5 reasons Fergie wasn't invited to the royal wedding

For every wedding that's planned there's a snubbed relative. But none quite so publicly or brutally as Sarah Ferguson. In fact, not since the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, has the British royal family shown such callousness towards a former member.

And what makes this particular snub so humiliating is that it didn't have to happen. Even though Fergie and Andrew, Duke of York have been divorced for more than 15 years, they are regularly seen in each other's company and insist they are still great friends.

Fergie's children, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, have been invited as, of course, has Prince Andrew. All of which makes Fergie's omission from the guest list seem so odd ...

In fact, it is the only real controversy of the wedding so far. After all, it would have been much easier to invite her. So, why didn't they? Here are five possible reasons:

1. Fergie's an embarrassment

Fergie has long been considered an embarrassment to the Royal Family; ever since she was photographed having her toes sucked by her financial adviser at a villa in Saint-Tropez, France. But last year came her biggest scandal to date, when she was secretly filmed attempting to sell "access" to her former husband for more than $700,000. The Royals are well aware that Fergie is broke and will do anything for money. Maybe a wedding invite was seen as too good an opportunity for Fergie to make some cash. A "be-my-date-at-the-royal-wedding" eBay auction would possibly cast a shadow over proceedings.

Pakistan says American's CIA link has no bearing on

Pakistan insisted on Tuesday that the courts would decide the fate of an American detained on murder charges, even after it was revealed he was a CIA contractor whom Washington says enjoys diplomatic immunity.

The case of 36-year-old Raymond Davis, a former U.S. special forces officer, has strained the already-uneasy alliance between the United States and Pakistan, who are supposed to be united in the face of Islamist militants waging a war in Afghanistan.

Davis' killing of two Pakistani men in the eastern city of Lahore last month has inflamed anti-U.S. sentiment in Pakistan, effectively giving the government little choice but to prosecute him in court. His trial for murder beings on Friday, February 25.

The United States, however, says Davis has diplomatic immunity and should be released immediately. Davis says he acted in self defense against what he said were armed robbers, and is currently being held in a Lahore jail where, despite tight security, some U.S. officials fear for his life.

"The President has already stated that the matter is in the court and we will wait for the court decision in this case," Farhatullah Babar, a spokesman for President Asif Ali Zardari told Reuters during an official visit to Japan.

"Regardless of whether he now turns out to be a CIA employee, the matter will be decided by the court."

U.S. sources in Washington closely following the case said on Monday Davis was a "protective officer" employed as a CIA contractor.

Davis' duties were essentially as a bodyguard, to provide physical security to U.S. Embassy and consular officers and visiting American dignitaries, U.S. officials who declined to be identified told Reuters.

Officials strongly denied news reports alleging Davis was part of a covert CIA-led team of operatives conducting surveillance on militant groups.

U.S. officials have complained for days that security conditions under which Davis has been held have put his life in grave danger. Pakistan said on Monday it was taking steps to keep Davis safe.

Gaddafi defiant in face of mounting revolt

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi vowed defiance in the face of a mounting revolt against his 41-year rule on Tuesday, making a fleeting television appearance to scorn protesters and deny he had fled the country.

Gaddafi's forces have cracked down fiercely on demonstrators, with fighting now spreading to the capital Tripoli after erupting in Libya's oil-producing east last week. Human Rights Watch says at least 233 people have been killed.

As the fighting has intensified across the thinly populated nation stretching from the Mediterranean deep into the Sahara desert, cracks appeared among Gaddafi supporters, with some ambassadors resigning and calling for his removal.

The justice minister quit in protest at the use of force and a group of army officers called on soldiers to "join the people," while two pilots flew their warplanes to nearby Malta.

Tripoli, a Mediterranean coastal city, appeared calm in the early hours of Tuesday. One resident said: "There is heavy rain at the moment, so people are at home. I am in the east of the city and have not heard clashes."

Gaddafi appeared on television after days of seclusion to scoff at reports he had fled to Venezuela, ruled by his friend President Hugo Chavez.

"I want to show that I'm in Tripoli and not in Venezuela. Do not believe the channels belonging to stray dogs," Gaddafi said, holding an umbrella and leaning out of a van apparently outside his residence in what amounted to a 22-second appearance.

"I wanted to say something to the youths at Green Square (in Tripoli) and stay up late with them but it started raining. Thank God, it's a good thing," added Gaddafi, who has ruled Libya with a mixture of populism and tight control since taking power in a military coup in 1969.

DEMONSTRATIONS SPREAD, OIL PRICE RISES

World powers have condemned the use of force against protesters, with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon accusing Libya of firing on civilians from warplanes and helicopters.

"This must stop immediately," said Ban, adding he had spoken to Gaddafi and urged him to halt attacks on protesters. The Security Council was to hold a meeting on Libya at 9 a.m. EST (1400 GMT), diplomats said.

New Zealand: An earthquake hotspot

Scientists in New Zealand said there had been less than a one in twenty chance of Tuesday's earthquake being so destructive.

The fatal 6.3 magnitude quake that has damaged much of Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island was actually an aftershock of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck the same area in September last year.

Seismologists for GNS Science had calculated on Monday that there was only a 35% chance of a 5.0 magnitude aftershock hitting the region in the near future, but only a 4% chance of a 6.0 or above aftershock.

"It's part of a sequence, so not uncommon, but this was so large it will have aftershocks of its own," said Dr. Bill Fry of GNS Science.

Tuesday's quake caused widespread damage as the epicenter was only around 3 miles (5 kilometers) below the earth's surface.

"Anything less than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) deep is really shallow," said Fry.

Fry and his colleagues had been monitoring the region since the September 4 earthquake. That quake struck before dawn and authorities said the deserted streets at that time likely kept injuries to a minimum.

Most earthquakes happen away from the Christchurch region, said Fry, but in a country that experiences around 15,000 earthquakes each year, it wasn't completely unexpected, he said.

Official: Hijacked American yacht getting closer to Somalia

The American yacht that was hijacked by pirates last week is less than two days off the Somali coast, a military official said Tuesday.

The vessel is being shadowed by the military in those waters, the official said. The yacht, the S/V Quest, was overtaken by pirates on Friday, according to U.S. officials.

Owners Jean and Scott Adam and two other people on board, Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle, had been traveling with yachts participating in the Blue Water Rally since their departure from Phuket, Thailand, the rally group said Sunday in a statement on its website. But they broke off on February 15 after leaving Mumbai, India, to take a different route, the group said.

On Monday, a senior military official said a U.S. Navy warship and helicopters were trailing a boat believed to be the one that was hijacked by Somali pirates.

U.S. officials have not identified the people on board the ship, but have confirmed that four U.S. citizens are involved.

U.S. officials have made no further comment on the situation since Rear Adm. Charles Gaouette, deputy commander of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, said Saturday that the government is evaluating its options.