South Africa: research shootings Marikana mine begins

BBC (Image)

A judicial commission of inquiry into the fatal shootings August 34 striking miners in the mine Marikana has opened.

The survey was created by South African President Jacob Zuma.

The investigation will determine the roles played by the police, the administration of platinum mine, Lonmin, unions and government.

Also be seen in the death of 10 workers in the other months before the day of the massacre on 16 August.
The commission, which consists of a three-member panel, headed by former Supreme Court of Appeals Judge Ian Farlam, is expected to complete its review within four months.

video evidenceMust submit its final report within one month of completing their investigation.

A total of 46 people died in violent protests that took place during the weeks of unrest in the platinum mine. However, only 44 deaths are investigating two deaths that are beyond the scope of the investigation.

The 16 August killings were the deadliest police action since the end of apartheid in 1994.

The trial was held in the Civic Centre Rustenburg, near the site of the shooting and 62 miles (100 km) northwest of Johannesburg.

There are plans to install giant screens Marikana near the scene of the shooting, to allow family and friends to follow the proceedings closely.

BBC's Milton Nkosi in Johannesburg, says that the video footage of police shooting at striking miners, who shocked the world, can be used as evidence during the hearing.

Last month, the striking miners in the mine Marikana agreed to return to work after accepting a pay rise of up to 22%.

But tens of thousands of miners others have refused to work in a wave of strikes throughout southern Africa since the violence at the mine.The case against the doctors has drawn international condemnation and has been seen as a test of the government's commitment to reform.

Israeli army cleared in Rachel Corrie death

An Israeli court has ruled in a civil case that the Israel army was not at fault in the bulldozer death of American pro-Palestinian activist Rachel Corrie nearly 10 years ago.

Corrie was 23 years old when she went to the town of Rafah in the Gaza Strip as part of a group of activists from the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).

Al Jazeera's Cal Perry reports from Haifa.

WEBCAST: Strong Earthquake Hits El Savador

Also, Isaac hits the Keys; emergency declared in 3 states.

Neil Armstrong: A quiet hero who left his mark on history

Look tonight at the moon. And think of Neil Armstrong, reluctant hero, the quiet man whose footsteps still rest upon the moon and in history.

2012  Armstrong passed away at age 82 following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.

Armstrong was a pilot first and foremost, and with the dust flying, craters looming and fuel running low on July 20, 1969, he never wavered. As everyone else on Earth held their breath on that day, his heartbeat never changed as he and co-pilot Buzz Aldrin made the first piloted landing upon the moon.

"Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed," Armstrong informed mission controllers at NASA's Johnson Space Center, with the restrained aplomb that marked his life. Two and a half hours later with the words, "That's one small step for (a) man. One giant leap for mankind," he stepped upon the moon for the first time.

• PHOTOS: Neil Armstrong's life and career

  
  

• STORY: Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, dies

  
  

• INTERACTIVE: Florida Today Storify shows social media condolences

  
  

Armstrong, 82, died Saturday after surgery earlier this month for blocked arteries. A fighter pilot in the Korean War, a test pilot and an engineering professor, he will also be remembered as the astronaut who fulfilled the goal that President John F. Kennedy set out — to put a man on the moon by end of the 1960's — and the first among equals in the pantheon of astronauts from the moon race.

"Neil was among the greatest of American heroes — not just of his time, but of all time,"President Obama said in a statement. "When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation."

Armstrong became the symbol of the dream not just of one country but of a whole world to reach beyond our own planet . "Even though we were farther away from earth than two humans had ever been, we were not alone," Aldrin said in a statement on Saturday. "Virtually the entire world took that memorable journey with us. I know I am joined by millions of others in mourning the passing of a true American hero and the best pilot I ever knew."

Armstrong flew dangerous mission attacking bridges during the Korean War, piloted the experimental X-15 rocket plane that ascended to the edges of space and once returned to the office after ejecting from a crashed test lunar lander, famously to complete paperwork.

