22yr old Nigerian breaks academic record at John Hopkins University

Ohuabunwa ....................................... A 22-year-old Nigerian, Emmanuel Ohuabunwa, has made history at John Hopkins University, United States of America. Ohuabunwa from Arochukwu, Abia State, has done the nation proud by becoming the first black man to make a Grade Point Average of 3.98 out of 4.0 to bag a degree in Neurosciences in the university. He was also adjudged as having the highest honours during the graduation that was held on May 24 this year. For his efforts, he has won a scholarship to Yale University to pursue a degree in medicine. Besides, he has been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa Society, a prestigious honour group that features membership of 17 US Presidents, 37 US Supreme Court Justices, and 136 Nobel Prize winners. According to Wikipedia, The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honour society. Its mission is to “celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences”, and induct “the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities.” It was founded at The College of William and Mary on December 5, 1776, and thus it is the oldest honour society for the liberal arts and sciences and among the oldest undergraduate societies in the US. Culled from PUNCH

London 2012 Olympics: S/Arabia to allow its women to compete

Saudi Arabia is to allow its women athletes to compete in the Olympics for the first time. Officials say the country's Olympic Committee will "oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify". The decision will end recent speculation as to whether the entire Saudi team could have been disqualified on grounds of gender discrimination. The public participation of women in sport is still fiercely opposed by many Saudi religious conservatives. There is almost no public tradition of women participating in sport in the country. Saudi officials say that with the Games now just a few weeks away, the only female competitor at Olympic standard is showjumper Dalma Rushdi Malhas. But they added that there may be scope for others to compete and that if successful they would be dressed "to preserve their dignity". In practice this is likely to mean modest, loose-fitting garments and "a sports hijab", a scarf covering the hair but not the face. For the desert kingdom, the decision to allow women to compete in the Olympics is a huge step, overturning deep-rooted opposition from those opposed to any public role for women. As recently as April, the indications were that Saudi Arabia's rulers would accede to the sensitivities of the religious conservatives and maintain the ban on allowing women to take part. But for the past six weeks there have been intense, behind-the-scenes discussions led by King Abdullah, who has long been pushing for women to play a more active role in Saudi society. 'Subtle reform' In secret meetings in Jeddah, officials say a consensus was reached in mid-June between the king, the crown prince, the foreign minister, the leading religious cleric, the grand mufti and others, to overturn the ban. An announcement was ready to be made but then had to be delayed as the country marked the sudden death of Crown Prince Nayef. "It's very sensitive," a senior Saudi official told the BBC. "King Abdullah is trying to initiate reform in a subtle way, by finding the right balance between going too fast or too slow. "For example, he allowed the participation of women in the Shura council [an advisory body] so the Olympic decision is part of an ongoing process, it's not isolated." The official acknowledged that to refuse to let women take part would have looked bad on the international stage. "Partly because of the mounting criticism we woke up and realised we had to deal with this. We believe Saudi society will accept this," the official said. It is not the first time a Saudi monarch has backed a controversial reform against domestic opposition. King Faisal, who introduced television in the 1960s and was eventually assassinated, insisted on introducing education for girls. Today, Saudi women graduates outnumber their male counterparts. Culled from BBC

Heavy flood leads to declaration of state of emergency in Florida

A tropical storm has drenched the US state of Florida, bringing flooding to parts and leading the governor to declare a statewide emergency. Tropical Storm Debby has lingered over the Gulf of Mexico since Sunday evening, bringing a constant barrage of wind and rain. State officials say at least 35,000 homes and businesses have had power knocked out by the storm. One woman died on Sunday after the storm whipped up tornadoes. Crews in Alabama are meanwhile continuing their search for a South Carolina man missing off the coast. The man, who was on holiday with his family, disappeared on Sunday afternoon in rough surf off Orange Beach. Residents in low-lying neighbourhoods near the Florida coast have been advised to leave their homes, while the bridge to St George Island - a popular vacation spot - has been closed off. Forecasters said the storm's maximum sustained winds weakened slightly to 45 mph (75 kph), from 50mph, but say its strength is not likely to change over coming days. Florida governor Rick Scott declared a statewide emergency on Monday. The move allows the state to suspend certain laws as it responds to the storm, and access federal funds. Culled from BBC

Nigerian woman sets new record in drug smuggling, inserted 1kg of methamphetamine in privart part

