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Vatican denies swirling rumors as pope prepares to step down - CNN Posted: 23 Feb 2013 09:08 AM PST Pope Benedict XVI waves in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican in December 2012. Benedict, 85, announced on Monday, February 11, that he will resign at the end of February "because of advanced age." The last pope to resign was Gregory XII in 1415. HIDE CAPTION Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI << < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 > >> STORY HIGHLIGHTS Top Vatican official condemns "often unverified, unverifiable or completely false news stories" Rumors are intended to put pressure on cardinals, Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone says Italy's La Reppublica has published allegations involving a shadowy network of gay clergy Pope Benedict XVI is to stand down from office on Thursday Rome (CNN) -- The Vatican sought Saturday to tamp down rumors involving sex, money and gay priests that have been swirling in the Italian media and have been linked by some to Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign. The strongly-worded denial came on the eve of the pope's last Angelus blessing, expected to draw huge crowds of the faithful, before he stands down on Thursday. Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone said it was "deplorable" that as the time for the Roman Catholic cardinals to elect a new pope approaches, a rash of "often unverified, unverifiable or completely false news stories" has appeared. Such unfounded stories "cause serious damage to persons and institutions," he said, and are an attempt to influence the cardinals' free will in the election "through public opinion." Opinion: There's more to the Catholic Church than the pope Bertone did not address the specific claims that were first published in La Repubblica, the country's largest circulation daily newspaper, on Thursday and Friday. The newspaper stories center on an investigation last year by three cardinals into a scandal involving leaks from the Vatican. La Repubblica, citing unnamed sources familiar with the investigation, alleged that the investigation revealed a series of scandals involving sex, money and power that touch cardinals, priests and lay people that work in the Vatican. Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi declined to comment on La Repubblica's article in a media briefing on Thursday. CNN Senior Vatican Analyst John Allen, also a correspondent with the National Catholic Reporter, suggested in a piece written Friday that unsourced speculation about a shadowy "gay lobby" within the Vatican should be taken with a grain of salt. But, he said, while he doesn't know for sure if the three cardinals did investigate networks based on sexual orientation, "frankly, it would be a little surprising if they hadn't" -- given past scandals that have become public concerning clergy involved in homosexual activities. The pope may well have been worn down by the "cumulative impact of the various meltdowns over the last eight years," Allen said. "However," he added, "it's probably a stretch to draw a straight line between all of this and Benedict's resignation. For the most part, one has to take the pope at his word: He's stepping aside because he's old and tired, not because of any particular crisis." The pontiff will leave office at 8 p.m. on February 28, two-and-a-half weeks after he shocked the Roman Catholic world by announcing his resignation. The Vatican has said a new pope will be in place for the Church's Easter celebrations on March 31. Benedict on Saturday concluded a week-long spiritual retreat, held to mark the Lenten period. Addressing the clergy who had joined him, he thanked them "not only for this week, but for these past eight years that you have carried with me -- with great skill, affection, love and faith -- the weight of the Petrine ministry," referring to the papacy. Benedict also met with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on Saturday, an encounter described by the Vatican as "particularly warm and cordial." Facts about Pope Benedict XVI The pontiff is considering changing the Vatican constitution to allow a vote for his successor to begin before March 15, Lombardi said Wednesday. Existing rules say the Roman Catholic Church's cardinals should start voting on a replacement from 15 to 20 days after the papal throne becomes vacant. With Benedict due to depart on February 28, the cardinals' conclave ordinarily would start no sooner than March 15. But Lombardi has said that because Benedict was leaving the papacy through resignation rather than death, the Vatican would explore the possibility of selecting a new pope sooner than normally prescribed. The so-called "Vatileaks" scandal last year led to the pope's butler, Paolo Gabriele, being convicted on charges of leaking private papers from the Vatican in a high-profile trial and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Although Gabriele was pardoned weeks later by the pope, the whole affair -- which revealed claims of corruption in the church's hierarchy -- was damaging to the Vatican's reputation. The latest media allegations, despite the strenuous Vatican denials, may add to the pressure for reform. CNN's Hada Messia and Ben Wedeman reported from Rome, and Laura Smith-Spark wrote from London. 0 Comments » Tweet Print Email More sharing

