Plane crashes in Congo, death toll unknown

Wasif Chudhary



KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A provincial official in the Congolese province of South Kivu says a plane has crashed after takeoff and there is no news of the passengers on board.
Laban Kyalangalilwa, the minister in charge of transportation in South Kivu province, said Tuesday the plane took off from the city of Bukavu at 7:45 a.m. on Monday and was due to land at an airport in the town of Namoya an hour later. The plane never arrived.
He said a second plane was sent to survey the route, and they found what looked like the debris of the Antonov about 6 miles (10 kilometers) away from the Namoya runway.
Kyalangalilwa said that there were at least five people on board. He could not confirm whether any had survived, but said that it was unlikely given the degree of debris at the crash site.

13-year-old boy dies after shooting incident in Souldern, near Bicester in Oxfordshire, UK, police say - @BBCNews

Wasif Chudhary



13-year-old boy dies after shooting incident in Souldern, near Bicester in Oxfordshire, UK, police say - @BBCNews

Washington, DC has $240 million budget surplus, according to annual financial report - @NBCWashington

Wasif Chudhary

Washington, DC has $240 million budget surplus, according to annual financial report - @NBCWashington

White House says UN Security Council should not allow the Assad regime to continue violence against its people in Syria - @Reuters

Wasif Chudhary




White House says UN Security Council should not allow the Assad regime to continue violence against its people in Syria - @Reuters

Is there another Stage under Construction?

Wasif Chudhary

We have seen many stages in the last three, four decades. We have seen the Stage of Vietnam, we have seen the stage of Iraq, we have seen the stage of Afghanistan and we have also seen some small stages. But the point to remember is that only one mason is behind all these stage creations.
A new stage is under construction and it is The Stage of Iran. Yes, I am talking about the wars which America is fighting for the last so many decades. America believes once again that there is another country which is dangerous for the sovereignty of itself, and this time the Target is Iran. I am afraid that this new Stage will be constructed soon, but I also believe that Iran is not a target like Afghanistan, Vietnam or Iraq. Iran is capable of facing an enemy like U.S.
If U.S will start this war, the consequences of this war would be very harmful and destructive for U.S and its allies.

Breaking: Arfa Kareem is No More

Wasif Chudhary
The youngest MICROSOFT EXPERT ARFA KAREEM RANDAWA is died.

Rainy Season Here in Gujrat

Wasif Chudhary

Hello friends, The Weather here in Gujrat and other Areas of Pujab (Pakistan) is very cold. The winter is at his peek now and the rain is also start here now. The temperature is minimum temperature is about -1 and -2 and the air feels like ice now.
People have been using blankets, sweaters and heaters and other such kind. The birds are tumbling with cold and the animals are also feeling a bit cold, but they all are enjoying this beautiful weather now.

Officials: Pakistani PM called UK, fearing coup

Wasif Chudhary
Pakistan's prime minister telephoned the top British diplomat in the country this week expressing fears that the Pakistani army might be about to stage a coup, a British official and an official in Islamabad said Friday.
The call, which one official said was "panicky", suggests there was — or perhaps still is — a genuine fear at the highest level of the Pakistani government that army might carry out a coup or support possible moves by the Supreme Court to topple the civilian leadership.
Prime Minister Yousuf Reza Gilani asked High Commissioner Adam Thomson for Britain to support his embattled government, according to the officials, who didn't give their names because of the sensitivity of the issue. It's unclear if the British government took any action.
Such is the weakness of state institutions, Pakistani leaders have often looked to foreign powers, especially the United States and Gulf countries, to intervene in domestic affairs, mediate disputes between feuding power centers or "guarantee" agreements between them.

Minna riot: Nigeria curfew in Niger state

Wasif Chudhary
The Nigerian authorities have imposed a 24-hour curfew in Niger state after a crowd of youths went on the rampage, setting fire to buildings and cars.

