In January 2010, the container ship Hammonia Grenada was delivered from a Chinese yard to its new owners, reportedly priced at about $60m (about Â£37m at that time).

Just seven years later - at the start of this year - it was sold for scrap. The price: an estimated $5.5m (Â£4.4m today).
It's not the only vessel to suffer this fate. Last year container ships were sold at rock-bottom prices for scrap in record numbers.
The simple reason is that there are too many ships for too little cargo.
The most dramatic casualty was South Korean group Hanjin, which collapsed last August weighed down by debts.
The container shipping industry, and Hanjin in particular, has been spectacularly wrong about the financial crisis - twice.
There was not one but two waves of container ship ordering in 2010, and then again in 2013-14. Interest rates were low and money was cheap. The result - a massive oversupply of vessels.
"The attitude in the industry was when you were not making profits the best thing to do was to cut costs, and the best way to cut costs is to increase scale, buying bigger and more fuel-efficient ships," explains Rahul Kapoor, director at shipping consultancy Drewry Financial Research Services.
"Before 2008 and 2009 the world had been growing consistently, and after 10 years of growth no-one in the shipping industry expected demand to shrink so fast.
"To start with they thought it was just a blip. But in reality it was structural, and they totally missed the structural problems."
And there was another reason to buy - and to buy big: the Panama Canal.
Last year it got a serious upgrade. The old locks could take container ships up to only 5,000 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit, roughly one container). These are known as Panamaxes.
But the new locks, with gates weighing 700 tonnes or more, are designed to take so called Neo-Panamaxes. These are giants, equivalent to the width and length of three football pitches laid end to end, and can carry about 13,000 TEU.
So shippers looking to carry cargoes from Asia to the American east coast ports, can now take Neo-Panamaxes through the new canal - and sell off their smaller Panamaxes.
That's why Panamaxes like the Hammonia Grenada are going cheap - in fact, they're going nowhere. If you want to charter one, according to research group Clarksons, it will cost you less than half of what it did a year ago.
Andrew Scorer of S&P Platts says: "You have a steady trickle of ships going to the scrap yard under the blowtorch, but you have these bigger TEU ships with bigger capacity, and they're going to be ruling the waves for now."
Meanwhile, ports are modernising to take the bigger cargoes. Baltimore, Charleston, Miami, New York and Savannah are all updating facilities to accommodate the Neo-Panamaxes.
For instance, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey plans to spend $2.7bn on enlarging its terminals and shipping lanes, and a further $1.3bn to raise a bridge by 20 metres to get the monsters through.
But the fundamental problem of oversupply has not gone away.
According to Clarksons, the global fleet of all types of commercial shipping is 50% larger than it was before the financial crisis.
In contrast, the World Trade Organization says growth in global trade has been much smaller, creeping up from $14.3 trillion in 2007 to $16.7tn in 2015, an increase of just 15%.
It's not necessarily all doom and gloom. In fact, Drewry's latest Shipping Outlook suggests the market could actually be at a turning point.
It believes the problem of too many ships for too little cargo is now set to improve, and forecasts global freight rates will increase by 12% this year after four years of decline.
But the reality is that the slowing in global trade may have more profound causes - not to do with shipping or economic growth, but to do with how and what we consume.
Last year, Mr Kapoor wrote a report for Drewry's using the example of his son's excitement at buying the Pokemon Go app and comparing his own habits 15 years earlier.
While his son was happy to buy something electronic, back in Mr Kapoor's youth he would have bought something physical that may well have been shipped in a container from Asia.
"In an increasingly knowledge based and services driven global economic expansion, the trade expansion is stagnating," he wrote.
"The global manufacturing engines, world trade, credit driven GDP growth model is being increasingly challenged and world trade seems to be stuck in a time warp, barely growing."


At least one person was killed and two wounded during a search for militants at refugee camps near Lebanon's border with Syria, the Lebanese army says.

Soldiers patrolling a camp outside the town of Arsal opened fire on the men when they tried to set fire to tents at a neighbouring camp, a statement said.
However, residents and a local official disputed the army's version of events.
The official told AFP that troops had poured petrol on the tents to set fire to them, and detained hundreds of men.
"They attacked the women and children, and rounded up the men," he said.
"I was just there, and I saw an old man, around 90 years old, with all his bones broken from the beatings," he added. "There is no safety for the refugees in Arsal at all."
An army spokesman dismissed the allegations as "lies", adding: "Our troops act in accordance with international standards of humanitarian treatment."
However, the official National News Agency reported that dozens of Lebanese and Syrian citizens had been arrested in the raids.
Many have been accused of being members of al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, the al-Nusra Front, which was involved in clashes last month in and around Arsal that left dozens of militants and soldiers dead.
Several dozen Lebanese soldiers and policemen were captured during the fighting by members of al-Nusra and Islamic State (IS), and at least three have since been killed by the jihadists.
That has caused deep anger and anxiety in Lebanon, which has more than 1.1 million Syrian refugees and only 4 million citizens.


Mae Aelodau Cynulliad wedi cefnogi Mesur Cymru mewn pleidlais yn y Senedd, gan olygu y gallai'r cam nesaf o ddatganoli ddod yn gyfraith.

Pleidleisiodd 38 o ACau o blaid cynlluniau Llywodraeth Prydain, ac 17 yn erbyn.
Yn y Senedd nos Fawrth bu ACau yn trafod Mesur Cymru, sy'n rhoi pwerau ychwanegol i Lywodraeth Cymru dros ynni, trafnidiaeth, dŵr a threfniadau etholiadau i'r Cynulliad, ymysg pethau eraill.
Mae'r mesur yn "amherffaith" ond yn gam arall ar hyd "siwrne ddatganoli", medd y Prif Weinidog Carwyn Jones.
Ond mae nifer o arbenigwyr a gwleidyddion yn poeni fod y newidiadau hefyd yn cyfyngu ar bwerau gweinidogion ym Mae Caerdydd.
Cytunodd Llywodraeth Prydain i beidio â bwrw ymlaen heb bleidlais gadarnhaol yn y Cynulliad.
Penderfynodd y grŵp Llafur gymeradwyo'r mesur, a gyda chefnogaeth y Ceidwadwyr, cafodd y mesur ei phasio.
Cyn y bleidlais, dywedodd Mr Jones: "Beth fydd gennym yw model amherffaith, ond wedi pwyso a mesur, fy nghred i yw taw'r llwybr orau i ddilyn, wrth i bobl Cymru ddelio â chwestiwn Brexit, yw derbyn yr hyn sy'n cael ei gynnig.
"Ry' ni'n ei weld felly fel cam arall ar siwrne datganoli."
Roedd hi'n amwys i beidio cael deddfwriaeth ar wahân i Gymru, meddai Mr Jones, gan awgrymu y gallai bobl gael eu harestio yng Nghymru yn y dyfodol am droseddau oedd ond yn bodoli yn Lloegr.
Ychwanegodd: "Mae'n ddryslyd i'r cyhoedd ac i'r cyfreithwyr."
Mae'r mesur hefyd yn cadarnhau y bydd pwerau i reoli canran o dreth incwm yn cael eu datganoli, a hefyd yn sicrhau fod y Cynulliad yn rhan barhaol o gyfansoddiad Prydain.
Yn gynharach cyhoeddodd Plaid Cymru na fyddai'r blaid yn cefnogi'r mesur yn y Senedd.
Dywedodd arweinydd y blaid Leanne Wood fod y Mesur yn "rhoi ag un llaw, a chymryd ag un arall".
Roedd hi'n gwerthfawrogi cymhelliad ACau oedd o blaid y Mesur, meddai, ond roedd Plaid Cymru am weld "llawer iawn mwy" o bwerau'n cael eu datganoli.
Ychwanegodd bod rhesymau'r blaid am wrthod y cynnig - pryder bod y mesur yn gwanhau'r setliad datganoli - yn hollol wahanol i rai UKIP, sydd hefyd yn gwrthwynebu'r newidiadau.
Ar ran y Ceidwadwyr dywedodd David Melding: "Mae gennym gyfle nawr i symud ymlaen o faterion cyfansoddiadol.
"Dylai'r llywodraeth Lafur yng Nghymru nawr hoelio'u sylw ar wneud y gorau o'u pwerau a chyflawni ar ran cymunedau Cymru - creu swyddi, cynnig gwasanaethau cyhoeddus effeithlon a buddsoddi yn sgiliau ac ysbryd mentrus pobl Cymru."
Dywedodd arweinydd grŵp UKIP, Neil Hamilton, ei fod e'n gefnogol o egwyddorion y mesur.
Ond ychwanegodd fod dileu'r gofyn am refferendwm cyn trosglwyddo pwerau dros dreth incwm - yn unol â'r bwriad gwreiddiol - yn "wallus".
Roedd hi'n "egwyddor bwysig y dylai gwleidyddion gadw at eu gair a chadw eu haddewidion".
Fe fyddai'r mesur yn cyflwyno system o bwerau sydd wedi eu dal yn ôl yn San Steffan, ond mae'r beirniaid yn dweud ei fod yn aneglur ac y gallai arwain at droi'r cloc yn ôl ar elfennau o ddatganoli.
Ymhlith y pwerau newydd yn y mesur mae:


The final day of the Queen's two-day visit to Northern Ireland was marked by an historic handshake and a huge party.