Mande ................................................. A 48 year-old woman, Fatima Mande has set a new record in narcotic smuggling in the country. She inserted 66 wraps of substances that tested positive for methamphetamine weighing 1kg in her private parts, as she attempted to board a Kenyan Airways flight to Nairobi. Mande was apprehended a week ago at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, but preliminary investigation revealed that she had previously lived in Australia for about two years before being deported in 2010. The Agency said that no suspect had ever been caught trying to smuggle such quantity of drugs in the private part since the establishment of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in 1989. Hamza Umar, NDLEA Commander at the Lagos airport, who described the case as shocking, put the previous record at 300 grammes. "This is incredible; it's amazing," he said, expressing his pleasure that the suspect got caught. Even the quantity of the drug affected Mande's gait while at the airport trying to board the plane, according to the Agency. But she was actually given away when one of the wraps fell on the floor at the screening area as she bent down to pick up her belongings. Upon interrogation and examination, Mande confessed to the crime stating that she was asked to swallow the drug, but was scared of death. Mande said she wanted a better life for herself and her children, as she had been widowed since 2007. "It was N45,000 school fees for my child and landlord who is threatening to quit me by July for not paying my rent that pushed me into drug business," she said. Mande, an Accounting graduate from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, also admitted to concealing the drugs by herself. In his reaction, the Chairman of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade, described the trend as disturbing. "Apart from the quantity of drugs caught with her, her route is also a new development in drug trafficking. They wanted to use her to take the drug to another African country before using an indigene of that country to take the drug to other continents where the profit is higher," he said. Culled from DAILYTIMES

Stabbed 57 times: Amina Adan's killer, Zakaria Mohamed jaliled 26yrs

Adan .................................. A man has been jailed for at least 26 years for murder after stabbing his girlfriend 57 times. Zakaria Mohamed, 29, was on probation when he killed Al Jazeera television recruitment consultant Amina Adan, 32, after assaulting her twice before. Miss Adan, from south London, suffered a year of domestic violence after meeting Mohamed, of Alberta Street, Peckham, south-east London. Mohamed pleaded guilty to murder at the Old Bailey. Magistrates had delayed sentencing the Somalian refugee over the previous assaults so he could take part in a domestic abuse programme. He killed her with three knives and shards of glass from a broken mirror before the counselling sessions were implemented. Mohamed......................................................... ................. Judge Anthony Morris said he did not know why the sessions were not prioritised before Mohamed served an unpaid work element of a community order. Mohamed dragged Miss Adan down the stairs by the hair, beat her unconscious, kicked and stamped on her and began to stab her. After police arrived, Mohamed threatened to kill them and had to be subdued with a Taser gun. Miss Adan, who was brought up in Kenya, was described as being popular and hard working. Her sister, Hanan, said in a statement: "We will probably never know why he could possibly act in this way to another human being. It is something we will never forgive or forget." Judge Morris told Mohamed: "You are a controlling and domineering man and Amina was frightened of you and you sought to control her with violence. "This was a savage, brutal, sustained and premeditated attack in which you clearly intended to kill." Mohamed had been in breach of a community order and a deferred sentence at the time. 'No remorse'He came to the UK on a forged Dutch passport in 2002. His request for asylum was turned down but he was given indefinite leave to remain in 2007 under an amnesty. In April 2011, he pleaded guilty to battery on Miss Adan and was placed on a community order which included a domestic abuse programme. In May, 2011, he punched Miss Adan in the stomach and went on the run before being arrested in July. In September, he was convicted of the assault and on 20 October, of breaching the order. On 20 October, Camberwell Green magistrates deferred a likely prison sentence until 20 January this year, so he could take part in the domestic abuse programme. Det Ch Insp Charles King said: "Zakaria Mohamed launched the most violent of attacks on Amina Adan, his girlfriend whom he had already subjected to domestic violence during their relationship. "Mohamed showed no remorse for his actions and declined to speak during his police interviews." Culled from BBC

