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A charity in Haiti say some of the children identified as orphans by a group of Americans who were taking them out of the country may have parents. SOS Children’s Villages said at least one of the 33 youngsters, a little girl, insisted her parents were alive. The 10 Americans, who are now in police custody, said they were taking them to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, the White House said the US military would in hours resume airlifts to the US for injured quake victims. Haiti imposed new controls on the movement of children following the 12 January earthquake, because of fears that orphans were particularly vulnerable to being abducted and sold for adoption. ‘Hungry and dehydrated’ The five men and five women, from Idaho-based charity New Life Children’s Refuge, were arrested on Friday night. The mistake we made is we didn’t understand additional paperwork was required Laura Silsby New Life Children’s Refuge Haiti holds US ‘child smugglers’ BBC Caribbean In pictures: Quake aftermath They were stopped while travelling on a bus with the children on the border with neighbouring Dominican Republic. The Americans said the youngsters had all lost their parents in the quake. But George Willeit, a spokesman in Port-au-Prince for SOS Children’s Villages, which is now looking after the children, says at least one of them, a little girl, said her parents were alive. He told journalists the girl said she had believed she was being taken to a boarding school or summer camp. Mr Willeit said many of the children had been found to be in poor health, hungry and dehydrated. One of the smallest – just two or three months old – was so dehydrated she had to be taken to hospital, he added. Haitian authorities said none of the children had documentation or proof they were actually parentless. ‘Abduction’ “This is an abduction, not an adoption,” Haitian Social Affairs Minister Yves Christallin told AFP news agency. The leader of the Idaho-based group, Laura Silsby, said the arrests were the result of a mistake. AT THE SCENE Karen Allen, BBC News, Port-au-Prince In the grounds of a former children’s hospital, in one of the worst-affected areas of Port-au-Prince, there is a queue of about 200 women snaking around the building. It’s all very orderly – the women are coming in and collecting a bag of rice which is to be shared between two families. Some distance away, behind security tape, the men are being held back. The reason is that, in the past, food distribution points have triggered confrontations and scuffles. The UN estimates that up to a third of the population will be reliant on some kind of relief in the months to come. “Our understanding was that we were told by a number of people, including Dominican authorities, that we would be able to bring the children across,” she said. “The mistake we made is that we didn’t understand there was additional paperwork required.” But the BBC’s Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, in Port-au-Prince, says the regulations are very clear – each case of child adoption must be approved by the government. Even before the earthquake, he adds, child-smuggling was a massive problem in Haiti, with thousands of children disappearing each year. Meanwhile, the American military is to resume within hours emergency evacuation flights to the US for critically injured Haitian earthquake victims. The airlifts stopped last Wednesday reportedly because some American hospitals were reluctant to take more patients from the quake zone, in a row over medical costs. Women only Doctors at a field hospital in Port-au-Prince had told the BBC that scores of patients would die if the evacuations did not resume soon. Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Dr Barth Green, Dr Cathy Burneit and Dr David Pitcher describe difficulties in Haiti White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement on Sunday: “Having received assurances that additional capacity exists both here and among our international partners, we determined that we can resume these critical flights.” Hundreds of patients with spinal injuries, burns and other wounds have been evacuated to the US since the quake, which killed up to 200,000 people. Also on Sunday, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) began a large-scale aid distribution at 16 sites across Haiti’s capital, aiming to feed two million people. Only women will be allowed to collect the 25kg (55lb) rice ration, enough to feed a family for two weeks. The WFP says it has reached 600,000 people with over 16 million meals since the quake.

