Forum: News & Topical Issues
U.S. official: Missiles fired at Somalia terror target
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States on Monday used precision missiles to strike a "known terrorist target" in southern Somalia, a U.S. military official said.
The strike near Dhoobley, which is close to the Kenyan border, was aimed at a "facility where there were known terrorists" affiliated with East African al Qaeda operations, according to the official.
The strike destroyed two houses -- killing three women and three children, and wounding another 20 people -- Dhoobley's District Commissioner Ali Nur Ali Dherre told CNN. Dherre said the remains of the missiles were marked "US K."
The U.S. military official said the United States is still collecting post-strike information and is not yet able to confirm any casualties.
He described Monday's strike as "very deliberate" and said forces tried to use caution to avoid hitting civilians.
Villagers have fled in fear of another strike, Dherre said.
"We woke up with a loud and big bang and when we came out we found our neighbor's house completely obliterated as if no house existed here," Fatuma Abdullahi, a resident of the town, told The Associated Press. "We are taking shelter under trees. Three planes were flying over our heads."
Clan elder Ahmed Nur Dalab told AP that said a senior Islamic official, Hassan Turki, was in town Sunday to mediate between his fighters and a militia loyal to the government. Turki's forces took over Dhoobley last week, AP reported.
Dherre told CNN he did not know of any Islamist extremists in the village.
The United States conducted similar strikes in southern Somalia in January 2007 against al Qaeda targets, hoping to kill some of the militants suspected in the 1998 attacks against the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
U.S. officials later confirmed they did not believe they achieved that goal.
The 2007 targets also included members of the Islamic Courts Union, who had recently been driven out of power in Somalia by Ethiopian-backed Somali troops.
Washington accuses the Islamic movement of harboring fugitives from the al Qaeda terrorist network, including a suspect in the 1998 embassy b****ings.
Somalia has been mired in chaos since 1991, when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then turned on each other. Political and land rivalries have reinforced each other this year |
Ten houses were razed to the ground and some people burnt to death, while others were shot dead, police spokesman Eric Kiraithe told the BBC.
It is unclear if the overnight clashes are linked to election clashes which killed some 1,500 people this year.
The political crisis also reignited long-standing land and economic disputes in parts of Kenya. A deal was signed last week to end the violence.
Armed police have been deployed to the Mount Elgon area in pursuit of the raiders but no arrests have been made.
The dispute between the rival Sabaot and Soi Kalenjin communities has lasted for more than a year.
'Message of Hope'
Land disputes are one of the issues to be tackled as talks between the government and opposition were to resume in the capital, Nairobi.
Parliament is to convene on Thursday to discuss the deal under which opposition leader Raila Odinga is to become prime minister and share power with President Mwai Kibaki.
Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who brokered the peace deal, left Kenya on Sunday after more than a month.
On Monday, the Daily Nation newspaper published a "Message of Hope" from Mr Annan, in which he urged Kenyans to make sure their leaders stuck to the terms of the power-sharing deal they had reached.
"You and your country can move forward and find some solace in healing, if there are processes of justice, truth and reconciliation that will take leadership from your new government, but it will also take commitment from all of you," he wrote.
Former Nigerian Foreign Minister Oluyemi Adeniji is taking over as the chief mediator.
dis look like di person have a sex change cuz she frig tall... nobody cant stop her
http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh3q1R55Bhd3D6Zop4
LONDON, England (AP) -- Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger escaped an assassination plot hatched by the Hells Angels, a new British Broadcasting Corp. documentary claims.
Mick Jagger, seen here in the early '70s, was allegedly the subject of an assassination plot.
A program to be broadcast Monday on BBC Radio 4 says the rock star was targeted in 1969 following a purported dispute with the motorcycle gang over concert security.
The Hells Angels had been hired on recommendation of the Grateful Dead as security (according to some accounts) at the Altamont Speedway in California for a free concert featuring the Jefferson Airplane, Flying Burrito Brothers and the Stones, among other acts, in December 1969.
The Dead ended up canceling their performance after an altercation between a Hells Angel and the Airplane's Marty Balin. Later, during the Stones' performance, a fan, Meredith Hunter, was killed by the Hells Angels.
The event was documented in the film "Gimme Shelter."
Gang members hatched a plan to kill Jagger at his holiday home in Long Island, New York, the BBC claims. Their attack by sea was thwarted when a storm hit their boat, throwing the men overboard, the program says.
The alleged plan was disclosed during an interview with Mark Young, a former FBI officer, for the BBC's "The FBI at 100" documentary, presenter Tom Mangold was quoted as telling Britain's Sunday Telegraph newspaper.A woman who urinated behind a car because she could not hold it in time to go to the bathroom, was fined $1000 or 10 days when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's court.
Paulette Andrews of a Kingston address pleaded guilty to breaches of the National Solid Waste Management Act when the matter was mentioned on Wednesday before Resident Magistrate Glen Brown.
Allegations are that on January 23 at minutes after 3 p.m., Edwards was walking through a park downtown when she went behind a car and urinated. She was seen by an officer who charged her with the offence.
Edwards said she only urinated there because she could not hold it. "It was right on me, at my feet. I coulden go any further," she said.Kiss Kiss
( L - R ) Rihanna, Chris Brown
bangshowbizRihanna and Chris Brown have confirmed they are a couple by openly frolicking in a hotel swimming pool.
The Umbrella singer and the R'n'B star have been enjoying a romantic holiday in Jamaica and couldn't keep their hands off each other during a dip in the Hilton Kingston hotel pool.
A source told gossip website pagesix.com: "They were smooching in the pool and were really lovely dovey. They were playfully making out and he was kissing her on the neck.
"They were floating together with him carrying her and she kept saying,
'Don't get my hair wet!' She was very soft and feminine but he was like a big kid splashing all around."
The couple also got matching star tattoos on their necks during their break.
Rihanna was first linked to Chris earlier this month after he helped her celebrate her 20th birthday.
During the bash, Chris was given a standing ovation after he sang 'Happy Birthday' to the beautiful Barbadian singer.
Hmmm I thought Rihanna only messed with the white man dem lolol(guess not:)
-- Edited by warhawk at 11:01, 2008-02-27
Prince Harry Pulled From Afghanistan
Britain's Ministry of Defence says Prince Harry is being withdrawn from Afghanistan.
Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup confirmed today the army is pulling Harry out of Afghanistan.
That after news of his deployment there was leaked.
Harry, third in line to the British throne, has been serving on the front line with an army unit in one of Afghanistan's most lawless and barren provinces since mid-December.
An elderly woman on an 8mph mobility scooter was being hunted by police last night after a HIT-AND-RUN accident.
The white-haired driver was reversing on the pavement when she slammed into another old lady.
The 87-year-old victim collapsed in agony with a broken arm.
But the mobility driver ignored her plight and crawled away at top speed.
The accident happened as the victim was leaving a newsagent's in Portslade, East Sussex. She needed hospital treatment.
