Google buys Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion

The world's greatest internet search engine, Google has finally completed its $12.5bn (£7.9bn) purchase of US phone maker Motorola days after it received approval from the Chinese government.

Chinese authorities said Google must keep its mobile software, Android, free for other device makers for up to five years. The acquisition is Google's biggest to date. The internet search giant has also named a new management team for the phone handset maker. Motorola is a leading manufacturer of smartphones and other devices. Google's takeover of the business allows it to move into the manufacturing of phones and tablet computers for the first time. Google's chief executive, Larry Page, said in a blog post that there were people using devices now who may never use a desktop machine: "The phones in our pockets have become supercomputers that are changing the way we live. It's now possible to do things we used to think were magic, or only possible on Star Trek- like get directions right from where we are standing; watch a video on YouTube; or take a picture and share the moment instantly with friends." He added that Motorola had a long history in technological development: "Motorola is a great American tech company that has driven the mobile revolution, with a track record of over 80 years of innovation, including the creation of the first cell phone." He said he saw the new business producing "the next generation of mobile devices that will improve lives for years to come". The purchase gives Google access to more than 17,000 of the company's valuable patents. The Chinese authorities cleared the deal on condition that Google keeps its mobile software, Android, free for other device makers for up to five years. The European Commission also approved the deal, but it did not conclude there was an issue with Android, saying it was unlikely that Google would restrict the use of Android solely to Motorola, which is a minor player in the European Economic Area. US approval has also been granted. culled from BBC

74-year-old grandmother, shoots grandson 8 times, faces murder charges

Layne

Sandra Layne, a former teacher with no criminal history, is charged in the fatal shooting of Jonathan Hoffman on Friday evening with a Glock semi-automatic handgun. Police said that when they arrived at Layne's home in Bloomfield Township, she answered the door still holding the weapon and told officers she had just "murdered her grandson." Detective Brad Boulet told a court hearing Monday that, "At approximately the three-minute mark of the 911 call, the subject screamed and exclaimed that he had just been shot again. Responding officers heard several gunshots inside the house." Authorities confirmed Hoffman had around eight entry or exit wounds and two bullets in his body. He was pronounced dead at Botsford Hospital. He moved in with his grandmother six months ago after his parents moved to Scottsdale, Ariz. Police said they had a volatile relationship and that officers were called to the home in another domestic incident in March. MyFoxDetroit.com reported that Layne's attorney, Mitch Ribitwer, told the court, "This young man's been in trouble and apparently my understanding is there were narcotics apparently in the house and some other drugs." Hoffman was given a suspended jail sentence after he pleaded guilty to possession of drugs following an arrest on March 17. Layne has five children and nine grandchildren and has been married for 28 years. She was charged with murder and felony firearm possession and was held without bond. She is due back in court next week. A funeral for Hoffman will take place on Tuesday. Culled from FOXNEWS

Nigerian woman caught with hard drugs in underwear at MMIA

Animasaun

Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Monday, arrested two women at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, for alleged drug trafficking. One of the suspects, Faith Onuoha, a 24-year-old hair stylist, was allegedly caught with one kilogramme of methamphetamine hidden in her underwear while 250 grammes were also ingested by her.

The other, Bisola Animasaun, 25, a London-based fashion designer, was allegedly nabbed with 3 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in packs of chocolates. The NDLEA Lagos Airport Commander, Hamza Umar, said Onuoha was detected with the assistance of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Animasaun was arrested during screening of passengers on a British Airways flight to London. Thirty sachets of cocaine weighing 3kg was found inside two chocolates containers in her bag." Animashaun, in a statement she made to the anti-narcotics agency, confessed to the crime. "This is a very big mistake on my part," she stated. "I hope I will be given the opportunity to right my wrongs. They promised me £3,000 to take the packs of chocolates. Apart from the financial inducement, I should have resisted the temptation. It is a mistake that will never happen again" she said. Ahmadu Giade, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, said the suspects would soon be charged to court. culled from Dailytimes

Oldest breeding osprey 'Lady' hatches 62nd egg

An osprey which is thought to be the UK's oldest breeding female has hatched an egg at the Loch of the Lowes wildlife reserve in Dunkeld. The osprey - known Lady - hatched her 62nd egg on Monday night. Almost 20,000 people were watching developments via webcam. Lady has returned to the Loch of the Lowes reserve for 22 consecutive years, producing 48 chicks that have fledged. She has laid three eggs this year. The new chick is the first at the reserve since 2010. Lady's eggs failed to hatch last year, despite being proved to be fertile. Emma Rawling, a ranger for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said that to successfully fledge this number of eggs is a quite an unbelievable achievement. According to him, they expect her to reach the milestone of 50 later in the week. Said he, "We've had interest from all over the world and people visiting in their droves since the eggs were laid." She added that the chicks would be tagged to monitor the exact routes, timings and behaviours of the birds as they migrate. culled from BBC

