Swan Upping, the ancient British tradition of counting swans along Thames River, has begun on July 15.
The ritual known as Swan Upping dates back to the 12th century when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water in Britain was claimed by the Crown in order to ensure a ready supply for feasts.
The ritual known as Swan Upping dates back to the 12th century when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water in Britain was claimed by the Crown
On the River Thames a team of boatmen called Swan Uppers have the job of corralling, catching and marking the birds on the water between Sunbury-on-Thames in Surrey and Abingdon in Oxfordshire this week.
When a brood of cygnets is sighted, a cry of ”All up” is made to signal that the boats should get into position.
The swans – usually two parent birds and three cygnets – are then weighed, ringed and checked for signs of disease or injury.
David Barber, the Queen’s Swan Marker, said ahead of the start of Swan Upping that despite the recent problems faced by nesting birds things appeared to be improving.
He said: “The Thames’ swans are nesting later than usual due to the prolonged cold spring we have experienced this year. The number of cygnets has declined over recent years, primarily due to the spring floods that washed away many nests, and of course there have been several outbreaks of duck virus enteritis which killed many breeding pairs of swans.
“Fortunately, the situation is looking more positive this year as we have received many reports of nesting pairs with eggs or cygnets.
“Late hatching can present its own problems; small cygnets are more susceptible to injuries caused by fishing tackle when the fishing season starts. However the health of cygnets will be assessed during Swan Upping week when they will be examined for any signs of injury and given treatment if necessary.”
Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski was attacked with an egg by a Ukrainian man when he visited the site of a 1943 massacre of Poles in neighboring Ukraine on Sunday, police said.
The egg attack followed a move by the Polish parliament last week to recognize the massacre by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) during World War Two as “ethnic cleansing bearing the hallmarks of genocide”.
The move upset Ukrainian nationalists who view the UPA as heroes and freedom fighters.
On Sunday, Bronislaw Komorowski visited the western Volyn region and attended mass at a Catholic church.
President Bronislaw Komorowski was attacked with an egg by a Ukrainian man when he visited the site of a 1943 massacre of Poles in Ukraine
As he emerged from the church “a young man from the crowd tapped his shoulder with his hand in which he was holding a crushed egg”, police said in a statement.
The 21-year-old man, a resident of Ukraine s southern Zaporizhia region, has been detained and faces hooliganism charges and up to three years in prison, they said.
It was unclear whether the man belonged to any of Ukraine s nationalist groups, the largest of which, Svoboda (Freedom) won dozens of seats in parliament last year, becoming a major political force.
Svoboda has criticized the Polish parliament s decision but said it would not seek to disrupt Bronislaw Komorowski s visit.
The territory of Volyn was long disputed by Poland and Ukraine. Historians believe tens of thousands of people died in the massacre during the wartime Nazi occupation.
Seventy years later, public opinion in Ukraine remains split on the insurgent movements which co-operated with the Nazis in hope of driving out the Soviet government and creating an independent Ukrainian state.
In the last days of his presidency in 2010, former Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko awarded wartime nationalist leader Stepan Bandera the title “Hero of Ukraine”.
The award was annulled by a court under his successor, current President Viktor Yanukovich.
Vladimir Putin dived to the bottom of the Baltic Sea in a mini submarine to explore a shipwreck.
The Russian president boarded an underwater research vessel to make the half-hour dive to the wreck of the frigate, Oleg, which sank in the Gulf of Finland in 1869.
Vladimir Putin boarded an underwater research vessel to make the half-hour dive to the wreck of the frigate, Oleg, which sank in the Gulf of Finland in 1869
Vladimir Putin, who is fond of presenting himself to the people as a man of action, said the wreck, found in 2003, was well-preserved.
During the trip, Vladimir Putin also spoke about the fate of Edward Snowden, the former US spy agency contractor turned fugitive secrets leaker.
The president said that Edward Snowden was shifting towards stopping “political activity” directed against the United States. He had previously refused to hand Edward Snowden over to the US authorities, but said the fugitive’s situation remained unresolved after Washington had blocked his further movement.
Vladimir Putin said that Edward Snowden should stop activity harmful to the US if he wanted refuge in Russia, but now saw signs that the former contractor with the National Security Agency (NSA) was moving in this direction.
Norwegian musician Kristian “Varg” Vikernes, who had links to mass killer Anders Behring Breivik, has been arrested in France on “suspicion he was preparing a major terrorist act”.
The French interior ministry said Varg Vikernes constituted “a potential threat to society”.
Varg Vikernes was arrested in central France after his wife bought four rifles.
Varg Vikernes was arrested in central France after his wife bought four rifles
The black-metal musician, described by French officials as a neo-Nazi, had in the past received a copy of a manifesto from Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011.
Anders Behring Breivik planted a bomb in central Oslo and went on a shooting spree on the nearby island of Utoeya in July 2011. He was imprisoned for the maximum 21-year term last year.
An official at the Paris Prosecutor Office said Anders Behring Breivik sent a copy of a manifesto setting out his ideology to Varg Vikernes, who is also a convicted murderer.
The official said: “There were several suspicions that made the services fear he could possibly carry out a violent act.”
Varg Vikernes was arrested along with his wife, a French national, in Correze, a region in central France.
Police sources said officers were searching their home for weapons and explosives.
Officials say Varg Vikernes’ wife had a legal firearms permit when she bought the four rifles.
Varg Vikernes was convicted in 1994 of stabbing a man to death in Oslo and burning down several churches.
He was released in 2009 and moved to France with his wife and three children.
On his website, Varg Vikernes discusses Anders Behring Breivik’s manifesto, but also criticizes him for killing innocent Norwegians.
Anders Behring Breivik’s 1,500-page manifesto outlined his planned crusade against Muslims, who he said “were taking over Europe and could only be defeated through a violent civil war”.
Edward Snowden has applied for temporary asylum in Russia, officials say.
The Federal Migration Service confirmed he had completed the relevant paperwork at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, where he has been for the past three weeks.
Edward Snowden has applied for temporary asylum in Russia
Whistleblower Edward Snowden, 30, is wanted by the US for leaking details of government surveillance programmes.
He has no travel documents, so he has been unable to take up asylum offers from a number of Latin American states.
Edward Snowden’s application for temporary asylum was completed with the help of Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena, who has strong links with the Kremlin.
Anatoly Kucherena said the fugitive had stated in the application that he faced possible torture and execution if he returned to the US.
According to Russian officials, Edward Snowden might be moved to a facility in the airport for accommodating refugees while his application was processed.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has refused to hand over Edward Snowden to the US authorities, but also said that he could only stay in Russia if he stopped leaking secrets about US surveillance schemes.
B-37 – the juror who wanted to pen a book- is a white woman who volunteers rescuing animals. She is married to an attorney and has two adult children. She said she and her husband used to have concealed weapons permits. During the last round of questioning, she said she had an issue with the type of weapons people are allowed to carry. She also thought weapons’ training was inadequate for people seeking permits. “It should become harder,” she said.
