AP Exclusive: Soldier’s father says he warned Army of plot by troops to kill Afghan civilians

Soldier’s father: Army was warned of murder plot

SEATTLE – The father of a U.S. soldier serving in Afghanistan tells The Associated Press he tried to warn the Army that troops in his son’s unit had killed civilians.
By the time suspects were arrested in May, two more Afghans were dead.
Christopher Winfield says his son Adam was …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Man killed by police in Vancouver, Wash., was Iraq veteran

Man killed by Vancouver police was Iraq veteran

VANCOUVER, Wash. – A 22-year-old man fatally shot by Vancouver police was an Oregon Army National Guard soldier who served 12 months in Iraq, a National Guard spokesman confirms.
Spc. Nikkolas W. Lookabill deployed in May 2009 as a member of the 41st Infantry Brigade after joining the guard …. Source article  : Man killed by police in Vancouver, Wash., was Iraq veteran.

Taliban close to victory, says Mullah Omar

LONDON – The victory of the Taliban over US-led forces in Afghanistan is imminent, the group’s elusive chief Mullah Omar has said in a rare statement.

BBC Thursday quoted the one-eyed guerrilla leader as saying that the Taliban was winning because the Western military campaign aimed at snuffing out the militia had been “a complete failure”. … Read more >>>.

Chinese anti-corruption official sentenced to death for taking $1 million in bribes

China anti-corruption boss sentenced to death

BEIJING – A Chinese court has sentenced a top provincial official responsible for rooting out corruption to death for accepting more than $1 million in bribes.
The official Xinhua News Agency said Thursday that 62-year-old Wang Huayuan was sentenced by a court in eastern Shandong province for abusing his position. Wang …. Source article  : Chinese anti-corruption official sentenced to death for taking $1 million in bribes.

Fla. gov. concerned about safety if minister holds Quran burn on Sept. 11 at his small church

Safety concern for Fla. gov. over 9/11 Quran burn
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida’s governor is concerned about safety at home and around the world, a feeling shared by national and world leaders, over a plan by the head of a small church to burn copies of Islam’s holiest text to mark the 9/11 terrorist … Read more »».

Report: officer who shot knife-wielding man involved in 2 previous on-duty shootings

Report: officer involved in previous shootings

LOS ANGELES – The police officer who shot and killed a knife-wielding man whose death has sparked three days of violent protests in Los Angeles had been involved in two previous shootings while on duty, according to a media report.
The story on the Los Angeles Times website came as hundreds …. Original article  : Report: officer who shot knife-wielding man involved in 2 previous on-duty shootings.

Pakistan landmine blast kills 10

ISLAMABAD – At least 10 people were killed and eight injured Thursday morning as a passenger van struck a landmine in northwest Pakistan’s Kurram tribal area.

All the injured have been shifted to a hospital in the area, Xinhua reported.
No group has claimed responsibility for the blast.
Local TV channels reported that the landmine … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Pakistan landmine blast kills 10.

Los Angeles Lakers G Matt Barnes arrested in Sacramento on suspicion of domestic violence

Lakers’ Barnes booked on domestic violence charge

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes has been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, Sacramento County authorities said Wednesday.
Deputies arrested Barnes after responding to what was termed an incomplete 911 call from a residence around 4:16 p.m., according to sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran.
Deputies found Barnes …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Los Angeles Lakers G Matt Barnes arrested in Sacramento on suspicion of domestic violence.

Blind Chinese activist lawyer released from prison but promptly locked down in rural village

China’s blind activist lawyer released from prison

DONGSHIGU VILLAGE, China – A blind, self-taught activist lawyer who documented forced abortions and other abuses was released from a Chinese prison Thursday and promptly locked down in his rural village with no access to communication, a relative said.
Chen Guangcheng, 39, is a charismatic, inspirational figure for civil liberties …. Original source  : Blind Chinese activist lawyer released from prison but promptly locked down in rural village.

Another Mexican mayor slain; Clinton angers Mexico by comparing it to Colombia decades ago

3rd Mexican mayor in month slain by hit men

MEXICO CITY – The third Mexican mayor in a month was slain by suspected drug gang hitmen on the same day the U.S. secretary of state raised hackles in Mexico by saying the country is “looking more and more like Colombia looked 20 years ago.”
Hillary Rodham Clinton …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

We are close to victory in Afghanistan: Mullah Omar

LONDON – Taliban guerrillas are winning in Afghanistan because the NATO-led campaign has been “a complete failure”, elusive rebel chief Mullah Omar has said in a rare statement.

