Condoms Too Big For Indian Men

A survey of more than 1,000 men in India has concluded that condoms made according to international sizes are too large for a majority of Indian men.

The study found that more than half of the men measured had penises that were shorter than international standards for condoms.

It has led to a call for condoms of mixed sizes to be made more widely available in India.

The two-year study was carried out by the Indian Council of Medical Research.

Over 1,200 volunteers from the length and breadth of the country had their penises measured precisely, down to the last millimeter.

The scientists even checked their sample was representative of India as a whole in terms of class, religion and urban and rural dwellers.

The conclusion of all this scientific endeavor is that about 60% of Indian men have penises which are between three and five centimeters shorter than international standards used in condom manufacture.

Doctor Chander Puri, a specialist in reproductive health at the Indian Council of Medical Research, told the BBC there was an obvious need in India for custom-made condoms, as most of those currently on sale are too large.

The issue is serious because about one in every five times a condom is used in India it either falls off or tears, an extremely high failure rate.

And the country already has the highest number of HIV infections of any nation.

Mr Puri said that since Indians would be embarrassed about going to a chemist to ask for smaller condoms there should be vending machines dispensing different sizes all around the country.

"Smaller condoms are on sale in India. But there is a lack of awareness that different sizes are available. There is anxiety talking about the issue. And normally one feels shy to go to a chemist's shop and ask for a smaller size condom."

But Indian men need not be concerned about measuring up internationally according to Sunil Mehra, the former editor of the Indian version of the men's magazine Maxim.

"It's not size, it's what you do with it that matters," he said.

"From our population, the evidence is Indians are doing pretty well.

"With apologies to the poet Alexander Pope, you could say, for inches and centimeters, let fools contend."

Source: BBC News  

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Supermoon Graces The Night Sky

A "supermoon" has graced the skies, appearing bigger and brighter than usual, as it comes closer to the Earth - and is likely to bring higher tides.

The phenomenon, known as a perigee full moon, means the Moon appears up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than when it is furthest from the planet.

The optimum effect was seen - cloud permitting - at 04:30 BST (03:30 GMT).

The Royal Astronomical Society's Dr Robert Massey said the Moon's size may be more obvious than its brightness.

"The eye is so good at compensating for changes in brightness that you simply don't notice (that element) so much," he said.

When the Moon appears at its biggest it will be just 356,400km (221,457 miles) away, compared to its usual distance from Earth of 384,000km (238,606 miles).

Dr Massey said: "When the Moon is closest to the Earth and full or new, you get an increase in the tidal pull in the ocean because the gravity of the moon and the sun line up."

He added: "The Moon is always beautiful and a full moon is always dramatic."

Scientists have dismissed the idea the perigee could cause strange behaviour - like lycanthropy - or natural disasters.

The Moon's distance from Earth varies because it follows an elliptical orbit instead of a circular one.

Source: BBC News  

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Surprise Nepal Flood Kills 13

At least 13 people have died in Nepal and dozens more are missing, police say, after a mountain river burst its banks, causing flooding around Mount Annapurna in the west of the country.

Three Russian tourists trekking in the area are among the missing. Their names have not been released.

The floodwaters have swept into Pokhara, Nepal's second biggest city.

Police have been trying to reach the village in the Mount Annapurna area where the flooding started.
Map of Nepal

Fast-flowing floodwaters from the swollen Seti River smashed into two buildings and a number of shacks in Kharapani village, in the shadow of Mount Annapurna, police official Shailesh Thapa told the AFP news agency.

A number of people were swept away along with their houses and livestock.

Police are searching for more victims.

"Tourists flock to this area because there is a hot-water spring," an official from the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, named only as Paudel, told the AFP news agency.

"There hasn't been any rain recently, so we were surprised when the flood occurred at 09:30.

"The water has risen so high that it was up to a bridge. I found two truck drivers who had survived by fleeing to a hill nearby."

May is the end of the trekking season, but before the monsoon. The cause of the flood is not yet known.

One report said an avalanche on Annapurna had caused the river to back up before it burst its banks.

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Peru Drug Rehabilitation Clinic Fire Kills 14

Fourteen people have died after being trapped in a Peruvian drug rehabilitation centre during a fire, firefighters say, in the second such tragedy this year.

The blaze broke out at the Sacred Heart of Jesus centre, a two-storey building in the Chosica district, 30km (19 miles) east of the capital, Lima.

There was only one survivor. The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed.

A fire swept through another drug clinic in January, killing 27 people.

Fire chief Fernando Campos said 14 bodies had been counted - 13 on the second floor and one on the first floor.

He said firefighters had to use tools to break into the building, as the the main door was padlocked.

"The doors were locked and the windows on the second floor had bars on them. It wasn't possible for people to get out," he told AFP news agency.

According to Peruvian media reports, the blaze began at around 04:00 local time (09:00 GMT) after a patient set fire to a mattress on the second floor.
Lima map

It reportedly took two hours for firefighters to bring the blaze under control.

In January's accident, which took place at the unlicensed Christ Is Love centre in Lima, the doors were also locked, forcing some to leap from windows in an effort to escape the flames.

The accident prompted calls for better regulation of such rehabilitation clinics in Peru, where only one in five is believed to be functioning with a licence.

According to the drug abuse and prevention group Cedro, some 60,000 to 100,000 people are addicted to drugs in Peru, which is one of the world's leading cocaine producers.

Source: BBC News  

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Key 9/11 Suspects Appear In Court

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others accused of plotting the 9/11 attacks have appeared before a US military tribunal at Guantanamo to be charged.

The hearing had an uncertain start, with suspects refusing to answer questions. Breaking their silence, one demanded to speak now saying Americans might kill him during the trial.

An earlier attempt to try the five in a civilian court was halted in 2009.

Newly-introduced rules include a ban on evidence obtained under torture.

But defence lawyers still say the Guantanamo trial system lacks legitimacy because of restricted access to their clients.

The defendants are accused of planning and executing the attacks of 11 September 2001, which saw hijacked planes strike New York, Washington and Shanksville, Pennsylvania and left a total of 2,976 people dead.

They face charges including terrorism, hijacking, conspiracy, and murder.

A small number of victims' relatives are attending Saturday's hearing at the military complex.

Self-proclaimed 9/11 "mastermind" Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is being tried with four others - Waleed bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali and Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi.

Proceedings were delayed as one of the defendants, Waleed bin Attash, appeared in court while restrained in his chair. The restraints were later removed after defence counsel had given assurances that he would "behave".

Another defendant, Ramzi Binalshibh, knelt and prayed for several minutes.

Mohammed, wearing a white turban and a flowing beard, refused to answer the judge's questions. His lawyer said he believed Mohammed was not responding because he believes the tribunal is unfair.

The hearing was further delayed when all the defendants refused to wear the earphones that provide translation into Arabic.

It later resumed with an Arabic translator present in court - ensuring that the accused could follow proceedings.

