Syrian forces attack Homs amid fears of new massacre

Syrian government forces have renewed their attack on the city of Homs, one of the focal points of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

Video published on the internet purportedly from Homs showed intermittent shelling and black smoke.
UN mediator Kofi Annan is concerned civilians have been trapped in Homs and al-Haffa, a town in Latakia province also said to be under attack.
The US says it fears the government may be planning "another massacre".
Mr Annan's spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi, said civilians had been trapped in both Homs and al-Haffa.
Mr Annan was demanding immediate entry to al-Haffa for UN military observers be allowed, he added.
As joint envoy for the UN and the Arab League, Mr Annan brokered a six-point peace plan, including a ceasefire which came into nominal effect two months ago but has now been virtually abandoned.

Ernestine Shepherd: The 75-year-old bodybuilding grandma

Ernestine Shepherd:

The world's oldest female bodybuilder wakes up every day at 02:30 to fit in a 10 mile (16km) run before hitting the gym.
But 75-year-old Ernestine Shepherd insists that "age is nothing but a number".
"Miss Ernie", as she is known in the world of competitive bodybuilding, began training at the tender age of 71.
She says her true calling in life, however, is helping others to follow a more healthy lifestyle.

England v West Indies: Tino Best makes history at Edgbaston

Tino Best struck the highest score by a Test number 11 as the West Indies all but ended England's chances of completing a series whitewash at Edgbaston.

Best smashed 95 in a thrilling last-wicket partnership of 143 with Denesh Ramdin, who scored 107 not out as the Windies took their first-innings total from an overnight 280-8 to 426.

England lost their top three batsmen cheaply before Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell steadied the ship with a fluent partnership of 137.

Pietersen was caught at slip off Marlon Samuels for 78 and Jonny Bairstow was clean bowled by Best for 18, but Bell remained unbeaten on 76 as England reached 221-5 at the close, still 205 behind.
With only one day's play remaining, and rain forecast, a draw seems inevitable, but thanks to the heroics of Best an otherwise forgettable Test will live long in the memory.
When the Windies lost their ninth wicket in the first over of the day, it appeared England would soon be setting about overhauling a total of less than 300.
He became the first number 11 to score a fifty against England since 1906, launching into an exuberant arm-wheeling celebration on reaching the mark.
He surpassed India paceman Zaheer Khan's record for a number 11 of 75 with a four over gully then hammered Tim Bresnan's next ball over the bowler's head for six.
Meanwhile Ramdin, dropped by Pietersen in the gully on 69, played watchfully at the other end before accelerating through the nineties to bring up his second Test century - and first for 22 innings - off 160 balls.

Spain, Italy draw tight Group C opener

Italy's Claudio Marchisio, second left, is tackled by Spain's Sergio Busquets, left, and Xabi Alonso.

