US drone strikes kill 4 in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Missiles from US drone aircraft killed four people in a northwestern Pakistani region controlled by the Haqqani militant network yesterday, a day after a similar attack there killed a top commander of the group, Pakistani officials said.

The identities of the dead in the North Waziristan region were not known, the officials said.

The four were riding in a car close to Miran Shah town, the main base of the Haqqani network, when two missiles struck, said the officials, who did not give their names because they were not allowed to brief reporters.

US intelligence believes the Haqqanis are the top threat to security in Afghanistan and that they enjoy the support of the Pakistani Army.

It wants the army to sever its ties and attack the group, something that the government refuses to do. The issue is a main cause of tensions between the two countries.

On Thursday, a missile attack close to Miran Shah killed Janbaz Zadran, who US officials said was a top commander in the network who helped orchestrate attacks in Kabul and southeastern Afghanistan.

They said he was the most senior Haqqani leader in Pakistan to be killed.
source: boston.com

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Occupy Wall Street braces for showdown

Reporting from New York—Wall Street protesters were preparing Thursday for a confrontation with authorities who are expected to enforce new rules in the Lower Manhattan park where the demonstrators have been camped out for almost a month.

The protesters were told to clear out while Brookfield Office Properties Inc., the owner of Zuccotti Park, power-washes the area Friday morning. But company representatives — accompanied by police — handed out leaflets Thursday notifying the protesters that they could return only if they abide by new rules, which include no tents, tarps or sleeping bags on the ground, no lying on benches and no storing of personal property on the ground.

A confrontation also appeared to be brewing in San Diego, where police ordered protesters to remove tents and other property from the plaza behind City Hall by midnight Thursday or face arrest.

Occupy Wall Street's website sent supporters a call for help.

"For those of you who plan to help us hold our ground — which we hope will be all of you — make sure you understand the possible consequences," the post said. "Be prepared to not get much sleep. Be prepared for possible arrest.... We are pursuing all possible strategies; this is a message of solidarity."

The protesters also accused Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of using the cleaning as a ruse to shut down their activity.

A protest spokesman emailed supporters urging them to show up at 6 a.m. Friday "to defend the occupation from eviction."

Some had already tried Thursday to do their part to clean up, washing down benches and the stone flooring and replanting trampled flower beds.
for more detail visit latimes.com

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Train crash in Calif. station injures 16 people

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – An Amtrak train crashed into another train unloading passengers in an Oakland station late Wednesday, injuring 16 people, authorities said.

The train was traveling an estimated 15 to 20 miles per hour when it struck the stationary Amtrak passenger train about 10 p.m., said Oakland Fire Department battalion chief Emon Usher.

Most of the injuries were minor, but several people were taken to local hospitals, Usher said.

Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole described the crash as it as a "low speed" collision between Amtrak's "San Joaquin," a train that operates between Bakersfield to Oakland, and the Coast Starlight, a train from Los Angeles to Seattle

He said the wheels of each lead engine went off the track.

Authorities said there were injured on both trains, but there was no breakdown on how many from each.

Alton Smith, a passenger on one of the trains, told television station KTVU that he felt "an awful jolt" from the impact.

About two hours after the crash, about 50 passengers were gathered inside the train terminal, talking to Amtrak officials, while Amtrak and local officials inspected the two trains.

There was no immediate word on what caused the crash, which is under investigation.

Amtrak officials said train traffic has been temporarily suspended at the station.

Passengers who paid for travel on canceled trains can contact Amtrak to receive refund without fee or penalty, according to Amtrak.

The crash is the second significant incident in two weeks in the San Francisco East Bay area where there were injuries to Amtrak passengers.

source: usatoday.com

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Gunman kills 8 at Seal Beach salon

A gunman apparently enraged over a custody dispute walked into a crowded Seal Beach hair salon where his former wife worked and opened fire, killing eight people and critically wounding another person in the deadliest shooting in Orange County history.

The attacker sprayed Salon Meritage with gunfire Wednesday afternoon as victims fell to the floor and those who could escape ran onto the street or hid in neighboring businesses in the bustling area of trendy restaurants and shops along Pacific Coast Highway, authorities and witnesses said. The gunman continued firing outside, where he shot one man who apparently tried to flee in a Range Rover.

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President Obama jobs bill fails to pass Senate

President Obama loses job bill vote: Sen. Ben Nelson arrives at the Capitol for the vote on President Barack Obama's jobs bill, which later failed in the Democrat-controlled Senate at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday. Nelson did not support the President Obama on the bill.
Senate Republicans voted Tuesday night to kill the jobs package President Barack Obama had spent weeks campaigning for across the country, a stinging loss at the hands of lawmakers opposed to stimulus-style spending and a tax increase on the very wealthy.
The $447 billion plan died on a 50-49 tally that garnered a majority of the 100-member Senate but fell well short of the 60 votes needed to keep the bill alive. The tally had been 51-48, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid switched his vote to "nay" so that he could force a future revote.
The demise of Obama's jobs package was expected, despite his campaign-style efforts to swing the public behind it. The White House and leaders in Congress were already moving on to alternative ways to address the nation's painful 9.1 percent unemployment, including breaking the legislation into smaller, more digestible pieces and approving long-stalled trade bills.
source: csmonitor.com

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£101 million lottery prize won by Cambridgeshire couple

A couple from Cambridgeshire have won the UK's third biggest lottery prize of over £101 million and will go public this afternoon, Camelot said.

The win of £101,203,600.70 makes the couple better off than Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne (£95 million), and Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin (£48 million).

A National Lottery spokesman said they were looking forward to welcoming the winner to the millionaires' club.

The biggest-ever EuroMillions prize was a £161 million jackpot won by Colin and Chris Weir, from Largs, Scotland, earlier this year. In October 2010 an anonymous British winner scooped £113 million in the draw.

The winning numbers were 18, 26, 34, 38 and 42. The Lucky Star numbers were 8 and 5.
source : telegraph.co.uk

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