Ramzi Binalshibh eventually attempted to address the court. When told by the judge he could speak later he replied: "Maybe you're not going to see us any more. Maybe they will kill me and say I committed suicide."

The five are expected to be asked to enter a plea for the first time. The charges can carry the death penalty.

The decision to hold a military rather than a civilian trial remains controversial and follows a lengthy legal wrangle over where the five men would face justice.

One of the defendants' lawyers, James Connell, predicted the trial would take years to complete.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who is of Pakistani origin but was born in Kuwait, was captured in Pakistan in 2003 and transferred to the Guantanamo base in Cuba in 2006.

During an earlier, controversial attempt to try him before a military tribunal in 2008, he said he intended to plead guilty and would welcome martyrdom.

In 2009 the Obama administration, which is pledged to close Guantanamo, tried to move the trial into US civilian courts, but reversed its decision in 2011 after widespread opposition.

The five were eventually charged in June 2011 with offences similar to those they were accused of by the Bush administration.

The Pentagon has previously said Khalid Sheikh Mohammed admitted he was responsible "from A to Z" for the 9/11 attacks.

US prosecutors allege that he was involved with a host of other terrorist activities.

These include the 2002 nightclub bombing in Bali, Indonesia, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl and a failed 2001 attempt to blow up an airliner using a shoe bomb.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has alleged that he was repeatedly tortured during his detention in Cuba.

CIA documents confirm that he was subjected to simulated drowning, known as waterboarding, 183 times.

Source: BBC News 

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Dismembered Bodies Of 2 Journalists Found In Mexico

At least two of four dismembered bodies found Thursday morning in the eastern state of Veracruz and bearing signs of torture were journalists, Mexican authorities said.

The journalists were identified as Guillermo Luna Varela and Gabriel Huge, who had been reported missing Wednesday, said Sandra Garcia, a spokeswoman for the state government.

The governor of Veracruz, Javier Duarte de Ochoa, said in a statement that the other two bodies were identified as Esteban Rodríguez Rodríguez and Irasema Becerra. It was not immediately clear whether they were also journalists.

It said Duarte had met with the secretary of public security, Arturo Bermudez Zurita, and with the attorney general, Felipe Amadeo Flores Espinosa, and ordered them to investigate the case and punish those responsible.

The bodies were found inside four bags in a canal; the victims appeared to have been tortured, the state's attorney general said, according to CNN Mexico.

"By the characteristics of the crime, one presumes that organized crime was involved in the commission of these homicides," the attorney general's office said in a statement.

Luna Varela worked as a photographer for veracruznews.com.mx, and Huge "dedicated himself to private activities," it said.

Their relatives said they had been missing since Wednesday, the statement said.

The bodies were found by naval police in the Zamorana Canal in the city of Boca del Rio, where two abandoned trucks were found last November containing 35 bodies.

The discovery of the photographers' bodies occurred on World Press Freedom Day and four days after Regina Martinez, a reporter for the weekly Proceso magazine, was found strangled in her house in Xalapa, Veracruz.

Since 2000, a total of 76 journalists have been killed in Mexico -- not counting Martinez or the two photographers -- according to data from the National Human Rights Commission.

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Suspected U.S. Drone Strike Kills 9 Militants In Pakistan

A suspected U.S. drone strike killed nine people Saturday in an attack that targeted a militant compound in Pakistan's volatile tribal region, authorities said.

The casualties are believed to be members of the Pakistan Taliban, said Muhammad Amin, a senior government official from the region.

A drone fired two missiles at a compound in the Shawal mountain region of North Waziristan, according to two Pakistani security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release details to the media.

North Waziristan, one of seven tribal regions along the Afghan border, is widely believed to be a haven for militant groups and has been a repeated target of drone strikes.

There has been a sharp drop in the number of drone attacks in Pakistan since a November NATO airstrike killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on the country's border with Afghanistan, driving U.S.- Pakistan relations to a low point.

U.S. officials rarely discuss the CIA's drone program in Pakistan, though privately they have said the covert strikes are legal and an effective tactic in the fight against extremists.

President Barack Obama has defended the use of drone attacks, saying a "pinpoint strike" is "less intrusive" on other countries' sovereignty than other military ways to target al Qaeda.

It is the second reported drone strike since Pakistani lawmakers approved a list of recommendations that includes a call for an immediate end to U.S. drone attacks.

American and Pakistani officials met in April to discuss relations between the two nations in the first in-depth talks since Pakistan's parliament rolled out a set of new guidelines for its relations with the United States, in which it agreed to re-engage with Washington after months of tension.

The list of parliamentary recommendations, approved by lawmakers, said that future relations with the United States should be based on mutual interest, and that no overt or covert operations -- including private security companies or operatives -- will be allowed on Pakistani soil.

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Wife Witnesses Soldier Husband Dying In Afghanistan, Over Skype

An Army captain's wife witnessed her husband's death while the couple was engaged in one of their regular video chats -- he from his base in Afghanistan and she from the United States, some 7,500 miles away -- the family said.

Capt. Bruce Kevin Clark was in Tarin Kowt, about 85 miles (140 kilometers) north of Kandahar, when he died during a Skype session with his wife on Monday.

Clarence Davis, a spokesman for the William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas, where Clark was based, said that it has not been determined how Clark died and that the case is under investigation.

He added that he "misspoke" when he said earlier Friday that "we believe his death was from natural causes."

Clark's family said in a statement that they'd hoped for "a miracle" after his wife Susan saw what happened to Clark earlier this week, but "it was not to be." They did not elaborate as to what took place.

"Although the circumstances were unimaginable, Bruce's wife and extended family will be forever thankful that he and his wife were together in his last moments," Clark's wife and family said Friday.

Clark -- known by many as Kevin -- was a chief nurse in the Army who amassed many honors in his military career, according to his family. Those include an Army Commendation Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and an Army Service Medal.

The longtime resident of Spencerport, New York, joined the Army in September 2006 and served, among other places, at the Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, according to a Beaumont Army Medical Center statement. More recently, he was based at that medical facility in southwest Texas and assigned to the Army's A Company, Troop Command.

"He loved being in the military," his sister-in-law Mariana Barry told CNN affiliate WHAM in upstate New York. "He was absolutely willing to make any sacrifice, and it's just horrible that this is the sacrifice he ended up making."

His commander described Clark, 43, as "awesome," "professional" and "a great asset, leader and friend," the family said.

After his death, special operations troops from the United States and Australia lined up to give him his final send-off from Afghanistan.

And on Thursday, his casket was wrapped in an American flag as it was transported off a military plane onto the tarmac of Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, according to the U.S. Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operation.

While no dates have been given, the family said that Clark's funeral will be in Spencerport and a memorial service will be held in Addison, Michigan.

In addition, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed that all flags at state government buildings be flown at half-staff Monday in Clark's honor, as he's done with other Empire State troops who have died in combat zones.

In addition to his wife, Clark is survived by two daughters.

Dozens have posted comments on a Facebook tribute page set up in Clark's honor, some of them from people who knew him and his family personally and others from strangers wishing to thank him for his service.

