Showing posts with label World News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World News. Show all posts
Thursday, July 7, 2011
World Population Day, which seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989. It was an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987. This year it marks the leadup to another milestone -- the World at 7 Billion.
Each year a number of UNFPA Country Offices and other organizations and institutions mark the day with a variety of activities to bring attention to population issues. UNFPA, which sponsors the observance, publishes posters and other advocacy materials for this purpose. 6,929,400,000 is the total approximation of world population as of July 7, 2011
Here's Top 10 of World's Most Populated Countries/Nations as of 2011.
Each year a number of UNFPA Country Offices and other organizations and institutions mark the day with a variety of activities to bring attention to population issues. UNFPA, which sponsors the observance, publishes posters and other advocacy materials for this purpose. 6,929,400,000 is the total approximation of world population as of July 7, 2011
Here's Top 10 of World's Most Populated Countries/Nations as of 2011.
1 - China
1,339,724,852 as of November 1, 2010
2 - India
1,210,193,422 as of March 1, 2011
3 - United States of America
311,705,000 as of July 7, 2011
4 - Indonesia
237,556,363 as of May 2010
5 - Brazil
190,732,694 as of August 1, 2010
6 - Pakistan
176,554,000 as of July 7, 2011
7 - Nigeria
176,554,000 as of 2010
8 - Bangladesh
150,863,000 as of July 7, 2011
9 - Russia
142,905,200 as of January 1, 2011
10 - Japan
127,950,000 as of June 1, 2011
- Reference/Source: Wikipedia.org
- Reference/Source: UNFPA
AboutUNFPA
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in a UN organisation. The work of the UNFPA involves improving demographic statistics and assisting with poulation censuses and major national surveys; improving reproductive health, including national strategies, protocols, providing supplies and services, reproductive health, which expands out into areas such as prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS; and addressing issues concerning the rights of particular population groups, principally women, adolescents and youth, and as relevant, also national minorities, internal migrants, the elderly and the handicapped. It is known recently for its worldwide campaign against obstetric fistula and female genital cutting. The UNFPA supports programs in more than 150 countries, territories and areas spread across four geographic regions: Arab States and Europe, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa. Around three quarters of the staff work in the field. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group and part of its Executive Committee.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Nothing beats a good dose of myth busting – it is one of our favorite pastimes here at the Always10. This top10 list is no exception. Following on from the very popular 10 of the Most Famous/Known Facts That Are Actually Wrong, we are presenting varied list of “facts” that most people believe which are, in fact, insincere talk. By the end of this list you should be ten facts smarter!
10 - The United States Lost the Vietnam War
While it is a fact that the country known as the Republic of South Vietnam no longer exists (having been absorbed by its Communist neighbor to its north) the truth is that its demise was not because the United States lost its seven-year long war there. In fact, by the time the country was overrun by the North Vietnamese in the spring of 1975, the United States had been out of Vietnam for nearly two years, its active involvement having concluded with the signing of the Paris Peace Accord in January, 1973. The only reason the war is considered a “loss” for America was because of its great cost (57,000 Americans killed) and its general unpopularity at home. It could be considered a political defeat, however, in that America was essentially so worn down by the conflict that it lost the will to come to South Vietnam’s defense when the North Vietnamese launched their invasion, thereby effectively surrendering that nation’s sovereignty to its Communist neighbor and giving the U.S. a black eye that took literally decades to recover from. However, it did not “lose” the war in the traditional respect in that it was defeated militarily by a superior foe. In fact, the Paris Accord gave the U.S. everything it wanted from North Vietnam, bringing the war to what could be considered a positive close. Who could have guessed the North Vietnamese would renege on the treaty just two years later?
9 - Charles Lindbergh was the First Man to Cross the Atlantic Ocean by Air
While “Lucky Lindy” became quite the hero when he made the first solo crossing of the Atlantic by air—a grueling 34 hour, 3,600 mile flight—he was not the first man to make the crossing by air. In fact, he was something like the 85th man to do so. The feat was actually first accomplished by a pair of British aviators, John Alcock and Arthur Brown, eight years earlier when they flew a British Vimy bomber from Newfoundland, Canada, to Ireland in June of 1919. It was also accomplished by the entire crew of the German-built and manned zeppelin, the U.S.S. Los Angeles in 1924, when they flew the monster ship to America as war reparations. And, of course, this doesn’t include the men who may have made it but didn’t survive, such as the French aviators Charles Nungesser and Francois Coli, who attempted the flight a mere three weeks before Lindbergh only to vanish somewhere between Paris and New York. (Many suggest, however, that they may have actually made it across, only to crash land in the uncharted forests of Newfoundland.) Lindbergh was, however, the first to make the flight solo, which is what made it such an accomplishment—especially considering that as there was no autopilot in that day, he was forced to remain awake the entire 34 hours of the flight. Talk about a bad flight!
8 - Columbus Was the First European to Discover North America
Though the idea that Columbus was the first European to discover America was held as sacrosanct for most of this countries’ history, it is becoming more commonly acknowledged today that he was probably not the first European to make the crossing. That honor generally goes to some Viking named Leif Erickson, who is believed by historians to have made his way from Scandinavia to Newfoundland a good five hundred years before ‘ol Chris was even born. In fact, the Vikings established villages in Greenland and on the Canadian coast, making them the first Europeans to colonize the New World as well. There is even evidence that the ancient Phoenicians—an eastern Mediterranean sea-going people who lived between 1550 and 300 BCE—might have accomplished the deed centuries earlier than that! Columbus was the first European to discover it in “modern” times, however, and the first to make the fact that a continent existed between Europe and Asia known to the “civilized” world. Another “fact” that needs revising is the one that imagines that Columbus set out on his quest in an effort to prove that the world was not flat. In fact, no one in 1492 believed the Earth was flat. What he wanted to prove is that it was possible to get from Europe to China by sailing west rather than east. In effect, he was looking for a shortcut and found a whole continent in the process.