Pc Dan Pattenden said last night: "The elderly woman driver was manoeuvering on the pavement but didn't look where she was going
Smell of Failure: Man Attempts Robbery With Gun-Shaped Cologne Bottle
AKRON, Ohio Akron police say a robbery attempt had more than a whiff of failure.
They accuse a man of trying to stick two people up outside a video store with a bottle of cologne that had been colored black with a marking pen and resembled a gun.
Police Lt. Rick Edwards says there was a scuffle, and the bottle broke, so the suspect stank of cologne when officers arrived on the scene early Wednesday evening.
Forty-one-year-old Michael Kaminski is being held in the Summit County Jail on one count of aggravated robbery and one count of carrying a concealed weapon. That's not for the bottle but for a knife that police say Kaminski also had.
Bond has been set at $75,000. Jail and court officials say Kaminski does not yet have an attorney.
Handicap dance just not funny
Nathaniel Stewart photos-Dancer Shelly Belly, who is flanked by two females, believes the dance is for humour and should not be taken seriously.
Sadeke Brooks, STAR Writer
Dancing is supposed to be fun and in many instances only for entertainment purposes. However, there is a relatively new dance that is referred to as the 'handicap' dance which is not supported by the disabled community.
In this dance individuals pretend as if they have a deformed hand which is shorter than the other and bent at the wrist and elbow. The knees are knocked together in a seemingly permanent manner and the head is leaned to one side. The individual's tongue may stick out during the process.
Checks with several dancers were pointing to Dyema from the Attitude Girls as creator of the dance as she has been seen performing it at various events. She has also been seen doing the dance move on the Extreme Dancehall Channel as well as other events. However, she denies this and points to another dancer HQ as the creator. The STAR tried to contact HQ but was unsuccessful.
Fellow dancer Shelly Belly identified the dance as the one with the 'nook hand' and said it must have been done merely for fun.
"It just mek people laugh when dem see it. Dance weh give joke people love see it. It shot, it a gwaan," he said.
He also pointed to the fact that the creator has not been at various events promoting the dance. Shelly Belly says if this is done the dance will become popular and others will do it too.
serious problem
This dance is offensive to the disabled community, but he says he does not believe this was done to humiliate any set of persons. He says dancers make dance moves off anything in the society.
"You might see somebody a walk and mek a dance off dat. A jus' joy and fun. Wi naah mock nobody. A jus style and creativity," he said.
Another dancer Garth Sample of the Sample Six Dancers says he has seen the dance in Montego Bay but he has never seen it in Kingston.
"Wi naah too do it still 'cause it look a way," he said while not forgetting to mention his new dance Kumina through which he aims to bring women back into the dancehall space.
Valerie Spence who is an administrator and disabilities advocate at the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) says she is disappointed to hear that there is a dance called 'handicap' dance as she has never seen it.
"Obviously whoever does it has a serious problem. If somebody is going to use a person's disability as a dance that person is backwards. People are not handicap they are disabled," said Spence.
She continued, "Disability is not something that people buy in the shop, it is congenital. To make a dance like this shows the level of ignorance that still exists in the society."
Spence also said that persons can easily become disabled by being involved in a motor vehicle accident or by being injured by a gunshot. Hence, she says one might be 'able bodied today and disabled tomorrow'.
She said that it is disgusting and demeaning to make a dance of this nature. She, therefore, urged persons to become more aware of the issues that disabled persons face instead of humiliate them.
Commenting on the nominations, event publicist Anthony Turner said, "Irie Jaum***boree has become an integral part of the Labor Day weekend celebration here in the tri-state area. We thank our sponsors, the hard working production staff and patrons who have consistently supported us over the years."
Irie Jaum***boree 2k7, which was held last year on Sunday, September 2, was a first class production. The event attracting well over 30,000 music lovers who were engaged by spectacular performances from Morgan Heritage, Stephen Marley, Jr. Gong, Tony Matterhorn, Munga, Macka Diamond, Etana, Anthony B, Beenie Man, Lady Saw, Luciano, Assassin, Mr Easy and Da'Ville. Several young, upcoming acts left an impressive mark on the festival. Leading the charge were Jovi Rockwell, One Third, New York based acts Empress Isis, Ras David, Ras Penco, Hench Man, and Lady Ann who all performed well.
This year's IRAWMA will be televised in more than 20 Caribbean islands and on network television in the USA. The celebration will begin with a red carpet VIP reception at 6PM. The awards ceremony will start at 7PM.
Samuels charged with misconduct by WICB
Facing long ban from international cricket
file-Jamaica and West Indies allrounder, Marlon Samuels (left), charged with misconduct by West Indies Cricket Board.
The past four days have been turbulent times for Jamaican cricket all-rounder Marlon Samuels after learning he is being banned from bowling and is being charged by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)for misconduct.
The misconduct charge, which centres on a taped telephone conversation between Samuels and an alleged illegal bookmaker a year ago in India may result in the Jamaican being banned from international cricket.
According to the International Cricket Council's (ICC) code of conduct for players and team officials, last revised June 2007, Samuels, if found guilty of such breaches, can receive a minimum ban of two years and a maximum of five.
no evidence of money
The authorities, however, have no evidence of money being exchanged and previously said that no other West Indies player was suspected.
Samuels, who has denied any wrongdoing, reserved any comment on the matter when contacted yesterday and said his lawyers are handling the charges.
Meanwhile, president of the Jamaica Cricket Association, Jackie Hendriks, said due process will be exercised.
"The matter is going to be referred to the disciplinary committee of the WICB at which time Marlon will be called to give evidence and eventually the findings will be transmitted to the ICC," Hendriks explained.
Jamaican attorney Derek Jones, of Myers, Fletcher and Gordon, carried out the investigation against Samuels and he presented a report to the WICB last weekend in Antigua, where Jamaica were participating in the Stanford Twenty20 competition.
The WICB's code of ethics and disciplinary committee, which is chaired by Vincentian Justice Adrian Saunders and includes Professor Aubrey Bishop, Dr Lloyd Barnett and former players Courtney Walsh and Richie Richardson, is expected to meet shortly on Samuels' case.
inaudible sections
The telephone conversation, which has several inaudible sections, between Samuels and alleged bookmaker Mukesh Kochchar, was recorded by India's Nagpur police on January 20, 2007. The police, who were monitoring Kochchar, said they became suspicious after repeated calls to a particular room at the hotel where the West Indies team was staying.
The allegations led to the ICC asking the WICB to conduct an investigation.
Several international cricketers have had run-ins with Indian authorities over suspicious telephone conversations with Indian bookmakers. Most notable is former South African captain, Hanse Cronje, in April 2000.
Man on wanted list remanded
Rasbert Turner, STAR Writer
Spanish Town
A man who was on the nation's most wanted list was remanded when he appeared in the Spanish Town RM Court on Tuesday.
