Seven pilgrims killed in attack in Iraq

The pilgrims, all males, were carrying black flags and chanting religious songs before the attack, the official said.

Authorities are searching for the assailants, the official said.

Salman Pak — also referred to as al-Madaen — is a predominately Sunni town. It was controlled by al Qaeda in Iraq before the Iraqi security forces managed to gain control of much the area. Still, there are al Qaeda in Iraq cells in villages around the town.

Over the past few days, hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims started walking toward Kadhimiya, a Shiite neighborhood, for the annual commemoration of al-Kadhim’s death. Many have traveled — either by foot or by car — from across the country, especially southern Shiite provinces.

Brig. Gen Qassim Atta, spokesman for the Baghdad security plan, said at a news conference Sunday, “A large number of security forces have deployed to provide security for the pilgrims by establishing checkpoints and by sending foot patrols and preparing additional forces to deal with emergencies.”
Atta said people going into Kadhimiya are not allowed to carry weapons, bags, cell phones or any type of communication devices like radios.

He also warned pilgrims about taking food or drinks from people they don’t know and not to believe rumors about suicide bombers. During the pilgrimage in 2005, about 1000 pilgrims died in a stampede that grew from a rumor of a suicide bomber.

Atta said he has more than 200 women conducting searches in Kadhimiya because of a rise in female suicide bombers.

The Imam Moussa al-Kadhim’s shrine is one of Shiite Islam’s holiest sites.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/27/iraq.main/index.html

India on alert as death toll from bombs rises

“There hasn’t been any outbreak of violence,” said Ahmedabad police Cpl.-in-charge M.N. Raghela. “The army, police and paramilitary forces are patrolling the city, and residents are being very supportive.”

Seventeen low intensity blasts went off within a span of 70 minutes Saturday night, all within a 6-mile (10-km) radius.

By 4:15 p.m. Sunday (6:45 a.m. ET), the death toll had climbed to 49. The official number of wounded is 114, according to Ahmedabad police, but Raghela said the number of injuries surpassed 200.
The serial blasts occurred barely 24 hours after nine similar explosions rocked Bangalore, known as the Silicon Valley of India. Two people were killed and six injured in those explosions.

In both cities, bicycles, bags and lunch boxes were repositories for the bombs, authorities said.

“It is a conspiracy to unsettle the country,” Union Minister of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal told CNN-IBN Saturday.
Police recovered two unexploded bombs around Ahmedabad Sunday. One was found in a garbage receptacle; the second by the side of the road, police said.

One of Saturday’s explosions hit a bus stop, while others detonated at a railway station and on a bus. Several also went off at, or close to, hospitals where the injured were being taken.

Authorities raided an apartment rented by an American in Mumbai, 338 miles (545 km) away after tracing an e-mail that claimed responsibility for the blasts, CNN’s sister network CNN-IBN reported Sunday.

The apartment resident claimed that his Internet account had been hacked a few days ago, the television station said.

Authorities are also investigating another email sent to Muslim actors who are part of the Mumbai-based Indian film industry. The email reportedly asked them to stop working, the television station said.

No arrests have been made, although police reportedly rounded up 30 individuals in connection with the blasts, CNN-IBN added.

The network was among several media outlets to receive an e-mail, purportedly from the Muslim militant group Indian Mujahedeen, warning about an attack. The message was also sent to the country’s Intelligence Bureau.
But afterward, the Islamic militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJi) — or the Movement of the Islamic Holy War — claimed responsibility for the bombings, CNN-IBN said.

Analysts say that cross-pollination between terror groups can make it difficult to distinguish between them.

India ranks among the countries where terrorism is most common, according to the U.S. State Department.

Authorities do not know the motive for the Ahmedabad blasts but have blamed past attacks on Islamic militants, alleging they were fomenting unrest between the country’s Hindu majority and Muslim minority.

Ahmedabad, the largest city in Gujarat state, was the scene of deadly Hindu-Muslim riots in 2002 that left about 1,000 people dead.
The violence was sparked after 60 Hindu pilgrims died in a train fire. While the cause of the blaze was not clear, some Hindus blamed Muslims for the blaze and retaliated.

The two groups claiming responsibility for Saturday’s blasts have a history of similar acts.

HuJi is blamed for several attacks inside India, including one at the American Centre in Calcutta that killed five policemen in 2002.

It is also banned in neighboring Bangladesh where the group is accused of carrying out several attacks, including a foiled plot to kill the country’s former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, in 2002.

The United States considers Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJi) a terrorist organization.

The second group, Indian Mujahedeen, claimed responsibility in May for near-simultaneous bomb attacks that killed 63 people in the northwest Indian city of Jaipur. In that attack, the group declared “open war” against India in retaliation for what it said were 60 years of Muslim persecution and the country’s support of United States policies.
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The group also claimed responsibility for a series of similar attacks outside courts in three north Indian cities in the state of Uttar Pradesh in November 2007. More than a dozen people were killed and 80 injured.