Her Majesty and former IRA commander Martin McGuinness shook hands for the first time.
The meeting between the monarch and Northern Ireland's deputy first minister took place at a charity event in Belfast on Wednesday morning.
In the afternoon she attended a Diamond Jubilee party attended by 20,000 in Stormont.
The Queen and Mr McGuinness shook hands at a private meeting and later shook hands in public.
The private meeting, in a room at the Lyric Theatre, involved a group of seven people, including Irish President Michael D Higgins and Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson.
It is understood Mr McGuinness welcomed both the Queen and the Irish president in Irish.
The deputy first minister is said to have commented on the Queen's visit to Dublin last year, and in particular her comments regarding all the victims of the Troubles.
By Mark SimpsonBBC Ireland Correspondent
Not only did the Queen and Martin McGuinness shake hands, they wore a matching colour.
Needless to say it was green. It may be a trivial point, but it spoke volumes.
The image will help Sinn Féin reach out to voters, previously reluctant to support a party linked to the IRA.
But the picture could lose them a small number of party members for whom a meeting with the British head of state is a republican step too far.
As for the Queen, it will not be the favourite moment of her 60-year reign, but it is certainly one of the most significant.
A Sinn Féin spokesman said: "He emphasised the need to acknowledge the pain of all victims of the conflict and their families."
Sinn Féin said Mr McGuinness told the Queen that their meeting was a "powerful signal that peace-building requires leadership".
Later, as the Queen left to continue her Diamond Jubilee tour of Northern Ireland, the pair shook hands again, this time in public.
As they shook hands for a second time, Mr McGuinness wished the Queen well in Irish, which translates as: "Goodbye and God bless."
When asked how it was to meet the Queen, Martin McGuinness replied "very nice."
From IRA leader to statesman
The main event had been billed as one to celebrate the role of the arts in contributing to reconciliation and peace-building and not as part of the Jubilee celebrations.
During the event, the Queen was presented with a gift of Belleek pottery to mark her Diamond Jubilee.
President Higgins said he and his wife, Sabina, had been delighted "to have the opportunity for a brief but very warm meeting" with the Queen.
He said it marked "another important step on the journey to reconciliation on this island".
The prime minister's official spokesman said the Queen's visit to the Republic of Ireland last year had "taken relations between the two countries to a new level".
The spokesperson added: "We think it is right that the Queen should meet representatives from all parts of the community."
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said he very much welcomed the meeting between the Queen and Martin McGuinness.
Speaking to reporters in Dublin, Mr Adams said: "It brings our journey of relationship building within this island and between these islands onto a new plane."
He added: "I think the vast majority of unionists will be pleased this happened because they know it was essentially a real gesture towards their sense of identity and their sense of allegiance."
"Whatever personal feelings Martin may have, no more than myself, doesn't come into it. It was a good thing for him to do and I commend him for it," he added.
Those present at the Lyric event included the pianist Barry Douglas, poet Michael Longley and actors Adrian Dunbar and Conleth Hill.
BBC Northern Ireland's political editor Mark Devenport said the occasion at the Lyric had been specifically designed to meet Sinn Fein's sensitivities and to ensure that a ground-breaking encounter could take place.
"It is being stressed the arts event has a cross-border dimension and is not part of the Jubilee celebrations," he said.
The Queen and Prince Philip later toured Titanic Belfast, a new visitors' centre located near where the ship was built. She has also unveiled a plaque to commemorate the visit.
She enjoyed a lunch which included traditional Irish soda bread, Comber potatoes, the sweet toffee yellow man, and ice cream.
In a speech at the lunch, First Minister Peter Robinson said: "I know for many in the media, the focus has been on a handshake and a photograph, but for most people in Northern Ireland it is not about one moment of history but the opportunity to celebrate and give thanks for 60 very full years of Your Majesty's service to this nation."
At the end of the day the Queen and Prince Philip were driven through the grounds of Northern Ireland's seat of government in an open-topped vehicle.
The royal motorcade was cheered by around 20,000 people attending a party to mark the monarch's 60-year reign.


The 2016 Olympics have been formally opened with a colourful and pulsating ceremony at Rio's Maracana stadium.

Media playback is not supported on this device
Broadcast to an estimated audience of three billion, it celebrated Brazil's history, culture and natural beauty, before former marathon runner Vanderlei de Lima lit the Olympic cauldron.
Wimbledon champion Andy Murray led the Great Britain team into the arena.
The build-up to Rio 2016 has been played out against a deep recession and political protests in Brazil.
"The mood was one of relief that it was actually here, that the scandals and scares that have blighted the build-up at last have something more life-affirming to crash up against."
Read more: Chief sports writer Tom Fordyce on the opening ceremony
The Games, the first to be held in South America, have also been disrupted by concerns over the Russian doping scandal, the Zika virus and problems with the city's security, infrastructure and venues.
But organisers will hope the focus can now shift to the action in 28 sports, with 207 teams, after the Games of the 31st Olympiad were officially opened.
The cauldron was lit by De Lima, who won bronze for Brazil in the marathon at the 2004 Games after he was grappled by a spectator while leading the race.
Football legend Pele had ruled himself out of performing the role saying he was not in the right "physical condition".
Coverage of Saturday's action begins on BBC One at 12:10 BST and across the BBC Sport website.
Media playback is not supported on this device
With Brazil's economy struggling, the budget for the opening ceremony was thought to be considerably less than the £30m spent at London 2012.
And while Rio's event did not match the enormous ambition of the ceremony directed by Danny Boyle four years ago, those inside the Maracana were treated to a show that mixed light displays, fireworks, dancing and music.
After an emotional rendition of the Brazilian national anthem, sung and played on acoustic guitar by singer-songwriter Paulinho da Viola, video projections beamed on to the floor of the stadium explored the history of the country.
Starting with images of micro-organisms dividing - representing the beginning of life - the ceremony highlighted the contributions made by the nation's indigenous peoples, by Portuguese explorers, by African slaves and by Japanese immigrants to Brazil's history and culture.
Performers jumped and danced across projections of giant buildings, symbolising the cities of Brazil, while a recreation of a 14-bis biplane - the invention of Brazilian Alberto Santos-Dumont - drew one of the biggest cheers of the evening as it flew out of the arena.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Two-time Wimbledon champion and 2012 gold medallist Murray said carrying the British flag into the Maracana would be the proudest moment of his career.
The 29-year-old was followed by around 70 of Team GB's 366 athletes, with many remaining in the training base in Belo.
The Russian team, cut down to 271 athletes from an initial 389 following accusations of state-sponsored doping in the country, were at least spared any obvious negative reaction from the crowd.
One of the warmest welcomes of the evening was given to a team consisting of refugee athletes. They were the penultimate group to enter the stadium.
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said the team were sending "a message of hope to the millions of refugees around the globe".
The local crowd of 60,000 exploded with noise when the Brazil team, with 2012 modern pentathlon bronze medallist Yane Marques flying the nation's flag, emerged into the stadium last of all, to chants of "Brazil, Brazil, Brazil".
Media playback is not supported on this device
Media playback is not supported on this device
IOC president Bach talked positively about the Games, despite organisational problems in the build-up.
"All Brazilians can be very proud tonight," he said. "With the Olympic Games as a catalyst, you have achieved in only seven years what generations before you could only dream of.
"You have transformed Rio de Janiero into a modern metropolis and made it even more beautiful. You managed this at a very difficult time in Brazilian history. We have always believed in you."
Rio 2016 president Carlos Nuzman said he was "the proudest man alive", adding: "I am proud of my city, proud of my country. Let's celebrate together as we work together to build the Games."
But Brazil's interim president, Michel Temer was booed by some as he declared the Games open - a reminder of the country's deep political crisis.
Team GB's men's cyclists will hope to claim Britain's first medal of the Games when they compete in the road race, which starts at 13:30 BST next to Copacabana beach and will take in numerous climbs along its 237.5km route.
Froome, who won the third Tour de France title last month, is expected to be GB's medal hope, although the London 2012 time trial bronze medallist has said team-mate Steve Cummings is capable of winning the event.


The Germanwings co-pilot suspected of deliberately crashing his plane into the Alps had disclosed an earlier bout of depression, Lufthansa has said.

The airline, which owns Germanwings, said last week that Andreas Lubitz had taken a break from flight school training, but refused to say why.
It has now shared emails from 2009 which show Lubitz told instructors he had suffered from "severe depression".
Meanwhile, all human remains from the crash have reportedly been recovered.
French authorities told AFP news agency that the remains of all the victims had been removed from the remote ravine where the plane went down, but mountain troops would return to the scene on Wednesday to search for personal belongings.
The search for the second flight recorder will also continue.
Also on Tuesday, German newspaper Bild and French news magazine Paris Match said they had obtained a video showing the plane's last moments before the crash.
The footage was shot on a mobile phone inside the plane, and recorded the sound of passengers screaming and the sound of a metal object striking the cockpit door, the newspapers said.
A recording from the cockpit of the aircraft suggests Lubitz, 27, deliberately caused the disaster last Tuesday, which killed 150 people.
Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr previously said that the company was not aware of anything that could have driven the co-pilot to crash the Airbus A320.
"He was 100% fit to fly without any restrictions or conditions," he told reporters.
It has now emerged, as part of the airline's internal research, that Lubitz had sent information about his depressive episode to the Lufthansa flight school in Bremen, when he resumed training after an interruption of several months.
He subsequently passed all medical tests and eventually secured his license. He started working with Lufthansa subsidiary Germanwings in 2013.
German prosecutors said on Monday that Lubitz had received treatment for "suicidal tendencies" before completing his training.
But Lufthansa said his medical records were subject to doctor-patient confidentiality and it had no knowledge of their contents.
The company has set aside an additional $300m (â‚¬280m; Â£200m) to cover possible costs arising from the crash.
The money is separate from the $54,250 available to the relatives of each passenger to cover short-term expenses.
Airlines are obliged to compensate relatives for proven damages of up to a limit of about $157,000, regardless of what caused the crash. Higher compensation is possible if an airline is held liable.
None of the victims' bodies were found intact after the plane's 700kph (430mph) impact, but different strands of DNA have been identified.
French President Francois Hollande said on Tuesday that all 150 victims would be identified by the end of the week.
Speaking at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, Mr Hollande said "exceptional scientific work" had been carried out by the recovery team.
Andreas Lubitz: Germanwings co-pilot
Who was Andreas Lubitz?


Steve Bruce earned his first home win as Aston Villa manager as his side edged past Fulham in a poor game.