Cremmel Holgate, 20, of Linstead St Catherine was told that despite a lengthy bail application by Attorney Lancelot Clarke Jnr., he would have to stay with the police as an eye witness saw him, and that he had eluded the police until February this year.
Detective Corporal Marvin Brooks of the Linstead Police told RM Lorna Errar that on August 4 last year about 10 p.m., Ruel Isaacs, a 53-year-old businessman, was shot and killed by Holgate who also robbed him of his licenced pistol and an undetermined amount of cash.
The lawman also mentioned that the female who was used to lure Isaac to the Tredegar Park area, where he was killed, is still being sought.
In applying for bail, the defence attorney said that the officer should withdraw the conspiracy theory as only the woman who is being sought could give that information.
He was subsequently remanded until his reappearance in the Gun Court on March 14.PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Thursday, April 25, 2007: Prime Minister of Trinidad, Patrick Manning, is among those weighing in on the controversy involving popular R&B/Hip-Hop singer Akon and a 15-year-old Trinidadian girl, more than two weeks after the incident occurred.
Manning this week demanded a formal investigation of the sexually simulated dance number between the Senegalese singer and the teenage daughter of Pastor Dave Alleyne.
A video released on YouTube sparked off the controversy as it showed the singer dry humping the teen, later identified as Danah Alleyne, on stage during a live appearance at Club Zen in Port-of-Spain. The sexually simulated dance number showed Akon vigorously grinding the teen on different areas of the stage to a soca rhythmic version of his song, Dont Matter.
PM Manning called on authorities to investigate the matter to the fullest, according to the Trinidad media reports, adding that it is not the first time that foreign artists had overstepped their boundaries.
"I have taken very careful notice of this matter and the owner of Zen owes it to the public to take responsibility. I will be interfacing with Zen because that kind of thing should never be allowed to happen in this country," said the PM.
Express reports indicate cops searched the Zen Nightclub where the incident occurred yesterday, apparently for footage of Akon allegedly engaging in sex acts at his recent performance there.
Junior National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds weighed in on Saturday, critisicing all involved, including the teen, and said he believes that Akon should be charged for lewd dancing.
The teen has admitted to being allowed into the Club despite being underage and said she was part of an impromptu dance competition announced by the singer. The competition, featuring seven girls, was announced and a trip to Africa was offered as the Prize, she said. But after she won the contest, she said Akon announced the Africa prize was really him.
She said he proceeded to start dancing with her and she danced back but then things got out of control. "I got carried away, I started to dance as well but I never thought it was going to be like that. I was shocked, my head was hitting the floor," she was quoted as saying.
The Chaguanas ministry is calling for Akon to be banned from public performances in the area.
Meanwhile, Johnny Soong, owner of the Zen nightclub, has said the club has a strict 18-year-old only policy and Alleyne must have gotten through the cracks. On chatrooms, many blasted the teen as no innocent and insisted she looks much older than her 15 years, espeically dressed provacatiively with a top that left little to the imagination.
Akons representatives have remained mum on the issue but the label has reportedly threatened YouTube with copyright infringement and the outrageous video has been pulled. Readers can, however USERS CAN WATCH HERE
WATCH
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - A 17-year-old was arrested Friday in the murder of his mother, a Gwinnett County sheriffs deputy, and his two sisters.Anthony Tyrone Terrell is charged with killing his mother, Joy Deleston, and his sisters Micaiah, 11, and Jelani, 4.
Terrell is a junior at Central Gwinnett High School. Jelani is the daughter of rap star Juvenile, according to child support records in Gwinnett County. The rappers real name is Terius Gray.
He was charged with three counts of murder and three counts of aggravated assault. He is being held without bond.
Police spokeswoman Corporal Illana Spellman said the motive for the killings is still under investigation.
Terrell was taken to jail in neighboring DeKalb County to avoid any potential conflict because Deleston worked for Gwinnett County, Spellman said. He is being held without bail.
Spellman said she could not confirm whether Delestons service weapon was used in the fatal shootings or if investigators recovered the gun used in the killings. She said she did not know if there were any prior police calls to the home.
A neighbor called police Thursday night when she heard gunshots and a bullet came through the wall of her house.
Officers who responded realized the bullet came from the deputys house at 415 Madison Chase Drive and saw the deputys marked patrol vehicle in the driveway, said Gwinnett County police spokesman David Schiralli. When they investigated they found the bodies of the deputy and her daughters.
They knew a deputy lived there, so they knocked at the door to see if everybody was all right, Schiralli said. There was no answer, but lights were on. They opened the door a little bit to announce themselves. Thats when they saw the 11-year-old.
She was just inside the front door. The deputys body was further inside the house. The 4-year-old was discovered in an upstairs bedroom.
Deleston worked in the sex crimes unit, according to Schiralli
da one yah sad still nah lie
T Pain rides high
File-T-Pain
Weekly charts for the best-selling recorded music in the United States as they appear in next week's issue of Billboard magazine. Reprinted with permission. (Platinum signifies more than 1 million copies sold; gold signifies more than 500,000 copies sold.):
(Compiled from a national sample of sales reports collected, compiled and provided by SoundScan; radio playlists; and monitored radio by Broadcast Data Systems)
1. Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain Low Poe Boy | Atlantic
2. Chris Brown With You Jive | DIGITAL | Z****a RIAA
3. Rihanna Don't Stop The Music SRP/Def Jam | DIGITAL | IDJMG
4. Sara Bareilles Love Song Epic | DIGITAL RIAA
5. Alicia Keys No One MBK/J | RMG
6. Timbaland Featuring OneRepublic Apologize Mosley/Blackground | DIGITAL Interscope
7. Snoop Dogg Sensual Seduction Doggystyle/Geffen | 010576 | Interscope
8. Sean Kingston Take You There Beluga Heights | DIGITAL | Koch/Epic RIAA
9. Webbie, Lil' Phat & Lil' Boosie Trill/Asylum | DIGITAL | Atlantic
10. Buckcherry Sorry Eleven Seven | DIGITAL | Atlantic/RRPDouble charges for accused robber
Tashieka Mair, STAR Writer
WESTERN BUREAU
Desmond Stewart, the accused robber who made a daring jump from the first floor of the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday in a bid to escape custody, was sentenced to six months in custody when he appeared before the court on Thursday.
Mr. Stewart, who lives on Love Lane, St James, was sentenced for the new charge of escaping custody one day after he was sentenced to six months in prison for the charge of robbery with aggravation.
Mr Stewart told the court that he has been using hard drugs since 2001 when he was in Spanish Town, and said this was partly responsible for his actions.
"From 2001 I get caught up in drugs and is like a different function in the brain," he told RM Winsome Henry
He began to cry as he told RM Henry that he had been to prison before and said he tried to escape, as he did not want to go back to prison. He also pleaded with the judge to get in contact with the powers that be to help him to get medical attention as he had damaged his back and groin during the fall and was having a hard time walking.
