S/Korean President's elder brother jailed for bribery

Lee

The South Korean president's brother was arrested and taken to a detention center Wednesday after a court approved a warrant on bribery allegations, a major embarrassment to the ruling party in a presidential election year. The Seoul Central District Court issued the arrest warrant for Lee Sang-deuk, the elder brother of President Lee Myung-bak, late Tuesday. Hours earlier, as the suspect entered the court for questioning, enraged protesters threw eggs at him, grabbed his tie and jostled him. Lee, 76, was taken early Wednesday from the prosecutors' office to the Seoul Detention Center, according to an official who declined to provide further details, including his name, citing office rules. "I'm sorry," Lee told reporters who asked what he'd say to the president, after leaving the prosecutors' office for the jail, according to Yonhap news agency. Prosecutors accuse the former lawmaker of taking half a million dollars in bribes from two detained bankers with the intent of using his influence to help the bankers avoid punishment. Some of the protesters outside court said they lost money after the government suspended the troubled savings banks Lee is accused of taking bribes from. Lee wasn't directly hit by any of the eggs during the protest Tuesday, but some yolk could be seen on his shoulder. Lee Myung-bak ends his single, five-year presidential term early next year. Elections for the next president are in December. Culled from ABC NEWS

Mentally unstable woman jailed 22yrs for murder

Bonser

A woman with a history of mental health problems will serve a minimum of 22 years in jail after being found guilty of murdering a 13-year-old stranger in a park. Hannah Bonser, 26, stabbed Casey-Lyanne Kearney in a random attack in Elmfield Park, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on Valentine's Day. A jury at Sheffield Crown Court rejected Bonser's claim that she was guilty only of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. The judge, Mr Justice Cranston, passed the life sentence after Bonser showed no emotion as the jury foreman returned the guilty verdict following two hours of deliberation. She sat in the dock looking ahead, as she has done throughout the week-long trial, surrounded by four prison officers.

Kearney

There were cries of "Yes" from the public gallery, which was packed with Casey's family. Her father, Anthony Kerney, appeared to wipe away tears. Many in the gallery were wearing orange ties and scarves - one of Casey's favourite colours - in memory of the teenager. Speaking outside court, Mr Kearney said: "We think the jury has come to the correct decision in convicting Bonser with the murder of Casey. "There was never a doubt in our minds this was a calculated and deliberate act and therefore deserves the maximum sentence our judicial system allows. "However, no sentence will bring Casey back to us and the severity of Bonser's actions mean we will never have the privilege of her in our lives again." Bonser, of Cusworth House, Doncaster, had denied murder. She has a history of mental health problems and her defence team claimed she is a paranoid schizophrenic. Her barrister, David Fish QC, had asked the jury of seven women and three men to find his client guilty of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility or lack of intent. But prosecutors argued that she suffers from a personality disorder, not a psychosis, and was guilty of murder. The jury agreed. Culled from SKYNEWS

Alleged war crime: Congo warlord jailed for 14 years

Lubanga

The International Criminal Court handed down its first sentence on Tuesday, imprisoning for 14 years a Congolese warlord convicted of using child soldiers. Thomas Lubanga was convicted in March of recruiting and using children in his Union of Congolese Patriots militia, sending them to kill and be killed during fighting in Congo's eastern Ituri region in 2002-2003. Presiding Judge Adrian Fulford said the sentence reflected the need to protect children in wartime. "The vulnerability of children means they need to be afforded particular protection," he said at the sentencing hearing. The 51-year-old Lubanga is the first person convicted by the 10-year-old permanent war crimes tribunal. Rights activists hailed the case as a milestone in efforts to prosecute the widespread use of child soldiers in conflicts around the world. Prosecutors had asked for a 30-year sentence, but said they would be willing to cut it to 20 years if Lubanga offered a "genuine apology" to victims of his crimes. Lubanga, wearing a gray suit and tie, showed no emotion as Fulford read out the sentence. He can appeal his conviction and sentence. Fulford said that time Lubanga has served in pretrial detention since March 2006 would be deducted from the sentence. It was not immediately clear where Lubanga would serve his sentence. The court has no prison cells for holding convicted war criminals, but has deals with seven countries to jail them - Denmark, Serbia, Mali, Austria, Finland, Britain and Belgium. Fulford gave Lubanga three sentences of 13, 12 and 14 years each, respectively for conscripting, enlisting and using child soldiers but the sentences are to be served concurrently. Conscripting involves abducting children and pressing them into military service while enlisting them can be voluntary. Franck Mulenda, a legal representative for 140 victims in the case, welcomed the sentence. "It is very important. It consoles the victims," he said outside court. He said he is now waiting for the court to order reparations for former child soldiers, "so they can get back their education and their place in society." Fulford criticised former chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo for not bringing charges of sexual violence against Lubanga or presenting evidence of such crimes at a sentencing hearing last month. Rights activists say Lubanga's militia was responsible for widespread rape in Ituri. He also praised Lubanga for being "respectful and cooperative" throughout the case despite it twice being held up by prosecutors defying court orders linked to identifying witnesses. Called from NDTV