Jonathan Kodjia finished well on the volley after Albert Adomah's cross late in the second half.
Kodjia could have given Villa the lead after 10 minutes, but David Button did well to save form a tight angle.
Button made another great save after the break from Jordan Ayew as Villa got back-to-back wins for the first time since May 2015.
Villa have taken seven points from a possible nine since Bruce took over earlier this month.
It is their best run of form in the league since they drew at Burnley and beat Crystal Palace and Leicester City in the Premier League at the end of 2014.
Kodjia's early effort was the highlight of a low-key first half as Leandro Bacuna headed wide before the break.
Michael Madl had Fulham's best chance just after half-time, but the Austrian defender bundled Stefan Johansen's corner wide at the far post.
Ayew had a chance to make the game safe for Villa eight minutes from full-time, but his effort was narrowly wide.
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce:
"We have made a decent start and I am delighted for the players. A week ago they were quiet. There have been huge changes throughout the club.
"We have tried to breathe a bit of life back into the players. Thankfully when they respond, and get a couple of good results, that does no harm.
"We have got to turn things around; Villa Park has been an awful place for too long. Hopefully this is the start and we are going to go onwards and upwards."
Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic:
"We were near to a point, but paid the price for the mistake. I do not blame my goalkeeper.
"We played well for 45 minutes, but Villa won without creating a move. We were not solid in the second half when we lost ambition.
"We didn't play with enough personality in the second half and paid a heavy price for our mistake."
Match ends, Aston Villa 1, Fulham 0.
Second Half ends, Aston Villa 1, Fulham 0.
Attempt blocked. Tom Cairney (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Matt Smith with a headed pass.
Corner,  Fulham. Conceded by Pierluigi Gollini.
Attempt missed. Albert Adomah (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Attempt saved. Jonathan Kodjia (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ross McCormack.
Corner,  Fulham. Conceded by Gary Gardner.
Attempt blocked. Chris Martin (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Tom Cairney.
Michael Madl (Fulham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Michael Madl (Fulham).
Albert Adomah (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Aston Villa. Ashley Westwood replaces Jordan Ayew.
Floyd Ayité (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Albert Adomah (Aston Villa).
Chris Martin (Fulham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Chris Martin (Fulham).
Pierluigi Gollini (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Chris Martin (Fulham) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Matt Smith with a cross.
Attempt missed. Jordan Ayew (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Ross McCormack with a through ball.
Substitution, Fulham. Floyd Ayité replaces Lucas Piazon.
Substitution, Fulham. Matt Smith replaces Stefan Johansen.
Goal!  Aston Villa 1, Fulham 0. Jonathan Kodjia (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Albert Adomah with a cross.
Stefan Johansen (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jordan Ayew (Aston Villa).
Offside, Aston Villa. Ross McCormack tries a through ball, but Jonathan Kodjia is caught offside.
Foul by Scott Parker (Fulham).
Ross McCormack (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Kevin McDonald (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ross McCormack (Aston Villa).
Offside, Fulham. Denis Odoi tries a through ball, but Tom Cairney is caught offside.
Substitution, Aston Villa. Ross McCormack replaces Mile Jedinak.
Kevin McDonald (Fulham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Kevin McDonald (Fulham).
Albert Adomah (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Stefan Johansen (Fulham).
Nathan Baker (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Jordan Ayew (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mile Jedinak.
Chris Martin (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by James Chester (Aston Villa).
Substitution, Fulham. Tom Cairney replaces Sone Aluko because of an injury.


A man has been arrested after a woman was seriously hurt when she was struck by a black cab taxi in a suspected hit-and-run in Manchester city centre.

Melissa Layla Lewis, 22, remains in a critical condition after she was hit on Chester Street at 04:45 BST on Sunday.
Her family said the student, originally from London, had recently moved to the city to study for a master's degree.
The 55-year-old man has been held on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
The man was also arrested on suspicion of failing to stop at the scene of a collision. He remains in police custody for questioning.
Lynda Canning-Lewis, her mother, said: "Melissa had only just moved to Manchester to start her master's degree with her whole future ahead of her."
She also thanked police, hospital staff and the University of Manchester for their support.
Anybody with information is urged to contact Greater Manchester Police or Crimestoppers.


Theresa May has called for a global clampdown on "uncontrolled migration", saying it is the right and the duty of countries to control their borders.

At the UN summit in New York, the prime minister said the migration crisis had been "exacerbated" by "unprecedented" numbers of economic migrants.
She urged a change in approach, saying refugees should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach.
The UN says a record number of people have been displaced by conflict.
It estimates that 65.3 million people were either refugees, asylum seekers or internally displaced at the end of 2015, an increase of five million in a year.
The UN summit for refugees and migrants is aiming to agree a "more humane and coordinated approach".
Addressing world leaders, Mrs May called for a greater distinction between refugees and people trying to enter a country for economic reasons.
"Controlled legal and safe migration" benefited the economy, she said, and there was nothing wrong with "moving for a better life".
But she said the current levels of "uncontrolled migration" were not in the interests of the migrants or the countries involved, and served to reduce popular support for refugees.
"We need to be clear that all countries have the right to control their borders and protect their citizens and be equally clear that countries have a duty to manage their borders, to reduce onward flows of illegal and uncontrolled migration," she said.
She argued that refugees should seek asylum in the first safe country they arrived in because the current trend of onward movement exposed them to increased danger and benefited criminal gangs.
Such an approach would bar EU countries from allowing migrants to travel onwards from countries like Greece, Italy and France through Europe to Britain.
Mrs May said resources should be focused on "refugees in desperate need of protection", and she urged the international community to "come together" to deal with the crisis.
UN appeals for assistance were "underfunded", host countries were not getting enough support and displaced people not receiving the aid they needed, she said.
The PM said the UK was "already playing its part" but promised to "step up our efforts" with more financial assistance.
Defending the UK's approach, the Home Office said the government had pledged Â£2.3bn in humanitarian aid to Syria and neighbouring countries and was providing nearly Â£70m in response to the Mediterranean migration crisis.
"This government has been at the forefront of the international response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria," it said.
"We have committed to resettling 20,000 Syrian refugees through our Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme over the course of this Parliament - we are on track to achieve that and have already provided refuge to more than 2,800 under this route.
"Under the new Vulnerable Children's Resettlement Scheme we will also bring 3,000 individuals to the UK over the same period."
As well as speaking at the UN event, chaired by secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, Mrs May is also taking part in a summit on refugees hosted by US president Barack Obama on Tuesday.
In London's Parliament Square, campaigners have created a display using lifejackets worn by refugees crossing the sea into Europe.
Charities behind the temporary installation said it would "remind leaders of the risks families have taken to reach safety, the need for solidarity with refugees, respect of their rights and more international responsibility sharing".
They said the summit was a "historic opportunity to garner the political will of world leaders to save lives, protect rights and share responsibility on a global scale".
Labour MP Yvette Cooper, who chairs her party's refugees taskforce, said the UK was "resisting doing our bit" in terms of settling refugees, particularly children.
She agreed with Mrs May on the importance of border controls, which she said would help prevent people-smuggling, but criticised the PM for focusing on this element rather than helping refugees.


Two friends who set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest crossing of Loch Ness by tandem kayak last year have claimed a new achievement.

Ted Simpson, 22, from Manchester, and James Reilly, also 22, from Guernsey, paddled down the loch in four hours 43 minutes and 43 seconds.
This week they kayaked 74 miles (120km) of the River Spey from Kingussie to Spey Bay.
They covered the distance in 15 hours, 51 minutes and 43 seconds.
The pair said it was a new fastest time for the journey, which took them from the Highlands to the Moray coast and raised money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.
To make sure they reached Spey Bay before it got too dark, they set off at 05:00.
Mr Simpson said: "We were completely spent by the end of the day, but really proud to have given it our all to raise awareness and funds for such an important cause."
The pair's time for the 23 mile (36km) crossing of Loch Ness last year beat a previous time of five hours and 19 minutes.


Plans to force some unemployed people to attend full-time classes at job centres have been announced.

The scheme will apply to some jobseekers before they go on the Work Programme and after they leave it.
It will apply to those jobseekers deemed to need additional help or who are working in the "hidden economy".
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said it would "mark the end of the something-for-nothing culture".
He told the Conservative conference the government had challenged the "growing sense of entitlement" in the welfare system inherited from Labour and the effects were slowly being felt in terms of the rise in the number of people in work and a fall in those on benefits.
The number of people not expected to work at all in the future was at the lowest level for two decades, he told activists, while 380,000 had found a job after being placed on the flagship Work Programme - where contractors are paid a fee to get people into a job.
"Our plan is simple. To put work at the heart of the welfare system and ensuring that work always pays. That is returning fairness to the system."
While those unable to work would always get state support, Mr Duncan Smith said those capable of doing so but unwilling to "commit to their obligations" would be forced to undergo a period of "intensive support".
"Selected individuals will receive expert support and supervision while they search and apply for jobs," he said.
"That is nine o'clock to five o'clock - 35 hours a week - for up to six months, simulating the working day.
"Alongside the Mandatory Work Programme and our tough sanctions regime, this marks the end of the something-for-nothing culture."
The government is already intending to extend plans to require those out of work for more than two years to do community work.
The long-term unemployed who have left the Work Programme without employment will have to undertake work placements, daily visits to a job centre or compulsory training courses in return for their benefits until they find a job, Chancellor George Osborne said on Monday.
Asked on BBC Radio 4's The World at One whether the government would help with bus fares for those taking part, Mr Duncan Smith said he was not making any commitments.
Mr Duncan Smith also insisted he and Mr Osborne were "good friends" despite claims in a book by the journalist Matthew D'Ancona that the chancellor believed the former Conservative leader was not "clever enough" to run a big department.
"I have the Chancellor, George Osborne, a good friend of mine... saying this is all completely untrue, he never said anything of the sort."
People questioned Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher's abilities, he added, but they had the determination to prove their doubters wrong.
"It's a rough engagement in politics because you debate and argue behind the scenes about what you want to do."


Arsenal youngster Ismael Bennacer has been given permission by Fifa to play for Algeria.

