The story of a monster and the insignificant bugs

It is peaceful to be able to let go of some memories. But a mother of a deceased son never finds that bliss. ‘Sadness engraves its mark’ in her every little gestures; the way she sits, the way she her voice sounds so mild, the way she absentmindedly strokes on the sofa. The poet Shamsur Rahman once wrote “in our verandas and our doorframes, in our chairs, tables, and mattresses, sadness has imprinted its melancholy.” 7 months ago when Tauki’s battered dead body was found in the muddy water of Shitalakkha River this house became engulfed in sorrow from that day. Tauki’s house is still a dark place. Narayanganj is a dark place. Tauki’s father Rafiur Rabbi is rresponsible for this. He never let anyone, from the Prime Minister to the people of Naraynganj, forget that an innocent boy was murdered. Tauki would have been 18 on last Saturday. Many people would have come to the house like today. But today I, Kaiyum Chowdhury, Ashok Karmokar, Jahid Mostafa, and the rest of us were there with profound sadness. Suddenly a boy entered the room with a tray in his hand. I was startled. For a moment I thought I was seeing Tauki; the same adorable face, the same innocent look in his eyes! The boy was Tauki’s younger brother Saki. There was a painting competition to be held at the Shahid Minar in memory of Tauki. “Why don’t you come too?” Tauki’s father was saying to his wife. “I don’t want to” she replied. Tauki’s mother Rownak Rehana’s voice sounded soft, pure and there was a calm that people get from weeping so much. “I can feel him standing beside me if I go” She said. She continued in an undertone “he used to go with me everywhere…” She absentmindedly swept her hand back and forth on the sofa as if her son was lying there and she was ruffling his hair fondly. Saki was sitting beside her. No one could say anything in reply. At one corner in the room Tauki’s old computer sat lifeless and mute. Only the flowers his friends left in the morning seemed to be talking with Tauki’s picture. The Czech novelist Milan Kundera once wrote that ‘people struggle against power, memory struggle against oblivion.’ Memory is like a candle, when the light extinguishes it leaves behind wax. The memory burns things like that. Tauki’s father is fighting against oblivion. He wants the country to remember the assailant of his son. He wants justice. He is putting him against extremely powerful people. He is putting himself against his own instinct too. People naturally want to move out of the mourning period and move on. But Rafiur Rabbi and Rownak Rehana are keeping the fight alive even if that means reopening the wound every day. They are doing it in the hope that one day the government will respond, in the hope that one day, may be one day, the whispers and mutters will explode into screams and roars of protest. They are doing it in the hope that the mafia Godfathers of Narayanganj will fall one day. In the Hollywood movie Desperado the hero avenged the death of his lover by destroying the killer godfathers. Rafiur Rabbi wants justice for his son. He is now desperate. He is standing against a powerful adversary, who has enormous wealth, power, and most of all the blessings of the highest people of the state. Rabbi is an ordinary man but he is putting up an extraordinary fight. What did Rabbi do? He built up a movement against the corruption and crimes in the city. He was also an organizer and leader of the National Resources Preservation Committee, the Ganajagaran Mancha, and Narayanganj Shangskritik Jot. The ‘renowned’ Osman family felt threatened by his activities. Rabbi says they killed his son to punish him. But he could not be beaten. Whoever can stand longer in the battlefield wins the battle. Let’s see who remains standing at the end of the day. Desperado means desperate in Spanish. Rafiur is now desperate. Since the day they found the distorted body of Tauki in the river he became the grief of all mothers, the fire of vengeance in all fathers and inspiration for protest for many brothers. Rabbi brought his strife to the forefront and made this a national issue. Kaiyum Choudhury was saying this, in a fruitless consolation to Tauki’s mother “we share your burden too”. A young school teacher told us that all students in his school know who killed Tauki. Rabbi told us that “People wanted to destroy the torture camp of the alleged murderer Shamim Osman’s nephew Ajmeri Osman. But we want justice, not vengeance.” Shamim Osman’s brother Nasim Osman MP wants to stamp people like Rabbi under his feet like insects. Last Sunday he warned in a public meeting “No one has survived going against us. We will have more power in the future. The insects, the ants and cockroaches that are still running around thinking they can do something to us, will get stamped under our feet. None of them will win against us.” (Prothom Alo, 7 October). In the country of 12 Bhuiyas many new Bhuiyas have sprouted recently. They think they own the state and they are the kings. If we cannot stop these people now we have very dark time ahead of us. Many other godfathers like the Osmans have the hidden desire of treading down on the ‘insects’. They think people are insects that you can obliterate when needed. But it is important what the Prime Minister thinks. The Prime Minister replied to the allegations about Osman put to her by saying “Shamim is important for the party too.” (Prothom Alo, 12 September, 2013). The movement against Tauki’s murderers is also the movement against other murderous godfathers. The country is being smothered by these criminals. The Mafias are sucking the country dry. These people took the life of bright young boy who was an artist, a poet, who thought “What I will be, no one has ever thought of.” This fight of monsters against humans is the most relevant human struggle right now. But much of it gets lost in the cacophony of fight for the power. The big political parties have become a sanctuary for these monsters. The people must help themselves and not look to these corrupt powers for solution. In 1955 an African America woman created a huge movement by protesting against his son’s murder. We are all supporting Rafiur Rabbi. But if the culprits are not brought to justice they will destroy Rafiur’s whole family, who they think as bugs that can be trodden upon without consequences. If Rabbi loses this battle against the monsters then it will be the defeat of Bangladesh itself. It will be the defeat of humanity. And if he does lose will we still have hope for our country?

