Speaking as she arrived in Mexico, she said the US’s appetite for drugs and its inability to stop arms crossing the border were helping fuel the violence.

Her two-day visit comes a day after the Obama administration announced new measures to boost border security.

Some 8,000 people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico over the past two years.

On Tuesday, the White House unveiled a $700m (£745m) strategy that includes boosting security on the border, moves to stem the flow of illegal guns and drug profits from the US into Mexico, and steps to cut domestic drug consumption.

Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Mexico arrests ‘top drugs hitman’

Speaking to reporters accompanying her to Mexico City, Mrs Clinton said: “Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade.

“Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians.

“I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility.”

She also acknowledged that US efforts to ban drugs had so far been unsuccessful in stopping the narcotics trade.

“Clearly, what we have been doing has not worked and it is unfair for our incapacity… to be creating a situation where people are holding the Mexican government and people responsible,” she said.

The BBC’s Stephen Gibbs in Mexico says these points have been repeatedly made by Mexico, which sometimes sees itself as the setting for an American financed and armed war.

‘Common future’

In a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa in Mexico City, Mrs Clinton stressed the importance to both countries of working together to build a “common future”.

See the Mexican cartels’ main areas of influence

Mrs Clinton said discussions with Ms Espinosa had been very productive and praised Mexican President Felipe Calderon for his “great courage” in tackling organised crime.

“The criminals and kingpins spreading violence are trying to corrode the foundations of law, order, friendship and trust between us,” she said. “They will fail.”

Mrs Clinton also spoke about the importance of trade between the two nations, as they sought recovery from the global economic crisis.

Immigration, climate change, energy issues and security were also on the agenda for the trip, she said.

Asked about a dispute between the two nations which began after the US stopped a pilot scheme which allowed Mexican trucks to use roads in the US, Mrs Clinton said only that she was aware of the dangers of protectionism.

Mexico said the decision earlier this month violated a free-trade deal between the countries and retaliated by imposing higher tariffs on some 90 American exports.

Speaking as she arrived in Mexico, she said the US’s appetite for drugs and its inability to stop arms crossing the border were helping fuel the violence.

Her two-day visit comes a day after the Obama administration announced new measures to boost border security.

Some 8,000 people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico over the past two years.

On Tuesday, the White House unveiled a $700m (£745m) strategy that includes boosting security on the border, moves to stem the flow of illegal guns and drug profits from the US into Mexico, and steps to cut domestic drug consumption.

Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Mexico arrests ‘top drugs hitman’

Speaking to reporters accompanying her to Mexico City, Mrs Clinton said: “Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade.

“Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians.

“I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility.”

She also acknowledged that US efforts to ban drugs had so far been unsuccessful in stopping the narcotics trade.

“Clearly, what we have been doing has not worked and it is unfair for our incapacity… to be creating a situation where people are holding the Mexican government and people responsible,” she said.

The BBC’s Stephen Gibbs in Mexico says these points have been repeatedly made by Mexico, which sometimes sees itself as the setting for an American financed and armed war.

‘Common future’

In a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa in Mexico City, Mrs Clinton stressed the importance to both countries of working together to build a “common future”.

See the Mexican cartels’ main areas of influence

Mrs Clinton said discussions with Ms Espinosa had been very productive and praised Mexican President Felipe Calderon for his “great courage” in tackling organised crime.

“The criminals and kingpins spreading violence are trying to corrode the foundations of law, order, friendship and trust between us,” she said. “They will fail.”

Mrs Clinton also spoke about the importance of trade between the two nations, as they sought recovery from the global economic crisis.

Immigration, climate change, energy issues and security were also on the agenda for the trip, she said.

Asked about a dispute between the two nations which began after the US stopped a pilot scheme which allowed Mexican trucks to use roads in the US, Mrs Clinton said only that she was aware of the dangers of protectionism.

Mexico said the decision earlier this month violated a free-trade deal between the countries and retaliated by imposing higher tariffs on some 90 American exports.

Speaking as she arrived in Mexico, she said the US’s appetite for drugs and its inability to stop arms crossing the border were helping fuel the violence.

Her two-day visit comes a day after the Obama administration announced new measures to boost border security.

Some 8,000 people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico over the past two years.

On Tuesday, the White House unveiled a $700m (£745m) strategy that includes boosting security on the border, moves to stem the flow of illegal guns and drug profits from the US into Mexico, and steps to cut domestic drug consumption.

Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Mexico arrests ‘top drugs hitman’

Speaking to reporters accompanying her to Mexico City, Mrs Clinton said: “Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade.

“Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians.

“I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility.”

She also acknowledged that US efforts to ban drugs had so far been unsuccessful in stopping the narcotics trade.

“Clearly, what we have been doing has not worked and it is unfair for our incapacity… to be creating a situation where people are holding the Mexican government and people responsible,” she said.

The BBC’s Stephen Gibbs in Mexico says these points have been repeatedly made by Mexico, which sometimes sees itself as the setting for an American financed and armed war.

‘Common future’

In a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa in Mexico City, Mrs Clinton stressed the importance to both countries of working together to build a “common future”.

See the Mexican cartels’ main areas of influence

Mrs Clinton said discussions with Ms Espinosa had been very productive and praised Mexican President Felipe Calderon for his “great courage” in tackling organised crime.

“The criminals and kingpins spreading violence are trying to corrode the foundations of law, order, friendship and trust between us,” she said. “They will fail.”

Mrs Clinton also spoke about the importance of trade between the two nations, as they sought recovery from the global economic crisis.

Immigration, climate change, energy issues and security were also on the agenda for the trip, she said.

Asked about a dispute between the two nations which began after the US stopped a pilot scheme which allowed Mexican trucks to use roads in the US, Mrs Clinton said only that she was aware of the dangers of protectionism.

Mexico said the decision earlier this month violated a free-trade deal between the countries and retaliated by imposing higher tariffs on some 90 American exports.

Speaking as she arrived in Mexico, she said the US’s appetite for drugs and its inability to stop arms crossing the border were helping fuel the violence.

Her two-day visit comes a day after the Obama administration announced new measures to boost border security.

Some 8,000 people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico over the past two years.

On Tuesday, the White House unveiled a $700m (£745m) strategy that includes boosting security on the border, moves to stem the flow of illegal guns and drug profits from the US into Mexico, and steps to cut domestic drug consumption.

Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Mexico arrests ‘top drugs hitman’

Speaking to reporters accompanying her to Mexico City, Mrs Clinton said: “Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade.

“Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians.

“I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility.”

She also acknowledged that US efforts to ban drugs had so far been unsuccessful in stopping the narcotics trade.

“Clearly, what we have been doing has not worked and it is unfair for our incapacity… to be creating a situation where people are holding the Mexican government and people responsible,” she said.

The BBC’s Stephen Gibbs in Mexico says these points have been repeatedly made by Mexico, which sometimes sees itself as the setting for an American financed and armed war.

‘Common future’

In a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa in Mexico City, Mrs Clinton stressed the importance to both countries of working together to build a “common future”.

See the Mexican cartels’ main areas of influence

Mrs Clinton said discussions with Ms Espinosa had been very productive and praised Mexican President Felipe Calderon for his “great courage” in tackling organised crime.

“The criminals and kingpins spreading violence are trying to corrode the foundations of law, order, friendship and trust between us,” she said. “They will fail.”

Mrs Clinton also spoke about the importance of trade between the two nations, as they sought recovery from the global economic crisis.

Immigration, climate change, energy issues and security were also on the agenda for the trip, she said.

Asked about a dispute between the two nations which began after the US stopped a pilot scheme which allowed Mexican trucks to use roads in the US, Mrs Clinton said only that she was aware of the dangers of protectionism.

Mexico said the decision earlier this month violated a free-trade deal between the countries and retaliated by imposing higher tariffs on some 90 American exports.

“You always worry if you’ll get the chance to complete the hat-trick when Rafa’s in charge! He might take you off when you’re on two just to keep your feet on the ground. But he knows my feet never leave the ground.”

“We were playing against 10 men and we had three or four chances to score more. We could have done better.”
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez after seeing his side ‘only’ hit five against Aston Villa. Just how many goals do they need to make him happy?

“I spoke to a few people on the phone from the dressing room and they were saying Dublin had gone absolutely mental!”
Ronan O’Gara after scoring the drop goal against Wales that clinched the Six Nations Grand Slam for Ireland.

“We had some bad experiences flying with Blackburn. On one occasion, one of the lads actually wet himself.”
Derby midfielder Robbie Savage reveals life wasn’t all plain sailing for one of his former colleagues at Ewood Park.