Protests rock Mali over deal between ECOWAS and Capt Sango

Thousands of supporters of March's coup in Mali have marched in protest at a regional deal for the interim civilian leader to remain in office for a year. Djouncounda Traore's initial mandate was due to expire on Monday. But West African leaders reached a deal with coup leader Capt Amadou Sanogo for Mr Traore to stay on to organise elections and end a northern rebellion. Capt Sanogo seized power in March and led the country for less than three weeks, before handing power to Mr Traore, the former speaker of parliament, in the face of intense international pressure and the rapid advance of rebels, who seized the whole of the north - an area the size of France The deal also saw Capt Sanogo recognised as a former head of state with a salary and a mansion. The coup, and ensuing rebel seizure of northern Mali, have led many thousands of people to flee their homes. Aid agencies say they are extremely concerned about the humanitarian situation in Mali, which is also suffering from the regional drought. Soldiers were reported to have let some of the protesters into the presidential palace but Mr Traore was not there, so they left Supporters of the coup in Bamako are unhappy that a representative of the ousted political class was allowed to stay in power for a year. They want a national convention of Mali's political parties and civic society groups to decide on the interim leader. The protesters shouted slogans including "Down with Ecowas" and "Down with Djouncounda." Some carried a mock coffin with Mr Traore's name on it. Earlier, mediators from West African regional bloc Ecowas left Bamako saying that they have accomplished their mission. The status of a former head of State gives Capt Sanogo considerable respect, as well as a salary. Chief Ecowas mediator, Burkina Faso Foreign Minister Djibrill Bassole, also said the coup leader would be able to consult Mr Traore, 70, and his prime minister until new elections are held next year. Last week, Ecowas threatened to reimpose sanctions against the coup leaders, accusing them of continuing to meddle in the country's politics. As part of the deal, the government is supposed to focus on recovering the north from a mixture of Tuareg separatists and Islamist fighters. Ecowas has said it is preparing to send 3,000 troops to Mali to help the country reclaim its northern territory, but no date has been set for the force to arrive. culled from BBC

Mass circumcision takes effect in Zimbabwe

... .. Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's President ... ... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... ...... ... ... ... .. .. .. .... Following government campaign in 2010 to circumcise up to 80 per cent of the country's young men - approximately three million people- , more than 170 Zimbabwean Members of Parliament (MPs) and parliamentary workers have come forward to get circumcised to set a public example and defend themselves against catching HIV/Aids. All the 150 male members of the 175-strong group have committed to being circumcised, while its female members are encouraging their husbands and boyfriends to undergo the procedure, the paper said. As part of the unique HIV/Aids campaign, the politicians will also be tested for the disease and offered counselling if the results come back positive, the Daily Telegraph reported. The announcement, according to the report, follows the launch of the Zimbabwe Parliamentarians against HIV and Aids (ZIPAH) campaign last week which is aimed at bringing down the African country's 15 per cent HIV infection rate. Blessing Chebundo, the group's chairman, said ZIPAH members will also disseminate HIV and Aids information in their constituencies. He said that many MPs had been against the move because if they did not come forward, it would be speculated that they were infected. The idea of a mass circumcision of MPs was first floated by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe, who cited evidence that circumcised men are 60 per cent less likely to get infected with HIV. In neighbouring South Africa, President Jacob Zuma had gone public about being circumcised in 2010 in order to encourage his countrymen to follow suit. The announcement followed a call by Zulu king, Goodwill Zwelithini, for the restoration of the tradition of circumcision -- though performed medically rather than by traditional practitioners culled from NDTV

2 killed, 9 injured in lightning strike in Tamil Nadu

Two persons were killed and nine injured when they were struck by lightning at Mudukulathur, 60 km from Madurai,India yesterday. A group of people were playing cricket and 13 persons were on the ground when a thunderstorm occurred on Sunday. Two persons died on the spot when they were struck by lightning, police said. The injured have been admitted to the Mudukulathur government hospital. culled from NDTV

