Former Indian soldier kills family, self in Calif

This photo provided by the Fresno County Sheriff's Office shows Avtar Singh. Singh, a former Indian Army officer wanted in a 1996 killing in the disputed Kashmir region killed his wife and two of their children in their California home Saturday, June 9, 2012 before apparently taking his own life, authorities said. (AP Photo/Fresno County Sheriff's Office)

This photo provided by the Fresno County Sheriff's Office shows Avtar Singh. Singh, a former Indian Army officer wanted in a 1996 killing in the disputed Kashmir region killed his wife and two of their children in their California home Saturday, June 9, 2012 before apparently taking his own life, authorities said. (AP Photo/Fresno County Sheriff's Office)

This photo provided by the Fresno County Sheriff's Office shows Avtar Singh. Singh, a former Indian Army officer wanted in a 1996 killing in the disputed Kashmir region killed his wife and two of their children in their California home Saturday, June 9, 2012 before apparently taking his own life, authorities said. (AP Photo/Fresno County Sheriff's Office)

SELMA, Calif. (AP) ? A former Indian army officer wanted in the killing of a human rights lawyer in the disputed Kashmir region shot and killed his own wife and two of their children in their California home before apparently committing suicide, authorities said.

A 17-year-old believed to be the man's son also was "barely alive" after the attack Saturday morning, Fresno County Sheriff's Deputy Chris Curtice said.

The ex-officer, Avtar Singh, had been arrested in this central California city last year after his wife said he choked her, and the Indian government sought his extradition days after that in the 1996 death of Jalil Andrabi.

But he remained free, for reasons that were not immediately clear. Andrabi's brother and lawyer blamed New Delhi, saying Singh's family would still be alive if the government had tried harder to bring him to justice.

"These lives could have been saved if a trial of Maj. Avtar Singh was conducted on time," said Andrabi's brother, Arshad. "We have lost that chance now. He was a known murderer and we are appalled that he was even shielded in the United States. It's a failure of justice at all levels."

Singh, who owned a trucking company in Selma, called police around 6:15 a.m. Saturday and told them that he had just killed four people, Curtice said. He added that a sheriff's SWAT team was called in to assist because of Singh's military background and the India charges against him.

When the SWAT team entered the home they found the bodies of Singh, a woman believed to be his wife and two children, ages 3 and 15, Curtice said. All appeared to have died from gunshot wounds.

The 17-year-old suffered severe head trauma and underwent surgery at a hospital where he remained in intensive care Saturday evening, Curtice said.

Singh, 47, was arrested by Selma police in February 2011 when his wife reported that he had choked her, Selma Police Chief Myron Dyck said shortly after that arrest. Police then discovered that he was being sought in India, but Dyck said at the time that he could not keep Singh in custody on the murder charge without a warrant from international authorities.

Several days later, India requested that the United States arrest and extradite Singh. It wasn't clear on Saturday why Singh had remained free since the request. A request for comment from the Consulate General of India in San Francisco on Saturday was not immediately returned.

Dyck didn't immediately return a call seeking comment Saturday about the 2011 arrest, and Selma police referred questions about the apparent murder-suicide to Fresno County sheriff's officials.

Selma police last had contact with Singh about two months ago when he called to complain that reporters wouldn't leave him alone because of the murder warrant, Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims told the Fresno Bee (http://bit.ly/KpCPEq).

Jalil Andrabi was killed at the height of protests in Indian-controlled Kashmir, where nearly a dozen rebel groups have fought security forces for independence or merger with Pakistan since 1989. More than 68,000 people, mostly civilian, have been killed in the uprising and subsequent Indian crackdown.

Andrabi disappeared in March 1996 in Kashmir's main city, Srinagar. His body was recovered 19 days later in a local river. He had been shot in the head and his eyes were gouged out.

A police investigation said Andrabi had been picked up from his home by Indian troops and killed in their custody. The probe blamed Singh and his soldiers for that killing and also accused Singh of involvement in the killings of six other Kashmiri men.

Singh had been charged in Kashmir only with Andrabi's killing. Kashmir police had sought permission from the government of India for Singh's prosecution in the six other killings. Under India's armed forces special powers act, federal permission has to be obtained before police can prosecute any army or paramilitary soldier posted in Kashmir.

No soldier has been punished for Andrabi's killing, human rights lawyers say.