Playing for a third straight major title, Spain had to rally for a 1-1 draw against Italy on Sunday at the European Championship.
Antonio Di Natale put Italy in front after an excellent setup from Andrea Pirlo in the 61st minute, but Cesc Fabregas equalized for the defending champions three minutes later by finishing off a dazzling display of Spain's trademark passing game.
Spain, which followed up its Euro 2008 victory with the 2010 World Cup title, dominated the Group C match for long stretches but struggled to finish at times, while Italy relied on dangerous counterattacks.
The draw ended a 14-match winning streak for Spain in competitive matches, which began after a 1-0 loss to Switzerland to open the last World Cup.
Spain pulled a surprise by starting with no recognized strikers in its lineup, with Fabregas at forward between David Silva and Andres Iniesta -- leaving Fernando Torres, Alvaro Negredo and Fernando Llorente on the bench.
Italy countered with an attack of Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli and an untested three-man defence.
Di Natale replaced Balotelli in the 56th and scored five minutes later, collecting a pass from Pirlo just as he slipped in between two defenders, then expertly shooting around Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
The 34-year-old Di Natale has scored 20 or more goals the past three seasons with Udinese in Serie A.
Fabregas' goal from the centre of the area concluded a series of passes that started with Iniesta giving the ball to Silva, who then found Fabregas cutting toward the goal.
On a pleasant evening at the Arena Gdansk near the Baltic Sea, red-clad Spain fans appeared to greatly outnumber Italian supporters, with surprisingly large sections of empty seats in the corner allotted for Azzurri fans.
The Italians, just like when they won the 2006 World Cup, are weathering a widespread match-fixing scandal.
Among the 38,869 in attendance were Italy President Giorgio Napolitano and Spain Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, plus former Poland President and Solidarity founder Lech Walesa.
After two poor shots from Silva early in the match, Italy had the first real threat with a free kick from Pirlo in the 13th, drawing a diving save from Casillas.
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon easily stopped a low shot from Iniesta in the 30th, while at the other end Casillas had trouble gathering a volley from Claudio Marchisio in the 36th.
Balotelli's aggressiveness drew the attention of Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai, first with a verbal warning after the Italy forward collided with Gerard Pique, then with a yellow card for a foul on Jordi Alba in the 37th.
There were two more chances just before halftime at both ends. First, Iniesta lifted a shot over the bar with the tip of his foot, then Thiago Motta headed a shot at Casillas.
Spain showed more decisiveness to start the second half, with Fabregas and Iniesta producing dangerous opportunities in the 50th and 51st.
A few minutes later, Balotelli had his best opportunity of the match, dribbling in all alone on goal, but the 21-year-old Manchester City striker waited too long to shoot and Sergio Ramos caught up to strip him of the ball.
Torres replaced Fabregas in the 74th and nearly scored a minute later but was somehow stripped by Buffon near the edge of the area.
Di Natale then had a great chance to restore Italy's lead in the 77th, but missed a difficult volley from the edge of the box.
Appearing indecisive, Torres missed another clear opportunity high in the 85th, a lob shot over the charging Buffon.

Tragic odyssey

Many immigrants have made perilous journeys, but Greece is rarely their final destination

Patras is one of Greece's biggest ports - known as the gateway to the west. Ships here leave to Italy and the vehicles on board often travel further still. It is a smugglers' hub into Europe - one of the continent's most vulnerable borders.

More than 1,500 illegal immigrants were caught in Patras last year; every vehicle carrying them was impounded.

But while the port authorities are rigorous in their checks, plenty more migrants will attempt the journey. Over 80% of those entering the European Union now pass through Greece.
The typical route is in through the north-eastern corner of the country, across the Evros river from Turkey. They continue through Athens and down to Patras, in limbo until they pick what they hope is the right time to leave.
"I'm scared I'll die at any time because it's so unsafe here," one Afghan says while cowering on a disused railway track. "Nobody looks after us - there are no human rights in Greece. My dream is to go to England and I'll try every day to get there."
The influx of new arrivals here has made immigration a hot social issue and a key theme in the upcoming election. In last month's inconclusive poll, the virulently anti-immigration Golden Dawn party swept into parliament for the first time in its history, promising to lay landmines along the border with Turkey.
The party rejects the neo-Nazi label, but its leader has been filmed making Hitler salutes, and he recently denied that gas chambers were used in the Holocaust and said the figure of six million Jews killed was "an exaggeration".

Salam World: The Facebook of the Muslim world…

Salamworld.com yet another social network site with Islamic content will be launched as soon as possible.
 Salam World is owned by some Russians and Turks who will invest $ 15 million to open its branches in 16 countries with large Muslim populations, including Indonesia. Beside that, in two years Salam World will spend $ 40 million on infrastructure and further expansion. Salam World is going to develop the internet payment concept using a kind of electronic gold or electronic dinar. Therefore Salam World is trying to collaborate with Bank Muamalat as a partner in Indonesia.
It’s an ambitious project. Its goal is 50 million users in three years. The launch gathered Islamic leaders and campaigners from around the world.
What should be done, according to Salamworld, is to create an online spot where users can find Islamic services and products, like halal food, which meets Islamic dietary laws, or a near-by mosque.