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg gets married at 28yrs

Chan & Zuckerberg

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has ended a hectic week which saw his company valued at $106bn after a stock market flotation by getting married. He wed his long-time girlfriend Priscilla Chan, 27, in a ceremony at his home in Palo Alto, California. Chan also had a busy week, graduating from medical school on Monday, as Zuckerberg marked his 28th birthday. The guests believed they were going to celebrate Chan's graduation - but found they were at a wedding instead. The wedding ring, a "very simple ruby", was designed by Zuckerberg. Nine years ago the pair met at Harvard, where Zuckerberg founded Facebook in 2004. They later moved to California, where Facebook has its headquarters, and Chan studied at the medical school of the University of California, San Francisco. Facebook's valuation after its flotation on Friday means the social network site is worth about the same as internet shopping giant Amazon, and more than the value of stalwarts such as Disney. Even after the flotation, Zuckerberg continues to control just under 56% of the voting power of the company. culled from BBC

Donna Summer is dead

Summer

LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948 – May 17, 2012[1]), known by the stage name Donna Summer, was an American singer-songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She had a mezzo-soprano vocal range. She also charted four number-one singles in the United States within a 13-month period. Summer died yesterday, May 17, 2012 in the morning at her home in Key West, Florida at age 63 following a battle with cancer. Donna Summer, the singer who came to be known as the “Queen of Disco” during her 1970s heyday, died at her Naples, Fla. home today after battling lung cancer. She was 63. Summer was a five time Grammy award winner who was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard chart. Her hits like “Last Dance,” “Bad Girls,” and “Love to Love You Baby” made her a disco icon. Born outside of Boston, Summer was raised by devout Christian parents who introduced her to both gospel and classical music. In a 2008 interview with ABC News’ “Nightline,” Summer remembered her mom singing songs to her before going to bed each night. Summer left home at age 18 to audition for the Broadway production of “Hair” and got a role in the show when it moved to Germany. There, she met producer Giorgio Moroder, who would launch her solo career. She went on to produce hits like “Bad Girls,” “Last Dance,” and “She Works Hard for the Money,” a song that was inspired by a washroom attendant. Summer’s last album, “Crayons,” was released in 2008. In 2010, she told AllVoices.com that she was working on an album of disco standards. Summer is survived by her husband, Bruce Sudano, three children, and four grandchildren. culled from ABC NEWS

Protests rock Srinagar after 36 babies died at Govt hospital within two weeks

There were massive protests in Srinagar today over the alarming number of infant deaths. Another baby died today at the State-run GB Pant Hospital in Srinagar, taking the number of infant deaths in the State in the last two weeks to 36. According to Medical Education Minister RS Chib, a total of 358 children have died at the hospital since January 1 this year. The State government has ordered an investigation into the matter. The investigation panel will be headed by Showkat Ali Zargar, who is the director of the prestigious Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Soura (SKIMS). Mr Zargar has been asked to submit his report within a week. Leading the protests against the government outside the GB Pant Hospital today was Engineer Rashid, an Independent MLA from north Kashmir's Langate constituency. Mr Rashid slammed the government over alleged lack of basic amenities at the hospital and urged the Chief Minister to intervene. Minister RS Chib has said that the probe will find out if negligence on behalf of the officials of the hospital led to the deaths. He has also assured help on behalf of the State government. culled from NDTV

Malaysian court sentences 3 brothers to death for drug trafficking

Mexican brothers, from left, Luis Alfonso Gonzalez Villarreal, Simon Gonzalez Villarreal and Jose Regino Gonzalez Villarreal -. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... A Malaysian high court has sentenced five men, including three Mexican brothers, to death for drug trafficking. Police arrested the men in a drug-making facility in 2008. They claimed that they were cleaners and not making drugs. The defendants, who also include a Singaporean and a Malaysian, plan to appeal the sentence. Death is the mandatory penalty for drug trafficking in Malaysia. Reports say that police found more than 29 kilograms (63 pounds) of methamphetamine worth an estimated $15m at the facility in the southern state of Johor where the men were arrested. The three brothers are reportedly the first Mexicans arrested in the country on drug trafficking charges. According to the High Court Judge, Mohamad Zawawiall the five accused are Luis Alfonso Gonzales, the eldest of the three Mexican brothers, as quoted by AP.aware and are involved in the activity of drug-making, According to a report from rights group Amnesty International (AI) in 2011, more than half of known death sentences in Malaysia were for possession of illegal drugs above certain specified quantities. Malaysia said last year that it had hanged more than 440 people, mostly for drug crimes, in the past 50 years. culled from BBC