1 February The World Hijab Day!

A day in the life of a Hijabi: On February 1st, 2015, we invite both Muslim (non-hijabi) and Non-Muslim women to participate in an worldwide event by wearing Hijab for a day(wherever you're at). This is our 3rd annual World Hijab Day. More info:

• http://www.worldhijabday.com/

Founder:Nazma Khan "World Hijab Day is not an act of worship but rather an effective way to create global awareness of the issue that is being attacked unfairly. It has achieved some great success already. Alhamdulillah.”-Mufti Ismail Menk Read more on World Hijab day:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-hijabday
Our missionis to have 10 Million participants on February 1st, 2015 worldwide, insha'Allah (God willing)! Our goal is to foster global religious tolerance through Hijab awareness. It is only through working together we can achieve our goal. Please invite your friends/family to be part of this great cause.

Bible's Scientific Errors (with videos)

based on a live debate between Dr. Zakir Naik (a physician & a scholar on Islam) & Dr. William Campbell (a physician & a scholar on Christianity) Dr. Zakir Naik says: First, we deal with Astronomy. The Bible speaks about the creation of the universe. In the beginning, 1st Book, Book of Genesis, 1st Ch., it is mentioned - It says… ‘Almighty God created the Heavens and the Earth, in six days and talks about a evening and a morning, referring to a 24 - hour day. Today scientists tell us, that the universe cannot be created in a 24 hour period of six days. Qur’an too speaks about six ‘ayyams’. The Arabic word singular is ‘yaum’ plural is ‘ayyam’. It can either mean a day of 24 hours, or it is a very long period, an ‘yaum’, an epoch. Scientists say we have no objection in agreeing that the universe - it could have been created in 6 very long periods. Point No.2 - Bible says in Genesis Ch. No. 1 Verses No. 3 and 5,…‘Light was created on the first day.’ Genesis, Ch., 1 Verses, 14 to 19… ‘The cause of light - stars and the sun, etc. was created on the fourth day’. How can the cause of light be created on the 4th day - later than the light which came into existence on the first day? - It is unscientific. Point No.3 - Further, the, Bible says Genesis, Ch. 1, Verses 9 to 13… ‘Earth was created on the 3rd day. How can you have a night and day without the earth ? The day depends upon the rotation of the Earth Without the earth created, how can you have a night and day? Point No..4 - Genesis, Ch. No. 1 Verses 9 to 13 says… ‘Earth was created on the third day.’ Genesis Ch. No. 1 Verses 14 to 19 says…‘The Sun and the Moon were created on the fourth day.’ Today science tells us… ‘Earth is part of the parent body… the sun.’ It cannot come into existence before the sun – It is unscientific. Point No. 5 - The Bible says in Genesis, Ch. No.1, Verse No. 11 to 13…‘The vegetation, the herbs the shrubs, the trees - they were created on the 3rd day And the Sun, Genesis, Ch. No. 1, Verses. 14 to 19, was created on the 4th day. How can the vegetation come into existence without sunlight, and how can they survive without sunlight ? Point No.6 - The Bible says in Genesis, Ch. 1, Verses No.16, that…‘God created two lights the greater light, the Sun to rule the day, and the lesser light the Moon, to rule the night. The actual translation, if you go to the Hebrew text, it is ‘lamps’…‘Lamps having lights of its own.’ And that you will come to know better, if you read both the Verses – Genesis, Ch. No.1, Verse. 16, as well as 17. Verse No.17 says…‘And Almighty God placed them in the firmament, to give light to the earth… To give light to the earth.’ Indicating, that Sun and the Moon has its own light - which is in contradiction with established scientific knowledge that we have. There are certain people who try and reconciliate, and say that the six days mentioned in the Bible, it actually refers to epocs - like the Qur’an long periods - not six, 24 hour day. It is illogical - you read in the Bible, evening, morning - It clearly states 24 hours, it indicates. But even if I use the concordance approach - no problem. I agree with your illogical argument - Yet they will only be able to solve the 1st scientific error of 6 days creation, and second, of first day ‘light’ and 3rd day ‘earth.’ The remaining four, yet they cannot solve. Some further say that… ‘If it is a 24-hour period, why cannot the vegetables survive for one 24 hour day without sunlight?’ I say ‘Fine - If you say that the vegetables were created before the sun, and can survive for one 24-hour day, I have got no objection. But you cannot say the days mentioned are 24 hours as well as epochs - You cannot have the cake and eat it, both. If you say it is long period, you solve Point No.1 and 3, the remaining 4 are yet there. If you say the days are 24 hours day, you solve only Point No.5 - the remaining 5 are yet there - It becomes unscientific. I leave it to Dr. William Campbell, whether he wants to say… ‘It is long period’, and say that there are only 4 scientific errors - or say… ‘It is a 24 hour day’, and say there is only 5 scientific errors in the creation of the universe. Point No. 7 - Regarding the concept of Earth, there are various Scientists who have described… ‘How will the world end.’ Hypothesis - Some may be right, some may be wrong. But either the world will perish or the world will live forever. Both cannot take place simultaneously – It is unscientific. But this is exactly what the Bible says. It is mentioned in the Bible, in the book of Hebrews, Ch. No.1 Verses No.10 and 11, and the book of Psalms, Ch. No.102, Verse No.25 and 26, that…‘Almighty God created the Heavens and the Earth, and they will perish.’ Exactly opposite is mentioned in the book of Ecclesiastics, Ch. No.1, Verse No.4, and the book of Psalms, Ch. No.78, Verse No.69, that… ‘The earth will abide forever.’ I leave it to Dr. William Campbell to choose which of the two Verses are unscientific - the first pair or the second pair. One has to be unscientific - Both cannot take place. The world cannot abide forever as well as perish – It is unscientific. Point No. 8 - Regarding ‘the Heavens’, the Bible says in Job, Ch. 26, Verse 11, that…‘The pillars of the Heaven will tremble.’ Qur’an says in Surah Luqman, Ch. 31, Verse No.10, that…‘The Heavens are without any pillars - Don`t you see? Don’t you see the Heavens are without any pillars? - Bible says heaven have got pillars. Point No. 9 - Not only do the Heavens have got pillars - Bible says in the first book of Samuel, Ch. No.2 Verses No.8, as well as the book of Job Ch. No.9, Verse No.6, and the book of Psalms Ch. No.75, Verse No.3, that… ‘Even the earth have got pillars.’ Point No. 10 - In the field of ‘Diet and Nutrition’ lets analyse, what does the Bible say. The Bible says in the book of Genesis, Ch. No.1, Verse No.29, that… ‘God has given you all the herbs bearing seeds, the trees bearing fruits - those that bear seed, as meat for you.’ New International Version says… ‘The seed bearing plants, and the trees bearing fruits bearing seeds are food for you, all of them.’ Today, even a layman knows that there are several poisonous plants like wild berries, stritchi, datura, plants containing alkaloid, polyander, bacaipoid - that which if you ingest, if you eat there are high possibilities you may die. How come the Creator of the universe and the human beings, does not know, that if you have these plants, you will die. I hope Dr. William Campbell does not give these vegetarian diet to his patients. Point No. 11 - The Bible has a scientific test how to identify a true believer. It is mentioned in the Gospel of Mark, Ch. No.16, Verse No.17 and 18 - It says that… ‘There will be signs for true believers and among the signs - In my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak foreign tongues, new tongues, they shall take up serpents - And if they drink deadly poison, they shall not be harmed - And when they place their hand over the sick, they shall be cured.’ This is a scientific test - In scientific terminology, it is known as the ‘confirmatory test’ for a true Christian believer. In the past 10 years of my life, I have personally interacted with thousands of Christians, including missionaries - I have not come across a single Christian, who has passed this confirmatory test of the Bible. I have not come across a single Christian who took poison - I have not come across any who took poison, and who has not died. And in scientific terminology, this is also called as the ‘falsification test’ That means if a false person tries and does this test… takes poison, he will die. And a false person will not dare attempt this test - If you are not a true Christian believer, you will not dare attempt this test. Because you try and attempt the falsification test, you will fail. So a person who is not a true Christian believer, will never attempt this test. I have read the book ‘The Qur’an and the Bible in the light of history and science’ written by Dr. William Campbell. And I assume - that he is a true Christian believer, and at least I would like him to confirm to me about the falsification test. Please be rest assured… Please be rest assured, I will not ask Dr. William Campbell to have deadly poison - Because I don’t want to jeopardize the debate. What I’ll do - I will only ask him to speak in foreign tongues… In new languages. And as many of you may be aware that India is a land, which has more than 1000 languages and dialects. Only thing I request him is, to say these 3 words… ‘One hundred rupees’, in the 17 official languages. There are only 17 official languages in India and to make it easier for Dr. William Campbell, I have got a ‘One hundred-rupee note.’ And this has all the 17 languages mentioned here. Besides English and Hindi, I will help him. I give him a beginning –‘Ek sav rupaiya, In Hindi. The remaining 15 languages are here - I request him to read. I know the test says… ‘They will speak foreign languages on their own, without the help of reading’ - but I want to make the test easier, I want to see someone passing the test - I’ve not seen any one. So if he cannot say it on his own, or from his memory, at least read it. I don’t mind I’ll accept it. And I would request the chairperson to give it to Dr. William Campbell. He has his rebuttal - 15 languages, ‘Ek sav rupaiya’… 3 words only. What does the Bible say regarding ‘Hydrology’? Bible says in Genesis, Ch. No.9, Verse No.13 to 17, that… ‘After God, at the time of Noah submerged the world by flood, and after the flood’ subsided, He said… ‘I put up a rainbow in the sky as a promise to the humankind never to submerge the world again, by water. To the unscientific person it may be quite good… ‘Oh rainbow is a sign of Almighty God, never to submerge the world by flood again.’ But today we know very well, that rainbow is due to the refraction of sunlight, with rain or mist. Surely there must have been thousands of rainbows before the time of Noah, peace be upon him. To say it was not there before Noah’s time you have to assume that the law of refraction did not exist - which is unscientific.’ Point No. 12 - In the field of medicine, the Bible says in the book of Leveticus, Ch. No.14, Verse No.49 to 53 - it gives a novel way for disinfecting a house from plague of leprosy… disinfecting a house from plague of leprosy. It says that… ‘Take two birds, kill one bird, take wood, scale it - and the other living bird, dip it in water… and under running water - later on sprinkle the house 7 times with it. Sprinkle the house with blood to disinfect against plague of leprosy? You know blood is a good media of germs, bacteria, as well as toxin - I hope Dr. William Campbell does not use this method of disinfecting the OT, the operation theatre. Point No. 13 - It is mentioned in the book of Leveticus, Ch. No.12, Verse No.1 to 5, and we know medically, that after a mother gives birth to a child, the post-partal period, it is unhygienic. To say it is ‘unclean’, Religiously - I have got no objection. But Leviticus, Ch. No.12 Verse No.1 to 5, says that… ‘After a woman gives birth to a male child, she will be unclean for 7 days, and the period of uncleanliness will continue for 33 days more. If she gives birth to a female child, she will be unclean for two weeks, and the period of uncleanliness will continue for 66 days. In short, if a woman gives birth to a male child… ‘a son’, she is unclean for 40 days. If she gives birth to a female child… ‘a daughter’, she is unclean for 80 days. I would like Dr. William Campbell to explain to me scientifically, how come a woman remains unclean for double the period, if she gives birth to a female child, as compared to a male child. Point No. 14 - The Bible also has a very good test for adultery - How to come to know a woman has committed adultery. In the book of Numbers, Ch. no.5 Verse No..11 to 31, I’ll just say in brief, it says that… ‘The priest should take holy water in a vessel, take dust from the floor, and put it into the vessel - And that is the bitter water ‘And after cursing it, give it to the woman And if the woman has committed adultery, after she drinks it, the curse will enter her body, the stomach will swell, the thigh will rot, and she shall be cursed by the people. If the woman has not committed adultery, she will remain clean and she will bear the seed. A novel method of identifying whether a woman has committed adultery or not. You know today in the world, there are thousands of cases pending in different parts of the world, in different courts of law - only on the assumption that someone has alleged that a woman has committed adultery. I had read in the newspapers, and I came to know from the media, that the President of this great country Mr. Bill Clinton, he was involved in a sex scandal about 2 years back. I wonder, that why did not the American court use this ‘bitter water test’ for adultery? He would have gone scot-free immediately. Why did not the Christian missionaries of this great country, specially those who are in the medical field like my respected Dr. William Campbell, use this bitter water test to bail out their President, immediately. Point No. 15 - ‘Mathematics’ is a branch, which is closely associated with science, with which you can solve problems, etc. There are thousands of contradictions in the Bible - hundreds deal with mathematics, and I’ll first touch on few of them. It is mentioned in Ezra, Ch. No.2, Verse No.1, and Nehemiah, Ch. No.7, Verse No.6, the context that… ‘When the people returned from exile, from Babylon, when king Nebucheldeser of Babylon, when he released