150 feared dead as passenger plane crashes into building in Lagos in Nigeria

At least 150 people were feared killed yesterday after a commercial airline crashed into a densely populated area of Lagos, the biggest city in Nigeria

 

The plane, operated by Dana Air, was coming in to land in Lagos having taken off from the capital Abuja less than an hour earlier.

Some reports suggested that the plane hit power cables as it descended towards the runway, while others said that it hit a furniture shop and then into residential buildings in the neighborhood. The plane did not appear to have nosedived, but rather land on its belly.

The weather locally was described as clear and sunny as the plane came in to land.

Those near the crash site, in the busy neighborhood of Iju, described scenes of chaos as emergency vehicles battled to get through heavy traffic and gathering crowds.

Flames and smoke billowed from where the plane went down, close to the airport, and eyewitnesses reported that several buildings were on fire as officials tried to evacuate the area.
“It’s just chaos right now. A lot of people live in that area and the roads are very bad,” he said. “The crowds have surrounded the place, making it very difficult for emergency services to get through to the crash site.
“We can see a lot of flames and smoke, but not exactly what has been hit. There will definitely have been many more fatalities on the ground.”
Nigerian Aviation News website reported that the plane had suddenly disappeared from the radar scope of the Lagos Air Traffic Control, and communication from the tower to the pilot was lost.
A spokesman for Dana Air confirmed one of its planes had crashed but could not immediately provide further details.
“I can confirm that one of our planes crashed today on the outskirts of Lagos,” Tony Usidamen told AFP. “We lost communication with the aircraft.”
Since its inaugural flight from Lagos to Abuja in November 2008, Dana Air has grown to become one of Nigeria’s leading airlines operating more than 18 daily flights to Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Uyo, carrying up to 1.26 million passengers up to December 2011. According to the airline’s website, it was awarded the title of “Best Safety and Security Conscious Airline in Nigeria” at the Security Watch Africa Awards in September 2010.
Lagos has a population of around 15 million and its international airport is a major hub for West Africa, seeing 2.3 million passengers pass through it in 2009.
Air crashes are not uncommon in Nigeria, Africa’s second biggest economy, which has a poor airline safety record.
The Lagos crash comes less than 24 hours after a cargo plane flying from Lagos crashed into a bus and a taxi after overshooting a runway at Ghana’s international airport, killing at least 10 people.
An investigation has been opened into the Boeing 727 plane crash, which saw the Nigerian-registered aircraft land in heavy rain and slam through a perimeter fence and onto a public road. The plane’s four crew survived.

 

GAALI - EVERY MAN MUST WATCH THIS WOMAN !!!

Hosni Mubarak sentenced life in prison

An Egyptian court has sentenced ex-President Hosni Mubarak to life in prison for complicity in the killing of protesters during last year's uprising.

The 84-year-old is the first former leader to be tried in person since the start of the Arab Spring in early 2011.
But Mubarak suffered a "health crisis" as he was being transferred to prison, Egyptian state TV reported.
Former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly also got a life sentence, but the acquittal of four aides sparked fury.
Mubarak and his two sons were also acquitted on separate charges of corruption.
Shouting and scuffles erupted in court after the verdict was read out.

Outside the building, Mubarak's sentencing was initially greeted by celebrations from relatives of those killed, according to the BBC's Yolande Knell.

But the joy soon turned into angry shouts and protesters clashed with riot police as the crowd learned that the four senior security officials had been acquitted.
There have been several calls for demonstrations later on Saturday to protest against the verdict.
Immediately after the announcement, crowds gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square, which was a leading focus in the protests that toppled Mr Mubarak. There were also protests in Suez.
As Mubarak was being transferred from the courthouse to the hospital of Tora prison, near Cairo, state television reported that the former president suffered a "health crisis".
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo says it is difficult to interpret the nature of this particular incident, but adds that Mubarak has had regular health lapses in the past.
Since his trial began last August, he has been held in the International Medical Centre outside the capital, as his lawyer said he was in poor health.
Tora prison is where a number of figures from the former government are serving jail sentences for corruption and reports say Mubarak has now been admitted to the hospital there.
His sons, Alaa and Gamal, are to remain in detention despite their acquittal because they are to go on trial on charges of stock market manipulation.
Years of darkness'
In his preamble, Judge Ahmed Refaat insisted the 10-month trial had been a fair one.
He spoke of the Mubarak era as "30 years of darkness" and praised what he called "the sons of the nation who rose up peacefully for freedom and justice".