Sequester and public opinion? Advantage Obama. (+video) - Christian Science Monitor Posted: 23 Feb 2013 08:12 AM PST With just days until the 'sequester' and its automatic spending cuts kicks in, President Obama seems to have the advantage with high poll ratings and a message seen as more compelling. By Brad Knickerbocker, Staff writer / February 23, 2013 President Barack Obama speaks about the sequester as he stands with emergency responders, a group of workers the White House says could be affected if state and local governments lose federal money as a result of budget cuts. Charles Dharapak/AP Enlarge A batch of recent headlines gives an indication of where things stand in the Obama-Republican face-off over sequestration and the automatic government spending cuts that could kick in next Friday. Skip to next paragraph ' + google_ads[0].line2 + ' ' + google_ads[0].line3 + ' '; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // --> Subscribe Today to the Monitor Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition Correspondent Liz Marlantes with insights into the politics behind the impending spending cuts. "GOP losing sequester blame game" "Democrats' Economic Narrative Still Trumps GOP's" "Poll: President Obama approval highest since '09" "President Obama's popularity surges to three-year high" "Congress Approval Holding Steady at 15 percent." RECOMMENDED: Sequester 101: What happens if $85 billion in cuts hit on March 1 Polls and pundits aren't everything, of course. Most Americans this weekend likely are far more interested in Sunday night's Oscar extravaganza. And most would likely agree with Atlantic associate editor Matthew O'Brien when he writes – with as much truth as irony – on the magazine's web site: "There is nothing more tedious in the world today than the sequester. The word itself sounds like a prescription sleeping aid." There is, after all the gnashing of teeth over the "fiscal cliff" last month, a bit of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" here for most people. Still, if the sequester kicks in, thousands of federal workers could be furloughed, some national park programs could be curtailed, and things could be "very painful for the flying public," as Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood warned Friday. The sequester no doubt will dominate the Sunday morning TV news shows as Republicans and Democrats angle for rhetorical advantage over the sequester's $85 billion in budget cuts this fiscal year, split evenly between defense and non-defense programs. At the moment, that advantage seems to be with President Obama and the White House. Just to flesh out those headlines cited above…. Bloomberg News put it starkly this week: "President Barack Obama enters the latest budget showdown with Congress with his highest job-approval rating in three years and public support for his economic message, while his Republican opponents' popularity stands at a record low." Specifically, 55 percent of those polled by Bloomberg last week approve of Obama's performance in office, his strongest level of support since September 2009. But only 35 percent have a favorable view of the Republican Party, the lowest rating over the same period. The GOP's brand slipped six percentage points in the last six months, the poll shows. Asked who is more to blame for "what's gone wrong" in Washington, those surveyed picked Republicans over Obama 43-34 percent. Similarly, Gallup finds public approval of Congress – just 15 percent – is "at the low end of the historical spectrum." It's not great news for either party, but Democrats have a slight edge in public approval – 19 percent to 12 percent for the GOP.

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Ringgit expected to trade in narrow range Posted: 22 Feb 2013 06:36 PM PST The ringgit is expected to trade in a narrow range next week due to a lack of catalysts to spur significant movements. A dealer said the ringgit's movement would likely be affected by the possible move taken by the US Federal Reserve to scale back its quantitative easing programme sooner-than-expected. He said another possible contributing factor to the ringgit's movement would be the stock market. The ringgit experienced a choppy trade this week, tracking the movement of regional currencies while election jitters crept up as well. The local unit closed the week at 3.1005/1025 against the US dollar, down from the 3.0920/0940 recorded the previous Friday. On a Friday-to-Friday basis, the ringgit was mostly higher against other major currencies. Although it fell against the Singapore dollar to 2.5040/5065 from 2.5028/5047 the previous week, it advanced against the yen to 3.3192/3228 from 3.3441/3478, improved against the British pound to 4.7338/7381 from 4.7338/7381 and the euro to 4.0982/0012 from 4.1226/1238.--BERNAMA

Palm futures to trade at RM2,300-RM2,400 Posted: 22 Feb 2013 07:09 PM PST Crude palm oil (CPO) futures prices on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives are likely to move between RM2,300 and RM2,400 per tonne next week amid profit-taking, a trader said. Interband Group Senior Palm Oil Trader Jim Teh said the price range is expected to attract more physical buyers to ease the country's high stock while still being profitable for planters. "However, prices could increase when the general election fever comes on and there is speculation," he said, adding that market players would be in full swing next week as the Chap Goh Mei festival falls on Sunday, marking the end of the Chinese New Year celebration. CPO prices kicked off the week on an uptrend due to better export numbers anticipated for the first half of February, coupled with the prospect of a tighter supply of its rival soybean oil. Prices, however, started to ease Wednesday onwards as export data for the first 20 days of February pointed to slowing demand as well as weaker vegetable oil prices. On a Friday-to-Friday basis, March 2013 increased RM27 to RM2,479 per tonne, April 2013 added RM23 to RM2,506 per tonne, May 2013 gained RM26 to RM2,532 per tonne and June 2013 stood at RM2,550 per tonne. Weekly turnover advanced to 148,107 lots from 67,870 lots the previous week, while open interest decreased to 186,706 contracts from 198,224 contracts last Friday. On the physical market, February South gained RM20 to RM2,460 per tonne from RM2,440 last week. -- BERNAMA