the men from Israel, they came back from captivity’ - and the list of the people are given. The list is given in Ezra, Ch. No.2, Verse No.2 to 63, and Nehemiah Ch. No.7, Verse No.7 up to 65; the list is given with the names as well as number of people released. In these 60 Verses there are no less than 18 times - the name is exactly the same but the number is different. There are no less than 18 contradictions in less than 60 Verses, of these two Chapters. This is the list - I don’t have time to run through the list - There are no less than 18 different contradictions in less than 60 Verses. Point No. 16 - Further it is mentioned in Ezra, Ch. No.2 Verse No.64 that… ‘The total congregation, if you add up… if you add up, it comes to 42,360.’ And if you read in Nehemiah, Ch. No.7, Verse No.66, there also the total is the same 42,360. But if you add up all these verses - which I had to do my homework - this is the list of Ezra… this is the list of Nehemiah. Ezra Ch. No 2, Nehemiah Ch. No 7 - If you add up - I had to do my homework…if you add up, Ezra Ch. No. 2 - It does not come to 42,360 - it comes to 29,818. And if you add up Nehemiah, Ch. No. 7, even then it does not come to 42,360 - It comes to 31,089. The author of the Bible, presumed to be ‘Almighty God’, does not know simple addition. If you give this problem, even to a person who has passed elementary school, he will be able to get the right answer. If you add up all the 60 Verses, it is so easy. Almighty God did not know adding – Nauzubillah… if we presume, that this is the word of God. Point No. 17 - Further, if we read, in Ezra Ch. No. 2, Verse No. 65, it says… There were 200 singing men and women - Nehemiah Ch. No. 7, Verse No. 67…‘There were 245 singing men and women.’ Were they 200 - or were they 245 singing men and women? Context is the same - A mathematical contradiction. Point No. 18 - It is mentioned in the 2nd Kings, Ch. No 24, Verse No 8, that…‘Jehoiachin was 18 years old, when he began to reign Jerusalem, and he reigned for 3 months and 10 days. 2nd Chronicles, Ch. No 36, Verse No 9, says that…‘Jehoiachin was 8 years old when he began to reign and he reigned for 3 months, 10 days. Was Jehoiachin 18 years when he began to reign, or was he 8 years old? Point No. 19 - Did he reign for 3 months, or did he reign for 3 months 10 days? Point No. 20 - Further, it is mentioned in the 1st Kings, Ch. No 7, Verse No 26, that…‘In Solomon’s temple, in his molten sea, he had 2000 baths. In 2nd Chronicles, Ch. No 4, Verse No 5, he had 3000 baths. Did he have 2000 baths or did he have 3000 baths? – That, I leave it upon Dr. William Campbell to decide which is correct. There is a clear-cut mathematical contradiction. Point No. 21 - Furthermore. it is mentioned in the First Kings, Ch. No. 15, Verse No. 33, that… ‘Basha, he died in the 26th year of reign of Asa.’ And 2nd Chronicles Ch. No 16, Verse No 1, says that…‘Basha invaded Judah in the 36th years of the reign of Asa.’ How can Basha invade 10 years after his death? - It is unscientific. (Point No. 22 - Almighty God - He said, “I put up a rainbow in the sky, as a promise to the human kind, never to submerge the world again by water”.) To make it easier for Dr. William Campbell, to answer the points I have raised, I will just mention them in brief . The points that I mentioned : The first point was that -‘The creation of the Earth and the Heaven - the universe was in six, 24- hour days. Point No. 2 - Light was then before the source of light. Point No. 3 - Day came into existence before creation of Earth. Point No. 4 - Earth came into existence before Sun. Point No. 5 - Vegetation came into existence, before sunlight Point No. 6 - Light of the Moon is its own light. Point No. 7 - The earth - Will it perish or will it abide forever? Point No. 8 - The heavens have got pillars. Point No. 9 - The earth has got pillars. Point No. 10 - God said… ‘You can have all plants and all vegetation, including the poisonous plants?’ Point No. 11 - The scientific test the falsification test, of Mark, Ch. No. 16, Verse No. 17 and 18. Point No. 13 - Using blood to disinfect the house, against plague of leprosy. Point No. 12 - A woman remains unclean for double the period, if she gives birth to a daughter, as compared to a son. Point No. 14 – How do you find out the bitter water test for adultery? Point No. 15 - Eighteen different contradictions in less than 60 Verses of Ezra, Ch. 2, and Nehemiah, Ch. 7. I did not count them as 18 different - I counted them only as one. Point No. 16 - The total is different is both the chapters. Point No. 17 - Are there 200 singing men and women, or are there 245 singing men and women? Point No. 18 - Was Jehoiachin 18 years old, or was he 8 years old when he began to reign? Point No. 19 - Did he reign for 3 months, or 3 months 10 days. Point No. 20 - Did Solomon have 3000 baths, or 2000 baths?