B-51 is retired, unmarried and doesn’t have kids. She has lived in Seminole County for nine years working in real estate and run a call center where she said she had experience resolving conflicts. When asked if George Zimmerman did something wrong by following Trayvon Martin instead of waiting for police, she said: “Yeah, I guess he did do something wrong.”
A six-woman jury acquitted George Zimmerman of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in a gated community in Sanford, Florida
B-29 recently moved to central Florida from Chicago. She enjoys watching the Real Housewives on television and works as a nurse on an Alzheimer’s section of a nursing home. She said she hadn’t paid much attention to the shooting. She said she has been arrested, but her case was dropped. It’s not clear why she was arrested or exactly what happened to her case, though she said she was treated fairly. She is married and has several children. A prosecutor described her as “black or Hispanic” during jury selection.
B-76 is a white woman who has lived in central Florida for 18 years. She manages rental properties with her husband of 30 years. She has two adult children, including one who is an attorney. She is involved with rescuing animals in her free time. During jury selection, she said she had been the victim of a nonviolent crime. “Everyone deserves a fair trial,” she said.
E-6 is a white woman who is married and has two children. She has worked in financial services and has lived in Seminole County for two years. She is active in her church and involved with her children’s school. During jury selection, she said she didn’t know the facts of the case well.
E-40 is a white woman who works as a safety officer and recently moved to Seminole County from Iowa. She describes herself as a football fan. During jury selection, she said she had been the victim of a nonviolent crime.
Juror B37 in the George Zimmerman trial has revealed that at no point did the largely-white all-female jury consider the motivation behind the killing of Trayvon Martin.
The woman, identified only as Juror B37, said that they believed that it was a “tragedy” that came from George Zimmerman going too far but said that the former neighborhood watchman’s “heart is in the right place”.
Juror B37 told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that George Zimmerman made some poor decisions leading up to the shooting, but that Trayvon Martin wasn’t innocent either.
“I think both were responsible for the situation they had gotten themselves into,” said the juror, who was planning to write a book about the trial.
“I think they both could have walked away.”
The woman also said that she felt it was clear that the 17-year-old threw the first punch: “Trayvon decided that he wasn’t going to let (George Zimmerman) scare him… and I think Trayvon got mad and attacked him.”
When asked by Anderson Cooper if she would feel comfortable having George Zimmerman patrolling her neighborhood, she said that while Trayvon Martin’s death was tragic, it would serve as a learning experience.
“I would feel comfortable having George, but I think he learned a lesson,” she said, hesitating slightly.
“I think he’d be more responsible than anyone else on this planet right now.”
Hours after the interview with Anderson Cooper aired, the literary agent who agreed to represent the juror announced that she withdrew her services.
“After careful consideration of the book project with Zimmerman #JurorB37, I have decided to rescind my offer of representation,” agent Sharlene Martin said via Twitter.
Sharlene Martin also put out a statement from the juror herself, who said: “This potential book was always intended to be a respectful observation of the trial from my and my husband’s perspectives.”
“Now that I am returned to my family and to society in general, I have realized that the best direction for me to go is away from writing any sort of book and return instead to my life as it was before I was called to sit on this jury.”
In the CNN interview, Juror B37 said Sanford Police Detective Chris Serino made a big impression on her, because he would have been accustomed to dealing with murders and similar cases.
He would have known how to spot a liar, and yet he testified that he believed George Zimmerman, the juror said.
Legal analysts agreed that Chris Serino’s testimony was a blow to the state’s case.
The juror was not impressed by the testimony of Rachel Jeantel, who was talking with Trayvon Martin by cellphone moments before he was fatally shot by George Zimmerman in February, 2012.
“I didn’t think it was very credible, but I felt very sorry for her,” the juror said.
“She didn’t want to be there.”
The juror also commented on defense attorney Don West’s knock-knock joke about knowing who George Zimmerman was during opening statements.
“The joke was horrible. Nobody got it,” she said.
The interview came two days after the six-woman jury acquitted George Zimmerman, a former neighborhood watch activist, of second-degree murder in the shooting death of black teenager Trayvon Martin in a gated community in Sanford, Florida.
Trayvon Martin was black, and George Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.
George Zimmerman was not arrested for 44 days, and the delay in charging him led to protests from those who believed race was a factor in the handling of the case.
While prosecutors accused George Zimmerman of profiling Trayvon Martin, Zimmerman maintained he acted in self-defense.
The juror said she didn’t think Trayvon Martin’s race was the reason that George Zimmerman followed him. She said she also believed Trayvon Martin threw the first punch and that George Zimmerman, whom she referred to as “George”, had a right to defend himself.
Juror B37 in the George Zimmerman trial has revealed that at no point did the largely-white all-female jury consider the motivation behind the killing of Trayvon Martin
“I have no doubt George feared for his life in the situation he was in at the time,” the juror said.
Juror B37 also outlined to CNN the process she and the other five jurors went through in their deliberations.
She said they spent the first day electing a foreman and getting organized. She said the jury instructions weren’t immediately clear and the evidence was in no order whatsoever.
George Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder, but the jury also was allowed to consider manslaughter.
Based on an initial vote, three – including B37 – were in favor of acquittal, two wanted manslaughter and one wanted second-degree murder.
Juror B37 said the jury started going through all the evidence, listening to tapes multiple times.
“That’s why it took us so long,” B37 said.
When they started looking at the law, the person who initially wanted second-degree murder changed her vote to manslaughter, the juror said.
Then they asked for clarification from the judge and kept going over it again and again. B37 said some jurors wanted to find George Zimmerman guilty of something, but there was just no place to go based on the law.
B37 said jurors cried when they gave their final vote to the bailiff.
“I want people to know that we put everything into everything to get this verdict,” said the juror, who appeared to become emotional during the interview.
“We thought about it for hours and cried over it afterwards,” she said.
“I don’t think any of us could ever do anything like that ever again.”
Martin Literary Management announced Monday that it is representing B37 and her husband, who is an attorney.
The names of the jurors have not been released, but during jury selection it was disclosed that B37 works in an unspecified management position and has two adult children.
In a statement initially released Monday morning, Martin Literary said the book would focus on what it is like to be sequestered and why B37 felt she had no choice but to acquit George Zimmerman. The agency said it is approaching several publishers.
In a separate interview, Rachel Jeantel was asked by CNN’s Piers Morgan whether she thought race was a factor in George Zimmerman’s decision to follow Trayvon Martin prior to their fight.
“It was racial,” she said.
“Let’s be honest. Racial. If he were white, if Trayvon was white and he had a hoodie on, what would happen?”
She noted that the altercation happened in the early evening, when many people are out walking their dogs or doing other things.