7 - The Wright Brothers Were the First to Fly an Airplane
While the accomplishments of the gifted brothers from Dayton, Ohio cannot be diminished, the fact is there are a number of people who may have accomplished the feat of being the first to fly a manned, heavier-than-air craft in powered flight (as opposed to unpowered gliders, which had been flown for years before the Wright Brother’s first flight). Probably the best claim to having been the first is attributed to a German immigrant named Gustav Whitehead, who may have made one and possibly two flights in a small monoplane of his own design (and powered by a tiny motor also of his own design) as early as 1901—two full years before the Wright Brother’s tried it. Unfortunately, ol’ Gustav was a better mechanic and aviator than an archivist and he neglected to get any photos of the flight or document it (although there was a reporter from a local paper supposedly present—along with a handful of witnesses—who allegedly saw a second flight in 1902). Had he done so, he might have changed aviation history rather than remaining just a footnote. Whitehead wasn’t alone in the claim of being the first, however, as some maintain that Frenchman Clement Ader may have accomplished the task in 1897 in a frail-looking plane named the Avion III and another Frenchman, Felix du Temple, might have done it as early as 1874. Even a Russian Army Officer, Alexander Mozhaiski, supposedly accomplished the feat in a monster steam powered aircraft in 1884, so the list of candidates who may have beat the Wrights into the air is considerable. The Wrights, however, did come up with the first truly controllable aircraft, making the previous claims fairly moot in that none of those earlier attempts flew very far (usually a couple hundred of feet) or were controllable—with the possible exception of Whitehead. If only the man had thought to buy a camera.
6 - Alexander Graham Bell Invented the Telephone
Not to take anything away from the prolific Mr. Bell, but he didn’t come up with this modern little irritant on his own, but was one of several men who were working the idea at the same time. What he did do was be quicker on the draw than his competitors by getting to the patent office first. In fact, some historians maintain that another fellow named Elisha Gray was the first to create a working telephone, only to see Bell get all the credit for it. (And Gray has a pretty good claim according to many, with over 70 other patents—many communications oriented—to his credit. In fact, he may have missed out beating Bell to the Patent Office by a few hours!) Other names frequently mentioned for their work on early communication devices are Antonio Meucci, who was experimenting—quite successfully—with the electromagnetic telephone in 1857; Innocenzo Manzetti—who may have invented a “speaking telegraph” as early as 1865; and the German inventor Johann Philipp Reis, who was working on the idea during the 1860s. However, it was a Hungarian inventor named Tivadar Puskas who made the telephone useful by inventing the switchboard and with it something known as the “party line”, thereby making it possible for people to use Meucci’s/Manzetti’s/ Reis’/Gray’s/Bell’s invention in a practical way.
5 - Charles Darwin Was the First to Conceive of the Theory of Evolution
Like the telephone, no timely idea is birthed by a single mother. There is almost always more than one person working on a good idea at the same time, with one of them inevitably getting most of the credit in the end. This was not only true of inventions, but of scientific theories as well—in this case the (at the time) controversial theory of evolution. British naturalist Charles Darwin is usually credited with coming up with the concept, but the fact is there were any number of scientists and naturalists working on the thorny issue of how human beings got here (in a non-Biblical way). The foundation for the idea may have been laid down by the Greek philosopher and scientist Anaximander (610 BCE-546 BCE), who was the first to suggest that physical forces, rather than supernatural forces, create order in the universe. However, the basics for the modern theory of evolution were first articulated in 1745 by the French mathematician and philosopher Pierre Louis Maupertius. Additionally, Charles Darwin’s own grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, wrote of the idea as early as 1796. However, few men did as much for the theory as did the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, who came up with the first truly cohesive theory of evolution, in which he argued that there was a natural force that drove organisms up a ladder of complexity, and a second environmental force that adapted them to local environments through use and disuse of characteristics, differentiating them from other organisms—which was very close to Darwin’s concept of natural selection. Darwin’s greatest competitor, however, was the Englishman Alfred Wallace, who presented a very similar theory to Darwin’s to the prestigious Linnean Society in 1858 at the same time Darwin presented his. It was Darwin’s book, the Origin of the Species, however that made him world famous and is why to this very day it is Charles Darwin who gets all the credit (and, from some people’s perspective, all the blame) for the modern theory of evolution.
4 - JFK’s Assassination was Part of a Larger Conspiracy
Though the idea that President Kennedy’s assassination was part of a larger conspiracy is actually an urban legend, the fact that it is believed by such a large percentage of the population—by some estimates, as much as 70%–makes it to many people’s way of thinking, a cold and hard fact. The idea that a lone nut job like Lee Harvey Oswald could have pulled off what was effectively the murder of the century without help is too much for some to accept, leading to nearly fifty years of all manner of conspiracy theories. These theories are generally divided into two groups: one which believes that Oswald was “set up” by someone—the CIA and the Mafia being the main suspects—and the other being that while he was in on the killing, he had help (and, in fact, may have been just one of several gunmen that day). Oswald’s death at the hands of a Dallas nightclub owner named Jack Ruby a couple of days later—in the basement of the Dallas Police Headquarters no less—seals the deal for most people, making the JFK conspiracy one of the most successful and lucrative cottage industries in America to this very day. Of course, no amount of evidence demonstrating that Oswald indeed possessed the means, motive, and opportunity to carry out the most heinous crime of the twentieth century all by himself or the lack of even a shred of solid evidence to suggest otherwise does little to dissuade the truly convinced, meaning that the idea that JFK’s death was the product of some massive CIA/Cuban/Russian/Mafia/Vice President Johnson plot a “fact” for millions that is unlikely to ever die.