Singh fled India after he was accused of killing Andrabi. Hafizullah Mir, a human rights lawyer, said he was tracked to California in 2009 with the help of the Canadian Center for International Justice, a human rights advocacy group, but that New Delhi did not pursue extradition until after his 2011 arrest.

In Selma, Singh owned and operated Jay Truck Lines. Alli Adan, a driver for the company, said he had seen Singh the night before the killings, and that had appeared to be acting normally.

"He was a nice guy," Adan told the Fresno Bee. "I couldn't believe it because I didn't think he could do something like this."

___

Associated Press writer Aijaz Hussain in Srinagar, India, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

kourtney kardashian pregnant again kourtney kardashian pregnant again apple juice apple juice occupy la miranda kerr adriana lima

Invasive mite worsens honeybee viruses

Parasite?s move into Hawaiian islands lets obscure pathogen go big and bad

Web edition : Friday, June 8th, 2012

A mite that parasitizes honeybees can turn formerly small-time, local virus strains into widespread, dominant hazards.

As the Varroa destructor mite infiltrated Hawaiian bee colonies from 2007 to 2010, viral infection strength in local bees soared a million-fold, and a once-obscure but nasty strain of deformed wing virus surged to prominence. Even when beekeepers beat back the mite, the newly prominent virus remained abundant. Mite damage plus the virus shorten the lives of bees and can destroy colonies.

So far Hawaiian beekeepers have not reported the swifter, specific malady called colony collapse disorder (SN: 7/28/2007, p. 56), but the ability of the mite ? now spreading globally ? to reshape viral threats is worrisome, say Stephen J. Martin of the University of Sheffield in England and his colleagues in the June 8 Science.

Found in: Life

bobbi kristina brown keanu reeves pebble beach clive davis cause of whitney houston death the watchmen whitney houston dies

PFT: 49er DL fired up by NFC title game loss

Getty Images

The Colts reportedly want cornerback Mike Jenkins.? For now, they?ll have to settle for Justin King.

The team has announced that King, a four-year veteran, has joined the team.? He entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Rams in 2008, and he became an unrestricted free agent in March after four seasons in St. Louis.

King, who has appeared in 35 games with 19 starts, will boost a depth chart containing several d-backs who apparently regard those criticizing the secondary as d-bags.

?I kind of get pissed off every time I see an article or someone talking that the Colts? secondary is this or that,? Jerraud Power said earlier this week, via Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.? ?[Critics] aren?t in the building every day seeing how these guys work at their craft or how they conduct themselves.?

Right.? But the coaching staff and front office are.? And they?ve now added another veteran defensive back.

Coach Chuck Pagano admits that the team would ?love to have someone separate from the pack,? eventually.? ?Once we get to training camp and we get the pads on,? Pagano said, ?I think that thing will start to clear itself up.?

The real question is whether ?that thing? will be able to keep up with the receivers and tight ends that Colts defense will be covering once the real games start.? Despite King?s four NFL seasons, the fact that he was available nearly three months after free agency started isn?t a good sign.

pat burrell hilary rosen grilled cheese allen west north korea missile nerlens noel don t trust the b in apartment 23

Ambitious solar energy plans in Middle East and North Africa

Solar Power Rises in the Mideast, North Africa,?CNBC, 7 June 12,???.A number of recent developments highlight the push for renewable?energy in the MENA region, from Saudi Arabia?s ambitious solar plans?to Qatar?s first-ever polysilicon plant and massive concentrated solar?power plants across North Africa.

'True Blood' Season Five: The Reviews Are In!

Critics agree the show is worthy summer entertainment but find the plot lacking focus.
By Fallon Prinzivalli

Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgard and Lucy Griffiths in season five of "True Blood"
Photo: Lacey Terrell/ HBO

Our favorite fantastical creatures from Bon Temps return Sunday night (June 10) with the season-five premiere of HBO's "True Blood."

The previous season left off with Sookie professing love for both Eric and Bill while ultimately choosing herself over either lover. Alcide uncovered a giant hole in a cement parking lot, leading us to believe we haven't heard the last of Russell Edgington. And in the final sequence before the credits, Debbie meant to unload a round of lead into Sookie, but Tara jumped in the way and had half her head blown off.

