[FRANCE24] A post-mortem of Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who was found dead in his London mansion at the weekend, shows that he died by hanging and there were no signs of violent struggle, British police said on Monday. He hung himself and then went to take a bath?
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[5 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
"Curtains". Then there are shower "Curtains".
Posted by: George Clunk4883 ||
03/27/2013 0:07 Comments ||
Top||
[Al Ahram] The Islamist-led Shura Council (the upper house of Egypt's parliament, currently endowed with legislative powers) on Sunday gave preliminary approval -- by a hefty majority and with surprising speed -- to new legislation governing the activities of non-governmental organizations operating in Egypt.
The draft law was presented as an alternative to Law 84 of 2002, which makes Egypt's social affairs ministry responsible for licensing NGOs.
On Sunday, the law -- drafted by the council's human development committee -- was rammed through the council in only one hour. Committee chairman Abdel-Azim Mahmoud, a leading member of the Moslem Brüderbund's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), explained that the committee "decided to take the initiative and submit a new NGO law because the government has so far failed to draft one of its own."
The FJP's Essam El-Erian, Shura Council front man, stated on Sunday that the new NGO law "was drafted by FJP MPs in their capacity as MPs authorised to propose legislation in the Shura Council."
El-Erian rejected the government's argument that council members were not entitled by Article 101 of Egypt's constitution to propose laws. "The new constitution gives Shura members full legislative powers; we are not here simply to rubber-stamp laws from the government," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[6 views]
Top|| File under: Arab Spring
[FRANCE24] A Tunisian activist who was feared missing after posting topless photos of herself is safe and sound at home, her lawer said on Monday. Rumours of her disappearance had prompted a vast online solidarity campaign.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[8 views]
Top|| File under: Salafists
[Guardian Ng] NIGERIAN krazed killer Henry Okah who has been found guilty of 13 terrorism-related charges over twin boom-mobileings during the country's Independence Day in 2010 is to spend 24 years in jail.
The verdict was given Tuesday by a South African court.
At least 12 people were killed and 36 others injured during the bombings. Okah led a group, which said it was fighting to help Niger Delta residents gain a greater share of the oil wealth from their part of southern Nigeria.
According to a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report, the court established that Okah is the former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta ... a confederation of bands of bandidos portraying itself of a political organization grabbing for Nigeria's oil boodle ... (MEND).
He also received a 13-year jail term for threats made to the South African government after his arrest in October 2010 but this runs concurrently with his 24-year sentence.
The judge found that the state had proven Okah's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt because he didn't testify in his own defence during the trial.
He had repeatedly denied any involvement in the bombings.
Prosecutors have argued that although Okah is not a South African citizen, the country had the jurisdiction to try him under the International Co-operation in Criminal Matters Act.
Analysts believe it would have been too dangerous for him to be tried in Nigeria because of the presence of his krazed killer supporters.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[5 views]
Top|| File under:
[FRANCE24] Rwandan-born warlord Bosco Ntaganda pleaded not guilty at the International Criminal Court on Tuesday to charges of war crimes including rape, murder and the use of child soldiers during his time as a rebel leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[7 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
I did a double-take at Bosco. Brain processed it as Boscone.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
03/27/2013 4:39 Comments ||
Top||
#2
I once had a dog named Bosco.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
03/27/2013 7:19 Comments ||
Top||
[FRANCE24] Michel Djotodia, who seized power in the Central African Republic over the weekend, announced late on Monday that he would rule by decree, having dissolved parliament and suspended the constitution.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[5 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
But will anyone notice?
Or will things actually improve with only one person's hand in the till?
[An Nahar] The U.N. Security Council on Monday condemned the killing of South African troops in the rebel takeover in Central African Republic and said it was ready to take "further measures."
The 15-nation council joined calls by U.N. leader Ban Ki-Moon for action to be taken against groups responsible for killings and human rights ...which are often intentionally defined so widely as to be meaningless... abuses in the huge African nation whose president fled on Sunday.
"The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the recent attacks and the seizure of power" by the Seleka rebel coalition, said a statement released after emergency talks.