Piers Morgan played back a recording of the juror’s comments about Rachel Jeantel’s education level and speech, and the witness said it made her sad and angry.
Rachel Jeantel, who is black, said she also had a feeling that the jury would return a not-guilty verdict.
“They’re white,” she said of the jury at one point.
“Well, one Hispanic. But she’s stuck in the middle. I had a feeling it was going to be a <<not guilty>>.”
While the court did not release the racial makeup of the jury, the panel appeared to reporters covering jury selection to be made up of five white women and a sixth who may be Hispanic.
Juror B37 signed the deal with her attorney husband and Martin Literary Management president Sharlene Martin, MediaBistro reported.
In previous reports, B-37 has been identified as a white woman who volunteers at an animal shelter and who is married to an attorney with two adult children.
During her voir dire – in which attorneys question would-be jurors to determine if they are suitable to take part in a case – reveals that she called Trayvon Martin “a boy of color” when asked to describe him.
She added that his killing was “an unfortunate incident that happened” and said she believed there were riots in Sanford, Florida after the killing – which is not the case.
She was also vocal about her hate of the media – saying she refused to read newspapers as they were skewed.
Literary agent Sharlene Martin originally said that now-defunct book would explain why the group of six women reached the decision to acquit the former neighborhood watch volunteer.
“My hope is that people will read Juror B37’s book, written with her attorney husband, and understand the commitment it takes to serve and be sequestered on a jury in a highly publicized murder trial and how important, despite one’s personal viewpoints, it is to follow the letter of the law,” she said.
She added that the book has the potential to open discussions about how laws might need to be revised in order to fit with modern society.
“The reader will also learn why the jurors had no option but to find Zimmerman Not Guilty due to the manner in which he was charged,” she said.
The juror is choosing to remain anonymous and it is unknown if they will conduct interviews as the project proceeds due to the reaction to the verdict.
Sharlene Martin has represented books written by high-profile writers, including Honor Bound by Raffaele Sollecito and Picture Perfect: The Jodi Arias Story by Shanna Hogan, due out in September.
Mystery still surrounds the identities of the jury members and there is still no indication of how long the six women, known only to the public as B76, B37, E6, B29, E40 and B51, will remain anonymous.
Jurors refused to talk to reporters about how they reached their decision on Saturday after they received numerous interview requests from media outlets.
Their names are being kept secret until Judge Debra Nelson lifts an order protecting their identities.
Attorneys have argued that the names should not be kept secret.
In June, the judge ruled they would remain anonymous for an unspecified period after the verdict and George Zimmerman lawyer Mark O’Mara argued they should be kept secret for six months after the trial.
Speculation also surrounds whether or not George Zimmerman himself will pen a book revealing his experiences. The AP suggested he could make money from the project or from a lawsuit he brought against NBC last year after it allegedly edited his 911 tapes to make him look like a racial profiler.
Following his acquittal on all charges, George Zimmerman will spend no time behind bars.
But the Department of Justice could file criminal civil rights charges, and George Zimmerman may face civil lawsuits from the family of Trayvon Martin, who was unarmed at the time of his death last year.
The verdict has sparked uproar across the U.S., with Trayvon Martin supporters claiming that the killing was racially motivated as they stage massive protests across cities from New York to Los Angeles.
Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli has announced his country has seized a North Korean-flagged ship carrying “undeclared military cargo”.
Ricardo Martinelli told local media that the ship, which was sailing from Cuba, contained suspected “sophisticated missile equipment”.
He posted a photo of what looked like a large green object inside a cargo container on his Twitter account.
Ricardo Martinelli said the ship, which was searched on its way into the Panama Canal, was being held for further investigation.
The ship was stopped near Manzanillo on the Atlantic side of the canal.
Ricardo Martinelli said the authorities were checking the ship for drugs when they found the suspected weapons in containers of brown sugar.
Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli said the North Korean ship, which was sailing from Cuba, contained suspected sophisticated missile equipment
“We’re going to keep unloading the ship and figure out exactly what was inside,” he told local media.
The 35-member crew have been detained, including the captain who the Panamanian president said tried to kill himself during the search.
Security Minister Jose Raul Mulino said the ship “aroused suspicion by the violent reaction of the captain and the crew”.
Under UN sanctions, North Korea is banned from weapons exports and the import of all but small arms.
Sanctions were strengthened after its third nuclear test on February 12, including measures increasing states’ authority to inspect suspicious cargo.
In recent years a number of North Korean ships have been searched under the UN sanctions.
In July 2009 a North Korean ship heading to Burma was tracked by the US navy on suspicion of transporting weapons and subsequently turned around.
North Korea has an ongoing missile development programme.
In December it launched what it called a three-stage rocket to put a satellite into space. The move was condemned by the United Nations as a banned test of missile technology.
Experts believe the communist state is working towards developing a nuclear warhead small enough to put on a long-range missile.
Seven Egyptian protesters have been killed in Cairo in overnight clashes between security forces and supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.
Police used tear gas to drive back protesters, some hurling rocks, who had blocked a main route in the capital.
The clashes came as senior US envoy William Burns visited Egypt, saying it had been given a “second chance” at democracy.
William Burns met interim leaders but was snubbed by rival groups, including Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood.
Mohamed Morsi was ousted on July 3 in what many have said was a military coup. The army says it was fulfilling the demands of the people after mass anti-Morsi protests.
Monday’s battles erupted after hundreds of protesters, mostly members of Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood Islamist movement, blocked the Sixth of October bridge, a major route over the Nile and through the capital, and the nearby Ramses Square, a transport hub.
Police fired tear gas to try to break up the blockade. Protesters responded by throwing stones. Other clashes broke out in the Giza district, in the south-west.
The head of Egypt’s emergency services, Mohamed Sultan, said two people had died on or around the bridge and five in Giza.
State media quoted health ministry official Khaled al-Khatib as saying 261 people were injured in the clashes, which lasted into the early hours of Tuesday.
Khaled al-Khatib said 124 people were still in hospital.
Mohamed Sultan said security personnel were among the casualties.
Members of the Brotherhood said security forces had used live ammunition, and accused them of attacking a peaceful protest.
Seven Egyptian protesters have been killed in Cairo in overnight clashes between security forces and supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi
“We were praying. Suddenly there was shouting. We looked up and the police were on the bridge firing tear gas down on us,” protester Adel Asman told Reuters news agency.
State media later quoted officials as saying 401 people had been arrested for “provoking unrest”.
The latest clashes are the most violent since last week, when more than 50 Morsi supporters were killed in fighting with troops outside the Republican Guard compound, where they believe the former president is being held.
The interim government has since announced its transition plan. A panel is to be formed by next week to draw up amendments to the constitution and a timetable for new elections.
But the Brotherhood has said it will not join a transitional government.