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South Africa's Pistorius goes free on $113000 bail - Reuters Posted: 22 Feb 2013 08:36 AM PST By Peroshni Govender PRETORIA | Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:35pm EST (Reuters) - A South African court granted bail on Friday to Oscar Pistorius, charged with the murder of his girlfriend on Valentine's Day, after his lawyers successfully argued the "Blade Runner" was too famous to flee justice. The decision by Magistrate Desmond Nair drew cheers from the Paralympics star's family and supporters. Pistorius himself was unmoved, in marked contrast to the week-long hearing, when he repeatedly broke down in tears. Nair set bail at 1 million rand ($113,000) and postponed the case until June 4. Pistorius would be released only when the court received 100,000 rand in cash, he added. Less than an hour later, a silver Land Rover left the court compound, Pistorius visible through the tinted windows sitting in the back seat in the dark suit and tie he wore in court. The car then sped off through the streets of the capital, pursued by members of the media on motorcycles, before it entered his uncle Arnold's home in the plush Pretoria suburb of Waterkloof. At least five private security guards stood outside the concrete walls, keeping reporters at bay. Under the terms of his bail, Pistorius, 26, was also ordered to hand over firearms and his two South African passports, avoid his home and all witnesses, report to a police station twice a week and abstain from drinking alcohol. The decision followed a week of dramatic testimony about how the athlete shot dead model and law graduate Reeva Steenkamp at his luxury home near Pretoria in the early hours of February 14. Prosecutors said Pistorius committed premeditated murder when he fired four shots into a locked toilet door, hitting his girlfriend cowering on the other side. Steenkamp, 29, suffered gunshot wounds to her head, hip and arm. Pistorius said the killing was a tragic mistake, saying he had mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder - a possibility in crime-ridden South Africa - and opened fire in a blind panic. However, in delivering his nearly two-hour bail ruling, Nair said there were a number of "improbabilities" in Pistorius's version of events, read out to the court in an affidavit by his lawyer, Barry Roux. "I have difficulty in appreciating why the accused would not seek to ascertain who exactly was in the toilet," Nair said. "I also have difficulty in appreciating why the deceased would not have screamed back from the toilet." By local standards, the bail conditions are onerous but it remains to be seen if they appease opposition to the decision from groups campaigning against the violence against women that is endemic in South Africa. "We are saddened because women are being killed in this country," said Jacqui Mofokeng, a spokeswoman for the ruling African National Congress' Women's League, whose members stood outside the court this week with banners saying "Rot in jail". TOO FAMOUS TO RUN However, Nair said he made his decision in the "interests of justice" and argued that the prosecution, who suffered a setback when the lead investigator withered under cross-examination by Roux, failed to show Pistorius was either a flight risk or a threat to the public. Roux stressed the Olympic and Paralympics runner's global fame made it impossible for him to evade justice by skipping bail and leaving the country. "He can never go anywhere unnoticed," Roux told the court. Pistorius, whose lower legs were amputated in infancy forcing him to race on carbon fiber "blades", faces life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder. Prosecutors had portrayed him as a cold-blooded killer and said they were confident that their case, which will have to rely heavily on forensics and witnesses who said they heard shouting before the shots, would stand up to scrutiny at trial. "We are going to make sure that we get enough evidence to get through this case during trial time," a spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority told reporters. In court, lead prosecutor Gerrie Nel was scornful of Pistorius's inability to contain his emotions. "I shoot and I think my career is over and I cry. I come to court and I cry because I feel sorry for myself," Nel said. "DEEPLY IN LOVE" In his affidavit, Pistorius said he was "deeply in love" with Steenkamp, leading Roux to stress his client had no motive for the killing. Pistorius contends he reached for a 9-mm pistol under his bed because he felt particularly vulnerable without his prosthetic limbs. According to police, witnesses heard shouting, gunshots and screams from the athlete's home, which sits in the heart of a gated community surrounded by 3-m- (yard-) high stone walls topped with an electric fence. In a magazine interview a week before her death, published on Friday, Steenkamp spoke about her three-month relationship with the runner, who won global fame last year when he reached the semi-final of the 400 meters in the London Olympics despite having no lower legs. "I absolutely adore Oscar. I respect and admire him so much," she told celebrity gossip magazine Heat. "I don't want anything to come in the way of his career." Police pulled their lead detective off the case on Thursday after it was revealed he himself faces attempted murder charges for shooting at a minibus. He has been replaced by South Africa's top detective. Pistorius's arrest stunned the millions around the world who saw him as an inspiring example of triumph over adversity. But the impact was greatest in South Africa, where he was seen as a rare hero for both blacks and whites, transcending the racial divides that persist 19 years after the end of apartheid. (Writing by Ed Cropley; Editing by Michael Roddy)

Drew Peterson sentenced to 38 years for murdering this third wife - Detroit Free Press Posted: 21 Feb 2013 02:36 PM PST $160,000 3 Bedrooms, 1 Full Baths, 1447 Sq. Ft. Nancy Barbour (586) 917-0054 Three bedrooms, possible fourth in bonus room above attached 1.5 car garage. Bonus room can also be den or playroom at 24 x 12 ft. Maple kitchen, 2003, with 20 custom cabs, + 6 ft of 84" pantry cabs + utility cab. Mudroom off kitchen has heated porcelain floor. All kitchen appliances stay. Refinished oak floors,new paint. New concrete driveway. Other upgrades since 1995 include gas furnace, central air, humidifier, air filter, hwh, 100 amp service panel, tilt-to-clean windows, steel exterior doors, vinyl siding, gutters, trim, glass block vented windows in basement and garage, updated bathroom, extra insulation, concrete porch, classy alluminum fencing, insulated garage door and opener. You must see this home! Mt. Clemens qualifies for low-interest MSHDA loans for incomes below $72,250. Gerald T. Klebba, broker.