Gunmen have killed 13 people at a party attended by students in the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez. At least two adults and 11 teenagers died as the attackers arrived and began firing indiscriminately on dozens of partygoers, according to reports. It was not immediately clear if anyone at the party had any links to the drug gangs that have made Ciudad Juarez one of the world’s most dangerous cities. At least 15 other people died in the city, on the US border, at the weekend. The men drove up in four SUVs, went into the house and shot at everyone, you could hear the gunfire all around Neighbour Q&A: Mexico’s drug-fuelled violence Witnesses said the gunmen drove up to the house in the early hours of Sunday in several cars. They began shooting at people from outside the property before moving inside, and pursued some of the youngsters who tried to flee. “The men drove up in four SUVs, they were well-armed. They went into the house and shot at everyone, you could hear the gunfire all around,” said a neighbour at the scene, quoted by Reuters news agency. Ciudad Juarez, straddling a major drug-smuggling route into the US, is the scene of a vicious ongoing turf war between rival cartels. Some 45,000 troops and extra police have been deployed to crack down on the gangs. But the campaign has done little to curb the bloodletting – more than 7,000 people reportedly died in Mexican drug-related violence last year. Beheadings, attacks on police, and shootings in clubs and restaurants are a daily occurrence in some regions.

Governments around the world have reaffirmed their plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions in support of last month’s Copenhagen climate summit. Nations signing up to the summit accord were urged to outline pledges by Sunday. States producing at least two-thirds of emissions have done so. Correspondents say the accord is widely seen as a disappointment. However, the level of support for it is seen as an indicator of prospects for a legally binding deal later in the year. Many developing countries who face the worst impacts from climate change seem willing to sign up to the agreement, as it includes firm commitments on funding in both the short and the medium terms. But others are unhappy with the idea that the accord could become a new basis of negotiations towards a legally binding treaty, and it is feared that some may refuse to associate with it. Lacking teeth LEADING EMITTERS’ PLEDGES China – to reduce “carbon intensity” by 40-45% from 2005 by 2020 India – to reduce carbon intensity by 20-25% from 2005 by 2020 US – aim to cut emissions by about 17% by 2020, from 2005 levels EU – 20% emissions cut by 2020 from 1990 levels, and 30% if other nations deepen their reductions Brazil – to aim for 36-39% below projected levels by 2020 Japan – 25% below 1990 levels by 2020 Copenhagen in graphics Global warming: A future glimpse The UN’s Climate Change Secretariat says it will publish a list of signatories on Monday. Leading emitters such as the US, India, China and the EU have already written in. Some smaller emitters have also sent pledges or asked to be associated with the deal. December’s Copenhagen climate conference reached an accord including a recognition to limit temperature rises to less than 2C (3.6F). It also promises to deliver $30bn (?18.5bn) of aid for developing nations over the next three years, to cope with the impact of climate change, and further funds to help them reduce emissions. But analysts say the accord looks unlikely to contain temperature rises to within 2C, the threshold that UN scientists say is needed to avert serious climate change. US-LED COPENHAGEN DEAL No reference to legally binding agreement Recognises the need to limit global temperatures rising no more than 2C above pre-industrial levels Developed countries to “set a goal of mobilising jointly $100bn a year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries” On transparency: Emerging nations monitor own efforts and report to UN every two years. Some international checks No detailed framework on carbon markets – “various approaches” will be pursued Updated: 13:47 GMT, 19 December Climate deal: Key issues Analysis: Where’s the beef? World’s media reacts to deal Environmentalists and aid agencies have branded it a failure, but UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon described the deal as an “essential beginning”. BBC environment reporter Matt McGrath says the accord lacks teeth and does not include any clear targets on cutting emissions. But if most countries at least signal what they intend to do to cut their emissions, it will mark the first time that the UN has a comprehensive written collection of promised actions, he says. The next round of negotiations is due to be held in December in Cancun, Mexico. It is unclear whether a legally binding deal can be reached at Cancun, amid uncertainties such as about whether the US Congress can pass a bill which includes emissions reductions.

