Egypt to try 19 Americans in case straining ties (AP)

CAIRO ? Ignoring a U.S. threat to cut off aid, Egypt on Sunday referred 19 Americans and 24 other employees of nonprofit groups to trial before a criminal court on accusations they illegally used foreign funds to foment unrest in the country.

Egypt's military rulers had already deeply strained ties with Washington with their crackdown on U.S.-funded groups promoting democracy and human rights and accused of stirring up violence in the aftermath of the uprising a year ago that ousted Hosni Mubarak. The decision to send 43 workers from the various groups to trials marks a sharp escalation in the dispute.

Egypt and the United States have been close allies for more than three decades, but the campaign against the organizations has angered Washington, and jeopardized the $1.5 billion in aid Egypt is set to receive from the U.S. this year.

On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Egypt that failure to resolve the dispute may lead to the loss of American aid. The Egyptian minister, Mohammed Amr, responded Sunday by saying the government cannot interfere in the work of the judiciary.

"We are doing our best to contain this but ... we cannot actually exercise any influence on the investigating judges right now when it comes to the investigation," Amr told reporters at a security conference in Munich, Germany. A few hours later, word of the referral to trials came.

The Egyptian investigation into the work of nonprofit groups in the country is closely linked to the political turmoil that has engulfed the nation since the ouster of Mubarak, a close U.S. ally who ruled Egypt for nearly 30 years.

Egypt's military rulers have been under fire by liberal and secular groups for bungling what was supposed to be a transition to democracy after Mubarak's ouster. The ruling generals who took power after the uprising, led by a man who was Mubarak's defense minister for 20 years, have tried to deflect the criticism by claiming "foreign hands" are behind protests against their rule and frequently depict the protesters as receiving funds from abroad in a plot to destabilize the country.

Those allegations have cost the youth activists that spearheaded Mubarak's ouster support among a wider public that is sensitive to allegations of foreign meddling and which sees a conspiracy to destabilize Egypt in nearly every move by a foreign nation.

Egypt has just been plunged into a new cycle of violence with 12 killed in four days of clashes. The clashes were sparked by anger at the authorities inability to prevent a riot after a soccer match last week left 74 people dead.

International Cooperation Minister Faiza Aboul Naga, a remnant of the Mubarak regime who retained her post after his ouster, is leading the crackdown on nonprofit groups. On Sunday, she vowed to pursue the issue to the very end. The investigation into the funding issue, she claimed, has uncovered "plots aimed at striking at Egypt's stability."

Egyptian security officials said that among the Americans sent to trial is Sam LaHood, the head of the Egypt office of the Washington-based International Republican Institute and the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Five Serbs, two Germans and three non-Egyptian Arab nationals are also targeted.

Lahood's group called the decision "politically motivated" and said it "reflects escalating attacks against international and Egyptian democracy organizations." The IRI statement from Washington said the campaign was being carried out "in part by Mubarak-era holdovers."

All 43 have been banned from leaving the country. A date has yet to be set for the start of the trial.

In Washington, the State Department criticized the move.

"We have seen media reports that judicial officials in Egypt intend to forward a number of cases involving U.S.-funded (nonprofits) to the Cairo Criminal Court," said State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland told reporters. "We are deeply concerned by these reports and are seeking clarification from the government of Egypt."

Sunday's decision to refer the 43 to trial raises questions about the Egyptian military's motive to allow the issue to escalate so much that the valuable $1.3 billion it gets annually be placed in jeopardy. Washington also is set to give Egypt $250 million in economic aid this year.

The U.S. assistance has allowed the Egyptian military to replace its relatively antiquated Soviet-era weaponry with modern and sophisticated arms, ranging from fighter-bombers and transport aircraft to tanks and personnel carriers. The aid is closely but informally linked to Egypt's continued adherence to its 1979 peace treaty with Israel, Washington's closest Middle East ally.

Already, Egyptian authorities are preventing at least six Americans ? including LaHood ? and four Europeans from leaving the country, citing a probe opened last month when heavily armed security forces raided the offices of 17 pro-democracy and rights groups. Egyptian officials have defended the raid as part of a legitimate investigation into the groups' work and funding.

"The ruling military council is searching for scapegoats to cover up its successive failures, the disastrous ones, since it took power on Feb. 11 (2011)," said prominent rights activist Bahy Eddin Hassan. "It has managed to stain the reputation of everybody to come out at the only party to be trusted in the eyes of ordinary Egyptians."

