US Marines identify 'urination' troops
At least two of four US Marines shown in a video appearing to urinate on Taliban corpses have been identified, a Marine Corps official has told the BBC.
The video, which was posted online, purports to show the Marines standing over the bodies of several Taliban fighters, at least one of whom is covered in blood.
The Marines have begun a criminal investigation and an internal inquiry.
US officials and Afghan officials have condemned the video as "deplorable".
The Taliban condemned the video, but said it would not affect the political process.
The origin of the video is not known, but it was originally posted to YouTube. It has not been verified but correspondents say all indications are that it is authentic.
The BBC's Steve Kingstone says the official would not confirm the Marines' whereabouts, but reports suggested the unit involved was based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina - a major military base.
US media reported that the unit belonged to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment.
That battalion has been deployed to a wide range of combat and peacekeeping situations, from Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay to fighting wildfires in Idaho.
The unit deployed to Afghanistan in early 2011 and returned in September or October, CNN reported.
A US Marines spokesman, Lt Col Joseph Plenzler, told the AFP news agency that "we cannot release the name of the unit at this time since the incident is being investigated".
'Total dismay'
Earlier, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta condemned the acts shown in the video and vowed that a full investigation would be carried out by the Marines and the Kabul-based International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).
"This conduct is entirely inappropriate for members of the United States military," Mr Panetta said in a statement.
The US defence secretary said he had seen the footage, and the Pentagon confirmed that he had spoken by telephone with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Mr Karzai condemned the attacks in strong terms.
"I find the behaviour depicted in it utterly deplorable. This conduct is entirely inappropriate for members of the United States military," he said.
In a separate news conference, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her "total dismay" at the video.
Mrs Clinton said she shared Mr Panetta's view that such behaviour was inconsistent with the standards "that [the] vast, vast majority of our personnel - particularly our marines - hold themselves to".
The video did not change the nature of US efforts to secure Afghanistan, she said, saying the US continued to support security and reconciliation efforts that were "Afghan-led and Afghan-owned".
Tentative moves are being made towards peace in the country, ahead of the planned withdrawal of international combat forces by the end of 2014.
The US has about 20,000 Marines deployed in Afghanistan, based mostly in Kandahar and Helmand provinces. In total, about 90,000 US troops are on the ground in Afghanistan.
The Taliban said last week that they were working to set up a political office, possibly in Qatar, that would help to facilitate negotiations with the Afghan government and Nato countries.
US special envoy Marc Grossman will go to Qatar and Afghanistan next week in support of further talks.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi told the BBC that this was not the first time Americans had carried out such a "wild action" and that Taliban attacks on the Americans would continue.
But a different Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the video "is not a political process, so the video will not harm our talks and prisoner exchange because they are at the preliminary stage".
However Arsala Rahmani, a senior member of the Afghan government's High Peace Council, told Reuters the video would "leave a very, very bad impact on peace efforts".
The Taliban are known for applying a ruthless brand of Islamic Sharia law in areas they control and have carried out many suicide bombings and attacks which have killed civilians.
Pakistan’s President Returns Home
Pakistan's president has returned home from a trip to Dubai, amid growing tensions between Pakistan's civilian government and the military.
Pakistan officials say Asif Ali Zardari returned to Islamabad early Friday.
Authorities said Mr. Zardari made the one-day trip to the United Arab Emirates to attend a wedding. They said the trip was not linked to the current crisis in Pakistan.
The president's trip came as army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani met with top commanders on Thursday. Officials said the senior military officers discussed the “prevailing situation.”
The crisis between the government and military stems from an unsigned memo that allegedly sought U.S. help to prevent a military coup in Pakistan.
Pakistan's Supreme Court is investigating the memo, which was allegedly sent by a Pakistani official to the U.S. military last year.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani fired Defense Secretary Naeem Khalid Lodhi for his role in submitting statements to the Supreme Court made by two top security officials.
Mr. Gilani also accused the two officials, army chief Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence head Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, of acting unlawfully by making unilateral submissions to the Supreme Court inquiry.
Those remarks prompted Pakistan's military on Wednesday to warn of “grievous consequences” for the country.
A Supreme Court-appointed panel is investigating the origins of the unsigned memo, in which Pakistan's civilian government asked for U.S. help in reining in the Pakistani military, following the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden last May.
The existence of the memo surfaced in October when Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz accused the then-Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani, of writing the memo. Haqqani denies he wrote the document and has since resigned.
Burma Begins Releasing Political Prisoners
Burma has begun releasing some prominent political prisoners as part of a government amnesty program, in the latest move toward political reform by the country's military-backed government.
Burmese state media said that 651 detainees were being freed under a presidential pardon in order to take part in “nation-building.”