Hernandez DNA found at murder scene Prosecutors say !

FALL RIVER — A marijuana joint found next to a slain Boston man in North Attleborough contained traces of both his DNA and the DNA of former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez, a Bristol County prosecutor said Thursday in an opening statement in Hernandez’s murder trial. A footprint at the murder scene in an industrial park also matched sneakers worn by Hernandez, and Hernandez’s DNA was found on a .45-caliber shell casing found in a car he had rented, Bristol County Assistant District Attorney Patrick Bomberg said. CONTINUE READING BELOW ▼ Bomberg said Hernandez and two associates in June 2013 drove the victim, Odin L. Lloyd, “to a secluded, isolated area in North Attleborough, a town where Odin Lloyd knew no one but the defendant and the defendant’s fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins. There Odin Lloyd was shot six times. He was killed, and he was left in a secluded area.” Hernandez, 25, a native of Bristol, Conn., has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and weapons charges. The story of Hernandez, a wealthy young professional athlete who has allegedly squandered a bright future, has generated headlines nationwide. His trial is beginning just before his former team takes on the Seattle Seahawks in Sunday’s Super Bowl. Hernandez played in the team’s last Super Bowl appearance three years ago, a loss to the New York Giants. CONTINUE READING IT BELOW ▼ Who’s who in Hernandez case The former New England Patriots tight end has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the killing of Odin L. Lloyd. Photos: Murder trial starts Live updates from the trial Video: Hernandez in court Aaron Hernandez coverage Defense attorney Michael Fee, in his opening statement to the Bristol Superior Court jury, said, “Aaron Hernandez is an innocent man. ... Aaron Hernandez is not guilty.” Fee said the investigation of Hernandez had been “sloppy and unprofessional” and the evidence police had collected “should have led them in another direction.” “We are here today,” he said, “because police and the prosecution targeted Aaron Hernandez from the very beginning. As soon as they found out Aaron Hernandez — a celebrity football player for the New England Patriots – was a friend of Odin Lloyd’s, it was over.’’ After a break for lunch, the prosecution called two witnesses. One was the Bishop Feehan High School student who found Lloyd’s body. The court recessed for the day shortly before 4 p.m. Bomberg, painstakingly outlining the case built by the state against Hernandez, said Hernandez and his two associates, Ernest Wallace and Carlos Ortiz, had picked up Lloyd in Boston in the early morning hours of June 17, 2013. The four men drove to a North Attleborough industrial park. Less than 10 minutes later, only Hernandez and the two associates arrived at Hernandez ‘s home, which is not far from the industrial park, Bomberg said. He showed the jury video surveillance footage from Hernandez’s home system of the three men getting out of the car. Lloyd’s body was found later that day by the student. The murder weapon has not been found. Bomberg said Hernandez had not only orchestrated the murder, he had tried to cover it up. The prosecutor revealed little about a motive in the case. But he did say that when Hernandez and Lloyd were at a Boston nightclub a couple of evenings before the slaying, Lloyd saw some of his other friends there and Hernandez left the establishment “unhappy,” even though he exchanged no words with those friends of Lloyd. The prosecutor said a valet saw Hernandez standing that night outside a downtown Boston hotel, shoving a gun into the waistband of his pants and then covering the gun with his jacket before leaving the area with Lloyd. Fee acknowledged that Hernandez had set up a meeting with Lloyd two nights later, the night of the slaying, but he said Hernandez had simply wanted to go out partying with Lloyd, Wallace, and Ortiz. He said the evidence might show Hernandez was with Lloyd before he was killed, but there was no evidence he killed him. “Mere presence is not enough in our system,” he said. “We can’t be convicted of a crime just because we hang with the wrong people or are in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He also questioned whether Hernandez had a motive to kill Lloyd, saying Lloyd was “one of his partying pals” who was known as the “blunt master’’ because of the marijuana cigarettes he supplied to Hernandez. Fee also noted that Lloyd was dating Jenkins’s sister and could have ultimately ended up being Hernandez’s brother-in- law. “Aaron Hernandez is not the murderer of his friend,’’ Fee said. “In June 2013, Aaron Hernandez was planning his future, not a murder.’’ Bomberg spoke for about an hour, while Fee spoke for about 35 minutes. Among those in court Thursday was Jenkins. She was offered immunity by prosecutors, but there was no indication in the prosecutor’s opening statement that she would provide any testimony. Hernandez’s brother, D.J. Hernandez, was also there, along with Lloyd’s mother, Ursula Ward, and other Lloyd family members. After the opening statements, Superior Court Judge E. Susan Garsh, who is presiding, told jurors that prosecutors did not have to prove Hernandez pulled the trigger to secure a murder conviction. Rather, they must show that he “knowingly participated” in the slaying and intended to bring it to fruition, she said. Hernandez’s associates, Wallace and Ortiz, also face murder charges in the slaying and will be tried separately. They have pleaded not guilty. Hernandez also faces charges in a 2012 double slaying in Boston, as well as civil suits from the families of his alleged victims. Hernandez spent three seasons (2010-12) with the Patriots, appearing in 38 games. The most recent Super Bowl touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Tom Brady went to Hernandez, who caught a 12-yarder in the loss against the New York Giants three years ago. Hernandez was the Patriots’ leading receiver in Super Bowl XLVI, catching eight passes for 67 yards and the touchdown. In Phoenix Thursday, New England Patriot safety Devin McCourty said he still thinks about the team’s former tight end. “I’m sure today we will be, just because with the news of the trial starting,” McCourty said. “It’s kind of hard for you not to think about it, he was a former teammate of ours. But yeah, I think people think about it.’’ Michael Whitmer of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Maria Cramer can be reached at mcramer@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @globemcramer. Travis Andersen can be reached at tandersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe. John R. Ellement can be reached at ellement@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @JREbosglobe.
source: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/01/29/aaron-hernandez-murder-trial-get-underway/I3pxtcGGb4dk39gNxbJibK/story.html

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Hindu extremists behind Mumbai attacks 26/11

LONDON: A renowned Indian journalist and Dalit rights campaigner has claimed a Hindu extremist organisation played a role in the Mumbai bombings of 2008 which killed 164 people and wounded more than 300. The Indian govt have always maintained that Pakistan-based Islamic militants affiliated with LeT carried out the coordinated shooting and bombing attacks in India’s largest city but VT Rajshekar, famous Indian leader of the Dalits and a journalist of long standing, made the shocking revelation at a seminar in London that a secret extremist Brahminical organisation called Abhinav Bharat had a role in the bombings that shook India and brought the two nuclear powers to the brink of an all-out war. He quoted from the book, ‘Who killed Karakare?’ by a senior police officer Musharif, which he released in Bombay. Rajshekar, whose son Salil Shetty is the Secretary General of Amnesty International, told participants of London Institute of South Asia (LISA) that Indian Army Colonel Srikanth Purohit, who was allegedly involved in the Samjhota Express train bombings, is also a member of the same secret Brahminical organisation which has deep anti-Muslim agenda. He added this Brahminical organisation is well looked after in a jail in Nasik, Maharashtra. Rajshekar said Abhinav Bharat is also behind the killing of Mumbai police officer Hemant Karakare. Rajshekar, who is the editor of Dalit Voice, claimed that those involved in attacks are currently in a jail in a town called Nazik in Maharashtra. “They are all Brahmins and upper castes and well looked after by the state,” said the Dalit Voice editor, in reference to the superiority of Brahmin caste in Indian life. He claimed the major part of the Mumbai terror attacks were carried out by Abhinav Bharat and the same organisation was involved in a series of attacks against Muslims. He said the serving lieutenant colonel who heads the secret extremist organisation has visited Israel twice and allegedly the Jewish state has given the organisation money and arms to attack Muslims. He said the Indian Intelligence (IB) was fully aware of this. He said media knew f about this but didn’t highlight it because they are all “blood brothers”. Dalits form 20 percent of Indian population but don’t have any human rights.

