Prosecutors have filed charges against 15 people in the armed takeover of a California casino at the center of a power struggle between factions of a Native American tribe.
	The group's leader, Tex McDonald, 64, surrendered Monday to the Madera County Sheriff's Office along with three other suspects, Sheriff John Anderson said in a news release. Another man was arrested Sunday.
	Erica Stuart, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office, said deputies remain on the lookout for 12 others wanted on charges that include kidnapping, false imprisonment and assault with a firearm. Bail for McDonald was set at $1 million.
	The charges relate to a dispute between rival factions of the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians vying for control of the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino northeast of Fresno.
	Authorities closed the casino's doors last month after one group attempted a takeover. More than a dozen people stormed the casino with weapons, sending hundreds of gamblers running with ...

15 charged in armed takeover that closed US casino

PTI Automatic

The shooting of a Shiite religious leader outside a Sydney prayer hall appeared to have been influenced by the Islamic State movement, Australia's prime minister said today.
	Rasoul Al Mousawi, 47, was blasted with a shotgun in the face and shoulder in a drive-by shooting outside the Husainiyah Nabi Akram Centre in suburban Greenacre early yesterday.
	Police said his wounds were not life threatening.
	A witness, who declined to be identified, told Australian Broadcasting Corp that men in the car had driven past the centre several times before the shooting, calling out "IS lives forever" and "Shia dogs."
	Prime Minister Tony Abbott confirmed that authorities suspected the Islamic State movement was behind the shooting. "It seems there is an ISIL death cult influence on this shooting in Sydney in the last 24 hours or so," Abbott told reporters.
	"The important thing is for all of us to absolutely reject this death cult and, in the words of my friend Prime Minister Najib (Razak) of ...

Australian leader blames IS for Sydney shooting

The Air Force has fired two more nuclear commanders and disciplined a third, fresh evidence of leadership lapses in a nuclear missile corps that has suffered several recent setbacks, including the firing last year of its top commander.
	The most senior officer to be relieved of command was Col Carl Jones, the No 2 commander of the 90th Missile Wing at FE Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, in charge of 150 of the Air Force's 450 Minuteman 3 nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles.
	He was dismissed yesterday "for a loss of trust and confidence in his leadership abilities" and has been reassigned as a special assistant to the wing commander.
	The actions yesterday were confirmed to The Associated Press in response to an AP enquiry about an internal Air Force investigation of two commanders at the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, which also is responsible for 150 Minuteman 3 missiles.
	It is unusual for disciplinary action to be taken against commanders at two of 

2 nuclear commanders fired, another disciplined

The silvery skyscraper that rose from the ashes of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks to become a symbol of American resilience has opened for business, as 175 employees of the magazine publishing giant Conde Nast settled into their first day of work there.
	The opening of the country's tallest building yesterday, One World Trade Center, marked a symbolic return to a sense of normalcy for the site where the twin towers fell more than 13 years ago.
	"The New York City skyline is whole again," said Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns both the building and the World Trade Center site.
	Steps away from the new 1,776-foot (541-metre) tower are two memorial fountains built on the footprints of the decimated towers, a reminder of the more than 2,700 people who died.
	Conde Nast, publisher of Vogue, The New Yorker and Vanity Fair, is expected to move in about 3,000 more employees by early next year, eventually occupying 25 floors of 

World Trade Center reopens, 13 years after attack

A doctor in Sierra Leone has died of Ebola, the fifth local doctor to die of the disease there, authorities have said, as UNICEF announced it was doubling its staff in the three West African nations hard hit by the deadly virus.
	The death of Dr Godfrey George, medical superintendent of Kambia Government Hospital in northern Sierra Leone, was a blow to efforts to keep desperately needed health workers safe in a country ravaged by the world's worst Ebola outbreak.
	At the United Nations in New York, Ebola coordinator Dr. Peter Salama of UNICEF said the U.N. Children's agency would double its staff from 300 to 600 in Guinea, Liberia and in Sierra Leone, where children make up 20 percent of all Ebola cases. About 4,000 children have been orphaned by Ebola, he said.
	"Schools are closed, children are confined to their homes and discouraged to play with other children," he said.
	"Death is all around them," Salama added.
	The World Health Organisation says the disease has killed some 5,000 