The trouble in the state capital, Minna, came on the third day of nationwide strikes against a government decision to end fuel subsidies.

One policeman was killed in Minna when an electoral commission building was attacked, say officials.

A curfew has also been imposed in Kaduna state following unrest there.

During the violent protests in Minna, hundreds of rioters set fire to government and political party offices and also targeted the homes of local politicians.

An office building belonging to former Nigerian President Ibrahim Babangida was among those attacked.

Shops were set on fire and a police spokesman told the BBC police officers were attacked by a group of youths.

"The Niger state government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on all the 25 local government areas of the state as a result of the breakdown of order in Minna," said a statement from the Niger state authorities.

A curfew was imposed in neighbouring Kaduna state on Tuesday after angry protests in which thousands of protesters reportedly tried to force their way into a government office complex.

There have been demonstrations across Nigeria since the government announced the immediate ending of fuel subsidies on 1 January.

Petrol prices and transport fares have since doubled.

Update: White House denies any US role in assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist

Wasif Chudhary
White House denies any US role in assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist.

U.S. declines to respond to Iranian charge on scientist

Wasif Chudhary
The State Department declined to respond to Iran's blaming U.S. or Israeli agents for the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist on Wednesday, saying it condemned any attack on an innocent person.

"We condemn any assassination or attack on an innocent person and we express our sympathies to the family," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters at a her daily briefing.

Asked if there was any truth to the Iranian charges of Israeli or U.S. responsibility, she replied: "I don't have any information to share one way or the other on that."

The fifth daylight attack on technical experts in two years, the killer's magnetic bomb delivered a targeted blast to the door of 32-year-old Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan's silver sedan as he drove down a Tehran street. The chemical engineer's passenger also died, Iranian media said, and a passer-by was hurt.

Asked why the State Department did not wish to explicitly deny responsibility for the killing, Nuland replied: "I don't think this department has any information further to what I have already said, which is that we condemn the loss of innocent life."

Powerful quake hits off western Indonesia

Wasif Yousaf
A powerful earthquake has hit waters of western Indonesia, prompting local officials to issue a tsunami warning.

The U.S. Geological survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 and struck 260 miles (420 kilometers) off the coast of Aceh province.

It was centered 18 miles (30 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor.

Arief Akhir, an official with Indonesia's geological agency, said a tsunami warning has been issued.

Indonesia is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

A giant quake off the country on Dec. 26, 2004, triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people, half of them in Aceh.

Lahore: Musical Concert fast rush, 5 Girls found Unconscious

Wasif Chudhary
During a musical concert In Cultural Complex Lahore it is reported that due to fast rush of audience five girls have been found unconscious.
They girls have been shifted to hospital and according to the people who are at spot the incident happens because the after the concert the small doors were opened.

25-year-old man arrested by feds in Fla. bomb plot

Wasif Chudhary
A 25-year-old man from the former Yugoslavia was charged with an alleged plot to attack crowded locations in the Tampa area, including night clubs, with a car bomb, assault rifle and other explosives, federal authorities said Monday.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the arrest of Sami Osmakac, whose first appearance in federal court was scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday.

Authorities say Osmakac, from Pinellas County, is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in the former Yugoslavia. He has been charged with one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.

13 bodies found outside Mexican gas station

Wasif Chudhary
Mexican authorities found the dead bodies of 13 males outside a gas station in the central state of Michoacan Monday, state media reported. The 10 adults and three minors showed signs of being shot in the head, the Notimex news agency reported, citing state prosecutors. Authorities found a written message linked to organized crime at the site, Notimex said, located in the city of Zitacuaro. Investigators have not identified the victims, the news agency said.

2 dead, 2 critical after I-90 bus crash

Wasif Chudhary

The Montana Highway Patrol reports that two people have died in a crash involving a Rimrock Stages bus on Interstate 90 in Clinton.

