Trial in 26/11 to continue; Kasab's plea a part of evidence

A special court in Mumbai has said that the trial in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case will continue, and terrorist Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab's guilty plea will become a part of the evidence.

The verdict was slated to be out on Thursday on the guilty plea of Kasab.

Meanwhile, Kasab's lawyer Abbas Kazmi has said that he wants to be excused from the 26/11 case since Kasab has no confidence in him. The judge asked Kasab to sort out the matter with his lawyer.

Over the past three days, Kasab has confessed to his involvement in the 26/11 attacks and has stuck to his stand that his statement was given voluntarily and "under no pressure''.

On Wednesday, he went so far as to say that he is ready to be hanged.

Several legal experts has said that if the judge accepted Kasab's guilty plea, it could be the end of what could otherwise have been a lengthy trial.

However, some other experts said there were two other co-accused - Fahim Ansari and Sahabuddin Ahmed - in the same trial and their cases would also have to be considered by the judge when he takes any decision on Kasab's statement.

But the prosecution said it could not entirely accept or reject Kasab's guilty plea.

The prosecution's argument was that there were several contradictions in Kasab's earlier confession and his present statement.

The defence, however, argued that the prosecution had to accept or reject Kasab's statement in its entirety.

Anti-drugs agents raid clinic of Jackson's doctor

Federal drug agents searched the Houston clinic of Michael Jackson's doctor on Wednesday, even as investigators in California

Murray was Michael Jackson's personal physician, and was with Jackson when he died. Murray, who is based in Las Vegas and is licensed in California, Nevada and Texas, has been interviewed by police but he has not been considered a suspect in the singer's death. Meanwhile, investigators in California are also seeking more information from Murray, according to his attorney, Edward Chernoff.

The attorney posted a statement on his law firm's website late on Tuesday saying investigators from the Los Angeles County coroner's office have asked for medical records in addition to those already provided by Murray.
"The coroner wants to clear up the cause of death; we share that goal", Chernoff said in his statement.
"Based on Dr Murray's minute-by-minute and item-by-item description of Michael Jackson's last days, he should not be a target of criminal charges."

Murray has emerged as a central figure in the investigation into Jackson's death.
The doctor, who had been recently hired by Jackson, was with him in his mansion and tried to revive him.Although Chernoff has said the doctor didn't give the pop star any drugs that contributed to his death, Murray has nonetheless received attention from those angry over the singer's death.

Investigators found the powerful anesthetic propofol in Jackson's home, according to a person with knowledge of the investigation. The person is not authorised to speak publicly and requested anonymity.
The officials are working with the Drug Enforcement Administration and California attorney general's office to determine how the medications got there.

Police detectives have already spoken to Murray twice - once immediately after the singer's death and again two days later. Police investigators say Murray is cooperating in their investigation sought more information from the man.

Shanghai group leaders open talks

Chinese President Hu Jintao and leaders from Central Asia have joined Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for a summit on economic and security issues.

Opening the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation's ninth summit in Yekaterinburg, Mr Medvedev said the group had made good progress.
Some of the leaders will also attend a summit of the four emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India and China.
The global economic crisis is expected to dominate both meetings.
But regional political issues are also expected to be on the agenda, with leaders of a number of neighbours attending the summit as observers.
The Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) brings together Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
India, Pakistan, Iran and Mongolia later joined as observer members.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari were expected to hold their first meeting since last November's attacks on Mumbai, which India has blamed on Pakistan-based militants.
Also, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was no longer expected to attend after unrest in his country over his disputed re-election.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8099918.stm

Italy to take Guantanamo inmates

Italy has agreed to take three detainees from the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, US President Barack Obama has said.
He announced the agreement after talks on Monday with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at the White House.
The US seeks to transfer detainees to other countries or US communities after Mr Obama's pledge to close the camp.
The European Union earlier endorsed a deal with Washington to transfer some inmates to Europe.
"I... thanked the prime minister for his support of our policy of closing Guantanamo," Mr Obama said after meeting Mr Berlusconi.
"This is not just talk. Italy has agreed to accept three specific detainees."
The identities of the prisoners have not been not disclosed.
Guantanamo Bay officials have been attempting to fulfil President Obama's order to close the detention facility by early next year.
Last week, the US relocated nine detainees from the camp, transferring three to Saudi Arabia, four to Bermuda, one to Iraq and another to Chad.
Correspondents say officials are having difficulty finding governments willing to accept the remaining detainees, while at home they face stiff resistance to the idea of Guantanamo detainees being transferred to US soil.
Some 220 detainees are still being held at the US camp in Cuba, many without charge.