Announcing the verdicts, the judge then said Mubarak and Adly had failed to stop security forces using deadly force against unarmed demonstrators.

Mubarak, who ruled the country from 1981 to 2011, had faced a possible death sentence over the killing of about 850 protesters.
The ruling comes as political tensions are rising in Egypt between the two rounds of voting in a presidential election.
Correspondents say many of Egypt's revolutionaries are bitterly disappointed by the choice they now face - between a Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Mohammed Mursi and Mubarak's last prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq.
The Muslim Brotherhood - the main opposition force under Mubarak's rule - condemned the verdict and urged a meeting between key political forces to discuss the trial's outcome.
A spokesman called for a retrial and said the prosecutor failed to "carry out its full duty in gathering adequate evidence to convict the accused".
But Mr Shafiq said that the verdicts "must be accepted", adding that the rulings would serve as a lesson for future presidents.
The first leader toppled during the Arab Spring was Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia, who was found guilty in absentia of drugs and gun charges in July.
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed by rebels in October. Yemen's Ali Abdullah Saleh received immunity from prosecution after handing over power in November.

Worldwide search for porn star Luka

Canadian police name Luka Rocco Magnotta as the suspect in a gruesome murder case, in which body parts were distributed through the post.

A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for Luka Rocco Magnotta, 29, suspect in the grisly slaying and dismemberment of a victim whose body parts were sent in the mail, including a foot sent in a package to Conservative Party headquarters in Ottawa.

Montreal police said Wednesday that Magnotta is wanted for homicide in connection with sending body parts through the mail and the discovery of a torso behind a low-rise apartment rented by the suspect in west-end Montreal, near the Décarie Expressway.
Police said Magnotta knew the person whose torso was found in a suitcase in a pile of garbage in Montreal on Tuesday, but they have yet to identify the victim.
Sources have told that police believe they have evidence of the suspect videotaping the killing and dismembering of the victim.
A hand was found in a package addressed to the Liberal Party of Canada at a Canada Post terminal before it could be delivered.
Magnotta, believed to be originally from Toronto, is also known as Eric Clinton Newman and as Vladimir Romanov. Police describe him as five feet 10 inches tall and 135 pounds with black hair and blue eyes.
Building manager Eric Schorer said Magnotta had lived there for four months but hadn't been seen around in a while. He said there were never any complaints about noise in the unit, and that Magnotta passed a credit test to rent there.
Police in masks combed through the blood-soaked apartment Wednesday, having zeroed in on the source of a stench like rotting meat, said a building resident.
A neighbour said police were showing neighbours pictures of two men — the suspected victim and the homicide suspect.
Montreal police said Magnotta was not known to them and had no criminal record. CBC News has learned, however, that he was convicted on four counts of fraud in Ontario in 2005. He served 16 days in pre-trial custody and was given a further nine-month conditional sentence and 12 months probation.
The suspect's name has also come up in association with videos showing the killing of kittens. A CBC News source said police are also investigating a possible connection between the suspect and Karla Homolka.
A website is also claiming it has posted video of a killing that is possibly linked to the suspect.
Montreal police Cmdr. Ian Lafrenière said he would not substantiate internet rumours about the suspect.
"We don't conduct our investigations via social media," he said.
The discovery of the torso was believed to be linked to the foot sent to Conservative headquarters and a hand found at a Canada Post terminal that was addressed to the Liberal Party of Canada headquarters.
Lafrenière did not deny the second package was addressed to the Liberal Party, but told CBC's Evan Solomon on Power and Politics that it would be incorrect to link the actions to a political motive.
"I've been a police officer for more than 20 years now, and I met officers that were doing an investigation for more than 30 years, and they said they never saw a scene like that," said Lafrenière
"So it would be hard for me to say there is a political reason for this," he said.
The hand and foot mailed to Ottawa were sent from a fake Montreal address, police said. Police also said there were other body parts sent by mail that they are still investigating.
Lafrenière described the scene of the alleged crime as "horrible" but said investigators would be releasing few details for now.
"The most important thing for us is to nab the suspect, and to make sure we don't jeopardize a future trial. I'd have a lot of trouble, as a father, to sleep if that happened."
The foot was discovered Tuesday after Ottawa police were called to the Conservative Party of Canada headquarters at 130 Albert St.
A party spokesman told the package was brought to Jenni Byrne, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's director of political operations. She examined the package after it was opened, he said, but called police when she saw the blood and smelled the odour.
"Conservative Party staff are very upset and disturbed by what happened yesterday. It was such a horrible odour I'm sure many of us will never forget it," said Fred DeLorey, director of communications for the party.
The hazardous materials unit was called in and the coroner soon confirmed the package contained a human foot that was partially decomposed.