"He was an excellent nurse, a fierce patient advocate, and loved to teach students. But what I remember most about him is the great love he had for his wife and beautiful little girls," one woman wrote. "I have no doubt that Bruce will be watching them and loving them forever more."

Barry said that her sister Susan is "being strong" for her daughters and that the entire family is committed to stepping up -- just like Clark did.

"We're going to try to take care of my sister and my nieces the way that Kevin would have taken care of them, and the way he would have wanted us to take care of them," Barry said.

Source: CNN News  

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Blast Kills 5 In Syria

An explosion at a car wash near Syria's largest city of Aleppo killed at least five people Saturday, opposition activists said.

The blast occurred as security forces drove by in a bus, but it was unclear whether the fatalities were soldiers or civilians, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The new attacks came after violence flared at the sprawling Aleppo University, one of several schools where anti-government protests have erupted recently. Seven were killed at the university Thursday.

Aleppo, a bastion of support for al-Assad, has been largely spared in Syria's 14 months of bloody uprising. Recent protests there could signal a significant shift.

CNN cannot independently verify reports of violence and deaths within Syria because the government has restricted access by most of the international media.

In the capital of Damascus, two separate blasts, including one targeting a military vehicle, left three government soldiers injured, the group said.

In the opposition stronghold of Homs, Syrian forces shelled a crowded neighborhood at dawn, killing two defected police officers, activists said.

As the violence rages, the head of the opposition political group, the Syrian National Council, was expected to arrive in China for talks Sunday.

Burhan Ghalioun will meet foreign ministry officials during his trip, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier this year, China and Russia derailed a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an end to attacks on peaceful protesters.

The latest attacks, in violation of a peace plan brokered by international envoy Kofi Annan, escalated doubts as to whether the violent 14-month uprising can be resolved.

A spokesman for Annan said it will take time for the plan to take hold.

"The Annan plan is on track and a crisis that has been going on for over a year is not going to be resolved in a day or a week," spokesman Ahmed Fawzi said Friday. "Sadly, time is a luxury that we don't have. But realistically, it's going to take a little more time to pull all the strings together, but rest assured that they are being pulled together."

While there are no big signs of compliance with the plan, he said, there are small signs such as some heavy weapons have been withdrawn and violence has receded.

The head of the U.N. mission in Syria, Gen. Robert Mood, said the government is allowing observers access and the team has seen more commitment to the cease-fire plan.

Dozens of unarmed military observers are in Syria with a total of 300 expected in the country by the end of the month to monitor the cease-fire and the peace plan.

The cease-fire went into effect April 12 and is part of a six-point peace plan negotiated by Annan.

The plan includes the government allowing humanitarian groups access to the population, releasing detainees, starting a political dialogue and withdrawing troops from city centers.

Syria's protests started peacefully in March of last year, but a government crackdown spawned violence that has left thousands dead and prompted some military defectors to take up arms against the regime forces. The government has consistently blamed the violence on "armed terrorists."

The United Nations estimates that at least 9,000 people have died in the conflict while opposition groups put the death toll at more than 11,000.

Source: CNN News  

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20 Killed In Suicide Attack In Pakistan

An explosion killed 20 and injured dozens in Pakistan's tribal region bordering Afghanistan on Friday, a government official said.

A suicide bomber ran into a crowed group of paramilitary members and blew himself up, said Islam Zeb, a top government official of Bajaur Agency.

The paramilitary soldiers were gathered and waiting to be taken to different locations for their routine patrolling.

The incident took place in Khar, one of the main towns of Bajaur Agency, and killed four paramilitary soldiers and 16 civilians, Zeb said.

Among the dead were six children.

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Doctors To Examine Junior Seau's Brain

Junior Seau's family will let researchers study the former NFL linebacker's brain for evidence of trauma, San Diego Chargers chaplain Shawn Mitchell said Friday.

Since news broke that the former Chargers linebacker killed himself Wednesday with a gunshot to the chest, there has been speculation about whether repeated hits to his head over his 20-year pro career could have been a contributing factor.

The family made the decision to allow the research in hopes it will help NFL players and others in the future, Mitchell said.

The San Diego County medical examiner's office on Thursday classified Seau's death as a suicide, but said a final autopsy report may take up to 90 days to complete.

While there was no evidence Seau suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease brought on by multiple concussions, friends and family have stepped forward to say the legendary linebacker suffered a number of hits to the head during his career.

As a linebacker, he played "the most havoc-ridden position on the team. He suffered many concussions, so there is a strong sense that it played a role," Mitchell, a pastor and Seau family friend, said Thursday.

Mitchell, who stood next to Seau's grief-stricken mother as she faced a sea of cameras to discuss her son's death, said the family had received calls from researchers asking to study his brain.

"Him taking the shot to the chest makes sense that he would want his head examined," he said.

While Mitchell did not identify the researchers making the requests, among the institutions the family could donate Seau's brain to is Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, the research center that found former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson suffered degenerative damage to his brain because of repeated hits.

Duerson committed suicide, shooting himself in the chest in 2011 and leaving a suicide note that said he wanted his brain studied for possible damage.

Seau's death follows last month's suicide of former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling, the lead plantiff in a class action lawsuit against the NFL over concussion-related injuries. The lawsuit names more than 1,000 professional players.

In both cases, Easterling and Duerson exhibited symptoms of repetitive head trauma: memory lapses, anger and deep depression, according to family and friends. And in both cases, researchers found signs of brain trauma.

More than 100 former professional football players added their names Thursday to the growing list of people suing the NFL, saying it "repeatedly refuted the connection between concussions and brain injury," according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta by attorney Mike McGlamry.

The NFL has repeatedly dismissed the allegations, saying player safety is a priority. "Any allegation that the NFL intentionally sought to mislead players has no merit," it said.

Seau does not appear to have participated in any of the pending lawsuits against the NFL.

CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, warned against drawing a conclusion in Seau's case, though he said there were striking similarities between his death and other cases involving football players.

The only way to determine if Seau suffered CTE is to analyze the brain tissue for "hallmarks of the dementia-like disease," Gupta said.

"We can't know, unless Junior Seau's" brain is analyzed in this way, whether his death was related to CTE, he said.

Though Seau had no reported documented history of concussions, Gupta said "the hits don't necessarily result in diagnosed concussion, but the brain is rattled over and over again."

Seau family friend Joe Gallagher said the former linebacker made a comment recently that appeared to indicate a possible issue.

"Junior had wanted to donate his brain to science to the study of concussive injuries," he told CNN affiliate KGTV of San Diego.

Tim Abell, an actor and veteran's advocate who conducted what is believed to be Seau's last interview on Monday at a charity golf tournament, said he saw no indication that Seau was suicidal.

"He was so jovial and happy," he said Friday on CNN's "Starting Point."

A Seau friend who was also at the tournament agreed.

"He seemed to be in a very good mood, lighthearted," David Biber said.