JTF captures Boko Haram leader Bama in gun battle

Bama ......................................... After a three-month search, the Joint Task Force (JTF) has arrested a Boko Haram leader, Habib Bama, who is believed to be the architect of some key bombings. Bama, a dismissed Army Private, allegedly coordinated bombings in Mogadishu Barracks, the Police Headquarters, the UN Building, St Theresa’s Catholic Church at Madalla and many in Jos. The JTF, comprising the State Security Service (SSS), the military and the police, stormed Bama’s operational base in Damaturu, it was learnt. There was a shoot-out in which he was fatally wounded. Bama was being interrogated, as at press time, in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital. He may be moved to Abuja, if his condition improves, source said. Bama’s arrest came on a day the United States put the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau and two others on the “terrorist” list. A top JTF source said: “One of the cell-leaders of Boko Haram in the Federal Capital Territory, Suleja-Jos axis, was shot this afternoon in Damaturu by the Joint Task Force (JTF). “He was critically wounded. We are still extracting words from him. “He was declared wanted by security agents after the Madalla church bomb blast.” The manhunt for Bama started on February 15 when the SSS declared him wanted. A statement by the SSS Deputy Director, Ms Marilyn Ogar, said the suspect committed crimes against the state. The statement said: “Habibu Bama is hereby declared wanted by the Federal Government in connection with crimes against the State. “Bama is an ex-soldier, Kanuri by tribe and hails from Bama, Borno State . He is also known by the following names;( i )Habib Bama; (ii) Shuaibu Bama; and (iii) Habib Mamman. “Members of the public with any information that could lead to his arrest are hereby implored to immediately contact the nearest Police Station, Military formation or any other security agency, please.” There was no official reaction from Boko Haram as at press time on the arrest of Bama. Bama was captured at the market, dependable military sources said. The source said Bama, apparently affected by the curfew, was at the market and bought food items like Irish Potatoes and yam when he was captured along with two of his boys, by soldiers on patrol. The source said the arrest of Bama was accidental because a soldier who was Bama’s neighbor during his military days saw him at the market while on patrol. Bama was reported to have attempted to collect the gun from one of the soldiers but four soldiers overpowered him after shooting him in the leg. It was gathered that his boys, who were guarding his car took to their heels and escaped. Other sources said he was arrested after a fierce gun battle with operatives of the Joint Task Force when he was trying to sneak out of Damaturu town. Top military sources said he was badly hit by bullets. Damaturu residents who were coming out of their houses after the relaxation of the 24 hours curfew, were forced to return home as security operatives discovered an un-detonated bomb near First Bank Plc branch office along Gashua road. The police anti-bomb squad immediately cordoned the area and got the lethal device de-wired. Culled from THE NATION

22yr old Scottish man jailed 10 years over rape and sex assault

Kerr A man who admitted raping one woman and seriously sexually assaulting another in Glasgow city centre has been jailed for 10 years. Call centre worker Scott Kerr, 22, from Dundee, was on a Christmas works night out when he attacked the women. The offences took place 15 minutes apart in James Watt Street, close to Broomielaw, on 21 December last year. At the High Court in Edinburgh, Kerr was ordered to be supervised for five years following his release. A previous hearing at the High Court in Glasgow heard how Kerr, who originally comes from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, but was working and living in Dundee, had returned to Glasgow for a conference and Christmas night out. He and friends went to a strip club and then he walked off while they returned to their hotel. They tried to phone him, but got no reply. The court heard that prior to the attacks Kerr was caught on CCTV cameras hanging around James Watt Street for about 40 minutes. His first victim was a 20-year-old woman walking home from a night out. When he saw her walking down the street at 03:55 he immediately crossed towards her and walked past her. CCTV images showed him turning and running after the woman before dragging her off the pavement and into the car park of the Atlantic Quay building. The woman fell to the ground and was then dragged further into the car park. She struggled and screamed and tried to get her boots off to use as a weapon. After Kerr sexually assaulted the woman, who was described as "hysterical", she raised the alarm by flagging down a passing taxi driver. The second attack on a 22-year-old woman happened 15 minutes later. This woman was also returning home after a Christmas night out when Kerr tried to engage her in conversation. The woman walked past him and he began following her. As she reached the entrance to the BT building, Kerr grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her into the ramp. She screamed and he threatened to kill her. The friend she had been speaking to on the phone hung up, then called her number in the hope of attracting passers-by to her plight. However, the mobile was on silent. The woman was crying and sobbing as Kerr dragged her further down the ramp before raping her. He then walked off and arrived back at his hotel later that morning. Kerr was identified after CCTV images were shown in the media. The court heard that a number of his work colleagues at Weatherseal phoned police and Kerr handed himself in to a police station in Dundee, although he claimed he knew nothing about either sex attack. When Kerr was questioned by police he said he had handed himself in "to get himself out of the picture," and added it was not in his nature to do something like that. He later pleaded guilty to both offences claiming he had no recollection of committing them. Culled from BBC