3 - We Only Use 10% of Our Brain
This “fact” has been so often repeated that most people don’t even question it anymore (thereby demonstrating that it may be true). However, even a moment’s consideration should demonstrate what a fallacy this idea is. The brain is a magnificent organ that does everything from making sure you don’t forget to blink once in a while to helping you remember where you put the car keys. To use only 10% of it, then, would render it little more than vestigial organ which, while making getting shot in the head more an annoyance than a catastrophe, is obviously nonsense. The fact is that despite evidence to the contrary, everyone uses 100% of their brain all the time; it’s just that different parts of it do different things. While it is possible that only 10% of the brain is used for the higher brain functions such as cognitive thought, reasoning, and memory, that doesn’t mean the rest of it is sitting idle. It’s just that those other parts are busy doing all sorts of other things like keeping your heart pumping and making sense of the millions of bits of data being sent to it by the bodies’ sensing organs. In reality, science is only just beginning to understand the complexities of the human brain and its capacity for doing all the stuff it does on a daily basis, making it more of a mystery than ever. The prospect that many of us don’t use our brain to its fullest capacity, however, may be worth considering, but that is a subject for another day.
2 - Roosevelt’s New Deal Ended the Depression
It has been taught for over seventy years that FDR was responsible for ending the Great Depression of the thirties by enacting a dearth of government spending programs collectively known as the “New Deal”. In fact, the success of FDR’s massive spending programs is often pointed to by advocates of big government today as evidence that massive infusions of federal spending is the best hope for the poor, and has been the impetus behind some of the largest federal entitlement programs in history, from Medicare and Medicaid to welfare and food stamps. The only problem is that the New Deal was, in many ways, the Big Bust in that it did little to help the country recover from the Great Depression and, in fact, may have even delayed the recovery by years by raising corporate tax rates to such a level that it flat-lined business hiring for years. It was the Second World War that finally put most Americans to work which, combined with a reduction in tax rates in 1946, led to one of this countries’ greatest boom periods. Don’t believe it? Then just compare how long it took the United States to recover from the Depression compared to the countries of Europe which also saw a huge downturn in the early 1930s; England, France, and even Germany had put the worst of the depression behind them by 1935 while America continued to lumber on for years with high unemployment rates and a sluggish GNP. While no one can fault FDR for his noble intentions in wanting to ease the suffering of many people in this country, the New Deal actually demonstrated that the government that does the least to “fix” the problem actually does the most good by simply letting economic and financial forces heal themselves.
1 - Thomas Edison Invented the Light Bulb
Like so many great inventions in history, this one too must fall into the “I wonder who really invented it first” category. Though Edison is given the credit, work on an incandescent light bulb had been going on long before ‘ol Tom wrapped his prodigious brain around the problem. As far back as 1802 a guy named Humphrey Davy passed an electrical current through a thin strip of platinum to create the first short-lived but impressive light show and after that the race was on to see who could be the first to find a filament that could last more than, say, five minutes. It wouldn’t be until 1841 when another Englishman, Frederick de Moleyns, would patent the first incandescent lamp using platinum wires in a vacuum as a filament. (However, the setup proved to be too expensive to be commercially viable, which is why no one speaks reverently today of de Moleyn’s remarkable invention.) After that, it was just a matter of time until someone stumbled upon a material that would be both economical and long-lasting, both of which would be required to make the light bulb useful. While Edison’s team did come up with a carbonized bamboo filament that could last over 1200 hours, thereby making the light bulb practical, another British physicist (clever folks, those Brits) by the name of Joseph Swan actually beat Edison when he came up with something that pretty closely resembled Edison’s later bulb by a couple of years. He had even begun installing the things in pubs around London while ‘ol Tom was still seeing if human hair would work as a filament. However, for some reason, history has not been kind to Mr. Swan and he remains largely forgotten (which probably explains why he could be frequently found afterwards drinking away his sorrows in one of London’s many well-lit pubs).
Honorable Mentions: General Custer (was not a General at Little Big Horn but a lowly Lieutenant Colonel. He had been a General during the Civil War but was reduced in rank afterwards, which is the reason for the confusion); George Washington’s Wooden Teeth (they were not wooden at all but made from gold, ivory, lead, and human and animal teeth!); George Washington and the Cherry Tree (Never happened); and The Emancipation Proclamation Ending Slavery (which did not end slavery in the North but applied only to those slaves living in Confederate States. There were thousands of slaves still residing in northern states at the time, though most were domestic servants or slaves by choice—usually for personal or economic reasons—at the time.)
- Reference/Source: Ourcuriousworld.com by Jeff Danelek
- Reference/Source: Toptenz.net by Jeff Danelek
Sunday, May 22, 2011
The Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index defines corruption as the abuse of public office for private gain, and measures the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among a country's public officials and politicians.
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by private persons or corporations not directly involved with the government. An illegal act by an officeholder constitutes political corruption only if the act is directly related to their official duties.
Forms of corruption vary, but include bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement. While corruption may facilitate criminal enterprise such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and human trafficking, it is not restricted to these activities.