Mohamed Morsi supporters are demanding his reinstatement and have been holding a round-the-clock vigil outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque, in the east of the capital, and at Cairo University in Giza.
Large crowds were again gathered at the mosque on Monday as William Burns, the US deputy secretary of state, visited.
“Get out, Sisi,” some shouted, referring to the head of the armed forces, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who oversaw the overthrow of Mohamed Morsi.
William Burns met interim President Adly Mansour and Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawi, as well as Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
He described the events of the last two weeks as a “second chance to realize the promise of the revolution” that ended the authoritarian presidency of Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
William Burns called on the military to avoid “politically motivated arrests”, saying the US remained committed to an Egypt that was “stable, democratic, inclusive and tolerant”.
But he insisted the US had “not come to lecture anyone. We will not try to impose our model on Egypt.”
The envoy’s comments come amid what correspondents say is an increasing antipathy towards the US among Egyptians on both sides of the political divide.
The US has stopped short of calling the army intervention a coup – doing so would trigger a legal stop of the some $1.5 billion in the mostly military aid it sends to the country each year.
But it has called for Mohamed Morsi to be released. He is being held at an undisclosed location and is being investigated on charges including inciting violence. A number of Brotherhood members have been arrested and warrants have been issued for many more.
William Burns said he planned to meet religious and civilian leaders, the heads of political parties and business figures during his two-day visit.
But both the ultra-conservative Salafi al-Nour party and the Tamarod anti-Morsi protest movement turned down invitations to meet William Burns, while the Muslim Brotherhood also said it had no plans to see him.
“Such kind of visit doesn’t mean anything for us because we believe that America supported this military coup,” said Dina Zakaria, a member of the Brotherhood and its political wing the Freedom and Justice Party.
Islam Hammam, a Tamarod organizer, said the movement had turned down the invitation to talks with William Burns “because the United States did not stand with the Egyptian people from the beginning.”
Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, one of the world’s most notorious drug-gang leaders, has been captured by Mexican marines in a raid near the US border.
Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, 40, head of the Zetas cartel, was intercepted with two lieutenants in a pick-up truck near Nuevo Laredo.
Mexican officials said he had eight guns and $2 million in cash.
Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, infamous for his brutality, was wanted on both sides of the border for ordering massacres and running drugs on a global scale.
He took control of the Zetas following the death of group founder Heriberto Lazcano in October 2012.
His is the highest-profile arrest since President Enrique Pena Nieto came to office last December.
Enrique Pena Nieto promised to change the policy of the previous government by tackling cartels through law enforcement on a local level rather than the capture of big-name targets.
Ex-President Felipe Calderon had deployed the army across the country and pursued cartel leaders.
Although the policy eliminated many senior criminal figures, it also created power vacuums that helped fuel the violence.
Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, one of the world’s most notorious drug-gang leaders, has been captured by Mexican marines
Miguel Angel Trevino Morales Trevino Morales, known as “Zeta-40”, was captured outside Nuevo Laredo, near the US border at dawn on Monday, government spokesman Eduardo Sanchez told a news conference.
“Three people in the truck were detained by ground troops, who had arrived to support the naval forces, who had carried out the detention via the helicopter. Not a single shot was fired,” he said.
It is thought the authorities were acting on a tip-off.
The Zetas began as the enforcement arm of the Gulf cartel, another powerful criminal gang.
They were made up of defectors from an elite military unit and quickly became known for their brutality.
Miguel Angel Trevino Morales was unlike most of the Zetas because he was a civilian who worked his way up through the ranks.
The Zetas split from the Gulf cartel in 2010, sparking brutal turf wars across northern Mexico.
By 2012, they were reputed to be the largest and most powerful cartel.
But expert Alejandro Hope says the arrest is another step towards the destruction of the Zetas as a coherent organization.
“There will still be people who call themselves Zetas, bands of individuals who maintain the same modus operandi,” said Alejandro Hope, a former member of Mexico’s domestic intelligence service.
Analysts say Miguel Angel Trevino Morales’ younger brother, Omar, has been one of his closest lieutenants and may try to position himself as successor.
The Mexican authorities fear that the arrest could lead to a period of in-fighting between different Zeta factions.
Miguel Angel Trevino Morales is believed to be responsible for ordering two notorious attacks on migrants from other Latin American countries.
In 2010, he allegedly ordered the torture and murder of 72 Central American migrants as punishment for their refusal to act as drugs mules.
A year later, he apparently oversaw the massacre of almost 200 immigrants for similar reasons.
Before he became the group’s overall leader, Miguel Angel Trevino Morales co-ordinated the gang’s important Nuevo Laredo drug corridor into the US, the region in which he was finally apprehended.
He is also believed to have controlled a squad of killers who operated in the US state of Texas.
The US authorities had offered $5 million reward for any information leading to Miguel Angel Trevino Morales’ capture, making him one of the world’s most-wanted drug traffickers.
The Cuckoo’s Calling – JK Rowling’s “secret” crime novel – has topped book charts after it was revealed she had written it under a pseudonym.
Harry Potter novelist JK Rowling published The Cuckoo’s Calling as Robert Galbraith.
The crime novel had sold fewer than 500 copies before the secret emerged in the Sunday Times, according to Nielsen BookScan’s figures.
Within hours, the book rose more than 5,000 places to top Amazon’s sales list.
The digital version is now also at number one in the iTunes book chart.
The book was published by Sphere, part of Little, Brown Book Group which published JK Rowling’s first foray into writing novels for adults, The Casual Vacancy.
The Cuckoo’s Calling, JK Rowling’s “secret” crime novel, has topped book charts after it was revealed she had written it under a pseudonym
Little, Brown’s David Shelley confirmed to The Bookseller the publisher had ordered an “immediate reprint” with the number not yet confirmed.
JK Rowling said she had “hoped to keep this secret a little longer”.
The author described “being Robert Galbraith” as “such a liberating experience”.
A spokesman for bookseller Waterstones said: “This is the best act of literary deception since Stephen King was outed as Richard Bachman back in the 1980s.”
One reviewer described The Cuckoo’s Calling as a “scintillating debut”, while another praised the male author’s ability to describe women’s clothes.
Crime writer Peter James told the Sunday Times: “I thought it was by a very mature writer, and not a first-timer.”
Fellow crime author Mark Billingham, who reviewed the book ahead of its publication in April, said he was “gobsmacked” at the revelation.
The fictitious Robert Galbraith was supposed to have been a former plain-clothes Royal Military Police investigator who had left the armed forces in 2003 to work in the civilian security industry.
However a clue that JK Rowling was behind the novel was that she and Robert Galbraith shared an agent and editor.
In previous interviews, JK Rowling has said she would prefer to write novels after Harry Potter under a pseudonym.
Another Cormoran Strike book by Robert Galbraith is in the pipeline, to be published next year.
Cory Monteith’s autopsy that was scheduled to take place today will now be delayed, it has been reported.