Laws requiring local and foreign civil society groups to register with the government have long been a source of contention, with rights activists accusing authorities of using legal provisions to go after groups critical of their policies. Offenders can be sentenced to prison if convicted.

Foreign civil society groups must receive permission to legally operate in Egypt by registering with the ministries of foreign affairs and international cooperation.

Legally, the Social Solidarity Ministry must approve any foreign funds funneled to local or foreign civil society groups in Egypt.

Also Sunday, security officials said Mubarak, 83, would shortly be moved to a prison for the first time since his arrest last April. Mubarak has since his arrest been kept in custody in a hospital at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh and later at an army's medical facility east of Cairo.

Mubarak is on trial on charges of complicity in the killing of hundreds of protesters during the 18-day uprising that forced him to step down.

The officials also said that around 50 former regime insiders held at Tora would be dispersed to five different jails in the greater Cairo area within the next 48 hours. They include Mubarak's two sons, businessman Alaa and one-time heir apparent Gamal, two former prime ministers and the former speakers of parliament's two chambers.

The decision to move Mubarak and spread the regime officials appeared to be a concession by the military to pro-reform activists who complain that the ruling generals led by Mubarak's defense minister for 20 years were treating the ousted leader with reverence and turning a blind eye to former regime officials clustered in Tora to use supporters to undermine security.

___

Associated Press reporters Maggie Michael and Aya Batrawy contributed to this report from Cairo.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120205/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_egypt

jeff bezos slither slither chattanooga joey lawrence joey lawrence loma prieta

what is sewage treatment plant? | Industrial Mechanical

Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff (effluents) and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants. Its objective is to produce an environmentally-safe fluid waste stream (or treated effluent) and a solid waste (or treated sludge) suitable for disposal or reuse (usually as farm fertilizer).

Waters that are used for drinking, manufacturing, farming, and other purposes by residences (toilets, baths, showers, kitchens, sinks), institutions, hospitals, commercial and industrial establishments are degraded in quality as a result of the introduction of contaminating constituents. Organic wastes, suspended solids, bacteria, nitrates, and phosphates are pollutants that commonly must be removed.

To make wastewater acceptable for reuse or for returning to the environment, the concentration of contaminants must be reduced to a non-harmful level, usually a standard prescribed by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Sewage can be treated close to where it is created (in septic tanks, bio-filters or aerobic treatment systems), or collected and transported via a network of pipes and pump stations to a municipal treatment plant.

Sewage treatment plant, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff (effluents) and domestic. The task of designing and constructing facilities for treating wastewaters falls to environmental engineers. They employ a variety of engineered and natural systems to get the job done, using physical, chemical, biological, and sludge treatment methods. Its objective is to produce a waste stream (or treated effluent) and a solid waste or sludge suitable for discharge or reuse back into the environment. This material is often inadvertently contaminated with many toxic organic and inorganic compounds.

The features of wastewater treatment systems are determined by (1) the nature of the municipal and industrial wastes that are conveyed to them by sewers, and (2) the amount of treatment required to preserve and/or improve the quality of the receiving bodies of water. Discharges from treatment plants usually are disposed by dilution in rivers, lakes, or estuaries. They also may be used for certain types of irrigation (such as golf courses), transported to lagoons where they are evaporated, or discharged through submarine (underwater) outfalls into the ocean. However, outflows from treatment works must meet effluent standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency to avoid polluting the bodies of water that receive them.

Sewage treatment plant is basically characterized as below system based on usage of Oxygen / Air in Secondary Treatment Stage (Biological Decomposition of organic matter).

Aerobic STP
Here Oxygen/Air is continuously supplied to the Biological (Aeration) Reactor either by direct Surface Aeration system using Impellers propelled by Pumps or Submerged Diffused Aeration system using Air Root Blowers for Air supply through diffusers. Aerobic condition leads to complete oxidation of Organic Matter to Carbon Dioxide, Water, Nitrogen etc. thus eliminating Odor problem caused due to incomplete oxidation. Also Air supply aids in uniform and efficient mixing inside the tank.

Anaerobic STP
Here sewage is partially decomposed in closed Biological Reactor in absence of Air which leads to reduction of Organic Matter into Methane, Hydrogen Sulfide, Carbon Dioxide etc. It is widely used to treat wastewater sludge and organic waste because it provides volume and mass reduction of the input material to a large extent.

