Australian man charged in 'collar bomb' hoax

Paul Douglas Peters, left, of Sydney, Australia, is escorted from the Federal Courthouse in Louisville, Ky., after he was arraigned in connection with a bomb hoax in Australia. The Australian man accused of chaining a fake bomb to a teenage girl's neck as part of an extortion attempt is being extradited from the U.S. to Australia. New South Wales police said Friday Sept. 23, 2011 that Australian detectives were sent to the U.S. to assist in the extradition.

An Australian investment banker accused of chaining a fake bomb to a teenage girl's neck in a bizarre extortion attempt was charged Saturday with kidnapping and other offenses after being extradited from the U.S.

Paul Douglas Peters, 50, arrived in Sydney early Saturday morning after being flown from the U.S., where he had been held in a Louisville, Kentucky, jail since his August arrest.

New South Wales police whisked him from Sydney's international airport to a police station and charged him with kidnapping, aggravated breaking and entering, and demanding money with menaces.

Peters is accused of attacking 18-year-old Madeleine Pulver, who was studying at her home in a wealthy Sydney suburb on Aug. 3 when a masked man carrying a baseball bat broke into the house and tethered a bomb-like device to her neck. The man left behind a note demanding money, along with an email address that appeared to refer to a novel about a ruthless businessman in 19th-century Asia.

A police bomb squad spent 10 hours working to remove the device, which was later found to contain no explosives. Pulver was not injured.

Peters, a successful international businessman who travels frequently between the U.S. and Australia, was arrested by the FBI at his ex-wife's house in a Louisville suburb on Aug. 15.

Peters did not appear during a brief hearing Saturday at western Sydney's Parramatta Bail Court. He has not applied for bail or entered a plea. The judge ordered him to appear in court for another hearing on Nov. 17.

If convicted of all charges, he could face up to 49 years in prison. Peters' lawyers declined to comment outside court.

"I have great admiration for Madeleine Pulver and her family for the way they have dealt with this matter and what has been obviously a very traumatic time of their lives," Police Detective Superintendent Luke Moore told reporters.

It's not clear what ties Peters has to the Pulvers, though federal court documents say Peters once worked for a company with links to the family. The Pulvers have repeatedly said that they don't know Peters, and that they have no idea why Madeleine was targeted.

Madeleine Pulver's millionaire father, William Pulver, was once the president and CEO of NetRankings, a pioneer in tracking online exposure and readership for companies advertising on the Internet. He left after the firm was sold to ratings giant Nielsen in 2007. He is now CEO of Appen Butler Hill, a company that provides language and voice-recognition software and services.

"It's a slightly strange feeling to see him coming back into the country," William Pulver said of Peters' arrival in Sydney. "It's an important step in the process to move this thing through the courts."

New South Wales police have said surveillance footage showed Peters in several locations where they believe he accessed an email account with the address dirkstraun1840(at)gmail.com — the same address left behind on the note attached to the fake bomb. Dirk Struan is the main character in James Clavell's 1966 novel "Tai-Pan," about a bitter rivalry between powerful traders in Hong Kong after the end of the First Opium War.

U.S. lawyer Scott Cox, who initially represented Peters before he was replaced, has said Peters plans to fight the charges.

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Two new Pinoy horror flicks to scare you witless

In the next two months, two local films of the horror genre will be released nationwide and they look very interesting enough. I’m a fan of scary movies, aside from the fact that the two directors – Jerrold Tarog and Yam Laranas – have proven themselves more than competent to come up with works that can make your skin crawl. Check them out.

Jerrold Tarog caught my attention when he directed the “Punerarya” (Funeral Parlor) episode of Shake Rattle & Roll 12. He gave the same a look and feel that sent shivers to my bones. This time around, he came up with a remake that thrives in a rustic macabre setting which lends more authenticity to the folkloric origins of the flesh-eating creatures called “Aswang“. I’m excited to watch this one. Watch the teaser trailer above and you’ll see what I mean.

“Aswang” is presented by Regal Entertainment, Inc. Directed by Jerrold Tarog, it stars Lovi Poe, Paulo Avelino, Jillian Ward, Marc Abaya, Nina Jose, Precious Lara Quigaman and introducing Albie Casino. It opens October, 2011.