RM Henry told Stewart, "You are lucky to be alive; the last man who tried that (jump from the building) died."
Stewart, who had bruises on his left arm held on to the chairs and walls, will serve six months in prison, as both sentences are concurrent.
Stewart, on Monday, pleaded guilty to robbery with aggravation before RM Carolin Tie; the charge stemmed from an incident in which he was accused of stealing a woman's cellphone. It was while waiting to give his fingerprints to the police that he made his leap to freedom by jumping through a set of glass windows in the Fingerprint Room, on to a corridor and then over a wall.Four shot in St James
Four persons were shot, one fatally, by gunmen at Peaceview, Albion, St James, on Thursday night.
Dead is 19-year-old Richard Williams, otherwise called 'Richie', while injured are two men age 20 and 24, and a 55-year-old woman, all of Albion addresses.
Reports from the CCN's liaison Officer for St James are that about 9:50 p.m., Williams and the other three persons were at a premises in the Peaceview community. While there, they were attacked by three men armed with guns, who robbed them of an undetermined sum of cash and their cellular phones. The gunmen then opened fire, hitting them, before escaping in the area. All four injured persons were taken to hospital where Williams was pronounced dead and the others treated.
The Montego Bay police are investigating.
The Granville Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a man at Retirement district in Granville, St James, on Thursday night.
The dead man has been identified as George McGhie, 34, of Retirement district.
The CCN's liaison officer for the parish reported that about 11:30 p.m., residents heard explosions and called the police. On their arrival, McGhie's body was found with gunshot wounds along a roadway. The crime scene was processed and the body removed to the morgue for post-mortem.A call for sleeping policemen
If the residents of Portmore Lane have their way, several sleeping policemen will soon be constructed along the busy thoroughfare as the residents try to prevent further damage to their property by speeding motorists.
The residents have always complained about the speed at which cars drive on the road. But, what has driven them to such a drastic measure, was a recent accident on the road where a car slammed into a wall, sending rubble flying into several yards and demolishing a stall in the process.
"Before day I was inside when I heard the full impact of a car crashing into the wall. When I looked out I saw a Toyota Caldina in my yard and the wall broken into pieces. There was also oil leaking. Luckily, my brother's car was further up so it was not badly damaged," said Karl Grossett.
The Bridgeport police confirmed the accident and said the driver died shortly after.
Residents said this was not the first time a car had smashed into an object in the community, as stalls has been destroyed and trees uprooted as vehicles have landed in them while travelling at top speed.
"This is a 30-mile-per-hour zone but they drive at 100 miles per hour sometimes. If we were the ghetto people, as they call us, we would block it long time," said Florence Richards, a resident of the community. "Sometimes you have people walking on the roads and children playing and they are speeding. If they continue this way they will kill somebody."
As a result of the crash, residents plan to construct six sleeping policemen along the way.
"We want to put in the sleeping police as this will prevent people from speeding. We want to save some lives here and prevent a major accident," Richards said. While the residents are preparing to do this, the police say they must first seek permission from the municipality. The police said failure to do so will make their actions illegal.
"Any sleeping police on a road has to go through the municipality. People have put up sleeping police in the schemes so I'm not saying it can't be done. But, it must go through the municipality or it will be illegal," said an officer at the Greater Portmore Traffic Department.Counterfeit ring nipped
The police say they are close to breaking up a counterfeit money racket which, they say, is being operated in downtown Kingston.
According to the police, they picked up on the situation some time ago and have been working towards catching the culprits who are involved.
"We picked up on the activity and, of course, we have been investigating and plan to dismantle the illegal activity as soon as possible. We have made one arrest so far and are continuing our investigations in a bid to catch the others," Detective Jeffrey Blake of the Fraud Squad told THE STAR.
Meanwhile, the police say they will be intensifying their investigations in a bid to put an end to the ring before it becomes widespread. So far one arrest has been made.
"With the arrest we've made, we can say that we are one step closer to smashing the ring before it gets widespread and starts to involve more individuals. We are now in search of the others believed to be involved in the activity," Detective Blake said.
- D.M.Hinds wants solar street lights
Rasbert Turner, Portmore Star Writer
Mayor of Portmore, Keith Hinds, is considering using solar energy to power street lights in the municipality as a result of the high energy bill that the Portmore Municipal Council could be paying in the future.
"We are in dialogue with the University of Technology on how to go forward with solar panels," Hinds told patrons who gathered at PALZ Production Family Fun Festival, held at the Jamworld Entertainment Centre in the municipality, recently.
solar panels
Pointing out that he is wary of the heavy bills that will face the council when they are given responsibility for street lights in Portmore, the mayor said a viable alternative source of energy must be considered.
He continued that Portmore is a very suitable area to use solar energy and that if money is saved from the street lights initiative, then it could be used in other areas that might serve Portmore better.
In an interview with THE PORTMORE STAR, following the announcement, Mayor Hinds said that there is a three-year rebuilding plan for the municipality and the solar project is just one of the considerations of developing Portmore. Other initiatives, he said, will start soon.Temporary break for Kintyre residents
Francine Black, Staff Reporter
Some residents whose homes were sliding down the hillside in Kintyre, St Andrew, have received a temporary break from their woes as the land has stabilised.
According to a resident, the problem has stopped since the rains have subsided. "Well what happened is that the rain has ceased and everything dry up," Noel Richards, a resident from the community said.
Richards, a resident of Camp View Avenue, is grateful as last year, when the problem began, his house was at risk. A few days after Hurricane Dean, his driveway began crumbling and later the rest of his home.
Following the heavy rains associated with the storm, residents reportedly went to sleep one night and woke up to find their property slipping away.
On a visit last year to the community, THE STAR observed the damage to Richards' home. Floor tiles were either cracked or loosened and walls have burst, revealing ever-widening gaps. Even doors and windows in the house are difficult to close or open because of the problem.
The pit at the back of his house is also threatened as the land around it is sinking away.
Other residents in that area also suffered serious damage as their homes were sliding down the hillside community and, in some cases, were breaking up.
However, Richards said, in light of the concerns he is seeking safer ground. He said the National Water Commission has also visited and temporarily fixed to some pipes that had been affected by the shifting infrastructure in the community. They have also sought to repair the road by using shingle to fill in the collapsed section so vehicles can now drive through the community.| News | |
COPS HUNTING FACELESS CRIMINALS
Dwayne Mcleod, Staff Reporter
The search for some of Jamaica's criminals is almost next to impossible for the police, because quite a large number of our wrongdoers have no form of identifictaion.
Earlier this month, the cops released the names of 11 men who they classified as the country's 'most wanted'. Of the 11, the police were only able to provide photographs of three.
Head of the Major Investigations Task Force, Assistant Commissioner of Police Les Green, admits it is an issue that needs to be dealt with. "This is a major problem and we are working on that; in the future we hope to release more photographs to the public," ACP Green said about the lack of pictures to support the most-wanted list.