The wife of a Sri Lankan journalist who mysteriously disappeared one week ago has pleaded that he be freed by whoever is holding him. Prageeth Eknaligoda’s colleagues said he wrote articles favourable to losing presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka. Gen Fonseka lost last Tuesday’s election to the incumbent President, Mahinda Rajapaksa. Media rights groups have also condemned the government for shutting down a newspaper critical of the government. Mr Eknaligoda, a writer for the website lankaenews.com, left home last Sunday morning but has not been heard from since he phoned a colleague that evening, a call that was abruptly cut off. Emergency regulations His wife, Sandhya, has told a Sunday newspaper that she and their two sons have not slept for days, saying: “My plea to whoever has Prageeth is to please send him back home”. The website has shut itself down after police searched its premises. At the same time, local media groups have condemned the authorities’ forced suspension of a pro-opposition newspaper, Lanka, and the arrest of its editor. Their statement accused the government of launching “repression” against media outlets that did not obey government orders or that expressed dissenting voices. The director of the Criminal Investigation Department told the BBC the editor was being held under emergency regulations, because a recent article might have violated rules on government inquiries into terrorism. Since the president’s election victory, the government has moved to secure its position. On Friday, it raided the Gen Fonseka’s office, arresting 13 people. It has also detained a serving brigadier who once served directly under Gen Fonseka and has reshuffled many senior military officers. The Sunday Times newspaper says the move has demoted many suspected of favouring the general.

The UN is to begin a major programme of food distribution in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, almost three weeks after the deadly earthquake. Sixteen sites have been set up across the city with the aim of reaching two million people over two weeks. The move came as doctors voiced concern that the US had halted the evacuation of the critically injured to the US. And at least nine Americans were held on suspicion of trying to take children out of the country unauthorised. A Haiti government spokesman, Yves Christallin, said the Americans were caught with more than 30 children on the border with the Dominican Republic, where they said they had an orphanage. Women only The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) said it had established fixed sites for food distribution, to begin on Sunday. This new system will allow us to provide food assistance to more people, more quickly through a robust network of fixed distribution sites Josette Sheeran WFP executive director Haiti holds US ‘child smugglers’ BBC Caribbean Only women will be allowed to collect earthquake relief supplies, because – the WFP says – this has proved that is the best way to get food to the people who need it. Men will be encouraged to wait outside the distribution centres to accompany women after they have been given rations, because lone women would be more vulnerable to attack. The WFP would work with the local authorities to ensure that men in need of assistance were not excluded, it said. On Saturday, the UN body started to hand out food coupons for the distribution sites. Each family will be entitled to collect 25kg (55lb) of rice rations, designed to last two weeks. “Up until now the nature of this emergency has forced us to work in a ‘quick and dirty’ way simply to get food out,” said Executive Director Josette Sheeran. “This new system will allow us to provide food assistance to more people, more quickly through a robust network of fixed distribution sites.” The WFP says it has reached 600,000 people with over 16 million meals since the earthquake, amid huge logistical problems caused by damage to local infrastructure. ‘Kids will die’ A senior US medic told the BBC that scores of people injured in the earthquake could die if the US did not resume emergency evacuations soon. Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Dr Barth Green, Dr Cathy Burneit and Dr David Pitcher describe difficulties in Haiti “The consequences – in the kids with crushed chests and on ventilators and respirators, and some of the adults – are they will die,” Barth Green, a senior American doctor at a field hospital in Port-au-Prince airport, told the BBC. Among the patients was a five-year-old girl suffering from tetanus in a small leg wound. She would die within a day unless evacuated, Dr David Pitcher, a medic at the institute’s temporary field hospital at Haiti’s international airport, told the Associated Press. The US military stopped the flights to Florida on Wednesday. A White House spokesman told the BBC the move was due to “logistical issues”, not because of a row over medical costs as had been reported earlier. “There has been no policy decision made to suspend medical evacuation flights. This is an unprecedented relief effort with enormous logistical hurdles, and we are working through those in an effort to resume medical evacuation flights,” the White House spokesman said. Hundreds of patients with spinal injuries, burns and other wounds have been evacuated to the US since the 12 January quake that killed up to 200,000 people.