Zimbabwe lawmakers undergo circumcision in fight against AIDS

Zimbabwe President,Robert Mugabe In Zimbabwe's parliament, lawmakers belonging to a panel on health issues are setting up an HIV/AIDS testing and male circumcision center. Lawmaker Blessing Chibundo of the Zimbabwe prime minister's party said Friday the campaign, the first of its kind involving the country's leaders, is a show of "political will" to fight AIDS. Medical officials running the program said more than 40 lawmakers have volunteered to undergo circumcision, a procedure that research shows reduces the risk of HIV transmission. Infection in Zimbabwe runs at about 13 percent of the population. Chibundo was the first to be circumcised Friday. Officials said 107 legislators and their spouses have been given confidential virus tests so far. Culled from FOXNEWS

How terrorists bombed ECWA church in Nigeria for 45 dollars

Seven suspected Boko Haram men alleged to have masterminded the attack on Ekklizivar Yan’uwa A Nigeria (EYN) Church in Biu, Borno State recently said they were paid N7, 000(about 45 dollars) each to carry out the attack which left no fewer than three worshipers dead. One of the seven suspects, Ibrahim Mohammed Babangida, who spoke with journalists from his custody said one Magaji Bala, a butcher paid N7, 500 to him as his engagement fee to carry out the dastard act. “I was sleeping in my house when Magaji called me and handed over N7,000 to me for the operation,” he said, even as one of the suspects also corroborated the claim. The suspects, Alhassan Inuwa, Ibrahim Mohammed Babangida, Magaji Bala, Nuhu Zakari, Dahiru Sa’adu, Mohammadu Nurah and Mohammed Sani told newsmen at the 21 Armoured Brigade in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, yesterday that they were butchers by profession in Biu Market and were picked up in their different houses in Biu by the JTF operatives. The suspects also claimed to hail from Jigawa and Katsina states, adding that they came to Biu, about 187 kilometres to Maiduguri and South of Borno, to eke a living. Some gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect had stormed a local branch of the Ekklizivar Yan’uwa A Nigeria (EYN) in Borno on June 10 in a bloody shoot out, leading to the death of three worshipers. Many others were also wounded. Sources said the gunmen, numbering about three had invaded the EYN Church (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) while the Sunday service was going on, killing three, including a woman while many of the members sustained various degrees of injuries from gunshot. Meanwhile, Spokesman of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Lt Col Sagir Musa, who paraded the suspects said the task force believed the seven men were involved in the Biu Church attacks. He, however, said the security agencies in the state needed the cooperation and partnership of the people to succeed. “Handling of the security situation in the country is a collective effort and as such, security agencies should not be left with the responsibility alone. There is need for partnership because it is everybody’s problem. It is time we saw it as our problem especially in making information avalaible,” Lt Col Musa said. Also reacting to allegation of harassment of civilians by the JTF troops, the spokesman assured that the leadership of the task force would continue to preach, sensitize and educate the personnel on the need to maintain discipline even in the face of frustration. He noted that maintaining maximum discipline among troops was one of the major challenges of any internal operation by security agents but appealed to the people for understanding. He also urged the residents to report cases of stolen vehicles to the police or JTF, adding that the task force had uncovered plan by the Boko Haram sect to use stolen vehicles to launch attacks on some public buildings. “Information recently available to the JTF in Maiduguri indicated that there had been desperate moves by Boko Haram to steal/snatch vehicles to be used for terrorists’ activities by implanting Improvised Explosive Devices in vehicles and or through suicide bombing,” he said. He warned that owners of such stolen vehicles, “if used for terrorism acts would be treated as collaborators and accomplices.” Culled from SUNNEWSONLINE.COM