On the other hand, Yam Laranas has been churning out mostly horror flicks ever since he started making a name for himself in the biz. In fact, he remade one of his earlier works – 2004′s “Sigaw” (Scream) – into a (straight-to-video) Hollywood production that starred Jesse Bradford and local actress Iza Calzado. His latest offering is “The Road”, an intriguing ghost story that delivers less of the gore and more of the build-up scare tactics – all rolled into an excellently-photographed production that makes me want to watch the whole thing.

The Road is presented by GMA Films and director Yam Laranas. It stars Rhian Ramos, TJ Trinidad, Carmina Villarroel, Marvin Agustin, Barbie Forteza, Alden Richards, Louise delos Reyes, Derrick Monasterio, Lexie Fernandez and Ynna Asistio. It opens November, 2011.

Support Filipino Films. Let’s all watch “Aswang” and The Road. I’m pretty sure we won’t be disappointed.

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Zambia's "King Cobra" Sata sworn in as president

A mother casts her vote with a baby on her back during the presidential election at a school in Chibolya September 20, 2011.

Zambian opposition leader Michael Sata, a critic of Chinese investment, was sworn in as president on Friday after an upset poll victory that ushered in a smooth handover of power in Africa's biggest copper producer.

Sata, 74, swept to victory on the back of voters looking for change in a country that has seen its economy grow but who felt the riches from its mines had not made their way to the people or created enough jobs.

He tried to reassure foreign mining firms their investments would be safe but warned they needed to improve conditions for their Zambian workforce.

"Foreign investment is important to Zambia and we will continue to work with foreign investors who are welcome in the country ... but they need to adhere to the labor laws," Sata said after being sworn in following his upset victory over former leader Rupiah Banda.

Zambians celebrated from the predawn hours of Friday after Sata was declared the winner and painted the capital in the green and white colours of his Patriotic Front Party.

"We should not allow violence to separate us. The gap between the rich and the poor is growing wider and we need to address that. I stand by the promise to change Zambia within 90 days," Sata said, pledging to slash the size of government and tackle corruption.

In a continent where leaders are often reluctant to give up power, incumbent Rupiah Banda tearfully conceded defeat, saying the people had spoken. His Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) party has run Zambia since one-party rule ended in 1991.

"Now is not the time for violence and retribution. Now is the time to unite and build tomorrow's Zambia together," he told a news conference.

Election monitors from the European Union and regional grouping SADC declared the vote free and fair although the process was marred by violence after protests broke out over the slow release of results.

Sata, nicknamed "King Cobra" because of his sharp tongue, toned down his rhetoric against foreign mining firms, especially from China, in the closing stages of the six-week campaign but his victory could still make investors nervous.

Zambia's kwacha fell 2.9 percent to a 14-month-low of 5,150 against the dollar after Sata's victory and traders said it would remain vulnerable until he gave clearer indications on his future policies.

MINING RULES OVERHAUL

Analysts said Sata would review contracts with foreign companies struck by Banda's administration, and could overhaul mining, trade and banking regulations.

"Sata's upset victory will likely usher in a new era for a resource-nationalist mining sector policy," said Sebastian Spio-Garbrah, an analyst at Africa consultancy DaMina Advisors.

"Sata has said that his government will insist that foreign miners keep all their export forex revenues within the country and only repatriate profits. He has called for a new revamp of the country's mining code and a review of mining contracts signed under Banda."

Sata told Reuters last week he would maintain strong commercial and diplomatic ties with China and would not introduce a minerals windfall tax, but implied he might impose some form of capital controls to keep dollars in the country.

Chief Justice Ernest Sakala declared him the winner after he received 1,150,045 votes compared with Banda's 961,796 with 95.3 percent of constituencies counted.

Sata has enjoyed a long and varied career that included stints in motor vehicle assembly plants in Britain and as a porter with British Rail before becoming a grassroots political activist under first president, Kenneth Kaunda.

He likes to keep a statue of a rearing snake on his desk as a reminder to enemies of his sharp tongue.

"At long last the will of the people has been respected. The people wanted change," said street vendor Peter Musonda.

Sata secured support among the youth on the back of campaign promises to create jobs and his criticism that Banda's government failed to let ordinary Zambians share in the proceeds from the country's copper mines.

U.S. President Barack Obama congratulated Sata for a historic victory.

"The hard work of a living democracy does not end when the votes are tallied and the winners announced; instead it offers the chance to reconcile and to advance greater security and prosperity for its people," Obama said in a statement.

China welcomed the outcome of the vote and said it would continue fostering cooperation.