In May, security analysts described Indian Mujahedeen as a relatively unknown group. It may be a new home-grown terror network, an alias for an existing group or a foreign militant organization.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/27/india.blasts/index.html

Canadian community first to go completely solar

Canadian community first to go completely solar

Canadian community first to go completely solar

Canadian community first to go completely solar

Drake Landing solar Community is setting a huge precedence and holding the bar high for energy efficient building.

Canadian community first to go completely solar

Microsoft BrowserRank versus Google PageRank

Nevertheless, some of Microsoft’s arguments about Google’s PageRank system are well founded. SEO, search engine optimization, is an actual business function. There are people who claim to be experts, but if you’ve ever worked with one, you’d know that they cannot guarantee results, merely an understanding of some of the ways in which Google works. Do a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, and hope it works out for you.

On the other hand, there are businesses that thrive, and are extremely profitable, and all they do is game Google search traffic. We’ve all been there, a page that ranks high, seems to be relevant, but is just a set of paid links. This kind of thing is akin to the prevalence of viruses on Windows: when you are popular and ubiquitous, you are prone to more attacks, and unsavory practices.

However, BrowserRank does raise some interesting points. It tries to judge a page by its usage, which kind of means popularity,too. This makes it great for well trafficked sites, perhaps. Interestingly enough, the Microsoft researchers admit that the paucity of data that would be attached to the tail pages of a site, in other words places where user data is sparse, would require some sort of page ranking algorithm, akin to Google’s.

BrowserRank collects user data from the browser and server side of the process. The researchers are very clear in saying that they used a large group of users to verify their claims that BrowserRank was a better measurement than PageRank, and that it was “under legal agreements with them.” Perhaps a sign that Microsoft is sensitive to the notion that it is collecting more personal data than Google may be, or just sensitive in general? On the other hand, doesn’t something like an Alexa toolbar also rank your site based on its usage?

The pdf of the original research paper can be found here . BrowserRank seems to be a finesse approach to page rankins in search, while PageRank goes for volume. Does Microsoft have a version 1, 2, and 3 of search in the offering? We know that it is only on version 3 that Redmond kind of manages to play the game as it ought to be played.
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/38586/118/

Escaped spammer murders family, commits suicide

The surviving teenager was shot in the neck, but was able to run to a nearby house and call for help. An 8-month-old boy was found in the car, unharmed.

Between 2003 and 2005, Davidson sent thousands of spam emails advertising various products and services. He became immensely wealthy and court documents show he deposited upwards of $3.5 million into his bank accounts during that time.

U.S. Attorney Troy Eid says the situation is a nightmare and called Davidson a “coward”.
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/38592/118/

Qantas 747 makes emergency landing after door blows out

The pilot made an emergency descent from 30000 feet to approximately 10000 feet and eventually landed in the Philippines to the thunderous applause of the relieved passengers.

Such explosive decompressions aren’t anything new and they do happen from time to time because of faulty maintenance or metal fatigue. But some experts are already blaming the explosion on a bomb. Sky News interviewed David Learmount, an editor at Flight International magazine, who said some kind of explosive in the suitcase might have caused the explosion.
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/38593/113/

FDIC takes over two more failed banks

Two weeks after the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp seized IndyMac Bancorp Inc., the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said it closed First National Bank of Nevada and First Heritage Bank NA of California.

First National, characterized as undercapitalized, had total assets of $3.4 billion and $3 billion in deposits. First Heritage, described as critically undercapitalized, had assets of $254 million and $233 million in deposits, regulators said.
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Bill Uffelman of the Nevada Bankers Association said Friday the FDIC action “is a reflection of the times for the banks. It’s a poor economy.”

Uffelman cautioned against the sort of consumer concern that prompted many customers of IndyMac Bank branches to wait for hours in line to withdraw funds across Southern California last week after that bank was seized by federal regulators. All FDIC-insured bank deposits are guaranteed by the FDIC up to $100,000, he noted.

Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons said the bank takeover will be closely monitored in Nevada “to ensure there’s minimal disruption to business and that employees’ jobs are protected as much as possi
The FDIC said the 28 offices of the two banks will reopen on Monday as Mutual of Omaha Bank. Over the weekend, customers can access their money by writing checks, using automatic teller machines or debit cards.

Mutual of Omaha Bank currently has more than $750 million in assets and operates 14 retail branches in Nebraska and Colorado with commercial lending offices in Dallas and Des Moines, Iowa, the FDIC said.

It is a subsidiary of Mutual of Omaha, a 99-year-old insurance and financial services company with more than $19 billion in total assets.