The Council would "monitor closely the situation and, if required, to consider further steps," said the statement which made no explicit threat of sanctions.
Seleka overran Bangui on Sunday forcing President Francois Bozize to flee and killing at least 13 South African troops in the battle for the capital.
Diplomats said a proposal by La Belle France and other council members to threaten tougher action was rebuffed.
The council slammed the "violence and looting" which led to "the deaths of and injuries to soldiers from the South Africa training contingent deployed in the Central African Republic at the request of the government."
The council said the Seleka rebels had "jeopardized the precarious stability in the Central African Republic" and breached a January 11 peace accord.
It called for an end to violence against civilians, "including foreign communities."
Council members said those responsible for rights violations, rapes and the recruitment of child soldiers "must be held accountable" and reaffirmed a warning that the International Criminal Court ... where Milosevich died of old age before being convicted ... could investigate.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[7 views]
Top|| File under:
This article reinforces one of the comments Joe Mendiola made yesterday that, "the longer any NE Asia conflict lasts, the more proficient/expert the "rusty" PLA will become".
[Wired] The ongoing trials of China's first aircraft carrier and her ship-based jet fighters represent a major leap ahead in capability for the People's Liberation Army Navy. But the hype surrounding Lioaning's debut test cruise last summer and the inaugural landing of her J-15 fighters in late November masks an important truth, one the world's other carrier powers have long known.
Developing a flattop and its planes is hard, requiring years of trial and error and no small amount of risk. And while China's ascent as a naval power might seem unstoppable, the saga of China's first seagoing fighter pilots proves otherwise. A lot of things can, have and will go wrong, casting into doubt whether Beijing will possess a truly useful carrier capability any time soon.
There have been at least three close calls involving the small force of experimental J-15s since the Chinese navy established its initial carrier aviation task force in late 2006. The accidents and near-accidents are detailed in a remarkable story published this week on the Chinese website Sina -- remarkable because Sina gets its information directly from state-run media outlets, which rarely cop to mistakes on the part of the mighty Chinese military.
At great risk to its pilots over a period of years, China had proved it could perform the basic functions of an aircraft carrier. Performing those functions routinely, and safely -- to say nothing of doing them under the stresses of actual combat -- is another matter. If the recent past is any indication, China still has a ways to go before its nominal carrier capability becomes a meaningful one.
#2
Given that the US started all this with prop driven planes and worked up to jets is it possible that the learning curve has gotten much steeper if you want to start here?
I've had a little experience where the concept of institutional knowledge was proven. The first class took a long time to learn, the next years class took less time, etc.
#3
I've always wondered, which came first the ability to land on a carrier or the carrier. You have to be able to land on the sucker before you can land on the sucker and a carrier is just a big piece of useless ocean if you can't land on it routinely and safely.
I wonder if the PRC is video taping training off San Diego and missed a few exercises...
As for night landings, not only no but HELL NO you are never going to get me to even freaking ride in a plane making a night carrier landing. Something about having big brass ones is what separates carrier jocks from normal humanity.
And paraphrasing the late great Henry Manny, "If you think Navy aviators are weird, just think how weird they would be if they WEREN'T Navy aviators".
I bet the PLA is not copping to a fraction of the carnage of trying to get their naval aviation program up and running. The numbers would give an Air Wing Commander a heart attack.
Posted by: Bill Clinton ||
03/27/2013 10:14 Comments ||
Top||
#4
Bill, my son went to college with a guy that became an F14 driver. Met him once about 15 years ago and he told some stories about night landings. Big brass ones and weird don't even scracth the surface and I knew a little about it cause my Uncle taught at Pensacola for WWII.
All I can say it that I'm glad they're on our side.
#5
which came first the ability to land on a carrier or the carrier
The carrier. There was a carrier of a sort during the US Civil war (launched observation balloons.) There were also ships, like cruisers, seaplane tenders and WWI-era towed craft that literally carried aircraft; landing was ashore or on the water to be retrieved by the vessel.
And yes - night landings are interesting. Did them pax-riding in a C-2 Greyhound. Take-offs were fun, too.
Also was in an auto-gyroed landing one night in a CH-46 - but that's another story.
