[Emirates 24/7] Court of First Instance awarded 10 years each to two Paks for kidnapping a prostitute and taking Dh50,000 in ransom of her release.
The victim, LH, 30, Chinese, was sentenced to six months in jail for being a sex worker and Dh1,000 for consuming alcohol.
AM, 32, and AC, 34, as well as the woman will be deported after serving their sentences.
According to the accusation sheet, AM and AC kidnapped LH from a hotel in Deira after she agreed to 'entertain' AM for Dh200. They jugged her in a flat. They demanded Dh100,000 in ransom of her freedom. She managed to transfer Dh50,000 via a friend in China within two days.
"They picked me from a nightclub and assaulted me in the car. They drove me to the flat blindfolded. A Chinese woman, who assisted them, made me call my friend in China. Initially, they requested Dh100,000 as ransom then later settled for Dh50,000. My friend transferred the amount to an account number they gave. I informed the police after they released me," LH testified before the Prosecution.
"I am not a sex worker... I am a victim," she said.
The two accused also denied kidnapping charges. "No, no! Certainly not!"
But the court fround them guilty and sentenced them. They can appeal within 15 days.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/24/2011 00:00 ||
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In my limited experience, most hookers charge extra for kidnapping.
[Al Jazeera] A series of kabooms and gunfire have rocked the main city of Abidjan that supports Ivorian presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara, with protesters calling on his rival to step down. At least three soldiers were killed in the festivities. And everyone was just so surprised!
The fighting had continued in Abobo, residents and the military said on Wednesday, while African presidents met with Ouattara on a trip aiming to end his violent post-election power struggle with incumbent Laurent Gbagbo. Ouattara, keep in mind, is the guy who actually won the election...
Is he the nominally Christian one, as opposed to his predecessor, who was nominally Muslim -- or have I got that backwards?
The election that was meant to heal the wounds of a 2002-3 civil war and years of economic stagnation since, looks increasingly likely to reignite the conflict. It's looked that way since Laurent's flunky tore up the election results on national teevee...
A day earlier the delegation - the presidents of South Africa, Chad, Mauritania and Tanzania - met Gbagbo, who has
defied international sanctions and pressure to yield to the results of a November 28 poll that showed he lost to Ouattara. "Nope. Nope. I ain't leavin' and youse can't make me!" 'Everyone is terrified'
The military that supports Gbagbo has crushed dissent in a series of bloody crackdowns, but military officials say they
have been provoked because some Ouattara supporters are armed.
"Since this morning, there has been constant shooting between the military and the people here," said Sephora Konate, an Abobo market trader, who added that she heard kabooms and machine gun fire.
Later in the night, the violence had calmed.
"Everyone is terrified. Children are crying but there's nothing we can say to comfort them," said Konate.
A commander at army headquarters who could not be named said three soldiers were confirmed killed in the festivities, but thought there were up to five dead. The military rarely gives civilian casualties, but previous clampdowns have left a trail of dead.
More than 300 people have been killed since the poll and the turmoil has driven cocoa futures to their highest level in more than three decades.
Cote d'Ivoire is the world's biggest cocoa producer, and a front man for Ouattara said he would extend the ban he had
ordered on cocoa exports to March 15.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/24/2011 00:00 ||
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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be extradited to Sweden to face sex offence charges, a judge has ruled.
Judge Howard Riddle said the allegations of rape and sexual molestation by two women are extraditable offences and a Swedish warrant was properly issued.
Lawyers for Mr Assange have a week to appeal today's decision, which was held at the high security Belmarsh Magistrates Court in south-east London.
Judge Riddle said there is "simply no reason to believe there has been a mistake" in issuing the warrant.
The 39-year-old Australian citizen has been on bail in England since December.
He has since been staying at a friend's country mansion in Norfolk under strict conditions including that he obey a curfew, wear an electronic ankle tag and report to police daily.
BEIJING - "The riots are expanding even into North Korea. Hundreds of protesters have collided with the authorities," said South Korea's largest-selling Chosun Ilbo newspaper on Thursday, as top news on its website. Now finally, the global cascade of "Jasmine revolutions" in the Middle East and North Africa appears to have entered North Korea.
Chosun posted a North Korea map with large red circles around multiple cities to mark "riot zones", adding more drama to the report.