Recent investigations by THE STAR showed that this lack of photographs is a calculated plan by several thugs.
Several men pointed out that having these forms of identification only help the police to nab them.
"... mi naw go fi dem ting deh til mi a fly out. When yu have dem ting deh it come in like a help you a help police do dem work," Blacks, a 24-year-old, well-known thug from east Kingston explained.
National identification cards, birth certificates, passports and driver's licences are on the 'not-to-get' list.
Tino, another thug, from St Elizabeth, told THE STAR that the decision not to possess certain documents is definitely advantageous.
"Unnu might look pon it and seh mi nuh exist because mi nuh have nuh birth certificate, but all di betta, how police fi lock up a man weh it come in like nuh exist? ... Until the time come fi lef ya so, mi naw go fi nuh ID weh a go help police ketch mi," he said.
most-wanted list
These criminals say that their daily activities do not warrant the use of any form of identification.
"Mi nuh work no weh, furthermore mi cyaa get nuh work no weh, nuttin weh mi do nuh need mi fi show nuh ID ... All me do is hustle every day eno," said Stickofrom Spanish Town. "Even if mi get real hot, and even end up pon all di most-wanted list, if dem manage fi get mi real name, dem nuffi have nuh photo a me."
To make matters worse, some of those who do have some form of identification have resort ed to changing their physical features. Or, they have significantly changed since the last photo that the police have of them.
The most prominent case was that of former Clansman honcho Donovan 'Bulbie' Bennett. At the height of his reign on top of the police most-wanted list, the picture of him was totally different from that when he was shot dead by the security forces in 2005. The difference in photos caused many to speculate that the Spanish Town strong man was still alive.
Another instance was the case of Rohan Gordon, alias 'Don'. The police reported that the reputed Stone Crusher Gang leader, who was killed after he and other gang members engaged police in a fierce gun battle in Norwood, Montego Bay, on May 20 last year, was noticeably of a very light skin tone. This, the police say, was contrary to any photograph they had of him.
Superintendent Steve McGregor, head of St James police, confirmed this, saying 'Don' was indeed trying to elude the police. "Yes, that is so, he was a black man but when we caught him he was very brown," he said.
ACP Green said the police were aware of the unwillingness of these individuals to get any form of identification.
According to the MIT head, the situation was being examined. "We know of the situation and it's a serious problem, and not just in Jamaica ... There are discussions for identification cards to be compulsory, as in other countries, by legislation."
Names changed on request.He has been identified as 18-year-old Adlam Brown of Belfield Road in Waterford.
According to police reports about five Tuesday afternoon Mr. Brown was at the Waterford Bus Terminus.
He was approached by four armed men who opened fire hitting him.
Mr. Adlam was shot several times.
He was taken to the Spanish Town Hospital where he died during treatment.
No one has been held in connection with the shooting.
Still in St. Catherine, the body of an elderly man was found in the Rio Cobre.
The dead man has been identified as 72-year-old Wilbert Mcfarlane of Ambersly Place, Portsmouth.
Police reports are that about eight Tuesday morning Mr. McFarlane's body was seen in the river.
His body was removed for a later post mortem.
After it was revealed that the now infamous syrup (promethazine and codeine mixed with soda or juice) may have played a part in Pimp Cs death, Lil Wayne is speaking out on his love affair with the potentially lethal drink.
In recent months, Weezy F. Baby has been seen with a styrofoam cupon stage and in videosleading many to wonder about the contents inside. In a recent interview with MTV, Wayne alluded to having a syrup addiction.
Everybody wants me to stop all this and all that. It ain't that easy." He went on to add that trying to kick the habit feels like death.
"It ain't that easy feels like death in your stomach when you stop doing that shit. You gotta learn how to stop, you gotta go through detox. You gotta do all kinds of stuff. Like I said, I'm a selfish-ass n---a. I feel like everything I do is successful and productive. It's gonna be hard to tell me I'm slipping. It's hard to sit and tell a nigga 'Stop.' 'f**k, how can we tell this nigga to stop when every f**king thing he do is successful? This nigga is making progress. He just went and talked to kids and that shit was amazing.' Feel me? So what am I doing wrong?"
After his arrest in Arizona on drugs and weapons, members of his entourage and even his mother have been urging Wayne to curbor eliminatehis use of syrup. However, the calls may be falling on deaf ears and may actually be pushing Weezy F. to further consume the substance.
"It's inspiring me, but I'mma tell them now they better stop," he said in the interview. "'Cause they [are trying to] push me off the edge. If I jump, I'm taking the world with me. That's my word."
Promethazine with codeine is typically proscribed to alleviate symptoms of a cold, allergies or respiratory tract infections.
On Thursday evening, Anthony Tyrone Terrell gunned down his mother and two sisters at their home in Lawrenceville, GA according to the Atlanta Constitution. The 17-year-old boy shot and killed both his 11 and 4 year old sisters as well as his 39-year-old mother.
Joy Deleston was an actress who appeared in locally produced films as well as a 7 ˝ year veteran of the Gwinnett County Sheriffs office. Her daughters, Jelani (4) and Micaiah (11), also died of gunshot wounds. The youngest daughters father according to child support papers -- was rapper Juvenile. The rapper, whose real name is Terius Gray, has yet to comment on the incident.
Police responded to reports of shots being fired at the home and when they arrived, found a bullet in the house next door. After entering the home, they found Micaiah and her mother dead inside the front door. The officers then went upstairs and found the body of the 4-year-old. Officers were still at the scene when Terrell arrived at the house.
"Investigators interviewed Mr. Terrell and as a result of the interview, there was enough probable cause to charge him with the murder of his mother and two sisters," officer Illana Spellman stated to the newspaper. The motive for the shootings is still under investigation.
Terrell was a sophomore at Central Gwinnett High School and has been charged with three counts of murder and three counts of aggravated assault. The firearm used in the slayings was recovered after Terrell advised police where he disposed of it.
People close to the family were shocked by Terrells actions as a director who worked with Deleston noted that the boy was a good kid.
More on this as it develops...
3-Year-Old Girl Arrives At Hospital Injured, Drunk
Police said the girl, who turned 3 years old in December, had suffered a small amount of bleeding on her brain, eye damage consistent with being shaken, neck and shoulder injuries, two broken bones in her left arm, bruises all over her body.The arm fractures and bleeding are classic signs of being shaken, Easterling said. But there are so many different types of injuries to this 3-year-old that I can only speculate as to how it all occurred.Investigators said the child also had abrasions on her lips from being force-fed alcohol, and her *la*hd-alcohol level measured 0.15.She did not get into alcohol and drink it herself, Easterling said. We believe that someone made her consume alcohol.Police in Covington and Elsmere are investigating the incident, but Easterling confirmed the childs mother was among four adult relatives under investigation.Children's Protective Services was notified by Children's Hospital when the girl arrived, and she was placed with relatives not under investigation while police determine whom to charge.Investigators believe the girl's 4-year-old sister might have witnessed some or all of the abuse.