Here is the ranking of 10 Most Corrupt Nations in 2010 according to Transparency.org:
Notable among decliners over the past year are some of the countries most affected by a financial crisis precipitated by transparency and integrity deficits. Among those improving in the past year, the general absence of OECD states underlines the fact that all nations need to bolster their good governance mechanisms.
The message is clear: across the globe, transparency and accountability are critical to restoring trust and turning back the tide of corruption. Without them, global policy solutions to many global crises are at risk.
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by private persons or corporations not directly involved with the government. An illegal act by an officeholder constitutes political corruption only if the act is directly related to their official duties.
Forms of corruption vary, but include bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement. While corruption may facilitate criminal enterprise such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and human trafficking, it is not restricted to these activities.
Here is the ranking of 10 Most Corrupt Nations in 2010 according to Transparency.org:
1 - Somalia
Corruption Score: 1.1
2 - Myanmar
Corruption Score: 1.4
3 - Afghanistan
Corruption Score: 1.4
4 - Iraq
Corruption Score: 1.5
5 - Uzbekistan
Corruption Score: 1.6
6 - Turkmenistan
Corruption Score: 1.6
7 - Sudan
Corruption Score: 1.6
8 - Chad
Corruption Score: 1.7
9 - Burundi
Corruption Score: 1.8
10 - Equatorial Guinea
Corruption Score: 1.9
Notable among decliners over the past year are some of the countries most affected by a financial crisis precipitated by transparency and integrity deficits. Among those improving in the past year, the general absence of OECD states underlines the fact that all nations need to bolster their good governance mechanisms.
The message is clear: across the globe, transparency and accountability are critical to restoring trust and turning back the tide of corruption. Without them, global policy solutions to many global crises are at risk.
- Reference/Source: transparency.org
- Reference/Source: Wikipedia.org
Saturday, May 21, 2011
The following contains current and historical information for internal and external distribution. This information is based on FBI records and is updated by the Investigative Publicity and Public Affairs Unit, Office of Public Affairs.
The FBI's "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list has been in existence since March 14, 1950. A reporter for the International News Service (the predecessor to United Press International) asked the Bureau for the names and descriptions of the "toughest guys" the Bureau would like to capture. The resulting story generated so much publicity and had so much appeal that late FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover implemented the "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" program. The first person to be placed on the list was Thomas James Holden, wanted for the murder of his wife, her brother, and her stepbrother.
Since its inception, 494 fugitives have been on the "Top Ten" list, and 464 have been apprehended or located. Some interesting facts about the program are:
152 fugitives have been captured/located as a result of citizen cooperation.
Two fugitives were apprehended as a result of visitors on an FBI tour.
The shortest amount of time spent on the "Top Ten" list was two hours, by Billy Austin Bryant in 1969.
The longest amount of time spent on the “Top Ten” list is over 26 years by Victor Manuel Gerena.
Nine fugitives were arrested prior to publication and release, but are still considered as officially on the list.
The oldest person to be placed on the list was 69-year-old James J. Bulger, who was added in August of 1999.
This program relies heavily on the assistance of citizens and the media. Publicity from coast to coast and around the world is important. Public-spirited television programming, such as FOX network's America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back, provides nationwide publicity.
The FBI is offering rewards for information leading to the apprehension of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. Select the images of suspects to display more information.
The official FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list is maintained on the FBI website. This information may be copied and distributed, however, any unauthorized alteration of any portion of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives posters is a violation of federal law (18 U.S.C., Section 709). Persons who make or reproduce these alterations are subject to prosecution and, if convicted, shall be fined or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
The FBI's "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list has been in existence since March 14, 1950. A reporter for the International News Service (the predecessor to United Press International) asked the Bureau for the names and descriptions of the "toughest guys" the Bureau would like to capture. The resulting story generated so much publicity and had so much appeal that late FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover implemented the "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" program. The first person to be placed on the list was Thomas James Holden, wanted for the murder of his wife, her brother, and her stepbrother.
Since its inception, 494 fugitives have been on the "Top Ten" list, and 464 have been apprehended or located. Some interesting facts about the program are:
152 fugitives have been captured/located as a result of citizen cooperation.
Two fugitives were apprehended as a result of visitors on an FBI tour.
The shortest amount of time spent on the "Top Ten" list was two hours, by Billy Austin Bryant in 1969.
The longest amount of time spent on the “Top Ten” list is over 26 years by Victor Manuel Gerena.
Nine fugitives were arrested prior to publication and release, but are still considered as officially on the list.
The oldest person to be placed on the list was 69-year-old James J. Bulger, who was added in August of 1999.
This program relies heavily on the assistance of citizens and the media. Publicity from coast to coast and around the world is important. Public-spirited television programming, such as FOX network's America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back, provides nationwide publicity.
The FBI is offering rewards for information leading to the apprehension of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. Select the images of suspects to display more information.
GLEN STEWART GODWINUnlawful Flight to Avoid Confinement - Murder, Escape
REWARD: The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of Glen Stewart Godwin.
Glen Stewart Godwin is being sought for his 1987 escape from Folsom State Prison in California, where he was serving a lengthy sentence for murder. Later in 1987, Godwin was arrested for drug trafficking in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. After being convicted, he was sent to a prison in Guadalajara. In April of 1991, Godwin allegedly murdered a fellow inmate and then escaped five months later.
Godwin is fluent in Spanish and may be traveling throughout Central and South America, and Mexico. He is thought to be involved in narcotics distribution.
ROBERT WILLIAM FISHER
Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution - First Degree Murder (3 Counts), Arson of an Occupied Structure
REWARD: The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of Robert William Fisher.