The 18-year-old midfielder was born in France and played for Les Bleus at under-18 and under-19 levels.
Bennacer qualified for Algeria through his father, and was also eligible for Morocco, where his mother is from.
He is part of Arsenal's academy squad at the moment and made his senior debut in a 3-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup last October.


Antrim face Carlow for the fourth time this season when the sides meet in Saturday's Christy Ring Cup final.

The counties drew in the Hurling League before Antrim edged victory in the Division Two A final in April followed by their opening Christy Ring victory.
Another tight game seems assured with both sides aiming to qualify for a Liam McCarthy Cup preliminary-round tussle with Laois in two weeks.
Earlier at Croke Park, Armagh face Derry in the Nicky Rackard Cup final.
Saturday's opening game at Croke Park is the fourth-tier Lory Meagher Cup final between Warwickshire and Leitrim.
Media playback is not supported on this device
But most of the focus will be the Christy Ring Cup decider at headquarters.
Antrim captain Simon McCrory says the sides know all about each other after so many battles in recent years.
"It's the fourth time we'll have met this season. Every time there's been a puck of a ball in it and it will be no different on Saturday," adds the Saffrons skipper.
On the last occasion the sides meet in late April, Neil McManus hit 1-13 as the Saffrons earned a dramatic 3-20 to 2-22 win after extra-time.
Antrim are aiming for a second Christy Ring Cup title to add to their 2006 triumph over the same opposition.
Last year, Antrim were shocked in the final replay by Meath after a rematch had to be ordered when the Royal County were found to have been incorrectly awarded a point in the initial decider.
Antrim (v Carlow): C O'Connell; S McCrory, J Dillon, S Rooney; C Johnson, P Burke, A Graffin; C McKinley, P Shiels; N McAuley, C McCann, E Campbell; C Johnston, N McManus, C Clarke.
WEEKEND HURLING FIXTURES
Saturday
Lory Meagher Cup Final
Warwickshire v Leitrim, Croke Park, 13:00 BST
Nicky Rackard Cup Final
Armagh v Derry, Croke Park, 15:00
Christy Ring Cup
Carlow v Antrim, Croke Park, 17:00
Leinster SHC semi-final
Wexford v Kilkenny, Wexford Park, 19:00


Edinburgh Fringe sub-letters could be breaching their mortgage agreement, leading property experts have warned.

Many mortgages do not allow homeowners to leave and rent out their property on a short-term basis.
Accommodation booking sites like AirBnB make it very easy for people to let out all or part of their home.
It is a popular, and potentially lucrative business, for Edinburgh residents during the festival season and over Hogmanay.
The average AirBnB rental in Edinburgh is reportedly Â£2,187 per month.
But experts have warned there are many things homeowners should consider before sub-letting.
David Marshall, operations director at Warners Solicitors & Estate Agents, said: "For regular homeowners who are thinking of moving out of their property for a short period to make it available for festival let, it's vital that they check the terms of their mortgage to ensure that this is permitted.
"They would also have to consider the risks of renting their property out for a short period of time, and how easily they would be able to recover costs of any damage caused by tenants."
Those looking to make a quick profit during the festival season should also be wary of damage to their property.
Neil McInnes, director with Edinburgh-based Umega Lettings, said specific holiday-let mortgages were not sold on the high street and required larger deposits. They also have higher interest rates.
"With long-term letting, the legal obligations on the landlord are clearer and the tenant is responsible as the resident of the property, whereas visitors or guests in holiday accommodation expect a higher level of service from their host and take less responsibility for the property as a result," he said.
"In other words, you have people taking less care of the property as they are only in it for a limited time, compared to long-term tenants who want to enjoy comfortable surroundings and decor."
AirBnB advises all hosts who use their service to check with their mortgage lenders first in case subletting is prohibited.


Asia star John Wetton has died aged 67 after a battle with colon cancer, his bandmate Carl Palmer has said.

According to a brief statement released by the band, Wetton passed away in his sleep on Tuesday morning.
Wetton played bass and sang in King Crimson, Uriah Heep and Roxy Music before fronting supergroup Asia.
Palmer said on Facebook: "With the passing of my good friend and musical collaborator, John Wetton, the world loses yet another musical giant."
He said that Wetton - who co-wrote and performed on Asia's debut hit in 1982, Heat Of The Moment, as well other tracks including Only Time Will Tell - had been a "gentle person".
"As a musician, he was both brave and innovative, with a voice that took the music of Asia to the top of the charts around the world," he said.
"His ability to triumph over alcohol abuse made him an inspiration to many who have also fought that battle. For those of us who knew him and worked with him, his valiant struggle against cancer was a further inspiration."
Palmer said Wetton's death came as "quite a shock", although he had been aware his friend's health had been "pretty bad" in recent weeks.
Wetton recently pulled out of the supergroup's forthcoming US tour supporting rock group Journey to have chemotherapy, and he also stood down from other touring commitments before that.
Palmer, 66, said: "We weren't being told exactly what was going on. John wanted to keep a positive face - he wanted to try to get better, which is understandable."
Palmer's Emerson, Lake & Palmer co-stars Keith Emerson and Greg Lake died last March and December respectively.
Wetton is survived by his wife Lisa and son Dylan.


An Iraqi army general and nine other soldiers have been killed in a suicide bomb attack by Islamic State militants in western Iraq, security sources say.

Four militants wearing army uniforms blew themselves up after gaining entry to a base near Haditha late on Monday.
Of the explosions killed Brig-Gen Ali Abboud, chief-of-staff of the Jazeera and Badiya Operations Command.
Another eight soldiers were wounded in the attack, which comes after a wave of suicide bombings claimed by IS.
On Monday, at least 40 people were killed by an explosion at a funeral attended by Shia militia commanders in the eastern town of Muqdadiya, while a blast at a security checkpoint in Baghdad left eight security personnel dead.
Another 70 people died in the capital on Sunday, when two militants targeted a busy market in the predominantly Shia district of Sadr City.
Haditha and its nearby dam, about 190km (120 miles) north-west of Baghdad, are in one of the few parts of the mainly Sunni province of Anbar not controlled by IS.
Iraqi government forces and allied Sunni tribesmen based there have held off IS for more than 18 months with the help of air strikes by a US-led coalition.
On Monday night, the four militants attacked an entrance to the headquarters of the Jazeera and Badiya Operations Command and clashed with soldiers inside.
One of the bombers later blew himself up inside Gen Abboud's office, while the other three detonated their explosive belts elsewhere, Maj-Gen Ali Daboun, head of the Jazeera and Badiya Operations Command, told the AFP news agency.
Elsewhere in Iraq on Tuesday, Iraqi troops backed by Shia militiamen and the Iraqi air force launched a new offensive to retake a key agricultural area north-east of the central city of Samarra.
Commanders believe that controlling Jazerat Samarra would allow them to cut IS supply lines to the northern IS-held city of Mosul.


A lido which closed 26 years ago could be reopened with a heated pool, a community group has said.

Friends of Otley Lido has announced an exclusivity deal with Leeds City Council, which owns the site.
The group said it now has 12 months to form plans to raise Â£5 million needed to bring the lido back to life.
Leonie Sharp of Friends of Otley Lido said the plan was to heat the pool with hydro-electric power.
The West Yorkshire lido closed in 1993 and became a leisure venue for several years before gradually declining and closing to the public.
Ms Sharp said: "There's no likelihood that we'll be be swimming there in the short term, but the plan is to restore this as an outdoor swimming pool for the local community.
"We plan on having a heated swimming pool, ideally heated from hydro-electric power which would make it economically viable and sustainable."
Supporters wore bathing suits for the announcement at Wharfemeadows Park on Saturday.
Friends of Otley Lido, established in 2015, said the site had become "something of an eyesore, spoiling its picturesque riverside location".
The group said the recent floods caused further damage to the site, and part of the retaining wall had collapsed.
There is another lido on the edge of Ilkley Moor, six miles away, which was flooded when the River Wharfe burst its banks in December.
Ilkley lido's main pool is freshwater and unheated, with a lawn for sunbathing and picnicking, and an indoor heated pool.


The mother of a boy who hanged himself has called on internet sites to erase anything which could encourage experiments with strangulation.

Suffolk coroner Dr Peter Dean recorded an open verdict on the death of Tyler Mison, 13, at the inquest in Ipswich.
His mother Joanne Mison, of Shotley Gate, Suffolk, said she was convinced that her son Tyler had died after experimenting with a "choking game".
Dr Dean said the death may have been due to some form of high-risk game.
But he added it was difficult to say if that was what had happened.
Police said they could find no clues to indicate why Tyler, who was born in Manchester, had hanged himself and no evidence he had been playing a choking game.
Dr Dean said Tyler had seemed a "normal happy lad" and there was no evidence to suggest that he intended to take his own life.
Tyler was, said his parents, a happy, but easily led boy.
A pupil at Holbrook High School in Shotley, he was planning to join the Army Cadet Force.
On 9 September last year he was found by his stepfather hanging from his bed at home.
Mrs Mison said she was sure he had been trying a choking game which, she said, youngsters played to give themselves a "high", the inquest heard.
She said in the weeks before his death Tyler had had bloodshot eyes, headaches and marks on his neck.
Mrs Mison said she had thought nothing of them at the time but with hindsight felt that they were classic signs of choking game experiments.
She said: "I had never heard of 'the choking game' before. But it is well-known in America and you can find it on the internet.
"I think teachers, parents, anyone who works with children should be made aware of the signs and the dangers."
The government said in a statement: "We believe that this practice is still relatively rare and unknown in most schools.
"On balance, we feel that a national awareness campaign may give the practice unwanted publicity and increase the risk that more children may experiment with it."


These Scotland press conferences are becoming painful, for the players, the coaches and the humble scribblers who turn up with their notebooks full of the same questions they had the last time and the time before that and the time before that.