Nigerian court sentences varsity student to death for killing parents, siblings

Garba

A High Court sitting in Kano State yesterday, sentenced to death, by hanging, Mr Bello Garba Bello, alias Baba, an undergraduate of Kano State University of Science and Technology, Nigeria for killing his parents and younger ones in 2010. Bello was on September 13, 2010, arrested by security forces for killing his father, Garba Bello, a Director in the Nigerian Security Services (SSS), his mother, Habiba Garba, younger sisters, Hafsat and Murjanatu Garba and his younger brother Khalifa, in cold blood at their family house on Zoo Road by Gandun Albasa Quarters in Kano metropolis. The judge, Justice Haliru Abdullahi, said he was satisfied with the evidence tendered before him that the accused actually committed the five-count charge of homicide for which he was charged. Justice Abdullahi, in a 66-page judgment, held that the five victims were killed as a result of various degrees of multiple injuries inflicted on them by the accused person contrary to section 221 of the Penal Code. The prosecution counsel, Shu‘aibu Sule, said the accused had confessed to have committed the offence in a written statement he made to the police on September 15, 2010. He presented seven witnesses before the court including the younger brother of the accused, Farouk, whose testimonies supported the charges against the defendant. The defence counsel, Mr. Ahmed Raji, had tendered a 17-page written address before the court explaining the circumstances leading to the death of the five persons and exonerating the accused from the charges preferred against him. According to him, the statement written by Farouk implicating the accused was inadmissible as the witness was below the age of 14 and that Bello Garba had earlier written a statement on September 14, 2010 exonerating himself before he was forced to write another one on September 15, 2010 confessing to the offence. culled from VANGUARD

Facebook to sell over 84 million shares this week.

Facebook says it will sell 25% more shares than first planned in its flotation in response to strong demand. This will amount to about 84 million shares added to its initial public share offering The move comes one day after the social networking giant said it would raise the price of the shares by 21% to between $34-38 a share. It also comes despite doubts about the site's profitability site, which is largely used for social updates. Car giant General Motors added to those doubts by saying on Tuesday it would no longer pay to advertise on the site. However, rival Ford said it would continue its social media strategy. A spokesman said that for someone to buy his way into Facebook, he needs to have a credible presence and be doing innovative things. (IPO) and will now sell about 421 million shares, up from 337 million, raising $18bn (£11.3bn). This is still only a small percentage of the entire company, and implies Facebook's full market value is well above $100bn. The actual price of the shares is expected to be revealed on Thursday with open market trading pencilled in to begin on Friday. If all the shares are sold at the new higher price, the IPO would be the third-largest initial share sale in US history, after the financial giant Visa and General Motors. The company could add even more shares to the sale as there are more than 60 million additional shares that could be sold to cover excess demand. The eight-year-old social network has 900 million users worldwide and made a profit of $1bn last year. The new shareholders will not have much say in how the business is run. The shares on offer are "A" shares, which carry one vote per share, as is normal. culled from BBC

American employee fired for returning stolen gun to the Police

Chevilott

A Detroit groundskeeper, who turned in a loaded handgun he found hidden in weeds while working, was fired by his employer, the Wayne County Department of Public Services. John Chevilott, who is just two years away from retirement, found the loaded snub-nosed revolver on May 3 when he and his crew were mowing a lawn in Wayne County. Chevilott secured the gun, waiting for police to drive by so he could hand it over to them. But, according to the station, the Detroit police never did pass by, so Chevilott finished his work that day, drove the gun home and later that same evening turned it into his local police department. The cops ran the gun and discovered the weapon had been stolen from St. Clair Shores in 2005. They( the police) said Chevilott did the right thing getting the gun off the street. However, Chevilott's superiors at the Wayne County Department of Public Services had a much different opinion. His foreman, who had knowledge of the situation, was suspended for 30 days, and after 23 years on the job, Chevilott was fired for violating department policies. According to a Wayne County spokeswoman and the rules, employees aren't allowed to possess a weapon on work property. culled from FOXNEWS

Toddler killed, 25 worshippers injured by elephant at Kerala temple

A toddler was killed and 25 others injured in a stampede when a tusker ran amok in the festivities at the famous Koodal Manikkam Temple at Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district on Sunday morning. Police said two-and-half-year-old Yadu Krishnan was killed when panic stricken people ran for safety on seeing the angry elephant. At least 25 devotees were injured in the melee. All the injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals. Sunday was the last day of the annual festival and a large number of people had gathered at the temple. Police said the elephant Kannan suddenly ran amok as it was being taken for the festival and waived its tusk hurting people nearby including a police sub-inspector. It started running and two other elephants standing nearby also ran. In the confusion that prevailed, there was a stampede as panic-stricken people ran for safety. The baby boy, who was with his grandmother, fell down and was killed in the melee, police said. The grandmother suffered serious injuries and has been hospitalised. All the elephants were brought under control by mahouts. About four years ago, an elephant belonging to the temple had ran amok killing three persons. culled from NDTV