Seau was drafted into the NFL in the first round in 1990 out of the University of Southern California. He debuted with the San Diego Chargers, establishing his Hall of Fame potential as a Pro Bowl staple.

He left San Diego before the 2003 season to join the Miami Dolphins and spent parts of the last four seasons with the New England Patriots before retiring in late 2011. Seau amassed 1,526 tackles, 56.5 sacks and 18 interceptions in his 20-season career.

Seau's death rocked the Southern California city of San Diego, where he was a member of the 1994 Chargers -- the only team in franchise history to make it to the Super Bowl.

His reputation as a fierce tackler -- with a heart of gold for his community work -- earned him admiration and a legion of fans.

Through most of his career he avoided negative publicity that plagued some in the NFL.

But in October 2010, he made headlines when he was charged with domestic violence after an incident with his girlfriend, and then hours after his arrest he drove off a cliff and crashed on the beach. Investigators later ruled the crash an accident, saying he fell asleep at the wheel.

On Wednesday, Seau made headlines again. His girlfriend, who had just returned home from a workout, found him in the bedroom of his home with a gun lying next to him, authorities said.

It is not clear if Seau left a note or an explanation.

In the hours before his death, Mitchell said he sent text messages to his ex-wife and their three children.

"They said simply, 'I love you," Mitchell told CNN. "They actually responded back to him with 'Love you too, Dad.'"

Source: CNN News  

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Why Is Samsung So Hot Right Now?

This summer, Earls Court in London will be the venue for Olympic volleyball, but last night Samsung hired this vast space to launch a single product -- its new flagship phone, the Galaxy S III. (We really liked it incidentally, check out our hands-on preview here).

Hiring such a large space and filling it full of tech heads from all over the world was a sign of extreme confidence from the Korean electronics giant, and you only have to take a look at its last set of figures to see where the bravado is coming from. Net profit for the quarter was 5.05tn won, up 81%, and the main driver for this success was Samsung's Galaxy range of phones.

The Galaxy range has certainly been selling like hot cakes. This week, trend-watchers IDC put the company ahead of the competition in its latest state of the market analysis.

What's interesting to me is how different Samsung's strategy is to its other major smartphone competitor, Apple. There is only one iPhone released every year, and design-wise, each one has been broadly the same as the previous model, with the same size screen.

In contrast, Samsung has a bewildering number of different models that, viewed together, make almost no sense at all to the casual observer. This might seem like a recipe for confusion, but it also means that that Samsung has a phone to suit pretty much every potential customer. Want something pocketable that's cheap? There's a Samsung Galaxy for that. Need lots of power, a massive screen and a stylus to draw pictures with? Samsung Galaxy can help. And on it goes.

Apple is fantastic at making a product that's very aspirational, and it makes an enormous amount of money on every iPhone, but in terms of simply shifting a lot of phones and achieving huge scale, it's Samsung that has the winning strategy.

Both Apple and Samsung are so successful in fact, the battle for the top smartphone slot is starting to look like a two-horse race.

But it won't necessarily always be this way. HTC was the darling of the mobile industry a while back until Samsung arrived to eat its lunch. The transformation in the company's fortunes was rapid, and there's every possibility that Samsung could see an equally rapid turnaround at some point in the future -- in mobiles, you're only as good as your last hit product.

There's also a chance that Samsung's scale could turn out to be a weakness as well as a strength. In some respects, Samsung reminds me of Sony in the years before it all went wrong. There are lots of divisions that don't appear to communicate with each other very well, making a vast number of different products, most of which are decent, but not outstanding.

There's a desire to be the number one player in every category Samsung is in, which is laudable, but probably unachievable. Does Samsung really need to be the number one maker of cameras in the world? Or MP3 players? Probably not. I can't help but wonder whether its smartphone profits are covering up some deeper organizational problems. Then again, it seems to be working for now, so it may all turn out fine.

If a company was to snatch the smartphone crown from Samsung, which would it be? One answer might be Nokia, which may seem like a crazy thing to say following its latest set of disastrous financial results. But there is still a chance that it might not be game over.

Nokia's flagship mobile running Microsoft's Windows Phone, the Lumia 900, has recently appeared in America to decent critical acclaim. In the U.S., Android doesn't have quite the same grip on the market that it does in the UK in particular, so there's an outside chance Nokia could sell enough handsets to convince developers deal with the platform's biggest problem -- a lack of apps.

If that happens, the launch of Windows Phone 8 could open the whole field up again.

Source: CNN News  

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France Jails Cern Physicist Adlene Hicheur For Terror Plot

A French court has sentenced a scientist at the prestigious Cern laboratory to five years in prison for plotting terrorist attacks.

Adlene Hicheur was arrested in 2009 after police intercepted his emails to an alleged contact in al-Qaeda.

The emails suggested Algerian-born Hicheur was willing to be part of an "active terrorist unit", attacking targets in France.

Defence lawyers argued that their client had never been part of a plot.

Hicheur, who is a particle physicist, worked as a researcher studying the origins of the universe at Cern.

His father embraced him in the Paris courtroom before he was taken away to prison.
Suspicion

Hicheur has already spent two and a half years in jail while awaiting trial.

He came under suspicion when threatening messages were sent to President Sarkozy in early 2008.

The security services uncovered a series of email exchanges between Hicheur and an alleged al-Qaeda member called Mustapha Debchi.

After his arrest in 2009 police found a large quantity of Islamist literature at his parents' home.

At the start of his trial the 35-year-old scientist admitted that he had been going through a psychologically "turbulent" time in his life when he wrote the emails.

He had suffered a serious back injury, for which he had been taking morphine.

But he always denied he intended to carry out any attacks.

His lawyer, Patrick Baudouin, described the verdict as "scandalous".

"Everything has been done to demonise him," he said.

Hicheur has not yet decided whether or not to appeal.

If he decides not to, with time off for good behaviour, he should be released soon, Mr Baudouin said.

Source: BBC News  

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23 Bodies Found In Nuevo Laredo, Mexico

At least 23 people have been killed in gruesome circumstances in the Mexican city of Nuevo Laredo, on the US border.

Nine bodies with signs of torture were found hanging from a bridge.

Hours later, 14 decapitated bodies were discovered in a vehicle, police said. Their heads were found in ice boxes dumped outside the mayor's office.

Nuevo Laredo is the scene of a feud between two of Mexico's biggest drugs gangs, who are fighting for control of smuggling routes into the US.

A message left with the hanged bodies said they were members of the Gulf drugs cartel who had been killed by the rival Zetas gang.

Police said they believed the dead were members of a criminal gang, but could not confirm who was responsible.

Pictures showed the blood-stained bodies - some of them bound and gagged - hanged by the neck from the bridge over the main road from Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey.

Mexican media reports suggest the decapitations may have been carried out in retaliation for the hangings, but the authorities have not confirmed this.

Mexico's drugs cartels have long been engaged in bloody battles for control of smuggling routes into the US.

Around 50,000 people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico since 2006, when President Felipe Calderon began deploying troops to fight the cartels.

