Liberian government official reportedly shot and killed by gang

October 30th, 2009 US rubber company disputes Liberia pollution studyMONROVIA, Liberia — An American-owned rubber company is disputing claims by the Liberian government that the company's waste products are polluting creeks. The Liberian government says a three-month investigation found high levels of orthophosphate being released into the water.

October 29th, 2009 Liberian study finds US rubber company pollutingMONROVIA, Liberia, — Liberia's government says waste products from the American-owned Firestone Rubber Plantation Company are polluting nearby creeks. Firestone spokesman Rufus Karmoh said Thursday that Firestone will continue to work with the country's Environmental Protection Agency to address the recommendations in the government's report.

October 23rd, 2009 Kenyan court frees leader of notorious gangNAIROBI, Kenya — A Kenyan court has released the leader of a gang notorious for beheading its victims after prosecutors dropped 28 murder charges against him. It was not immediately clear why prosecutors dropped the charges against Maina Njenga on Friday.

October 20th, 2009 Calif. gang member added to FBI's Top 10 listLOS ANGELES — A Southern California man wanted for the deaths of two rival gang members, his girlfriend and another person has been added to the FBI's top 10 most wanted list. Authorities announced Tuesday in Los Angeles that 34-year-old Jose Luis Saenz fills one of three vacancies on the FBI's list.

October 8th, 2009 Attacks on Guatemalan police kill 2, wound 3GUATEMALA CITY — A series of attacks on police in Guatemala has killed two officers and wounded three. Interior Minister Raul Velasquez says the attacks appear to be retaliation by criminals, but did not point to a specific gang.

September 22nd, 2009 Los Angeles cops take on notorious street gangLOS ANGELES — More than a thousand law enforcement officers descended on the homes belonging to key members of a notorious street gang that has defied authorities for decades. Prosecutors say the Avenues have terrorized a Los Angeles neighborhood for years and preyed on community members, with two named suspects accused of attacking a resident in a parking lot then shooting him to death when he tried to call for help.

September 13th, 2009 China jails gangsters for riot over teen's deathBEIJING — China sentenced 23 members of a gang to jail for up to 20 years for crimes including the involvement in rioting last year over police handling of a teenage girl's death, a court said Sunday. About 30,000 people set fire to government buildings and overturned vehicles in Guizhou province's county of Weng'an in July last year, following a police report on the death of a 17-year-old girl.

September 9th, 2009 Salvadoran police arrest 5 in slaying of FrenchmanSAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — Four alleged gang members and a police officer have been arrested in the slaying of French documentary filmmaker Christian Poveda, Salvadoran authorities said Wednesday. Howard Cotto, subdirector of investigations for the national police, identified the arrested officer as Jose Napoleon Espinoza, an agent assigned to the 911 emergency phone system in Soyapango outside the capital, San Salvador.

September 6th, 2009 Remains of hundreds killed in Liberia reburiedKPOLOKPAI, Liberia — The bones and skulls of hundreds of people killed 15 years ago near the small Liberian village of Kpolokpai were transported in wheelbarrows to a marked mass grave where they were buried during a formal ceremony Sunday. The church service honoring the dead is intended to try to put to rest this particular chapter in Liberia's 14-year civil war, which killed an estimated 250,000 people.

August 27th, 2009 Charges sought against Liberian girl's parentsPHOENIX — Phoenix police are seeking felony child abuse charges against the parents of an 8-year-old Liberian girl who was allegedly raped by four young boys. Police didn't name the adults, but reports accompanying the referral for charges identify the parents as the subject of the probe.

August 10th, 2009 Liberian boy pleads not guilty in child rape casePHOENIX —A Liberian teenager charged as an adult in the gang rape of an 8-year-old girl from the same country pleaded not guilty on Monday. The 14-year-old appeared by video for the hearing in Phoenix, wearing a jail uniform.

August 3rd, 2009 Liberian official wants to meet rape victimPHOENIX — Liberia's deputy ambassador will travel to Phoenix in hopes of meeting with an 8-year-old rape victim, the four boys accused of attacking her, and their Liberian families in part to help dispel notions that rape is condoned in the West African country. Edwin Sele told The Associated Press Monday that he'll arrive on Wednesday and stay about a week.

July 28th, 2009 8-year-old rape victim to remain in state handsPHOENIX — A Liberian man whose 8-year-old daughter allegedly was raped by four boys, and then reportedly shunned by her family, must wait at least three months before possibly regaining custody of the girl. The father, who is not being named to protect the girl's identity, met with Child Protective Services on Monday.

July 27th, 2009 Father of 8-year-old rape victim hopes for custodyPHOENIX — The father of an 8-year-old Liberian girl who was allegedly raped by four boys in a Phoenix apartment complex says he wants his daughter back with her family. Child Protective Services took custody of the girl after police said her parents blamed her for the July 16 assault and didn't want her anymore.

April 23rd, 2009 4th man sought in murder of LA County deputyLOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant for a fourth man in the suspected gang-related murder of a county sheriff's deputy. Investigators declined to say if Deputy Juan Escalante was targeted for his police work or was a random victim of gang violence.