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The number of people killed in heavy flooding over the past several days in southern Peru has risen to 20, local officials say. They say that at least five more people are missing and almost 40,000 others have been affected. On Friday, officials airlifted the last of nearly 4,000 tourists stranded near the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. The tourists became trapped after floods and landslides destroyed road and rail links to the famous site. ‘Terrified’ Peru’s Cuzco region in the Andes is the worst-hit. Lucre – a village situated next to a river with the same name – was all but washed away earlier this week, the BBC’s Dan Collyns reports from the region. “The waters hit our home at 2330 at night when we were all asleep,” local resident Berta Pantoja says. “Someone heard the noise and before we could even get out of our beds the water was flowing over them. Terrified, all seven of us rean in different directions trying to escape,” she adds. Many local residents are now trying to salvage what they can from their destroyed houses. After the impressive airlift from Machu Picchu, bringing aid to hundreds of villages spread over a wide area will pose a far greater challenge, our correspondent says. Other regions such as Puno, Ayacucho and Huancavelica were also hit hard by the torrential rains. Officials say the floods are the worst to hit the country in years.

The UN secretary general has urged African leaders to work for national unity in Sudan to avoid the south of the country seceding from the north. Ban Ki-moon’s appeal comes as the African Union is due to hold its summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Mr Ban said both the UN and AU had a big responsibility “to maintain peace in Sudan and make unity attractive”. A referendum is due next year on whether the oil-rich south should become independent. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has said he will accept the result of the poll even if the south voted for independence. The theme of the three-day AU summit in Addis Ababa is information and technology. But heads of states will also be discussing, among other issues, the escalating violence in Somalia and who will take over the AU chairmanship from Libya. The position should go to Malawi, the choice of the southern African regional grouping, SADC. But Libya wants to extend its one-year term and has Tunisia’ s support. With eastern and southern African countries apparently solidly behind Malawi, it could be a bruising contest for the AU chairmanship, writes the BBC’s Uduak Amimo. High tensions “Whatever the result of the [southern Sudan's] referendum we have to think how to manage the outcome,” Mr Ban said in a joint interview with AFP and RFI radio. Critical year ahead for Sudan “It is very important for Sudan but also for the region. We’ll work hard to avoid a possible secession,” he added. Sudan’s mainly Muslim north and the Animist and Christian South ended their two-decade war in 2005 and joined a unity government. But tensions remain high as the country holds in April its first genuine multi-party national elections since 1986. The south, which has a semi-autonomous government, is likely to vote to secede from the north in the 2011 referendum, correspondents say.

Egypt will be seeking a record seventh Africa Cup of Nations title when they play Ghana in the final on Sunday. They will be hampered by the absence of suspended striker Mahmoud Fathallah, while Emad Moteab is an injury doubt. But the Black Stars have no injury worries as they seek their fifth continental title. Goalkeeper Richard Kingson and winger Opoku Agyemang, who suffered knocks in the 1-0 semi-final win over Nigeria, have been cleared to play. Despite the potential absence of two key players, Egypt are the overwhelming favourites to win the game and grab a record third successive title. The north Africans have been ruthless on their road to the final by scoring 14 goals and conceded just two. The Pharaohs brushed aside Nigeria, Mozambique, Benin and Cameroon before thrashing arch rivals Algeria 4-0 in Thursday’s tempestuous semi-final. Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan has warned the defensive Black Stars that they will suffer a similar fate. PIERS EDWARDS BLOG Should Egypt score first, it’s hard to see the Ghanaians coming back – and not just because of their cautious approach “Against Ghana we will continue to play as we have started. We don’t care how they play, we are here to defend our title, and we’ll do everything to succeed,” Hassan said. “Our 4-0 win over Algeria has proved we are the best team in Africa, without argument.” The Black Stars have been depleted by the absence of several key players at the start of the tournament with captain Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien, John Mensah, John Pantsil, Sulley Muntari and Laryea Kingston out for various reasons. But the inexperienced Ghana side have drawn on several players from their Under-20 World Cup victory in Egypt last October and have been impressive in defence to stay in the hunt for their first Nations Cup title since 1982. After a slow start to the tournament in which they lost 3-1 to Ivory Coast, the Black Stars have gradually grown with three consecutive 1-0 victories over Burkina Faso, Angola and Nigeria. Ghana will have dependable Richard Kingson in goal Despite the prospect of facing the Pharaohs, who are on an Africa Cup of Nations record run of 18 matches unbeaten, Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac is unperturbed. “People are saying we need to score at least two goals against Egypt to win, but I say we only need to score half a goal more than them to win the title,” Rajevac said. “Egypt are a very polished team. They have been playing together for a long time and their coach has also been there a long time. “We played a friendly against them in Cairo last year and so we know them well, but we’ll prepare our team to achieve a result.” The Serb added: “In the quarter-finals Angola, playing at home and with all their experience, were favourites. Nigeria were favourites, now Egypt are favourites. “They’ve won the last two titles, but we’re not thinking about that. “What’s more important, playing beautiful football or the result?”