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Malaysia tops Persian Gulf on Sukuk Posted: 21 Feb 2013 07:29 PM PST Malaysia is leading the Persian Gulf in the global sukuk market this year with 78 per cent of total issuance amid a surge in government-backed debt as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak seeks re-election. Malaysia's Education Fund will price RM1.5 billion of state-guaranteed Islamic bonds today, which will take sales in 2013 to US$4.3 billion, compared with US$1.2 billion in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The government has backed US$10.7 billion of the securities since the start of 2012, double the previous year. DanaInfra Nasional Bhd, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd and Tenaga Nasional Bhd are seeking to raise a total of RM12.6 billion from Shariah-compliant bonds to build railways and power plants, part of a 10-year Economic Transformation Programme. Middle East offerings will pick up as more companies switch to sukuk from loans to take advantage of low borrowing costs, according to HSBC Holdings Plc. "Although competition is heating up, I believe the push from the Malaysian government in maintaining the nation as the sukuk hub of the world will ensure our leading position," Tengku Datuk Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, chief executive officer of Kuala Lumpur-based Maybank Investment Bank Bhd, the top arranger this year, said in an e-mail interview yesterday. Malaysia's state-owned education fund is seeking to price a 10-year portion of sukuk at 28 basis points to 38 basis points above government securities that don't comply with the Koran's ban on interest, two people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named as the details are private, said yesterday. The company will offer a spread of 43 basis points to 53 basis points for 15-year notes, they said. Syarikat Prasarana plans to offer RM6 billion of sukuk this year to finance the extension of a light railway in Kuala Lumpur, Azhar Ghazali, the media affairs manager, said in an e-mail on January 4. DanaInfra may sell RM1.5 billion of Islamic bonds every quarter, Chief Operating Officer Kamal Mohd Ali told reporters in Kuala Lumpur on January 15. Sukuk yields that are almost half those in emerging markets are supporting offerings in Asia and the Middle East. Borrowing costs on global Islamic notes rose seven basis points this year to 2.88 per cent, 21 basis points off a record low on January 10, the HSBC/Nasdaq Dubai US Dollar Sukuk Index shows. Average rates on developing-nation bonds are 4.8 per cent, up 32 basis points since December 31, according to a JPMorgan Chase & Co gauge. Shariah-compliant debt returned 0.3 per cent in 2013, according to HSBC, while JPMorgan's EMBI Global Index shows emerging-market securities lost 1.8 per cent. Companies and governments in the Persian Gulf are also planning to raise funds through the Islamic debt market. Malaysia and the Middle East should be about equal in terms of sales, according to HSBC Amanah Malaysia Bhd. "Issuers from the Middle East who previously tapped the loan market are beginning to see sukuk as a viable option," Chief Executive Officer Rafe Haneef at the Kuala Lumpur-based Shariah unit of HSBC Holdings, said in an interview yesterday. "They can get size and better pricing from the sukuk market as well as a more diversified investor base." In the six-member GCC, which includes Saudi Arabia and Qatar, average yields on Islamic notes climbed six basis points, or 0.06 percentage point, to 2.98 per cent in 2013 after reaching an all-time low of 2.75 per cent in January, according to the HSBC/Nasdaq Dubai GCC US Dollar Sukuk Index.-- Bloomberg

TNB's Johor to execute terms from March Posted: 21 Feb 2013 06:19 PM PST Tenaga Nasional Bhd's (TNB) wholly-owned unit TNB Pasir Gudang Energy Sdn Bhd will, from next month, execute the remaining terms of the existing service level agreement of the power plant in Johor. In its filing to the stock exchange yesterday, TNB said the new power purchase agreement and new gas supply agreement by TNB Pasir Gudang will be extended for five years from September 2017. Five months ago, Energy Commission renewed the operating licence of three first-generation power plants at a substantially lower tariff. Under the current terms of the first generation power plants, the rates are as high as 50 sen/kWh. Under the Track 2 plan, TNB Pasir Gudang is reported to offer 275MW at a tariff of 37.4 sen/kWh. The Track 2 plan is meant to facilitate TNB to buy cheaper electricity from the three plants and help meet the capacity needs in the peninsular until 2017. Two of the plants -- Genting Sanyen Power and Segari Energy Ventures are Independent Power Producers while the third, TNB Pasir Gudang is owned by TNB.