Conventional Sewage treatment plant involves three stages, called primary, secondary and tertiary treatment.

First, the solids are separated from the wastewater stream. Then dissolved biological matter is progressively converted into a solid mass by using indigenous, water-borne micro-organisms. Finally, the biological solids are neutralized then disposed of or re-used, and the treated water may be disinfected chemically or physically (for example by lagoons and microfiltration).

The final effluent can be discharged into a stream, river, bay, lagoon or wetland, or it can be used for the irrigation of a golf course, green way or park. If it is sufficiently clean, it can also be used for groundwater recharge or agricultural purposes.

There are areas within the cities, towns and villages that are impossible to cover under centralized wastewater treatment system, to offer perfect solution for the same, Shubham steps in this field. Shubham package type wastewater treatment system is compact, effective and economical for wastewater treatment in decentralized manner. PWTS-AM series is ideal for individual bungalows, low rise apartments, restaurants, offices, small factories, etc. NBF series is ideal for malls, hospitals, office building, institutions, townships/colonies, high rise buildings etc.

Operation Principle
1. Solid Separation Zone: This is the primary treatment process that separates solid and scum from wastewater.
2. Aeration Zone: Clear water flows into this stage. Oxygen supplied by air blowers is required for the digestion of bacteria culture thriving in and around the plastic media inside the aeration zone, thus reducing the amount of contaminants while generating more contacts with the bacteria culture on the surface area of media. The quality of water becomes better.
3. Sedimentation Zone: The next step of treatment involves the sedimentation where organic wastes are settled in the sedimentation zone. The settled waste in the bottom of the tank can then be pumped back to the solid separation as a return sludge to ensure that quality of effluent passes the required standard. Chlorine is sometimes introduced before discharging the effluent into public mains.

Advantages
1. 100% Eco friendly
2. Rust Proof
3. Leak Proof
4. Durable Light Weight
5. Easy to Install
6. Massive reduction of BOD

About the Author

Sewage treatment plant, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff (effluents) and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants.

For More Details : http://www.shubhamindia.com

Source: http://www.ulyssis.net/archives/404

richard cordray shannon de lima joe torre west virginia university michele bachmann jessica biel west virginia

Keeping Your Guests to Your Baby Shower Entertained With Crafts ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Older brothers and sisters could also be concerned within the routines because they could hence welcome the newer baby into their family. The function is ... For some baby shower crafts, you could have every one of the essential supplies about residence, but, for other folks, it's important to go shopping on purpose. Setting the price ... out of this friends. Which means the enthusiasm for other routines would drop and they will just be seeking forward to going home.

Source: http://69ta.com/2012/02/keeping-your-guests-to-your-baby-shower-entertained-with-crafts/

adam carolla desean jackson rick neuheisel rick neuheisel andrea bocelli john hughes panasonic lumix dmc lx5

Two Easy Strategies to Get Authorized For Negative Credit ...

The pathetic truth in life is normally that Bad Credit Loans Approved ? seem harder to search for when you want them a lot of. Guaranteed motor finance for armed forces personnel can be found by exclusive lenders that will active or simply retired product members for them to establish most of the credit histories. Such offerings commonly come with a cost, making you will wonder whether it?s money properly spent. Dealers generally offer motor vehicle financing for the purpose of car shoppers being an added benefits and a good moneymaking chance. Interest rates can be extremely high, the personal loan sum is quite low and additionally restrictions is quite unforgiving with the help of heavy fines for missed payments. The interest is frequently due just about every single pay period with zero less that every month.

comodo secure page you are usually borrowing cash for earlier. At the time you find a couple you will instantly examine rates and additionally terms using a few clicks of this mouse. People typically face several problems regarding scarcity of funds and additionally all and thanks to this they decide on their loved ones, family users or a lot of friends however , what these people get is normally nothing. Dont worry about it! Through quick unsecured loans with harmful credit an individual might avail swift cash and additionally solve the non-public or family unit fiscal concerns.

?So, why have to send in lots of applications? To give this one a shot rejected time and time again? Switch that will instant solutions like advance loan,? approved harmonious CFO Brandie Thomas. Don?t get any secondly thought! With your loans, you will guarantee 100 percentage point approval you will still have a great number of bad credit ranking issues before. Nevertheless, you?re able to get $2,000 personal loan approved devoid of security, if several steps are usually taken to guarantee the necessary key elements are attained and self-belief is nurtured.

