Muslim Brotherhood comes to America

(CNN) -- Sondos Asem has butterflies, formulating answers to questions she expects to be asked and practicing her diction with the devotion of a high school debate champion. The gentle 24-year-old graduate student at the American University in Cairo is in a hotel room in downtown New York, figuring out what to wear on national television. ("This blazer would look good, right?" "Should I wear more color?")

Like many young Egyptians, she's been tweeting the fallout after the 2011 uprising that brought down former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The stakes are higher than 140-character dispatches might suggest. Asem has emerged as an unlikely unofficial spokeswoman for the Muslim Brotherhood, helping to run its English-language Twitter feed, @Ikhwanweb, and in turn revamp the group's image in the West.

In no more than three lines, often using abbreviations and hyperlinks, she hashes out the views of the Brotherhood, the 83-year-old fountainhead of political Islam in the region and one of the most powerful organizations in Egypt. The Brotherhood's newly established political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, has won just under half of the seats in the country's new parliament -- more than any other group -- and will have a major hand in rewriting the country's constitution. Read More

Royal Mail refuses to use 1940s cartoons as stamps because they're anti-German,...... 'Are we supposed to airbrush out two world wars as well?'

Royal Mail has been accused of trying to airbrush the two world wars after postcards from the 1940s were banned for being offensive to Germans.

The light-hearted cartoon images feature Hitler, Hermann Goering and The Kaiser as part of a special edition of collector's stamps to mark tongue-in-cheek postcard manufacturer Bamforth's 140th birthday.

But Bamforth's Managing Director (MD) has slammed the decision to ban seven out of ten images from the collection. He said: 'The official at the Royal Mail's offices in Edinburgh said: "You can't have this one either - it's anti-Germanic".

'I said "Of course, it's anti-Germanic. There was a bloody war on". Are we supposed to airbrush out two world wars as well?' Read More

Tariq Jahan credited with helping to stop riots appears in court after 'punching man to the ground for staring at his wife'

A father who was credited with helping to bring an end to last summer's riots accused a man of staring at his wife before punching him to the ground, a court has heard.

Tariq Jahan, 46, allegedly assaulted Sajjad Ali after the pair got into an argument outside Mr Ali's workplace in Factory Road, Handsworth, on July 6 last year.

Mr Ali told Birmingham Crown Court that Mr Jahan drove up to him in his car and said: 'Oi, why you staring at me?' before getting out, coming up to him and then accusing him of 'staring at my missus'.

Mr Ali, 34, alleges he was grabbed by the throat by the defendant, punched in the face and knocked to the floor, then kicked or punched while he was on the ground.

Jahan, who denies one count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and inflicting grievous bodily harm, made an emotional appeal for peace just hours after the death of his 21-year-old son in Birmingham in August. Read More

"Batman" Arrested over Facebook Post

Iran bars Reuters over ninja 'assassin' error....No Surprise when you take a Youtube Video and Make up a Story around it to Suit that Weeks Headline

Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- Iran revoked the press cards of Reuters staff in the country after the news agency ran a mistaken headline saying Iran was training female Ninja assassins, Iran's official news agency reported Tuesday.

"All activities of the Reuters office in Tehran have been temporarily suspended," said Mohammad Javad Aghajari, the Culture Ministry foreign media department director general, IRNA said.

The controversy stems from a Reuters video showing women clad head to toe in black, running up walls and flipping backwards and diving and rolling over swords held at waist heights.

The Culture Ministry official accused Reuters of calling the martial arts students terrorists, when in fact they are "university students and housewives" who "engaged in this sport because of their love for the sport."

Reuters acknowledged the video report in February "contained an error" and that the headline was changed after a complaint. Read More

Amnesty warns civilians at risk in Mali

(CNN) -- Amnesty International has raised concerns about the safety of civilians in areas of northern Mali now controlled by Tuareg and Islamist rebels, citing reports of violence and looting.

The warning came as international pressure increased on the military junta that grabbed power last month in Mali's capital, Bamako.

"The armed groups who seized these towns in the last three days must ensure human rights abuses do not occur and where they do, they must take action and remove anyone implicated from their ranks," Gaetan Mootoo, Amnesty's West Africa researcher, said in a statement on the organization's website.

The Tuareg announced over the weekend that they had seized control of the northern regional capitals of Timbuktu and Gao, a major blow to the military government. Both towns are hundreds of miles north of Bamako. Read More

Mystery surrounds silencing of key al Qaeda websites

Key al Qaeda online forums have fallen silent in the past two weeks, leaving terrorism experts to wonder the cause and whether a key communications mode of the terror group and its affiliates has been purposely undermined.

The sites, where al Qaeda posts messages and jihadists and wannabe jihadists post messages and discussions regarding their ideology and loyalty, started disappearing on March 23, said Aaron Y. Zelin, a researcher in the Department of Politics at Brandeis University. Zelin also maintains the website Jihadology.net.

The outages were first reported by the Washington Post. No entity has claimed responsibility and U.S. officials contacted by CNN would not comment.