"A lot of people couldn't figure out Armstrong," the author Tom Wolfe wrote in his novelization of the space race, The Right Stuff. Maybe that was because there was nothing to figure out, he was exactly who he said he was, a pilot and an engineer.

"He had nerves of steel. If anyone ever had the 'Right Stuff', it was Neil Armstrong," says space historian Roger Launius of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. "But he was a dignified, quiet man. He could have had the world at his feet but he went back to teaching, that was what was important to him."

Armstrong taught engineering at University of Cincinnati from 1971 to 1979, after retiring from NASA. He served on the presidential commission that investigated the 1986 loss of the space shuttle Challenger, living quietly in Ohio until recent years, when he spoke out against NASA's current plans to not pursue a return to moon landings and to rely upon private spacecraft.

"He wasn't political in his concerns. He was speaking out from his experience ," say John Logsdon, author of John F. Kennedy and the Race to the Moon. "He avoided the public spotlight as the first man on the moon. But his name will be famous forever. He is gone but his footprints are still up there and will be remembered centuries from now."

West Brom vs. Liverpool: Reds' Dud in League Opener a Sign for Concern

Liverpool’s 2012-13 English Premier League campaign got off to worrisome start as West Bromwich Albion ran the team off the field in a 3-0 rout at the Hawthorns.

The first half was an evenly contested affair, with new Reds’ boss Brendan Rodgers showing that his team could indeed keep the ball on the ground and play the possession-oriented tactics his boys at Swansea City executed so well last season. This part of plan turned out to be successful, with Liverpool keeping the ball for 61 percent of the match.

But the first sign of trouble came just before the halftime whistle, when Zoltan Gera’s wonderful volley screamed past Pepe Reina into the top corner of the net. West Brom took momentum into the locker room, and the Reds were never able to regain control.

In the 58th minute, Daniel Agger was sent off for bringing down Shane Long from behind after the Sunderland striker was through on goal. There was not an alarming amount of contact on the play, but Long was certainly in a threatening position. A red card seemed awfully harsh for the challenge.

Long was unable to extend the Baggies’ lead due to a dreadful effort from the penalty spot. The miss offered Liverpool an opportunity to seize some momentum, tighten up at the back and hope to catch the West Brom defense off-guard to tie the match. This did not happen and Agger’s absence would prove fatal for the Reds.

Sloppy play from Martin Skrtel allowed Long to dispossess the Liverpool center half in his own penalty area in the 63rd minute. The Irish striker then went to ground courtesy of Skrtel’s desperately outstretched leg, and referee Phil Dowd awarded West Brom another penalty. This time, Peter Odemwingie was called upon and he clinically converted the opportunity.

If Liverpool hopes to be a top team in this year’s Premiership, it must prove that it can show resiliency when the match takes a turn against them. There will be games when the strikers miss a frustrating amount of chances, and this will certainly not be the last time this season where Liverpool have a controversial call go against them. That is the nature of Premier League football.

These are the moments when discipline at the back and intelligent play from the midfielders is of paramount importance.

But in this match, Liverpool simply folded.

Luck continued to favor West Brom in the 77th, as Youssuf Mulumbu’s shot was deflected directly to Liam Ridgewell, who chipped the ball onto Romelu Lukaku’s head for the deathblow.

A certain amount of good fortune played in to the Baggies’ victory, but this does not make the Reds’ defeat any less disappointing. The team failed to finish quality opportunities and was unable to respond to a situation where the ball was not bouncing their way.

Going forward, Liverpool can certainly improve its play. There were positive signs from the match, as the team dominated possession and created many opportunities.

But the worries for this side include sharpness in the attacking third, and focus from the defenders.

This is a terrible way for Rodgers to start his career as the Liverpool manager, and if he is unable to turn the team’s form around quickly, it will be another long season for the Reds.

