Teenage killings in UK drop 30% in one year

Some of the teenagers who died in 2009 The number of teenagers killed violently in the UK has fallen by 30% in one year, BBC research has found. The BBC teen homicide database, which records murder and manslaughter cases, shows 51 10 to 19-year olds lost their lives in 2009 compared with 72 in 2008. Most 2009 victims were male and half of all those killed were stabbed. Twelve were beaten and two were shot. Police say anti-knife crime tactics explain the drop, but critics argue it is too early to make such conclusions. Latest victim The BBC News website's database shows that of the 51 young people killed so far this year, the youngest was just 10 years old and the oldest 19. The most common ages of victims were 17 and 18. Most of the victims were white and male - just nine of the 51 were girls. While England saw the vast majority of cases, Scotland had eight, Wales three and Northern Ireland two. Map of teenage homicides Of all cities, London had most deaths - with 13 of its teenage residents losing their lives to violence. However, this is a significant drop from 26 in 2007 and 29 in 2008. The news comes just days after another teenager was stabbed to death in the capital. Art student Salum Kombo, 18, was found dead with stab wounds in east London on Sunday. The only other cities to see more than..... for more pls Visit :http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8424574.stm

Pakistan court orders ears and noses to be cut off

A Pakistani court has ordered that two men have their ears and noses cut off, as punishment for doing the same to a woman who refused to marry one of them. The two brothers were found guilty of kidnapping 20-year-old Fazeelat Bibi, one of their cousins, in September. The judge in Lahore also sentenced them to life in prison and a fine of $2,000. Sentence was passed on Monday under a rarely invoked Islamic law dating from the 1980s. In the past similar sentences have been revoked on appeal. 'Eye for an eye' Government prosecutor Ehtisham Qadir said the punishment had been awarded in accordance with the Islamic principle of "an eye for an eye". Sher Mohammad and ..... for more : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8425820.stm

Nefertiti 'could return to Egypt'

She was considered Egypt's most beautiful queen, but Nefertiti's iconic image has stood in Germany for the last 100 years. Now officials from both countries are talking about the Germans possibly "lending" her statue back to Egypt. The Egyptians claim they were tricked into letting the bust go in the first place. Rawya Rageh reports.

Source: Al Jazeera

Snow storms wreak havoc in US

Fierce snow storms have wrought havoc across the western United States, hitting transport networks and leaving thousands of travellers stranded. Forecasters say that more than 50 centimetres of snow could fall in some parts of the country, and that it could prove to be the most severe snow storm for a decade. Tarek Bazley reports.

Source: Al Jazeera

General is now with 'LTTE camp'

President Rajapaksa has launched his campaign by paying his respects to Sri Maha Bodhi amd Ruwanweliseya on Monday

The former military commander is currently with the Tamil Tigers camp, a senior Sri Lankan government minster has accused.

Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said there could be a threat to Gen Sarath Fonseka's life "from his own camp".

The minister was responding to claims by former chief of defence staff (CDS) that his life is in danger as result of government reducing his security.

Gen Fonseka who formally announced his candidacy against incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming presidential elections, has complained that the security provided to him by the government is inadequate.

President Rajapaksa's allies say that there could be a threat to Gen Sarath Fonseka's life "from his own camp", not from the government

Speaking to journalists in Colombo on Monday, Minister Alahapperuma said "friends of the LTTE" and "those who spent all of their life for the LTTE" are in Gen Fonseka's camp....

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India nuclear leak 'inside job'

The Kaiga plant is highly protected (Photo: K Venkatesh)

A "disgruntled" worker could be behind the leak of a radioactive substance into drinking water at an atomic power plant in southern India, police say.

Preliminary investigations suggested it was an "inside job", a senior police officer told the BBC.

Police have moved into the Kaiga plant on the west coast of India, 450km (280 miles) from the city of Bangalore.

Fifty-five workers needed medical help for exposure to radiation after tritium contaminated a water cooler.

The Kaiga plant is highly protected and outsiders have little access to it.

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World Elders appeal to Mahinda

	The Archbishop says The Elders are deeply worried about the IDPs' plight

A group of world leaders have directly appealed to the president of Sri Lanka to protect the rights of the civilians displaced by the recently ended civil war.

The Elders, a group of eminent global leaders, have said that they are “deeply worried” about the humanitarian situation faced by the largely Tamil civilian population who fled their homes during the decades of civil war.

Archbishop reverend Desmond Tutu who has signed the letter on behalf of the elders, in an exclusive interview with the BBC Tamil Service said that displaced Tamil persons be allowed to return as quickly as possible to their homes.

The letter also says that the Sri Lankan government “must ensure” that the rights of the refugees are respected.

Concerned about reconciliation

Aid organisations should be allowed to participate in the return of the refugees said Rev Desmond Tutu.

Rev Desmond Tutu also says that The Elders group are particularly concerned about what is going to happen with regard to reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

	Nelson Mandela is the founder of The Elders group

“The government has obviously won a military victory, but that is just a beginning” observed Rev Tutu and said that he hoped that the president and his government will take bold actions and be magnanimous.

He also says that they had written to the president expressing their concerns during the conflict urging restraint calling on the government to ensure that the atrocities that they heard about should not be allowed to continue.

Rev Tutu says that the Sri Lankan government generally ignored and violated human rights issues during the war.

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