US: George Bush's speech marking the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina was interrupted for CNN viewers when one of the network's presenters forgot a cardinal rule of broadcast journalism - turn your microphone off when you go to the toilet.
The president had just started to apologise on Tuesday for the government's poor performance in response to last year's devastating storm when a familiar voice broke in. It was one of the main morning presenters, Kyra Phillips, gossiping with a friend about men and families. Her clip-on microphone had been left on in what appeared to be a toilet, judging by the ambient sounds of running water and zips being opened and closed.
The president could still be heard talking about the improvements he intended to make in his administration, while Ms Phillips was comparing notes about partners. "I'm very lucky in that regard with my husband," she said. "My husband is handsome and he is genuinely a loving, you know, no ego - well, we all have egos - you know what I'm saying. Just a passionate, compassionate, great, great human being. And they exist. They do exist. They're hard to find . . . but they are out there." So her husband was no doubt happy with her comments. Her sister-in-law was probably less so, however, after what happened moments later.
The other woman in the CNN toilet appeared to be having problems getting her brother to accept her partner. "Of course, brothers have to be protective, except for mine. I've got to be protective of him," Ms Phillips told her colleague. "He's married, three kids, but his wife is just a control freak." At that point someone arrived to tell the broadcaster to turn off her microphone.
CNN issued an apology for the gaffe, which it described as "audio difficulties", but the incident will provide fodder for the network's critics.