The wreck happened just after 7 a.m. Sunday and left two other people in critical condition with eight people considered to have serious injuries according to the Patrol's Sgt. Hoffman.

An additional 21 people were take to Missoula hospitals with what are described as minor injuries.

Hoffman told us that when emergency crews arrived on the scene they found several passengers thrown from the bus while others were trapped under the vehicle.

I-90 is still closed westbound between mile marker 120 and mile marker 117, but the eastbound lanes have been reopened.

Breaking:The United States will respond if Iran tries to close Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta says

Wasif Chudhary
The United States will respond if Iran tries to close Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta says
I think the tension between the two rivals is going ahead which is not good for both of them

APML public gathering in Karachi today

Wasif Chudhary

I am Coming back between 27 January to 1 February for Pakistani, People.Pervaiz Musharaf
He also declared that he will stand in election from Chitral area of Pakistan. He also said that in his 10 years of regime there is no bad economy, the people have food to eat, the railway is on its track and Pakistan is at progress.
A big crowd was gather there to see his leader. He said it is not Sonami it is an earthquake.

Iran welcomes 'humanitarian' rescue from pirates

Wasif Chudhary

The Iranian government has welcomed a US Navy rescue of 13 of its nationals from pirates near the entrance to the Gulf, in a rare respite from months of rising tensions between Tehran and Washington.

But one Iranian media outlet, the Fars news agency, which is close to the hardline Revolutionary Guards, dismissed the incident as a suspect "Hollywood movie" meant "to justify the presence of a (US) aircraft carrier in Persian Gulf waters."

The rescue was carried out on Thursday by one of several warships escorting the carrier USS John C Stennis, which Iranian military chiefs early this week warned to stay out of Gulf waters or else face the "full force" of Iran's navy.

"We consider the actions of the US forces in saving the lives of the Iranian seamen to be a humanitarian and positive act and we welcome such behaviour," foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told Iran's Arabic-language broadcaster Al-Alam on Saturday.

"We think all nations should display such behaviour," he added.

The US military announced on Friday that one of the vessels escorting the Stennis, the USS Kidd, rescued the Iranian fishermen from around 45 days of captivity at the hands of pirates thought to be Somalis.

It said the Iranian captain of the dhow had asked the Kidd for help.

The pirates were taken into custody and the Iranian fishermen released to return home on their dhow, which was refuelled and restocked with provisions supplied by the US navy vessels.

8 Geopolitically Endangered Species

Wasif Chudhary
This Article was published in Foreign Policies magazine

With the decline of America's global preeminence, weaker countries will be more susceptible to the assertive influence of major regional powers. India and China are rising, Russia is increasingly imperially minded, and the Middle East is growing ever more unstable. The potential for regional conflict in the absence of an internationally active America is real. Get ready for a global reality characterized by the survival of the strongest.

1. GEORGIA

American decline would leave this tiny Caucasian state vulnerable to Russian political intimidation and military aggression. The United States has provided Georgia with $3 billion in aid since 1991 -- $1 billion of that since its 2008 war with Russia. America's decline would put new limitations on U.S. capabilities, and could by itself stir Russian desires to reclaim its old sphere of influence. What's more, once-and-future Russian President Vladimir Putin harbors an intense personal hatred toward Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

At stake: Russian domination of the southern energy corridor to Europe, possibly leading to more pressure on Europe to accommodate Moscow's political agenda; a domino effect on Azerbaijan.

2. TAIWAN

Since 1972, the United States has formally accepted the mainland's "one China" formula while maintaining that neither side shall alter the status quo by force. Beijing, however, reserves the right to use force, which allows Washington to justify its continued arms sales to Taiwan. In recent years, Taiwan and China have been improving their relationship. America's decline, however, would increase Taiwan's vulnerability, leaving decision-makers in Taipei more susceptible to direct Chinese pressure and the sheer attraction of an economically successful China. That, at the least, could speed up the timetable for cross-strait reunification, but on unequal terms favoring the mainland.