One of the circles is the town of Sinuiju on the border with China. "Hundreds of people clashed with security forces ... The military was deployed to quell the demonstration, leaving some protesters wounded," said Chosun. While the protest was sparked by a crackdown in a market, it was "an eruption of long pent-up discontent", it said.
South Korea's online newspaper Daily NK reported on Wednesday that North Korea had created a special mobilization force to prevent any demonstrations similar to the recent uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa.
Another daily, JoongAng Ilbo, said on Thursday that the authorities had begun purging elites who had studied abroad in Russia for fear of a possible coup by people "who were exposed to a Western lifestyle".
Yet another vernacular newspaper, Donga Ilbo, on Thursday ran a piece on the "dramatic increase" of North Korean females choosing prostitution amid worsening economic hardship, linking it to the growing social instability of the country. As Libya goes, so goes North Korea? We can only hope. Until then I'll take the reports of the Nork's decline with a grain of salt.
#5
The DPRK Military has repor indic that it will do its best to ensure that the North maintains good MILITARY-ONLY? relations wid SOUTH KOREA.
News which came out today at roughly the same time as..
* TOPIX > [KCNA] US OKINAWA BASES [intended]FOR AGGRESSION AGZ NORTH KOREA.
* SAME > NO RAISON D'ETRE FOR US BASES.
* PEOPLE'S DAILY FORUM > [South Kuriles]RUSSIA REITERATES ITS LEGAL RIGHTS TO DISPUTED ISLANDS CLAIMED BY JAPAN.
IMO, KCNA + RUSSIA = Despite any Media, Diplomatic Rhetoric to the contrary, RISING CHINA KNOWS RUSSIA'S ACTIONS, POLICIES AGZ JAPAN AS PER THE DISPUTED SOUTH KURILES IS COVERTLY A MAJOR RUSSIAN MOVE AGZ CHINA'S MILPOL INTERESTS.
South Korea intelligence recently revealed that in late 2010, after North Korea artillery fired on South Korea (Yeonpyeong Island), North Korea quickly made preparations for war. These preparations were apparently ordered without much warning. So too, apparently, was the attack on Yeonpyeong Island. What the South Korean intel analysts were particularly amazed by was the poor performance of the North Korean air force. It was known that North Korean pilots had been getting less and less flying time in the past decade, but when ordered into the air on a large scale to practice war plans, the results were amazingly bad. The flying skills of combat pilots was particularly bad, as was the performance of many aircraft (indicating poor maintenance). There were several crashes, and many near misses in the air, and a general sense of confusion among the North Korean Air Force commanders and troops. "South Korea intelligence recently revealed" where? Anyone know? I'd like to read the original.
[Al Arabiya] An online campaign has urged people in 13 Chinese cities to rally every Sunday to press for government transparency and free expression, following a call last week for Middle East-style protests.
The new call, posted this week on a blog run by overseas-based human rights website Boxun.com, appeared to be from the same group behind a mysterious web campaign for protests last Sunday that echoed those rocking the Arab world.
The earlier call sparked a heavy police turnout at designated protest sites in Beijing and other cities. The events appeared lightly attended, however, and free of major incidents.
"What we need to do now is to put pressure on the Chinese ruling (Communist) party," said the renewed appeal.
"If the party does not conscientiously fight corruption and accept the supervision of the people, then will it please exit the stage of history."
Apparently attempting to make a statement without falling foul of China's security forces, participants were urged not to take overt action but to merely show up for the 2:00 pm "strolling" protests.
"We invite every participant to stroll, watch, or even just pretend to pass by. As long as you are present, the authoritarian government will be shaking with fear," it said.
China's government has indicated growing unease over the unrest in the Arab world, heavily censoring or blocking media reports and online discussion of the upheaval, which has toppled presidents in Tunisia and Egypt.
The call for weekly "Jasmine rallies" -- a reference to Tunisia's "Jasmine Revolution" -- was labeled as an "open letter" to China's rubber-stamp parliament. The National People's Congress opens its annual session on March 5.
The online appeal appeared to set the stage for a protracted but low-pressure bid to push the Chinese Communist Party for change, using the heavily policed Internet and word-of-mouth.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/24/2011 00:00 ||
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More out-of-touch overseas idiots. The CCP isn't going anywhere because there's no massive discontent. Things are better in China right now than they've ever been in its 5,000 year history and only getting better every day.