Dead man wakes up at his own funeral

Mourners at a funeral in Egypt swapped tears for cheers when the member whom they were burying woke up. Hamid Hafex al-Nubdi, a 28-year-old waiter from Naga al Simman, near Luxor was being prepared for burial when a doctor sent to sign his death certificate discovered that the body was still warm. Al-Nubdi was declared dead after suffering a heart attack at work. His family members were so convinced about his death that that they had already washed his body according to Islamic traditions and were preparing to bury him. The lady doctor who found the 'dead' man was still alive revived him. Rather than cancel the funeral, the mourners turned the occasion into a celebration of al-Nubdi's "resurrection". culled from DAILY MAIL

Gender transformation: Argentine Senate gives approval

Susana Bustamante's daughter, Melina

The Argentine Senate has on Wednesday, passed a law that allows people to change their gender officially without court approval. The legislation gives people the right to be officially recognised by the gender of their choosing, which may in some cases mean undergoing sex-change surgery. People aged 18 and above will be able to have such an operation or hormone therapy without needing to apply to a judge. Also approved same Wednesday by the Argentine Senate is a "dignified death" law which gives the terminally ill and their families more say in end-of-life decisions. The legislation means patients who are dying or suffering incurable illness or injury can refuse treatment, if there is an existing signed consent form. In cases where patients are unable to speak for themselves, the legislation empowers relatives or legal representatives to make the decision Until now, a court order was needed to end treatment or life support. . Senators voted by 55-0 in favour of the "dignified death" law, with 17 abstentions. The measure had already passed the lower house and it now goes to President Cristina Fernandez to be signed into law. All those present were at pains to stress that the legislation does not allow euthanasia. According to the leader of the Senate's health commission, Jose Cano, the aim is to respect the autonomous will of the patient Susana Bustamante, whose 19-year-old daughter Melina had pleaded to be allowed to die amid the pain from her degenerative condition, welcomed the new law. Melina died last year shortly after making her public appeal. The main condition is that the patient or his representatives have signed a document setting out their wishes, before a notary and two witnesses. The Roman Catholic Church rejected the new legislation, arguing that life support should never be stopped. culled from BBC

Activists try to save dog that killed I yr old child in Nevada

the Mastiff-Rhodesian Ridgeback that killed baby Jeremiah

The killer dog, Onion, was slated to be killed on Tuesday, but an 11th hour court injunction on Monday delayed the death at least until a Friday hearing Onion, a 6-year-old mastiff-Rhodesian ridgeback mix was reported to have mauled and killed a Southern Nevada toddler celebrating his first birthday. The boy's family voluntarily gave the animal up for euthanasia after the April 27 death of Jeremiah Eskew-Shahan. But the New York-based Lexus Project argues the animal should be sent to live at a sanctuary outside Denver because it didn't do anything wrong and was only following its nature. The boy's father, Christopher Shahan, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal the dog deserves to die. His son was at his grandmother's house in Henderson on his first birthday when he crawled to the sleeping dog and started petting him. Officials said the 120-pound animal latched his jaws around the boy's head and began shaking him. The grandmother tried to pull the boy away. Other family members in the house rushed to help, but it was too late. The boy was flown to a hospital, where he was declared dead the next morning. Rich Rosenthal, a New York-based lawyer who heads The Lexus Project, argued the child and his parents were at fault, not the dog, because the animal's nature is to attack if provoked while sleeping. Under local laws, an animal is declared vicious and slated for euthanasia if it causes substantial bodily harm or death to a person. The Shahan family acquired the dog when it was a puppy and said Onion had never shown aggression toward people. Before the attack, the boy often played with the dog without incident. culled from BBC

