News — GuardiansPress

US Says Iran Involved In Plot To Assassinate Saudi Ambassador

October 12, 2011 by admin ·

The Justice Department on Tuesday accused elements of the Iranian government of being involved in a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States, and Attorney General Eric Holder said the U.S. would hold Iran accountable.

Two people, including a member of Iran’s special operations unit known as the Quds Force, were charged in New York federal court. Holder said the bomb plot was a flagrant violation of U.S. and international law.

“We will not let other countries use our soil as their battleground,” Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, said at a press conference in Washington with Holder and FBI Director Robert Mueller. [Read more...]

Filed Under: International News, Politics ·

US Debt Crisis: Deal Sought To Head Off Global Stock Plunge

July 24, 2011 by admin ·

US leaders struggled in urgent, weekend-long talks to avert an unprecedented government default, desperate to show enough progress to head off a plunge in stock prices when Asian markets open ahead of the American workweek.

President Barack Obama met Saturday with Republican and Democratic congressional leaders _ but only briefly_ the day after House Speaker John Boehner abruptly broke off his own once-promising compromise talks with the White House. Staff members kept up detailed efforts.

The goal now is to produce at least a framework agreement to raise the nation’s debt limit by Monday, congressional officials said. Even that would allow scarcely enough time for the House and Senate to clear legislation in time for Obama’s signature by the Aug. 2 deadline, a week from Tuesday. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business, Economy, News, Stock Market ·

Earthquake, Tsunami Hit Japan

March 11, 2011 by admin ·

The biggest earthquake to hit Japan in 140 years struck the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a 10-metre tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, cars and farm buildings on fire, media and witnesses said. At least one person was killed in Fukushima prefecture, north of Tokyo where four million homes were without power. The 8.9 magnitude quake caused many injuries, public broadcaster NHK said, sparked fires and the wall of water, prompting warnings to people to move to higher ground in coastal areas.

The Philippines, Taiwan and Indonesia all issued tsunami alerts, reviving memories of the giant tsunami which struck Asia in 2004. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued alerts for countries as far away as Colombia and Peru.

There were several strong aftershocks. In the capital Tokyo, buildings shook violently. An oil refinery near Tokyo was on fire, with dozens of storage tanks under threat. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Nature, News ·

Quirino Grandstand Hostage-Taking

August 23, 2010 by admin ·

The dismissed police officer who took 25 hostages at Rizal Park on Monday in an attempt to return to the police force has gotten himself in deeper trouble, a Philippine National Police (PNP) official said.

PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Agrimero A. Cruz, Jr. said former Manila police officer Rolando Mendoza used the wrong way to try to clear his name from extortion, robbery, grave threat, and physical injuries.

“Definitely that’s the wrong way. That’s the illegal way. Definitely, he’s in deeper trouble because of this hostage-taking,” Cruz said. [Read more...]

Filed Under: News ·

DOJ OKs Murder Raps VS Ampatuan Sr, 196 Others

February 9, 2010 by admin ·

The Department of Justice on Tuesday recommended the filing of 57 counts of murder against former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and 196 others linked to the gruesome massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao last November 23.

In a 78-page resolution, the DOJ eight-man panel of investigation prosecutors led by Senior State Prosecutor Leo Dacera said “the confluence of events before and immediately after” the massacre took place led them to conclude that Ampatuan Sr., his son Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Datu Zaldy “Puti” U. Ampatuan, Datu Akmad “Tato” Ampatuan, Sr., Datu Norodin Ampatuan, and Datu Jimmy Ampatuan connived with the actual perpetrators.

The panel said evidence on record showed that the respondents instigated the plan to ambush members of the Mangudadatu clan on their way to the office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Cotabato City to file the certificate of candidacy of Esmael Mangudadatu for the gubernatorial post in Maguindanao.

It said witnesses identified respondents Datu Andal “Unsay” Ampatuan, Jr., Datu Kanor Ampatuan, Datu Bahnarin A. Ampatuan, Datu Mama Ampatuan, Datu Sajid Islam U. Ampatuan, Datu Anwar Ampatuan, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Jr., Datu Ulo Ampatuan, Datu Ipi Ampatuan, Datu Harris Ampatuan, Datu Moning Ampatuan, Mogira Hadji Anggulat, Parido Zangkala Gogo, Jun Pendatun, Kagi Faizal and Sukarno Badal as having directly participated in the massacre.

“These respondents were plainly pinpointed as among those who fired their high-powered firearms which consequently ended the lives of their intended victims. Positive identification of a person being implicated in a crime, when categorical, resounding, consistent, and without any ill motive on the part of the eyewitnesses testifying on the matter, is given credence. Considering such positive identification of these respondents as direct participants in the commission of the crime of murder, they should be indicted,” the DOJ said.

The DOJ panel said there is viable evidence to prove that some members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) “dipped their fingers in the preparation and subsequent consummation of the despicable killing of the victims.”

“There is direct evidence that these respondents agreed to commit the crime. Their acts and the attendant circumstances surrounding the commission of the crime unveil a common aim that would make all of them co-principals in the crime committed. We can deduce from their communal conduct a common design, concerted action and concurrence of sentiments… All the conspirators are answerable as co-principals regardless of the extent or degree of their participation,” the resolution said.