Robert William Fisher is wanted for allegedly killing his wife and two young children and then blowing up the house in which they all lived in Scottsdale, Arizona in April of 2001.
Fisher is physically fit and is an avid outdoorsman, hunter, and fisherman. He has a noticeable gold crown on his upper left first bicuspid tooth. He may walk with an exaggerated erect posture and his chest pushed out due to a lower back injury. Fisher is known to chew tobacco heavily. He has ties to New Mexico and Florida. Fisher is believed to be in possession of several weapons, including a high-powered rifle
EDUARDO RAVELO
Engaging in the Affairs of an Enterprise, Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activities; Conspiracy to Conduct the Affairs of an Enterprise, Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activities; Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments; Conspiracy to Possess Heroin, Cocaine and Marijuana with the Intent to Distribute
REWARD: The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of Eduardo Ravelo.
Eduardo Ravelo was indicted in Texas in 2008 for his involvement in racketeering activities, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and conspiracy to possess heroin, cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute. His alleged criminal activities began in 2003.
Ravelo is known to be a Captain (Capo) within the Barrio Azteca criminal enterprise and is allegedly responsible for issuing orders to the Barrio Azteca members residing in Juarez, Mexico. Allegedly, Ravelo and the Barrio Azteca members act as "hitmen" for the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes Drug Trafficking Organization and are responsible for numerous murders. Ravelo has ties to Mexico and El Paso, Texas. He may have had plastic surgery and altered his fingerprints
ALEXIS FLORES
Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution - Kidnapping, Murder
REWARD: The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of Alexis Flores.
Alexis Flores is wanted for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murder of a five-year-old girl in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The girl was reported missing in late July of 2000, and later found strangled to death in a nearby apartment in early August of 2000.
Flores has ties to Honduras.
SEMION MOGILEVICH
Fraud by Wire; RICO Conspiracy; Mail Fraud; Money Laundering Conspiracy; Money Laundering; Aiding and Abetting; Securities Fraud; Filing False Registration With the SEC; False Filings With the SEC; Falsification of Books and Records
REWARD: The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of Semion Mogilevich.
Semion Mogilevich is wanted for his alleged participation in a multi-million dollar scheme to defraud thousands of investors in the stock of a public company incorporated in Canada, but headquartered in Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, between 1993 and 1998. The scheme to defraud collapsed in 1998, after thousands of investors lost in excess of 150 million U.S. dollars, and Mogilevich, thought to have allegedly funded and authorized the scheme, was indicted in April of 2003.
Mogilevich may wear facial hair to include a moustache. He is known to be a heavy smoker. Mogilevich has his primary residence in Moscow, Russia. He is known to utilize a Russian passport, but may also possess Israeli, Ukrainian, and Greek passports.
JOE LUIS SAENZ
Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution - Murder, Kidnapping, Rape, Parole Violation
REWARD: The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of Joe Luis Saenz.
On July 25, 1998, Joe Luis Saenz allegedly shot and killed two rival gang members in Los Angeles. Less than two weeks later, on August 5, 1998, Saenz allegedly kidnapped, raped, and murdered his girlfriend. Saenz allegedly murdered a fourth victim in October of 2008 in Los Angeles County.
Saenz is believed to work for a Mexican drug cartel, and is known to travel between the United States and Mexico. He may have removed his tattoos with a laser. He has reportedly made previous statements indicating plans to kill a police officer upon his arrest. He is believed to always carry a weapon.
USAMA BIN LADEN
Murder of U.S. Nationals Outside the United States; Conspiracy to Murder U.S. Nationals Outside the United States; Attack on a Federal Facility Resulting in Death
REWARD: The Rewards For Justice Program, United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $25 million for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of Usama Bin Laden. An additional $2 million is being offered through a program developed and funded by the Airline Pilots Association and the Air Transport Association.
Usama Bin Laden is wanted in connection with the August 7, 1998, bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. These attacks killed over 200 people. In addition, Bin Laden is a suspect in other terrorist attacks throughout the world.
Bin Laden is the leader of a terrorist organization known as Al-Qaeda, "The Base". He is left-handed and walks with a cane.
(LAST UPDATE May 3, 2011)
On May 1, 2011, in Washington, D.C. (May 2, Pakistan Standard Time), U.S. President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed by "a small team of Americans" acting under Obama's direct orders, in a covert operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan, about 50 km (31 mi) north of Islamabad. It had been believed by some that bin Laden was hiding near the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas, but he was actually found 100 miles away in a million-dollar, three-story mansion in Abbottabad[154] at 34°10′9″N 73°14′33″E. Bin Laden's mansion was located .75 miles (1.21 km) southwest of the Pakistan Military Academy (Pakistan's "West Point"). Google Earth maps show that the compound was not present in 2001, but was present on images taken in 2005.
According to U.S. officials, a team of 20–25 U.S. Navy SEALs from the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (SEAL Team Six), under the command of the Joint Special Operations Command and working with the CIA stormed bin Laden's compound in two helicopters. Bin Laden, three other men, and a woman were killed in a firefight in which U.S. forces did not experience any injuries or casualties. In his broadcast announcement, President Obama said that U.S. forces "took care to avoid civilian casualties." Among the others killed were one of bin Laden's sons, a man described as a courier, and the courier's brother. Four years of surveillance of the courier led to the intelligence which made the raid possible. It was reported that the courier was the owner of the compound where the assault took place. John Brennan, the White House anti-terrorism chief, said that the woman that was killed was one of bin Laden's four wives and was being used as a human shield at the time. Two other women, who were also used as shields, were injured during the raid. According to one U.S. official, the attack was carried out without the knowledge or consent of Pakistani authorities. In contrast, agents of the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) said it was a joint operation.