“I’ve got something really special planned for Robbie at the end of the season. Although it may not be live on telly, everyone will know about it!”
Derby goalkeeper Stephen Bywater has another trick up his sleeve after pouring a jug of juice over his team-mate during a live TV interview, in revenge for Savage reading a personal letter to the rest of the team.

“At least the boy Bywater didn’t spill anything today!”
Savage after the 0-0 draw with Barnsley.

“Simon Jordan will be on the phone to me saying I’ve done him, so that should be interesting!”
Wigan boss Steve Bruce looks forward to a nice chat with his old mucker after Ben Watson, a £1.5m ’snip’ from Crystal Palace scores the winner against Hull.

“Ideally, you do not want to play an English team because it is not really Europe.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger on avoiding the rest of the non-European Premier League sides in the Champions League draw.
Manuel Almunia
Ooh, I’m scared

“The penalty was a good opportunity to open their account. But I thought Martins was scared of our goalie.”
Arsenal’s Andrei Arshavin on Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins’ penalty miss against the terrifying Manuel Almunia.

“Arsene Wenger wrote a nice card and Alex Ferguson said he wanted to see me back in the dug-out soon and told me to back one of his horses at Cheltenham. I did and it came fourth. Thanks Alex, just what I needed to relax!”
Newcastle interim manager Joe Kinnear, back cracking the gags after his heart operation.

“It is frustrating. However, and people will probably laugh, I know I’m not injury-prone.”
Newcastle striker Michael Owen – stop sniggering at the back.

“I spent the last half-hour with the crowd spinning and bits of tongue falling off in my mouth but such is life as a goalkeeper, you are going to get these whacks.”
West Ham keeper Robert Green conjures up a charming image after being caught by West Brom’s Jonas Olsson.

“When you go to a club at four in the morning and you’re just waiting, waiting, a 600-pounder looks like J-Lo. And, to me, this is Jennifer Lopez right here. It’s four in the morning. Too much to drink. So, Nationals: Jennifer Lopez to me.”
Pitcher Julian Tavarez gives an interesting insight into why he moved to the Washington Nationals.

“Nobody can complain about my commitment. Players are different, it is like the five fingers on the hand – all different but they shine in different ways.”
Didier Drogba can’t quite put his finger on the reasons he’s dubbed lazy.

Temperatures have been down to -40C with wind chill, and the drifting ice has blunted their progress.

But the trio say they are now covering more than 10km (six miles) a day.

Arctic ice (Martin Hartley)
Vital re-supply flights eventually got through to the team
The Catlin Arctic Survey team is using a novel mobile radar dragged behind a sledge to record the thickness of the sea ice.

The data will be used to calibrate satellite observations of the Arctic ice, and to constrain the computer models that are used to forecast its likely response to climate change.

The endeavour came very close to a premature end last week when re-supply flights were grounded and the team got down to its last 12,000 calories of rations.

Pen Hadow – the first person to walk solo, unsupported to the North Pole – said the conditions faced by the team at the beginning of the trek were among the worst he had ever seen in the region.

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Pen Hadow explains how the team woke to find ice cracking all around

Weather reports suggest more favourable winds in the days ahead, allowing the trio to make more rapid progress towards their goal.

The team has not been able to transmit its radar data direct from the Arctic, as was hoped. Instead, the information gathered so far has been put on to a digital card and handed to a returning re-supply flight.

Pools of salty water might be able to exist just below the surface of Mars, planetary scientists believe.

Researchers previously thought water existed largely as ice or as vapour on Mars, because of the low temperatures and atmospheric pressure.

But Nasa’s Phoenix lander has shown the presence in Martian soil of perchlorate salts, which can keep water liquid at temperatures of minus 70C.

Pockets of brine might form when soil interacted with ice.

Researchers have been discussing the idea at the 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC), here in The Woodlands, Texas.

They were presenting some of the first scientific results from Phoenix, which touched down on Mars’s northern plains on 25 May 2008.

“I do think those pools might exist. But there’s still more to know about the properties of these perchlorate solutions, such as what their vapour pressure is,” Dr Mike Hecht, from Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, explained.

Soil dampness

Phoenix used thrusters to slow its descent to the surface. And these blew away topsoil, exposing water-ice just centimetres beneath.