US drone kills 6 militants in Pakistan: officials

A US drone attack on Saturday killed at least six militants in a remote Pakistani tribal town near the Afghan border as local people celebrated the Muslim festival of Eid ul-Fitr, security officials said.

The attack was the first since Pakistan's spymaster, Lieutenant General Zaheer ul Islam, held talks with his CIA counterpart in Washington earlier in August in which drone strikes were said to have been discussed.

The drone fired two missiles on a compound in Shuwedar village in Shawal district of the troubled North Waziristan region, considered a stronghold of Taliban and al-Qaeda linked militants.

"US drones fired two missiles into a militant compound. Six bodies have been recovered from the compound so far," a security official told AFP.

Residents and local intelligence officials confirmed the attack and the casualties. The missiles also destroyed a car parked at the compound, they said.

The attack came as people in the deeply religious region were celebrating the Muslim festival of Eid ul-Fitr, they said.

It was the third drone attack since the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

It was not immediately clear if the missiles targeted any senior militant leader.

Attacks by unmanned American aircraft are deeply unpopular in Pakistan, which says they violate its sovereignty and fan anti-US sentiment, but US officials are said to believe the attacks are too important to give up.

The al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network in North Waziristan, blamed for some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan, is one of the thorniest issues between Islamabad and Washington.

Washington has long demanded that Pakistan take action against the Haqqanis, whom the United States accused of attacking the US embassy in Kabul in September 2011 and acting like the "veritable arm" of Pakistani intelligence.

Pakistan has in turn demanded that Afghan and US forces do more to stop Pakistani Taliban crossing the Afghan border to relaunch attacks on its forces.

Many in Pakistan accuse the Americans of demanding a Pakistani offensive to mask their own failings in the 10-year war in Afghanistan.

Washington regards Pakistan's semi-autonomous northwestern tribal belt as the main hub of Taliban and al-Qaeda militants plotting attacks on the West and in Afghanistan.

The latest attack, which came after a lull of about three weeks, was in the same region where a drone strike on June 4 killed 15 militants, including senior al-Qaeda figure Abu Yahya al-Libi.

There has been a dramatic increase in US drone strikes in Pakistan since May, when a NATO summit in Chicago could not strike a deal to end a six-month blockade on convoys transporting supplies to coalition forces in Afghanistan.

On July 3 however, Islamabad agreed to end the blockade after the United States apologised for the deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers in botched air strikes last November.

Islam's trip to Washington this month signalled a thaw in relations beset by crisis since US troops killed Osama bin Laden near Islamabad in May 2011.

In protest at US drone attacks, local Taliban and Pakistani warlord Hafiz Gul Bahadur have banned vaccinations in North and South Waziristan, putting 240,000 children in the region at risk.

They have condemned the immunisation campaign as a cover for espionage. In May, a Pakistani doctor was jailed for 33 years after helping the CIA find bin Laden using a hepatitis vaccination programme as a cover.

Inside Story - South Africa's mine shooting: Who is to blame?

Police who shot and killed 34 striking miners say they fired in self-defence. But what was behind this brutal police crackdown and how will it play out politically in South Africa? Guests: Patrick Craven, David Wilson, and Zweli Mnisi.

China eyes African Barrick Gold stake

China's state-owned miner, China National Gold, has held preliminary talks to buy a stake in African Barrick Gold (ABG), one of Africa's largest gold miners.

Demand for gold in China has surged and it is expected to become the world's biggest market for the metal this year.

African Barrack has large reserves but has struggled to meet production targets.

Barrick Gold, the parent of ABG, said the talks were at an "early stage".

"There can be no certainty that these discussions will result in the acquisition of all or part of Barrick's holding in ABG," Barrick Gold said in a statement.

Risk v reward

ABG's production levels have been falling in recent years.

Last year, the company produced almost 688,000 ounces of gold. That was down from 701,000 ounces in 2010 and 716,000 ounces the year before.

