Court gives green signal to Hanks case against builders

October 7th, 2009 Cleric in CIA kidnap trial seeks millionsMILAN — An Egyptian cleric allegedly kidnapped from a Milan street in 2003 as part of the CIA's extraordinary rendition program on Wednesday asked for euro10 million (nearly $15 million) in damages from the American and Italian defendants charged in his abduction. Carmelo Scambia, lawyer for Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, said his client has been left deaf in one ear and suffering problems with balance and walking.

October 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Thursday sought the central government's reply to a lawsuit by the Uttar Pradesh government challenging acquisition of 21 acres of land to widen the state's link road connecting the Commonwealth Games village to Noida. A bench of Chief Justice K.G.

September 24th, 2009 Widow: Debt collectors hounded husband to deathTAMPA, Fla. — A widow claims that debt collectors hounded her husband to death with as many as nine caustic calls per day, causing stress that contributed to his fatal heart attack.

September 23rd, 2009 Grandmother gets 44 months in green-card scamDALLAS — A Texas grandmother who acknowledged running a scheme in which her family members married scores of foreigners seeking to stay in the United States was sentenced Wednesday to nearly four years in prison. Maria Refugia Camarillo, 72, her graying hair pulled back in a ponytail, used a walker during her court appearance and sat calmly as she was sentenced to 44 months in federal prison.

September 23rd, 2009 Prosecutors make closing arguments at CIA trialMILAN — Prosecutors are making closing arguments in the trial of 26 Americans and seven Italians accused of orchestrating a CIA-led kidnapping of an Egyptian terror suspect. Prosecutor Armando Spataro's arguments Wednesday signal the final phase of the first trial in any country involving the CIA's extraordinary renditions program.

September 20th, 2009 LONDON - Hundreds of Britons may lose their holiday homes in Goa after falling foul of changes in local laws and scams by builders and lawyers, a British newspaper reported Sunday. The Sunday Times said British buyers had originally been told by local lawyers and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) that they could legally own property if they set up an Indian company and made the transaction through it.

September 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government Thursday put up for public debate its proposal to start an autonomous National Environment Protection Authority (NEPA). here. "The idea behind NEPA is to create an independent professional regulatory institution that would be responsible for monitoring and compliance of environmental standards," Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said at a press conference here.

September 17th, 2009 NYC synagogue bomb defendants may claim entrapmentWHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Four ex-convicts accused of plotting to bomb synagogues and shoot down military planes apparently will claim they were lured into the conspiracy with gifts including cash and fried chicken.

September 15th, 2009 Ohio death row inmate denied stayCOLUMBUS, Ohio — A man who raped and stabbed to death a 14-year-old girl did not expect any visitors in the hours before his Tuesday execution, and no family or friends planned to watch him die. The 35-year-old Romell Broom was to be executed at 10 a.m.

September 14th, 2009 LA film producers convicted in Thai bribery caseLOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles filmmaking couple has been convicted of bribing Thai officials so they could run the Bangkok International Film Festival and land other projects. Gerald and Patricia Green each could receive up to life in prison after a federal jury on Friday convicted them of conspiracy and money laundering.

September 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The historic Jama Masjid is all set to get a facelift with the Delhi High Court Monday giving the green signal to the city civic agency to start re-development work at the site. Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Reva Khetrapal gave their nod to the development work planned by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and directed the agency to inform the court about the work schedule by Dec 15, the next date of hearing.

September 11th, 2009 Deliberations begin in Thai film bribery caseLOS ANGELES — Jurors have begun deliberating the case against a film-making couple accused of bribing Thai officials so they could run a film festival in Bangkok. The seven-man, five-woman jury on Friday weighed whether Gerald and Patricia Green are guilty of conspiracy, money laundering and other counts.

September 4th, 2009 Former soldier to be sentenced in rape, murdersPADUCAH, Ky. — A former soldier is scheduled to be sentenced to life in prison without parole for the rape and murder of an Iraqi teenager and the shooting deaths of three of her family members.

September 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Arvind Shukla, a lawyer appearing for gangster Abu Salem, was Wednesday robbed of his mobile phone, police said. According to police, Shukla was robbed of his mobile phone, which was in his car, at a traffic signal of Shastri Park in northeast Delhi.

August 31st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Kerala Government over the state Governor's permission to CBI to prosecute Pinarayi Vijayan. The apex court was hearing the petition filed by Vijayan, challenging the governor's sanction for his prosecution by the CBI.