Dr Hecht said: “Here are all these perchlorate salts right under them, by a few centimetres, is a slab of [water ice]. It doesn’t take much of a stretch of the imagination to say that those two materials will interact.
Trench on Mars (Nasa)
One of Phoenix’s great achievements was to “touch” the water-ice

“And once you get dampness, the perchlorate is very soluble and it will become mobile.”

On Earth, perchlorates – salts derived from perchloric acid – are used in solid rocket fuel, fireworks and airbags. Scientists are just starting to understand the important roles they may play on Mars.

Dr Hecht said that forming pockets of liquid on Mars would require just the right concentrations of perchlorate salts. He commented: “In this case we have very little perchlorate and vast slabs of ice, so I can imagine we have an excess of water. This means you would form a pool of low temperature brine if the two ever interacted.”

Other researchers cautioned that the concentrations of these salts found at the Phoenix landing site remained a small component of the overall soil chemistry, and that more had to be done to test the idea.

Nevertheless, Dr Hecht said the discovery of these compounds made the Red Planet seem more Earth-like in several respects.

Big tilt

Perchlorates might be controlling the amount of water vapour in the midday atmosphere, according to separate evidence presented by Dr Troy Hudson of JPL.

And their presence might also explain why neither Phoenix nor the 1970s Viking landers found any firm evidence for “organics” – molecular compounds which contain carbon (though excluding carbonates for historic reasons).
Infographic (BBC)

These molecules are a crucial component in the search for possible biology on the Red Planet.

“The perchlorates, as you heat them in the oven (onboard Phoenix), release their oxygen and combust the organics,” Peter Smith, the mission’s chief scientist, told the conference.

“It’s ironic: the two compete as you heat them. We did see CO2 release, but we’re not sure whether that was from organics or not.”

Professor Smith said several lines of evidence pointed to the past action of liquid water on the northern plains. These included the presence of aqueous minerals, cloddy, cemented soil and the discovery that some of the ice was “segregated”, as if it had melted.

“It’s probable that in a warmer, wetter climate, as when the obliquity (the extent to which Mars is tilted on its axis) changes, this could be a place where liquid water is found. That doesn’t mean it’s a lake. It just means that the soil is wet,” Professor Smith, from the University of Arizona, explained.

Efforts to mitigate climate change could be hampered if nations do not agree to protect the world’s forests by the end of the year, warn researchers.

Deforestation accounts for about 20% of the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human activities, UN data shows.

The environmental charity will outline its concerns during a public lecture in central London on Thursday evening.

“This year is the crunch time for forests and climate change,” Earthwatch’s head of climate change research Dan Bebber told BBC News.

“We are hoping for big things from the Copenhagen climate summit at the end of 2009,” he added, referring to a much anticipated UN gathering.

“Unless we tackle the question of forests as a mitigation method for climate change, then we will really have lost the battle to keep greenhouse gas concentrations below levels that many people would consider to be dangerous.”

Raising awareness

Despite the measures introduced by the UN’s Kyoto Protocol on climate change, global emissions of CO2 have continued to rise as a result of increasing energy consumption and the loss of forest cover.
Smoudering remains of a rainforest (Image: HSBC/Earthwatch)
Until now, rainforests have been worth more dead than alive

The reason why deforestation accounts for about 20% of CO2 emissions from human activities is primarily a result of old growth tropical forests being felled or burned in order to convert the fertile land into farmland.

The issue is one of the key topics on the agenda at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen, which will consider how the global climate strategy will look when Kyoto expires in 2012.

“This year is going to be critical and we feel we need to raise public awareness about this issue as much as possible,” Dr Bebber said.

“There have been some very strong pressures to use forests in an unsustainable way, particularly in the tropics.

“You could probably make a thousand times more money by converting tropical forests to agricultural land to grow, for example, soya beans than you could managing it in a sustainable way.

“It is this imbalance that needs to be addressed at a global level.”

Growing money on trees

Gro Harlem Brundtland, the UN secretary general’s climate change envoy, said that emissions from deforestation were comparable to total annual CO2 emissions of the US or China.

Tropical forest leaves (Image: Paul Harris/Earthwatch)

Forests ‘facing a testing time’

“Deforestation therefore has to be included in the new climate change agreement,” she told delegates at a UN Committee on Forestry meeting in Rome earlier this month.

“While forests were left out of the Kyoto Protocol, it must now find its place within the broader solution.”