Discontent over the bloodshed has boosted support for opposition parties ahead of July's presidential election.

Source: BBC News 

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More Clashes In Egypt

One soldier is reported to have been killed and hundreds of people hurt in fresh clashes between Egyptian security forces and protesters in Cairo.

Soldiers used water cannons and tear gas outside the defence ministry.

Dozens of people have been arrested and a night-time curfew is now in force. Protesters later dispersed and some joined a protest in Tahrir Square.

On Wednesday, unidentified assailants attacked protesters outside the ministry, leaving at least 20 dead.

The protesters, who were demonstrating against the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), accused the government of orchestrating the attack.

The BBC's Jon Leyne, who was at Friday's demonstration, said trouble flared when protesters ignored army warnings not to approach the ministry.

They tried to break through a protective ring of barbed wire and soldiers responded with water cannons and tear gas.

Both sides threw rocks at the other in clashes that lasted several hours.

Later the health ministry said one soldier had been killed and about 300 people wounded. It says about 130 are being treated in hospital.

The army says proceedings against those arrested have already started in military courts.

The unrest comes just three weeks before presidential elections are due to be held - the first since Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down.

Earlier on Friday, thousands once again gathered in Tahrir Square - the focus of the uprising that ousted President Mubarak in February 2011 - to protest against the Scaf.

The crowd expressed their anger at the generals' failure to protect the demonstration on Wednesday and reiterated the demand that they hand over power to a civilian administration immediately, rather than after the presidential election.

In the afternoon, protesters began walking from Tahrir Square to the defence ministry in the capital's Abbasiya district, several kilometres to the north-west.

The protesters started throwing stones and clashes then broke out.

At one point, soldiers broadcast a message on loud-hailers saying the defence ministry would only be stormed over their dead bodies, and that reinforcements were on the way.

A senior general later appeared on television to announce a night-time curfew around the defence ministry.

State television blamed the Muslim Brotherhood for the trouble, despite the fact that the Islamist movement has been urging its supporters to stay away.

Clashes also happened between protesters and security forces in Egypt's second city of Alexandria on Friday.

Source: BBC News  

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Questions Swirl Around Death Of NFL Great Junior Seau

A coroner is expected Thursday to release the cause of death of former NFL linebacker Junior Seau, though the findings will probably do little to answer questions swirling since he was found with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.

Toxicology results and the narrative that could reveal contributing factors in the death could take weeks or longer to complete, said Sarah Gordon of the San Diego County medical examiner's office.

Since news broke that Seau was found Wednesday in his Oceanside, California, home with a gunshot wound to the chest, there has been speculation about whether repeated hits to his head over his 20-year pro career could be a contributing factor.

There is no evidence Seau suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease brought on by multiple concussions, though friends and family have stepped forward to say the legendary linebacker suffered a number of hits to the head during his career.

As a defensive linebacker, he played "the most havoc-ridden position on the team. He suffered many concussions, so there is a strong sense that it played a role," said Shawn Mitchell, a pastor and Seau family friend.

Mitchell, who stood next to Seau's grief-stricken mother as she faced a sea of cameras to discuss her son's death, said the family had received calls from researchers asking to study his brain.

"Him taking the shot to the chest makes sense that he would want his head examined," he said.

While Mitchell did not identify the researchers making the requests, among the institutions the family could donate Seau's brain to is Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, the research center that found former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson suffered degenerative damage to his brain because of repeated hits.

Duerson committed suicide, shooting himself in the chest in 2011 and leaving a suicide note that said he wanted his brain studied for possible damage.

Seau's death follows last month's suicide of former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling, the lead plantiff in a class-action lawsuit against the NFL over concussion-related injuries. The lawsuit names over 1,000 professional players.

In both cases, Easterling and Duerson exhibited symptoms of repetitive head trauma: memory lapses, anger and deep depression, according to family and friends. And in both cases, researchers found signs of brain trauma.

More than 100 former more professional football players added their names Thursday to the growing list of people suing the NFL, saying it "repeatedly refuted the connection between concussions and brain injury," according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta by attorney Mike McGlamry.

The NFL has repeatedly dismissed the allegations, saying player safety is a priority. "Any allegation that the NFL intentionally sought to mislead players has no merit," it said.

Seau does not appear to have participated in any of the pending lawsuits against the NFL.

CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, warned against drawing a conclusion in Seau's case, though he said there were striking similarities between his death and other cases involving football players.

The only way to determine if Seau suffered CTE is to analyze the brain tissue for "hallmarks of the dementia-like disease," Gupta said.

"We can't know, unless Junior Seau's" brain is analyzed in this way, whether his death was related to CTE.

Though Seau had no reported documented history of concussions, Gupta said "the hits don't necessarily result in diagnosed concussion, but the brain is rattled over and over again."

Seau family friend Joe Gallagher said the former linebacker made a comment recently that appeared to indicate a possible issue.

"Junior had wanted to donate his brain to science to the study of concussive injuries," he told CNN affiliate KGTV of San Diego.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's office could not immediately say what would be done with Seau's brain.

Seau was drafted into the NFL in the first round in 1990 out of the University of Southern California. He debuted with the San Diego Chargers, establishing his Hall of Fame potential as a Pro Bowl staple.

He left San Diego before the 2003 season to join the Miami Dolphins and spent parts of the last four seasons with the New England Patriots before retiring in late 2011. Seau amassed 1,526 tackles, 56.5 sacks and 18 interceptions in his 20-season career.

Seau's death rocked the Southern California city of San Diego where he was a member of the 1994 Chargers -- the team's only Super Bowl appearance.

His reputation as a fierce tackler -- with a heart of gold for his community work -- earned him admiration and a legion of fans.

Through most of his career he avoided negative publicity that plagued some in the NFL.

But in October 2010, he made headlines when he was charged in with domestic violence involving an incident with his girlfriend and then hours after his arrest he drove off a cliff and crashed on the beach. Investigators later ruled the crash an accident, saying he fell asleep at the wheel.

On Wednesday, Seau made headlines again. His girlfriend, who had just returned home from a workout, found him in the bedroom of his home, with a gun lying next to him, authorities said.

It is not clear if Seau left a note or an explanation. Funeral arrangements are pending.

In the hours before his death, Mitchell said he sent text messages to his ex-wife and their three children.

"They said simply 'I love you," Mitchell told CNN. "They actually responded back to him with 'Love you too, Dad.'"

Source: CNN News  

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Hollywood Release: LOL [Watch Trailer]

LOL is a film based on the 2008 French film of the same name. The film stars Miley Cyrus and Demi Moore.

In a world connected by Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, Miley Cyrus stars as a teen girl navigating through the peer pressures of high school romance and friendship, while dodging her protective mother (Demi Moore), in Lionsgate and Mandate Pictures fresh coming-of-age comedy LOL.

An authentic story that perfectly captures coming of age in today’s digital world, LOL is a remake of the hugely popular 2008 French film LOL (Laughing Out Loud).