Its companies have become major players in Zambia's $13 billion economy, with total investments by the end of 2010 topping $2 billion, according to data from the Chinese embassy.

But Sata has accused Chinese mining firms of slave labor conditions with scant regard for safety or the local culture.

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Sex workers, poisoned ponds used to poach wildlife

This rhino was killed for its horn by poachers inside South Africa's Kruger National Park in early September.

In Zimbabwe, poachers for the first time are poisoning watering holes to snare tusks from elephants.

In South Africa, a Thai national allegedly evaded rhino hunting quotas by using Thai sex workers as fake hunters. And 13 safari operators, veterinarians and even a pilot are to appear in court next week, accused of poaching rhinos and trying to smuggle out their horns.

The cases show how the skyrocketing price in Asia for tusks, horns and other wildlife parts is undermining increased efforts to crack down on smuggling. The parts are used for alleged medicinal properties or, in the case of ivory, for artwork.

Elephant tusks and rhino horns have doubled in price on the black market from just a few years ago. Poachers can get around $1,800 a kilo (2.2 pounds) for tusks and $10,000 a kilo for rhino horns.

"Asian and African governments must work together to disrupt trade chains and to bring wildlife criminals to justice," said Morne du Plessis, who heads the WWF chapter in South Africa. "Demand for rhino horn and elephant ivory is threatening to destroy a large part of Africa’s natural heritage."

Zimbabwe's wildlife agency reported Tuesday that nine elephants and at least five lions died from poisoning at watering holes in recent weeks.

The elephants' ivory tusks were removed but the lions' heads and skins were left intact, said agency spokeswoman Caroline Washaya-Moyo, suggesting that the lions were accidental victims of the crime.

Buffalo were also killed, as were vultures that preyed on the dead animals.

The conservation group Born Free estimates that 35,000 elephants are killed each year for their ivory across Africa, some 15 percent of the total population.

In South Africa, a Thai businessman is accused of violating rhino hunting quotas by using Thai sex workers to pose as hunters in photos with dead rhinos. The allegation is that the women never even fired a weapon and were used to evade South Africa's cap of one rhino a year per hunter.

The suspect, Chumlong Lemtongthai, allegedly paid nearly $10,000 per kilo (2.2 pounds) of rhino horn and sold them on the black market for $55,000 a kilo.

While his trial is pending, 13 South Africans will be formally charged on Sept. 30 with buying hundreds of rhinos at auctions, then slaughtering them to illegally sell the horns in Asia.

Dubbed the "Groenewald Gang" after Dawie Groenewald, owner of Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris, the defendants include his wife, two vets and a helicopter pilot.

The carcasses of 20 rhinos were found on Groenewald's property with their horns cut off. The defendants are expected to enter guilty or not guilty pleas at their arraignment.

"The Groenewald Gang has challenged the conventional wisdom of what a poacher is," says Matt Lewis, who heads WWF's African species program. "This is not a desperate and impoverished villager taking up a gun and going off to shoot someone else’s animal in order to get a few dollars to feed his family. This group orchestrated a plan to profit from the exploitation of rhinos in a systematic way, while appearing to be involved in the conservation of that species. Very devious, very crass and driven purely by greed."

Last month, South Africa's government said it might stop rhino trophy hunting due to the abuse by some parties. And Britain and the U.S. are sponsoring a workshop in South Africa next week on strategies for attacking the problem.

Already this year, 165 arrests have been made and 287 rhinos were illegally killed in South Africa alone. At that pace, 2011 will top 2010, when 333 rhinos were poached.

Some 25,000 rhinos are estimated across all of Africa, an improvement from 2007 when there were 22,000, but experts worry that trend could soon shift.

Game park workers restrain a rhinoceros to saw off her horn at the Kragga Kamma Game Park on March 30 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Horns are being removed from rhinos in an attempt to prevent the rhino from being poached and its horn sold on the black market.

Veterinarian William Fowlds saws off the horn of a rhinocerous while game ranger Mof Swanepoel restrains her at the Kragga Kamma Game Park on March 30 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Veterinarian William Fowlds, game park co-owner Mike Cantor and game ranger Mof Swanepoel treat the wounds of a rhinoceros after sawing off its horns at the Kragga Kamma Game Park on March 30 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

A rhinoceros whose horn has been removed grazes with its young at the Kragga Kamma Game Park on March 30 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

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