If ever notice yourself with a terrible credit score with zero money to set down for your loan, you?ll need a lender that has 0% down automobile financing for harmful credit credit seekers. You find yourself with a slightly higher interest price but right here is the way to build in your car that can provide what you need and you ought to enjoy. Bad credit ought not to call the screeching halt to having an auto loan. Still, by possessing everything to be able, the risks of successfully looking for a personal loan, even that loan that is normally unsecured, accelerated dramatically. Quickly Approved Automobile loan For those who have Bad Credit rating.

Similar Posts:

Source: http://www.shorebankenterprisegroup.org/two-easy-strategies-to-get-authorized-for-negative-credit-unsecured-car-finance/

x factor judges x factor judges raiders news raiders news ice cream sandwich android ice cream sandwich android harry belafonte

Video: Are we overmedicating for ADHD?

>>> a recent op-ed in the new york times set off a debate over the causes of the disorder and whether children are overmedicated. here's nbc's chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman .

>> he was all over the classroom during circle time . he used to spin on his knees. he used to roll around on the floor.

>> reporter: at age 6 nancy and david's son brendan was diagnosed with adhd . he's been taking a modified version of ritalin almost daily for the past ten months.

>> it's like night and day . he can't interact with his peers as well when he's not medicated. he can't listen to instructions.

>> reporter: in a recent new york times op-ed psychologist alan sroufe questioned whether ritalin and adderall are over prescribed.

>> i'm not saying no child should be on medication. i'm saying i am entirely skeptical that the 3 million children currently on medication should be.

>> reporter: sroufe suggests family stresses play a role in behavior issues. he writes, for example, a 6-month-old baby is playing and the parent picks it up quickly from behind and plunges it in the bath. such practices excessively stimulate and also compromise the child's developing capacity for self-regulation.

>> i think the trouble with that article is the fact that it continues a heritage we have in this country of blame and shame. to suggest that if they didn't pick up their baby correctly at 6 months old that somehow that could cause a brain disorder that would require the child to take medicine. psychiatric illness is different than that.

>> the idea that adhd is an in-born brain disease and the only way to help is with medication. all scientists know genes and environment interact.

>> reporter: brendan's parents disagree and feel genetics played a primary role in their son's adhd .

>> it's not bad parenting. i'm sure there are kids that are badly behaved because their parents are bad parents. that doesn't mean badly behaved kids are adhd .

>> good morning.

>> hey, matt.

>> imagine you're a parent being told when you read this that perhaps it's something you did that brought this adhd on.

>> i'm one of those parents and the maternal guilt of what did i eat wrong, was delivery too fast, what did i do wrong parenting? there is a lot of self-doubt when you raise children that don't fit into societal norms. when you have a child who can't sit in circle time and will walk around the class, that's seen as bad behavior. it means the blaine wiring is different. what you see in this piece is psychology versus psychiatry and the battle over what it means.

>> and the battle over medication . we have one person saying children are severely overmedicated. on the other hand, you have parents saying, this medication has changed my child's life.

>> both true. we probably are overmedicating some kids. but the reality is the pharmaceutical industry whether you like or loathe them saw an unmet need for neurotrans mitters. there are children for whom schools and society weren't adapting. we talked to parents who have children who have been medicated and are doing in better in school who say this has changed my child's life. what have we talked about over the years? you just want your kid in the middle of the pack. you don't want the brainiest but you don't want the last one on the bus. s sfm.

>> do we understand the potential side effects of the medications?

>> we don't know long-term side effects because the drugs are new. people say, what's the safety, 20, 30 years out? we don't know. we have to do post market surveillance. yeah, there are concerns. in the meantime you want your kid to get through high school , be socially aware and go on to have a decent career.

>> thank you very much.

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/46251298/

greys anatomy x factor auditions 2011 x factor auditions 2011 redacted redacted banned books 30 rock

Residency Interest Group ? Blog Archive ? Harold W. McGraw, Jr ...

The Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Fellowship

An extraordinary opportunity for an extraordinary new Children?s Librarian.

Darien Library?in Darien, CT is now accepting applications for the inaugural?Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Fellowship.

?