Starting a new year of high school, Lola (Cyrus), (or “Lol”, as her friends call her), works to find the right balance between family, school, friends and romance.

Broken-hearted by her ex, Lol’s world is soon turned upside down when she is surprised to find her best friend, Kyle (Douglas Booth), a musician in an up and coming rock band, could possibly be the love of her life.

In her quest towards independence, self-identity and young adulthood, Lol discovers that while Facebook “status” is easy to change; true relationships are worth the effort.

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Hollywood Release: The Perfect Family [Watch Trailer]

Suburban supermom Eileen Cleary (Academy Award® nominee Kathleen Turner) is the ultimate Catholic, and when she’s nominated for the coveted Catholic Woman of the Year Award at her local parish, it looks like she’s about to get the plaque to prove it. Only one final test remains—introducing her family to the church board for the seal of approval.

Now, she must finally face the truth about her nonconformist family—a truth she has been glossing over for years.

Her gay daughter, Shannon (Emily Deschanel), is about to marry her life partner. Her unhappily married son Frank Jr. (Jason Ritter) is having an affair with the local manicurist. And Eileen’s own marriage to a recovered alcoholic is pulling at the seams….

This heartfelt dysfunctional family comedy boasts a memorable performance from Academy Award® nominee Turner as the conflicted and comical matriarch, alongside a bright ensemble cast including Richard Chamberlain and Michael McGrady.

Newcomer director Anne Renton keeps the pacing taut and crafts an honest, modern family tale, and writers Claire V. Riley and Paula Goldberg infuse just the right amount of seriousness and levity into their script, reminding us that family is never truly perfect.

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Hollywood release: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel [Watch Trailer]

A group of British retirees have outsourced their retirement, attracted by the less expensive and seemingly exotic India. They are enticed by advertisements about the newly restored Marigold Hotel and given false dreams of a life with leisure.

The group arrives at the hotel to find that it does not meet prior expectations and, although the new environment is less luxurious than imagined, the retirees are profoundly transformed by their subsequent experiences. 

Having arrived in Mumbai following the cancellation of their connecting flight, Graham (Tom Wilkinson) organizes for the group to be driven by bus and tuk-tuk overnight to the hotel. However, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is not what the seven retirees expect, as the phones are out of order, the building is dilapidated and the Indian food is not quite what they are used to.

Jean (Penelope Wilton) is reluctant to explore the new culture, as well as her fellow guests (apart from Graham, due mainly to his former position as a High Court judge); but her husband, Douglas (Bill Nighy), proceeds to explore the city, visiting the sights that Graham recommends. Meanwhile, Graham disappears each day and no-one is quite sure where he goes.

Muriel (Maggie Smith) has a scheduled operation almost immediately, as is promised, and is told that as soon as she can walk she can return home. Despite her racism, she is grateful to her doctor and grudgingly admits his team's success with her operation. Then, recognising the kindness of the hotel cleaner, Muriel tries to reciprocate with help but is told by Graham that the girl speaks no English. The narrative subsequently reveals that the cleaner is a member of the "untouchable" caste (also known as "Dalits"), a social status that persists even though the title is an anachronism.

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Hollywood Release: The Avengers [Watch Trailer]

The Avengers (titled Avengers Assemble in some countries) is a 2012 American superhero film produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures1, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name.

It is the sixth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast, which includes Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, and Samuel L. Jackson.

In The Avengers, Nick Fury, director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D., recruits Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, and Captain America to form a team. The group must stop Thor's brother Loki from destroying Earth.

Development of The Avengers began when Marvel Studios received a grant from Merrill Lynch in April 2005.

After the success of the film Iron Man in May 2008, Marvel announced that The Avengers would be released in July 2011. With the signing of Scarlett Johansson in March 2009, the film was pushed back for a 2012 release. Whedon was brought on board in April 2010 and rewrote the screenplay that was originally written by Zak Penn.

Production began in April 2011 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, before moving to Cleveland, Ohio in August 2011 and New York City in September 2011. The film was converted to 3D in post-production.

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Hollywood Release: Cartas A Elena [Watch Trailer]

In the beautiful hills of Cooper Canyon in Chihuahua, a young boy (Emilio) is adopted by the postman (Teo).

As part of their daily tasks, they not only deliver the mail and read the letters to the inhabitants, they also take dictation, since most are illiterate.  

The young Emilio quickly learns to read and write, but saddened by the difficult stories sent in by relatives who have migrated north of Denver, Colorado, in search of a better future.

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Who Googled You? This Website Knows

After a date, a pitch or a job interview, there’s a good chance you’re going to get Googled. Online reputation manager BrandYourself now helps you figure out who is searching for your name.

The startup, which helps individuals control Google results for names through SEO, launched a new feature on Tuesday that shows users where visitors to their BrandYourself profiles work and where they’re located.

BrandYourself built a database of organizations’ publicly-available IP addresses in order to create the feature. They use it to match IP addressees of profile visitors with the companies that own those addressses.

Visitors most frequently reach BrandYourself profiles through Google, but the feature works the same way if visitors reach a user’s profile from another search engine or website.

After a date, a pitch or a job interview, there’s a good chance you’re going to get Googled. Online reputation manager BrandYourself now helps you figure out who is searching for your name.

The startup, which helps individuals control Google results for names through SEO, launched a new feature on Tuesday that shows users where visitors to their BrandYourself profiles work and where they’re located.

BrandYourself built a database of organizations’ publicly-available IP addresses in order to create the feature. They use it to match IP addressees of profile visitors with the companies that own those addressses.

Visitors most frequently reach BrandYourself profiles through Google, but the feature works the same way if visitors reach a user’s profile from another search engine or website.

The system isn’t foolproof. While it’s easy to track down IP addresses for large organizations, many smaller companies won’t be listed. The feature is more a way for BrandYourself to keep users engaged than it is a core part of its product.

“They are being Googled,” BrandYourself co-founder Patrick Ambron says. “It gives them an idea of who is looking them up, and it motivates them to update their profile and make sure they’re putting their best foot forward.”

Ambron’s free product is a step-by-step dashboard that helps users optimize up to three links they want to push up in search results for their names. Because linking out and in are factors in how Google ranks pages, part of this process includes creating a profile page where users can link to all their other online profiles.

Since launching in March, Ambron says the site has signed up 25,000 users — 80% of whom have set up profiles. About 1,000 users have subscribed to a $10-per-month premium product that allows them to optimize unlimited links.

BrandYourself competitors such as Ziggs and Naymz also track the geographic locations of profile visitors, but they don’t provide the names of the organizations.

Career sites such as LinkedIn show exactly who visited your profile along with their work history.

“[It's] similar to how LinkedIn and MyLife do it between their internal users,” Ambron says of the comparison. “Except, applied to the entire web.”

Source: Mashable

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Aisha Gadhafi Reiterates Call For Probe Into Father's Death

The daughter of deposed Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi asked international prosecutors to begin investigating her father's and brother's deaths as possible war crimes in a letter submitted Wednesday to the United Nations Security Council.