The online al Qaeda ecosystem starts with the different branches of al Qaeda - like al Qaeda central in Pakistan, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula based in Yemen or al Qaeda in Iraq - which produce messages through their own media production wings that are distributed by an entity known as al-Fajr Media, which then redistributes them to the various forums, Zelin explained.

"It is an authentication process" so the forums know the al Qaeda communications are legitimate since they come from the same media group, Zelin said. Read More

Analyses of enhanced video, audio could support both sides of Martin case

(CNN) -- Two new pieces of evidence appear to lend credence to opposing versions of what happened the night Trayvon Martin died.

Enhanced surveillance images of George Zimmerman, the man who admitted shooting the teen but claimed self-defense, appear to show a bump, mark or injury on the back of his head.
But two forensic audio experts said a voice crying for help on a 911 call does not appear to be Zimmerman's voice, despite claims to the contrary by his family.

Police in Sanford, Florida, released a new, higher-resolution surveillance video of Zimmerman entering the police station the night of Martin's death on February 26. The sharper footage shows an apparent bump, mark or injury on Zimmerman's head more clearly than a previously released video, which had a grainy quality. Read More

France opens probe after raids on Islamist radicals

(Reuters) - Thirteen members of a radical Islamist group arrested in police raids last week are being put under investigation on suspicion of terrorist activities, a public prosecutor said on Tuesday.

Nine of them will be held in custody during the inquiry, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins told a news conference, adding that the suspects had at one time discussed the possibility of kidnapping a judge in the city of Lyon.

Those under inquiry were among 19 arrested in swoops across several cities on March 30, a week after police killed Mohamed Merah, an al Qaeda-inspired gunman who shot dead seven people, including three Jewish children, in three separate attacks.

The killings turned internal security into a bigger campaign issue ahead of the April 22 opening round of a vote in which President Nicolas Sarkozy is seeking a second term but trails in the opinion polls behind Socialist rival Francois Hollande. Read More

Obama takes a shot at court over healthcare

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama took an opening shot at conservative justices on the Supreme Court on Monday, warning that a rejection of his sweeping healthcare law would be an act of "judicial activism" that Republicans say they abhor.

Obama, a Democrat, had not commented publicly on the Supreme Court's deliberations since it heard arguments for and against the healthcare law last week.

Known as the "Affordable Care Act" or "Obamacare," the measure to expand health insurance for millions of Americans is considered Obama's signature domestic policy achievement.

A rejection by the court would be a big blow to Obama going into the November 6 presidential election. Read More

U.S., Mexican leaders trade warnings on gun violence

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The explosion of drug-fueled violence along Mexico's border with the United States could harm relations between the two nations, President Barack Obama said Monday; Mexico's leader retorted that much of the problem of drugs and guns begins on the U.S. side of the line.

In the thick of political contests in both the United States and Mexico, Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon traded unusually direct claims about the cause and effect of the drug violence that has consumed a swath of northeastern Mexico. They were cordial and complimentary to one another, but did not hide the degree of worry on both sides about a six-year spasm of violence that has killed more than 47,000 people.

"It can have a deteriorating effect overall on the nature of our relationship," Obama said. "And that's something that we have to pay attention to."

Calderon made a government crackdown on warring drug cartels the hallmark of his six-year term, which expires later this year. His center-right party has seen its election chances fall in the face of a wide perception in Mexico that the crackdown has not worked. Read More

Southeast Asia nations, China bring rift to summit

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- New differences could undercut attempts by Southeast Asian countries and China to forge a pact aimed at preventing territorial conflicts from erupting into violence, diplomats said Tuesday at the start of a regional meeting.

The disputes in the South China Sea and North Korea's planned rocket launch this month are top security worries expected to feature prominently at a two-day summit of Southeast Asian leaders in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.

Myanmar, meanwhile, was basking in praise from colleagues for its recent democratic reforms. It was a marked reversal for the country, condemned for years for massive human rights violations, from its previous black sheep image at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' annual gathering. Read More

Ryan Leaf Arrested for the SECOND time in just four days for burglary and drug possession

Ryan Leaf, the former star quarterback of Washington State, has been arrested for a second time in just four days.

He is accused of committing another burglary two days after he posted bail on charges that he broke into a friend's home and stole prescription painkillers.

The Montana resident is now facing new charges of burglary, theft and two counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs. He also is being detained on a probation violation.

Leaf has been jailed in the Cascade County Detention Center although the details surrounding his latest arrest have not been made clear. Read More

Arizona passes state bill that would 'censor any offensive' remarks on the internet

A bill that passed in the Arizona state legislature could pose a major threat to freedom of speech in the state as it bans anything deemed ‘offensive’ that is published online.

Though it started as an attempt to curb online bullying, opponents see it as a major violation of the First Amendment.

The bill would ‘make unlawful any misuse of electronic or digital devices to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy, or offend in the course of stalking.’