At the same time, its cost of production has gone up. According to the firm, it cost it $692 (£440) to produce an ounce of gold last year, a jump of more than 20% from 2010.

The firm has also been hurt by issues such as power cuts as well as theft of fuel.

As a result, its shares have taken a hit, falling almost 30% in the past one year.

Analysts said that given these issues, the miner was a risky bet for potential suitors.

"African Barrick has always looked like it offered good value albeit at a high risk, and if the potential acquirer can get the asset and is comfortable with the risk, you will be able to get a reasonable set of assets for a good price," said Hunter Hillcoat an analyst with Investec.

Source: BBC.UK

Robin van Persie in £24m move to Man Utd from Arsenal

Robin van Persie has completed his £24m move from Arsenal to Manchester United.

The Dutch striker, 29, has signed a four-year deal and could make his debut at Everton on Monday.
He said: "It's an honour to sign for Manchester United.

"I am looking forward to following in the footsteps of so many great strikers, bringing my experience and playing my part to help the team compete for the biggest trophies in the game. I can't wait to get started."

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: "The boy wanted to come. He turned down various clubs. If he hadn't told Arsenal he wanted to go to Manchester United, the transfer wouldn't have happened.

"Robin is a world-class striker with a proven record in England and in European football.

"His talents need no introduction to our fans. He has scored a number of goals against us in some classic battles with his former club. His movement, finishing and all-round ability are outstanding.

"We never thought we could get Van Persie. If you go back six months ago, I couldn't see us getting him.

"I thought Arsenal are not going to let him go. When I read he had refused a new contract, that is when we acted. It has been a long haul."

And Ferguson revealed he enjoyed negotiating with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

"I can't elaborate but it was amicable," said the Scot. "Arsene knew the boy wanted to leave. He knew he wanted to join us. That made it a bit easier but not in terms of trying to reduce the fee.

"[Wenger] could run a poker school in Govan. He got a great price but we are also happy the matter is concluded.

"From the starting position when we first started negotiating, Arsene has done well."

Van Persie said there were "no hard feelings" against his former club "It's just uncertain elements that we had a different view on. That's life. No-one is angry at me and I'm not angry at them," he said.

"It is always difficult to find the perfect match but I feel this is the perfect match.

"Manchester United breathes football. If you look at all the players from Manchester United, the stadium, the manager - my choice was made very soon in my mind."

Van Persie announced in July he would not extend his existing Arsenal deal, which was due to expire in June 2013.

It is understood Arsenal were willing to make Van Persie their highest paid player ever, but never actually offered him a new contract.

Juventus and Manchester City also bid for the striker, but it is understood that of the three, United were the only side Van Persie would have considered joining.

Wenger admits he was frustrated to see Van Persie leave but said he could do little to stop him going.
"I have regrets. We have lost a good player because of a simple reason," he said.

"He only had one year left on on his contract and he wanted to go.

"We lost a good player, a world-class player - I don't deny that. But it is a massive challenge to replace him and therefore we have to be even more of a team and work even more together to compensate."

United will pay £22.5m, with a further £1.5m one-off bonus to follow if they win a Premier League or Champions League title in the next four years.

The Netherlands international scored 44 goals in 57 games for club and country last season.

Van Persie was named Professional Footballers' Association and Football Writers' player of the year, but scored only once as the Netherlands were eliminated at the group stage of Euro 2012.

Source: BBC.UK

Rio Ferdinand fined for Ashley Cole 'choc ice' tweet

Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand has been found guilty of improper conduct and fined £45,000 by the Football Association for comments on Twitter.

An independent commission concluded Ferdinand's response to a tweet describing Chelsea's Ashley Cole as a "choc ice" did not make him a racist.

But it was ruled the centre-half had brought the game into disrepute.

"The commission found that the breach included a reference to ethnic origin, colour or race," read an FA statement.