Warnings of more failures
Top banking regulators have warned of additional insolvencies this year and next, but for now do not expect failures the size of IndyMac, which had $32 billion in assets and $19 billion in total deposits at the end of March.

IndyMac, the third largest U.S. bank failure, was regulated by the Office of Thrift Supervision and is expected to deplete the FDIC’s insurance fund by between $4 billion and $8 billion.

IndyMac is being run by the FDIC while the agency looks to sell its assets.

The FDIC oversees an industry-funded reserve of about $53 billion used to insure up to $100,000 per deposit and $250,000 per individual retirement account at insured banks.

The agency also has a running tally of problem banks that its examiners closely monitor. At the end of the first quarter, 90 institutions were on the list that is expected to be updated next month.
First Heritage of Newport Beach, California, had three branches with customers comprised mostly of corporations, while First National of Reno, Nevada, had 25 branches. Both were owned by First National Bank Holding Co of Scottsdale, Arizona.

In addition to assuming all the deposits, Mutual of Omaha Bank will purchase about $200 million of assets and pay the FDIC a 4.41 premium to assume the deposits.

None of the entities are publicly traded.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25857049/

Obama in London for talks with UK leaders

The pair made the most of the sunshine by sitting outside on the patio, even taking a stroll toward adjacent St. James’s Park — much to the surprise of nearby tourists.

“The prime minister’s emphasis, like mine, is on how we can strengthen the transatlantic relationship to solve problems that can’t be solved by any single country individually,” Obama told reporters outside Downing Street after the meeting.

Those problems, Obama said, include climate change, international terrorism and turmoil in world financial markets. Obama and Brown also discussed cooperation in resolving the problems in the Middle East and burden-sharing in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It was a spectacular day and I’m glad to be here,” Obama said.

Earlier, Obama met with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who now serves as the Middle East envoy for the “quartet” of the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations.

Following his meeting with Brown, Obama met with opposition leader David Cameron, head of the Conservative Party, before heading back to the United States.

Obama’s trip has taken him through the Middle East and Europe, starting with Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Israel and the West Bank and finishing with Germany, France and Britain.

Though Obama joked with the British press that London was the highlight for him, his trip has included several other moments that have garnered positive international headlines — most recently a Friday news conference in Paris with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and a speech in Berlin on Thursday to some 200,000 people.
The Democratic candidate admitted his ratings may have slipped in the United States since he’s been away, as Americans focus more on domestic problems like gas prices and home foreclosures than on his travels abroad. But he said he still considers the trip important.

“The reason that I thought this trip was important is that I am convinced that many of the issues that we face at home are not going to be solved as effectively unless we have strong partners abroad and unless we get a handle on Iraq and Afghanistan,” Obama said.

The military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said, are costing America money that could be better spent on rebuilding the U.S. economy.

“This was important for me not only to try to highlight or amplify how the international situation affects our economy back home, but also hopefully to give people at home and also leaders abroad some sense of where an Obama administration might take our foreign policy,” he said.
Obama’s staff has repeatedly said the tour is not political and not intended as a campaign trip, although Obama’s meetings with troops and world leaders were designed to boost his foreign policy credentials and help voters back home envision him as commander-in-chief.

The warm atmosphere in Paris — where Sarkozy repeatedly called Obama a friend — continued in London, and not just because of the warm summer temperatures that finally settled on the British capital this week.
Obama and Brown were shown laughing and smiling as they walked together, and Obama reiterated to reporters that the special relationship between Britain and America continues.

“I think there’s a deep and abiding affection for the British people in America and a fascination with all things British that is not going to go away any time soon,” Obama said.

He countered criticism from his rival, Republican John McCain, for abruptly canceling a visit to see U.S. troops stationed in Germany as he traveled through the country this week. An Obama spokesman initially said it was deemed “inappropriate” to meet with the troops, to which a McCain spokesman said it should never be inappropriate.
The Democrat explained he canceled the visit out of concern it would be perceived as a campaign opportunity.

“That triggered, then, a concern that maybe our visit was going to be perceived as politics,” he said. “The last thing that I want to do is have injured soldiers and the staff at these wonderful institutions having to sort through whether this is political or not.”

Britain was a low-key stop on Obama’s itinerary, in part because no major events were planned. Brown also decided not to greet the U.S. senator on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street because he didn’t grant the same honor to McCain when the Republican visited in March.

That protocol comes at a difficult time politically for the British prime minister, who could have benefited from a photo opportunity with a man so hugely popular in Europe. Brown’s Labor Party lost a local election this week in what had been considered safe territory for the party, adding to existing political woes for Brown and raising questions about his future as prime minister.
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Asked by a British reporter whether he had any advice for Brown, Obama said no — but he said elected officials must always be prepared to deal with a fickle public.

