are the leaders attending?
The UK's David Cameron, The US's Barack Obama, France's Francois Hollande, Germany's Angela Merkel, Italy's Enrico Letta, Japan's Shinzo Abe, Canada's Stephen Harper, Russia's Vladimir Putin and the EU's Herman van Rompuy and Jose Manuel Barroso. 

Why is this year's being held in Northern Ireland?
Each year, a different country takes its turn to host the summit. This year it is Britain's turn. Northern Ireland, which experienced  paramilitary conflict until the Belfast Agreement brought it to a close, was chosen because it symbolises how working together can result in a successful peace.

Why do protesters demonstrate when it's held?
Much of the criticism of the G8 relates to claims that the group does not do enough to help the developing world, either through lessening Third World debt, or through reducing the cost of medicines. Other critics are against the way the grouping together of wealthy countries distorts power, by causing 'globalisation'.

Who pays for the summit and its policing?
The member country holding the G8 presidency is entirely responsible for organising and the cost of each year's summit. That includes its policing. This year's has been held at the Lough Erne Resort in County Fermanagh. The cost is estimated at £60m, with the Northern Ireland government paying £6m and the UK Treasury meeting the rest.

When was it last staged in UK and what happened?
It was last held in the UK in 2005, at Gleneagles, near Stirling, Scotland. On the agenda were the cancelling of third world debt and global warming. Ahead of the summit, finance leaders agreed to write off $40bn worth of debt owed by the 18 most highly indebted poor countries. The members also agreed a joint declaration to tackle global warming. More than 10,000 police officers from all over the UK kept order at protests. There were 700 arrests and in the middle of the event, on July 7, four terrorists set off suicide bombs on the London transport network, killing 52 people.

What has it ever achieved?
Many have argued that the G8 is becoming increasingly irrelevant, as other nations outside the eight become wealthier. The five leading developing nations, China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa are not automatically invited. As a result, the meetings are sometimes seen as being a 'rich man's club, which is limited in its decision making. Some have suggested the G20, which involves the world's 20 richest countries, should replace it.

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US To Hold Talks With Taliban 'Within Days'

Taliban Insurgency: A Timeline

Updated: 4:44pm UK, Tuesday 18 June 2013

As Afghan forces take control of national security, marking a major milestone for the withdrawal of US-led combat troops, here is a timeline of the 12 years of Taliban insurgency in the country.

:: September 11, 2001 - al Qaeda hijackers fly passenger planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing nearly 3,000 people. Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is known to live in Afghanistan, which is ruled by the Taliban.

:: October 7, 2001 - A US-led military campaign begins with air strikes against Afghanistan, followed by troops, to hunt down bin Laden and topple the Taliban.

:: December 2001 - The Taliban are forced from power, but bin Laden is not found. Plans are laid for an interim government and a multinational force. Hamid Karzai is appointed to lead the government and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) begins to deploy.

:: October 9, 2004 - Afghanistan's first presidential election takes place. Mr Karzai is proclaimed the winner. He is declared to have won another term in November 2009, amid accusations of massive electoral fraud.

:: February 2007 - Taliban insurgents attack at US base as vice president Dick Cheney visits, killing 24 people.

:: November 2008 - Barack Obama is elected US president, and vows to end the war in Iraq and focus on Afghanistan.

:: December 1, 2009 - Mr Obama orders a "surge" of 30,000 troops into Afghanistan but says withdrawals will begin in July 2011. The number of NATO-led forces reaches a peak of 150,000 in the summer of 2010.

:: May 2, 2011 - Osama bin Laden is killed by US special forces in the Pakistan town of Abbottabad.

:: June 22, 2011 - Mr Obama announces the withdrawal of 33,000 US troops by the middle of 2012.

:: July 2011 - Western troops and officials begin handing authority to Afghan forces in some areas.

:: August 6, 2011 - 30 US troops, mostly special forces, and eight Afghans die when the Taliban shoots down their helicopter in the biggest single loss for foreign troops in the war.

:: September 20, 2011 - Burhanuddin Rabbani, a former president and Mr Karzai's peace envoy, becomes the most senior politician to be killed since the start of the conflict in an assassination blamed by Afghan officials on the Taliban.

:: November 27, 2011 - US air strikes kill 24 Pakistani soldiers, prompting Pakistan to suspend overland NATO supply routes into Afghanistan for several months.

:: December 6, 2011 - At least 84 people die in suicide blasts at shrines on the Shiite holday day of Ashura. The biggest attack takes place in Kabul, killing 80.

:: February 2012 - Deadly protests kill 40 people and force Mr Obama to apologise after US troops burn copies of the Koran on an Afghan military base.

:: March 11, 2012 - A rogue US soldier walks off his base in Kandahar and kills 16 Afghans, most of them women and children.

:: February 2013 - Mr Obama announces 34,000 US troops will return from Afghanistan by mid-February 2014. There are currently 98,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan.

At least 3,336 foreign troops have died since the start of operations in 2001.

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