Ebola kills Sierra Leone doctor, UN doubles staff

Hurricane Vance maintained its strength as it churned far off in the Pacific, threatening to bring rough surf and heavy rain to parts of Mexico.
	The US National Hurricane Center in Miami said Vance was generating maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph) Monday afternoon. It was centered about 465 miles (745 kilometres) west-southwest of Manzanillo and moving to the north at 12 mph (19 kph).
	Forecasters said the Category 2-strength storm was expected to make a turn toward the north-northeast over the next day or so, but would start to weaken later Monday.
	The hurricane center warned the storm could generate dangerous surf and rip-current conditions along the coasts of southwestern Mexico and Baja California Sur between last night and today. Northwestern states of Sinaloa, Nayarit and Durango could see heavy rain, including downpours capable of causing flash floods and mudslides.

Hurricane Vance far off Mexico's Pacific coast

A longtime aide to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert testified against her former boss today, saying he "knew everything" about the corruption that was taking place in his office.
	Shula Zaken, Olmert's most loyal confidante for 30 years, took the stand at Jerusalem's District Court and detailed how Olmert allegedly kept cash collected from contributors for the personal use of him and his family. The highlight of the hearing was the playing of recordings Zaken made of conversations with Olmert, in which he details money transactions and pleads with her not to take the stand against him.
	Olmert was forced to resign as prime minister in 2009 amid a flurry of corruption allegations.
	Zaken initially kept quiet and as a result Olmert was cleared of the most serious charges brought against him in 2012, including accepting cash-stuffed envelopes from an American supporter and double billing Jewish organizations to cover overseas travel. Zaken was convicted in the double billing ...

Top aide testifies against ex-Israeli PM Olmert

Pico Iyer has spent the past several decades on the move, incessantly hopping from one far-flung destination - Ethiopia, Morocco, Indonesia - to another.
	But the globetrotting travel writer is now convinced the most exciting place to go is nowhere at all.
	In his new book "The Art of Stillness," the British-born, California-raised son of Indian parents preaches sitting quietly in one place as an antidote to our constantly- connected, multi-tasking, airport-hopping lifestyles.
	Iyer, 57, a Time Magazine journalist, shot to international fame with his 2000 book "The Global Soul," which chronicled the emergence of a new breed he dubbed "transnationals" people who all but live in airports, have addresses on different continents and carry several passports and multiple currencies in their pockets at all times.
	After years of living the sort of rootless existence he so deftly described in the book, Iyer began to feel the need to slow down like a nagging itch.
	"It was gradual. I noticed I 

Globetrotter Pico Iyer makes case for staying put

A two-metre statue of an iPhone on a university campus in St Petersburg has been taken down in response to last week's announcement by the CEO of Apple that he is gay.
	In a statement, ZEFS, which according to its website owns construction, advertising, and finance enterprises in St. Petersburg, describes Tim Cook's revelation "a public call to sodomy."
	ZEFS said today it was taking down the statue because it violated Russia's controversial law protecting minors from homosexual propaganda.
	The law has been condemned by critics as a means of repressing sexual minorities in the country.
	Apple declined to comment on the removal of the statue, which featured former CEO Steve Jobs.

Russia statue dismantled after Apple CEO comes out

A bomb exploded today near Egyptian troops demolishing houses along the border with the Gaza Strip, causing no casualties but prompting authorities to raise security alert levels in the area as Egypt clears a buffer zone to halt weapons smuggling, military officials said.
	The border town of Rafah and its surrounding areas in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula have been under a state of emergency for more than a week since an Oct. 24 militant assault killed 31 troops. It was the deadliest attack on Egyptian troops in recent times.
	No one claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the Northern Sinai has become a stronghold of Islamic militants who have carried out scores of attacks in recent months, mainly targeting soldiers and police.
	Despite a nearly yearlong military offensive, the insurgency has expanded at times to reach Cairo and other cities.
	Following the killing of the 31 troops, the government declared it will create a 500-meter (550-yard) buffer zone along Egypt's 

Bombing targets troops near Egypt-Gaza border

An Air Canada flight from Toronto to Hong Kong carrying 349 passengers has returned to Toronto because of a mechanical issue. The plane landed safely.
	Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said today the pilot of flight AC015 decided to turn around after receiving an indicator light that suggested the cargo door was open.
	He says the aircraft landed normally and the passengers will be travelling on a different plane later today.
	Maintenance will examine the Boeing 777 plane.