Bali bomber bags 20 years in jail for terrorism

Patek An Indonesian court has convicted a militant of making explosives used in the deadly 2002 Bali bombings and sentenced him to 20 years in jail. Umar Patek was found guilty of murder and bomb-making in connection with the Bali attacks, which killed more than 200 people, mostly foreigners. He admitted helping mix chemicals, but said he was not involved beyond that. Prosecutors did not ask for the death penalty after Patek apologised to victims and their families. Patek was found guilty of all six charges, some terrorism-related, that he was facing. The judges delivered their verdict in a keenly watched trial. After the verdict was announced, Mr Patek appeared calm and composed, shaking the hands of the judges. He could have faced the death penalty - the maximum punishment for some of the charges against him in Indonesia is death by firing squad. But prosecutors said Mr Patek had shown remorse during the trial, consistently apologising for his role in the attacks, and even going as far as to say he was against the Bali bombings from the start. That is why they only asked for a term of life in prison. In the end, he received less than that - 20 years in jail. It is still not clear whether his lawyers will lodge an appeal - but this verdict has given Indonesia the opportunity to close the chapter on the deadly Bali blasts, which changed the image of this country as a safe place. This included charges relating to attacks on churches in Jakarta, which killed 19 people on Christmas Eve 2000. He is the last key player to be tried in Indonesia in relation to the Bali The Bali attacks targeted Paddy's Bar and the Sari Club in the resort of Kuta. Those killed were from 21 countries, including 88 Australians, 38 Indonesians and 28 Britons. The bombings were blamed on the Jemaah Islamiah militant network. Three men were executed in 2008 for playing key roles in the attacks and two others have been killed in raids. Patek, whose trial began in February, was arrested in January 2011 in Abbottabad, the Pakistani town where Osama Bin Laden was later killed in a US raid. He was extradited to Indonesia in August 2011. Police were deployed to guard the court, which opened its session at 09:20 (02:20 GMT). Snipers were positioned in and around the court buildings for the final session. Judges read the charges and a long summary of witness testimony before delivering their verdict. Lawyers for Umar Patek sought to play down his role in the Bali blasts, saying he was involved in the preparation of the bombs but not in carrying out the attacks. Patek himself has admitted helping to assemble the explosives, but said he was not the chief bomb-maker, as prosecutors alleged. Patek, who is reportedly known as "demolition man," asked for ''forgiveness'' in court, saying he was against the attacks "from the start". After the judgement, one of the lawyers in Patek's defence team, Ashluddin Hatjani, said his client was "not angry" but "sad" at the verdict. "He was disappointed. It was too heavy compared to the sentences for other terrorists with bigger roles," he said. Culled from ALJAZEERA

Child rapist Darren Leggett jailed for life

Leggett .............. Darren Leggett, previously of Mount Avenue, Yalding, filmed his abuse of children as young as six and set up two websites to share images and videos. He was jailed at Maidstone Crown Court and given an indeterminate sentence. He must serve at least seven years and has to prove he is no longer a danger before his release can be considered. He will also be required to sign the sex offenders register for life, and will undergo a sex offender treatment programme. The offences included four of child rape, taking, possessing and distributing sexual abuse images of children and arranging a child for sex. The court heard how his crimes came to light when the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) received an anonymous tip-off from a member of the public who had discovered one of the two websites he had created for distributing sexual images of children. After discovering a second linked website, the IWF passed their findings onto the Child Exploitation Online Protection (CEOP) centre and they were able to identify where the website originated. Leggett was arrested on 10 February after Kent Police officers set up an operation during which he arranged to pay for sexual abuse of a child. During a search of his home, police seized his computer and memory sticks, and found 36 films he had made in which he committed a string of sexual abuse offences against three young children. Sentencing Leggett, Judge Statman said he was deemed such a danger to children that only an indeterminate sentence was sufficient. Det Sgt Dave Shipley, senior investigating officer for the case for Kent Police, said: "Leggett used children as objects for his depraved desires, as commodities which he was content to trade and share with others, with no thought for the impact his actions would have on his victims. "Through the joined-up working of the agencies involved, a dangerous man has been brought to justice for his crimes. "As a result, we have been able to identify the victims and take steps to ensure they are protected from any further harm." Culled from BBC

Mass exodus of Kaduna residents trail last sunday's bomb attacks

Residents of Kaduna have started fleeing the state in droves for fear of more retaliatory attacks following the violence that has erupted between Christians and Muslims in parts of the state. On Wednesday, panicked residents were seen being escorted out of the state by military personnel deployed to the area. The heavy military presence on the streets has resulted in a semblance of calm. Following last Sunday’s bombing of three churches in the state, reprisal attacks erupted against Muslims in parts of the state. A 24-hour curfew was swiftly imposed in the state. However, when the curfew was relaxed on Tuesday, further violence sparked off, this time by Muslims attacking Christians in revenge. The state government has re-introduced the curfew. An estimated 80 people have been killed so far in the violence, with over 140 injured. Some residents who could not flee the state for various reasons took refuge in a compound in Kigo Road New Extension in Kaduna. Residents say they fear fresh violence will break out when the curfew is relaxed. “How do you expect us to stay when it is very obvious that our lives and properties are not safe? After the 24-hour curfew now, who knows what is going to happen next? So the best thing is to run for our dear lives,” said a resident who did not want his name published. The state’s police command says among those arrested so far, alleged to have been part of the marauding youths that attacked people, are illegal aliens from neighbouring countries such as Chad, Cameroon and Niger. Culled from DAILYTIMES