Ferdinand was also warned as to his future conduct. Manchester United have decided not to appeal against the decision.

The United defender tweeted: "I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic hahahahahaha!!" in response to a message from @carltonEbanks which stated: "Looks like Ashley Cole's going to be their choc ice. Then again he's always been a sell out. Shame on him."

The term relates to the black and white nature of a choc ice and can imply someone is being black on the outside and white on the inside.

The tweet appeared on Ferdinand's timeline after Chelsea and England left-back Cole appeared in court as a defence witness for team-mate John Terry, who was cleared of racially abusing Ferdinand's younger brother, Anton, in a game against QPR on 23 October last year.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: "They (the FA) want to close the door on this kind of thing.

"What surprises me is that other players have been twittering for ages and have never been challenged by the FA.

"His (Ferdinand's) status in the game has caused that and who he plays for is maybe another issue."

In bringing their charge, the FA made it clear they did not feel Ferdinand was a racist, rather that he had acted improperly.

In a statement outlining their decision, the commission said: "The Football Association clearly states that this is not an allegation that Mr Ferdinand is a racist, concedes that he is not a racist but contends that his conduct in endorsing @carltonEbanks tweet in a public forum is a term of abuse and brought the game into disrepute."

Ferdinand conceded the tweet was insulting, although he insisted in the hearing he was not expressing a racist view.

The commission's report continued: "Mr Ferdinand stated the words 'choc ice' was a reference to race... but also means the person is fake.

"He accepted that the words of the tweet were insulting and conceded that the term could only be used when referring to a black or mixed race person and not a person with white skin.

"Mr Ferdinand therefore admitted that the term 'choc ice' referred to Mr Cole's colour, ethnic origin or race.

"The charge is proven and the breach of FA Rule E3 was aggravated by reference to Mr Cole's colour, ethnic origin or race."

The hearing did accept there were mitigating factors taken into consideration before they decided on their punishment.

"A number of factors have to be considered in determining the penalty," the statement read.

"This is Mr Ferdinand's first offence. He has a clear disciplinary record. He was the Football Association's 'Poster boy' and role model to other professional footballers in the use of Twitter and has a track record in fronting anti-racism campaigns in football.

"It was in response to a tweet rather than an original tweet."

A representative for Cole released a statement soon after Ferdinand's tweet to emphasis he still viewed the Manchester United defender as a friend.

"Ashley Cole wishes to make it clear that he and Rio Ferdinand are good friends and he has no intention of making any sort of complaint," it read.

"Ashley appreciates that Tweeting is so quick it often results in offhand and stray comments."

Since Ferdinand's tweet Terry has been charged with improper conduct by the FA for the alleged comments he made to Anton Ferdinand, a charge he has vowed to contest.

Terry, 31, is alleged to have used "abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour" during the game.

Source: BBC.UK

Ranbir Kapoor Sweats It Out On The Football Field - Bollywood Scoop

Ranbir Kapoor leaves his acting skills aside for some time and takes time out to practice football for a charitable football match to be held in September. Watch the video to know more.

Robbie Fowler "Luis Suarez Will Be Brilliant" (Exclusive Interview)

Speaking exclusively to The Redmen TV.com, Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler predicts a bright 2012/13 season for controversial forward Luis Suarez in spite of the the boo boys...

Inside Story - Is an armed conflict looming in East Asia?

Japan has decided to deport the Chinese activists who landed themselves in the middle of a territorial dispute. At the heart of it is a chain of islands under Japanese control that is also claimed by Taiwan. Commerce and energy needs are among the key factors driving the dispute. How will this affect relations between Asia's two biggest economies? Guests: Andrew Leung, Bruce Klingner, Brett Bull.

Thousands continue to flee Indian cities

The exodus of people from India's north-eastern states living in the southern city of Bangalore continues with more migrant workers fleeing.

There are reports of people from the region fleeing the the cities of Chennai (Madras) and Pune as well.