Family members said prominent democracy activist Min Ko Naing was among those released. Min was a key student leader in the 1988 pro-democracy uprising that was brutally suppressed by the country's former military junta. Some reports also suggest the amnesty may include Shin Gambira – a Buddhist monk who led street protests in 2007.
The United States and European Union say they will not end economic sanctions until Burma's new, nominally civilian government frees all of its political prisoners.
President Thein Sein released about 230 political detainees in October. But around 1,000 political prisoners are thought to still be in Burmese prisons.
Friday's prisoner release comes a day after the Burmese government signed a cease-fire deal with the ethnic Karen rebel group, in an apparent move toward ending one of the world's longest-running insurgencies.
The agreement marks the first declared break in fighting between the government and the rebel force since just after the country gained independence from Britain in 1948.
Meanwhile, a leading congressional voice behind U.S. sanctions on Burma, Senator Mitch McConnell, says he will begin a three-day visit to the country on Sunday to assess political reforms. He plans to meet pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi and government officials in his first ever trip to Burma.
Another U.S. congressman, Representative Joe Crowley, is currently in Burma to encourage the government's reform efforts.
After landmark visit to Burma in November, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suggested that Washington would consider lifting its sanctions against Burma's new government if it continues reforms.
Manny Pacquiao accepts Floyd Mayweather's latest challenge
Manny Pacquiao has accepted Floyd Mayweather's challenge for a showdown in May, but barriers remain in the way of a possible super-fight.
On Wednesday, Mayweather demanded Pacquiao "give the world what they want to see" and agree to a bout on 5 May.
And while Pacquiao said he wanted the fight, he said he favours a date in late May and suggested Mayweather could not guarantee his side of the purse.
"This is the fight the world wants," said Philippine superstar Pacquiao.
"[But] Mayweather wants a guaranteed purse so what he has to do is get a promoter who can give him the guarantee.
"I don't have problems getting a guarantee because I have a promoter who will give me my guaranteed purse.
"If he gets a guarantee, then we are going to share the revenue on a 50-50 basis."
Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum added: "There is no problem on our part - the problem is on Mayweather's.
"Mayweather needs somebody on his side that's going to guarantee his purse. Mayweather has nobody on his side and GBP (Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions) is not going to guarantee his purse."
Arum and Pacquiao's financial advisor, Michael Koncz, want a bout in late May to coincide with the completion of a 45,000-seater arena in Las Vegas.
The MGM Grand, where Mayweather is booked to fight on 5 May, has a capacity of only 17,000 and Koncz claims an additional $30m (£13m) could be raised if the bout took place in the new venue.
"Why would I tell Manny to fight on 5 May and throw away a percentage of $30m? That's crazy," said Koncz.
Last week, five-weight world champion Mayweather had a 90-day jail term deferred so that he could fulfil a pre-arranged date at the MGM Grand. He will now begin his sentence on 1 June.
The WBC welterweight champion subsequently used his Twitter account to challenge Pacquiao.
"Step up Punk," said the undefeated American. "Manny Pacquiao I'm calling you out let's fight May 5 and give the world what they want to see (sic)."
A year ago, talks failed when Pacquiao, 33, pulled out after Mayweather demanded random drugs tests before the bout.
At the time Arum called Mayweather "a psychological coward who doesn't want to fight anybody who has a chance of beating him", and predicted the bout would never take place.
But if the purse on offer matches the £25m-per-fighter deal that was rumoured to be on offer last year, the biggest payday in boxing history may prove persuasive.
Arum insisted that if there was to be no fight in late May against the American then he would move forward with a Pacquiao clash on 9 June against someone else.
He listed a rematch against Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez or Puerto Rican southpaw Miguel Cotto, as well as Americans Tim Bradley and Lamont Peterson, as potential alternatives.
Seven-weight world champion Pacquiao fought Marquez for a third time in November and retained his WBO title, although, as with the previous two fights, the decision was a controversial one.
Mayweather, who turns 35 next month, won the WBC title with a fourth-round knockout of compatriot Victor Ortiz in September.
Rudy Gay helps Grizzlies beat Knicks
That was the Rudy Gay the Memphis Grizzlies have been waiting to see.
Gay scored a season-high 26 points and the Memphis Grizzlies beat New York 94-83 on Thursday night to end the Knicks' winning streak at four games.
"That's what we need out of him," Memphis guard Mike Conley said. "That's the guy we look to to make big plays down the stretch and to carry the load of the scoring. We're a very good team when he's scoring and being that kind of a threat."
Gay made 11 of 16 shots to help the Grizzlies snap a three-game losing streak and improve to 4-6. The performance was a step forward in a season where Gay is still trying to find his way after missing the closing months of last season and the Grizzlies' playoff run because of a shoulder injury. He also is dealing with a hip pointer.