Air Canada flight to Hong Kong returns to airport

Thirteen years after the 9/11 terrorist attack, the resurrected World Trade Center has again opened for business marking an emotional milestone for both New Yorkers and the nation.
	Some staffers of publishing giant Conde Nast began working at 1 World Trade Center today. The 104-story, USD 3.9 billion skyscraper dominates the Manhattan skyline. The publishing giant becomes the first commercial tenant in America's tallest building.
		It's the centerpiece of the 16-acre (6-hectare) site where the decimated twin towers once stood and where more than 2,700 people died on Sept. 11, 2001, buried under smoking mounds of fiery debris.
	"The New York City skyline is whole again, as 1 World Trade Center takes its place in Lower Manhattan," said Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns both the building and the World Trade Center site.
	The agency began moving into neighboring 4 World Trade Center last week.
	He said 1 World Trade Center "sets 

World Trade Center reopens for business

Police say a 3-year-old Ohio girl is in critical condition after being shot in the head by her 4-year-old brother, who found a gun in a dresser.
	The shooting occurred around 10 a.M. Yesterday in Lorain, about 48 kilometers west of Cleveland. Police say the two children were playing alone in a bedroom when the boy found a loaded .40-caliber handgun.
	A police report says the father of the 3-year-old girl was holding her in his arms when officers arrived. The report says the 4-year-old boy was crying and that he repeatedly told an officer he was sorry.
	Police Capt. Roger Watkins says the investigation will be turned over to a county prosecutor's office to determine if criminal charges will be filed.

Police: US girl, 3, shot by 4-year-old brother

The company dismantling the Costa Concordia cruise ship says workers have discovered human remains believed to be that of the last missing crew member.
	The Ship Recycling company said the remains were found today in a cabin on the ship's eighth deck. The remains were being turned over to Italian authorities for identification.
	The Concordia capsized after hitting rocks near a Tuscan island in January 2012, killing 32 people. All have been accounted for except an Indian waiter.
	The ship has been towed to a port in Genoa, where it is being dismantled.
	The ship's captain is being tried for manslaughter, causing the shipwreck and abandoning the ship.

Workers find body while dismantling Concordia

Attacks across Afghanistan, including the fatal shooting of a provincial deputy governor, killed five people as the country marked a major Shiite holiday, authorities said today.
	In southern Kandahar province, a gunman attacked Deputy Gov Abdul Qadeem Patyall, shooting at him yesterday through the window of a classroom at Kandahar University, said Samim Khpolwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor. Patyall, who was studying to become a teacher, was seriously wounded and later died, Khpolwak said.
	Afghan President Ashraf Ghani sent condolences to Patyall's family and described his killing as a terrorist attack. A government delegation also launched an investigation into the attack.
	Late yesterday, gunmen also killed Judge Abdul Majid as he was on his way home from a mosque in Feroz Koh, the capital of Ghor province, said Abdul Hai Khateby, a spokesman for the provincial governor.
	No group immediately claimed responsibility for either of yesterday's slayings. Taliban insurgents 

Afghan attacks kill 5, including a deputy governor

A doctor in Sierra Leone has died of Ebola, the fifth local doctor in the West African nation to die of the disease, authorities said today.
	Dr Godfrey George, medical superintendent of Kambia Government Hospital in northern Sierra Leone, died overnight, according to Sierra Leone's government.
	George's death, which was announced by Dr Brima Kargbo, Sierra Leone's chief medical officer, was a blow to efforts to keep desperately needed health care workers safe in a country ravaged by the deadly virus.
	George had been driven to the capital, Freetown, after reporting that he was not feeling well.
	Doctors and nurses have been particularly vulnerable to contracting Ebola, as the virus is spread through bodily fluids.
	Ebola is high on the agenda of a regional meeting of the World Health Organisation that opened today in Benin, a West African nation that has not had any Ebola cases. WHO chief Margaret Chan said the Ebola epidemic has set back political stability and economic recovery in .