Along with hopefully revealing whether Sookie's BFF survived the blast or not, the latest season brings vampire authority in the form of "Law and Order: SVU" star Christopher Meloni, who comes to restore order in the blood-sucking community. Here's what critics are saying about the season's opener.

The Story
"The first four episodes of Season 5 recently sent out to critics reflect what's wrong with the most recent seasons of the HBO drama: they lack focus. The plot, which is based in part on Charlaine Harris's novels, zigzags in so many different directions that it often seems as though there are no less than 10 separate television shows existing side by side within 'True Blood.' While the early seasons of the show wisely focused on a few main characters ... the show's success at creating vivid and engaging supporting characters has also been its downfall.

Rather than allow these characters to exist on the periphery where they might thrive, Alan Ball and his writing staff have forced them front and center, which means that each season now needs to incorporate storylines for the entire cast, which now numbers in the several dozen. The result is a jumble of unrelated storylines that lack cohesion and a strong throughline. (Last season gave us witches, disembodied spirits, shifters, shamans, and faeries, all vying for control of the story.) With almost every character off doing his or her own thing, there's a distinct lack of unity in the narrative, something keenly felt in the haphazard and unsatisfying fourth season, and that feeling continues into Season 5." — Jace Lacob, The Daily Beast

The Authority
"Five seasons ago, I publicly declared my undying hatred of all things 'True Blood.' ... [But Season 5 has] added a new element that makes it something I can finally (I'm sorry) sink my teeth into. They've added politics as blood sport. Authority has come to town, boys and gargoyles. ... On next week's episode, the new Guardian, Roman, head of the Authority, is introduced and it's none other than Christopher Meloni. We still have vamp SVUs, so he's pledged to root out and bring the 'Sanguinistas,' who believe God created humans as a food source for vamps, to heel." — Linda Stasi, New York Post

Kristin Bauer van Straten's Pam
"As usual, Pam gets the best lines. When she enters Sookie's blood-soaked kitchen to find Sookie killed Debbie Pelt in retaliation for shooting Tara, Pam observes, 'Color me impressed. You know how to party.' Later, after aiding Sookie's efforts, Pam declares, 'I'm wearing a Wal-Mart sweatshirt for you all. If that's not a demonstration of team spirit, I don't know what is.' " — Rob Owen, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Final Word, Pro-Con Style
"As always on a show that tends to be messy in all senses of the word, plots and characters tumble into each other and sometimes threaten to push each other right off the screen. Immediately after tying up last year's plot strings (by the end of the first hour, you'll know the fate of Rutina Wesley's Tara), 'True' launches into multiple new crises, led by the horrifying and welcome return of Denis O'Hare's Russell Edgington. The stories are not all equal, but most more than carry their weight, and all are laced with both humor and the writer's respect for dramatic consequences. Put them together, and you get summer TV at its witty, riveting best. Come on in; the 'Blood' is fine." — Robert Bianco, USA Today

"Silly doesn't even begin to describe most of what goes on in the first few episodes, which include a veiled shout-out to former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, an enormous wink involving the folk standard 'Turn! Turn! Turn!' and, as always, an unruly number of subplots. And yet, like an addiction to free-range hemoglobin, there's something undeniably compelling about the characters, human and otherwise, in a series whose plotting grows more twisted every year. It doesn't hurt that this season's new blood includes characters played by Christopher Meloni ('Law & Order: SVU') and Tina Majorino ('Big Love'). But this is reportedly creator Alan Ball's final year as showrunner, and if everything truly has a season, it might be time to think about putting a stake through 'True Blood' before it begins to seem more undead than alive." — Ellen Gray, Philadelphia Daily News

Related Videos

• MTV After Hours With Josh Horowitz

ricky martin chauncey billups caucus results exton ricky williams kurt warner kurt warner

CompTIA Network Tech Support Career Computer Self-Study Online ...

In the modern world, support workers who are qualified to solve problems with PC?s and networks, plus give constant advice to users, are essential in every part of the economy. The need for the above mentioned individuals is constantly growing, as everywhere we work becomes significantly more technologically advanced.

The old fashioned style of teaching, utilising reference manuals and books, is often a huge slog for most of us. If this sounds like you, find training programs which have a majority of interactive, multimedia parts. If we?re able to study while utilising as many senses as possible, then we normally see dramatically better results.