The rapper was part of a crew accompanying Sean "Diddy" C****s, his then girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, and bodyguard Anthony "Wolf" Jones when Diddy got into a beef with another club goer, Mathew "Scar" Allen. Three people were struck when shots rang out and while Diddy, Shyne and J-Lo were all arrested after leading police on a short chase, the charges only stuck to Shyne. C****s and Lopez were free and clear.
The Puffy protege was convicted after witness Cerise Myers testified that she saw him pull his gun and begin firing. The rapper spoke out to media outlets shortly after his conviction alleging that Diddy had convinced Myers to lie on the stand.
Shyne inked a $3 million dollar deal with Def Jam from behind bars in 2004 and released the album Godfather Buried Alive under the label but album sales were disappointing. No word on whether Shyne plans to return to rapping after his release.
Though slated to be released for good behavior, Shyne hasn't always been the model prisoner. In '05 he was thrown in the hole for two months after getting into an altercation with another inmate.
In related news, Shyne's father Dean Barrow was elected prime minister of Belize earlier this month, the first black person to hold that office, according to USA Today.
Student Dies Trying To Alleviate Tooth Pain With Tylenol
Flynn learned that she has an aggressive form of cancer called Acute Myelogenous Leukemia right after Thanksgiving. According to doctors, she needs to find a donor match soon.
Rihanna is working with DKMS, an organization focused on providing the best donor match for patients. They have the largest database in the world. Rihanna believes in the organizations purpose, I think DKMS is an incredible charity because you can really see the results.
Flynn has kind words for the sultry singer, For Rihanna to even be thinking about helping others and putting herself out there when she is so busy with her career is tremendous.
Rihanna was also named the honorary Cultural Ambassador for her native homeland Barbados by the Barbados Tourism Authority.
mega top ten -dancehall single charts
28 feb by .iwallace
Inspired and created by Gillian "Flare" Marshall and Leighton Williams, the "Mega Top Ten" is a weekly 18-minutes programme that counts down the Top Ten Dancehall singles that are set to go 'global' according to the a street sample of dancehall aficionados and our own panel of music experts. The positions allotted each week are not solely based on record sales, because factors such as dancehall forwards, spins and street buzz do weigh in heavily to affect our weekly tabulations.For months now, Claude and I wanted to have a top ten countdown on the website but we didnt want it to be a boring list of tracks that visitors log on, read and move on, we wanted something hype that will hold their attention, Kriq of One876Entertainment.com revealed. Teaming up with Flare and Leighton will provide a product that can sell as a stand-alone broadcast on television that will attract sponsors even though we are still in the process of improving it, look out for much more to come.
The Mega Top ten is hosted by Flare a former TV personality of CVM TV's "The Party" and Music Plus "Countdown 101" who lends her energetic vibe and brilliant wit to the programme. The show will also premieres new singles and has a segment where interviews are conducted with various artistes in the musical fraternity looking to promote their latest projects.
So what are you waiting for? Log on each week to see if your favourite singles are making major moves up the Countdown. Viewers are expected to participate by sending their votes to trendsetter876@hotmail.com.
One876Entertainment.com, Flare and Leighton Williams to the universe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C5BtVomZFI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYJDEMYpoeM
-- Edited by IWALLACE12 at 12:16, 2008-02-28
Cynthia A. Hernandez is accused of placing a towel over the head of her sleeping son on Feb. 15 and shooting him in the head above his left eye with a rifle at point-blank range.
Jeremy Barragan, 14, was found dead the next morning by his father.The Maricopa County Attorney's Office said Friday the 45-year-old Hernandez remains jailed on $250,000 bond. Her arraignment is set for Wednesday.Hernandez had gone four nights without sleep, and was on alcohol, marijuana, and mood-altering medications the night of the shooting, a court document said.The document also said Hernandez admitted to shooting her son, but told police she believed he was still alive and that the dead boy must be a "lookalike."Hernandez had no recollection of the shooting when she was arrested, said family member Joseph Lupear. He said Hernandez broke down when she realized what had happened.Hernandez and Leonard Barragan, her common law husband, moved to Tempe with their son from San Antonio, Texas, about eight months ago.Lupear said the family was very happy and Hernandez was very protective of her son."Our office continues to see far too many cases of what I call 'household homicides,'" said Maricopa County attorney Andrew Thomas.
-- Edited by RiddimRyder at 13:16, 2008-03-01
9-Year-Old Suspended After Threatening Student With Utility Knives
Dancing is supposed to be fun and in many instances only for entertainment purposes. However, there is a relatively new dance that is referred to as the 'handicap' dance which is not supported by the disabled community.
In this dance individuals pretend as if they have a deformed hand which is shorter than the other and bent at the wrist and elbow. The knees are knocked together in a seemingly permanent manner and the head is leaned to one side. The individual's tongue may stick out during the process.
Checks with several dancers were pointing to Dyema from the Attitude Girls as creator of the dance as she has been seen performing it at various events. She has also been seen doing the dance move on the Extreme Dancehall Channel as well as other events. However, she denies this and points to another dancer HQ as the creator. The STAR tried to contact HQ but was unsuccessful.
Fellow dancer Shelly Belly identified the dance as the one with the 'nook hand' and said it must have been done merely for fun.
"It just mek people laugh when dem see it. Dance weh give joke people love see it. It shot, it a gwaan," he said.
He also pointed to the fact that the creator has not been at various events promoting the dance. Shelly Belly says if this is done the dance will become popular and others will do it too.
serious problem
This dance is offensive to the disabled community, but he says he does not believe this was done to humiliate any set of persons. He says dancers make dance moves off anything in the society.
"You might see somebody a walk and mek a dance off dat. A jus' joy and fun. Wi naah mock nobody. A jus style and creativity," he said.
Another dancer Garth Sample of the Sample Six Dancers says he has seen the dance in Montego Bay but he has never seen it in Kingston.
"Wi naah too do it still 'cause it look a way," he said while not forgetting to mention his new dance Kumina through which he aims to bring women back into the dancehall space.
Valerie Spence who is an administrator and disabilities advocate at the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) says she is disappointed to hear that there is a dance called 'handicap' dance as she has never seen it.
"Obviously whoever does it has a serious problem. If somebody is going to use a person's disability as a dance that person is backwards. People are not handicap they are disabled," said Spence.
She continued, "Disability is not something that people buy in the shop, it is congenital. To make a dance like this shows the level of ignorance that still exists in the society."
Spence also said that persons can easily become disabled by being involved in a motor vehicle accident or by being injured by a gunshot. Hence, she says one might be 'able bodied today and disabled tomorrow'.
She said that it is disgusting and demeaning to make a dance of this nature. She, therefore, urged persons to become more aware of the issues that disabled persons face instead of humiliate them.
The US study of 77,000 people found taking 400 milligrams per day long-term increased cancer risk by 28% - with smokers at particular risk.
