Las Vegas Shooting: Suspect May Face Death

The suspect in the fatal shooting and fiery crash that killed three people on the Las Vegas Strip has been indicted on charges that could carry the death penalty.

A Clark County District Court grand jury indicted 27-year-old Ammar Harris on three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and seven counts of discharging a weapon.

Harris, a self-confessed pimp, is accused of shooting from a black Range Rover into a Maserati sports car that then slammed into a taxi that burst into flames in February.

The Maserati was being driven by Kenny Clutch

Taxi driver Michael Boldon, 62, and passenger Sandra Sutton-Wasmund, were killed. The Maserati driver, 27-year-old rapper Kenny Clutch died in hospital.

In an unexpected move, the grand jury also indicted Harris on a charge of robbery and three felony sex assault counts in a 2010 rape case that had been dismissed last year when the alleged victim refused to testify.

Prosecutor David Stanton said the second indictment did not represent double-jeopardy under Nevada law because the earlier case was dismissed without prejudice before a preliminary hearing.

Clutch, left, and cab driver Michael Boldon were killed

That let prosecutors seek new charges when the alleged victim, who now lives in Texas, testified before the grand jury in Las Vegas.

The rape charges could put Harris in prison for a minimum of 10 years. He could get two to 15 years on the robbery charge if convicted.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson has said he is considering the death penalty in the Las Vegas Strip incident but has not made a decision.

Harris is expected to plead not guilty in both cases at a court hearing on May 6.

The scene of the shoot-out was likened to a Hollywood film

The shooting, which was described by witnesses as being like something from a Hollywood film, happened at the busy intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road, which is flanked by Caesars Palace, Bellagio, Bally's and the Flamingo.

Another man in the Maserati suffered gunshot wounds and survived. Five other people in several other vehicles were injured.

Police said Harris and Mr Clutch, whose real name was Kenneth Cherry, had exchanged angry words at a casino valet stand before speeding away.

Investigators found no gun in the Maserati.

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Afghanistan: Nato Deaths As Plane Crashes

A plane crash in southern Afghanistan has killed four members of the international military coalition, Nato has announced.

Zabul province police chief Rogh Lewanai said the aircraft had come down in bad weather.

Mohammad Jan Rasoulyar, deputy governor of the southern province of Zabul, confirmed the plane had crashed in the Shah Joy district of the province.

He said the site had been surrounded by international forces.

Most international soldiers in southern Afghanistan are from the US, but the nationalities of the victims have not been disclosed.

A Nato statement said: "The cause of the crash is under investigation, however initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash."

On Saturday the Taliban announced the start of their annual "spring offensive" vowing a nationwide series of attacks as Nato troops withdraw from the country.

Earlier this month, two US troops were killed when a Nato helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan, while five US troops died in the southern province of Kandahar in May when their helicopter came down during a heavy rainstorm.

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Ricin Letters Probe: Police Charge Man

Federal agents have charged a Mississippi martial arts tutor in connection with poison-laced letters sent to President Barack Obama and two other officials.

Everett Dutschke was taken into custody by FBI agents at his Tupelo home without incident, according to FBI spokeswoman Deborah Madden.

The FBI and the US Capitol Police, as well as members of an anti-terrorist response team from the Mississippi National Guard, had earlier searched the 41-year-old's home and former martial arts studio.

Authorities searched Dutschke's former martial arts studio

He has been charged with possessing a biological agent with intent to use as a weapon.

US prosecutors dropped charges on Tuesday against another Mississippi man, Elvis impersonator Paul Kevin Curtis, after a search of his home revealed no evidence linking him to three ricin-laced letters sent to Mr Obama, Senator Roger Wicker and Lee County, Mississippi, Judge Sadie Holland.

Authorities then turned their attention to Dutschke, who they say has ties to the former suspect, the judge and Sen Wicker.

Dutschke's attorney, Lori Nail Basham, said earlier this week that her client was "co-operating fully" with investigators. Dutschke has insisted he had nothing to do with the letters.

Paul Kevin Curtis (in glasses) was cleared of charges last week

The martial arts instructor and Curtis are acquainted, with Curtis saying they had discussed publishing a book together before they later had a feud.

Questions over a possible framing attempt were raised after an FBI agent said authorities tracked down Curtis by using a list of Senator Wicker's constituents with the initials KC - the same initials in the letters.

The letters also contained lines posted on Curtis' Facebook page, including the phrase "I am KC and I approve this message."

Curtis' attorney, Christi McCoy, said they were "relieved but also saddened" following Dutschke's arrest.

She said: "This crime is nothing short of diabolical. I have seen a lot of meanness in the past two decades, but this stops me in my tracks."

The letters sent to the president and Sen Wicker were intercepted at government mail sorting facilities before reaching the White House and Capitol Hill.