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South Africa puts top detective on Pistorius case - Reuters Posted: 21 Feb 2013 08:45 AM PST By Peroshni Govender PRETORIA | Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:43am EST (Reuters) - South African police investigating Oscar Pistorius for murder pulled their lead detective off the "Blade Runner" athlete's case on Thursday after it emerged he himself faces attempted murder charges for shooting at a minibus. Battling embarrassment in the glare of a global media spotlight, they named the nation's most senior detective to take over, as preliminary hearings to decide whether the Olympic and Paralympic star can go free on bail were adjourned until Friday. Hilton Botha, the initial lead investigator had already faced a torrid time over his evidence from defense counsel this week, and police commissioner Riah Phiyega said he might become distracted by the charges relating to the bus shooting in 2011. "From this point forward, I will take over," Lieutenant General Vinesh Moonoo told Reuters. A 32-year veteran of the force, he added: "It will not affect the court proceedings." Charges against Warrant Office Botha over the taxi minibus shooting had been dropped but the National Prosecuting Authority told Reuters they were reinstated on February 4 - 10 days before Pistorius shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his Pretoria home. "The decision to reinstate was taken on February 4, way before the issue of Pistorius came to light or the murder of Reeva was committed," NPA spokesman Medupe Simasiku told Reuters. "It's completely unrelated to this trial." It is not clear whether the dismissal of Botha would affect the athlete's chances of securing release from custody pending his trial. After a fourth day of bail hearings, the judge said the court would sit again on the matter on Friday. At the time of the shooting in 2011, Botha was chasing a man accused of murdering a woman and disposing of her dismembered body down a drain, local media said. Pistorius, who was born without bones in his lower legs and runs on carbon-fiber racing blades, faces life in prison if convicted of the premeditated murder of Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day. He denies murder and his lawyers say he opened fire with a pistol at what he thought was a burglar. Sportswear giant Nike froze its endorsement contract with Pistorius on Thursday saying the athlete should be "afforded due process". Other companies with sponsorship deals, including British telecoms firm BT, U.S. sunglasses maker Oakley and French designer Thierry Mugler, have declined to comment on their contracts while the bail hearing is continuing. POLICE UNDER PRESSURE The revelations about Botha capped a troubling 24 hours for South Africa's prosecution service. Under cross-examination at the hearing on Wednesday, the detective was accused of contaminating the crime scene in Pistorius's house and backtracked on details like the distance of witnesses from the home when they heard shouts and shots. Grilled by lead defense counsel Barry Roux, he also had to concede that Pistorius's version of events - that he fired into the toilet door in a blind panic thinking an intruder was lurking behind it - was plausible. "The poor quality of evidence presented by the chief investigating officer exposed disastrous shortcomings in the state's case." Roux said in arguing for Pistorius's release. The 26-year-old runner denies murder and was more composed in court after repeatedly breaking down in previous hearings. His uncle, Arnold Pistorius, said his nephew was eating again after consuming nothing for six days and had spent much of his time in police custody reading the Bible. A trial is likely to take many months to prepare, and even if he is acquitted, Pistorius faces a huge challenge to rebuild his career and image in the eyes of the millions around the world who saw him as the epitome of triumph over adversity. At the close of Thursday's arguments, prosecutor Gerrie Nel tried to recapture the initiative, reminding the court of the seriousness of the premeditated murder charges facing Pistorius. "His actions are indicative of a man who was willing and ready to kill," Nel said. "There were two people in the house. "One survived to give his version." SOUTH AFRICA AGOG The proceedings have gripped South Africans, who have found themselves debating the finer points of police forensics and the ins and outs of the criminal justice process. As public opinion has swayed back and forth, schoolchildren have come to blows in playgrounds over the athlete's innocence or guilt, and on Thursday "Hilton Botha" was a top-trending topic on Twitter in South Africa. "We talk about the case every day. It's all over the news. You can't ignore it," said Happy Ngwenya, a taxi driver waiting for rides in Johannesburg's Sandton financial district. "He must face his music but the thing is, here in South Africa, criminals have so many rights." With huge international media interest in the case against a global celebrity, many South Africans feel that apparent initial slip-ups by the police are hurting the country's image. "Bring someone from outside to sort out this mess," said businessman Godfrey Baloyi. "The whole justice system needs an overhaul." (Additional reporting by Olivia Kumwenda, Ed Cropley and Keith Weir; Writing by Ed Cropley; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)