It follows warnings about similar risks of excessive beta-carotene use.
Writing in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, an expert said people should get their vitamins from fruit and veg.
The jury's still very much out on whether vitamin and mineral supplements can affect cancer risk Henry Scowcroft, Cancer Research UK
Dr Tim Byers, from the University of Colorado, said a healthy, balanced diet meant people took in a whole range of beneficial nutrients and minerals, which might help to reduce cancer risk.
The researchers followed people aged between 50 and 76 for four years and looked at their average daily use of vitamin C and folic acid, and vitamin E supplements.
Over the course of the study, 521 people developed lung cancer.
Smoking, family history and age all had unsurprisingly strong links to cancer risk.
And while neither vitamin C or folic acid use had any effect on lung cancer risk, vitamin E use did.
The researchers extrapolated their findings, and concluded that over a decade, there was an additional 7% increase in risk for every 100 milligrams taken per day.
The vitamin E trend was most prominent among smokers, but was not confined to them.
Vitamin E is known to be an antioxidant - protecting cells from molecules called free radicals.
But the US researchers speculate that, in high doses, it may also act as a pro-oxidant - causing oxidation and therefore damage to cells.
'Toxic effects'
Dr Christopher Slatore of the University of Washington in Seattle, who led the study, said: "In contrast to the often assumed benefits or at least lack of harm, supplemental vitamin E was associated with a small increased risk of lung cancer.
"Future studies may focus on other components of fruits and vegetables that may explain the decreased risk of cancer that has been associated with fruit and vegetables.
"Meanwhile, our results should prompt clinicians to counsel patients that these supplements are unlikely to reduce the risk of lung cancer and may be detrimental."
But Henry Scowcroft, senior science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "The jury's still very much out on whether vitamin and mineral supplements can affect cancer risk.
"Some studies suggest a benefit, but many others show no effect and some, like this one, suggest they may even increase risk."
He added: "Research repeatedly shows that a healthy, balanced diet can reduce your risk of some cancers while giving you all the vitamins you need.
"Quitting smoking remains the most effective way to avoid many cancers. There's no diet, or vitamin supplement, that could ever counter the toxic effects of cigarette smoke."
In 2002 a Finnish study of 29,000 male smokers found taking beta-carotene - which is converted into vitamin A in the body - was linked to an 18% increased risk of developing lung cancer
The funeral was for one of three policemen killed by a roadside b**** earlier on Friday.
Police official Wakif Khan told the BBC Urdu service that about 65 people were injured in the attack in Mingora, the main town in the valley of Swat.
Swat has seen continued confrontations in recent months between pro-Taleban militants and the security forces.
Pakistan's army recently said it had regained control over much of the region, driving back local Islamist militants.
Appeal for *la*hd
Hundreds of mourners were attending the funeral in Mingora when the attacker struck.
"The explosion took place as we were preparing to give the honour salute," said Deputy Superintendent Karamat Shah.
"I remember seeing people rushing away and body parts everywhere."
Hospital authorities dealing with the injured were reported to be appealing for *la*hd donations.
The funeral was for one of three officers killed earlier in the town of Lakki Marwat in Bannu district, which borders the troubled North Waziristan tribal region.
The b**** exploded near their vehicle, police said. The chief of police in Bannu district, Hamza Mehsud, said two others were critically wounded in the blast.
The health minister for North West Frontier Province told AFP news agency efforts to rescue the injured had suffered delays.
"We are facing difficulty in the relief operation because the blast also damaged an electricity transformer in the area," Syed Kamal Shah was quoted as saying.
Netscape Navigator, now owned by AOL, will no longer be supported after 1 March 2008, the company has said.
In the mid-1990s, as the commercial web began to take off, the browser was used by more than 90% of people online.
Its market share has since slipped to just 0.6% as other browsers such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) and Firefox have eroded its user base.
The company recommends that users upgrade their browser to either Firefox or Flock, which are both built on the same underlying technologies as Navigator.
"I think we represent the hope that was of Netscape," Mitchell Baker, chair of the Mozilla Foundation which coordinates development of Firefox, told BBC News.
"We have picked up many of the things that Netscape launched but we've taken them further in terms of openness and public participation."
Ms Baker was one of the first employees at Netscape in 1994.
Web window
Netscape was created by Marc Andreessen who as a student had co-authored Mosaic, the first popular web browser.
Firefox uses the same technology as Navigator developers
His company Netscape Communications Corporation released the first version in 1994.
According to Shawn Hardin, President and CEO of Flock, Netscape played an important role in making the internet "a relevant mass market phenomenon".
"Netscape had a critical role in taking all of these zeros and ones - this very academic and technical environment - and giving it a graphical user interface where an average person could come online and consume information," he told BBC News.
"During its halcyon days it really felt like the internet and Netscape were really the same thing," he said.
Other companies capitalised on Netscape's success, notably Microsoft, which began to bundle IE with its Windows operating systems.
Netscape is a wonderful browser, and it will be so in the future Comment on Netscape blog
Although this led to legal wrangles over anti-competitive behaviour, IE now dominates the browser landscape with an 80% market share.
As a result, Netscape became unviable.
"While internal groups within AOL have invested a great deal of time and energy in attempting to revive Netscape Navigator, these efforts have not been successful in gaining market share from Microsoft's Internet Explorer," said Tom Drapeau on the Netscape blog last year, when the demise of the browser was first announced.
Future return?
For the past week Netscape users have been shown a message alerting them to the end of support for the browser.
"Given AOL's current business focus, support for Netscape browsers will be discontinued as of March 1st, 2008," the message reads.
Flock is designed to take advantage of web 2.0 sites
It then suggests users upgrade to either Flock or Firefox.
Firefox is the main competitor to IE, particularly in Europe where it has a 28% market share, according to some statistics.
The open source browser's development is coordinated by the Mozilla foundation, set up by Netscape staff made redundant in 2003.
It has had more than 500 million downloads worldwide and in countries such as Finland it is the most popular browser.
"Competition is what brings quality," said Ms Baker.
Flock describes itself as "the social web browser" and allows people to see feeds from community websites, such as Flickr and Facebook, and post to blogs without having to navigate to the page.
"There are lots of ways that people are engaging in having a conversation and Flock is very focused on making that as effortless and convenient as possible," said Mr Hardin.
However, not all Netscape users are happy about having to change browser.
"I'm sad. Flock still needs improvement and I am not happy with Firefox's interface. I'm [an] orphan!" read one post on the Netscape blog.
Others who posted comments on the blog predicted the browser will make a return.
"Netscape is a wonderful browser, and it will be so in the future," read one.
Doctors said at least eight were children and up to 16 were militants. Israel said most were militants.
More than 150 Palestinians - and seven Israelis - have been injured. Israel says it wants to stop rocket attacks, but about 50 hit Israel on Saturday.
Palestinian leaders have called for international protection.