3. SOUTH KOREA

The United States has been the guarantor of South Korea's security since it was attacked in 1950 by North Korea, with Soviet and Chinese collusion. Seoul's remarkable economic takeoff and democratic political system testify to the success of U.S. engagement. Over the years, however, North Korea has staged a number of provocations against South Korea, ranging from assassinations of its cabinet members to the 2010 sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan. So America's decline would confront South Korea with painful choices: either accept Chinese regional dominance and further reliance on China to rein in the nuclear-armed North, or seek a much stronger, though historically unpopular, relationship with Japan out of shared democratic values and fear of aggression from Pyongyang and Beijing.

At stake: Military and economic security on the Korean Peninsula; a general crisis of confidence in Japan and South Korea regarding the reliability of existing American commitments.

4. BELARUS

Twenty years after the fall of the Soviet Union, Europe's last dictatorship remains politically and economically dependent on Russia. One-third of its exports go to Russia, on which it is almost entirely reliant for its energy needs. At the same time, President Aleksandr Lukashenko's 17-year dictatorship has stood in the way of any meaningful relations with the West. Consequently, a marked American decline would give Russia a virtually risk-free opportunity to reabsorb Belarus.

At stake: The security of neighboring Baltic states, especially Latvia.

5. UKRAINE

Kiev's relationship with Moscow has been as prone to tension as its relationship with the West has been prone to indecision. In 2005, 2007, and 2009, Russia either threatened to or did stop oil and natural gas from flowing to Ukraine. More recently, President Viktor Yanukovych was pressured to extend Russia's lease of a naval base at the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Sevastopol for another 25 years in exchange for preferential pricing of Russian energy deliveries to Ukraine. The Kremlin continues to press Ukraine to join a "common economic space" with Russia, while gradually stripping Ukraine of direct control over its major industrial assets through mergers and takeovers by Russian firms. With America in decline, Europe would be less willing and able to reach out and incorporate Ukraine into an expanding Western community, leaving Ukraine more vulnerable to Russian designs.

At stake: The renewal of Russian imperial ambitions.

6. AFGHANISTAN
Devastated by nine years of brutal warfare waged by the Soviet Union, ignored by the West for a decade after the Soviet withdrawal, mismanaged by the medieval Taliban, and let down by 10 years of halfhearted U.S. military operations and sporadic economic assistance, Afghanistan is in shambles. With 40 percent unemployment and ranking 215th globally in per capita GDP, it has little economic output beyond its illegal narcotics trade. A rapid U.S. troop disengagement brought on by war fatigue or the early effects of American decline would most likely result in internal disintegration and an external power play among nearby states for influence in Afghanistan. In the absence of an effective, stable government in Kabul, the country would be dominated by rival warlords. Pakistan and India would more assertively compete for influence in Afghanistan -- with Iran also probably involved.

At stake: The re-emergence of the Taliban; a proxy war between India and Pakistan; a haven for international terrorism.

7. PAKISTAN

Although Islamabad is armed with 21st-century nuclear weapons and held together by a professional late 20th-century army, the majority of Pakistan is still pre-modern, rural, and largely defined by regional and tribal identities. Conflict with India defines Pakistan's sense of national identity, while the forcible division of Kashmir sustains a shared and profound antipathy. Pakistan's political instability is its greatest vulnerability, and a decline in U.S. power would reduce America's ability to aid Pakistan's consolidation and development. Pakistan could then transform into a state run by the military, a radical Islamic state, a state that combined both military and Islamic rule, or a "state" with no centralized government at all.

At stake: Nuclear warlordism; a militant Islamic, anti-Western, nuclear-armed government similar to Iran's; regional instability in Central Asia, with violence potentially spreading to China, India, and Russia.