Sex offender accused of attempting to infect kids with HIV

A man on parole for trying to infect children with HIV nearly 20 years ago pulled a boy into a Portland restaurant bathroom over the weekend, attempted to sexually assault him and then stabbed him several times, police said. The 10-year-old's injuries from the attack Sunday were severe enough to require surgery, and officers said he would have died without immediate care. The suspect, Adam Lee Brown, pleaded not guilty Monday in Multnomah County Circuit Court to charges that included kidnapping, attempted murder and assault. He appeared in court surrounded by sheriff's deputies and wearing a so-called "suicide smock," a rip-resistant vest that prevents inmates from tearing off strips of clothing with which to hang themselves. His arrest Sunday after a two-hour standoff in which he was holed up in a Wendy's bathroom marks the second set of child sex abuse charges leveled against Brown, who was the subject of an abuse investigation two decades ago. The HIV-positive son of a church pastor, Brown was convicted in 1993 of three counts of first-degree sodomy, each involving a child. He pleaded no contest to reduced charges — the initial charges included attempted murder because of his HIV. The case came during a peak in the AIDS crisis and amid fears fueled by public misunderstanding that vengeful patients willfully would infect unsuspecting bystanders. At least nine children in the small logging town of Roseburg told police that Brown molested them over the course of several months in 1992. According to a criminal complaint, the children said Brown told them not to tell and threatened them with knives, scissors and matches. One child said Brown once burned a Bible, warning that Satan would come if they didn't do what he wanted. Brown's wife at the time, Nancy, told The Associated Press in 1993 that her husband had contracted the disease in Southern California while he was stationed there with the U.S. Marines. A lay preacher at Fair Oaks Community Church, Brown served nine years in the Marines as a computer technician before his discharge in the early 1990s. "God was always in the picture," Nancy Brown said about her husband's religious upbringing. "But he thought Satan would deliver the boys." Brown spent 11 years in Oregon's prison system, accruing three years of earned time off a 15-year sentence. Prison officials said their records show Brown spent the years 1999-2004 without incurring any disciplinary infractions. Older, paper records were unavailable. On Sunday, police said he pulled the 10-year-old boy into the fast-food restaurant bathroom and locked the door. After the boy fought back, Portland police say Brown stabbed him. A Wendy's employee opened the locked door and Brown shoved the 10-year-old out of the bathroom but locked himself inside and told arriving officers that he had a gun. Police evacuated the restaurant and brought in crisis negotiators. Brown surrendered. Police found a knife, but no gun. Brown's parents could not be reached Monday by the AP. An attorney representing Brown at the arraignment was unavailable for comment after the hearing. He declined to give his name. Culled from FOXNEWS

Amputee Pistorius selected for Olympics in 4x400

Double-amputee runner Oscar Pistorius is going to the London Olympics after being selected for South Africa's 1,600-meter relay team. Pistorius is set to become the first amputee track athlete to compete at the games after South Africa's Olympic committee picked him Wednesday as one of 13 athletes on the team initially selected last month. "Today is really on of the happiest days of my life! Will be in (at)London2012 for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games!" the multiple Paralympic champion said on Twitter. "Thank you to everyone that has made me the athlete I am! God, family and friends, my competitors and supporters! You have all had a hand!" Pistorius was selected alongside Willem de Beer, Ofentse Mogawane and Shaun de Jager for the 4x400 race. Culled from YAHOONEWS

25yr old lesbian jailed 9yrs for killing lover

Johnston

............... A mother who stabbed her lover to death after she was taunted for being a "mummy's girl" has been jailed for nine years. Shazia Johnston was found guilty last month of stabbing a knife into the heart of Lisa Ann Quigley, 30, at her Kirkcaldy home on 11 October 2011.