The UN Security Council is meeting in emergency session at the request of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
RISING VIOLENCE Saturday: At least 52 Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers killed Friday: Ashkelon activates warning system after rocket hits Thursday: Four Palestinian children and seven militants killed Wednesday: Six-month-old Palestinian boy and six militants killed Israeli civilian killed in Sderot In pictures: Gaza violence
As the council went into closed session, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned Israel for "excessive and disproportionate" use of force in the Gaza Strip.
He also condemned Palestinian rocket attacks against southern Israel.
The BBC's Laura Trevelyan at the UN says diplomats will have problems agreeing a statement on the crisis that is acceptable to both the Arab grouping and the US - a staunch ally of Israel.
As the Security Council was assembling reports came in that an Israeli air strike in Gaza City had destroyed the empty offices of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya, prime minister in the territory's unrecognised government.
Battle of words
Mr Abbas earlier said the Israeli raids were "more than a holocaust".
Israel says it wants to end the agony caused by militant rockets
He was apparently alluding to controversial remarks made on Friday by Israel's Deputy Defence Minister Matan Vilnai, who said Palestinians risked a "shoah" - the Hebrew word for a big disaster as well as for the Nazi Holocaust.
Mr Vilnai's colleagues insisted he had not meant "genocide".
Khaled Meshaal, Hamas's exiled leader in Syria, went further, calling Israel's actions "the real holocaust".
The Israeli raids began after a rocket fired by Hamas militants killed an Israeli student in the southern town of Sderot, the first such death in nine months, on Wednesday.
More than 80 Palestinians have been killed since then.
In a statement on Saturday, Israel's Defence Minister Ehud Barak blamed Hamas for the killings.
"We are not happy about civilians being hurt in Gaza," Mr Barak said.
"Hamas and those who fire rockets at Israel are responsible and they will pay the price."
Air raids
Israel has said it may launch a full-scale attack on Gaza in response to militant rocket attacks.
The BBC's Katya Adler in Jerusalem says Israel's leaders have been under pressure from some quarters to launch a ground invasion.
However, a recent opinion poll has indicated a majority of Israelis favour a truce with the Islamist movement Hamas, which controls Gaza.
Tanks and troops have made an incursion into northern Gaza, encountering resistance from Palestinian militants, as Israeli planes made several air raids.
On one occasion, a house east of the Jabaliya refugee camp was struck - two children, a brother and sister, were killed.
Later, a 15-year-old girl and her 16-year-old sister were also killed.
In another attack, a mother was killed as she was preparing breakfast for her children, medical workers said.
And a resident of Jabaliya told the Associated Press news agency that one of his relatives had been killed.
"His body is still lying on the ground," he said. "Ambulances tried to come, but they came under fire."
suh glad anuh suh much people a dead a jamaica
Updated: March 1, 2008, 3:51 PM EST 727 comments RSS digg blog email print LONDON (AP) - Manchester United moved to within a point of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League on Saturday after the Gunners drew 1-1 with visiting Aston Villa.
Arsenal almost lost at Emirates Stadium after defender Philippe Senderos scored a 27th-minute own-goal, but Nicklas Bendtner equalized in the last minute to salvage a draw.
Even so, defending champion United, which had trailed by five points eight days ago, closed the gap with a 3-0 win at Fulham.
Barclays Premier LeagueMon., Feb. 25
Manchester City 0-2 Everton Recap
Sat., Mar. 1
Arsenal 1-1 Aston Villa* Recap
Birmingham 4-1 Tottenham Recap
Derby 0-0 Sunderland Recap
Fulham 0-3 Manchester Utd Recap
Manchester City 0-0 Wigan* Recap
Middlesbrough 0-1 Reading Recap
Newcastle 0-1 Blackburn* Recap
West Ham 0-4 Chelsea Recap
Chelsea recovered from last weekend's League Cup final defeat to Tottenham with a 4-0 win at London rival West Ham, while Spurs rested several players after winning their first trophy for nine years and lost 4-1 at Birmingham.
Arsenal now has 65 points from 28 matches, but United's goal difference is seven better than the leaders' and Chelsea is six points back having played one game fewer.
"If it comes down to goal difference, it could make a difference," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "The way it's been going in the last few weeks, it's been a bit of a seesaw. But we have to look over our shoulder because Chelsea's score today was emphatic."
Fourth-place Everton hosts Portsmouth on Sunday, while sixth-place Liverpool is at Bolton. But at the other end of the standings, Newcastle slipped to within three points of the relegation zone after a 1-0 loss to visiting Blackburn.
Arsenal was desperate for victory after last week's 2-2 draw at Birmingham, in which it lost striker Eduardo da Silva to a career-threatening leg injury. It dominated the early exchanges as striker Theo Walcott had a shot saved by Villa goalkeeper Scott Carson and almost created another opportunity.
Senderos shot wide from inside the area after Carson had dropped the ball from a corner, but, four minutes later, scored past his own goalkeeper when he tried to intercept a cross by Gabriel Agbonlahor.
Villa lost Nigel Reo-Coker and Curtis Davies to injury, but almost went 2-0 ahead before halftime when home keeper Manuel Almunia had to push a 20-meter shot by Shaun Maloney onto the crossbar.
Arsenal pushed for a late equalizer and Bendtner managed it with a close-range shot.
"In the first half, you could see it was a hangover from last week," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "We were dominated physically and technically ... but this shows the team never lies down."
Fulham goalkeeper Antti Niemi had already saved from Nani and Carlos Tevez before Tevez won a free kick just outside the area in the 15th. Owen Hargreaves curled the ball over the defensive wall and wide of Niemi to make it 1-0.
Park Ji-sung scored a minute before halftime with a header and Simon Davies completed the scoring midway through the second half, with an own-goal.
"It was a professional performance," Ferguson said. "It was windy and in these conditions you have to have good concentration.
"I don't think Fulham were a big threat to us inside the penalty box, but outside they played some good stuff."
Chelsea responded to reports of unrest in its expensively assembled squad with a convincing win at Upton Park, with the recalled Joe Cole and Michael Ballack both scoring as the Blues went 3-0 up in the first 22 minutes.
Former West Ham midfielder Frank Lampard put Chelsea ahead from a 17th-minute penalty kick after Anton Ferdinand had fouled Salomon Kalou and Cole made it 2-0 in the 20th with a low shot.
Ballack, who, like Cole, was dropped for the League Cup final, put Chelsea further ahead before Lampard was sent off in the 34th for what looked like an innocuous push of Luis Boa Morte in the face.
Still, Ashley Cole made it 4-0 for Chelsea in the 64th.
Tottenham no longer has to worry about its league position after qualifying for next season's European competition by winning the League Cup, so it rested players including Robbie Keane, Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate to prepare for Thursday's UEFA Cup match against PSV Eindhoven.
The one I happened to open was from a friend and it said something like, hey look at this picture from my vacation.
Just some information for people.
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