Courses are now available in disc format, where everything is taught on your PC. Video streaming means you are able to see your instructors showing you how to do something, followed by your chance to practice ? in a virtual lab environment. It makes sense to see some of the typical study materials provided before you hand over your cheque. The minimum you should expect would be videoed instructor demonstrations and interactive modules with audio-visual elements.

Choose disc based courseware (On CD or DVD) wherever available. You can then avoid all the difficulties of broadband outages, failure and signal quality issues etc.

When did you last consider your job security? For most of us, we only think of this after something dramatic happens to shake us. But really, the reality is that true job security simply doesn?t exist anymore, for the vast majority of people. Of course, a quickly growing market-place, where staff are in constant demand (through a big shortfall of trained people), creates the conditions for proper job security.

With the computer market as an example, the most recent e-Skills study highlighted major skills shortages across the United Kingdom of around 26 percent. Quite simply, we can?t properly place more than just three out of every 4 jobs in the computing industry. Achieving in-depth commercial Information Technology certification is thus a ?Fast Track? to succeed in a long-term and rewarding profession. No better time or market settings will exist for getting certified in this swiftly expanding and evolving industry. Consider Pop Over To THIS Web-Site for superb specifics.

A useful feature that several companies offer is a Job Placement Assistance program. It?s intention is to steer you into your first IT role. It can happen though that people are too impressed with this facility, because it?s really not that difficult for any motivated and trained individual to get work in the IT industry ? because companies everywhere are seeking trained staff.

Help with your CV and interview techniques is sometimes offered (if not, see one of our sites for help). Make sure you update that dusty old CV immediately ? not after you?ve qualified! Quite often, you?ll land your first job while you?re still a student (sometimes when you?ve only just got going). If you haven?t updated your CV to say what you?re studying ? or it?s not getting in front of interviewers, then you don?t stand a chance! You can usually expect quicker service from a specialist locally based employment agency than you?ll get from a training company?s centralised service, because they?ll know the area better.

Not inconsiderable numbers of trainees, it would appear, spend evenings and weekends on their training and studies (for years sometimes), and then just stop instead of looking for a job. Market yourself? Do everything you can to get yourself known. Don?t expect a job to just fall into your lap.

Pop over to my site for well-rounded information now: updates on Microsoft MCSE Training Courses and www.microsoft?online-training.co.uk.

rockies ashley judd second degree murders bobby petrino brian dunn vin scully petrino fired

Marketing Your Business On Instagram | Geek Business

Chances are that you?ve come across an Instagram photograph if you spend much time on Twitter or Facebook. Instagram is a service that allows users to add various filters to their photos for a vintage and cool effect; it can pretty much transform ugly photos into ones that are instantly hip and trendy. If you have a business with an online presence then you will definitely want to take advantage of Instagram in order to build a following and brand awareness. Here are a few ideas that you can use in order to market your business on this hot social media site.

Behind The Scene Shots

Instagram can be a great way for you to add a face behind the brand. It can also be a great way to introduce some of your staff members to the public. For example, if you own an auto dealership post a few shots of your sales team. Another idea is to post photos of company events such as birthdays or holiday parties. Are you involved with any community charities or sponsor any events? Why not share a few memorable shots of these occasions with your followers? This will bring a face to your company and will give potential customers a chance to get to know more about your company?s beliefs and values.

Everyone Loves A Good Contest

Contests on Instagram are a great way to gain followers and foster interaction with potential and existing customers. ?For example, you could have a contest asking followers to post photos of their own car or a very cool car they saw today. Or perhaps get them to vote on a particular topic and pick a random winner. They key is to be creative and to think outside the box.

Post Photos Of Your Product

Since Instagram is a visually driven medium you?ll want to post photos that are unique and compelling. Even though the filters do make everything look better that doesn?t mean that you should post up any old picture. Every image that you post is representative of your brand and the quality of your products so show off your best work. For example, if you own a car dealership with a large selection of autos why not post up a few fun and quirky photos of a few of your best-selling used cars? Like Twitter, Instagram allows you to post hashtags which makes it easier for other users to find your photos. In this case you may want to use #CARS or #NEW CARS as a hashtag.

Written by Jolene Peters ? Jolene enjoys writing about online marketing and the automotive business. She currently resides in California.

occupy dc ufc 143 fight card my fair lady conversion disorder the chronicle spinal stenosis the forgotten man