8. ISRAEL and the GREATER MIDDLE EAST

America's decline would set in motion tectonic shifts undermining the political stability of the entire Middle East. All states in the region remain vulnerable to varying degrees of internal populist pressures, social unrest, and religious fundamentalism, as seen by the events of early 2011. If America's decline were to occur with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict still unresolved, the failure to implement a mutually acceptable two-state solution would further inflame the region's political atmosphere. Regional hostility to Israel would then intensify. Perceived American weakness would at some point tempt the more powerful states in the region, notably Iran or Israel, to preempt anticipated dangers. And jockeying for tactical advantage could precipitate eruptions by Hamas or Hezbollah, which could then escalate into wider and bloodier military encounters. Weak entities such as Lebanon and Palestine would pay an especially high price in civilian deaths. Even worse, such conflicts could rise to truly horrific levels through strikes and counterstrikes between Iran and Israel.

At stake: Direct Israeli or U.S. confrontation with Iran; a rising tide of Islamic radicalism and extremism; a worldwide energy crisis; vulnerability of America's Persian Gulf allies.

Is That a Magic Kick: Tim Howard Scores With 100-Yard Soccer Kick

Wasif Chudhary

Wednesday night was supposed to mark the return of Landon Donovan, the American midfielder and World Cup contender to the Premier League team, Everton. But it was goalkeeper Tim Howard who stole the show by scoring a goal for Everton from inside his penalty area.

Howard’s shot from nearly 100 yards away gave Everton a 63-minute lead in a 2-1 loss to Bolton at Goodison Park. According to ESPN, Howard’s right-footed kick from five yards inside his own penalty area bounced about 30 yards away from the Bolton goal and was blown by wind over Bolton keeper Adam Bogdan. Howard’s goal makes him the fourth keeper to score in the Premier League.

Howard remained humble despite the victory shot, keeping his celebrations to a minimum.

“I was delighted that we were in the lead and would hopefully go on to get three points, but it’s not a nice feeling for a keeper. It’s really awful actually,” Howard told Sky Sports. “For the back four and the goalkeepers at both ends, there was an awful wind swirling. You could see everybody was mistiming balls. Defenders were missing clearances that normally they would put up the field. I think the wind is the hardest condition to play in. Snow, rain, sun doesn’t matter, but the wind really does play tricks on you.”

Despite Howard’s freak goal, Everton eventually lost the game.

Prison battle in Mexico leaves at least 35 inmates dead

Wasif Chudhary

At least 31 inmates were killed and another dozen injured in pitched fighting inside a prison in Mexico's cartel-dominated Tamaulipas state, authorities said (link in Spanish).

Some of the dead were believed to be accused drug traffickers in what was described as a fight between rival gangs, the Zetas and the Gulf Cartel, housed at the prison in Altamira, a small city in the state that borders Texas.

Mexico's brutally overcrowded penitentiaries are plagued by numerous riots, deadly brawls and frequent, brazen escapes by dozens of inmates, often with the guards and even the odd warden in cahoots. By one count, 58 prisoners have been killed in the last three months.

The Altamira battle Wednesday followed reports that inmates in another jail near Mexico City were using Twitter accounts to denounce corruption by officials and, later, to beg for protection after having made the complaints (links in Spanish). The city's human rights commission said it would investigate.

Breaking: Earth Quake in Karachi

Wasif Chudhary
Some Earth Quake shocks were felt in Defence and Clifton areas of Karachi. After the Shocks people came out of their houses..

Most Beautiful Flag of the World

Wasif Chudhary Hello to all of you. We have almost seen the flags of all the countries of the World, they all have beautiful flags of different colours and shapes. Some are very charming and others are also not bad. But here I have Choose three flags for you to decide that which is the Most Beautiful, attractive and vigorous flag in your Opinion. Have your say please.... The Pakistani Flag in Green.....

The American Flag.....

The Indian Flag.....