Aside from the murder charges, Ampatuan Sr. and the 196 accused are also facing rebellion charges for allegedly mobilizing supporters to resist, defy and undermine security forces who were investigating the massacre last November.

Judge Vivencio Baclig of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 77 is currently conducting the hearing on the rebellion charges in Camp Crame. He is expected to rule on the defense lawyers’ motion to stop the transfer of the suspects from Cotabato City to Manila.

Prosecutors asked the court to transfer the Ampatuans after the Supreme Court granted a petition seeking the transfer of the rebellion case from Cotabato City Regional Trial Court to Quezon City due to the Ampatuans’ strong influence in the ARMM.

Andal Sr. is currently detained at the Camp Panacan Hospital in Davao City. Other Ampatuan clan members linked to the massacre were also arrested and confined in military camps. Yahoo Daily News

Filed Under: Documentary, News ·

Oil Jumps Above $72 As US Crude Supplies Fall

December 16, 2009 by admin ·

Oil prices rose sharply Wednesday, wiping out a week’s worth of declines after the government said supplies of oil and petroleum products dropped much more than expected.

Benchmark crude for January delivery surged by $1.97, nearly 3 percent, to settle at $72.66 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In London, Brent crude for January delivery added $1.50 to settle at $73.55 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

The Energy Information Administration said that crude supplies fell by 3.7 million barrels last week and distillate fuels including heating oil dropped by 2.9 million barrels. Analysts surveyed by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos., expected more moderate draws of 2 million barrels of crude and 750,000 barrels of distillates.

Refineries tend to try to get rid of as much crude as possible toward the end of the year to avoid paying higher taxes. But heating oil supplies also dropped as frigid temperatures blanketed the Midwest and Northeast.

“The cold weather has really been pushing prices right now,” analyst Peter Beutel said.

At the pump, retail gas prices fell by less than a penny overnight to a new national average of $2.594 a gallon, according to auto club AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. A gallon of regular unleaded is 3.7 cents cheaper than it was last month, but it’s 93.3 cents more expensive than the same time last year.

In other Nymex trading in January contracts, heating oil climbed 6.25 cents to settle at $1.9658 a gallon while gasoline gained 2.88 cents to settle at $1.8739 a gallon. Natural gas lost 6.1 cents to settle at $5.462 per 1,000 cubic feet. By Chris Khan, The Seattle Times

Filed Under: Business, Economy, Energy, News ·

Philippines: The Gruesome Massacre of 57 People

November 25, 2009 by admin ·

I was really saddened to the fact, while it is true that the Philippines having been home to some of our modern-day great heroes, but it cannot be denied also that it has once again proved to the entire world being one of the most dangerous country for journalists, following the massacre of people in broad daylight at Maguindanao area.

Police said the convoy of more than 40 people, including 12 journalists, were accompanying Ginalyn Mangudadatu, the wife of Buluan vice mayor Ismael Mangudadatu, to file his certificate of candidacy to run for provincial governor when they were stopped by some 100 heavily armed men and taken hostage on a remote highway in Barangay Salman near the town of Ampatuan.

A few kilometers off the main highway, on a remote hilltop covered with waist-high grass, bodies lay with twisted hands reaching in the air. They had been shot point-blank.

Nearby, bodies were being laid out under banana leaves as police – whose faces covered against the stench – unearthed a mass grave containing the victims from Monday’s ambush (November 23) on an election caravan.

The discovery now brought the death toll to 57 -an unprecedented act of violence at the outset of the country’s election season.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared a state of emergency in Maguindanao and a neighboring southern province, sending extra troops and police to try to impose the rule of law. “No effort will be spared to bring justice to the victims and hold the perpetrators accountable to the full limit of the law,” she said.

Arroyo’s peace adviser Jesus Dureza said he met Tuesday with Andal Ampatuan, the family’s patriarch, and received assurances that his family would cooperate in the investigation. However, it was not clear how far Arroyo’s administration would go in trying to force the provincial warlords to give up their weapons and private armies.

Julkipli Wadi, a professor of Islamic studies at the University of the Philippines, said he doubted the national government’s resolve in trimming the powers of political dynasties like the Ampatuans because they deliver votes during elections.

“Because of the absence of viable political institutions, powerful men are taking over,” he said. “Big political forces and personalities in the national government are sustaining the warlords, especially during election time, because they rely on big families for their votes.”

Nevertheless, among the journalists reportedly slain were Ian Subang (Dadiangas Times), Leah Dalmacio (Forum), Gina dela Cruz (Today), Marites Cablitas (Today), Joy Duhay (UNTV), Henry Araneta (DZRH), Andy Teodoro (Mindanao Inquirer), Neneng Montaño (formerly of RGMA), Bong Reblando, (Manila Bulletin), Victor Nuñez (UNTV), Macmac Ariola (UNTV), Jimmy Cabillo (UNTV), Bart Maravilla (Bombo Radyo, Koronadal) and lawyers Cynthia Oquendo and Connie Brizuela, according to a statement from University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC), citing reports.

“This incident not only erases all doubts about the Philippines being the most dangerous country for journalists in the world, outside of Iraq, it could very well place the country on the map as a candidate for a failed democracy,” the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines said in a statement.

Filed Under: Documentary, News, Politics ·