Bride jailed 20 months for stealing £200,000 to sponsor wedding

A bride who stole £200,000 from her employers to pay for a lavish wedding has been jailed. Part-time accounts assistant Kirsty Lane, 30, transferred the funds from Pure AV's bank account into that of her and her future husband, Graham. The fraud was discovered shortly after the pair's wedding at the Great Hall at Mains, near Blackpool in January 2011. Lancashire was sentenced to 20 months in prison at Preston Crown Court. She stole about £122,000 from the Leyland company, which installs audio-visual equipment, by putting in fake invoices, marking them as paid and then depositing the money into her own account. She also diverted about £70,000 through her husband's account, which she told him were savings, salary and bonuses. About £6,000 was transferred into a third account. Company director Peter Sutton said Lane had cost the firm about £300,000, due to tax and VAT payments, and put the "livelihoods of 20-plus people" in jeopardy. Police said Lane began working for Pure AV in May 2007 and started siphoning money into her account in December 2008. A spokesman said the offences had continued until she left the company for her wedding on 23 January 2011 by which time she had made a total of 122 fraudulent transactions. He said a large proportion of the money had been used to fund her "lavish wedding" which included a free bar, musicians, fireworks, a magician and face-painting. He added that Lane had also used the cash to pay for home improvements and items such as a large television, a Tag Heuer watch, an iPod, compact mirrors and car keys covered in Swarovski crystals and personalised car registration plates. He said she had "abused her position of trust to steal from her employer and fund a lavish lifestyle". Speaking in Lane's defence, Amanda Johnson said she was a woman of good character who suffered from low self-esteem and the offending coincided with the time she met her husband. "She felt that money and the trappings that money could buy would make her a more attractive proposition," she said. She said Lane thought she could "make herself more attractive to him by having money and being able to spend it on gifts and holidays". Passing sentence, Judge Pamela Badley said the "modest" first amounts of cash Lane stole from the company had escalated and gone on to fund a luxury lifestyle. Judge Badley said her behaviour had been "fraudulent from the outset" and told her she had taken part in a "cynical exploitation of the small company for which you worked". Speaking after sentencing, Mr Sutton said Lane had been "a trusted member of the team and she had been in that position for a number of years". He said she defrauded the company in a complex way and there had been no obvious "digital trail". "We just wanted it over. It's the end of a traumatic time in our existence and the legal system has prevailed," he said. Graham Lane was found not guilty to one count of money laundering at Preston Crown Court on an earlier date. Culled from BBC

Alleged witchcraft: Saudi Arabia executes man in S/N province

al-Asiri ........... A Saudi man has been beheaded on charges of sorcery and witchcraft, the state news agency SPA says. The man, Muree bin Ali bin Issa al-Asiri, was found in possession of books and talismans, SPA said. He had also admitted adultery with two women, it said. The execution took place in the southern Najran province, SPA reported. Human rights groups have repeatedly condemned executions for witchcraft in Saudi Arabia. Last year, there were reports of at least two people being executed for sorcery. Mr Asiri was beheaded after his sentence was upheld by the country's highest courts, the Saudi news agency website said. No details were given of what he was found guilty of beyond the charges of witchcraft and sorcery. Amnesty International says the country does not formally classify sorcery as a capital offence. In 2010, a Lebanese television presenter of a popular fortune-telling programme was arrested while on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Though sentenced to death, after pressure from his government and human rights groups, he was freed by the Saudi Supreme Court, which found that he had not harmed anyone. More recent cases of death on charges of sorcery include that of a Saudi woman, executed for committing sorcery and witchcraft in December, in the northern province of Jawf, and that of a Sudanese man executed in September, despite calls led by Amnesty International for his release. Culled from BBC

Mom found naked, eating ice cream after leaving kids in wrecked car

Dillard Stephanie Dillard, a 34 year old mother of 3 was found naked and eating ice cream in a Houston drug store after leaving her three children alone in a car when she crashed it. She was charged with endangering a child after her vehicle collided with a METRO bus on Friday, KPRC reported. Her three children -- ages 5, 12 and 16 -- suffered minor injuries and were shaken up after the crash. Detectives said Dillard got out of the car after the collision and walked away. She then went to a nearby CVS store and began to undress as she ate ice cream. The children were given to a grandmother after Dillard was arrested. She is being held at Harris County Jail on a $2,000 bond. Culled from FOXNEWS

