LeT commander killed in Kashmir gunfight

SRINAGAR – A Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander has been killed by security forces in a gunfight in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, police said Monday.

“Acting on specific information about an LeT commander hiding in a house in Gurura village, security forces were moved out Sunday morning to cordon off the area,” a senior police officer told … Read more >>>.

Defense in Blagojevich trial to begin; lawyers for ousted governor’s brother to go first

Defense to start in trial of Blagojevich brothers
CHICAGO – Rod Blagojevich’s brother, a year older than the ousted Illinois governor, will go first again this week as their separate attorneys start presenting their defenses to charges that the two schemed to sell a U.S. Senate seat.
Robert Blagojevich maintains he did nothing wrong in …. Source article  : Defense in Blagojevich trial to begin; lawyers for ousted governor’s brother to go first.

In remarkable turnaround, Georgia softens one of the nation’s toughest sex offender laws

Ga. softens once lauded strict sex offender law

ATLANTA – Georgia was lauded four years ago by conservatives for passing one of the nation’s toughest sex offender laws. But the state has had to significantly – and without fanfare – scale back its once-intense restrictions.
Georgia’s old law was challenged by civil liberties groups even before it …. Source article  : In remarkable turnaround, Georgia softens one of the nation’s toughest sex offender laws.

EMT accused of ignoring a dying pregnant woman during his break is killed near NYC nightclub

EMT accused of ignoring dying NYC woman is killed

NEW YORK – An emergency medical technician accused of refusing to help a dying pregnant woman while on his coffee break has been shot and killed near a New York City nightclub.
Police say Jason Green was shot in the face near Manhattan’s Greenhouse club Sunday morning. Green …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : EMT accused of ignoring a dying pregnant woman during his break is killed near NYC nightclub.

Low-key ceremony marks anniversary of assassination of Myanmar’s founding father Gen. Aung San

Ceremony for Myanmar’s assassinated Gen. Aung San

YANGON, Myanmar – Myanmar held a low-key ceremony Monday to mark the anniversary of the 1947 assassination of independence hero Gen. Aung San – father of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest, did not attend the Martyr’s Day event, which marks the …. Source  : Low-key ceremony marks anniversary of assassination of Myanmar’s founding father Gen. Aung San.

Dhaka slaps four cases against Indian militant

DHAKA – Bangladesh authorities have slapped four cases against Indian militant Ranjan Chowdhury and his associate whose arrest was announced Saturday.

A court in Kishoreganj in northeastern region remanded the two men, who belong to the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), to three days’s custody of the paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
The cases have … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Dhaka slaps four cases against Indian militant.

Singapore arrests British writer of death penalty book in defamation probe

Singapore arrests British writer for defamation

SINGAPORE – Singaporean police said Monday they arrested a British author as part of a criminal defamation investigation related to his book on the city-state’s death penalty policy.
Alan Shadrake, 75, was in Singapore to promote the book and was arrested Sunday, police said in a statement.
He hosted an event the …. Read the original article  : Singapore arrests British writer of death penalty book in defamation probe.

Police: Armed man hospitalized after traffic stop turns into shootout on Oakland freeway

Suspect hospitalized in Oakland freeway shootout

OAKLAND, Calif. – A convicted felon armed with three guns and wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire on California Highway Patrol officers for several minutes during a traffic stop on an Oakland freeway Sunday before he was shot several times and wounded, authorities said.
Byron Christopher Williams, 45, of Groveland was … Read more : Police: Armed man hospitalized after traffic stop turns into shootout on Oakland freeway.

Police: Man found dead at Washington state home of suspect wanted in attack that killed woman

Body found at Washington home of homicide suspect

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – A SWAT team searching for the suspect in an early Sunday morning attack that left a woman dead and her 9-year-old son on life support found him dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.
Detectives said the body of 39-year-old Jan R. Demeerleer … Read : Police: Man found dead at Washington state home of suspect wanted in attack that killed woman.

Inmates flee after blast in Afghan jail

KABUL – At least 19 inmates escaped after a bomb went off at the main gate of a prison in western Afghanistan Sunday, officials said.

The blast occurred around 3 a.m. at the prison in Farah province, which holds 400 inmates, provincial police chief Faqir Askar said.
Eight were rearrested later, but 11 are still … Original source on Gaea Times at : Inmates flee after blast in Afghan jail.