‘It is unlawful for any person, with intent to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend, to use any electronic or digital device and use any obscene, lewd or profane language or suggest any lewd or lascivious act, or threaten to inflict physical harm to the person or property of any person.

‘It is also unlawful to otherwise disturb by repeated anonymous electronic or digital communications the peace, quiet or right of privacy of any person at the place where the communications were received.’

The bill, known as House 2549, passed on March 29 and is bound next for the governor's office. Read More

Trayvon Martin Case: Enhanced Image shows gashes on the back of Zimmerman's head

It was seen as bombshell evidence in the Trayvon Martin shooting case, but a newly enhanced police surveillance tape could now tip the scales in the shooter's favour.

The video, which shows George Zimmerman being led out of a police car shortly after the shooting in Sanford, Florida, was broadcast by ABC News last week.

The clip was then cleared up significantly for the network by Forensic Protection, Inc, and shown on Good Morning America today.

The enhancements show what appear to be marks or welts on the back of Zimmerman’s head.

The video reignited an already intense demand for Zimmerman’s arrest because it didn’t appear to show any of the injuries Zimmerman’s lawyer said his client suffered in a scuffle with Trayvon. Read More

'Al Qaeda: Coming soon again in New York': Mock movie poster warning of new terror plot sparks FBI investigation

Authorities are trying to identify the source of what appears to be a mock movie poster warning that Al Qaeda wants to come back to New York City.

The New York Police Department and the FBI discovered the graphic on the internet on Monday.

It features a photo of the city at sunset with 'Al Qaeda' in bold type followed by 'Coming Soon Again in New York'.

Both the FBI and the NYPD said investigators have found no evidence so far that the posting represents a credible threat against New Yorkers.

The graphic was seen on several Arabic-language websites, including gulfup.com, according to NYPD spokesman Paul Browne.

Browne said is was posted in the 'artwork and design' section.

It has since spread to numerous extremist forums.

The NYPD wrote in a press alert its Intelligence Division's cyber unit is investigating the origin and significance of the graphic.

'Until more is learned about their origin, we take all threats against New York City seriously,' read the statement. Read More

Armed Robber gang Jailed for their part in the £30k gems raid

This is the dramatic moment an armed robber, disguised as a Muslim woman in a burka, blagged his way into a jewellery store, and was followed by three accomplices who stole £30,000 of valuables in a gems raid.

He rang the bell of the Burnley store posing as a female customer, but as he was let in by unsuspecting staff, three of his gang followed wielding a rifle, sword and baseball bats.

They began smashing up the glass display cabinets and made off with their haul.

During the raid last February, the gunmen pointed the rifle at the staff as they put up their hands in fear. Read More

Jailed:

• Rais Atcha, 20, was jailed for 12 years,
• Fahim Kola, 19, got ten years and eight months
• Mohammed Asif Khan, 26, was given nine years and four months
• Baber Khan, 25, was jailed for ten years and eight months

Eurozone turmoil deepens as unemployment reaches record high but UK dodges double-dip as economy grows by 0.3%

Britain has dodged a double-dip recession but the crisis in the eurozone is deepening with unemployment at a record high, according to the latest figures.

The UK economy grew by 0.3 per cent in the first three months of the year, having shrunk by the same amount at the end of 2011, the British Chambers of Commerce said.

The return to growth – which means Britain has avoided a new recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of decline – came as factory output rose at its fastest pace for ten months in March.

The BCC’s quarterly economic survey, published today, predicts growth of just 0.6 per cent in Britain this year – compared to the 0.8 per cent expected by the Treasury.

It warned that high oil and food prices are hitting family budgets and added that ‘the unresolved problems in the eurozone may trigger new upheavals later this year’. Read More

'Girls Around Me' app withdrawn after concerns it made 'stalking women easy'

A controversial mobile app which allowed users to pinpoint locations of women nearby and access their full name, photos, and send them messages has been taken off the market due to safety concerns.

The Girls Around Me application worked by taking GPS data from Foursquare and searched for women in the immediate area who have also checked in on the location-based mobile service.

The app, made by Russian company iFree Innovations, was previously available on iTunes.

The app’s less-than-careful data sharing had caused considerable concern last week, with many lambasting the app for making stalking easy and taking advantage of those who don’t understand privacy policies of social media. Read More

Moynul Haque stabbed his father to death in row over moving a TV into his bedroom is jailed for just five years but could be out in TWO

A teenager has been jailed for five years after admitting stabbing his stepfather to death in a row over a television.

Moynul Haque, 18, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mohammed Zillur-Rahman, 43, an imam at Chadwell Heath mosque, east London, at the Old Bailey in February.

He was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court in north London to five years in a Young Offenders’ Institute but could now be released in just two years as he has already served six months on remand.

Haque was 17 when the dispute broke out at the family home in Melford Avenue, Barking, in October last year.

An argument over Haque moving a television into his bedroom led to him picking up a knife from the kitchen and stabbing Mr Zillur-Rahman once in the heart after a struggle. Read More