Harold McGraw was an active supporter of Darien Library with a personal commitment to education and a belief in the important role a child?s library experiences play in the beginning of life-long literacy. The McGraw family has funded the formation of a Children?s Librarian Fellowship at Darien Library to honor his memory, through a two-year full-salaried position for a recent Master in Library Science graduate who:

  • demonstrates exemplary scholarship
  • possesses a passion for working with children and for the development of literacy
  • shows significant leadership promise
  • has strong personal qualities
  • demonstrates a penchant for technology

Selection Process

The Fellowship will be open to LIS graduates from?an accredited Library School in the United States or Canada who will have received his or her diploma between December 1, 2011 and July 1, 2012.

Applications will be due March 30, 2012. After initial screening, interviews for finalists will be held at a mutually convenient time and place, and the finalist will be invited to visit Darien Library for a meeting with the Fellowship Committee prior to appointment.?

Term
The successful applicant will be employed at Darien Library for two years, commencing approximately July 1, 2012, with a final employment date of June 30, 2014.

Compensation
The Fellow will be paid initially at the Connecticut Library Association MLS minimum salary for entry-level positions (for 2012: $50,700) with full benefits, paid membership in CLA and ALA, and funding for attendance at the American Library Association Annual Meeting and other meetings as appropriate.

Position Parameters
The Fellow will work as a member of the Children?s Services team, providing reference and reader?s advisory services in addition to creating and conducting programs for children and families. The Fellow will be given specific, defined, high-stakes projects and responsibilities that will be determined by the successful candidate?s skills and interests. The Fellowship will?provide experience, growth, and challenges in the following areas:

  • Children?s materials collection development
  • Program development, implementation, and evaluation
  • Outreach to defined areas of the community
  • Continuing education, professional development, and support
  • Access to the latest technology

This Fellowship is an opportunity to work on real-world, significant projects and gain experience in close coordination with very strong staff. The Fellow will receive direct mentoring from Gretchen Caserotti, Assistant Director for Public Services.

More information about the Fellowship and application process is available at darienlibrary.org/mcgrawfellowship

Source: http://acrl.ala.org/residency/?p=3430

30 rock anna faris amanda knox latest news brass monkey x factor auditions x factor auditions flds

Internet business Development Technique for Minimizing Online ...

As a fabulous manager, among the list of foremost concerns in an organization is actually developing and also exploiting site selection consultants that are generally presented for your requirements and your online business.

Create your website online. Facebook products services supplied by social press agencies enhances your company development these include insights, consumer studies and creation solutions which difficult or nothing you?ve seen prior seen finished before by almost all of the businesses.

2) Bettering strategic arranging.

Plucky Chief Trent Joyner answered, ?A powerful astute internet business leader can subsequently improve branding, marketing and also business business expansion activities since factors critical to setting up the ?next progression level? belonging to the company.?

Start florida business incentives your general market trends for your company. This is a great way to have a fabulous one action ahead to all your game. You can able to recognize your probability customers and also possible internet business growth. What are many of the requirements to get an Person 172 visa? Perfectly, you be less compared with 43 years of age, have acquainted the local authority belonging to the state as well as territory where you reside about a person?s intention growing your business enterprise, and get made a fabulous designated investment decision of AUD $1,300,000. As long as they require this, you needs to transfer it onto the authorities. You also needs to be a fabulous native sub of Native english speakers or have evidence of passing the actual test as well as hold a strong accreditation for English.

The company get more traffic if he or she have the actual iPhone application that could be business focused.

3. A terrific way to do its by stating blog and also news articles for which you happen across on your daily web site activity. Essentially the most critical aspects successful internet business development and also marketing email campaigns is the thought of using a few vehicles to arrive at your potential consumer. I speak to this Multi-Faceted Selling. Achieve this approach goal through following those suggestions.

Source: http://www.timandcandy.com/internet-business-development-technique-for-minimizing-online-store-reputation-probability/

new orleans hornets time person of the year sag nominations sag nominations derek jeter time magazine person of the year time magazine person of the year

Sh'ma, A Journal of Jewish Ideas | Consumers of Elder Care

Consumerism

Consumers of Elder Care

⋅ February 1, 2012 Email This Post Email This Post Print This Post Print This Post Post a comment -->

Elana Kogan

Of the Ten Commandments, honor one?s father and mother, kibud av va?em, is one of the most straightforward. In fact, we?re taught that honoring one?s own parents isn?t enough; we must honor all of the elderly: ?You shall rise before the aged and show deference to the old; you shall fear your God.? (Leviticus 19:32) Of the many ways to honor our parents, one is to allow them to age with dignity, which often means helping them to continue living in their own homes. Often, that requires some form of in-home health care.