"There are a lot of things people don't understand," Gay said about the criticism of his play. "A lot of people haven't been through surgery and been out 10 months and expected to play back-to-back-to-back. It's OK. It's going to click for me."
The Knicks dealt with their own injury problems in the game. New York played most of the second half without scoring leader Carmelo Anthony after he sprained his right ankle early in the third period. He didn't return, and X-rays were negative.
Anthony said he will wait and see how he feels Friday, and didn't plan to force his return. If it wasn't feeling right by Saturday's game at Oklahoma City, he will see how it is Monday when the Knicks return home to face Orlando.
"I've been getting beat up for nine years, so, I'm not worried about getting beat up," said Anthony, who also was dealing with a wrist problem sustained in the first quarter. "I'm going to get through it. I'm living. I'm walking. I'm smiling. I'm hurt, but I'll be all right."
O.J. Mayo scored 18 points, also a season high, on 7-of-12 shooting and had eight rebounds for the Grizzlies. Tony Allen added 12 points, and Marc Gasol had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Anthony and Bill Walker each scored 14 points to lead the Knicks (6-5). Rookie guard Iman Shumpert had 12 points, but was 5 of 20 from the field. Amare Stoudemire, saddled with foul problems early, scored a season-low six points, converting only one of his seven shots. New York set a season low with its 83 points.
"It was definitely one of those nights where we couldn't get into a rhythm," Knicks center Tyson Chandler said, "but we have to do a better job of our starts and the way we come out."
Part of that came from a Memphis defense that had nine steals, half of the Knicks 18 turnovers, and left New York shooting 37 percent for the game.
"Our intensity, our focus, our discipline were really good on both ends of the court," Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said. "We just kept getting steals."
Memphis had a comfortable lead in the fourth period, but New York reserves went 6 of 9 from 3-point range late to make it closer at the end.
Memphis already had a double-digit lead in the first half, then outscored the Knicks 26-14 in the third quarter, at one point stretching the lead to 25 points.
The Knicks struggled from the field from the start, missing eight of their first nine shots. Stoudemire picked up a couple of early fouls, and Memphis took the lead getting out on the break.
"I just thought emotionally we didn't come out with the right mental energy, and they jumped on us," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We went back on our heels and tried to resolve the problem one-on-one.
"It didn't work out, obviously."
Gay was 5 of 6 early, including a couple of dunks, for 12 first-quarter points.
Australian Open 2012: Rafael Nadal dismisses fitness concerns
World number two Rafael Nadal has dismissed concerns over his fitness, saying his shoulder is "in perfect condition" before the Australian Open.
The 2009 champion plans to take February off to recuperate but will compete at Melbourne Park.
Nadal, 25, added he was motivated by regaining his number one ranking from Novak Djokovic.
Nadal won a sixth French Open crown last year but lost to Djokovic in the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open.
The Spaniard admitted he lost some love for the game towards the end of last year before leading Spain to the Davis Cup title in December.
"I played with fantastic passion the last two matches of the year in the Davis Cup," said Nadal.
"I've been working hard. I think I'm working the right way. There's Djokovic [to compete with], but there's a lot of fantastic players around and I have to be ready to compete against everybody.
"Last year I lost six important finals against him, but I played finals and that's something really difficult to do. I know how difficult it is to be [in finals] almost all the time."
Nadal added that his semi-final loss to Gael Monfils at the Qatar Open last week was a better result than he had expected.
The Australian Open starts on 16 January and the draw will take place at 2300 GMT on Thursday.
TTCB earned US$240K for Pollard, Bravo
The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) received US$120,000 each from the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings for the services of Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo respectively at the 2011 Nokia Champions League in India.
The revelation was made on Wednesday by Minister of Sport Anil Roberts who again accused TTCB president Azim Bassarath of deceiving him concerning Pollard and Bravo representing this country.
Roberts produced a letter dated August 17, 2011 where Bassarath sought to explain the problem surrounding TT’s star all-rounders non-participation in the Champions League for this country.
Bassarath had stated “the fact that Messrs Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard were not included in our provisional squad, due to uncertainty...and that they were included, as far as we understand, on the provisional squads of their respective IPL franchises, to whom they are contracted, they are only eligible to participate in the Nokia Champions League for their respective franchises, if selected.
“This also prevents the TTCB from receiving any transfer fees for both players.”
But in a press conference on Wednesday, Roberts revealed that he did some investigation and contacted the CEOs of both IPL clubs who stated that a US$150,000 fee before tax was given to the TTCB for taking the two players for the Champions League.