Cory Monteith, 31, was found dead in his hotel room in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday.
Cory Monteith’s autopsy that was scheduled to take place today will now be delayed
The British Columbia Coroner’s office toldUsWeekly that they “definitely” will not have toxicology and autopsy reports for Cory Monteith on Monday.
As for when the reports will be released, the Coroner’s office said: “We might well have an update tomorrow, but final cause of death might be several days or even a couple of weeks after that.”
According to E!, the results were going to be fast-tracked “due to intense public interest”.
Cory Monteith and his girlfriend Lea Michele were planning to move together before his death, it has been reported.
Cory Monteith was found dead in his hotel room in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday, but prior to his sudden passing he was reportedly making arrangements to move into his Glee co-star Lea Michele’s Los Angeles home, although the couple – who had been dating for more than a year – were not talking about marriage.
Cory Monteith and his girlfriend Lea Michele were planning to move together before his death
An insider told Us Weekly: “Lea and Cory were planning on moving in together after he got back from Vancouver.
“[Lea Michele and Cory Monteith] weren’t talking engagement or marriage yet but it was heading that way.
“The first step was Cory was going to move in [to Lea Michele’s L.A. home] completely. He was already there all the time.”
Cory Monteith and Lea Michele – who is “devastated beyond belief” about her boyfriend’s death – were said to be more in love than ever just before he died and planning a happy future together.
The source added: “They were 100 percent happy and together and in love at the time of his death.
“They never broke up.”
Meanwhile, it has also been reported that Cory Monteith’s autopsy that was scheduled to take place today will now be delayed.
Miley Cyrus was seen arriving in New York on Monday on her way to Good Morning America wearing a tight-fitting black Chanel dress.
Miley Cyrus’ bright red lipstick and trademark blonde buzz cut gave an edgy addition to the otherwise elegant outfit.
Miley Cyrus shows off her engagement ring on Good Morning America
She then chose a revealing cutout ensemble for her appearance on the show as she sat alongside Ryan Seacrest and Karl Urban.
The 5’5″ singer was seen trying to hide her face at one point with a Honey Boo Boo sign that read “no way” on it.
However, once on the show Miley Cyrus, 20, appeared to be in a joyous mood and proudly showed off her engagement ring, confirming reports that all is still well between her and fiancé Liam Hemsworth.
Miley Cyrus, 20, and Liam Hemsworth, 23, were recently pictured looking happy and relaxed as they posed for a picture together after going hiking at the Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta.
Earlier this year, Liam Hemsworth helped fuel the rumor fire that they had split, when he suddenly flew out to Australia to be with his family on March 2.
Miley Cyrus was then seen partying around Hollywood without her Niel Lane diamond stunner.
But Miley Cyrus took to Twitter to assure fans she was not calling off her relationship to Liam Hemsworth and explained she had to take the ring off.
An international group of scientists have solved the mystery of a genetic flaw which greatly increases the risk of obesity in one in six people.
A version of an obesity gene, called FTO, had been linked to a bigger belly, but the reason why was uncertain.
A study, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, showed FTO gene made fatty foods more tempting and altered levels of the hunger hormone, ghrelin.
Obesity experts said drugs targeting ghrelin might reduce weight gain.
There is a strong family link with obesity, and a person’s genetic code is thought to play a major role in the risk of them becoming overweight.
People have two copies of the FTO gene – one from each parent – and each copy comes in a high and a low-risk form. Those with two-high risk copies of the FTO gene are thought to be 70% more likely to become obese than those with low-risk genes.
But no-one knew why.
FTO gene made fatty foods more tempting and altered levels of the hunger hormone, ghrelin
A team, led by researchers at University College London, tested two groups of men. All were a normal weight, but one group had the high-risk FTO genes and the other was low risk.
The first tests looked at levels of the hormone ghrelin either side of a meal in 10 men from each group.
Levels of the hormone, which makes people hungry, did not fall as far in the high-risk patients after the meal. Their ghrelin levels also began to climb more quickly.
In separate tests, a series of brain scans after a meal showed further differences between the two groups. Men with the high-risk genes found pictures of high-fat foods more appealing than the low-risk men.
Dr. Rachel Batterham, the head of the centre for obesity research at University College London, said: “Their brain is set up to be particularly interested in anything to do with high-calorie food.”
She said they were “biologically programmed to eat more”.
Dr. Rachel Batterham said understanding how FTO affected the odds of becoming overweight would help patients.
She said exercise such as cycling was an excellent way to lower ghrelin levels and there was a significant amount of research from pharmaceutical companies working on the hormone.
Dr. Rachel Batterham added: “Also protein meals do lower ghrelin more, so anything that suppresses ghrelin is more likely to be effective in FTO patients.”
The FTO mutations were probably life-saving at one point in human history when piling on the pounds in the summer would help people survive the winter.
Blackberry and Microsoft have both cut prices on their flagship products in a bid to boost sales.
In the US, Blackberry has cut the price of the Z10 phone to as low as $49 with a contract – down from $199 four months ago.
In the UK, Microsoft dropped the price of the 32GB Surface RT to £279 ($438) from £400 ($628), with the 64GB model’s price down by the same amount to £359 ($564).
Both companies have developed the devices to show off their latest software.
And both have tried to compete with Apple, Google and Samsung on smartphones and tablets – with limited success.
In the US, the cheapest Surface tablet went down to $349 from $499.
Blackberry in particular is battling to revive its share of the smartphone market with the touchscreen-only Z10, which shows off its new BB10 operating system.
Blackberry has cut the price of the Z10 phone to as low as $49 with a contract, down from $199 four months ago
Users can get the Z10 through US carriers AT&T and Verizon Wireless, for $99 with a two-year contract, but the phone costs $49 with a contract at retailers Amazon and Best Buy.
The company reported an $84 million loss for its last quarter and refused to say how many devices running BB10 it sold – but it sold fewer phones in those three months than in the same period the year before.
Blackberry has said it shipped one million Z10s in the first three months of 2013.
Microsoft’s Surface tablet is intended to challenge the iPad and Android-based tablets and runs Windows RT, a slimmed-down version of its latest Windows 8 operating system.
Recent figures from analysts IDC show that 49.2 million tablets shipped in January, February and March – and about 900,000 of those were Surfaces.
Other Windows-powered tablets totaled 1.8 million units sold across all vendors. Apple’s iPad and iPad Mini accounted for 19.5 million of tablets sold.
“We’ve been seeing great success with pricing and cover promotions over the past several months on Surface RT in the US and other markets,” a Microsoft spokeswoman said.
“People who buy Surface love Surface, and we’re excited about all those additional people out sharing their excitement for Surface with other people.”
Microsoft also offers the Surface Pro, which runs the full version of Windows 8 and starts at $899 for the 64GB model. It has not had its price cut.