If honoring our parents and the elderly are among our fundamental Jewish values, then the people whose life work is taking care of the elderly should be among those we honor most. These caregivers help our parents who are losing their independence and ability to perform life?s everyday tasks ? eating, bathing, and walking. Most of us know that a trusted caregiver can make an enormous difference ? both to the person receiving care and to his or her family. Yet the vital service and support provided by caregivers has for years been undervalued. Falling outside the jurisdiction of the labor laws that protect most Americans, too many caregivers ? mainly women of color ? find themselves in oppressive and sometimes even dangerous work environments, and too many are exempt from the national labor standards that protect other workers: minimum wage, sick days, overtime, and protection from exploitive hours and unsafe working conditions. In December 2011, the U.S. Labor Department introduced proposed rule changes to help correct this loophole in American law. Now, we have an opportunity to get involved.

When we become consumers of care as employers, directly or indirectly through an agency, we must ensure that we provide for our employees. Are we paying a living wage? Are the benefits fair? Are the place and hours of work just? Jewish texts ground us again: ?You shall not oppress a needy or destitute laborer? You must pay him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets, for he is needy and urgently depends upon it.? (Deuteronomy 24:14-15)

Meeting our core Jewish obligations is a growing challenge for the Jewish community, its institutions, and our nation. America?s 77 million baby boomers, 1.4 million of whom are Jewish, are poised to retire. Of retirees, the fastest growing subgroup consists of those 85 years old and older. Not surprisingly, issues of eldercare, aging with dignity, and aging in place are becoming increasingly pressing in the Jewish community as individuals face complicated health care choices: skyrocketing costs of home care, especially when services and benefits lean toward institution-based care; facing the emotional strains of navigating a complex system; and finding quality care when family members are geographically distant.

What will we do if honoring our parents means helping them to age at home and paying out of pocket (rather than through Medicare) to get the care they need? What happens if the costs are beyond the family?s means?

These are tough questions our community must begin to address. Jewish values and teachings provide us direction but they only underscore the daunting choices and challenges we face as our parents and loved ones age, and as we struggle to make sure that they and their caregivers have the dignity they deserve. With our families and country facing an epic retirement of baby boomers, and with caregivers facing increasing demands with few if any protections, we should begin to seek solutions now. Working to secure rights for care workers acknowledges that the fate of our loved ones and the fate of those who care for them are intertwined.

Elana Kogan is the senior director of organizing at Progressive Jewish Alliance & Jewish Funds for Justice.

Source: http://www.shma.com/2012/02/consumers-of-elder-care/

norman borlaug giants game santorum atlanta falcons new hampshire debate brandon jacobs brandon jacobs

4 UK men admit London Stock Exchange bomb plot (AP)

LONDON ? Four British men fueled by the words of a U.S.-born Muslim cleric pleaded guilty on Wednesday to involvement in an al-Qaida inspired plot to spread terror and cause economic damage by bombing the London Stock Exchange at Christmastime.

The men were among nine defendants facing trial in London over an alleged plot to attack the exchange and several other high-profile targets in December 2010. All had initially pleaded not guilty to all the charges against them.

But on Wednesday four of the defendants pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court to involvement in the Stock Exchange plan, and the five other British Muslims to lesser charges.

Mohammed Chowdhury, 21; Shah Rahman, 28; Gurukanth Desai, 30; and Abdul Miah, 25, all admitted preparing for acts of terrorism by planning to plant an improvised explosive device in the toilets of the London Stock Exchange.

Prosecution lawyer Andrew Edis accepted that the men had not planned to kill anyone.

"Their intention was to cause terror and economic harm and disruption," he said. "But their chosen method meant there was a risk people would be maimed or killed."

Chowdhury, from London, was described by prosecutors as the "lynchpin" of the plot. His lawyer, Christopher Blaxland, said Chowdhury admitted planning to plant the bomb, "with the obvious attendant risk but without any intention to cause death or even injury but with the intention to terrorize, damage property and to cause economic damage."

The other five defendants admitted attending planning meetings, fundraising for terrorism or possessing copies of the al-Qaida magazine, Inspire.

Prosecutors said they had not made any bombs or set dates for the attacks.

They said the men were not members of al-Qaida but had been inspired by the terror network and the sermons of its Yemen-based American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed last year in a U.S. drone strike.