3 killed in shooting, crash on Las Vegas strip - CNN Posted: 21 Feb 2013 09:03 AM PST A burned tax and another vehicle involved in a shooting and collision sit on the Las Vegas Strip on Thursday. STORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW: Casino visitor to KLAS: I "could see the fireball" out my window A gunman in an SUV shoots at a car on the Las Vegas strip, causing a multivehicle crash The shooting and crash, at Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road, killed three people Police are looking for a black Range Rover Sport with large black rims (CNN) -- Three people were killed and at least three others injured in a shooting and fiery six-vehicle crash along the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada early Thursday, police said. The incident began about 4:20 a.m. when someone in an SUV -- stopped at a stoplight on Las Vegas Boulevard near Caesars Palace and a number of other casinos -- fired into a Maserati that also had stopped at the light, Las Vegas police said. The Maserati moved into the intersection with Flamingo Road and collided with a taxicab, starting a chain of crashes that involved four other vehicles, police said. Fire swept through the cab, where the driver and a passenger were trapped. The cab's two occupants and the Maserati's driver died, Las Vegas police spokesman Jose Hernandez said. A passenger in the Maserati suffered gunshot wounds and was being treated at a hospital, police said. At least two other people in the other crashed vehicles suffered light to moderate injuries, they said. John Lamb, who was inside Caesars Palace, told CNN affiliate KLAS he heard the commotion and saw the cab on fire from a window. "There was a loud bang and I hear two other booms. I looked out my window at Caesars Palace ... and could see the fireball," he told KLAS. Police are looking for the occupants of the SUV, described as a black Range Rover Sport with large black rims. Hernandez said he didn't have information on what led to the shooting. CNN's Carol Costello and Jason Hanna contributed to this report. 0 Comments » Tweet Print Email More sharing

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Tune Hotel on exponental growth path Posted: 20 Feb 2013 05:56 PM PST NEW DELHI: Tune Hotel Group is set to grow exponentially from 2013 onwards with hotels mushrooming in India, Middle East, Australia, Japan, as well as, the African region, says Chief Executive Officer Mark Lankester. By end-2013, Tune Hotel would be present in eight countries, he said. "Currently we are in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and UK. India will be the sixth market followed by Australia and Japan," he said in an interview with Bernama. In India, the first hotel would open in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in April, followed by Melbourne, Australia, in November and one more in Japan, he said. Next year, Tune Hotel would also open its doors in Mekkah, Madinah and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, he said. "We are looking at Europe as well. We are looking at Italy and we are finalising a deal in Vienna, Austria, amid the huge tourist potential there," he said. In the African region, Tune Hotel is keen to enter Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, he said, adding that the value hotel chain had already signed a deal in Nigeria. "There is oil money in Nigeria. The economy is growing fast. There is huge demand amid a population 160 million people but there is no supply and the fact that there are no big international brands in the country it is a great time for us to gain a foothold there. "We love countries that offer high room rates," said Mark. He said Colombo, Sri Lanka, also offered good opportunity and Tune Hotel was eyeing that market too. "In Colombo, we are looking but we have not got anything substantial as yet," he said. Besides expanding into new territories, Tune Hotel is also keen to grow in its existing markets. "Only by expansion you will benefit from the economies of scale," he said. Currently, there are 11 hotels in Malaysia, five in UK, three each in Indonesia and Thailand and four in the Philippines. In Malaysia, hotels will open in Melaka, Alor Setar, Cyberjaya and KLIA2 ( 400 rooms) and in UK while one more hotel would be located in Canary Wharf, he said. "The total number of hotel rooms will change rapidly from now onwards as we have plans to open one to two hotels every month," said Mark. He said the key aspect was to continuously expand without over-stretching as campaign, advertising and brand building was equally important. Asked on competition, he said there are rivalry at every place but it is all about offering the right product and services priced reasonably to attract customers. Going forward, Mark said there was potential for Tune Hotel to go into full-fledged hotel services. Although he did not provide a timeframe, he noted that at some stage it would make sense to offer a four-star hotel facility. "By then, we would have built up certain amount of expertise. Just like how after AirAsia, AirAsia X came about," he added.-- Bernama

Tune plans 100 hotels in India Posted: 20 Feb 2013 05:49 PM PST NEW DELHI: Tune Hotel Group has earmarked nothing less than 100 hotels in India, with the first to open its doors in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, come April 2013, says its Chief Executive Officer, Mark Lankester. Gujarat's vibrant economy is among the key factors in the budget hotel chain's decision to start its ventures in India from the state which is located in the Northwest, he said. "We have a full strategy for the whole of Gujarat. Normally we go into the big locations such as Delhi but we went with Gujarat first as when we looked at the history it is the best performing economy in the whole of India," he said. Hence, it is important for Tune Hotel to make its presence there first, he told Bernama in an exclusive interview. Apart from the economy, which saw an average annual growth rate of 10.4 per cent over the last five years, there is also a huge non-resident Indian traffic to Gujarat. "If you look at one state that has more citizens leaving aboard, it is Gujarat. There are about one million Gujaratis in the UK and another million in the US. They are all over the world, which is a huge market to be tapped into. "So, within Gujarat itself there is a strategy for five to six hotels ideally over the next three years," he said, adding that the first 100-room hotel would open this April in Motera, Ahmedabad. It