Although Kim Kardashian and Kanye West decided against debuting daughter North on the first episode of Kris Jenner’s TV show on Monday, this didn’t stop the matriarch from using the baby for ratings.
Knowing that speculation was rife that baby North West would make her first public appearance on Monday’s Fox premiere, Kris Jenner tweeted a picture of her cradling a dark-haired baby just minutes before the show started.
“You never know who will stop by our show today #watch Kris,” she wrote.
And it wasn’t until the very end of her first hour that Kris Jenner appeared with the precious tot only to hand the infant over to its mother… her stylist Monica.
The ruse finally uncovered, Kris Jenner said she wouldn’t “kidnap” Kim’s baby and insisted her daughter would be revealing the month-old in due time.
But the baby North effect had been fully exploited for promotional purposes, without her even leaving her home.
This wasn’t the only family heartstring that Kris Jenner pulled at during the show: “I promised I wouldn’t cry,” she spluttered as her daughter Khloe Kardashian shouted support from audience just seconds into the premiere.
“Thank you Khloe, you get a raise in your allowance now,” Kris Jenner – who was dressed in a favorite black and white combination – yelled back.
But then it was back to Kim as Kris Jenner dished on her dramatic labor.
Kris Jenner also shot down rumors that Kim Kardashian is in hiding under her orders so they can get raise the price of North’s first picture and laughed: “She’s free to go wherever she wants, Kim isn’t locked in the closet,” and said her daughter wouldn’t be marrying boyfriend Kanye West… in Egypt at least.
Kris Jenner tweeted a picture of her cradling a dark-haired baby just minutes before her show started
She helmed her titular hour on Fox 5 in the US with some degree of aplomb, and a very familiar narrative plot.
A black and white checked floor and spiral staircase mirroring Kris Jenner’s foyer makes her new studio instantly familiar, and of course, she was soon dishing on her famous family.
She kicked off the show by revealing the drama and secrets behind daughter Kim Kardashian’s dash to hospital on June 14 to deliver her baby daughter North five weeks early.
“How did you get Kim from home to hospital without anyone seeing?” co-host Cameron Mathison asked.
“There’s a little back story to that,” she said.
“I was doing Good Day LA, they had sent a limo for me to do it so I was offline as it’s live TV, I hate opening my Blackberry after that and then I’ve got an email from Kim marked <<urgent>>.
“For Father’s Day she had been planning this big thing for Kanye,” Kris Jenner explained.
“He’s obsessed with Apple so she wanted to get memorabilia but she had got nowhere, so she called Steve Wozniak and he said he’d bring her a mouse, drive it all the way down from San Francisco and meet Kanye for brunch.
“I thought the email was about that but when I opened it, it read: <<I have to have the baby today, get here today, fast>>.
“So I say to the limo driver, who I don’t know at all <<Sir can we make a pitstop?>> There’s 300 paps outside Kim’s house, the guy takes a detour and the paps start clicking away… the poor guy doesn’t know what’s going on.
“But we get Kim in the limo and I start trying to put the elaborate plan we had set in place for five weeks away with decoy cars and security, thinking how am I going to do this?
“I call my friend for decoy car, and the plan is we get to the hotel and switch cars.
“We go to the hotel, Kim’s under the blankets tapping away on her phone and I’m like, <<Who are you emailing?>>. <<I’m emailing Steve Wozniak>>, she said.
“<<Could we stop with the Woz!>> I told her, let’s go to the hospital!”
“We get to the hotel, and we’re so smooth but when Kim pops up, I see Steve Wozniak and his wife Janet standing in the foyer!”
“Kim then heads over like nothing’s wrong to chat to Steve and Janet, she’s acting like she’s at a cocktail party and I’m panicking.”
“Finally we get in the getaway car, and Kim lies down then yells <<Mom, hit the floor>> we’re in a Mini Coupe and there was no room, but I did it.”
“Then at the hospital, we hit the secret carpark, we head in through the secret elevator and through the kitchen and then we have a baby.”
“I went back on Father’s Day and guess who was in the room? Steve Wozniak.”
Kris Jenner didn’t go into detail about baby North West and after disappointing her audience with the baby double, told America that she wouldn’t be bringing her granddaughter onto the show.
“That would be kidnapping, I wouldn’t do it to Kim, just give her some time and peace and she’ll be out showing her off herself,” Kris Jenner continued.
Today’s Kris show was the beginning of six-week test run on America’s right-wing station, she was offered support from celebrity friends including Simon Cowell and chat show stalwart Regis Philbin in a series of short films throughout the hour.
President Vladimir Putin has said the US authorities have in effect trapped Edward Snowden in Russia.
Vladimir Putin said fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden would leave if he was able to.
The 30-year-old former intelligence analyst has been offered asylum in a number of Latin American states, but has no documents with which to leave the transit zone at Moscow airport.
The US has charged Edward Snowden with leaking classified information.
Vladimir Putin has refused to hand over the fugitive to the US authorities, but says he can only stay in Russia if he stops leaking secrets about US surveillance schemes.
The Russian president said there were signs that Edward Snowden was “changing his position”.
However, he added that Edward Snowden did not want to stay in Russia but wanted to take up residence in “another country”.
Asked what Edward Snowden’s future was, the Russian president said: “How should I know? It’s his life.”
“He came to our territory without invitation. And we weren’t his final destination… But the moment he was in the air… our American partners, in fact, blocked his further flight,” Vladimir Putin said.
“They have spooked all the other countries, nobody wants to take him and in that way, in fact, they have themselves blocked him on our territory.”
Edward Snowden has been stuck in the transit area of Sheremetyevo airport since arriving from Hong Kong in June
Edward Snowden has been stuck in the transit area of Sheremetyevo airport – reportedly staying at the airport’s Capsule Hotel – since arriving from Hong Kong on June 23.
The American has sent requests for political asylum to at least 21 countries, most of which have turned down his request.
However, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela have indicated they could take him in.
But Edward Snowden is unable to leave the transit zone without asylum documents, a valid passport or a Russian visa – he reportedly has none of these.
And some European countries are likely to close their airspace to any plane suspected of carrying the fugitive.
At a news conference on Friday, Edward Snowden said he was seeking temporary asylum in Russia before he could safely travel to Latin America. However, Moscow officials say they have so far received no such request.
Edward Snowden’s leaking of thousands of classified US intelligence documents has led to revelations that the National Security Agency (NSA) is systematically seizing vast amounts of phone and web data.
The documents have also indicated that both the UK and French intelligence agencies allegedly run similarly vast data collection operations, and the US has been eavesdropping on official EU communications.
Did you know that lots of people have found love thanks to BlackBerry BBM? As a matter of fact, there is an entire Facebook page dedicated for people to share their stories. If you’re just curious about the highlights, here are six stories of love that happened in part because of BlackBerry BBM.