Andy Murray says he must play the match of his life to beat Roger Federer in Sunday’s Australian Open final. Murray, 22, hopes to win his first major title and end Britain’s 74-year wait for a male Grand Slam champion. “I’m going to need to play my best match ever,” said the Scot. “I’m totally aware of that going into the match tomorrow. “That’s what I plan on doing. I’ll try and play my best. If I do, I’ve got a good chance of winning.” Murray will play in his second Grand Slam final, having lost in straight sets to Federer in the 2008 US Open final, but insists he is a different proposition now. Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Murray only thinking of winning final “I was only 20 when I played him in that US Open final,” said Murray. “Twenty was pretty young when I played my first Slam final. A year and a half, two years later, I just feel physically more mature, mentally more mature. “I just have a lot more experience in these sorts of situations now. I have a game that can cause Roger problems. I have played him a lot of times now so I know the way you need to play against him. There are not going to be too many surprises on the court tomorrow. “I know what to expect. I know how he’s going to play. It’s up to me, like I said, to play my best.” Federer v Murray: Tale of the tape Murray is the first British man to reach two Grand Slam singles finals since Bunny Austin in 1938, but it is Fred Perry’s US Open victory of 1936 that he is desperate to match by breaking his Grand Slam duck. Standing in his way is arguably the greatest player of all time in Federer, who set a new record of 15 Grand Slam titles when he won Wimbledon last year. And the 28-year-old Swiss looked in supreme form as he swept past 10th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semi-finals on Friday. JONATHAN OVEREND’S BLOG Federer starts the strong favourite and almost certainly wins, possibly heavily, if he plays as well as he can “I’m sure he’s going play great again tomorrow,” said Murray. “Obviously, he plays very, very well. He’s probably the best tennis player ever, so you would expect him to play well. “I think if I play my best I’ve got a good chance against anyone. At the top of any sport it can come down to a few points here or there, sometimes a little bit of luck. “You have to wait and see, but if I play my best, I think I’ve got a chance against anyone.” Murray has proved a difficult opponent for Federer in the past and has a 6-4 head-to-head record against the Swiss. He can also take heart from last year’s US Open final, where Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro proved that the world number one can be overhauled with a five-set win. “Obviously it would be nice to start well, but I don’t think it’s the end of the match if the start doesn’t go my way,” said Murray. “Guys have come back against him in the past. “You look at the US Open final last year against Del Potro. Federer was up a set and serving for the set and Del Potro came back. Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Federer tips Murray for Slam success “In five-set matches so much can happen. A lot can change in just a few points, like my match the other night against (Marin) Cilic. “It’s not the end of the world if the start doesn’t go to plan.” Federer, who completed his set of Grand Slam titles with victory at the French Open last year, is well aware of the pressure on Murray to end Britain’s long wait for a for a male Grand Slam singles champion. “I think Murray’s always being reminded of that and it makes all the other players smile a little bit, that he has to hear that question over and over again,” Federer told BBC Sport. “I think he’s handled it beautifully. He’s been very successful, he’s won many Masters 1000s and he’s now putting himself in contention over and over again in Grand Slam play, so you must figure that he’s got the game to do it. “The question is now how much happens upstairs in the head. Let’s say if he were to lose a second Grand Slam final, what effect has that on Andy? But he can put that all to rest by beating me on Sunday and he doesn’t have to answer that question any more.” Back to top