security Archives - Page 523 of 527

Cyanide ‘killed Chicago lottery winner’ Urooj Khan

January 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The death of a Chicago lottery winner has led to a murder investigation after a post-mortem examination found he died of cyanide poisoning.

Urooj Khan, 46, died suddenly as he was about to collect almost $425,000 (£264,000), but his death was initially attributed to natural causes.

The local coroner reopened his case after a relative came forward.

Chicago police confirmed they were now investigating Khan’s death as a homicide.

“It’s pretty unusual,” Cook County Medical Examiner Stephen Cina said, commenting on the rarity of cyanide poisonings. “I’ve had one, maybe two cases out of 4,500 autopsies I’ve done.”

Mr Cina’s office found that Khan died shortly after ingesting a lethal dose of cyanide.

Indian troops shot dead near Kashmir’s Line of Control

January 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Two Indian soldiers have been shot dead in the disputed Kashmir region between India and Pakistan, officials say.

The Indian army said a patrol was attacked by Pakistani soldiers in “a grave provocation” near the so-called Line of Control.

Pakistan denied the accusation. The deaths came two days after a Pakistani soldier was killed near the LoC.

Kashmir is claimed by both nations in its entirety and has been a flashpoint between them for more than 60 years.

Tuesday’s shootings took place near Mendhar, 220 km (140 miles) north of the Indian city of Jammu, Indian officials said.

Egypt finance: Qatar steps in to ease Cairo cash crisis

January 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

Qatar has lent Cairo a further £1.25bn and donated an extra £300m in an effort to control a currency crisis prompted by Egypt’s political turmoil.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani announced the doubling of funds after meeting Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi in Cairo.

Egypt faces the threat of a currency crisis after the Egyptian pound hit its lowest level in eight years.

Authorities warn the country’s central reserves are at a “critical level”.

Needed to defend the local currency against devaluation, the reserves have dropped from $36bn (£22.3bn) before the uprising to just $15bn, the Central Bank of Egypt disclosed late last month.

Meanwhile, the American credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) downgraded Egypt’s long-term credit rating to “B-” – the same level as that of Greece.

President Morsi has promised to make tackling the country’s failing economy a key priority.

Nearly two years after the ousting of his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak, continuing political unrest has exacerbated Egypt’s financial problems, which helped fuel the uprising.

Honduras police seize $50,000 gold-plated AK-47 rifle

January 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

The authorities in Honduras have seized a gold-plated, jewel-encrusted AK-47 assault rifle, complete with two silver magazines.

The gun, estimated to be worth more than $50,000 (£30,000), is believed to belong to drug traffickers.

Following a tip-off, police also found a number of weapons, along with other military equipment and passports.

Two security guards were detained during the raid at a ranch 300km (186 miles) from the capital, Tegucigalpa.

Honduran authorities said the gold-plated rifle had an engraving associated with the Malverde drug gang – which is allegedly connected to Mexico’s Zetas cartel.

“It’s an exclusive design and a fine carving,” said police chief Leonel Sauceda.

More than 30 other weapons were found, including assault rifles, grenade launchers and grenades, night-vision kits, bayonets and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

Police also found bullet-proof vests and 11 cars and two car-removal lorries.

Honduras has the highest homicide rate in the world, according to a UN ranking, with nearly 92 killings per 100,000 habitants in 2011.

DR Congo’s M23 rebels declare unilateral ceasefire

January 13, 2013 / By Armoured Cars / In security

M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have declared a unilateral ceasefire ahead of a second round of peace talks with the government.

The rebels told a news conference in the Ugandan capital Kampala that they hoped the government would follow suit.

An attempt last month to negotiate an end to the nine-month rebellion in the east of the country failed.

Up to 800,000 people have been displaced since the rebels took up arms against the Kinshasa government in May.

“We’ve been for peace… today we’re declaring that we’re in a ceasefire,” M23 spokesman Francois Rucogoza told the news conference in Kampala.

“Even if the government refuses to sign a ceasefire agreement we’ll continue with the negotiations,” he added.