In order to tackle deforestation effectively, Dr Brundtland said it was necessary to develop a regime that “creates the necessary incentives for developing countries to act in the broader interest of… the planet”.

In October 2008, the Eliasch Review – commissioned by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown – concluded that an international deal to protect forests would reduce the cost of tackling climate change by up to 50% in 2030.

The report by Swedish businessman Johan Eliasch said cash put aside for carbon saving in rich countries could be transferred to nations with rainforests in need of protection.

Such a scheme could reduce deforestation rates by up to 75% in 2030, Mr Eliasch concluded.

The leading contender to cut the loss of tree cover is a scheme called Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD).

Rainforest in Ghana

Forest plan may ‘fuel corruption’

It first came to light during negotiations at the 2007 UN climate summit, hosted by the Indonesian island of Bali.

The resulting “Bali Action Plan” called for “policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries”.

This led to the formation of REDD, which states that nations “willing and able to reduce emissions from deforestation should be financially compensated for doing so”.

Supporters of the scheme say it will offer the necessary financial incentive to halt large areas of tropical forests being felled.

However, critics of the scheme are sceptical about how the system of carbon credits will be regulated.

Whatever scheme is favoured, Dr Bebber, who will be one of the speakers at the Earthwatch Lecture on Thursday evening, says it is vital that delegates at the Copenhagen climate summit reach an agreement on a way to curb deforestation.

He warned: “If these types of schemes do not get up and running shortly, then we will have really missed the boat.”

Comedian Robin Williams is expected to make a full recovery after a three hour operation to replace a heart valve.

A doctor treating the comic said Williams would regain “normal heart function” over the next eight weeks.

Williams, 57, had the surgery after experiencing shortness of breath during his Weapons of Self Destruction tour.

A spokesperson said the comic would restart the tour in the autumn and had even joked after surgery that he now had “some great new material”.

The 80-date tour started in September and was put on hold in March.

A statement from the comic’s publicist said that Williams was looking forward to getting back out on the road and had said: “I’m thinking the next leg of the tour will be Weapons of Self-Destruction and Reconstruction”.

‘Entertaining’

The operation at the Cleveland Clinic, on 13 March, fixed three problems with the comic’s heart. The surgical team had to replace the aortic valve, repair his mitral valve and correct an irregular heart beat.

Doctor Marc Gillinov, who treated Williams, said after the operation: “His heart is strong and he will have normal heart function in the coming weeks with no limitations on what he’ll be able to do.”

“A couple of hours after surgery, he was entertaining the medical team and making us all laugh,” he added.

On his website, Williams thanked the surgical team for their “kindness and dedication”.

He added that he was “deeply touched” by the support of “all the people who have expressed their love and concern”.

The veteran comedian made his name in the classic TV sitcom Mork and Mindy and went on to earn plaudits in films such as Good Morning Vietnam. He won an Oscar for his performance in Good Will Hunting.

He will be seen in cinemas later this year reprising his role as President Theodore Roosevelt in Battle of the Smithsonian, the sequel to Night at the Museum.

The actress died of a single gunshot wound while at Mr Spector’s Los Angeles mansion in 2003.

Mr Weinberg said the prosecution’s case “relies on the starting proposition that Phillip Spector is a bad person”.

‘Drama and accusations’

Mr Weinberg asked the judge for a mistrial on the grounds that the prosecution had attacked Mr Spector’s character rather than focussing on the evidence.

The judge turned down his request.

Mr Weinberg talked through the forensic evidence as it displayed on a large screen for the jurors.

He used blood spatter, gunshot residue and DNA clues to make his case, pointing out that Mr Spector’s DNA had not been found on the gun.

He said the prosecution had given the jury “drama and accusations” but that they must “start with the science and forensics.”

“Mr Spector did not kill Lana Clarkson. That’s what the evidence shows,” he added.

‘Russian roulette’

The prosecution made their closing arguments before the defence and accused Mr Spector of demonstrating a “conscious disregard for human life”.

Deputy District Attorney Truc Do said: “This case is about a man who has had a history of playing Russian roulette with the lives of women.

“Five women got the empty chamber. Lana got the sixth bullet” she continued.

The producer, who became famous for inventing the Wall of Sound recording technique in the 1960s, was in court during the arguments.

Mr Spector denies murder. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. The jury are allowed to consider involuntary manslaughter which would mean up to four years of jail time.