would be followed by a 120-room hotel in Bhiwadi, Haryana, by end-2013 and a 200-room hotel near the New Delhi Railway Station early 2014. Besides Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai are the other major capitals that Tune Hotel would stamp its presence. Others in the pipeline are in Neemrana and Jaipur in Rajasthan, Chandigard, Punjab and Bhavnagar, Gujarat. The average room rate would be between Rs2,000 (RM114) and Rs2,500 (RM142). Unlike other hoteliers, Tune Hotel, he said was very much keen in the Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. "As a value hotel brand, often we go into a Tier 3 city. We could be the best thing that happened for that town and we could almost be the best hotel there. "I think for India, if you are going to have significant coverage you really need to be where the industrial areas are coming up, new commercial centres as well as places where the new capital regions are developing," said Mark. There is not enough supply of hotel rooms in India, "so, within India 100 hotels is easily achievable when you look at the demand and supply situation," he said when asked on the company's expansion plans in India. He disclosed that some of the value hotel chains in China have between 3,000 and 4,000 hotels. Asked on the business model for India, he said, it would be a mix of acquisition and/or joint venture with developers or pure management agreement. "India is such a big country, therefore, you got to be flexible. If you go in with very hard and fuss rules and say this is the only way we will operate, than, I think that will be a mistake for us," he said. Elaborating further, he said in India, domestic demand for hotel rooms were phenomenal, "and we love to go into countries where the domestic economy and the ability for domestic demand is always there whether it is business or leisure." There is different spin for India when it comes to demand, he said, pointing out to the "big fat Indian weddings" as a huge potential market for hoteliers. "Weddings takes a big part in demand for hotels in India. So, we are very much interested to ensure that we take part in the wedding process. If you're part of a family wedding, you want to house all of them in a single hotel," he said. Generally, the budget hotels in India have less than 100 rooms per hotel, but Tune Hotel would have between 100 and 200 rooms, which would make it easier for the hotel chain to capture this market, he said. "It is important for people to understand that we provide good value and customer service. We got to be competitive," he said, adding that Tune Hotel has been working on India for the past 42 months. The country with a population of 1.2 billion people offers immense opportunities and could potentially emerge as one of Tune Hotel's biggest market, said Mark.-- Bernama

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Inside court: Day one of Pistorius bail hearing - BBC News Posted: 20 Feb 2013 08:34 AM PST 19 February 2013 Last updated at 09:47 ET South African Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius has denied intending to murder his girlfriend on the night she was shot and killed at his home. Tweeting from the courtroom, the BBC's Andrew Harding(@BBCAndrewH) described the atmosphere in court and the emotional reaction of Oscar Pistorius as prosecutors and defence lawyers sparred over what happened on the night Reeva Steenkamp was shot and killed. 0600 GMT: Chaos in courthouse as journalists scramble for places at #OscarPistorius trial. Am 4th in queue.. Will that get me a seat? So much for the queue. Now waiting to be told which 10 journalists will be allowed into #OscarPistorius trial. 0700 GMT: Greetings from the benches of court C. #OscarPistorius bail hearing postponed from Friday to start soon. #OscarPistorius father and other friends and relatives sitting here. Cameras waiting for athlete to walk in. #OscarPistorius big power point projection screen on wall. Likely to be used for evidence. Hushed atmosphere now. 0800 GMT: #Pistorius arrives in court. Blue suit tie and shirt. Standing as magistrate tells photographers not to shoot or publish pictures. Pistorius head in hands crying. Prosecutor Nel addressing court. #OscarPistorius sitting a metre from me. Eyes shut now. Sobbing again. Jaw clenched. Hands in lap. Magistrate asks him if he's ok and understands proceedings. He replies "yes" in clear voice. #OscarPistorius still sobbing as prosecutor says he shot through closed door so premeditated murder even if he thought it was burglar. "Yes your worship" says #OscarPistorius to questions about court procedure. Now defence lawyer arguing 0900 GMT: #OscarPistorius sobbing hard now as defence continues. "May have been argument earlier" with Reeva but not proof of murder. No premeditation. No reason to think fact that door broken suggests guilt. He shot first then broke it to discover his mistake says defence lawyer. #OscarPistorius defence speculates that prosecution will argue that Reeva was scared and wanted to break up and hence premeditation. No evidence of premeditated murder says his lawyer. #OscarPistorius lawyer argues with passion. Much more forceful than prosecution. Prosecution now on attack. "Cold fact - I walk see closed door and I shoot... Deal with motive later." Prosecution: not like waking up with someone over your bed and shoot on instinct. No, he woke, put on legs, took gun and walked 7m to shoot. 1000 GMT: Prosecution says tiny bathroom. Nowhere for Reeva to go. #OscarPistorious leaves court for short break. Magistrate ensures no photos or video taken. #OscarPistorius is just back in court as Reeva Steencamp's memorial service ending. More discussions about the meaning of "premeditated" and the occasional joke from the magistrate Nair. #OscarPistorius silently mouths some words in anguish as magistrate mentions possibility of life imprisonment. 