They're the same because nothing changes, not in terms of Scotland's bottom line at any rate.
Everybody wants a twist in their Six Nations story - a win, remember those?
You're more likely to find a hen's tooth in the car park at Murrayfield than a Scotland player on the training ground beyond who is rich with stories of success - even moderate success - in this unforgiving championship.
Thursday was another treadmill day. Running to stand still. One change to the team - Duncan Taylor, the admirable Saracen, in for the injured Matt Scott in the midfield - but zero difference in the questioning.
What else is there to say? Eight straight losses in the Six Nations. Eight straight losses to Wales, too.
Put another way: one win in 12 against Saturday's opponents. Or another: one win against the Welsh since Jonny Gray learned how to tie his own shoelaces.
We fetch-up at Scotland press conference carrying rugby's equivalent of ticking bombs in our bags, a volume of statistics so damning of Scotland's all-round hopelessness going back so many years that we dare not detonate them in ear-shot of a player or a coach.
It's uncomfortable enough as it is without dropping S-bombs. Stats, they say, are there to be twisted and turned, rewritten and broken. But with Scotland, there's no room for interpretation and ambiguity.
They're as straightforward and as damning as can be.
Cotter sees positives - and fair enough. They're there, for sure, but they haven't come together in sufficient number to add up to a win on his watch in the championship.
Podcast: Six Nations week two preview
The team he inherited gave away too many penalties, coughed up too many lineout balls and got beaten in too many scrums. Scotland have advanced in all of those departments - and others.
You wouldn't know from watching Saturday's 15-9 loss to England, but when the stars are aligned, Scotland's attack is better than it was. Its defence doesn't look to have the gaping holes it has had for the longest time.
None of this has brought a win, though. They're steps forward, but baby steps.
"It's just maintaining the vigilance and concentration that you need to put away games," said Cotter. "For long periods of the game last weekend we were in it, we dominated. We didn't score off two critical situations and if we had, perhaps, the result could have been different."
That's the recurring mantra. Things could have been different if...
"It's just a matter of believing in what we're doing," Cotter continued. "Six points away from England. A try away from a win. There's a positive feel within the team but we're not happy because we're not winning.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"We're getting ourselves into situations where we can win and that's exciting and hopefully we'll get ourselves into the same situation this week and put in place the things we worked on during the week.
"Hopefully they'll get the opportunity to nail a big game and when we do that maybe things will become much easier."
Wales drew with Ireland in Dublin. As a Test match, it was well ahead of anything we saw at Murrayfield 24 hours earlier. It was more intense, more accurate, more brutal.  It was no oil painting in its beauty, but even Cotter admitted that Wales and Ireland showed that they were "ahead of everyone else."
The Welsh are a bit of an optical illusion. Scan their starting line-up and they're a side with pace, power, wit and game-breaking threat. In reality, they've got the power covered, but the wit and the creativity goes missing.
They're not quite one-dimensional, but much of what they do is based on brute force. Hence, the massive physical toll it takes on them. They play hard, direct, largely risk-free rugby.
They bang away at an opposing defence waiting for it to crack under the bombardment rather than using their skill and pace to unlock it.
Against Ireland they made zero line breaks and just two offloads. Warrenball is attritional and not always easy on the eye, but it has served them well in the Six Nations.
A depleted Ireland - shorn of so many front-liners - still matched Wales' physicality and got a result many thought was beyond them in their weakened state. Ireland's powers of concentration and discipline and line speed in defence were huge.
They had inexperienced Test players stepping up to the plate, carrying ball prodigious amounts of ball, making a vast number of tackles, constantly troubling Wales with their intensity.
Now it's Scotland's turn. Cotter spoke of the need to be clinical. They weren't against England. In truth, taking their chances when they arise is a trait that has been beyond Scotland for a dozen years and more.
"To put everything into perspective, we lost by six points to England and we're not happy about that because we had opportunity to win it," said Cotter. "I'd rather be in a situation where we can win rather than be 20 points behind  and have no chance whatsoever.
"We've spent another week together and the weather has been nicer to us. We've been able to train without that horizontal rain and sleet."
They've had enough storm clouds to last them a lifetime. The roof will be closed in Cardiff, but if a minor miracle happens and Scotland get the win they so desperately crave they'll still be able to see the sun through all that steel.


A floating football pitch has been unveiled in Cardiff Bay ahead of the Champions League festival opening later this week.

The festival forms part of Cardiff hosting the world football's biggest domestic club final as Juventus face holders Real Madrid on Saturday.
Up to 170,000 fans are expected in the city over four days.
The pitch will host the traditional Ultimate Champions match which features previous winners including Ryan Giggs.
It is the first time a floating pitch has been used at the festival.
About 200 pieces have been put together to build the pitch with the surface laid on top, while netting has been erected around the side to stop balls going into the water.
The Champions match will take place on Friday with most of the names still to be revealed.
Last year's participants included Brazil and Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos, Portugal's LuÃs Figo and Germany's Lothar Matthaus.
The pitch will also host a walking football game, a match involving refugee teams from Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, a deaf football friendly international, learning disability and youth groups matches.


Prince Harry has met US president Barack Obama during a visit to the US to promote the Invictus Games.

The prince met Mr Obama in the Oval Office of the White House for an informal chat.
Earlier he joined Michelle Obama to meet injured service personnel in Virginia, and is set to meet Games organisers at the British ambassador's residence in Washington DC.
The Games are an international event for injured and sick service personnel.
The first Invictus Games took place in London last year, with the next due in Orlando, Florida, next year.
There were screams of excitement as Prince Harry entered the gym hall. He was here to watch former soldiers in a very different type of combat - wheelchair basketball.
He and First Lady Michelle Obama were glued to the game as the chairs clashed across the court. At one point the prince caught the basketball and handed it to her.
This is a couple who share the same passion - helping injured servicemen. But the pair, who have met several times, can also share a joke. Addressing the women present, she said: "Don't pretend you haven't noticed Prince Harry is here."
The hundreds gathered were told that sport had changed the lives of many injured servicemen. Max Rohn, who lost his leg in Iraq in 2009, said Harry's support meant the world to him. Sport, he said, gave him the hope he was missing.
Prince Harry and the first lady were joined by Jill Biden, the US vice-president's wife, for a tour of the purpose-built United Service Organizations Warrior and Family Center at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, which supports troops, their families and carers.
They joined an art therapy class for veterans then visited a music therapy room.
They also watched a sports event before giving speeches.
In his speech, Prince Harry said his deployments to Afghanistan "changed the direction" of his life.
He said that after returning to the UK on a flight with three critically injured British soldiers, he realised he had "a responsibility to help all veterans, who had made huge personal sacrifices for their countries, to lead healthy and dignified lives after service."
He added: "I hope that Invictus 2016 will remind people everywhere just how incredible our service personnel are, and how much of a positive contribution to society they make.
"I am sure the American public will embrace the Invictus Games, just as the British public did in 2014."
Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games after seeing a similar event, the Warrior Games, held in the US in 2013.
He said the aim was to change perceptions of physical and mental injury.
"One thing we have to talk about more is breaking down these barriers around so-called invisible injuries, like post-traumatic stress, just as we have for physical injuries like the loss of a limb," he said.
"We have to help [veterans] to get the support they need, without fear of being judged or discriminated against. Not only is it OK to talk about it, we have to talk about it."
The visit will be Prince Harry's first meeting with President Obama, but it is not the first time he has met the first lady.
They previously attended a White House event to support military families in 2013, and met this summer at Kensington Palace during Mrs Obama's tour of the UK for her Let Girls Learn initiative.


A row has broken out between South Korean government officials over their handling of an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers).

Health Minister Moon Hyung-pyo accused city officials in the capital, Seoul, of giving out incorrect information which he said would spread alarm.
Four people in South Korea have died and 41 have been infected by Mers.
The outbreak is the largest outside the Middle East, where the disease first appeared in Saudi Arabia in 2012.
Mers can cause fever, breathing problems, pneumonia and kidney failure. The virus has a death rate of 27%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). There is currently no vaccine.
On Thursday, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said a South Korean doctor disobeyed an order to stay away from the public after showing symptoms of Mers on Sunday.
Mr Park accused him of continuing to work and attend meetings involving more than 1,500 people. It later emerged the doctor had contracted Mers from a patient.
BBC South Korea correspondent Steve Evans says the fear now is that the infected doctor might have spread the illness uncontrollably.
The people at the gathering have been advised to stay in voluntary quarantine.
Mr Park has criticised the central government for not making more information available, particularly in the case of the doctor.
Health Minister Moon Hyung-pyo hit back, rejecting the claim his ministry had mishandled the case.
"The announcement by the city of Seoul yesterday has parts that are not factual and can increase public concern," he said.
The comments would only hurt the credibility of the government's effort to stamp out Mers, he said.
Our correspondent says the authorities have a dilemma - too much information may promote panic while too little information promotes rumour and unnecessary fear.
In an atmosphere of uncertainty, the public are reacting by buying masks and keeping their children away from school, he adds.
Five new cases overnight brought the total number of known infections in the country to 41.
The fourth fatality was a 76-year-old man who died on Thursday after testing positive for the virus last month.
More than 700 schools in South Korea have been closed since the outbreak began.


Cambridge United goalkeeper Will Norris is the best in League Two, according to manager Shaun Derry.

The 23-year-old saved two penalties in stoppage time as United beat Accrington 2-1 on 1 October.
"I think I've got the best number one in the division, I really do, and I've said that for a while now," Derry said.
"He's a fantastic young goalkeeper who's really coachable. I think when you look at those aspects he's got a hell of a chance."
Former Crystal Palace, Portsmouth, QPR and Leeds midfielder Derry says Norris, who joined the U's in 2012 from non-league Royston Town, could end up playing at a much higher level than the fourth tier.
Derry told BBC Look East: "I look at some of the goalkeepers that I've played with and some of the ones who have gone on to bigger and better things and I think Will Norris has got a great chance.
"He's here, he's our number one, he's loving playing for the football club and he's producing some really top performances."
Norris has saved four penalties this season, having previously stopped spot-kicks at Doncaster Rovers in the league and Wolves in the EFL Cup.
"It's nice to do my bit for the team when called upon," Norris told BBC Look East. "I like to go under the radar and have quiet games and just do my thing when called upon.
"It is nice to get the praise, but if we were doing it for the praise we'd have been strikers back when we were kids.
"I've taken the goalkeeper path, which is a bit of a thankless task at the end of the day."