Ricin - made from castor beans - can be deadly to humans and is considered a potential terror weapon, particularly if refined into an aerosol form.

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Hollywood Hoax: 'End Fake 911 Calls'

By Greg Milam, US Correspondent

Politicians in California are pushing for new laws to crack down on a growing craze targeting celebrities which they say is putting lives at risk.

Dozens of cases of so-called 'swatting' have been reported in glitzy Los Angeles neighbourhoods in recent weeks.

They have stretched police resources and led to potentially deadly confrontations.

The practice gets its name from the hoax 911 calls which report fake serious crimes in the hope of prompting a response from heavily-armed SWAT teams.

In recent weeks the homes of stars including Justin Timberlake, Ashton Kutcher, Rihanna, P Diddy and Tom Cruise have fallen victim.

News helicopters have captured dramatic footage of police teams swarming around homes with guns drawn.

A heavily-armed SWAT team responding to one of the hoax calls

Ted Lieu, the member of California's senate who represents a district including celebrity hot spots like Beverly Hills and Pacific Palisades, has proposed a bill that would increase fines and prison sentences for those convicted.

He told Sky News: "You can imagine how dangerous it might be. Say it is late at night, all these officers show up, adrenalin in pumping, they're about to draw their guns and then you have a homeowner who has no idea what is happening, maybe that homeowner has a gun.

"You can see how a miscommunication could result in injury or death.

"It leads police who have responded to these incidents to be a little bit more wary when they're responding, because it could be a fake. The one time it is not a fake it could turn out to be disastrous."

In the chilling audio of one 'swatting' call, a male voice tells the operator that he has shot and killed his wife and directs police to the address of a television personality.

On-off couple Chris Brown and Rihanna have both fallen victim to 'swatters'

'Swatters' often use technology to either disguise where they're calling from or even make it look as if they are calling from the address in question.

Already a 12-year-old boy is serving time in juvenile detention after being arrested for a high profile 'swatting' incident.

Los Angeles police department spokeswoman Sara Faden said: "Those officers that are now responding to this fraudulent call are no longer able to assist people who really need our help.

"We want to make sure that people know this is incredibly dangerous and serious and not to do it."

When police attended Timberlake's home, passengers on a passing celebrity tour bus, which had just pulled up outside, were able to photograph the whole thing.

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Obama's White House Correspondents Speech

President Barack Obama cracked jokes about his "Muslim socialist" background and copying his wife's hairstyle at the White House Correspondents' dinner.

Mr Obama used the annual event to poke fun at himself and some of his political adversaries, asking if it was still possible to be brought down a peg or two after four-and-a-half years as commander-in-chief.

Entering to the rap track All I Do Is Win by DJ Khaled, Mr Obama joked about how last year's re-election would allow him to unleash a radical agenda.

But then he showed a picture of himself golfing on a mock magazine cover of 'Senior Leisure'.

The President pokes fun at his wife's popularity - and hairstyle

"I'm not the strapping young Muslim Socialist that I used to be," the president remarked, mentioning his two out of 22 basketball shooting success rate at the White House Easter Egg hunt.

And after referring to first lady Michelle Obama's enduring popularity, he said his own team had advised an image change and presented a montage of shots featuring him with a fringe similar to his wife's.

Mr Obama closed his speech on a more sombre note - addressing the recent tragedies in Boston and Texas and praising Americans from the emergency services to local journalists for serving the public good.

Homeland's Claire Danes was one of the stars invited to the dinner

Saturday night's banquet, not far from the White House, attracted an assortment of stars from Hollywood and beyond.

Actors Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Claire Danes, who play government characters on US TV shows, were among the attendees, as was Korean pop star Psy.

Director Steven Spielberg was enlisted to help with a mock trailer for a film of the president's life - based on his Oscar-winning Lincoln.

Director Steven Spielberg contributed to the President's speech

Late-night talk-show host Conan O'Brien headlined the event.

Some of Mr Obama's jokes came at his Republican rivals' expense. He asked that the Republican's minority outreach begin with him as a "trial run" and said he would take his recent charm offensive with Republicans on the road, including to a book-burning event with Tea Party favourite Michele Bachmann.

On the 2016 election, the president noted that potential Republican candidate Marco Rubio wasn't qualified because he hasn't even served a full term in the Senate.

Mr Obama served less than four years of his six-year Senate term before he was elected president in 2008.

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'Two Killed' In Building Blast And Collapse

Two people have been killed after an explosion caused part of a five-storey apartment building to collapse in France.

The explosion happened in a subsidised housing complex

At least 10 others were injured when the building collapsed in Reims, in the country's Champagne region, possibly because of a gas blast.

More than 100 rescue workers, firefighters and bomb and gas experts rushed to the scene, hunting for victims trapped under debris of the council estate building.

