Briefly World

A Canadian accused of killing an American soldier as a teenage al-Qaeda militant pleaded guilty.

Canadian at Gitmo pleads guilty to all war crime charges

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE: A Canadian accused of killing an American soldier as a teenage al-Qaeda militant pleaded guilty on Monday as part of a deal that avoids a war crimes trial for someone labeled a child soldier by his defenders. Omar Khadr pleaded to five charges including murder for throwing a grenade that mortally wounded the soldier during a fierce raid on an al-Qaeda compound in Afghanistan in 2002. The now 24-year-old defendant also admitted to planting IEDs and receiving weapons training from the terrorist network. Khadr will now face a military jury for a sentencing hearing that is expected to last several days.

Madhav Nepal owes nation an apology

KATHMANDU: The Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist UCPN-M said on Monday that caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Nepal owed the nation an explanation for having made an irresponsible comment on the recent visit of Maoist combatants to China. It is not for the Prime Minister to ask us where we went and why, said Barshaman Pun Anant,deputy commander of the Peoples Liberation Army PLA. Puns outburst comes a day after Madhav Nepal said that the government would take action against the PLA combatants,who had gone to China without approval of the United Nations Mission to Nepal UNMIN. Those who needed to inform UNMIN,did that. They do not have to intimate to the government about their movements, said Pun.

Indian neighbour of Zuma loses land case

Johannesburg: A South African Indian has lost a long battle to retain his land which is the last one on a block housing the government estate currently used by President Jacob Zuma after authorities feared Rashid Aboobaker could unwittingly house attackers on his property. Aboobakers property will be expropriated by the state with a Rand7.6 million payment,while he still owes Rand20 million on his bond. He will also have to pay the huge legal costs of the case.

Gunmen kill 13 at Mexico rehab centre

TIJUANA: A client at a drug rehab centre in the Mexican border city of Tijuana said on Monday that a gang of armed men burst into the building and gunned down 13 recovering addicts there. Prosecutors have not yet confirmed the number of dead. Police at the scene say at least 10 were killed. The witness said he was attending a movie screening on the first floor of the centre,and had stepped out for something to eat when the attacked occurred late Sunday. When he returned,his fellow clients told him the attackers made the addicts lie on the floor,and then sprayed them with bullets.