DNA from bin Laden's body, compared with DNA samples on record from his dead sister's brain confirmed bin Laden's identity the following day, according to assertions to ABC News by unnamed sources. The 193 cm long body was recovered by the U.S. military, and was in its custody until his body was buried in the North Arabian Sea from the USS Carl Vinson according to Islamic traditions. One U.S. official stated that "finding a country willing to accept the remains of the world's most wanted terrorist would have been difficult." MSNBC reported, "There also was speculation about worry that a grave site could have become a rallying point for militants."
The U.S. State Department issued a "worldwide caution" for Americans following bin Laden's death, and U.S diplomatic facilities everywhere were placed on high alert, a senior U.S official said. Crowds gathered outside the White House and in New York City's Times Square to celebrate bin Laden's death. In Pakistan, some people were dismayed that Pakistan has lost its sovereignty.
JASON DEREK BROWN
Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution - First Degree Murder, Armed Robbery
REWARD: The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of Jason Derek Brown.
Jason Derek Brown is wanted for murder and armed robbery in Phoenix, Arizona. During November of 2004, Brown allegedly shot and killed an armored car guard outside a movie theater and then fled with the money.
Brown speaks fluent French and has a Masters Degree in International Business. He is an avid golfer, snowboarder, skier, and dirt biker. Brown enjoys being the center of attention and has been known to frequent nightclubs where he enjoys showing off his high-priced vehicles, boats, and other toys. He has been described as possibly having bisexual tendencies.
Brown has ties to California, Arizona, and Utah. In the past, he has traveled to France and Mexico. Additionally, he may be in the possession of a Glock 9mm and a .45 caliber handgun.
JAMES J. BULGER
Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) - Murder (19 Counts), Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Extortion, Narcotics Distribution, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering; Extortion; Money Laundering
REWARD: The FBI is offering a $2,000,000 reward for information leading directly to the arrest of James J. Bulger.
James J. Bulger is being sought for his role in numerous murders committed from the early 1970s through the mid-1980s in connection with his leadership of an organized crime group that allegedly controlled extortion, drug deals, and other illegal activities in the Boston, Massachusetts, area. He has a violent temper and is known to carry a knife at all times.
Bulger is an avid reader with an interest in history. He is known to frequent libraries and historic sites. Bulger may be taking heart medication. He maintains his physical fitness by walking on beaches and in parks with his female companion, Catherine Elizabeth Greig. Bulger and Greig love animals. Bulger has been known to alter his appearance through the use of disguises. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, and Mexico.
VICTOR MANUEL GERENA
Bank Robbery; Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution - Armed Robbery; Theft From Interstate Shipment
REWARD: The FBI is offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading directly to the arrest of Victor Manuel Gerena.
Victor Manuel Gerena is being sought in connection with the armed robbery of approximately $7 million from a security company in Connecticut in 1983. He allegedly took two security employees hostage at gunpoint and then handcuffed, bound and injected them with an unknown substance in order to further disable them.
The official FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list is maintained on the FBI website. This information may be copied and distributed, however, any unauthorized alteration of any portion of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives posters is a violation of federal law (18 U.S.C., Section 709). Persons who make or reproduce these alterations are subject to prosecution and, if convicted, shall be fined or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
- Reference/Source: fbi.gov
- Reference/Source: Wikipedia.org
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Osama Bin Laden's death is a trending news right now. I searched articles related to Bin Laden's death and found this interesting article from elistmania.com, written by FairDinkum and repost it on our top10 list.
9/11 was the worst terrorist mass-murder in history. Although famed British presenter Simon Reeve detailed the existence, development and objectives of Al-Qaeda in his 1998 bestseller, “The New Jackals: Ramzi Yousef, Osama Bin Laden and the future of terrorism” and warned the world of impending spectacular terrorist attacks, Al-Qaeda only really hit the mainstream after the 9/11. Since that fateful day, the US and its allies have embarked on a ruthless mission to eliminate Al-Qaeda leadership using drone, cruise missile and air strikes as well as ground operations.
Here we list the top 10 Al-Qaeda leaders they have managed to assassinate.
9/11 was the worst terrorist mass-murder in history. Although famed British presenter Simon Reeve detailed the existence, development and objectives of Al-Qaeda in his 1998 bestseller, “The New Jackals: Ramzi Yousef, Osama Bin Laden and the future of terrorism” and warned the world of impending spectacular terrorist attacks, Al-Qaeda only really hit the mainstream after the 9/11. Since that fateful day, the US and its allies have embarked on a ruthless mission to eliminate Al-Qaeda leadership using drone, cruise missile and air strikes as well as ground operations.
Here we list the top 10 Al-Qaeda leaders they have managed to assassinate.
10 - Rashid Rauf
Although not a high ranking leader, Rashid Rauf was a significant indoctrinator and planner of a number of plots. Son of a Birmingham baker of Pakistani origin, Rauf fled to Pakistan in 2002 and was soon incorporated into terrorist circles. He was arrested in Pakistan after the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot but soon made a spectacularly simple escape from police custody and headed straight to the tribal areas. He was reportedly killed in a drone strike in late 2008 in North Waziristan but this has never been confirmed and his body was never recovered.