The UK government is to fund a trial of drone-based deliveries of blood and other medical supplies in Tanzania.

The goal is to radically reduce the amount of time it takes to send stock to health clinics in the African nation by road or other means.
The scheme involves Zipline, a Silicon Valley start-up that began running a similar service in Rwanda in October.
Experts praised that initiative but cautioned that "cargo drones" are still of limited use to humanitarian bodies.
The Department for International Development (Dfid) has not said how much money will be invested in the Tanzanian effort or for how long.
It also announced plans to fund tests of drones in Nepal to map areas of the country prone to damage from extreme weather, so help prepare for future crises.
"This innovative, modern approach ensures we are achieving the best results for the world's poorest people and delivering value for money for British taxpayers," commented the International Development Secretary Priti Patel.
Zipline's drones - called Zips - are small fixed-wing aircraft that are fired from a catapult and follow a pre-programmed path using GPS location data.
The advantage of the design over multi-rotor models is that the vehicles can better cope with windy conditions and stay airborne for longer. In theory, they can fly up to about 180 miles (290km) before running out of power, although Zipline tries to keep round trips to about half that distance.
Their drawback is that they require open space to land - in Zip's case an area about the size of two car parking slots.
Zipline gets round this issue by having its drones descend to heights of about 5m (16.4ft) when they reach their destinations and then release their loads via paper parachutes. Afterwards, they regain altitude and return to base before coming to rest.
The aircraft fly below 500ft (152m) to avoid the airspace used by passenger planes.
Tanzania, Rwanda and Malawi - which uses a different type of drone for medical deliveries - all take a permissive approach to unmanned aerial vehicle [UAV] regulations, helping make them attractive places for such trials.
Earlier in the year, Tanzania also authorised the use of drones in its Tarangire National Park as part of an effort to deter animal poachers.
Dfid estimates that flying blood and medical supplies by drone from out of Tanzania's capital, Dodoma, could save $58,000 (£47,400) a year compared to sending them by car or motorcycle.
But a spokeswoman suggested that the time savings were more crucial.
"Flights are planned to start in early 2017, and when they do it is estimated that [the] UAVs could support over 50,000 births a year, cutting down the time mothers and new-borns would have to wait for life-saving medicine to 19 minutes - reduced from the 110 minutes traditional transport methods would take," she explained.
The Ifakara Health Institute - which specialises in treatments for malaria, HIV, tuberculosis as well as neonatal health issues - will be the local partner.
The Humanitarian UAV Network and other non-profit bodies recently surveyed the use of drones to carry out human welfare tasks.
The study highlighted the work Zipline was doing, noting the firm was  capable of setting up a new drones launch hub in as little as 24 hours, meaning it was well suited to rapid response efforts as well as longer-term projects.
But the study also noted that humanitarian cargos are often measured in tonnes rather than kilograms, and need to be transported across longer distances than a Zip can manage.
"Given these current trade-offs relative to manned aviation, the specific cases in which cargo drones can currently add value are particularly narrow in the context of the universe of needs that humanitarian organisations typically face," it said.
And it added that more research was needed to properly evaluate whether existing schemes were as reliable as claimed.
"Organisations considering the use of cargo drones need statistics on flights performed, hours logged, failure rates and other performance measures."


Welsh discus thrower Philippa Roles, who represented Great Britain at two Olympic Games, has died, UK Athletics has announced.

The 39-year-old from Neath competed at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.
The cause of death has not been confirmed.
"All at UK Athletics send our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Philippa at this sad time," UK Athletics chief executive Niels de Vos said.
Her best throw of 62.89 metres, achieved in 2003, places her fourth the British all-time rankings.
Wales' 2008 discus champion also placed fourth at two Commonwealth Games, in Manchester and Delhi, and sixth in Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne.
Welsh Athletics Head of Coaching and Performance Scott Simpson said: "We are all shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic news.  We are currently awaiting more information surrounding what has happened.
"Philippa was one of Wales' finest ever throwers, excelling across all disciplines, but particularly in the discus.
"Her bubbly personality always brought a smile to those around her and she will be remembered as the life and soul of the Welsh teams that she was a part of.
"Not only the best teammate that one could have wished for, she was an inspiration to many and a great role model for future generations of athlete across all disciplines.
"She will be sorely missed by all that knew her and we would like to send our deepest condolences to her family and friends during this most difficult of times."


Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel took a surprise win in a chaotic, dramatic and thrilling Hungarian Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton finished sixth.

Media playback is not supported on this device
Hamilton had a mighty let-off after an error-strewn drive because title rival and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg finished eighth after a late puncture.
The result means Hamilton, in the most unlikely circumstances, extends his lead over Rosberg to 21 points.
Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat took his first career podium in second.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Vettel's victory - his second of the season - came as a huge surprise, and the German dedicated it to French driver Jules Bianchi, who died last Friday and whose funeral Vettel was one of many active F1 drivers to attend on Tuesday.
A minute's silence was held for the former Ferrari reserve driver on the grid before the race and his family attended the event.
Vettel said in French over the radio on his slowing down lap: "Merci, Jules. Cette victoire est pour toi." (Thank you, Jules. This victory is for you).
He added in English: "You will always be in our hearts. We know sooner or later you would have been in this team."
There was a further surprise behind Vettel as Russian Kvyat took second place despite being one of several drivers to suffer penalties as a result of driving transgressions.
He was handed a 10-second penalty for taking an advantage by going over track limits but held on ahead of team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.
Ricciardo was involved in the incident that dropped Rosberg from second with four laps to go.
The Australian dived for the inside at Turn One, ran wide and Rosberg's trajectory on the inside of the corner took his left rear tyre into contact with Ricciardo's front wing, puncturing it.
Ricciardo had to pit for a new front wing but managed to take the final podium position.
Behind him, 17-year-old Max Verstappen took the best result of his short career in fourth, ahead of Fernando Alonso in fifth, by far the strongest finish of McLaren-Honda's dismal season so far.
Up front, the events that led to Vettel's 41st victory - a number that matches the tally achieved by three-time champion Ayrton Senna - were extraordinary and easily the most exciting race of the season so far.
The win was made at the start, when Vettel got the jump on both Mercedes drivers, fought off Hamilton and took the lead into the first corner.
Behind him, team-mate Kimi Raikkonen passed Rosberg into Turn Two for second place as Hamilton dropped back to fourth.
But the drama on the opening lap was not over, as Hamilton made a mistake at the chicane midway around the track and ran wide, dropping a further six positions.
It was a most uncharacteristic mistake by Hamilton, whose season had until this event been almost flawless. But the errors were not over.
As the Ferraris dominated at the front, with Rosberg surprisingly unable to keep pace, Hamilton set about recovering lost ground.
Media playback is not supported on this device
He did so with some excellent overtaking moves on Williams's Felipe Massa, Force India's Sergio Perez and, after the first pit stops, Red Bull's Ricciardo.
Hamilton then set about closing the gap to Rosberg and had reduced it to six seconds when a dramatic incident brought out the safety car on lap 43, with 26 laps to go.
Nico Hulkenberg's Force India suffered a total front wing failure on the main straight, smashing into the barriers and leaving carbon-fibre debris all over the braking area for Turn One.
Many drivers behind the top four chose to take advantage of the safety car period to switch to the grippier soft tyre and, crucially, at the head of them was Ricciardo in fifth at the restart, with exactly 20 laps to go.
The Australian got a better exit from the final corner than Hamilton and as the world champion defended to the inside, Ricciardo went for the outside.
Hamilton locked up on the dirty inside line and slid into the side of the Red Bull, breaking his front wing and damaging Ricciardo's bodywork.
After hanging on with the damaged part for a couple of laps, Hamilton bowed to the inevitable and pitted for a replacement. To make matters worse, he then he had to serve a drive-through penalty for causing the collision.
He rejoined in 12th place, saying over the radio: "I'm so sorry, guys. I'm really sorry."
His engineer Peter Bonnington told him to get his head down and chase some points, and Hamilton did so, passing the Saubers of Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson, Jenson Button's McLaren and Romain Grosjean's Lotus to take sixth place and eight points that could be crucial in the title fight in the second half of the season.
Raikkonen lost second place when his engine suffered a hybrid system failure, dropping him down the field and eventually into retirement.
Full race results


There's no disguising the confidence in Jeremy Corbyn's camp about this leadership election.