“You’re always more popular before you’re actually in charge of things and then, once you’re responsible, then you’re going to make some people unhappy. That’s just the nature of politics,” he said. “Even during the course of this campaign, there have been months when I’m (considered) a genius and there are months when I’m (considered) an idiot.”
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/26/obama.london/index.html

Investigation into Qantas jet emergency begins

According to early reports, a section of the fuselage separated in the forward cargo compartment, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said in a written statement.

“Our preliminary checks on this indicate that there was no corrosion anywhere near where this hole occurred in the aircraft,” Geoff Dixon, Qantas CEO, said in Sydney.

Video of the plane after it landed on Friday showed a large hole where the leading edge of the wing attaches to the fuselage.
The section of the fuselage separated at about 29,000 feet, and the cabin began to rapidly decompress, ATSB said in the statement released Friday.

The crew brought the plane down to 10,000 feet and diverted the aircraft to Manila International Airport, where it landed safely about 11:15 a.m. (11:15 p.m. ET Thursday).

The airline said it received no reports of any injuries among the 346 passengers and 19 crew members.
Dixon called the incident a “hugely serious issue” and one that investigators would sort out. “We can’t speculate on what happened.”

Oxygen masks were deployed during the emergency. Passengers said their ears popped because of the plane’s rapid descent to a lower altitude.
“There was an almighty crack,” one passenger said. “We dropped a bit in the air, but other than that it was fine.”

“There was a big bang,” said another. “I knew there was a hole somewhere, but I didn’t know what was going on.” iReport.com: See photos of the ‘nasty’ damage

The Boeing 747-400 flight originated in London. It had just taken off from Hong Kong and was en route to Melbourne, Australia, when it was forced to land.

A U.S. Transportation Security Administration official, who asked not to be identified because his agency is not leading the probe into the incident, told CNN that a preliminary investigation found no connection to terrorism.

The damage appears to be related to a mechanical issue, based on examination of the aircraft on the ground, the official said.

The official said a TSA representative based in Manila is assisting in the investigation.

The National Transportation Safety Board also is sending investigators, and an NTSB spokesman said the agency also does not suspect terrorism.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/26/jet.emergency/index.html

Karadzic lawyer quiet on extradition appeal

Lawyer Svetozar Vujacic was quoted by the Politika daily as saying the appeal was mailed from a post office, but he declined to say which one, so the letter could not be immediately identified and rushed to the court handling Karadzic’s extradition.

But, speaking with reporters on Saturday, Vujacic declined to give any details.

“I cannot say anything about the appeal, where or when I filed it or what is in it,” he said. “Had I talked about it, the appeal would already be rejected and Radovan Karadzic would already be on his way to The Hague.”

Karadzic faces charges including genocide and conspiracy to commit genocide, for allegedly masterminding the 1995 slaughter of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica — Europe’s worst massacre since World War II.
Once Serb judges decide on the appeal, the case will be handed over to the Serbian government, which issues the final extradition order.
Karadzic was a fugitive for over a decade before he was arrested. Government officials say he was captured Monday but Vujacic claims Karadzic was apprehended the previous week on a Belgrade bus and held incommunicado by unknown kidnappers for three days.
Vujacic has filed a lawsuit against Karadzic’s alleged abductors. Responding to the lawsuit, a prosecutor spoke to Karadzic about the claims Friday, Vujacic said.

Vujacic also says his client plans to defend himself against U.N. genocide charges, just as his mentor, former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, did. Milosevic died in 2006 while on trial on genocide charges.
In Serbia, Karadzic’s arrest has sparked nationalist anger.

Several hundred ultranationalists — chanting Karadzic’s name and denouncing Serbian President Boris Tadic — marched Friday for the third straight day of protests in downtown Belgrade in support of Karadzic.

The demonstrators briefly scuffled with riot police and hurled burning torches at the Belgrade City Council building.

Since his capture, more possible news on Karadzic’s nearly 13 years under cover emerged.

Serbia’s Vecernje Novosti newspaper Saturday published an interview with Karadzic’s nephew, Dragan Karadzic, claiming he was the only one who knew his uncle the fugitive had assumed a false identity of “Dragan Dabic.”

“I was his only link to the family and to the outside world,” the nephew was quoted as saying, adding he regularly met with Karadzic, helped him with renting different apartments over the past six years and bringing him supplies.
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“I am not afraid of the consequences,” Dragan Karadzic said. “To me, he isn’t a fugitive, he is my uncle, my father’s brother.”

On Friday, Austrian police Col. Rudolf Golia told The Associated Press that anti-terror units found a man who looked exactly like the fugitive Karadzic’s assumed identity while searching an apartment in Vienna for a murder suspect last year. The man was not connected to the killing, and he was let go without being fingerprinted
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/07/26/karadzic.fallout.ap/index.html