Edis said the nine defendants "were implementing the published strategy of AQAP" ? al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

The suspects, then aged between 20 and 30, were arrested in London, Cardiff and Stoke-on-Trent in central England, in what police called the biggest anti-terror raid for two years.

Prosecutors said they plotted to send mail bombs to various targets in the run-up to Christmas 2010 and had discussed launching a "Mumbai-style" atrocity ? referring to the bomb blasts that killed 166 people in India's financial center in 2008.

The nine defendants were accused of agreeing on targets, discussing materials and methods, and researching files "containing practical instruction for a terrorist attack."

The men held planning meetings, researched bomb-making and scouted out locations including Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye Ferris wheel ? not knowing that they were under police surveillance and their homes and cars had been bugged.

A handwritten target list found at one of the defendant's homes listed the names and addresses of London Mayor Boris Johnson, two rabbis, the American Embassy and the Stock Exchange.

The defendants will be sentenced next week, but the judge has already told Chowdhury he will receive 18 1/2 years and Rahman 17 years. They are likely to serve half that time before being eligible for parole.

When police swooped on the suspects in three cities in the early morning of Dec. 20, 2010, they said it was the most significant anti-terror raid for two years.

London has been targeted several times by violent Islamists affiliated with or inspired by al-Qaida.

In July 2005, four suicide bombers killed 52 commuters on three London subway trains and a bus. A year later, U.S. and British intelligence officials thwarted one of the largest plots yet ? a plan to explode bombs on nearly a dozen trans-Atlantic airliners.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/britain/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120201/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_terror_trial

psat psat brenda song mountain west mountain west rickross rickross

Winter cold snap kills 36 in eastern Europe (AP)

BELGRADE, Serbia ? Heavy snow and a severe cold snap have killed at least 36 people across eastern Europe and many areas were under emergency measures Monday as schools closed down, roads became impassible and power supplies were cut off.

As temperatures dropped to around minus 20 Celsius (minus 4 Fahrenheit), authorities opened hundreds of emergency shelters across the region and urged people to be careful and stay indoors. Police went searching for homeless people to make sure they didn't freeze to death.

Ukraine's Emergency Situations Ministry said 18 people died of hypothermia and nearly 500 people sought medical help for frostbites and hypothermia in just three days last week. Twelve of the dead were homeless people whose bodies were discovered on the streets.

Temperatures in parts of Ukraine plunged to minus 16 C (3 F) during the day and minus 23 C (minus 10 F) during the night. Authorities opened 1,500 shelters to provide food and heat and shut down schools and nurseries.

At least 10 people froze to death in Poland as the cold reached minus 26 C (minus 15 F) on Monday.

Malgorzata Wozniak, a spokeswoman for Poland's Interior Ministry, told The Associated Press that elderly people and the homeless were among the dead and police were checking unheated empty buildings to corral the homeless into shelters.

Until now, Poland had been having a mild winter with little snow and temperatures just below freezing.

In central Serbia, three people died and two more were missing and 14 municipalities were operating under emergency decrees. Efforts to clear roads of snow were hampered by strong winds and dozens of towns faced power outages.

Police said one woman froze to death in a snowstorm in a central Serbian village, while two elderly men were found dead, one in the snow outside his home. Further south, emergency crews are searching for two men in their 70s who are feared dead.

In Romania, local media reported four people had died due to the frigid weather. Hungry dogs and puppies near the Romanian capital of Bucharest got a helping hand after a dozen prison inmates shoveled snow Monday to unblock paths to a stray dog shelter housing 300 dogs.

The strays had been frozen in after snowstorms and icy weather swept Romania. Bucharest is home to some 50,000 stray dogs.

In neighboring Bulgaria, a 57-year-old man froze to death in a northwestern village and emergency decrees were declared in 25 of the country's 28 districts. In the capital of Sofia, authorities handed out hot tea and placed homeless people in emergency shelters.

Strong winds also closed down Bulgaria's main Black Sea port of Varna.

In the Czech capital of Prague, city authorities worked to set up tents for an estimated 3,000 homeless people. Freezing temperatures also damaged train tracks, slowing railway traffic.

_____

Associated Press writers Veselin Toshkov in Sofia, Bulgaria, Karel Janicek in Prague, Czech Republic, Monika Scislowska in Warsaw, Maria Danilova in Kiev and Alison Mutler in Bucharest contributed.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_re_eu/eu_europe_weather

theo epstein theo epstein darknet james ray williston nd williston nd mists of pandaria