US teen survives after a spear was shot through his brain

A US teenager's survival after a spear was shot through his brain is a miracle, doctors say. Yasser Lopez, 16, is recovering after he was accidentally hit with a spear gun by a friend during a Florida fishing trip this month. Medics at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami said the 3ft (90cm) projectile entered his brain over his right eye and went out the back of his head. He is now out of bed and speaking following a three-hour operation. Medics said he was awake as he arrived at hospital, and became "agitated". After sedating the teenager, part of the stainless steel spear had to be severed with a mechanical cutter so he could fit into the CT scanner. Doctors said the teenager has no memory of the freak accident. He was shot with the projectile as he swam in a lake near his Miami area home on 8 June when his friend set off the trigger of a spear gun he was loading. While medics are not sure of the extent of the damage to his memory and other parts of the brain, they say his condition could have been much worse. "It's a miracle the spear missed all the main blood vessels of the brain," neurosurgeon Ross Bullock told reporters. Also helpful, doctors say, was the foreign object's trajectory into the right side of the brain, Mr Lopez's non-dominate lobe, missing the parts responsible for speech and other important functions. Culled from BBC

Bomb attacks on Nigerian churches: death toll hits 66 in Kaduna

Yakowa Doctors have declared that a total of 66 persons are dead following yesterday's blasts and reprisals with many others injured Some 66 persons have been confirmed dead following Sunday’s bomb attacks on three churches in Kaduna State. Red Cross officials also said that 140 victims of the attacks were taken to various hospitals for treatment. The Chief Medical Director of Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital, Kaduna, Dr Huseini Yahya, said that the hospital received 10 bodies, while two died in the hospital. Similarly, Dr Khalid Lawal, Chief Medical Director of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika, near Zaria, said that 10 bodies were brought to the facility, while two victims were declared dead after arrival. Dr Taylor Adeyemi of St. Luke’s Hospital, Wusasa, Zaria, said three of the 40 victims of ECWA church blast who were brought to the hospital died. Adeyemi said that most of the victims brought to the hospital were children The spokesperson of St. Gerard’s Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna, Mr John Sunday, said that the hospital received 36 bodies and three other victims died in hospital. Sunday also said the hospital admitted 72 injured persons who were receiving treatment. The attacks yesterday would be the third in two months directed at churches in Kaduna. Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel) as well as All Nations Christian Assembly had been attacked earlier. The latter was attacked on Easter Sunday killing over 20 persons, even though the bombers could not quite penetrate the church premises. The attacks again Sunday, sparked protests among Christian youths from the southern part of the Kaduna metropolis, mainly dominated by Christians who felt their quietude had been taken for granted and perceived as a sign of weakness by members of the Islamic Boko Haram sect, which has been launching all the attacks on Christian places of worship in many parts of the North. In one united force and resolve, they rose yesterday, ditching the Christian injunction that “our weapons are not carnal.” They picked sticks and cudgels, marched on the city, brimming with ire, blocked major road arteries, set bonfires, and in no time, the skyline of the city had been darkened by the thick billowing smoke of burning tyres. Chanting war songs, the youths from Trikaniya, Sabon-Tasha, Television, Narayi, Gonin-Gora and other suburbs, mounted road blocks on the roads leading to their areas, as they visited their anger on Hausa Muslims caught up in the unfortunate incident. An emergency security meeting presided by the Kaduna State government was summoned and a 24-hour curfew imposed on the state to save the situation from degenerating further. The governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Yakowa in a statement signed by his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Reuben Buhari, regretted the bombing of the three churches, saying it was unfortunate. Culled from DAILYTIMES