Please don,t forget to ask your say in the comment

Cuba criticizes Twitter for Fidel death rumor

Wasif Chudhary


State media on Wednesday accused the social networking site Twitter of helping spread a rumor that former Cuban leader Fidel Castro had died, and criticized anti-Castro expatriates it dubbed "necrophiliac counterrevolutionaries" for jumping on the story.

An article on the state-run Cubadebate Web site accused Twitter of allowing an account holder with the sign-on "Naroh" to start the rumor on Monday from an Italian server, then quickly deactivate the account.

It said Twitter then helped spread the disinformation by allowing the hash tag "fidelcastro" to become a trending topic. It briefly became the fourth most popular in the world as it drew many more people to the subject.

Twin births rising, especially for older women, CDC says

Wasif Chudhary

More parents are seeing double these days — and federal data released today explains why: The number of twin births in the USA more than doubled from 1980 to 2009.
An analysis of three decades of twin births (2009 data are the most recent year included) finds large increases in twin birth rates for all age groups, among all racial and ethnic groups and in all states and the District of Columbia. The overall U.S. twin birth rate increased 76%, from 18.9 in 1980 to 33.2 per 1,000 births in 2009.
And for mothers age 35 and over, those twin rates have skyrocketed. Among women 35-39, rates rose by nearly 100%, and among those 40 and over, rates rose more than 200%, finds the report from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While the chance of having twins does increase with a mother's age, the report suggests that fertility treatment provides the backdrop for this baby bonus, says CDC statistician Joyce Martin.
"We found that about one-third of the increase over three decades was attributed to older maternal age and two-thirds likely the result of fertility-enhancing therapies — both drugs and technologies like in-vitro fertilization," she says.
As for women in their 20s who had twins, Martin says a small proportion of women in that age group do receive fertility treatment.But Barbara Luke, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology at Michigan State University in East Lansing, says twins among younger women could be the result of widespread use of the birth control pill.
"Your chance of conception of twins is also higher right after you get off the birth control pill. So that may be why we're seeing it among younger women, since there is more widespread use of birth control pills," she says.
The analysis finds that although the pace of these increases in twin birth rates slowed from 2005 to 2009, twins now make up 3.3% of all births, up from 1.9% in 1980. The number of twin births increased from 68,339 to more than 137,000 in each year between 2006 and 2009.
Robin Gorman Newman, 51, of Great Neck, N.Y., founded the website MotherhoodLater.com after fertility treatments didn't work and she and her husband adopted their son, now 8.
"If someone has become a mom and they're over 40, if they get pregnant au naturel, they're really fortunate. It can absolutely happen, but for many, it takes intervention," she says.
Eric Widra, a Washington fertility specialist with the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, says his group wants to reduce the rate of twin births, which are more dangerous for both moms and babies.
"As pregnancy rates with reproductive technologies have improved, we've been working hard over the past several years to reduce the multiple birth rate," he says. "We can do that by encouraging practitioners to return fewer embryos to the woman's uterus."
Laura Whitlinger of Manhattan, who married at 40 and had "every fertility treatment you could," says she was prepared for multiple births during years of fertility struggles.
"It was like a full-time job getting pregnant," says Whitlinger, 46, the mother of fraternal twins Lyle and Wyatt, now 2½.
Although she had been very healthy, Whitlinger says she had a lot of pregnancy-related complications.
"Bearing twins when over 40 is tremendously hard on the body," she says.
Martin says twins are at higher risk because they are more likely be born earlier and smaller, to require more hospitalization and to die in the first year of life.
That's why the fact that this steady rise has slowed down is "important," she says.

U.S. to Iran: We aren't going anywhere

Wasif Chudhary



The Pentagon has responded to Iran's warning that the U.S. should stay out of the Persian Gulf region with a 'we aren't going anywhere' retort. Pentagon spokesman George Little issued this statement moment ago (read also: Iran's new show of force):

Statement from Pentagon Spokesman George Little:

"The deployment of U.S. military assets in the Persian Gulf region will continue as it has for decades.