PM Manmohan Singh has appealed for calm and said peace "must be maintained at any cost".

Officials have blamed the exodus on "rumour mongering" linked to clashes in the north-eastern Assam state.

More than 300,000 people fled after fighting between indigenous Bodo tribes and Muslim settlers in Assam.

Fresh violence between the two sides was reported on Thursday when a mob set fire to a bus and a road bridge, reports say. At least nine people were reported to be injured in clashes.

The main railway station in Bangalore was flooded with migrant workers from north-eastern states for a second successive day on Thursday to catch three special trains to the north-east.

A senior Bangalore official told the BBC that nearly 15,000 people from the region had left the city since Wednesday, when the rumours broke out.

'Nothing has happened'

There are 250,000 people from the north-east living and working in Bangalore, which is often referred to as the Silicon Valley of India.

Many of them are students, security guards and workers in the hospitality sector.

A minister in the local government S Suresh Kumar told the Press Trust of India that the exodus was "not due to a threat factor, but due to the anxiety [of the people leaving] to be with their parents when Assam has been gripped by violence".

The rumours of attacks have spread to neighbouring Chennai in Tamil Nadu state, and Pune in Maharashtra to the north-west, reports say.

Workers and students from the north-east - mostly from Assam - living in Chennai arrived at the railway station to board to special trains to take them home, one report said.

"Nothing has happened till now, but we are very sure something really bad is going to happen. Our Bangalore friends have said we have to leave," Bishnu, a migrant worker from Assam, told The Hindu newspaper.

Reports of a similar exodus are being reported from western Pune city, where many north-east people working in the city are reported to have fled.

The rumours of attacks have been spread through text messages and the social media. There have been a few reports of people being threatened to leave.

"We must work together to ensure that all people from other states do not feel threatened by rumour mongering and text messages," PM Manmohan Singh said.

Many young people from the restive north-east region have migrated to the cities of Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore in search of better jobs and education.

Pakistani panel to probe airbase attack

Islamabad: The Pakistan Air Force has formed a five-member committee to probe the terror attack at Kamra airbase, a media report said Friday.

Pakistan Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafiq Butt, formed the five-member committee to look into the terror strike under the chairmanship of Air Marshal Ather Hussain Bukhari, reported Geo News.

A Pakistan Air Force spokesperson said the other four members of the committee are experts in various fields.

Nine militants and a soldier were killed in the brazen attack at Kamra airbase in Punjab province Thursday morning. An intense gunfight broke out between the militants and security personnel in Attock, a district that is considered to be one of the areas where Pakistan stores its nuclear arsenal. The attack took place a year after a terror strike at the Karachi airbase.

IANS

Nation all set to celebrate 66th Independence Day

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani nation is all set to celebrate its 66th independence day with full pomp and show on August 14 14 across the country including USA, UK, France and other countries of the world with tribute to its founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah who single-handedly attained this motherland after going through sheer hard work and struggle.

Pakistan's appearance on the map of the world was his great achievement for which our great Quaid would be remembered forever in the hearts of all communities of Pakistan.

Preparations in this regard are in full swing in all cities and districts of the country to celebrate independence day with traditional zeal and enthusiasm.

Despite fasting and the scorching heat the passion of the people has not dulled to mark the day.

People, especially children, are enthusiastically purchasing national flags, buntings, posters, stickers and candles to decorate their homes on the day.

A number of social, cultural and literary organizations and educational institutes have chalked out various programs to mark the day.

All important government buildings, including the Parliament House, Supreme Court of Pakistan, PM's House, Presidency, Pakistan Secretariat and Faisal Mosque have been illuminated as part of the Independence Day celebrations.

"This is the freedom day of Pakistan. On this day, the Muslim nation of the sub-continent got freedom from the British. This is very valuable day of the Pakistan history. So the entire nation of Pakistan celebrates this day with great zeal ana passion.