Shell - higher profits but less investment as lower oil prices bite.

Royal Dutch Shell is reviving plans to drill for oil in Arctic in a move likely to intensify its battle with environmentalists. The Anglo-Dutch giant's chief executive Ben van Beurden accepted that Arctic drilling "divides society", but said the world needs new sources of oil. Greenpeace said Shell was taking a "massive risk" in a "pristine" region. Shell also announced a $ 15bn (£9.9bn) cut in global spending, and profit figures that disappointed investors. The cut in investment - spread over three years - comes after a fall in the oil price. Although the price is expected to remain lower in the medium term, Mr van Beurden said: "We are taking a prudent approach here and we must be careful not to over-react to the recent fall in oil prices. "Shell is taking structured decisions to balance growth and returns." Shell also said profits for the last three months of 2014 had risen to $4.2bn compared with $2.2bn in the same period a year earlier. The numbers were below analysts' forecasts, prompting a big sell-off of Shell's shares, down almost 5% in early afternoon trading. 'Responsibly' Shell put its Arctic plans on hold two years ago after a drilling vessel ran aground and legal wrangles in the US. The company has already spent $1bn on preparing its drilling work in Alaska's Chukchi Sea. It was costing Shell several hundred millions of dollars a year to keep the existing operations ticking over, the company said. Mr van Beurden said there were still issues to resolve before drilling began, such as over operating permits and getting further facilities in place. But he hoped to see work begin in the summer. "We will only do this if we feel that we can do it responsibly," Mr van Beurden told the BBC. "I think that we are as well prepared as any company can be to mitigate the risks." He also pointed out that there are already other energy companies operating in the Arctic. Mr van Beurden said that the world needs new sources of oil and gas to meet demand and that the Arctic offered potentially the biggest resource base ever found. Estimates have put the estimates at some 24bn barrels in Alaska. Environmentalists have campaigned against Shell for years. Greenpeace's Charlie Kronick, said: "Despite announcing cuts [in global investment], Shell hasn't taken the opportunity to cut its most high-cost high-risk project. "Shell is taking a massive risk doggedly chasing oil in the Arctic, not just with shareholder value, but with the pristine Arctic environment. "A spill there will be environmentally and financially catastrophic. It's time for investors to recognise that it's impossible for Shell to justify its continued pursuit of offshore Arctic oil." Shell oil tank Analysis: Kamal Ahmed, BBC business editor As the first of the major oil companies to report its figures for last year, Shell plays the role of the canary in the coal mine - or on the oil rig. After a rather sickly 2013, profits are actually up. But the impact of the low oil price is clearly biting. The company announced that it would be cutting investment over the next three years in new exploration and the development of oil and gas fields, a move that will raise fresh concerns about its business in the North Sea. Last summer Shell announced the loss of 250 jobs in Aberdeen. The chief executive, Ben Van Beurden, said that the company would not "over-react" to the oil price which has fallen by 60% since last June. And of course a low oil price means lower prices at the petrol pumps for consumers. He said though that Shell would look at further cuts if necessary. As well as the North Sea, the company's operations in Nigeria, where it recently paid a £55m bill to clean up pollution after a major oil spill, and the Arctic will also come under increased scrutiny. Buybacks slow Meanwhile, Shell's profits for the quarter after stripping out one-off items, such as asset sales and accounting changes, were $3.26bn. That is a 12% rise on the same period a year earlier but down from the $5.85bn in the June to September quarter. Keith Bowman, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown Stockbrokers, said: "As expected, fourth quarter performance has been impacted by the lower oil price, although downstream refining operations have provided some counterbalance. "More broadly, the numbers are below forecast, with the news providing a difficult start to the oil majors' results season. "In all, and despite the disappointing numbers, the dividend payment remains core, with the payment being left unchanged." Shell said it was spending $12bn on dividends to shareholders in 2014, and also repurchased $3.3bn of its own shares. The group said it had slowed the pace of share buybacks to conserve cash and that near-term oil prices would dictate how it progressed. Oil prices have fallen by almost 60% since June because of weak global demand and a boom in US shale production. Shell's main rivals, BP and Total. have also announced large cutbacks in capital expenditure in recent weeks.
Source:BBC.COM