China court hears secrets charges against Rio Tinto executive, 3 others; bribes case wraps up

Rio Tinto exec facing commercial secrets charges

SHANGHAI – Four Rio Tinto employees were standing trial Tuesday in a closed Shanghai court session on politically sensitive charges of stealing commercial secrets after earlier pleading guilty to taking bribes.
Australian executive Stern Hu and three Chinese coworkers have been detained since last July in a case many thought … Read more >>>.

AP Top News at 4:42 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 4:42 a.m. EDT
Obama to sign health bill, celebrate with allies
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama’s yearlong health care overhaul drama featured dozens of speeches, contentious debate and a televised summit with lawmakers before a divided Congress passed the bill. An elaborate White House signing ceremony kicks off the next act: … Read more : AP Top News at 4:42 a.m. EDT.

Spain raises terrorism alert level after killing blamed on Basque separatist group ETA

Spain raises terrorism alert level
MADRID – Spain has raised its terrorism alert level after Basque separatists were blamed for killing a policeman in France last week.

The Interior Ministry says the level is being raised from a “low intensity” alert to “high intensity” within stage 2 of the four-stage alert scale.
It cited “recent events and available …. Original article  : Spain raises terrorism alert level after killing blamed on Basque separatist group ETA.

AP Top News at 4:00 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 4:00 a.m. EDT
Obama to sign health bill, celebrate with allies
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama’s yearlong health care overhaul drama featured dozens of speeches, contentious debate and a televised summit with lawmakers before a divided Congress passed the bill. An elaborate White House signing ceremony kicks off the next act: …. Original source  : AP Top News at 4:00 a.m. EDT.

AP Top News at 3:53 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 3:53 a.m. EDT
Obama to sign health bill, celebrate with allies
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama’s yearlong health care overhaul drama featured dozens of speeches, contentious debate and a televised summit with lawmakers before a divided Congress passed the bill. An elaborate White House signing ceremony kicks off the next act: … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : AP Top News at 3:53 a.m. EDT.

AP Top News at 3:52 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 3:52 a.m. EDT
Obama to sign health bill, celebrate with allies
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama’s yearlong health care overhaul drama featured dozens of speeches, contentious debate and a televised summit with lawmakers before a divided Congress passed the bill. An elaborate White House signing ceremony kicks off the next act: …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

AP Top News at 3:35 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 3:35 a.m. EDT
Obama to sign health bill, celebrate with allies
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama’s yearlong health care overhaul drama featured dozens of speeches, contentious debate and a televised summit with lawmakers before a divided Congress passed the bill. An elaborate White House signing ceremony kicks off the next act: … Read this article on Gaea Times at : AP Top News at 3:35 a.m. EDT.

Documents: Michael Jackson employee describes scene in bedroom as singer lay dying

Witness: Michael Jackson doctor interrupted CPR

LOS ANGELES – The man who called 911 as Michael Jackson lay dying in his rented mansion told police he was stunned by what he saw in the singer’s bedroom.
Alberto Alvarez, who worked as Jackson’s logistics director, told investigators that after receiving a distress call from another worker June 25, …. Read the original article  : Documents: Michael Jackson employee describes scene in bedroom as singer lay dying.

AP Exclusive: Sources say charges eyed for Blackwater’s ex-president, others in NC gun case

AP Exclusive: Charges eyed for ex-Blackwater chief

WASHINGTON – Federal prosecutors are considering filing weapons charges against former top officials of the Blackwater Worldwide private security company over allegations they illegally stockpiled automatic rifles at the company’s North Carolina headquarters, The Associated Press has learned.
Senior Justice Department officials are reviewing a draft indictment against former president … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : AP Exclusive: Sources say charges eyed for Blackwater’s ex-president, others in NC gun case.

AP Exclusive: Sources: Charges eyed for Blackwater’s ex-president, others in NC gun case

AP Exclusive: Sources: Charges eyed for Blackwater

WASHINGTON – Federal prosecutors are considering filing weapons charges against former top officials of the Blackwater Worldwide private security company over allegations they illegally stockpiled automatic rifles at the company’s North Carolina headquarters, The Associated Press has learned.
Senior Justice Department officials are reviewing a draft indictment against former president …. Original source  : AP Exclusive: Sources: Charges eyed for Blackwater’s ex-president, others in NC gun case.