August 14, 1947, represents the victory of those politicians who burned the mid-night oil and freed the Muslims from the repression of the British. Men, women and children from all over Pakistan celebrate Independence Day to pay their respect to those patriotic leaders because of whom this nation is breathing an air of freedom. On this day, people from all religions come together as one and celebrate this important moment of their history.

Two killed as Mumbai protests turn violent

Security has been stepped up Mumbai, after two people were killed and dozens injured in a protest denouncing ethnic riots. Demonstrators took to the streets in reaction to alleged attacks on Muslims in Myanmar before the chaos ensued. Al Jazeera's Stephanie Scawen reports.

Sinai: Egypt army 'kills gunmen in village raid'

Egypt has deployed extra troops, tanks and other armoured vehicles in the Sinai

At least six suspected militant gunmen have been killed by the Egyptian army in the Sinai peninsula, officials say.

They were killed during raids on hideouts in a village near al-Arish town in the north of the region, AP news agency reports.

An offensive against Islamist militants in Sinai was launched last week after 16 border guards were killed.

It was the most brazen attack against Egyptian troops in the Sinai region for years.

Sunday's killings in al-Ghora village, some 30km (19 miles) south of al-Arish, are the first reported casualties among the suspected militants since the military operation began.

A security source told the AFP news agency the suspected militants were armed with rocket launchers, grenades and automatic weapons.

State television, which gave no details of the fighting, said three soldiers had also been killed.

Analysts say that the security situation in the Sinai has deteriorated following the fall of Egypt's long-time President Hosni Mubarak last year, which Islamist extremists appear to have exploited.

The area in Sinai where the borders of Egypt, Israel and Gaza meet has also become a hotbed of smuggling - through tunnels into Gaza.

On Friday, Bedouin leaders in the Sinai agreed to help the army in its offensive and they also backed plans to destroy the smuggling tunnels into Gaza.

Iran earthquake relief efforts begin after 250 killed

Officials said dozens of villages had been severely damaged by the quake

Relief operations are under way in Iran after two strong earthquakes in the north-west left at least 250 people dead and more than 2,000 injured.

The 6.4 and 6.3 quakes struck near Tabriz and Ahar on Saturday afternoon, with more than 55 aftershocks reported over the following hours.

More than 100 villages are damaged - thousands of people spent the night in emergency shelters or in the open.

Relief agencies are providing survivors with tents, bread and drinking water.


The BBC's Mohsen Asgari, in the capital Tehran, says hundreds of people were rescued overnight but that the aftershocks made the operation exhausting work.

'Mass grave'

On Sunday, Hassan Ghadami, Iran's deputy interior minister, said that "all those under debris have been rescued and the quake-stricken people are now being provided with their basic needs," the official Fars news agency reported.

"We hope that the death toll will not increase any more."


Local officials said all the reported deaths have been in rural areas, an indication of the poorer quality of housing outside urban areas.

"This village is a mass grave," said Alireza Haidaree, who had been searching for survivors in his home of Baje Baj.

"There are so many other villages that have been completely destroyed," he told AFP. Locals said 33 of the villages 414 residents had died.

"The quake has created huge panic among the people," one resident of Tabriz told the BBC. "Everyone has rushed to the streets and the sirens of ambulances are everywhere."

The towns of Haris and Varzaqan in East Azerbaijan province in north-western Iran were among those that suffered casualties, local crisis committee chief Khalil Saei told state TV according to the Associated Press.

Fars reported that about 110 villages had been damaged, at least four totally flattened and 60 others sustained extensive damage.

Reports say phone lines to many villages were cut off, confining rescuers to radio contact.

A resident of Tabriz told Reuters that a local hospital he visited to give blood was struggling to cope with the number of injured people, most of whom had been taken there by their families.

Arash, a resident of Ahar, told Reuters the hospital there was full, and that the road between the two towns was jammed with people trying to find medical help.