1100 GMT: #OscarPistorius magistrate gives blow to athlete's chances of bail with early ruling on premeditated murder not murder. For now. #OscarPistorius reacts with more tears then leaves court for another break. #OscarPistorius family gather in group to hold hands and hug. Magistrate says he could change ruling on premeditated murder at end of hearing. 1200 GMT: Prosecutor Nel tells me "a trial within a year" for #OscarPistorius. Back in session. Never seen someone so focused. #OscarPistorius stares straight ahead. Criminologist Laurie Pieters tell me SA law is "a marathon" and she worried about #OscarPistorius safety in jail. #OscarPistorius statement to court read by lawyer: "no intention to kill my girlfriend... No substance in allegation." Pistorius sobs. Pistorius describes night in detail. Compelling. Says Reeva must have gone to bathroom when he went to get fan from balcony. Pitch dark in bedroom. I thought intruder in bathroom. Used cricket bat to break door. I did not have my prosthetic legs on and felt extremely vulnerable. Horror and fear. 1300 GMT: #OscarPistorius friend now tells of serious relationship between Oscar and Reeva. They made each other laugh. Very much in love. Absolutely mortified by loss of Reeva. I trust South African legal system. Another friend says #OscarPistorius told him Reeva could be "the one" he would marry. When I reached the bed I realised Reeva not in bed. Dawned on me that she might be in the toilet. I shouted at Reeva to phone police. Knew I had to protect Reeva and myself. Friend of Reeva's calls #OscarPistorius a polite well mannered humble man. Epitome of gentleman. Reeva's friend says victim told her she would "probably say yes" if #OscarPistorius asked her to marry him Incredibly compelling testimony from #OscarPistorius and friends. "It just sounds true" says journalist beside me in court. Too scripted says a criminologist. Unconvinced. Statement by #OscarPistorius doesn't deal with reports of arguments at home that night. OscarPistorius hearing adjourns till tomorrow. State prosecution admits they need to do more work after defence statement.

Boehner, WH trade blame for sequester - CBS News Posted: 20 Feb 2013 08:18 AM PST With just a little over a week to avert them, it appears increasingly likely the $1.2 trillion in so-called sequester cuts will go into effect. That's left House Speaker John Boehner trading blame with the White House for the stalemate. Boehner penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal Tuesday evening called, "The President Is Raging Against a Budget Crisis He Created." He blasted President Obama for publicly shaming Republicans for failing to avert the sequester. Mr. Obama yesterday said that "Republicans have a choice" between putting the economy at risk, for the sake of protecting special interests, and compromising to protect investments in things like health care and national security. However, in his op-ed, Boehner charged that the public "might not realize from Mr. Obama's statements is that [the sequester] is a product of the president's own failed leadership." The $1.2 trillion sequester cuts, which were initially set to kick in on Jan. 1, emerged out of Congress' 2011 budget negotiations. Congress agreed that if a congressional "supercommittee" couldn't come up with an acceptable deficit reduction plan, Congress would just slash $1.2 trillion from the budget over 10 years -- half coming from defense spending and half from non-defense. Nearly everyone in Washington agrees that indiscriminately slashing $1.2 trillion would damage the economy, but lawmakers can't agree on a deficit reduction package with which to replace the cuts. Given the economic damage the sequester would inflict, Congress this year stalled the cuts for two months -- which is why they're set to go into effect in March. Unless Congress acts in the next week and a half, $85 billion in across-the-board cuts will kick in this year. Boehner argues, "There is nothing wrong with cutting spending that much--we should be cutting even more--but the sequester is an ugly and dangerous way to do it." Play Video March budget cuts: "Everybody loses" Boehner also blamed Mr. Obama for insisting on inserting the "sequester" plan into the 2011 budget deal. Originally, the speaker said Congress wanted a plan to stop debt limit increases if the "supercommittee" failed. "But President Obama," Boehner charged, "was determined not to face another debt-limit increase before his re-election campaign. Having just blown up one deal, the president scuttled this bipartisan, bicameral agreement. His solution? A sequester." Boehner said that Republicans are unwilling to agree to any more tax hikes in any plan to avert the sequester. "Mr. President, we agree that your sequester is bad policy," he wrote. "What spending are you willing to cut to replace it?" The White House was quick to respond, with White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer calling Boehner's op-ed "an amazing act of revisionist history." In a White House blog post, Pfeiffer notes said, "it was the Speaker who praised the sequester at the time." He notes that Boehner, in a 2011 interview with CBS News, said of the budget deal, "When you look at this final agreement that we came to with the White House, I got 98 percent of what I wanted. I'm pretty happy." He also noted that the 2011 deal passed in the GOP-led House of Representatives with the support of 174 Republicans, including Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. Pfeiffer points out that both Mr. Obama and congressional Democrats have put forward plans to avert the sequester and blasted Republicans for their resolute objections to closing any tax loopholes. He challed congressional Republicans to vote once more on the legislation the GOP passed last year to avert the sequester. "Where is the Republican plan? The GOP bill expired," he wrote. "If they're confident the draconian cuts will win support in Congress and more importantly - with the American people -- they should bring it up for a vote."

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