9 - Abu Ayyub al-Masri
Zarqawi’s successor in Iraq, al-Masri was prominent as a bomb maker and for his association with Ayman al-Zawahiri in Egypt. Once carrying a $25 million bounty, his headmoney was reduced to $100,000 in 2008 as the US forces determined that he was, “not an effective leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq as he was last year”. He was killed on April 18, 2010 during a joint American and Iraqi operation in Tikrit, Iraq.
8 - Sayeed al-Masri
Sayeed al-Masri was one of the few senior members of al-Qaeda who opposed 9/11, fearing a massive US reprisal. He served as a member of the organization’s shura and was also the payroll in charge, responsible for paying members and compensating families of fallen comrades and suicide bombers. A shadowy members of extremist circles for more than 30 years, al-Masri was highly respected by the Taliban leadership, in contrast to other Arabs whom they found to be highly arrogant and hotheaded. His respect and close relationship with the locals might have helped him get elevated to the chief of operations in Afghanistan and up to number 3 in the organization, after Mohammad Hasan Khalil al-Hakim’s death in 2008 . He was eliminated on May 21, 2010 in North Waziristan, along with his wife and three children by the preferred method of terrorist neutralization; the Predator Drone strike.
7 - Mohammad Hasan Khalil al-Hakim
Rumored to be the head of media and propaganda and chief of external operation for Al-Qaeda. Having a long history of Jihadist activity, he was suspected to be involved in the assassination of Egyptian president Anwar al-Sadat and had spend jail time in many countries. He was also a self-styled jihad scholar and authored many works on the subject. After Abu Hamza Rabia’s death in 2005, he might also have served as the chief of operations at Al-Qaeda. He was eliminated in a drone strike in November 2008.
6 - Abu Laith al-Libi
Another veteran of Afghan jihad, al-Libi was a charismatic senior leader who also served as the organization’s spokesman. Before Al-Qaeda, he had a long history of terrorist and revolutionary activity in his native Libya and was implicated in the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia. He was killed in a Predator Drone strike in January 2008 in North Waziristan.
5 - Midhat Mursi
A high ranking official and the bomb making boss, Mursi was reportedly the head of al-Qaeda’s R&D division. Somewhat of a terrorist Dr. Mengele, he is alleged to have used animals to test chemical weapons. His bomb making genius was highly respected in the organization and his protégées include Richard Reid the Shoe Bomber, Ahmed Ressam the Millenium Bomber and Zacarias Moussaoui. Like most Egyptian terrorists, Mursi had been a member of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad and had been radicalized in 1970’s. A chemical engineering graduate, he was appointed the head of project al-Zabadi or the yogurt project for chemical and biological weapons by Ayman al-Zawahiri. He was killed on January 13, 2006 in the Damadola drone strike in Pakistan, which was originally intended to take out Ayman al-Zawahiri. After his alleged death, it was revealed that CIA had been erroneously using the photo of radical London cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri on Midhat Mursi’s wanted poster for one and a half year.
4 - Abu Hamza Rabia
Although details about his background and death are sketchy, Egyptian national Abu Hamza Rabia was a key Al-Qaeda operative who might have been ranked as high as number 3 in the organization, only behind Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. He might have been the man who replaced Muhammad Atef after his death and was allegedly responsible for planning of terrorist operations. In November 2005, He was reported killed in an explosion at his compound which, according to the official version, was caused by his own bomb-making material…. and according to the locals, from a drone strike. After Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf said that he was “200% sure” that he was killed, locals dismissed him as only a low-level activist.
3 - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Even by Al-Qaeda standards, Zarqawi was savage and ruthless. Starting off as a petty thief, he travelled to Afghanistan in the late 1980’s where he met Bin Laden and had formed his own militant group by the mid 1990’s and became a feared man. The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 gave him the license to exercise his terrorist skills with utmost ferocity and by 2004, he became known as the “Emir of Al-Qaeda in the Country of Two Rivers”. His campaign of almost non-stop bombings, assassinations and beheadings claimed thousands of victims. His almost animal-like disregard for civilian casualties and his declaration of war on Shiite Muslims caused concern within the Al-Qaeda high leadership and he was simply considered out of control. Zarqawi’s reign of terror ended on June 7, 2006 when his Baqubah safehouse was bombed by USAF F-16C jets.
2 - Muhammad Atef
For a long long time, Muhammad Atef or Abu Hafs was the only achievement the US had to show for its huge crusade against Al-Qaeda. The Egyptian jihadist fought arm in arm with Bin Laden during the Afghan Jihad and was one of the founding members of Al-Qaeda. By 1996, he had risen to become the organization’s military chief and was directing terrorist operations around the world. He was killed in drone attack in Kabul, between November 14-16, 2001.
1 - Osama Bin Laden
For a long time, the prophet of carnage seemed untraceable and indestructible. Ever since his escape from hell at Tora Bora, he managed to slither his way, for almost 10 years, into dark pits which seemed out of reach for all forms of technological detection and spying. But he was finally found, almost miraculously, in the early hours of 2nd May, 2011, not in a cave, not in an accessible mountain fortress, not in a grave but in a mansion located in a rather densely populated city known as Abbottabad. He was swiftly dispatched with a shot above the eye and fed to the fish. It remains to be seen whether the master of hide and seek was traced out, spied out or sold out.