 

Japan’s “cool” summer dress code

Salarimen, throw on your Hawaiian shirts: it’s that time of year again in Japan.  “Super Cool Biz,” the Ministry of Environment’s annual energy reduction campaign, officially launches Friday across the country.
To reduce electricity use in corporate workplaces, Super Cool Biz encourages office workers to eschew their usual black suits for lighter clothing, including Hawaiian shirts, polo shirts, T-shirts, jeans, and sandals.
The campaign has been an inadvertent boon to clothing retailers, who have not only increased their stock of these items, but also specially designed garments for the season.
Among them is lingerie manufacturer "Triumph Super Cool Bra "The bra’s cups are filled with a gel which, after being placed in the freezer for a few hours, will help keep the wearer’s body cool while remaining soft at the same time.
After being stung by reduced sales of suit jackets last summer, men’s clothiers have also produced new “Cool Biz” lines with lighter, more breathable fabrics.  Sanyo Shokai Ltd. is launching six new types of suit jackets that include technology to absorb sweat and block heat.
Textiles companies have also incorporated sportswear materials into business wear.  Teijin Ltd. is using polyester with pH control to reduce sweat odor.  Toray Industries Inc. is working with apparel makers to develop “Cool Avenue” shirts and pants using polyester and nylon cool to the touch, projecting sales of 50,000-60,000 items worth one billion yen in total.
Shares of menswear retailers, such as Konaka, Aoyama Trading Co. and Aoki Holding Inc. have steadily rose since the weather—and Cool Biz sales—began warming up in late April, according to The Nikkei Report.
Despite the relaxed dress code, there still are suggested standards to be upheld: T-shirts must be in solid colors, jeans smart-looking without tears, and undergarment-like tops such as camisoles and flip-flop sandals are banned.
The government is also advising that working hours be shifted earlier, and overtime be reduced.
Complete with a government-sponsored fashion show, Super Cool Biz was introduced last year to conserve energy during the hot summer months following the Fukushima nuclear disaster.  It built upon “Cool Biz”, an annual campaign introduced in 2005, which urged office workers to forgo wearing ties and set air conditioner thermostats at 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
Alongside Super Cool Biz and Cool Biz this year, the Ministry of Environment is also promoting “Cool Share”, which encourages people to share air conditioning units as much as possible.  Residents are advised to turn on air conditioning in only one room of their home and have all members of the household congregate there. Alternatively, they can switch off their home air conditioning units entirely and hang out in air-conditioned public venues instead.
Last year’s Super Cool Biz was considered a cool success, as the country avoided widespread brownouts and blackouts despite a reduced supply of nuclear energy.  This year will be a greater challenge, as Japan tries to stay cool without drawing on nuclear energy at all.  Pre-Fukushima, nuclear sources comprised 30% of the country’s energy consumption.
Super Cool Biz will run through September.