Julie and Andrew met in England and their relationship took off after they exchanged a few BBM messages. Then, Julie moved back to be with her family in Canada and the couple stayed in contact thanks to their BlackBerry phones. Their relationship continued long distance through, phone calls, messaging, and emoticons.
Navin and Niharika
This couple met during an internship training in Goa. When it was finished, they both parted ways and stayed in contact thanks to BBM for android smartphones. They spoke on the phone and chatted through BlackBerry BBM. They finally got together after Nagpur finished her studies and went back home to Mumbai. They got married and have been together for nine years now.
Siddharth and Mahek
One month into their relationship, Siddharth and Mahek reached their 100 sms limit. That’s when they decided to buy BlackBerry phones together because of BlackBerry BBM. They can now send unlimited messages to each other without the standard cost of text messages. The couple describes how BlackBerry BBM keeps them in love, saying, “I like a shirt, I send her a photo. She likes a shoe, she sends me a photo.” It keeps them connected to each other at all times. “I love you,” is one of their favorite messages to send.
Niki and Vishnu
This couple met at one of the clubs in Cochin where they had love at first sight. By the end of the night, Niki and Vishnu had exchanged numbers. They called and texted back and forth for a week until they decided to start dating. They credit BlackBerry BBM for their loving relationship. Niki says, “Without his ping in the morning, my day is definitely incomplete.
Usha and Abid
These childhood friends decided that they were made for each other and became a couple. Growing up together helped them learn each other’s likes and dislikes and strengthen their relationship. They now stay connected and in love thanks to BlackBerry BBM.
Tanaya and Amit
Both Tanaya and Amit wanted to get married so they turned to a dating website where they found each other. After the parents approved, arrangements started being made to get the marriage started. While that was happening, Tanaya and Amit fell in loved by texting each other during all of their spare time. The first gift that Amit gave Tanaya was a BlackBerry phone so they could stay connected. They are now inseparable. They will be getting married very soon.
These are just a few accounts of the great love stories that were made possible because of BlackBerry BBM. Do you have a love story you’d like to share? Leave a comment below.
Cory Monteith was seen drinking alcohol with his friends in Vancouver just one week before his death, it has been reported.
Cory Monteith – who completed a month-long stint in rehab for substance addiction in April – was seen “laughing and drinking beers” reportsTMZ.
The 31-year-old Glee star was pictured with his friends on July 6, the day he checked into the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel, where he was found dead by hotel staff one week later.
Cory Monteith was also pictured next to a mystery brunette who is seen holding two cans of beer, although it was not his girlfriend Lea Michele who was believed to have been in Los Angeles for work at the time.
The actor was reportedly seen drinking alcohol with his friends outside The Shop, a local men’s clothing and motorcycle accessories store, according to the owner.
A source told TMZ that the actor was seen drinking three beers in the course of a few hours but did not seem out of control.
Cory Monteith was seen drinking alcohol with his friends in Vancouver just one week before his death
However, it has been revealed that on July 11 he had dined manager Elena Kirschner and acting mentor Maureen Webb at East of Main where the actor seemed happy and did not drink alcohol.
Maureen Webb told People magazine: “He looked so good, so healthy. I hadn’t seen him look that good in a long time.”
“We ate a lot of food. We drank the rhubarb lemonade.”
Cory Monteith had organized the dinner because he was planning on getting more involved with Project Limelight Society, a free theatre programme for kids who are driven to perform.
Maureen Webb, who is the co-founder of Project Limelight Society, added: “I told him, <<I remember everything we talked about when we first talked about this project. Now it’s happening>>. His face just lit up. He was in great spirits.”
Two days later Cory Monteith was discovered dead by hotel staff after he failed to check out at the designated time. While there are no implications of foul play, the cause of death has been yet to be confirmed.
In one of this year’s episodes of Duck Dynasty, Uncle Si Robertson got mad and quit Duck Commander.
Si Robertson felt like he was not appreciated enough. He couldn’t find his tea glass and that was the final straw.
Si Robertson decided to quit Duck Commander after he couldn’t find his tea glass
Uncle Si wanted help and nobody jumped up to help him finding his tea glass. So he just said: “I quit!”
Si Robertson decided to help his older brother Phil working at the property so he could still make money, but he would not be at Duck Commander anymore.
Willie Robertson, the Duck Commander CEO, even went as far as to hire someone to replace Uncle Si even though everyone knows that he won’t stay gone forever. Of course that didn’t last long and Uncle Si Robertson was back at Duck Commander. He even got a raise to come back to work!
Trayvon Martin’s family is considering whether to sue George Zimmerman in civil court for liability over the death of the unarmed black teenager.
George Zimmerman’s attorney, however, is convinced that his client is immune from such a suit.
Having already admitted to shooting Trayvon Martin and with the burden of proof lower in civil court than in criminal court, George Zimmerman may not emerge victorious from such a lawsuit.
While no estimates have yet been floated as to the amount of financial liability, George Zimmerman may face in a civil suit, Trayvon Martin’s family already settled with the town of Sanford, Florida, and the gated community Zimmerman shot the teenager in while patrolling as a volunteer neighborhood watchman.
The housing complex doled out over $1 million to the grieving family, according to the Orlando Sentinal.
Trayvon Martin’s family is considering whether to sue George Zimmerman in civil court for liability over the death of the unarmed black teenager
Mark O’Mara, George Zimmerman’s attorney, says his client is immune from liability.
“If someone believes that it’s appropriate to sue George Zimmerman, then we will seek and we will get immunity in a civil hearing,” Mark O’Mara said in a post-verdict press conference, adding: “We will see just how many civil lawsuits are spawned from this fiasco.”
Florida law would also prevent George Zimmerman from selling the rights to his story for a book or movie deal in order to pay for a civil suit should he be found liable for Trayvon Martin’s death, according to televised media reports.
George Zimmerman could also face trial on federal civil rights abuses in the death of Trayvon Martin.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Reverend Al Sharpton are working towards making that happen.
The NAACP with a petitionaddressed directly to US Attorney General Eric Holder and Al Sharpton with planned meetings with community leaders in Florida and likely rallies to follow.
The US Department of Justice confirmed today that it will look into the shooting death of Trayvon Martin to determine whether federal prosecutors should file criminal charges against George Zimmerman in the wake of his acquittal.
The department opened an investigation into Trayvon Martin’s death in 2012, but stepped aside to allow the state prosecution to proceed.
In a statement Sunday, the Justice Department said the criminal section of the civil rights division, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Middle District of Florida are continuing to evaluate the evidence generated during the federal probe, in addition to the evidence and testimony from the state trial.
The statement said that, in the government’s words, “experienced federal prosecutors will determine whether the evidence reveals a prosecutable violation”.
This move follows demands from a furious NAACP for the Obama administration to intervene.