Aisha Gadhafi, who fled to Algeria in August 2011, asked International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo last year to open an investigation.

Moreno-Ocampo "replied indicating that he would announce his strategy concerning such an investigation on the occasion of his next report to the Security Council in the month of May 2012 and after taking stock of the investigative activities of the Libyan authorities," the letter said.

"I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that the Rome Statute founding the International Criminal Court obliges the Prosecutor to investigate all aspects of the Libyan situation referred to him by the Security Council," she said in a statement delivered by her attorney, Nick Kaufman.

The ICC initially demanded that Libya hand over Moammar Gadhafi for trial after his capture, but then opened the possibility that he could be tried in Libya. He was killed by National Transitional Council fighters in October 2011, along with his son Mutassim.

Aisha Gadhafi is a former U.N. goodwill ambassador, as well as a lawyer who assisted in the defense of deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who was hanged in 2006.

Source: CNN News  

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11 Killed In Clashes In Egypt

Egypt's military may hand over power to a civilian authority in the next three weeks should a presidential vote be decided in the first round, a spokesman for the armed forces chief of staff said Wednesday.

"General Sami Anan said today during a meeting with political powers and parties that (the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces) looks forward to handing (over) power within the next three weeks if a president wins in the first phase of elections without run-offs," said Maj. Alaa Al Iraq.

The move, he said, is meant to quash doubts of those who fear a lingering military rule and signal an intention to make good on the coming transition.

Egyptians are expected to head to the polls May 23 in what will be the first presidential election since President Hosni Mubarak's ouster. It comes amid rising political tensions as officials work to craft a new constitution and Egyptians await the June 2 verdict in Mubarak's murder trial.

Protesters, meanwhile, camped outside the Ministry of Defense for a fourth day to voice their anger about the disqualification of Islamist candidate Hazem Abu Ismael from the election. They also want to disband the presidential election commission.

Abu Ismael was disqualified because of evidence that his late mother had U.S. citizenship, an assertion he has denied, prompting his followers to protest the decision by the election commission. About 10 of the 23 presidential contenders have been disqualified, the head of the election committee said earlier this month.

Assailants targeted the protesters in Cairo early Wednesday, killing at least 11, medical sources said. At least 100 people were injured, said Hisham Shiha, the deputy minister of health.

It was unclear who the attackers were, but they were not wearing uniforms, witnesses said.

Fears of increased violence linger, observers say, as additional protesters marched from downtown to join the other demonstrators. The military dispatched a unit to attempt to restore calm.

Protesters hurled rocks at the assailants, who responded with a steady barrage of rocks and Molotov cocktails.

"Down with military rule!" the protesters chanted.

Alaa Younis, who took part in the sit-in with some friends, said "dozens of military men dressed in plainclothes started pelting" them "with stones, cement blocks, and fired tear gas from rifles, so they were obviously security officers under cover."

"We fought back with rocks until we noticed they escalated and fired birdshot. Many of us took refuge at one of two field hospitals," Younis said.

A day before the attacks, state TV broadcast videos showing protesters chanting against the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which has ruled Egypt since Mubarak was forced from power last year.

Two other presidential candidates announced Wednesday they were temporarily suspending campaign activities because of the violence.

Leading candidate Abdel Monein Aboul Fetftouh, an independent, said on his Twitter account that lawmakers must push the interior minister to investigate.

The candidate for the Freedom and Justice Party, Mohamed Mursi, said he is suspending his campaign for two days to "mourn the souls of the martyrs" in the clashes, and blamed the military government for what he called a "massacre."

A government official denied reports that the military was involved.

"There were no riot police or military that tried to evict the sit-in by force," said Gen. Marwan Mustapha, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry. "We are not sure of the identities of the thugs that attacked the peaceful protesters. The military only protects the vicinity of the ministry and blocked some roads leading to it."

The epicenter of the violence was around a mosque in Cairo, but clashes continued in several streets.

Residents formed neighborhood watches to protect their streets as gunfire crackled for hours, according to witnesses. The military blocked some highways leading to the ministry and did not interfere in the fighting between protesters and the unidentified attackers.

Clashes have erupted in Egypt since an uprising led to the toppling of Mubarak in February of last year, with protesters demanding the military leaders who took over hand over power to a civilian administration.

Source: CNN News  

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Fire Breaks Out At Tyler Perry's Studios In Atlanta

A massive fire tore through a building at the southwest Atlanta film studio of Tyler Perry on Tuesday night.

No one was injured, but the blaze caused one building to partially collapse, said Atlanta fire Capt. Jolyon Bundridge.

Officials do not yet know what started the fire.

Perry was at the complex Tuesday night but did not speak to reporters, WSB-TV reported.

The multi-million dollar studios sit on 60 acres and include five sound stages, a 5-acre pond, a theater, a chapel, a commissary, a gymnasium, Perry's office, an art department where sets are designed, hair and makeup facilities, a wardrobe department, set decoration, a post-production facility and a backlot named 34th Street, "as in Miracle on 34th Street," according to the studio website.

Perry's credits include work as director, writer, producer, actor and playwright.

His TV shows "Meet the Browns" and "House of Payne" are huge moneymakers, as are Perry's wildly popular movies.

Last year, Perry topped Forbes' "Entertainment's Highest-Paid Men" list, raking in $130 million in 12 months beginning in May 2010.

Source: CNN News  

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Norwegian Swimming Champion Alexander Dale Oen Dies

Norwegian swimming champion Alexander Dale Oen has died in the US, aged 26, Norway's swimming federation says.

He was found collapsed in a shower late on Monday after training in Flagstaff, Arizona, Norwegian media say. Officials said he had suffered a cardiac arrest.

Emergency services arrived at the scene within minutes but were unable to revive him.

Dale Oen won gold in the 100m breaststroke at the World Championships in Shanghai in July 2011.

His triumph came just days after the attack in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik which killed 77 people.

Norwegian Swimming Federation President Per Rune Eknes said the swimmer had suffered a cardiac arrest. Friends said he had appeared healthy earlier.

Doctors at the Flagstaff Medical Center declared the world champion swimmer dead at 21:00 local time on Monday after all efforts to resuscitate him failed.

Per Rune Eknes told national broadcaster NRK that it was the blackest day in the history of Norwegian swimming.

"We are all in shock… our thoughts go primarily to his family who have lost Alexander way too early," said Norwegian Coach Petter Loevberg.

Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg expressed his sorrow at the death of the swimmer.

"Alexander Dale Oen was a great athlete for a small country. My thoughts go to his family and friends," he said.

Source: BBC News  

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US President Barack Obama Signs Strategic Afghan Accord

US President Barack Obama has signed a strategic agreement with Afghan leader Hamid Karzai on a previously unannounced visit to Afghanistan.

The 10-year accord outlines military and civil ties between the countries after the end of Nato's mission in Afghanistan in 2014.

Mr Obama is also due to give a TV address to Americans back home.

The visit coincides with the first anniversary of Osama Bin Laden's killing in Pakistan.