Membership of the Labour Party has soared since the general election and Mr Corbyn believes most of these new members are his supporters.
The hope of his opponents is that many may have become disillusioned with his leadership.
But having spent a day in Leeds meeting new and older members of the local party, I found scant evidence for this.
If anything, Mr Corbyn's supporters seem ever more determined to defend him.
So who are these new members; the so called "Corbynistas"?
I spent time with four of them: Jane Ingham , 65, a retired head teacher, Ged Colgan, 26, a hotel worker, Marvina Newton, 30, a local charity manager and Jane Aitchison, who is in her 40s and is a trade unionist.
What quickly became clear was that, not only was Jeremy Corbyn the main reason they joined the Labour Party, but they remain fiercely loyal to him.
Mr Corbyn, they believe, offers inspiration and change.  In the past Labour had become too similar to the Conservatives; particularly over austerity, they say.
Jeremy Corbyn represented a break with the traditional way of doing politics
"He's unlike anyone," says Marvina. "To me that's what is great about him. He speaks from the heart. "
What was also clear was the disdain all four had for those Labour MPs seemingly determined to oppose Jeremy Corbyn.
"Unfortunately they have been part of a style of politics that has not only failed to win elections but they have been consistently wrong about a whole range of issues," says Ged.
Jane the retired head teacher is similarly unimpressed.
"I'm quite disappointed with the MPs. Do too many of them have too many privileges and just enjoy the privilege of being members of Parliament?"
And there's no disguising the fact these new members are prepared for a fight should Labour MPs continue to refuse to back Mr Corbyn, if he wins this leadership contest.
No-one mentions the D-word, deselection. But the warning signs are clear.
"It's perfectly legitimate for local members to choose who they want to be their candidate at the next election," warns Ged. "I don't see why being an MP should be treated like a job for life."
Jane, the trade unionist, agrees.
"They (the MPs) do feel threatened. We represent change and Jeremy represents huge change and that threatens their very cosy position."
So what of longer-serving party members? How do they view this influx of pro-Corbyn new members ?
Away from the city centre in one of Leeds' more deprived areas, Seacroft, a rock-solid Labour area, I met up with two long-standing party members: Les Wrigglesworth, a former miner, and Melvyn Burton.
They both praise the energy and enthusiasm of the new recruits.
However they are more cautious over how committed these new members will remain to the Labour Party.
Les says they may prove "fair weather" members.
They are both dismissive, however, of claims that many of the new members are so-called "entryists" from Trotskyite and other hard-left groups.
Les dismisses the idea as a "red herring". There may be a few entryists, he says, but only a tiny minority.
Melvyn believes the new members may be "naive" in their views but they are not Trotskyists.
It's only a snap shot but my impression is that even those party members who are not supporters of Jeremy Corbyn are far from happy about the challenge to his leadership.
Some regard it as a distraction from the business of opposing the Conservatives; others as undemocratic; others still as a precursor to a possible all-out civil war or even split in the party.
The difficulty is that Mr Corbyn has become the sticking point.
Many Labour MPs believe he threatens Labour's very survival as a credible political party.
But if they are hoping the membership is poised to turn against him - I found precious little sign of it in Leeds.


A spin-out company from St Andrews University is producing a new product to fight healthcare-acquired infections.

They're based on metal organic frameworks (MOFs).
They look like unassuming powdery solids but they pack a punch thanks to the millions of tiny holes they contain.
The company - called MOFgen - is loading these microscopic pores with the sorts of things that can't normally go where solids can: an antibiotic or a therapeutic gas like nitric oxide.
MOFgen's head of applications development, Dr Morven Duncan, likens a MOF to a "crystalline sponge".
Dr Duncan has set up an apparatus to show us what happens. The MOFs - in this example pale yellow - have the nitric oxide gas passed through them. The yellow turns to mid-brown as the MOF picks up its healing payload.
The solid MOF is now packing a punch against infection.
MOFgen has been set up to use the properties of MOFs where they're most needed: the healthcare system.
That's because while most people go into hospital in the hope of getting better, sometimes it's the hospital itself that can make you ill.
C difficle, E coli, staphylococcus aureus and other bugs can be lying in wait unless the right measures are taken.
It's a situation that's getting more difficult as some of these healthcare-acquired infections become resistant to common antibiotics.
The MOFs and their healing payloads can be made into coatings for medical devices where deep-seated infections can be difficult to treat.
"These coatings are going to make a huge difference to people who use indwelling medical devices such as catheters which are prone to healthcare-acquired infections," says MOFgen's head of research and technology Dr Stewart Warrender.
"Also to people with chronic, slow-to-heal wounds.
"We believe that the delivery of the nitric oxide from the MOFs, along with other active agents we can deliver from the products, will help to reduce these healthcare-acquired infections and increase healing rates."
The company has already won first prize in the Royal Society of Chemistry's emerging technologies competition.
It's also won a big new tranche of investment from Mercia Fund Management and the Scottish Investment Bank to take commercialisation to the next stage.
"We're the first ever company that's actually used this technology in the healthcare market," says chief executive Dr Yvonne Davies.
"So we're extremely excited about this - and this is what's got our investors excited as well."
Healthcare-acquired infections can seem like a rising tide. MOFs could be about to play a big role in turning it.


Superlatives can't really sum up an innings like the 258 Ben Stokes made for England against South Africa on day two of the second Test in Cape Town and you probably won't see anything quite like it again.

It is the fastest 250 in Test cricket, 30 fours, 11 sixes - that's 186 in boundaries - and the facts and figures illustrate what an extraordinary innings it was.
The way he tore the bowling apart was brutal - it was extraordinary hitting. It started with the second new ball on Saturday when he came in on a hat-trick at 167-4 with England in real danger of squandering a really good batting opportunity.
The way he attacked demonstrated the way he was going to play and he simply carried on with the same approach on day two.
To score at eight runs an over in 40 overs in a Test match is just ridiculous. Once he got going he wasn't going to stop - he imagined he was going to hit every ball out of the park and I don't think there was any answer to him.
This is a very inexperienced bowling line-up, the pitch is doing nothing and clearly South African confidence is very low after four defeats in their past five matches, but you cannot take anything away from the way Stokes played.
The way Jonny Bairstow supported Stokes was excellent and demonstrated the maturity that has been introduced to his game.
He played quite carefully through the nineties - he really wanted that hundred - and there was no way he was going to miss out again as at Lord's against the South Africans in 2012, when he was dismissed for 95.
When he got to three figures he tore the attack apart as well. It really was breathtaking cricket from both of these talented young England batsmen.
Watching Bairstow reach his maiden Test century was an extraordinarily emotional moment. His late father David - a former England player himself - was loved as a jovial, extrovert cricketer.
For all of us who know Jonny and his lovely family - mum Janet and sister Becky chatted to me at tea - it was highly emotional. It has been one of those days and I am not sure we will quite see the like of it again.
When you have Graeme Smith - as proud a South African as you can find - loving it, you realise what a remarkable day it was. He hated what was happening to South Africa, but as a cricketer he loved and respected what he was watching.
All-rounders who are hard-hitting batsmen and fast bowlers are massive characters and Ben Stokes certainly is one of them.
He has had his run-ins in the past, such as being sent home from an England Lions tour for disciplinary reasons in 2013. You try to steer them in the right direction without knocking out that enormous self confidence.
There are not many people who could come out and do what he did. It makes all the difference when you have a player like that - an Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Richard Hadlee - who can change a match so quickly,
He's got a great eye and a very quick thought process. He hooked Chris Morris for four and the next ball was almost the same but a little shorter - the ball got higher and was further outside off stump so it was more difficult to play the shot.
The adrenaline would have been pumping, the crowd were cheering but he ducked underneath that ball, which was superb shot selection.
He is one those left-handed batsman who can hit anywhere from third man to deep backward square-leg. You have no idea where he is going to hit you.
Stokes is 24 and has absolutely everything, with a huge amount of self belief.
I don't know whether he will ever play like that again, but he is capable of being a seriously good international cricketer for a good number of years, one who will be treated with a huge amount of respect.
There will be times where you want him to play a fighting innings such as his maiden hundred in Perth against Australia in 2013 but this was different, the situation was there for someone to take the initiative.
You would rather he did play his natural game but at other times he won't be in that sort of form and he'll have to work hard before he can play shots.
For top-class cricketers you are talking milliseconds in terms of when you are hitting the ball cleanly and when you are not. There are some days when it takes you time to find it and other days like here when it clicks immediately.
He bowls fast, he knocks people over and he's a brilliant catcher. He is one those stellar quality all-rounders and we are very lucky to have him.
South Africa's Hashim Amla is a captain who is struggling, a captain who follows the ball and is playing catch-up.
He had only averaged 15 in his previous 10 innings but I thought he batted much better, much more like the man who has made 23 Tests centuries, and played some beautiful strokes.
Amla and AB de Villiers are going to be the main obstacles England are going to have to overcome if they are to press home the advantage of a 488-run lead going into day three and 18 wickets still to claim to win the match.
Alastair Cook's declaration before tea was timed to allow England to bat a second time regardless of what they bowl South Africa out for now.
It can give the bowlers a rest and they have lots of time in the game.
Jonathan Agnew was speaking to BBC Sport's Jamie Lillywhite


Shops and retailers are taking over where street cameras left off, watching shoppers' every move.