Mullah Omar, who is thought to be the spiritual head of the Taliban in Afghanistan, categorically told US President Barack Obama to withdraw the troops “unconditionally and as … Original article on : We are close to victory in Afghanistan: Mullah Omar.

Bail set at $1 million for head of Calif. company accused of trafficking Thai workers

$1M bail ordered in human trafficking case

HONOLULU – A federal judge set bail at $1 million Wednesday for the CEO of a labor recruiting company accused of exploiting 400 workers from Thailand and forcing them to work on U.S. farms.
Mordechai Orian, head of Los Angeles-based Global Horizons Manpower Inc., was ordered to be held in …. Read the original article  : Bail set at $1 million for head of Calif. company accused of trafficking Thai workers.

20 Mizoram militants surrender with arms

AGARTALA – Twenty separatist militants of the Bru Liberation Front of Mizoram (BLFM) outfit surrendered to the para-military Assam Rifles, police said here Thursday.

Formed in 2003, the BLFM, a separatist outfit of minority Reang tribals locally called Bru, was active in Mizoram and southern Assam, neighbouring northern Tripura.
“The militants led by their commandant Apit …. Original article  : 20 Mizoram militants surrender with arms.

Contrasting views of Ore. Islamic charity founder offered in closing arguments

Ore. Islamic charity trial goes to jury
EUGENE, Ore. – As the trial of a man accused of using an Oregon Islamic charity to smuggle money to Muslim fighters in Chechnya draws to a close, both sides have told federal court jurors their job is to determine the man’s intent when he failed to disclose about …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Contrasting views of Ore. Islamic charity founder offered in closing arguments.

Maoists set ablaze BJP leader’s house in Bihar

PATNA – Maoists Thursday set on fire the house of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Bihar’s Gaya district, police said.

Over two dozen armed rebels set ablaze BJP leader Dhanraj Sharma’s house near Imamganj in Gaya, about 100 km from here. Sharma was not present in the house when the incident took place.
Police … Original article on : Maoists set ablaze BJP leader’s house in Bihar.

LA police chief booed at community meeting, reads witness statement to angry crowd

LA police chief booed at community meeting

LOS ANGELES – Police Chief Charlie Beck was greeted with boos, whistles and chants of “justicia” by an angry crowd at a community meeting Wednesday intended to quell violence that erupted over the past two nights after police fatally shot a knife-wielding man.
A crowd of more than 300 packed … Read more »».

LA police chief greeted by boos at community meeting, reads witness statement to angry crowd.

LA police chief greeted by boos at meeting

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck has been greeted by boos, whistles and chants of “justicia!” by an angry crowd at a community meeting intended to calm residents after the fatal police shooting of a knife-wielding man.
About 300 people are at the meeting at a [..] Read the original article: here.

Man found guilty of kidnapping, burning California woman to death over pound of pot

Man convicted of torching Calif. woman over drugs

MERCED, Calif. – One of four men accused of kidnapping and burning a California woman to death over a pound of pot has been found guilty of murder.
A Merced County jury found 27-year-old Luis Alberto Valencia guilty Tuesday of first-degree murder with special circumstances for torture, kidnapping and … Read : Man found guilty of kidnapping, burning California woman to death over pound of pot.

Mexican mayor killed, marines arrest 7 suspects in massacre of 72 migrants

Mexican mayor killed, massacre suspects arrested

MEXICO CITY – Hooded gunmen killed the mayor of a small town in the northern Mexico state of San Luis Potosi on Wednesday, and prosecutors announced the arrest of seven suspects in the massacre of 72 migrants in August.
President Felipe Calderon’s office issued a statement saying he “energetically condemned” the …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Mexican mayor killed, marines arrest 7 suspects in massacre of 72 migrants.

Case of man accused of using Islamic charity to smuggle cash to fighters goes to Ore. jury

Islamic charity trial goes to Oregon jury
EUGENE, Ore. – A jury will have to determine whether a man’s failure to disclose $150,000 on federal tax forms was an effort to smuggle money to Muslim fighters in Chechnya or just an oversight by an accountant.

Prosecutors told federal court jurors during closing arguments Wednesday that Pete Seda …. Read the original article  : Case of man accused of using Islamic charity to smuggle cash to fighters goes to Ore. jury.