“I did not want to stop there. I then wrote the TTCB and once again asked them how much if any payment or transfer fee was received for Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo,” Roberts explained.
Replying to Minister Roberts, Suruj Ragoonath, TTCB Cricket Operations Manager, revealed that a transfer sum was paid by the IPL clubs to the local body.
Roberts said he has now been vindicated for his attack on the credibility of Bassarath and called on the TTCB boss to apologise to him.
“Remember it created quite a furore. Bassarath accused me of playing politics and supporting the ‘Friends of Cricket’ in a TTCB election, that I wanted to get him out of office and I was not supportive of the TTCB,” he continued.
The Minister argued that if the TTCB was experiencing financial problems in getting Pollard and Bravo to play for the “Red Force” then they should have come to him and the Ministry would have paid the amount to get them wearing national colours for the Champions League.
He believes that TT missed out on a valuable opportunity to win the Champions League and cited the “Red Force” two close defeats in the 2011 tournament as proof that Pollard and Bravo could have made the difference.
He warned National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) that it is a serious offence to submit false information to the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago and said there is a committee responsible for investigating such cases.
“This is a serious issue. Any NSO found to be giving Ministry officials, the Permanent Secretary or the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago false information will be dealt with very seriously,” he said.
Soldiers still sombre after Haiti
Two years after the Haiti quake, the images of suffering are still fresh in the minds of Jamaica Defence Force soldiers who were part of the relief team in Port-au-Prince.
Lieutenant Johnathan Wemyss-Gorman was part of the rescue team that was dispatched from Jamaica to Port-au-Prince.
Speaking in the documentary ‘Quake: Haiti in Jamaica’, Weymss-Gorman recalls like yesterday, hearing the terrifying screams of a 13-year-old girl when she was told by a foreign doctor that the extent of the injuries she sustained to a leg meant that it would have to be amputated.
However, Weymss-Gorman said he intervened and sought help from a Jamaican orthopaedic surgeon who was part of the rescue mission and he managed to save the child’s leg.
For Captain Dr Gail Ranglin one of her hardest tasks was to help in identifying the body of an official from a CARICOM country who had gone to Haiti for a conference.
The documentary ‘Quake: Haiti in Jamaica’ will be posted on The Gleaner’s Website today at noon.
The World Bank reports that Haiti has been making progress in several critical areas two years after the country was struck by a massive earthquake.
According to the Washington-based financial institution progress has been made in the areas of human development and relief for families who lost their homes and income.
It says programmes addressing education, housing, disaster prevention and job creation in the private sector are also top on Haiti’s reconstruction agenda.
Meanwhile, about one million displaced Haitians have left temporary camps in the capital to return to their homes.
The World Bank says almost half of about 10 million cubic meters of rubble from the earthquake have been taken off the capital’s streets in the past two years.
Jamaica Gleaner
Dudus sentencing postponed again
Federal judge Robert P. Patterson has granted a request for a postponement in the sentencing of confessed Jamaican drug baron Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.
“Application for an adjournment of sentencing is granted, but the date will have to be earlier,” the order from the judge said.
“The Court does not want a sentence date on which defense counsel is engaged in another case. Counsel for the government and defense are to advise the Court by January 13, 2012 as to proposed dates for sentences,” read the order from Judge Patterson which was made on Wednesday.
Coke was due to be sentenced next Tuesday but his attorney filed an application in court this week seeking to have the sentencing date postponed for a second time.
The confessed Jamaican drug lord faces up to 23 years in federal prison. He was originally set for sentencing on December 8 but his attorney had requested a postponement.
Coke confessed to racketeering conspiracy in the US and conspiracy to commit assault in aid of racketeering last year.
Coke was extradited in June 2010 following a near one-year stand-off between then Bruce Golding-led government and the US.
Then Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne refused to sign the authority to proceed against Coke, saying his constitutional rights were being breached.
Golding’s JLP then engaged US law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in a bid to lobby the US government on the matter.
However, under public pressure, Lightbourne signed the authority to proceed against Coke. That was to lead to a stand-off between men loyal to Coke and members of the security forces. A bloody battle in Tivoli led to the deaths of more than 70 people.
Coke went into hiding and was captured, allegedly disguised with a woman’s wig, in the company of clergyman Al Miller. He waived his right to fight his extradition to the US and has been awaiting trial and sentencing since.
Daraine Luton
Jamaica Gleaner
Portia gets new iPhone 4S
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller is among the first in the Caribbean to receive the new iPhone 4S.
The phone, is said to deliver up to two times more power and up to seven times faster graphics than the regular iPhone.
The iPhone 4S, LIME’s newest mobile phone product, is set to be launched in Jamaica today and the rest of the Caribbean on January 13.