#2
The CCP needn't go anywhere in order for change to happen. Chinese history is full of alternating periods of centralized power and decentralization and confusion. While I doubt we are likely to see a return to the fractured state of the Spring and Autumn centuries, my own Chinese friends are quite frank about their anger at local corruption, pollution etc. The impact of the one-child-rule generation, with its massive gender unbalance, has yet to be measured, but will almost certainly include much increased militancy, both political and military, as the authorities seek to divert all that testosterone outward.
1. corrupt, authoritairian gov't
2. decently-to-well-educated populace
3. tech-savy, hardworking
4. overabundance of young, single men
As long as they don't buy into the gov't line of "All our troubles are due to juice Western meddling", then things could continue to get interesting -- maybe on a calmer scale, like Czechoslovakia.
Not to mention recent reports of severe water and grain shortages. Grain can be bought, using some of that excess balance of payments money that China's let pile up, but where is the water to come from?
Also, over the past ten years the money supply in _China_ has been expanding greatly. Even more than ours, even considering the "qualitative easing." It's worked for them for the moment because they have the whole world to spread out the inflationary effects, and also because they're a lot better at getting actual stimulus out of their spending than the mandarins in Washington are. (They used it to corner the market on rare earths, among many other things, while the US QE2 just goes to transfer payments and covering various forms of derivative casino).
But it's still inflation and it still has deleterious effects, especially when they bet that food will be cheap forever, and it turned out not to be the case.
[The Nation (Nairobi)] Germany's defence minister, embroiled in a plagiarism scandal, has asked for his doctorate to be scrapped and admitted "serious errors" in his thesis, the University of Bayreuth said Monday.
The aristocratic Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg had temporarily given up his doctorate title while his alma mater looked into the claims that he copied several passages of his 2006 dissertation.
In a letter, the minister said a close inspection of his thesis showed "serious errors... which are not compatible with scientific work,"
Posted by: Fred ||
02/24/2011 00:00 ||
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When we transferred over to Germany, Mr. Wife's company offered to buy him a doctorate so he wouldn't be at a disadvantage when dealing with colleagues. BS/BA meant technician/secretary; all the managers had PhDs and 400-series Mercedes or 500-series BMWs.
I could understand if the aristocratic (Dr.) zu Guttenberg had purchased a doctorate he was too muddle-headed to earn. But why bother with plagiarizing when, since one has already done all the coursework and research, the text should write itself from one's own knowledge?
[Al Jazeera] Clashes broke out in Athens, the Greek capital, amid large protests against austerity measures aimed at curbing the country's massive debt crisis.
Riot police fired tear gas and flash bombs at protesters in Syndagma square on Wednesday, while masked youths hurled Molotov cocktails and threw rocks at authorities, in festivities that lasted for three hours.
Police said five civilians and two officers were maimed, and another 20 were jugged, while a policeman was attacked and his uniform set on fire, before he was rescued by colleagues.
The year's first nationwide walkout by public and private sector employees against spending cuts saw flights grounded, schools shut down and public transport paralysed.
Up to 100,000 people marched through the streets of Athens shouting "We are not paying" and "No sacrifice for plutocracy" before violence broke out.
Greece's Socialist government cut salaries and pensions and raised taxes last year despite repeated strikes, in return for a $150bn bailout by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
"This strike kicks off a wave of protests this year with the participation of workers, pensioners and the unemployed," Ilias Iliopoulos, general secretary of public sector union ADEDY, told the Rooters news agency.
"We are against these policies which are certainly leading to poverty and pushing the economy into a deep recession," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/24/2011 00:00 ||
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After a decade of false starts, Boeing pulled off an upset to win the $35 billion contract to build a fleet of Air Force aerial refueling tankers, two congressional sources told POLITICO Thursday.
The decision was 10 years in the making after bitter back-and-forth lobbying, advertising and scandal. Two earlier efforts floundered one ending the careers of several Air Force officials and landing a Boeing executive in jail, and another award to European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company and Northrop Grumman in 2008 being overturned after Boeing protested. I trust Boeing aircraft over Airbus anyday, but man this was an ugly fight. Hopefully it is over and our warfighters can get a newer tanker.