These are regularly scheduled movements in accordance with our longstanding commitments to the security and stability of the region and in support of ongoing operations.

These carrier strike group deployments are necessary to maintain the continuity and operational support to ongoing missions in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

The U.S. Navy operates under international maritime conventions to maintain a constant state of high vigilance in order to ensure the continued, safe flow of maritime traffic in waterways critical to global commerce.

Our transits of the Strait of Hormuz continue to be in compliance with international law, which guarantees our vessels the right of transit passage. We are committed to protecting maritime freedoms that are the basis for global prosperity; this is one of the main reasons our military forces operate in the region."

7 years jail for cow slaughter, Gujarat assembly passes bill

Wasif Chudhary

Gujarat government introduced a bill which ensures a seven-year jail term for cow slaughter instead of six months as at present.

The bill was passed unopposed on second day of two-day monsoon session of Gujarat assembly today with Congress extending support to it.

The Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill also proposes confiscation of vehicles used for transporting cow meat till the time the case is over.The punishment for transporting cows for slaughter or sale, store and transport beef is up to three years’ imprisonment and fine up to Rs25,000.

L.A. arson probe: Police examine immigration link to case

Wasif Chudhary

The "person of interest" detained for questioning in a string of arson fires is a native of Germany who may have been in dispute with federal immigration officials, sources said.
The man appears to have been battling the U.S. government over the immigration status of a relative, but the officials said they don't know if this played any role in the case. The Los Angeles Police Department is in communication with federal immigration officials concerning the dispute, the law enforcement sources said.

LAPD detectives found materials that could have been used to set fires inside the man's minivan, the sources said.

Prosecution to argue its case in Mubarak trial starting Tuesday

Wasif Chudhary

CAIRO: The prosecution in the trial of ousted president Hosni Mubarak will start to plead its case on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

“The judge surprised by announcing that the prosecution will plead its case for the next three days,” one of the plaintiff’s lawyers, Amir Salem told Daily News Egypt.

“This indicates that the pace of the case is speeding up. After the prosecution, the plaintiffs will plead their case and will be followed by the defense,” he added, noting that these procedures could still last several months.

The slowness of the trial has riled up protesters who have accused the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces of foot dragging on convicting their former Chief.

The presiding judge Ahmed Refaat is scheduled to retire in June, raising speculation that the case will be wrapped up before that date.

Mubarak, ex-interior minister Habib El-Adly and six of his aides, are accused of ordering the killing of protesters during the January uprising.

Mubarak’s lawyer Farid El-Deeb told the judge Monday that he is ready to plead his case and has forfeited this right to hear the testimonies of some 1600 witnesses of the he had requested in previous session, according to Mohamed Abdel Aziz, one of the plaintiff’s lawyers.

According to the testimonies presented in court so far, many suggest, Mubarak will not be found guilty. Before the three-month hiatus which ended last Wednesday when the trial resumed, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi had testified in a session closed to the press that Mubarak did not give orders to shoot protesters. His testimony was leaked in full on micro-blogging site Twitter.

On Monday, lawyers representing the civil rights complainants (the victims’ families) renewed their request to summon Chief of Staff Sami Anan to give testimony before the court.

Other requests included the admission of video footage by news channels Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, Al Hurra and ONTV as evidence; summoning doctors who manned the field hospitals during the uprising to give their testimony; and retaining El-Adly’s aides General Osama Marrassi and General Omar El-Faramawy in custody.

Abdel Aziz said that they are ready to begin the final chapter in the trial.

“We have sufficient evidence to convict them, there are police officers who will testify that they were given orders to use live ammunition to disperse protestors,” he said.

A court verdict last Thursday acquitted five police officers of charges over the killing of five protesters in at the Sayeda Zeinab police station during the January uprising, raising concerns that the verdict will pave the way for a possible acquittal or mild sentence in the Mubarak trial.