Stadium shelter
Sixty-six rescue teams have been sent to the affected region, along with about 200 ambulances and five helicopters.

Dozens of families spent the night outdoors in parks, and television showed footage of bodies lying on the floor of a morgue in Ahar, including those of children.

The BBC's Mohsen Asgari says many people were in their homes when the earthquake struck and that is why the death toll is rising

As morning came, search teams with sniffer dogs began working through the wreckage in Tabriz.

There were reports that in some areas many of the victims were women, who had been inside homes preparing evening meals to break the Ramadan fast.

One farmer from the village of Qanbar Mehdizade said he and his family survived because they had been working in the open fields at the time.

"I was working on my farm, on my tractor, and I felt the earth shake and I was thrown off the vehicle," he told AFP.

A Red Crescent has provided 3,000 tents, blankets, tonnes of food and blood supplies, it also took over a sports stadium to provide emergency shelter to about 16,000 people who had fled their homes.

A provincial official warned people to stay outdoors overnight because of the risk of aftershocks.

The Turkish Red Crescent said it was sending a truck full of emergency supplies to the border.

Iranian politician Mohammad Hassan-Nejad said relief groups had still not been able to reach the more remote areas, which take several hours to access under normal conditions, and warned the death toll could rise.

"Currently the roads are closed and the only way to reach these villages is by air," he told the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA).

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's office posted a statement on its website expressing condolences to those in the disaster zone and calling on authorities to "mobilise all efforts to help the affected populations," AFP reports.


The first quake struck 23km (14 miles) south-west of Ahar and 58km (36) miles north-east of Tabriz at 16:54 local time (12:23 GMT) on Saturday, said the US Geological Survey.

The second earthquake struck just 11 minutes after the first, slightly closer to Tabriz.

Iran straddles a major geological fault line, making it prone to seismic activity. In 2003 an earthquake in the city of Bam left more than 25,000 people dead.

Jackson websites shut down over violating copyright

LOS ANGELES: A Canadian memorabilia dealer who worked with Michael Jackson's mother on a tribute book, and whose websites used the singer's image and music, violated copyrights held by Jackson's estate, a judge ruled on Friday.

A federal judge in Los Angeles granted an injunction blocking entrepreneur Howard Mann from using the websites "michaeljacksonsecretvault.com" and "MJgives.com" and other similar domain names, saying he had infringed the dead singer's intellectual property.

"There is undisputed evidence that (Mann) intended in bad faith to profit from use of Jackson's name, by registering multiple domain names containing his name or the initials 'MJ' to sell Jackson-related products," U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson wrote in his ruling.

The executors of Jackson's estate filed the case against Mann in January 2011, 18 months after the "Thriller" singer's sudden death in Los Angeles from an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol.

The estate holds the copyright to Jackson's image and music for the benefit of the singer's mother Katherine and his three children.

Judge Pregerson sided with executors, who claimed that the websites run by Mann used copyright protected clips of Jackson's song "Destiny", a logo featuring the self-styled "King of Pop" and art from the posthumous concert movie "This Is It".

Mann has worked with Katherine Jackson on several projects since 2009, including a 2010 "Never Can Say Goodbye" coffee table book featuring recollections of her son, as well as a DVD and calendar featuring what were described as never before seen photos and video.

All were sold through the "secretvault" website. Mann claimed he obtained the rights to the material at a bankruptcy sale involving members of Jackson's family several years ago.

The "www.michaeljacksonsecretvault.com" site failed to load on Friday and Mann could not immediately be reached for comment.

Howard Weitzman, a lawyer for Jackson's Estate, said a court date set for September 4 will involve "how much in damages the Michael Jackson Estate is entitled to collect from Mann and his various entities."

The two executors, John McClain and John Branca, said in a statement they were "extremely pleased" with the Court's ruling which will prevents Mann from "continuing to unlawfully profit from Michael Jackson and his intellectual property." (Reuters)