#6
They should have started with some vtol fighters and seaplanes first. Harriers proved awesome in a dogfight, that's what they should be copying. Beyond that a lot of it is about your missiles.
Do the Chinese have mid-air refueling? That's another big thing. Something they could hvae been working on for decades but few countries actually bothered.
#7
Well if you can't land on a carrier what good is that big ole thing?
Anyone want to make an estimate of how many pilots they've killed and aircraft they've wrecked trying to get it done?
Too bad the idea of the PRC having a carrier air fleet scares everyone, NO ONE is going to help them learn...We had the Brits who developed a lot of the techniques and training to make it work...after all they figured out how to land a Corsair (F4U Gullwing, whispering death, Old Hosenose) on a carrier after our Navy AND the Marines had given up on the idea.
Posted by: Bill Clinton ||
03/27/2013 15:28 Comments ||
Top||
#8
We had the Brits who developed a lot of the techniques and training
That's true, but if we're talking about night landings, well now, that was an IJN thing. There's a Navy that might have retained a bit of institutional knowledge
#9
A friend recently retired from driving Navy search & rescue helicopters. He said his scariest flights were practice flights - PRACTICED in bad weather because that's what you had to be prepared for if needed.
#10
Presuming that no Sino-Nippon shooting war breaks out in the East China Sea - sorry, I meant "DPRK/NOKOR" + Nippon - the "DPRK" = Chinese seemingly want to use their new CV as a testbed for future PLAN Nuclear Carriers, USMC-style helo carriers [UK = Commando carrier], + NavTechs = New Technologies.
#11
Golly Shipman, thanks for that fact I didn't know the Imperial Japanese Navy developed the night carrier landing...I thought it was some dumb as a stump and twice as brave Swordfish driver overstaying his welcome over the North Atlantic.
Posted by: Bill Clinton ||
03/27/2013 23:40 Comments ||
Top||
[FRANCE24] Cyprus's finance minister has ordered banks to remain closed until Thursday despite a 10 billion bailout deal struck early Monday between President Nicos Anastasiades and international finance chiefs to prevent a collapse of the banking system.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[9 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
And when Thursday comes, then wat? This is has all the indications of being a rather giant klusterfok.
#2
Intehwesting - the initial E$13.0Bilyuhn bailout is now down to E$10.0Bilyuhn, while the 40% confiscation rate per large depositors is also down to 25%???
#3
Cyprus readies capital controls to avert bank run
And thus does it all end, not with a bang but a whimper. They've just got rid of all our dreams, everything we've worked for, everything we've achieved up until now, what our parents have achieved," said one student, named Thomas.
Outside the central bank, about 200 employees of the country's biggest commercial lender, the Bank of Cyprus, demanded the resignation of the central bank governor, Panicos Demetriades, chanting "Hands off Cyprus" and "Disgrace".
Dimos Dimosthenous, who has worked at the Bank of Cyprus for over 30 years, said: "The bank is being driven to closure.
"That will be the end. Our jobs, our rights, our welfare funds will be lost and Cyprus will be destroyed."
#6
That I believe is pistol Pete. I had an old postcard of him many years ago but older. As I recall he had long gray hair was tall, thin and raggedy. In the old days they had post cards. Model T's running along dirt country roads in scenic areas. They went everywhere with those cars. Into the hills with no roads like the four wheelers of today.
[FRANCE24] After Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez's death earlier this month, there was a bid by far-left politicians in the French capital to name a street after the late leader. The idea, however, was vetoed on Monday at a meeting of the Paris city council.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[8 views]
Top|| File under: Commies
#1
I think "AIDS street and Bubonic Plague street" are still ahead of ooogoo in line...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
03/27/2013 8:13 Comments ||
Top||
#2
How about a dead end street that's a sewer drain at the end?
Seems appropriate.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
03/27/2013 8:53 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Variety Paris Pols say Rue Oooogo a no go.
Tina Browns Current Whatever Paris Pols Say Rue Hugo Chavez a dead end
Berkeley Barb Street in Oakland to be named for Hugo Chavez
[Dawn] The Supreme Court of Pakistain's Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry ordered the Election Commission of Pakistain on Tuesday to take action against all fake degree-holding parliamentarians within two days, DawnNews reported.
A bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, resumed the hearing of the fake degree holders case.
During the hearing, the chief justice ordered the Election Commission of Pakistain to initiate action against all fake degree-holding parliamentarians and added that voters should have access to all the data pertaining to the candidates.
Secretary of Election Commission Ishtiaq Ahmed replied that the information of the candidates would be made available on the website.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[9 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
[Dawn] Pakistain Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Baby Bhutto Zardari ...Pak dynastic politician, son of Benazir Bhutto and grandon of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. As far as is known, Bilawal has no particular talents other than being pretty and being able to memorize political slogans, but he had the good luck to be born into the right family and he hasn't been assassinated yet... will not be leading the party's election campaign as party officials confirmed his departure for Dubai on Tuesday, days before the party launches its official campaign on April 4.
Speaking to Dawn.com, PPP leader Sharmila Farooqi confirmed that Bilawal had departed for Dubai. She also confirmed that the young Bhutto would not be 'physically' taking part in the party's election campaign; however, she cited "security concerns" as the reason behind the decision.
The news comes as the Press Trust of India reported that the PPP chairman had left after an argument with his father, President Asif Ali Ten Percent Zardari ... husband of the late Benazir Bhutto, who has been singularly lacking in curiosity about who done her in ... .
Hasham Riaz, Bilawal's chief of staff, while speaking to Dawn.com also confirmed that Bilawal had left for Dubai. However, there's no worse danger than telling a mother her baby is ugly... he dismissed reports of a rift between the father and son as "rumors".
According to the report by the Press Trust of India, the PPP chairman had a quarrel with President Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur over the party's stance on several importance issues including militancy, sectarianism and the awarding of party tickets for the upcoming general elections.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
[An Nahar] Communal riots in Myanmar have spread closer to the main city Yangon, police said Tuesday as the United States warned against traveling to parts of the country in the wake of unrest that has left 40 dead.
Fresh festivities broke out late on Monday in villages in the Bago region north of Yangon, police said, as the Buddhist-Moslem violence that has gripped areas further north rippled out towards the country's commercial hub.
"Police and soldiers had to control the festivities almost the whole night," a police officer who did not want to be named said of the violence in Bago, where two mosques and dozens of homes were reported to have been destroyed.
"Security forces are still watching the area closely as Moslem communities are staying in that region," he said, adding that there were no reports of casualties in the latest incident.
In a statement on its website, the U.S. Embassy in Yangon said the rioting "has resulted in strong feelings on many sides". It "strongly advised" citizens to avoid travel to the Mandalay region as well as to the Mingalar Market/Yuzana Plaza area of Yangon because of the risk of violence.
Police in the main city of Yangon have been instructed to be extra vigilant, a second police officer told Agence La Belle France Presse.
"Police in every township are on alert and ready in case something happens," he said, adding that some soldiers had also been on patrol in the former capital.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/27/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[7 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
As in India + ME "Arab/Islamic Springs" the Christians + other non-Muslims or non-Hindus will be caught in the middle???
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[FRANCE24] Rwandan-born warlord Bosco Ntaganda pleaded not guilty at the International Criminal Court on Tuesday to charges of war crimes including rape, murder and the use of child soldiers during his time as a rebel leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
[FRANCE24] Michel Djotodia, who seized power in the Central African Republic over the weekend, announced late on Monday that he would rule by decree, having dissolved parliament and suspended the constitution.
[An Nahar] The U.N. Security Council on Monday condemned the killing of South African troops in the rebel takeover in Central African Republic and said it was ready to take "further measures."
International Criminal Court
[FRANCE24] Cyprus's finance minister has ordered banks to remain closed until Thursday despite a 10 billion bailout deal struck early Monday between President Nicos Anastasiades and international finance chiefs to prevent a collapse of the banking system.
[Dawn] The Supreme Court of Pakistain's Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry ordered the Election Commission of Pakistain on Tuesday to take action against all fake degree-holding parliamentarians within two days, DawnNews reported.
President Asif Ali 