Already, over 100,000 people have signed up to an online petition and the NAACP has written a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder urging the Department of Justice to press civil rights charges against 29-year-old George Zimmerman.
In his first public statement since the verdict, President Barack Obama called for calm on Sunday after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, saying his death was a tragedy and that the country should seek ways to stem gun violence.
Barack Obama urged Americans to broaden “the circle of understanding and compassion” in their communities and put some of the emotion the case has aroused into curtailing gun violence.
On Sunday, Daryl Parks, an attorney for the family of Trayvon Martin was non-committal when asked if they supported the NAACP’s call for George Zimmerman to be prosecuted by the Justice Department.
When asked on Fox News Sunday if Trayvon Martin’s father, Tracy Martin and mother, Sybrina Fulton, supported such a move, Daryl Parks seemed to defer.
“The beauty of our country is that we have several tiers of government, several aspects of laws and that different times different aspects apply,” said Daryl Parks.
“Different laws apply at different times, different places apply at different times. That would be a different arena.”
Both Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton chose not to be in the Seminole Circuit Court when the jurors announced their decision just before 10 p.m.
George Crump, the family’s attorney, said that they will still be pursuing a civil case against George Zimmerman.
NAACP President Benjamin Jealous was unequivocal in his response to the not-guilty decision by the Florida jury.
The Department of Justice confirmed that it will investigate the death of Trayvon Martin in the wake of George Zimmerman’s acquittal
“We are outraged and heartbroken over today’s verdict,” Benjamin Jealous said in a statement.
“We will pursue civil rights charges with the Department of Justice, we will continue to fight for the removal of Stand Your Ground laws in every state, and we will not rest until racial profiling in all its forms is outlawed,” he said.
Politicians such as Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y) and civil rights leader Jesse Jackson have all added their voices to the NAACP’s position and demanded the administration review the case.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, called the verdict “a sad day in the country” and “a slap in the face to those that believe in justice in this country”.
“I think this is an atrocity,” Al Sharpton said.
“It is probably one of the worst situations that I have seen.”
Jesse Jackson called the verdict: “Old South justice.”
“I’m disappointed and I’m saddened for the family,” Jesse Jackson said.
Benjamin Jealous said Trayvon Martin’s family may bring a civil suit against George Zimmerman but said federal criminal charges must be filed because evidence suggests race was a factor in the case.
He told CNN the black community is upset with a situation in which “our young people have to fear the bad guys and the good guys. The robbers and the cops and the self-appointed community watch volunteer who think that they’re keeping folks safer”.
Al Sharpton cited the example of Rodney King, the man whose videotaped beating by Los Angeles police triggered rioting two decades ago after a state criminal trial found the police officers not guilty.
Later, the Justice Department brought a federal case that resulted in the conviction of two officers.
However, after George Zimmerman was found not guilty on second-degree and manslaughter charges by a Florida jury on Saturday, Attorney General Eric Holder has been left with a decision of massive implications.
The enormous pressure on Eric Holder, the United States’ first African-American attorney general, will grow over the coming days – especially in light of previous statements made on the matter.
Earlier this year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a review of the shooting and Eric Holder went on record to say that he would take appropriate action if there was sufficient evidence of a civil rights crime.
“If we find evidence of a potential federal criminal civil rights crime, we will take appropriate action, and at every step, the facts and law will guide us forward,” said Eric Holder in a speech in April to Al Sharpton’s National Action Network.
However, in remarks subsequent to that, Eric Holder toned-down his comments, saying that the DOJ faces a “very high barrier” to bring federal criminal charges.
Eric Holder made personal remarks about the death of Trayvon Martin in April, saying “as a parent I reacted to it”.
“This is a pain that no parent should have to endure. The notion of having to bury a child is something that is, I think in some ways for a parent, the ultimate pain,” he said.
“The primary responsibility we have in the Justice Department is to support the state in its ongoing investigation, to do our own thorough and parallel investigation which we are in the process of doing and try to resolve this matter in as fair and complete a way and as quickly as we can.”
The full text of the NAACP’s petition to Attorney General Eric Holder
“Attorney General Eric Holder,
The Department of Justice has closely monitored the State of Florida’s prosecution of the case against George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin murder since it began.
Today, with the acquittal of George Zimmerman, it is time for the Department of Justice to act.
The most fundamental of civil rights – the right to life – was violated the night George Zimmerman stalked and then took the life of Trayvon Martin.
We ask that the Department of Justice file civil rights charges against Mr. Zimmerman for this egregious violation.
Please address the travesties of the tragic death of Trayvon Martin by acting today.
Thank you”
George Zimmerman shot dead Martin in Sanford on February 26th, 2012.
George Zimmerman, 29, maintains he shot Trayvon Martin, 17, in self-defense, while the state argued that Zimmerman “profiled” Martin and concluded he was a criminal.
For their part, the NAACP is trying to build a ground swell of support for its call for federal charges.
British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) made “illegal” transfers, say Chinese police as they released details of an investigation into bribery allegations.
Four senior Chinese executives from GSK have been held, said Gao Feng, head of the economic crimes investigation unit.
Gao Feng said GSK had transferred as much as 3 billion yuan ($489 million) to travel agencies and consultancies since 2007.
Chinese police said GSK had transferred as much as $489 million to travel agencies and consultancies since 2007
GSK has said it has not found any evidence of corruption.
However, the company said in a statement last week that it was co-operating with authorities.
On July 11, the Ministry of Public Security said GSK executives had confessed to bribery and tax violations. Authorities said they suspect GSK of offering bribes to officials and doctors to try to boost sales in China.
On Monday, Gao Feng did not go into how much of the money was spent allegedly bribing officials and doctors.
He did, however, say that the probe had found that GSK was mainly responsible for the bribes which included cases of s**ual bribery.
“We have sufficient reason to suspect that these transfers were conducted illegally,” Gao Feng said.
“You could say the travel agencies and GSK were criminal partners.”
Selena Gomez is one of the many celebrities paying tribute to Cory Monteith after his tragic death in a Vancouver hotel room at the age of 31 on Saturday.
Selena Gomez, 20, posted a picture of herself and Cory Monteith hugging on the red carpet of the 2011 Kids’ Choice Awards.
Selena Gomez is one of the many celebrities paying tribute to Cory Monteith after his tragic death in a Vancouver hotel room
She accompanied the picture with a poignant message, writing: “This hurts. I love you Cory. Rest in peace. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.”
Selena Gomez was just one of numerous celebrities who took to their Twitter pages to express their shock and grief over the death of Glee star Cory Monteith.
Gwyneth Paltrow, who also appeared in the show, released a moving statement in tribute.
“Cory was a sweet and talented man. My heart breaks for Lea and the entire Glee family,” said the actress.
Cory Monteith’s body was found shortly after noon by Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel staff.
According to the Vancouver Sun, there are no indications of foul play, and an autopsy is scheduled for today.