Nine men jailed for running a sexual abuse ring in England

Nine men who ran a child sexual exploitation ring in Greater Manchester have been jailed. The men from Rochdale and Oldham who exploited girls as young as 13, were given sentences ranging from four to 19 years. They were found guilty of offences including rape and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child. Liverpool Crown Court heard the group plied five victims with drink and drugs and "passed them around" for sex. The girls were abused at two takeaway restaurants in the Heywood area of Rochdale by the men aged between 24 and 59. The takeaways are now under new management. All those convicted were found guilty of conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with girls under the age of 16. The solicitor for Adil Khan, one of the convicted men, said an appeal would be lodged. He believes his convictions have nothing to do with justice but result from the faith and the race of the defendants. 'Unpleasant bully' Earlier the 59-year-old leader of the sex ring, who cannot be named for legal reasons but was also convicted of two rapes, aiding and abetting rape, sexual assault and trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation, was jailed for 19 years. His defence barrister, Simon Nichol, said his client "has objected from the start for being tried by an all white jury and subsequent events have confirmed his fears". "He further believes that society failed the girls in this case before the girls even met them and now that failure is being blamed on a weak minority group." But sentencing the ringleader to 19 years in prison, the judge called him an "unpleasant and hypocritical bully" who had ordered a 15-year-old girl to have sex with takeaway worker Kabeer Hassan as a birthday "treat". Hassan, 25, of Lacrosse Avenue, Oldham, was sentenced to nine years for rape and three years, concurrently, for the conspiracy conviction. Taxi driver, Abdul Aziz, 41, a married father-of-three, of Armstrong Hurst Close, Rochdale, also convicted of trafficking for sexual exploitation, received a nine year sentence. Aziz was said in court to have taken over as the main trafficker of girls. Married father-of-five Abdul Rauf, 43, of Darley Road, Rochdale, also convicted of trafficking a child within the UK for sexual exploitation, received six years. The religious studies teacher at a local mosque asked a 15-year-victim if she had any younger friends and would drive some of the girls to other men who would use them for sex. Adil Khan, 42, of Oswald Street, Rochdale also convicted of trafficking a child within the UK for sexual exploitation, received eight years. Khan, who is married with one child, fathered the child of a 13-year-old victim. Mohammed Sajid, 35, of Jephys Street, Rochdale, also convicted of one count of rape, sexual activity with a girl under 16 and trafficking for sexual exploitation, was jailed for 12 years. He will be deported back to Pakistan following the conclusion of his sentence. Mohammed Amin, 45, of Falinge Road, Falinge, was a driver for Eagle Taxis for 14 years and was known as "Car Zero". He was also convicted of sexual assault and received a five-year jail term. Hamid Safi, 22, of no fixed address, was also convicted of trafficking girls for the purposes of sexual exploitation and sentenced to four years. He sneaked into the UK on a lorry in 2008 and claimed asylum. He will be deported to Afghanistan at the end of his sentence. Abdul Qayyum, 44, of Ramsay Street, Rochdale, was jailed for five years. He was a driver for Streamline Taxis in Middleton, Greater Manchester, and was known by the name "Tiger". culled from BBC

71 days hunger strike: detained Palestinian protester admitted in Israeli hospital

Halahla and Diab

A Palestinian, Thaer Halahla, who has been on hunger strike for the past 71 days in protest at his detention by the Israeli authorities is in a critical condition and has been transferred to a hospital. The Israeli Prison Service said Thaer Halahla was moved from prison early on Tuesday after refusing to drink water. Israel's Supreme Court on Monday turned down a request by Mr Halahla and fellow hunger striker Bilal Diab to be freed. The International Committee of the Red Cross is extremely concerned about their health, and that of four others. ICRC delegates believe the six detainees who have been on hunger strike for between 47 and 71 days are in imminent danger of dying. The ICRC expressed regret that the authorities had suspended family visits for the six men, as well as for the more than 1,600 detainees who have been on hunger strike in solidarity with them since 17 April. The EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah also said they were concerned about the hunger strikers and urged the Israeli government "make available all necessary medical assistance and to allow family visits". Mr Halahla and Mr Diab are among 308 Palestinians in "administrative detention", a controversial practice whereby people can be held without charge or trial when they are suspected of security offences. At an Israeli Supreme Court hearing last week Mr Halahla described administrative detention as a "slow death", adding that he wants to live his life with dignity. He further claimed that he has a wife, and a daughter he never met and that he is on hunger strike because there is no other way." Mr Diab collapsed during the hearing and has been admitted to hospital. Judge Elyakim Rubinstein rejected their appeal on Monday, but expressed concern about their deteriorating condition and referred the military authorities to a legal clause which would allow them to be released on parole on medical grounds. Israel says that many of 4,500 Palestinian prisoners in its jails are suspected of being members of militant groups. culled from BBC