British woman murders son & daughter, spends night with the corpses

.....From left to right, Lianne Smith and her daughter,Rebecca ............................................ A British woman killed her two children in a hotel room in Spain while they slept and spent the night with their bodies, a court has heard. Lianne Smith, 43, has admitted smothering Rebecca, five, and 11-month-old Daniel, in Lloret de Mar, Costa Brava, in May 2010. The Provincial Court in Girona will determine whether she is criminally responsible for two counts of murder. Her lawyer said she was in a state of "psychiatric disturbance" at the time. The deaths took place after Ms Smith's partner, Martin Smith, was extradited to the UK on charges of sexually abusing a girl. Smith, a 46-year-old former TV psychic, originally from North Shields, North Tyneside, was later convicted of rape and jailed for 16 years. In January he was found hanged in his cell in HMP Manchester. The couple, who share the same name but are not related, left Lichfield, Staffordshire, for Spain in 2007 with Rebecca. Daniel was born in Spain Previously they had been living in Cumbria, where the offences occurred Victor Pillado Quintas, prosecuting, said in his opening statement that on the night of 17 May, while they were asleep, Ms Smith had "taken advantage of the trust the children would have had in their mother". "She took her son in her arms and put a bag over his head, closing it around his neck," he said. "She did not stop tightening the bag until she had killed him. "Immediately she did the same to the five-year-old, closing the same bag around her neck and tightening it until she killed her daughter. "After ending the lives of her children she spent the night with their lifeless bodies." The following day Ms Smith went to reception and asked for police and an ambulance. She confessed to police and the judicial authorities that she had ended the children's lives, said Mr Pillado Quintas. He told members of the jury they would have to decide whether she knew that it was wrong or whether she was suffering from a mental condition at the time. The prosecution says she was not suffering a mental disease," he said. Defending, Jenifer Lahoz Abos, said Ms Smith had a "total emotional dependence" on her partner and was left in a state of psychosis after he was arrested in Barcelona on 7 May 2010. She said Ms Smith had "lost contact with reality" and thought UK social services staff had tracked her down and were going to take her children away. "On May 15 she went out shopping with both the children and saw two people in a car who she later saw walking down the street", Ms Lahoz Abos said. "She felt observed and threatened and made a clean break with reality and thought she was being chased by the two people, who she thought could be members of the British social services. "She thought they were going to come and take her children away and give them to other families in adoption." Ms Lahoz Abos added: "At this moment she entered a state of panic and lost contact with reality, interpreting events in a totally distorted manner, with delirious beliefs that she was in danger." The trial is expected to last four days. Culled from BBC

Google removes 'terrorism videos' from Youtube

Google has revealed it removed about 640 videos from YouTube that allegedly promoted terrorism over the second half of 2011 after complaints from the UK's Association of Police Officers. The news was contained in its latest Transparency Report which discloses requests by international authorities to remove or hand over material. The firm said it terminated five accounts linked to the suspect videos. However, the firm said it had rejected many other State's requests for action. Canada's Passport Office was among the organisations rebuffed. It had asked for a video of a Canadian citizen urinating on his passport and then flushing it down the toilet be removed. Google also refused to delete six YouTube videos that satirised Pakistan's army and senior politicians. The order had come from the government of Pakistan's Ministry of Information Technology. But Google did act in hundreds of cases, including: • requests to block more than 100 YouTube videos in Thailand that allegedly insulted its monarchy - a crime in the country • the removal of a YouTube video that contained hate speech that had been posted in Turkey • the termination of four YouTube accounts responsible for videos that allegedly contained threatening and harassing content after complaints by different US law enforcement agencies. Overall, the firm said it had received 461 court orders covering a total of 6,989 items between July and December 2011. It said it had complied with 68% of the orders. It added that it had received a further 546 informal requests covering 4,925 items, of which it had agreed to 43% of the cases. Google's senior policy analyst, Dorothy Chou, said the company was concerned by the amount of requests that had been linked to political speech. Culled from BBC

Security alert: Colombian volcano spews deadly gas

Scientists at the Volcanic Observatory in Manizales observatory have warned that there is a risk of an eruption "within days or weeks" as plume of ash and gas had risen to a height of 2,000m (6,500ft) on Sunday. Some 150 families have been evacuated from the banks of the rivers which flow down the volcano, as they were deemed to be most at risk. Plumes of smoke and ash are continuing to rise from Colombia's Nevado del Ruiz volcano. People living on its slopes said they had heard "strong, strange noises" coming from the summit of the 5,346m-high mountain on Friday and Saturday. Officials say an orange alert first declared three weeks ago is still in place for areas near the summit. More than 25,000 people died in a mudslide caused by Nevado del Ruiz in its last eruption in 1985. Officials have distributed 30,000 face masks to residents living in areas affected by ash from the volcano. The airport in the nearby town of Manizales, in central Colombia, has been closed since the end of May, and will remain so until the volcano ceases to emit ash, officials said. In the 1985 eruption, the small town of Armero on the banks of the Lagunilla river was almost completely erased as summit glaciers and snow were melted by hot lava. The water raced down the slopes carrying rocks, mud and vegetation in a destructive mudslide travelling at a speed of 60km/h (37mph). Only a quarter of Armero's population survived. Culled from BBC