Investigators: Argument caused shooting at Wash. state park that left 2 dead, 4 wounded

Argument led to deadly Wash. state park shooting

SEATTLE – A shooting at a state park near Seattle that left two dead and four wounded stemmed from an argument between two groups, one of which was celebrating a birthday party, investigators said Sunday.
King County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Urquhart said killed in the shooting Saturday night at … Original article on : Investigators: Argument caused shooting at Wash. state park that left 2 dead, 4 wounded.

Law enforcers on alert for feuds in Caribbean’s drug underworld after reputed kingpin’s arrest

Puerto Rico on alert after drug fugitive’s arrest

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – With the Caribbean’s biggest reputed drug lord back behind bars, law enforcement authorities in the region are on alert for potential bloody feuds among rivals and lieutenants trying to take his place.
The Saturday capture of Jose Figueroa Agosto in Puerto Rico’s capital after …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Law enforcers on alert for feuds in Caribbean’s drug underworld after reputed kingpin’s arrest.

Investigators: Shooting at Wash. state park that left 2 dead, 4 wounded stemmed from argument

Shooting at Wash. state park stemmed from argument

SEATTLE – Investigators say a shooting at a state park near Seattle that left two dead and four wounded stemmed from an argument between two groups of people, one of which was celebrating a birthday party.
King County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Uruquhart said Sunday the two people killed during …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Investigators: Shooting at Wash. state park that left 2 dead, 4 wounded stemmed from argument.

Gunmen storm party of young people in northern Mexico, officials say 17 slain

Officials say gunmen kill 17 at party in Mexico

PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico – Gunmen stormed a party in northern Mexico on Sunday and massacred 17 people, authorities said.
The assailants arrived at the gathering in the city of Torreon in several cars and opened fire without saying a word, the Coahuila state Attorney General’s Office said in …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Gunmen storm party of young people in northern Mexico, officials say 17 slain.

A duel of wits and wills: Blagojevich likely to take the stand at corruption trial this week

Ex-Gov. Blagojevich likely to testify this week
CHICAGO – After promising for a year and a half to take the witness stand, Rod Blagojevich is likely to testify in his own defense at his federal corruption trial this week in a long-awaited duel of wits and wills with federal prosecutors.
Unlike in his TV interviews, …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Pink Panthers, elusive jewel thieves who rob but never kill, on way to becoming legend

Balkan Pink Panthers stuff of local legend

CETINJE, Montenegro – Their nickname comes straight from Peter Sellers and Inspector Clouseau, but there’s nothing bumbling about them.
In heists from London to Paris to Tokyo, the crime ring that Interpol calls the Pink Panthers is thought to have netted a quarter billion dollars in jewelry and luxury watches. … Read more : Pink Panthers, elusive jewel thieves who rob but never kill, on way to becoming legend.

Clinton pushes greater Afghanistan-Pakistan cooperation on trade, fight against extremists

Clinton seeks more Pakistan-Afghan cooperation
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan and Afghanistan sealed a landmark trade deal Sunday as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton pushed the two neighbors to step up civilian cooperation and work together against al-Qaida and the Taliban.
Shortly after kicking off a South Asia trip aimed at refining the goals of … Original article on : Clinton pushes greater Afghanistan-Pakistan cooperation on trade, fight against extremists.

Police: Suspect sought after woman killed, 2 sons hurt in attack at Washington state home

Police: Mom killed, 2 sons hurt in Wash. attack

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – Authorities on Sunday were looking for a man who they allege killed a woman and left one of her sons on life support and another with serious injuries after attacking them at their eastern Washington home.
Spokane Valley police said the suspect, 39-year-old Jan … Read more : Police: Suspect sought after woman killed, 2 sons hurt in attack at Washington state home.

Tariq Aziz, ex-regime members back in Iraqi court after leaving US custody, says official

Tariq Aziz back in Iraqi court, says official

BAGHDAD – Former Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz and several other members of Saddam Hussein’s regime appeared in court Sunday just days after their handover from the U.S. to Iraqi custody, an Iraqi official said.
Deputy Justice Minister Busho Ibrahim said Aziz, 74, and the other members of the …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Tariq Aziz, ex-regime members back in Iraqi court after leaving US custody, says official.

Authorities: Mother dead, 2 sons hurt in domestic attack in Wash. state; suspect at large

1 dead, 2 sons hurt in Wash. domestic attack

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – A woman is dead, one of her sons is on life support, and another son has serious injuries after what police are calling a deadly domestic violence situation at an eastern Washington home.
Spokane Valley police say the suspect, 39-year-old Jan R. Demeerleer, remains …. Source article  : Authorities: Mother dead, 2 sons hurt in domestic attack in Wash. state; suspect at large.