The city's mayor Adeline Hazan told France's BFM television that "a very powerful explosion" had taken place. She said the bodies of the two people killed remained under the rubble.

Rescue crews at the scene

The building, one of the oldest in the area, had been renovated several years ago.

This is the latest such accident to occur in the Marne department this month.

At the beginning of April, four people from the same family were killed and another person was seriously injured when a gas explosion devastated their council flat in Witry-les-Reims, not far from the scene of this accident.

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India Rape: Six-Year-Old Assaulted In Delhi

A six-year-old girl has been raped in a public toilet in Delhi just days after the brutal sexual assault of a five-year-old in the Indian capital caused a public outcry.

The six-year-old was in stable condition after she was taken to hospital and had surgery, doctors said.

Police said they had rounded up 22 suspects.

The attack happened on Saturday in the Badarpur district on the outskirts of the Indian capital.

Police official Ajay Chaudhry said: "There is a slum colony where a small child had gone to use the public toilet, she was assaulted there."

"Once she is okay and is able to talk to us we will investigate. Up until now we have rounded up 22 people who have come under suspicion," he added.

Protesters have urged the government to tackle violence against women

A man who walked into the toilet found the girl bleeding, and alerted police.

Thousands have taken to the streets in recent weeks to show their anger at the violence that many women in India are subjected to, and demand action.

In the latest case to provoke an outrage, a five-year-old was abducted and raped in a two-day ordeal allegedly at the hands of a garment worker, who has been arrested.

In December, the horrifying gang-rape of a 23-year-old student on a bus, who died from her injuries, led to weeks of protests and a debate on the status of women in India.

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'Tortured' UK Trio Face Dubai Drugs Verdict

The sister of a man on trial for drugs offences in Dubai has described how her brother was tortured by police, after he was arrested with two other Britons while on holiday last year.

Suneet Jeerh, 25, was arrested along with Grant Cameron, 25, and Karl Williams, 26, while they were out in the nightlife area of the principality on July 10.

All three will find out on Monday the verdict in their trial in Dubai for possession and intent to supply synthetic cannabis, known as 'spice'

The men, all from London, claim they were forced to sign documents in Arabic - a language none of them understands - after having guns put to their heads.

The conclusion of the trial is set to overshadow a visit on Tuesday by the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Officials say they will be raising concerns with Emirati officials.

Their case is being backed by the overseas justice charity Reprieve, which is calling for a full review of the treatment they received.

Davina Kumar, the sister of Suneet Jeerh, told Sky News what she believed happened to her brother.

She said: "He was dragged into a car, and he was actually beaten at the time and he was taken to the desert where he was tortured severely - all three boys were.

"They kicked, punched him. They used a gun. They used the back of the gun to hit him on the head. They cut all of his head open from the back.

"They also used a cattle rod to his spine, where they electrocuted him. They electrocuted his spine down the back."

All three have denied charges of "consumption and possession with intent to distribute", and appeared at their first trial hearing in February after spending seven months in custody.

Dubai has become a major destination for tourism

The FCO has called for a full, independent and impartial inquiry into the allegations of torture and has raised them with "very senior officials" in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The UAE said it has investigated the allegations of torture and found them "baseless".

In a draft witness statement provided to Reprieve lawyer Marc Calcutt, Mr Williams described having a towel put on his face by police and having electric shocks on his testicles.

The torture took place in the desert, it was claimed, where the men were initially taken after their arrest, and subsequently in a hotel room.

The statements they signed were not full confessions, but have been used in the trial as evidence.

An FCO spokeswoman said: "The Foreign and Commonwealth Office takes all allegations of mistreatment and torture extremely seriously, and acts with a sense of urgency in all cases.

"We have been providing consular assistance to three British nationals detained in the UAE since July 2012, and are aware of their allegations of mistreatment.

"We have raised, and continue to raise, these allegations at the most senior levels in person and through diplomatic channels, including through ministers.

"It would not be appropriate to pre-empt the court judgment on April 29."

The UAE embassy in London has so far refused to comment.

Mr Cameron and Mr Williams are both from Wanstead, in north east London, while Mr Jeerh is from Ilford, east London.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahayan will stay overnight at Windsor Castle as a guest of Queen Elizabeth II, and will also meet with Prime Minister David Cameron.

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Bangladesh Factory Collapse: Fire Breaks Out

A fire has broken out at the scene of a building collapse in Bangladesh, forcing some rescuers to halt their search for survivors.

The blaze started because of sparks generated as rescuers tried to cut through a steel rod to reach a woman, officials said.

Three people have been injured and firefighters are at the scene, where smoke was pouring from piles of shattered concrete.

The fate of the trapped woman is not known.

It comes hours after the owner of the eight-storey factory complex, which toppled killing at least 377 people, was arrested along the country's border with India.

Mohammed Sohel Rana was brought back to the capital Dhaka by helicopter and now faces charges over the disaster.