Quigley

............................................... Johnston was convicted of culpable homicide while under provocation. She had been accused of murder, but was found guilty of the lesser charge after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow. Johnston said she lashed out to stop an attack on her and her toddler son, but she had no injuries. The court was told during the trial that the couple had a turbulent relationship, including claims that Miss Quigley thought Johnston was cheating on her with men. Johnston also disposed of the knife she used to kill Miss Quigley and it was never found. She was found guilty of concealing the knife she used to kill Miss Quigley. Johnston was jailed for eight years for the killing and a further year for concealing the knife. On Thursday at the High Court in Glasgow temporary judge John Beckett QC told 25-year-old Johnston that she had carried out "a callous and calculated" act. udge Beckett added: "At the age of 30 Lisa Quigley lost her life at your hands. "I accept the behaviour of Miss Quigley was difficult that day. "She may have pulled your hair and made threatening gestures with a knife towards you. "However, this was a very violent killing. "You stabbed her through the heart and she bleed to death. She had defensive injuries to her hands and legs which suggest she was sitting down when she was attacked. "As she lay dying you waited 12 minutes before calling an ambulance. "Her injuries were such that they were not survivable, but you did not know that." Solicitor advocate Gordon Martin, defending, said: "Miss Johnston and Miss Quigley were clearly in love, but their relationship was mutually destructive. "She has asked me to express her regret for what happened." Culled from BBC

Murderer escapes from Pentonville prison by climbing wall

Massey

Convicted murderer John Massey, who has escaped from Pentonville prison in north London, climbed the wall using a makeshift rope. Prison sources say Massey, 64, was not spotted in time. Massey - serving life for a 1975 pub murder - was reported missing at 18:30 BST on Wednesday. Police say he should not be approached. The Ministry of Justice has launched an investigation into the escape. Massey - one of the UK's longest-serving prisoners - was convicted of shooting dead a man with a sawn-off shotgun in Hackney. The escape is deeply embarrassing for the prison authorities and will inevitably raise questions about prison security. It is highly unusual for inmates to escape from within the confines of a closed prison such as Pentonville, our correspondent adds. There have been only three such escapes in the past three years in England and Wales. Police want anyone who spots Massey to call 999. Massey was released on parole in June 2007 - after spending the previous 18 months in an open prison on Derbyshire - and ordered to live in a bail hostel in Streatham, south London. But he broke his curfew after a few months to go and live with his dying father and, after a number of days, was recalled to prison. After two-and-half years, he was decategorised and sent to Ford open jail, in west Sussex, from where he absconded. He was arrested 10 months later and taken to Pentonville before Wednesday's escape. Up to 1,250 category B and C male prisoners - not the most serious category A offenders - are housed at Pentonville. Category B prisoners are defined as those "for whom the very highest conditions of security are not necessary but for whom escape must be made very difficult". Category C prisoners are defined as those "who cannot be trusted in open conditions, but who do not have the resources and will to make a determined escape attempt.". Conditions at Pentonville prison, which was built in 1842, have been heavily criticised by inspectors. In March 2009, convicted arsonist Julien Chautard spent minutes inside Pentonville before he escaped by clinging to the underside of the security van he had arrived in. He later handed himself in to police. Culled from BBC

Flood kills 76 in Southern Bangladesh

Landslides and floods caused by heavy monsoon rains killed at least 76 people in southern Bangladesh and rescuers were searching Wednesday for more missing, officials said. Three days of rain had hit the region of small hills and forests, and huge chunks of earth and mud buried flimsy huts where families were sleeping late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Many homeless people live at the foot of the hills or close to them despite warnings from authorities. Monsoon floods are common in Bangladesh, a delta nation of 160 million people. Many of the dead were women and children, and the death toll is likely to rise as rescuers are searching for several missing people, officials said. Volunteers using loudspeakers had warned people about the danger of landslides during the recent rains, said Jaynul Bari, a government administrator in one of the stricken areas, Cox's Bazar district. The floods inundated dozens of villages and were disrupting communications in the region. The bodies of 32 adults and children have been recovered in Bandarban district, said K.M. Tariqul Islam, the chief government administrator in the area that is 248 kilometers (155 miles) southeast of the capital, Dhaka. Another 34 people died, most of them in landslides, in neighboring Cox's Bazar. Bari said 23 bodies were recovered from the debris of mostly mud-and-straw huts in the remote Ukhia region and another 11 people drowned in floodwaters. About 200 displaced people were ferried to school buildings on high ground, Bari said. In Chittagong, another district in the region, the bodies of 10 people whose houses were buried in landslides have been recovered, fire official Jasim Udddin said. An airport in Chittagong was closed for hours Tuesday after floodwater swamped its runway, officials said. It reopened Wednesday after rains stopped. Culled from YAHOONEWS