Arnold Schwarzenegger as next Austrian president?

Hollywood's action legend Arnold Schwarzenegger could become the President of his home country Austria after his term as the Governor of California ends next year, a British newspaper has claimed.

Even Schwarzenegger has told his home country: "I'll be back... as President."

As he is prevented from running for American President because he wasn't born in the US, senior Austrian politicians have asked him to stand in the 2010 presidential elections if incumbent Heinz Fischer stands down,the Daily Star reported. Nikolaus Berlakovich of Austrian People's Party (VP) confirmed: "Yes, we are backing a Schwarzenegger candidacy. He is an excellent and extremely successful politician."

Officials have been tripping over themselves to voice their support for the 61-year-old, who has both American and Austrian citizenship.

"I raise my hat to Schwarzenegger. It is unbelievable what the man has made of himself," Franz Voves, the Governor of his home province in central Austria, was quoted by the British newspaper as saying.

And locals in Thal village, where Arnie grew up, are so keen to show their support they are demanding his old house be turned into a museum.

Some US political pundits say Schwarzenegger might stand for the US Senate -- but a pal said: "Being one of many has never appealed to him. Arnold liked to be at the top of the tree."

Iran votes between Ahmadinejad and moderates

TEHRAN:

Iranians began voting on Friday in a closely-fought election which pits hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad against a former prime minister who sharply criticizes his economic record and wants detente with the West.
Four candidates are standing in the poll but Ahmadinejad's strongest challenger appears to be the moderate Mirhossein Mousavi, whose supporters have paraded through the capital Tehran in their thousands to demonstrate their backing.
The election outcome could help set the tone for Iran's relations with the West, which is concerned about Tehran's nuclear ambitions. A victory for Mousavi could increase the prospects for Western investment in the country, analysts say.
But for Iranians it is a chance to pass judgment on Ahmadinejad's four years in office, particularly his management of the Islamic Republic's oil exporting economy, which is suffering from high inflation and unemployment.
Voting started at 8 a.m. (11:30 p.m. EDT) and officials expect a high turnout from Iran's 46 million eligible voters. Preliminary results are expected early on Saturday. If no clear winner emerges from Friday's vote, a run-off will be held on June 19 between the two front-runners.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's top authority, urged people to turn out for the election as he cast his ballot.
"Everybody go and everybody vote and act based on their judgment," Khamenei said in comments broadcast live on state television, urging people to do so early in the day.
Khamenei also warned of people who might seek to stir tension at polling stations. "If some wanted to create such tension people should not let them," he said.
State television, showing live footage of people queuing at a Tehran polling station, said a record turnout was expected.

WHO declares first 21st century flu pandemic

The World Health Organization declared an influenza pandemic on Thursday and advised governments to prepare for a long-term battle against an unstoppable new flu virus.

The United Nations agency raised its pandemic flu alert to phase 6 on a six-point scale, indicating the first influenza pandemic since 1968 is under way.People aged 30-50, pregnant women or people suffering from chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes or obesity are at highest risk.

The virus has killed 109 people in Mexico, where it was first detected in April before spreading to the rest of the world, prompting the Mexican government to temporarily shut schools and businesses in an effort to slow its spread.Countries from Australia to Chile to the United States are reporting that the new swine flu virus is "crowding out" seasonal flu, becoming the predominant influenza strain.

There is also a risk the swine flu could mix with its seasonal H1N1 cousin, which has developed resistance to the main antiviral flu drug Tamiflu, made by Roche AG and Gilead Sciences Inc, Dr. Anne Schuchat of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told a briefing.The United States has been operating on pandemic status for weeks, with hundreds of thousands of cases and at least 1,000 hospitalizations.

The virus disproportionately makes younger people sick. Some 57 percent of U.S. cases were among people aged 5 to 24, and 41 percent of those hospitalized were in this younger age group.

WHO reiterated its advice to its 193 member countries not to close borders or impose travel restrictions to halt the movement of people, goods and services, a call echoed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.