Clinton, Gates, other top US officials head to Mexico with drug war on the agenda

Clinton, officials to Mexico for talks on drug war
MEXICO CITY – Almost a year after President Barack Obama promised to be a “full partner” with Mexico in its battle against drug cartels, a team of U.S. Cabinet secretaries and other top advisers will look for ways to help Mexico strengthen its [..] Read the original article: here.

2 men charged with murder, arson in case of 5 New Jersey teenage boys missing since 1978

2 charged with murder of 5 teens missing since ‘78

NEWARK, N.J. – Two men have been charged with the murders of five teenage boys who were last seen together on a busy street more than 30 years ago.
The men, whose names haven’t been released, were also charged with arson, the Essex County prosecutor’s office said … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 2 men charged with murder, arson in case of 5 New Jersey teenage boys missing since 1978.

Man who shot and wounded 3 at Phoenix college in 2008 pleads guilty to aggravated assault

Man pleads guilty in 2008 Phoenix college shooting

PHOENIX – A former student who shot and wounded three people at a Phoenix community college in 2008 has pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault.
Maricopa County prosecutors say 24-year-old Rodney Eugene Smith Jr. entered into a plea deal Monday. He faces a sentence ranging from probation [..] Read the original article: here.

Knife-wielding man stabs and kills 8 students at a school in eastern China; 5 others hurt

Man stabs and kills 8 students in eastern China

BEIJING – A former doctor armed with a large knife killed eight children and injured five others Tuesday at an elementary school in eastern China, a local official said.
The assailant was arrested after the 7:20 a.m. attack, Xinhua News Agency said. He is a former community clinic …. Source article  : Knife-wielding man stabs and kills 8 students at a school in eastern China; 5 others hurt.

ACLU wants Los Angeles police to examine policies following shooting of unarmed autistic man

ACLU ‘disturbed’ by Los Angeles police shooting

LOS ANGELES – A fatal weekend police shooting of an unarmed man who family members say was autistic prompted the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California on Monday to urge the Los Angeles Police Department to re-examine its policies.
Steven Eugene Washington was shot by gang enforcement officers Allan … Read more »».

Chavez opponent arrested for on-air remarks calling Venezuela a drug haven

Chavez foe arrested over drug haven comment

CARACAS, Venezuela – An outspoken opponent of President Hugo Chavez said Monday that police have taken him into custody while he awaits trial on conspiracy charges for saying Venezuela has become a haven for drug trafficking.
Former Zulia state Gov. Oswaldo Alvarez Paz, who has also been accused of spreading …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Suu Kyi’s party to sue Myanmar junta over election laws banning democracy leader from vote

Opposition to sue Myanmar junta over election laws

YANGON, Myanmar – Myanmar’s highest court Tuesday refused to accept a lawsuit by Aung San Suu Kyi’s political party seeking to revoke laws that bar the detained leader and other opposition members from taking part in the country’s first election in two decades.
Lawyer Kyi Win said the Supreme …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Suu Kyi’s party to sue Myanmar junta over election laws banning democracy leader from vote.

Federal appeals court upholds conviction of Pennsylvania man on terrorism charges

Pa. man’s terror conviction is upheld on appeal

SCRANTON, Pa. – An appeals court has upheld the conviction of a northeastern Pennsylvania man found guilty of trying to help al-Qaida terrorists blow up fuel pipelines and refineries in the United States.
The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says in an opinion filed Thursday that the issues [..] Read the original article: here.

Prosecutor: American doctor charged in Australian deaths wrongly removed patient’s bowel

US doctor on trial in Australian patient deaths

BRISBANE, Australia – An American doctor charged in the deaths of three patients wrongly removed a man’s bowel, dooming him to a life of pain and dependence on a colostomy bag, an Australian prosecutor said Tuesday.
Jayant Patel, 59, is being tried on three manslaughter charges and one count … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Prosecutor: American doctor charged in Australian deaths wrongly removed patient’s bowel.

Los Angeles-area medical marijuana clinic owner gets 6 years in prison in pot-profit scheme

Calif. pot clinic owner sentenced in profit scheme

LOS ANGELES – The former owner of six Los Angeles-area medical marijuana dispensaries, including one store linked to an accident that killed a motorist and paralyzed an officer, was sentenced Monday to six years in federal prison for selling pot for profit.
U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson said …. Original source  : Los Angeles-area medical marijuana clinic owner gets 6 years in prison in pot-profit scheme.