Assailants attack Microsoft offices in Athens

Assailants attacked the offices of Microsoft in Athens early Wednesday, driving a van through the front doors and setting off an incendiary device that burned the building entrance, police said. There were no reports of injuries in the pre-dawn attack on the U.S. company's headquarters in the Greek capital, located in the Maroussi suburb north of the city center. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Authorities said no warning call had been made before the attack. Greece has experienced attacks by several small armed anarchist or domestic terrorist groups for decades, which usually target official buildings, banks or symbols of state power with small bombs or incendiary devices. The attacks usually occur late at night and rarely cause injuries. Police said initial information indicated three people had been inside the van. They forced the two security guards at the building to leave before they reversed the van into the front entrance, smashing the door. The two security guards were giving testimony to police. The assailants then triggered an incendiary device inside the van that police said appeared to have consisted of camping gas canisters and several containers of gasoline. Police forensic teams examined the burned-out van, which was still outside the blackened entrance later Monday morning. Although they have died down over the past year, attacks had spiked following the fatal police shooting of a teenager in Athens in December 2008 that led to widespread riots across the country. One group that had appeared in the aftermath of the rioting had set itself apart by claiming responsibility for shooting dead an anti-terrorism police officer in central Athens in 2009 and a journalist in 2010. Culled from FOXNEWS

Russian mom throws 2 sons off 15th floor balcony

Ryabkova

. A Russian mother told witnesses she threw her two young sons to their deaths from a 15th-floor balcony because she was "fed up" with them, RT News reported Monday. Galina Ryabkova, 30, allegedly tossed her sons, ages 4 and 7, from the Moscow apartment building where she lived with her husband. Ryabkova reportedly later told witnesses she was "fed up with children" and "decided to get rid of them." Stunned neighbors were alerted to the horrific incident when they heard the thump of the children's bodies hitting the ground. "I was standing near the window and heard a loud smack," resident Tatiana Gumanyova told Life News. "I did not pay attention, [and] thought that the child just stumbled and fell. But then I heard one more smack." Another unnamed resident said, "My wife woke me up and said that there were children falling out. We ran out and saw two children lying on the ground in front of the main door. Just at that time their mother was leaving the building. We asked her if these were her children and she replied, emotionlessly, 'Yes, I threw them away.'" Ryabkova was said to be calm before police arrived, although she resisted slightly when they arrested her. She later told investigators that her children were now "angels in heaven," RIA Novosti reported. Investigations are continuing. Culled from THE INDEPENDENT

Torrential rains kill 16 in China

Torrential rains have killed at least 16 people and affected 1.5 million people in southern and northern parts of China, state media said.The official Xinhua News Agency said that the heavy rains over the past three days had wiped out crops in the southern Guangxi region. More than 730,000 people were affected in the southern province of Jiangxi, where there were landslides. The rains also affected the adjacent manufacturing powerhouse province of Guangdong. One resident of Hezhou died in hospital after suffering serious injuries during a landslide, while another was crushed to death during a house collapse, local officials said. Xinhua quoted a local government official as saying that economic losses so far were £13m, and that water levels in 10 reservoirs and several major rivers had risen above warning levels. Precipitation in some areas could total as much as 160mm, according to the National Meteorological Centre. Floods caused by the rainstorms have hit areas of Inner Mongolia in the north of China, Xinhua said. Culled from SKYNEWS

Mainstreet Bank sacks 800 workers in Nigeria

THE management of Mainstreet Bank Plc, formerly Afribank Plc, Friday, sacked no fewer than 800 workers despite the Federal Government’s directive to the management of the bank and organised labour to maintain status quo pending resolution of labour issues between the management and labour. It was gathered that the sack came few days after the Federal Government through the Ministry of Labour and Productivity at a meeting in Abuja with the organised labour and management of the bank on the outstanding gratuity of staff of the defunct Afribank Nigeria Plc. Meanwhile, organised labour, yesterday, asked the management of the bank to immediately reverse the termination or labour and its allies would shut down its operations nationwide, describing the management’s action as illegal and unprocedural. Our Correspondent gathered that of the 800 affected staff, over 650 were members of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, affiliated to the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, while the rest were members of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Employees, NUBIFIE, affiliated to Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC. It was also gathered that the management just locked the affected workers out of the bank’s network, denied them access to their offices and asked them to wait for their termination letters through their email boxes. Labour demands immediate reversal Organised labour described the management’s action as unprocedural, illegal, and anti-labour, demanding immediate reversal or all the bank’s operations nationwide would be shut by labour and its allies. At a briefing, yesterday, Secretary-General of TUC, Chief John Kolawole, said: “The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) views this act of Management of Mainstreet Bank Ltd as the height of provocation and lawlessness which is condemnable. Consequently, TUC unequivocally states and demands the reversal of these terminations and other anti-labour acts immediately, failing which TUC will mobilise all its affiliates, allies and resources to shut down completely the operations of the bank nationwide.” He added “We are therefore appealing to all well-meaning Nigerians, Hon. Minister of Labour and Productivity, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Director-General, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Cooperation (NDIC), The Managing Director, Asset Management Company of Nigeria(AMCON), Acting Inspector General of Police to prevail on the Management of the Bank before the bubble bursts.” Culled from VANGUARD

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