It was a year ago that US special forces carried out a raid on Bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad and killed the leader of the al-Qaeda network.

After Mr Obama's arrival, Mr Karzai said a post-war agreement would seal an "equal partnership" between Afghanistan and the United States, reports say.

Mr Obama added the cost of war had been great for both nations, adding he looked forward to "a future of peace".

He acknowledged there would be difficult days ahead for Afghanistan, but said the Afghan people were taking control of their own future.

Later, Mr Obama thanked US troops in Afghanistan, saying Osama Bin Laden got justice a year ago.

He warned US troops of further hardship ahead in Afghanistan, but told them "there is a light on the horizon" after more than a decade of war.

The president called the agreement he signed with Mr Karzai "a responsible transition to Afghans taking control of their own country".

He said the change would not happen overnight because the US would not risk the gains so many had sacrificed to achieve.

"The reason America is safe is because of you," he added.

The US is to designate Afghanistan as a major non-Nato ally, US officials are quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.

Mr Obama will not make specific decisions on further reductions of US forces in Afghanistan until the autumn of 2012, the officials added.

Mr Obama is due to make his TV address from Bagram air base at 23:30 GMT.

The agreement is a first, symbolic step towards setting out a long-term relationship, says the BBC's Paul Adams in Washington.

It is designed to reassure the people of Afghanistan that they are not about to be abandoned when Nato ends its operations there in 18 months.

It is also meant to send a signal to the Taliban that it cannot simply expect to take over again when the Americans leave, our correspondent adds.

This is President Obama's third trip to Afghanistan since taking office.

Source: BBC News  

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Colombian Air Force Helicopter Crashes, Killing 13

A helicopter carrying members of the Colombian Air Force and police crashed in the north of the Latin American nation on Monday, killing all 13 people on board.

The crash took place at 4:30 p.m. local time (5:30 p.m. ET) in the municipality of Sabanagrande, near Colombia's Caribbean coast, according to a statement from the Colombian Air Force.

Seven of the dead were from the air force and six were from the police.

"We regret the accident of the Air Force helicopter crash," President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia said in a message posted on his official twitter account. "Our condolences to the families of the patriotic heroes who died in this accident."

In an amateur video broadcast on the local Caracol TV, dozens of people were shown standing near the crash site, which was covered with smoke and flames.

The Colombian Air Force said that the Bell 212 helicopter was on a transportation mission from Barranquilla to Caucasia when it went down.

An inspection team was sent to the site to work on the investigation and determine what may have caused the crash.

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100 Feared Dead In India Ferry Disaster

At least 100 people are feared dead after a ferry broke in two and sank in a remote part of northeastern India, according to officials.

The ferry sank Monday evening as it sailed along the Brahmaputra River in Assam, the state's home commissioner Jishnu Barua said.

Barua said 90 people have so far been rescued, while 40 bodies have been recovered. Divers have been deployed to search for more victims.

The vessel apparently broke apart when it was about to dock after a storm, Barua said. He added that it was overcrowded and carrying around 300 passengers -- more than its capacity of 280.

"I could see people being swept away as the river current was very strong," Rahul Karmakar, who witnessed the disaster, told Agence France-Presse. He added that "chances of survival seem to be remote" in the river, swollen by the heavy rains.

The ferry was from Dhubri, some 186 miles (300 kilometers) from Assam's biggest city, Guwahati, to Fakirganj, AFP said.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the sinking a "tragedy." In a statement he said he was "shocked and grieved to know about the loss of lives," adding that he had given instructions "for all possible assistance to the government of Assam in relief operations."

Boat accidents are nothing new in remote areas of India, where ferries are often overcrowded and in poor condition due to lax safety standards.

In 2010, a boat packed with Muslim pilgrims capsized in West Bengal in eastern India, killing at least 79.

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3 Afghan Children Killed In Insurgent Attack

Three Afghan children were killed when insurgents attacked police and troops who were visiting villagers in Zabul province, the deputy provincial governor said Tuesday.

The incident occurred Monday afternoon, as Afghan local police and International Security Assistance Forces were attacked by insurgents while visiting residents of Ludin village, said Mohammad Jan Rasolyar, deputy governor of Zabul province.

The children were killed in the crossfire of the ensuing gunfight, and three other people were injured, Rasolyar said.

After the gunfight, the Taliban forced villagers to conduct riots, blocking the Kabul-Kandahar highway briefly.

In a text message sent to reporters, Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said the children were killed by foreign soldiers.

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11 Dead In Suicide Attack In Nigeria

A suicide attack on Monday in northeastern Nigeria killed 11 people and wounded another 26, a spokesman for the Nigerian Red Cross in Abuja said.

The incident occurred at 8:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m. ET) in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, behind the Ministry of Finance, said the spokesman, Nwakpa O. Nwakpa.

The attacker appeared to have targeted a convoy in which the police commissioner was riding, he said.

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Somalia MPs Killed In Al-Shabab Suicide Attack

Six people, including two MPs, have been killed in a suicide attack in central Somalia, authorities in the town of Dusa Mareb have said.

Eyewitnesses said the attack targeted a group of about 20 politicians at an outdoor cafe.

They were in Dusa Mareb in Galgadud region - controlled by a militia allied to the interim UN-backed government - to promote reconciliation.

The Islamist militant group al-Shabab has said it was behind the attack.

They are under pressure on a number of military fronts in the south of Somalia - but still mount frequent attacks and control much of the country.

Al-Sunna Wal Jama'a, the militia which controls much of Galgadud, said the suicide attacker was among the dead.

Several other MPs and prominent politicians were also injured in the attack, officials said.

Source: BBC News  

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5 arrested In Alleged Plot To Blow Up Cleveland-area Bridge

Five men, some of whom describe themselves as anarchists, were arrested after allegedly conspiring to blow up a bridge near Cleveland, the FBI said Tuesday.

Douglas L. Wright, 26, Brandon L. Baxter, 20, and Anthony Hayne, 35, were arrested Monday evening by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, according to the statement.

They have been charged with conspiracy and attempted use of explosive materials to damage physical property affecting interstate commerce.

Connor C. Stevens, 20, and Joshua S. Stafford, 23, were also arrested.

"The public was never in danger from the explosive devices" because an undercover FBI agent was involved and the explosives were inert, the bureau said in a news release.

"The defendants were closely monitored by law enforcement," it said.

"Clearly this was a sting operation," said Fran Townsend, describing the use of at least one covert agent in the operation.

Authorities said three of the men are self-proclaimed anarchists who had considered "a series of evolving plots over several months."

The men allegedly conspired to acquire C-4 explosives and build two improvised explosive devices to be remotely detonated, according to the FBI.

Their initial plan, officials said, was to use smoke grenades to distract local law enforcement in an effort to "topple financial institution signs atop high rise buildings."

They allegedly discussed several plots, eventually settling on the Brecksville-Northfield High Level Bridge, which spans the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and carries a four-lane highway.

Source: CNN News  

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