An announcement was also made by loudspeaker at the site of the building, where people cheered and clapped.

Food is passed down to trapped workers through a hole

Mr Rana's wife had already been detained - but he had not been seen since the building toppled to the ground on Wednesday.

He reportedly had the approval to construct five floors but added three more illegally.

Rescue teams have been working at all hours and have now called in heavy-lifting equipment to get to the workers still trapped underneath the rubble of the structure.

Hundreds of relatives of missing workers have been gathering at the site in the hope of finding their loved ones.

A further nine survivors were found on Sunday - in addition to the 29 rescued alive on Saturday.

However, hopes of finding more people trapped under the mound of broken concrete and metal are now starting to fade with hundreds of people still missing.

Rescuers at the scene of the disaster

"The chances of finding people alive are dimming, so we have to step up our rescue operation to save any valuable life we can," said Major General Chowdhury Hassan Sohrawardi, co-ordinator of the operation.

Until now, have been using hand tools, fearing the use of cranes would dislodge masonry and put trapped survivors at risk.

And while the number of survivors has been growing, so has the death toll.

It is the deadliest tragedy to hit Bangladesh's clothing industry, which is worth $20bn (£13bn) a year.

On Saturday, police arrested three factory bosses as well as two engineers involved in approving the design of the Rana Plaza building in the Dhaka suburb of Savar.

It housed five clothing factories, employing a total of 3,122 staff.

It is not known how many workers were inside the structure when it collapsed. Some 2,500 survivors have been accounted for.

The three factory bosses arrested included Bazlus Samad, managing director of New Wave Apparels, Mahmudur Rahman Tapash, the company chairman, and Aminul Islam, chairman of Phantom Apparels.

Wednesday's tragedy has sparked protests about the poor working conditions of workers who toil for as little as £25 a month to produce clothing for top international brands.

High street giant Primark - and Spain's Mango - have confirmed their products were made in the block.

Protesters held a demonstration outside Primark's flagship store in central London on Saturday to demand compensation for the workers who were killed.

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Italy Shooting: 'Gunman Angry At Politicians'

A shooting outside the Italian PM's office that wounded two policemen was the "tragic criminal gesture" of an unemployed man, the interior minister has said.

The shooting happened in front of several witnesses as Premier Enrico Letta and his new government were being sworn in at a different location nearby in Rome.

The assailant, an Italian man dressed in a suit and tie, was arrested at the scene. He has since told police he was acting out of "anger with politicians".

The man suffered a head injury as he was tackled to the ground by police.

"The tragic criminal gesture this morning was carried out by an unemployed 49-year-old man who showed signs of wanting to commit suicide," Angelino Alfano said.

The suspected gunman was identified as Luigi Preiti, from the southern region of Calabria.

Mr Alfano said the man intended to kill himself but ran out of bullets after firing six shots.

The square was quickly cordoned off as crowds fled the scene

Later reports said he had shouted "Shoot me! Shoot Me!" at the police during the shooting.

Sky Italia quoted the suspect's brother as saying the alleged attacker had lost his job in a construction firm and was upset over marital problems.

One of the officers was shot in the neck and was reported to be in a serious condition.

The other was hit in the leg. A female passer-by was also injured but not seriously.

Rome mayor Gianni Alemanno said the shooting was "not an act of terrorism", but stressed that a bitter political climate in the past few months had heightened tensions.

The shooting on a sunny Sunday morning occurred as a huge crowd was waiting for Mr Letta, who was due to come to the prime minister's office for a transfer of power from his predecessor, Mario Monti.

President Giorgio Napolitano, left, with Mr Letta at the ceremony

Mr Letta had been at swearing-in ceremony, held at the presidential Quirinale Palace, with his ministers.

They were kept briefly inside that palace as a precaution until it was clear there was no danger.

The episode comes at a time of rising social tensions exacerbated by a long economic slump and two months of political deadlock following inconclusive elections in February.

Mr Letta, a 46-year-old leftist moderate, held days of tricky negotiations and formed a broad-coalition government on Saturday.

The Cabinet includes members of his Democratic Party and their former rivals, the conservatives led by Silvio Berlusconi.

The new government during the swearing-in ceremony

Mr Berlusconi is not in the government, but some of his close allies have prominent ministerial jobs, such as Mr Alfano.

Mr Letta aims to pass reforms aimed at promoting growth and employment in the recession-mired country and rejuvenate a political class marked by scandals and accusations of corruption.

The prime minister strove to fill the Cabinet with new faces, younger ministers and several women.

Prominent among them is Emma Bonino, a former EU commissioner who will serve as foreign minister.

Olympic gold medal kayaker Josefa Idem was tapped as minister of equal opportunity and sports, while Congo-born Cecile Kyenge was named minister of integration and became Italy's first black minister.

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