However, plaintiff’s lawyers disregarded this possibility.

“We are expecting acquittals in all the cases related to police officers around the country,” said Salem, adding that any police officer can produce a document proving that he was either following orders or was on a mission or a different shift that day.

“However the case of Mubarak, El-Adly and his aides is totally different and we cannot link the two,” he said.

Verdict awaited in trial of ‘CIA spy’: Iran official

Wasif Chudhary


TEHRAN - A trial in Iran of an American-Iranian man accused of being a CIA spy has finished and he is now awaiting the verdict, the country’s chief prosecutor said Monday, according to the Mehr news agency.
The prosecutor, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie, also rejected a US government call for the accused man, Amir Mirzai Hekmati, to be released.

The prosecution has demanded the “maximum punishment” in the case, which presumably means the death penalty.

Hekmati, a 28-year-old former US Marine born in the United States to an Iranian immigrant family, was shown on Iranian state television mid-December saying in fluent Farsi and English that he was a CIA operative sent to infiltrate the Iranian intelligence ministry.

In his sole trial hearing, on December 27, prosecutors said Hekmati’s “confession” showed he worked with the US Central Intelligence Agency to try to infiltrate the Iranian intelligence ministry by posing as a disaffected former US soldier with classified information to give.

“The trial of the accused is finished. The (defence) lawyer has to submit his argument. The judge has not yet given his verdict,” Ejeie was quoted as saying.

He added that the US government was “brazen” to request Hekmati’s release, saying he “committed a crime in Iran and must be judged according to the law.”

The US State Department said Iran has not permitted diplomats from the Swiss embassy in Tehran — which handles US interests in the absence of US-Iran ties — to see Hekmati.

Hekmati, who was born in the United States, travelled to Iran months ago to visit his Iranian grandmothers, according to his family in the US, who insist that he is not a spy.

Student Murder: 'Psycho' Suspect Remanded

Wasif Chudhary

A man charged with the murder of an Indian student in the Salford area of Manchester on Boxing Day has told a court his name is "Psycho Stapleton".

The 20-year-old from the Ordsall estate in Salford was asked again in the short hearing at Manchester City Magistrates court: "Are you Kiaran Stapleton?" The defendant replied: "No. Psycho Stapleton."
He was remanded in custody for 24 hours and will appear later this week at Manchester Crown Court.
Anuj Bidve, 23, died from a single gunshot wound to the head in the apparently motiveless attack in the early hours of December 26.
Mr Bidve, who was studying for a micro-electronics postgraduate qualification at Lancaster University, was described by tutors as "an outstanding applicant at the very beginning of a promising career".
He was with a group of fellow Indian students visiting Manchester for Christmas when he was murdered.
Two officers from Greater Manchester Police have flown to India to meet Mr Bidve's family.

Human Being a Journey from Wood Weapons to Nuclear Weapons

Wasif Chudhary

Human Being is one of the great Living things of the earth. Man is different by other beings in various ways. He is intelligent, intellectual and hard working. He is restless and had done many wanders on the earth since he is created. He has learnt Civilization. He had learned to make homes. He had learned the art of earning his livelihood. He learned to make Big Industries and Industrial Estates. All and All we can say he had done every thing for the comfort of his life.
But when he made thing for his comfortableness, that time he made some weapons for his survival from the wild beasts. But what happens after that? After that he start using these weapons against himself. He had produced energy but what happens after that? He made Nuclear and Atomic Bombs.
He started his life to make things for his comfortable life but in the end he used these thing to destruct himself.
Just think a Little for the sake of this precious Human Being

First Emergency of The Year in Nigeria

Wasif Chudhary

Nigeria began the new year Sunday under a state of emergency. Residents in the northeastern city of Maiduguri reported an increase in patrols and checkpoints, with soldiers in pickup trucks and armed with rifles stopping vehicles and forcing drivers to exit while also questioning them.