- Reference/Source: elistmania.com by FairDinkum [05 May 11 at 04 09 am]
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Inmates regarded by the authorities as 'high-value detainees' alleged to have taken part in 9/11 and other terrorist plots (they include two Malaysians)
Hambali (Ridouan Isomuddin)
Indonesian. In Guantánamo since September 2006
Accused of being behind the October 2002 Bali bombings that killed more than 200 people, after being recruited to jihadism at a mosque in Malaysia. Planned strikes against UK and US embassies in Cambodia. Captured in Thailand in 2003. Allegedly involved in al-Qaida’s “biological weapons programme”
Abu Faraj al-Libi
Libyan. In Guantánamo since September 2006
Promoted to be operational chief of al-Qaida in both Afghanistan and Iraq, after capture of 'KSM' (Khalid Sheikh Mohammed). Captured by Pakistan in 2005. Planned to assassinate President Musharraf of Pakistan. “Has knowledge of al-Qaida possibly possessing a nuclear bomb.”
Ramzi bin al-Shibh
Yemeni. In Guantánamo since September 2006
The alleged co-ordinator of the entire 9/11 plot from a base in Germany, who was picked up by Pakistan in a raid on a house in Karachi in 2002. Claimed to have also planned with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in June 2002 to crash a hijacked plane into Heathrow airport, London
Majid Khan
Pakistani. In Guantánamo since September 2006
Allegedly tasked by 'KSM' to poison water reservoirs and blow up multiple fuel stations on the US mainland 'as well as a project targeting nuclear reactors'. He was termed a 'willing suicide operative' who delivered funds for a 2003 Marriott hotel bombing in Jakarta and had probably been arrested in Pakistan through his links with 'KSM'
Mohd Farik Bin Amin
Malaysian, detained in Guantánamo since September 2006
Arrested leaving a bookstore in Thailand in 2003, he is called a senior al-Qaida operative who swore an oath of allegiance to Osama bin Laden. Targeted the UK embassy in Cambodia and helped with an abortive 'west coast airliners plot' in the US to crash a plane into 'the tallest building in California'. Captured computer allegedly contained images of the Space Needle in Seattle and bomb diagrams. Trained in camps in Afganistan. Allegedly tried to buy a surface-to-air missile
Bashir Bin Lap
Malaysian, detained in Guantánamo since September 2006
Al-Qaida member who tried to learn to fly, cased Israeli flights out of Bangkok airport and was due to lead a three-man suicide team in KSM’s disrupted 'west coast airliners' hijacking plot. Former member of Malaysian military, trained with al-Qaida in Afghanistan, cased the UK embassy in Kuala Lumpur and was captured in Thailand in 2003. 'He thought it would be a good idea to attack world sporting events, such as soccer matches, because many westerners are generally in attendance ... He would not be worried about accidentally killing Muslims during such an attack, because any Muslims attending such a sinful event were not pious Muslims'
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
Pakistani, detained in Guantánamo since September 2006.
The alleged mastermind behind the attacks of 11 September 2001, he is said by US forces to have 'described himself as the head of al-Qaida’s military committee'. His file alleges he planned the destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge, the collapse of a Chicago apartment block and destruction of a US hotel or fuel station as follow-ups to the September 2001 attacks. Repeatedly waterboarded in CIA detention prior to his transfer. He is one of 16 'high-value' detainees transferred to Guantánamo to stand trial
Abd al-Rahim Hussein Muhammad Abdah al-Nashiri
Yemeni, detained in Guantánamo since September 2006
Believed by US forces to be 'one of the highest-ranking, most skilled and dangerous al-Qaida operatives captured to date', al-Nashiri is allegedly a key Bin Laden aide. His file details an alleged plot to attack a UK base on the Gibraltar – with the target chosen after being featured on a 'news documentary'. His notes stress excellent contacts with 'Yemeni tribes and Yemeni security services' which were used to provide documents and cover for extremists
Haji Hamidullah
Afghani detained in Guantánamo since November 2003
Hamidullah’s file calls him not only a senior leader of anti-coalition militias in Afghanistan, but also an Iranian intelligence agent. Hamidullah is described as having been imprisoned by the Taliban before securing his escape and fleeing to Iran – working as a baker for four months – then returning as an Iranian agent and channeling Iranian money to anti-coalition groups. His intelligence assessment concludes: 'Detainee probably has information on Russian and Iranian support to HIG and the Taliban efforts against the Karzai Afghan government'
Maad al-QahtaniFacts - Did you know?
Saudi Arabian, detained in Guantánamo since February 2002
The alleged intended '20th hijacker' can never stand trial after the Bush administration admitted torture in 2008. He remains in Guantánamo where officials recommend he is held indefinitely. Qahtani’s file describes his attempted entry into the US from the UK in 2001, before the attacks. Qahtani successfully entered the UK but failed to gain entry to the US as officials noted he had purchased no return ticket. His file notes US forces believe Qahtani 'likely has information on al-Qaida’s activities regarding the 11 September 2001 attacks which has not been divulged, such as other operatives who were unable, but intended, to participate'
Only the most dedicated, well-trained recruits are allowed to become full al Qaeda members. Osama bin Laden hand-picked the operatives used to hijack U.S. planes in the 9/11 attack.
In 2002 and 2003 no successful attacks occurred on U.S. soil but attacks against U.S. interests worldwide continued. In 2002 of all anti-U.S. attacks carried out by various terrorist organizations, the most—forty-six—occurred in Latin America followed by sixteen in the Middle East and ten in Asia. The type of facilities targeted most were U.S. businesses. Most terrorist threats and attacks involved bombings.
Each year the U.S. State Department compiles a list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations known as FTOs. Compiled since 1997, the list took on a new sense of urgency since 9/11. In 2004 the list included thirty-six terrorist organizations. The U.S. government may freeze any FTO assets in U.S. financial institutions, may deny entry of a FTO member into the United States, and may prosecute any U.S. citizen or person in the United States who supports an FTO in any way.
- Reference/Source: staroba.my
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