Sierra Leone says another doctor dies of Ebola

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for two bombings on Shiite pilgrims that left 23 people dead in Baghdad.
	In a statement posted online late yesterday, the group said the car bomb attacks happened despite the tight security measures amid the Shiites' "biggest infidel event."
	The two attacks targeted Shiite pilgrims and tents serving them on their way to the holy city of Karbala to mark the Ashoura religious holiday.
Ashoura commemorates the seventh-century death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad, and an iconic martyr among Shiite Muslims. Sunni insurgents frequently target Shiites, who they consider heretics.
Iraq is facing its greatest challenge since the 2011 withdrawal of U.S. Troops, as militants from the Islamic State group now control vast swaths of the country.

IS claims Baghdad bombings

Syrian activists say al-Qaida fighters are amassing in a Syrian border town in what appears to be an attempt to seize a nearby Turkish border crossing from Syrian rebels.
	Assad Kanjo said today that Nusra Front fighters have been gathering in the town of Sarmada in the northern Idlib province, some 6 kilometers from Bab al-Hawa, an important Turkish border crossing.
	If Nusra Front fighters seize the crossing, it would block an important supply line for Western-backed rebels.
	Kanjo said Nusra fighters have been gathering there for days, as part of their weeklong attack on Idlib province, where they have wrested towns and villages from rebels, mostly belonging to the Western-backed Syrian Revolutionary Front.
	The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also confirmed the details.

Syrian al-Qaida forces amass near Turkey crossing

Attacks in Afghanistan have killed a deputy provincial governor, fatally shot while taking a university class, and a judge on his way home from a mosque, officials said today.
	In southern Kandahar province, a gunman attacked 32-year-old deputy governor Abdul Qadeem Patyall, shooting at him through the window of a classroom at Kandahar University late yesterday, said Samim Khpolwak, spokesman for the provincial governor.
	Patyall, who was studying to become a teacher, was seriously wounded and died later in hospital, said Khpolwak.
	President Ashraf Ghani sent condolences to Patyall's family and described his killing as a terrorist attack, the presidential palace said. A government delegation was investigating the incident.
	Also late yesterday, a judge was shot and killed by gunmen in Feroz Koh, the capital of Ghor province, said Abdul Hai Khateby, spokesman for the provincial governor.
	Judge Abdul Majid was on his way home from a mosque when he was attacked, Khateby said. He died ..

Attacks kill Afghan deputy governor, judge

French security chiefs are investigating a spate of mysterious and illegal overflights of French nuclear power stations by tiny, unmanned drones.
	A government official told The Associated Press that authorities have counted about 15 drone flights over a half-dozen nuclear sites since October 1.
	Authorities insist France's nuclear facilities are designed to handle seismic and security risks, including those possibly posed by drones.
	Environment Minister Segolene Royal told various media yesterday that investigators have no leads about who is behind the flights.
	Officials are keeping quiet about their response. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told RTL radio today that "the best way to be effective in this area is not to say what we're doing."
	France gets more than two-thirds of electricity from nuclear power, the highest proportion in the world.

Mystery drone flights over French nuclear sites

Gen Veljko Kadijevic, who was Yugoslavia's last defense minister at the start of the country's bloody breakup, has died. He was 88.
	Serbia's state television said today that Kadijevic died yesterday in Moscow, where he had lived since 2001.
	Kadijevic became defense minister in 1988, shortly before the communist-run ex-federation dissolved along ethnic lines, triggering Europe's worst carnage since World War II.
	Kadijevic led the military during the war in Croatia, including the siege of Vukovar, when the eastern Croatian town was completely destroyed by Serb-led Yugoslav army troops.
	Croatia has accused Kadijevic of war crimes over the Vukovar siege and issued an international arrest warrant. But Kadijevic, who had adopted Russian citizenship, was never handed over to face the charges.

AP

AP

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