According to a  2015 survey of 150 retail executives from IT services firm Computer Services Corporation, a quarter of all British shops and 59% of fashion retailers use facial recognition software.
Such technology is vital as offline stores attempt to keep up with online retailers, said Duncan Mann, chief operating officer at retail analysis firm Hoxton Analytics.
"Online retailers gather all kinds of information about shoppers and physical stores also want to understand how people behave in a shop," he said.
But, he admits: "A lot of these technologies are kind of invasive."
Hoxton has come up with a novel way of measuring footfall - literally by filming people's shoes.
Sherlock Holmes-like, its system can deduce a remarkable amount of information such as age, gender and social class of shoppers from their footwear.
"We have cameras at about 50cm off the ground and it points down so it is less invasive than facial recognition," he explains.
It is surprisingly accurate. It spots the correct gender 80% of the time, better than some facial recognition technologies, according to Mr Mann.
Cities are getting fuller - 70% of the world's population will live in urban areas by 2050 - but don't think for a minute that means you will be able to get lost in the crowd.
Because those cities are most likely watching you. Plugged into the network - via smart CCTV cameras that feed into central operation centres or smart street lights that turn brighter when someone walks beneath them - cities are increasingly collecting data on their inhabitants.
The purpose is to keep people safe, provide more efficient services and prevent overcrowding or other disasters but has anyone ever asked its citizens whether they want to be part of the urban efficiency experiment or offered them ways to opt out of the networked city?
"Very few of us have any real concept of what data smart cities are gathering," said Renate Samson of privacy watchdog Big Brother Watch.
"Some of it may be completely anodyne and simply a reaction to a physical movement, but with the increase of devices connected to the internet, the chances are that street lamp, CCTV camera, wi-fi connection, electronic keypad, touch and go payment device, is capturing data on you, your movements, device data and personal information."
You begin leaking data as soon as you wake up. Maybe you check Twitter before you leave the house to find out if your train is running - that tweet immediately becomes public property - or perhaps you are signed up to navigation apps such as Waze, that crowdsource real-time information about problems on the roads.
Apps collect and share lots of personal information and, in its privacy guide, Waze states that it will collect periodically "all of the phone numbers which are stored on your device's phonebook", as part of a feature to connect you to your friends.
And once you enter the transport system you are giving away even more details about yourself. The ticket gate is waiting to swallow your data, via the swipe of a smart card, mobile phone or credit card.
Transport for London (TfL) now has a bird's eye view of the estimated 4.1 million journeys taken on its network each day.
It knows where people get on and off and it can start to see patterns in the data - for instance, someone who uses the system during the day but not at peak times is likely to be a student or a retired person, someone who has one day a week when they don't use the network may work from home that day, someone who takes a brief diversion along their usual route may be dropping off a child at nursery.
"The data can be used to inform future expansion, whether we need to add a bus route or increase the frequency of trains, to alleviate capacity issues by informing people about the most crowded times and places and generally helps us to understand customers better," said Gabriel Goulet Langlois, a data scientist at TfL.
It can offer automatic refunds if people accidentally tap out with their Oyster card and could be used to alert customers when stations are closed or overcrowded.
TFL data was instrumental in solving one of the most notorious crimes of the decade - the Hatton Garden jewellery robbery - when an Oyster pass was found in one of the suspect's wallet, throwing light on how the heist was planned.
Mr Langlois is keen to point out that, while the police might want to track individual journeys, TFL does not.
"We only want to see aggregated patterns," he said.
He has been working on a project that can classify travellers, spotting commuters, visitors and even students by their travel patterns.
A day in the life of a 'lighthouse' city
The smart city that never sleeps
The future of a good night out
Are our cities killing us with bad air?
What is it like to fly a jetpack
Read all our Tomorrow's Cities series
Big data in cities has to be handled increasingly sensitively, thinks Nick Millman, managing director at consultancy firm Accenture.
He cites the example of Google which is currently using Google Map data to assess the traffic flow in Stockholm as part of its Better Cities programme.
"It is using what is known as differential privacy," he explained. "It is basically adding privacy controls to statistics so that you only see the data you need to know about.
In the case of Stockholm, that means sufficient data to improve traffic but not so much that it reveals individual journey patterns.
CCTV cameras are a much more obvious city spy and they now dominate the urban landscape. Numbers from security firm IHS suggest that there were 245 million professionally installed video surveillance cameras active and operational globally in 2014 as more cities turn to monitoring technology to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.
Security firm Thales has installed 15,000 security cameras in Mexico City since 2009, which feed into operation centres around the city, including pop-up mobile surveillance centres for big events. Thales boast that it is the world's "most ambitious urban security project " and claims that since installation, it has seen
But in the UK, some local authorities are scaling back on their CCTV usage, according to a recent report from Big Brother Watch.
"More and more councils are scrapping their CCTV systems due to budgetary constraints. In some cases councils have removed CCTV because the systems have no longer been necessary, crime has either moved to another area or the cameras have been of such poor quality they haven't provided any substantial benefit," said Ms Samson.


A Dutch court has convicted five Dutch ethnic Tamil men for raising funds for the banned Tamil Tiger rebels.

The men got sentences of up to six years for their activities on behalf of rebels who fought for an independent homeland for Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Prosecutors said the men extorted millions of euros from the Tamil diaspora through blackmail and threats.
But the defence counsel for the five men argued that they were freedom fighters.
In a complex ruling, the judge said the men were not convicted of supporting terror but that he found them guilty of involvement in a criminal organisation.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam [LTTE] was outlawed by the European Union in 2006.
They fought a decades-long and bloody war against Sri Lankan authorities for a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east of the country, but were defeated by the Sri Lankan army in 2009.
Prosecutors also accused the men of "brainwashing" children by teaching them to make pictures of bombs and grenades.
This case is one of a number of prosecutions concerning both sides of the Sri Lankan conflict that are currently being considered in foreign courts.


Scientists are deeply divided on whether snow leopards are still endangered species, a BBC investigation has found.

Some big cat exerts say their population has stabilised and increased in a number of places.
This, they claim, has slowed the overall rate of decline.
Others argue that there has been no robust scientific study to prove either that the population has stabilised.
Amid the disagreement, top officials from 12 countries within the snow leopard range are meeting in Kyrgyzstan to further strengthen conservation of the elusive big cats.
The differences of opinion among scientists have intensified as a downgrading of the threat to snow leopards - from "endangered" to "vulnerable" - is expected from the IUCN Red List soon.
The Red List is the most comprehensive inventory of the conservation status of different species.
The list maintained by the international nature conservation body is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the status of biological species.
Scientists who believe that the number of snow leopards has gone up say the information is based on people working in the field.
"Experts from each range countries were asked to come up with best estimates of snow leopard population by country and the total was between 7,400 and 8,000 animals," says Dr Tom McCarthy, snow leopard program executive director for Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organisation.
"You have to stress there that's still what people call guesstimates, I like to call it a very educated guesstimate."
The figures have been quoted by a recently published book on snow leopards that kicked off the debate.
Before these latest figures, the widely quoted population for snow leopards since the 90s was between 3,500 and 7,500.
"But I just can't see why we would cling to the figure of the 90s," said Dr McCarthy.
Conservationists say snow leopards have been threatened by poaching, retaliatory killing by farmers, declining prey species, shrinking habitats, and climate change.
"Although it is difficult to capture an overall trend, there is a general lack of evidence of a significant continuing decline in the global snow leopard population," David P Mallon and Rodney Jackson, both veterans on snow leopards, wrote in the journal Oryx recently.
But some scientists are critical of that conclusion.
"[For that conclusion] less than 2% of the global snow leopard range has been sampled using scientifically acceptable techniques, such as camera-trapping and genetics," says associate professor Guillaume Chapron, with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
"And those 2% have been surveyed because there was an a priori expectation that this would be good snow leopard habitat.
"This is not a proper scientific reasoning. You do not choose a method based on the results it gives."
Experts say habitat range for snow leopards extends over nearly two million square kilometres, involving 12 countries in central and northern Asia including the Himalayan ranges.
These are places with tough topography that helps snow leopards remain elusive.
This is why some scientists call them "cryptic wide-ranging species that are almost impossible to count - and therefore their population needs to be estimated".
But they also admit that there is a danger of misrepresenting the true numbers through this type of estimation.
This, they say, became evident in recent scientific surveys based on camera trapping and genetic tests on faeces in Nepal and Pakistan, where fewer snow leopards were found than expected.
"This illustrated the dangers of this population size estimation technique of extrapolating from known surveyed areas (a very small part of snow leopard range) to the rest of suitable snow leopard habitat where they may or may not be present," said a big cat species expert, who did not want to be named.
Professor Som Ale, a snow leopard expert who teaches at the University of Illinois in Chicago, commented: "Imagine the fate of a species such as the tiger or rhino or hawksbill turtle - a widespread victim of poaching and illegal trade - if the IUCN were to down-list species, across the world, based on population estimates largely based on interviews and expert opinions (from conferences)."
Experts knowledgeable about the IUCN categorisation process, however, said the possible down-listing of the threat category for snow leopards is happening mainly because of a change in criteria.
The new provision requires either the adult snow leopard population to be below 2,500 or to have experienced a rate of decline exceeding 20% over 16 years for the species to be categorised as "endangered".
Sources told the BBC that the IUCN assessment has found this is not the case.
Scientists have also differed on the first age of reproduction and sexual maturity age for snow leopards.
That difference led to a stalemate over re-assessing the IUCN Red List status of the top mountain predator since it was designated as "endangered" in 2008.
Those arguing for the continuity of endangered status say down-listing snow leopards to vulnerable category could dry funding and push the species to extinction.
"An immediate impact of down-listing snow leopard may be that the range country governments and conservation entities would de-emphasise (whatever little extant) conservation efforts they have on the ground to other perceived (lesser) conservation needs," said Professor Ale.
Scientists in the other camp believe that a down-listing is a positive development and will motivate donor governments to continue funding - including for snow leopards - as they will see that conservation efforts do work.
"Snow leopards are still very, very threatened with extinction, we cannot let up our conservation efforts," said Dr McCarthy.


A tour vehicle and a charter bus carrying foreign students have collided in Seattle, Washington state, leaving four people dead, US officials say.

TV footage showed an amphibious "Ride the Ducks" vehicle - a type used for tours in several US cities - smashed into the side of the bus on a bridge.
The four victims were foreign students from North Seattle College. Several people were critically injured.
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray described the crash as "a terrible tragedy".
It happened at about 11:00 local time (18:00 GMT) on Thursday. Two smaller vehicles were also involved in the crash.
Most of the victims were on board the charter bus. Officials have not said which countries they were from.
Forty-five students and staff members from the school's international programmes were taking an orientation trip ahead of the school year starting on Monday.
Fifty-one people were taken to hospitals. Fire department officials said 12 had critical injuries.
"Today, the North Seattle College community learned devastating news that four of our students were tragically killed in a vehicle accident on the Aurora Bridge," the school said in a statement.
"Additionally, several students remain in critical condition, and other students and a North employee sustained serious injuries."
Government officials were working to contact next of kin.
A witness said the duck boat signalled to move left when it lurched and the front left wheel came off. It then clipped a vehicle before colliding with the bus.
Two witnesses travelling in the opposite direction, Brad Volm and Bradley Sawhill, told the Associated Press news agency they saw the duck boat's left tyre "lock up" as it swerved into the charter bus.
"It all happened so fast. I got out of my car, and there were just bodies, just everywhere. People lying in the street,'' Mr Volm said.
Tim Gesner, who was on the duck boat, told The Seattle Times the vehicle started to fish-tail and he heard the driver say "Oh, no".
Mayor Murray said the company had voluntarily suspended trips for the time being.
"Ride the Ducks" tours, using vehicles which can drive on roads and float on water, are known for guides who play loud music and quack through speakers when leading tourist groups.
The amphibious vehicles have been involved in multiple fatal accidents.
Two people died when one collided with a barge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2010.
The "Duck" name is derived from DUKW, the six-wheel amphibious vehicles used by the US military during World War Two.