Ohhhh-kayyy. The middle east is in flames, this guy can't even make a statement because he has no balls of a scheduling conflict, yet he still manages to find the time to host an event like this. Am I the only one confused here?
Earlier in the day Feb. 24,Michelle Obama will host a workshop on Motown at the White House for more than 100 students from Michigan, four other states and the District of Columbia. Titled "The Sound of Young America: The Historyof Motown," it will be moderated by Grammy Museum executive director Bob Santelli and includemany of the concert's performers discussing how Motown came about in Detroit and its legacy during the last 50 years.
#4
Motown is good stuff! Smooth, classy, catchy, some of the best popular music of the last century. I could listen to it all day. It is worthy of celebration.
It is not within the job description of the President of the United States to see to it that classic Motown is appropriately commemorated. If you disagree with the previous sentence, you must at least agree that "attend to the proper commemoration of classic Motown" is of somewhat lesser priority than other items on his to-do list, such as "prevent national bankruptcy," "deal with the fact that the whole friggin' Middle East is coming apart," and "support the oppressed peoples of the world when they rise against their oppressors."
Posted by: Mike ||
02/24/2011 11:22 Comments ||
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The ONE cool thing the ONE does during his tenure in office.
Posted by: Fire and Ice ||
02/24/2011 11:24 Comments ||
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It's black history month, and this is a focussed like a lazer on jobs activity...starting with MoTown retirees.
I like Motown music and grew up around the area, but ultimately who cares. We're rehashing shit from over 40yrs ago...might as well celebrate dixie land jazz - not there's anything wrong w/that music, it's just irrelevant w/all else going on for the WH to host this nonsense...
#10
...and politicians say mo' taxes will solve everythig!
Posted by: Alan Cramer ||
02/24/2011 13:31 Comments ||
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#11
Notice the Motown celebration is being held in the White House, not in the real Motown - Detroit, the third world city in decline after years of patronizing on-party Democrat poverty pimp rule.
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
02/24/2011 15:23 Comments ||
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No Martha, not a single Vandella. Couldn't even come up with a Marvelette or two.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/24/2011 16:00 Comments ||
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discussing how Motown came about in Detroit and its legacy during the last 50 years.
Do they mean Motown's legacy or Detroit's? 'Cause it would be great fun to have undead zombie Mayor Coleman Young come back as the Ghost of Democratic Policies Past. "God help us all!", said Tiny Tim.
[Al Arabiya] Jordan on Wednesday opened an investigation into a seven-billion-dollar housing project for low-income citizens after calls by MPs to probe the scheme over suspected corruption.
"Prime Minister Maaruf Bakhit today referred the case of the 'Decent Home for Decent Living' project to the anti-corruption commission to examine it and do what is necessary," the state-run Petra news agency reported without elaborating.
The five-year plan launched in 2008 is aimed at building 100,000 homes in northern, central and southern parts of Jordan, according to the government. Each would be sold for about $33,000, in 240 installments.
Deputies this month demanded the government investigate the scheme, saying "there is a lot of fuss and corruption allegations" about it, as well as "technical problems and errors" related to the infrastructure and the quality of the apartments.
Jordanians have been demonstrating since January to demand political and economic reforms, calling for an end to graft and for officials suspected of corruption to be put on trial, regardless of their rank.
Poverty levels are running at 25 percent in the kingdom of more than six million people, while unemployment is about 14 percent, although unofficial estimates put the jobless figure at 30 percent.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/24/2011 00:00 ||
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A Jordanian version of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
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.
[Emirates 24/7] Court of First Instance awarded 10 years each to two Paks for kidnapping a prostitute and taking Dh50,000 in ransom of her release. 
[Al Jazeera] A series of 
BEIJING - "The riots are expanding even into North Korea. Hundreds of protesters have collided with the authorities," said South Korea's largest-selling Chosun Ilbo newspaper on Thursday, as top news on its website. Now finally, the global cascade of "Jasmine revolutions" in the Middle East and North Africa appears to have entered North Korea.
[Al Jazeera] Clashes broke out in Athens, the Greek capital, amid large protests against austerity measures aimed at curbing the country's massive debt crisis.
After a decade of false starts, Boeing pulled off an upset to win the $35 billion contract to build a fleet of Air Force aerial refueling tankers, two congressional sources told POLITICO Thursday.
