Tuesday 18 October 2011
Monday 23 May 2011
Joplin Storm Kills
Missouri tornado: Joplin storm kills dozens
At least 89 people have been killed and hundreds injured after a tornado tore through the city of Joplin in the US state of Missouri, officials have said. Joplin official Mark Rohr said the storm cut a path six miles (10km) long. Homes and businesses were flattened and a damaged hospital had to be evacuated. Power lines are down and telephone connections are largely cut off. The Governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon, has declared a state of emergency and warned that more storms are on the way. Cities in three other Midwestern states have also been badly affected. At least one person was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Last month, tornadoes and storms killed at least 350 people in Alabama and six other southern states.
At least 89 people have been killed and hundreds injured after a tornado tore through the city of Joplin in the US state of Missouri, officials have said. Joplin official Mark Rohr said the storm cut a path six miles (10km) long. Homes and businesses were flattened and a damaged hospital had to be evacuated. Power lines are down and telephone connections are largely cut off. The Governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon, has declared a state of emergency and warned that more storms are on the way. Cities in three other Midwestern states have also been badly affected. At least one person was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Last month, tornadoes and storms killed at least 350 people in Alabama and six other southern states.
Tornado in Joplin
Tornado in Joplin
89 dead after tornado in Joplin, Missouri; number expected to rise
A tornado that chewed through a densely populated area of Joplin, Missouri killed at least 89 people as it tore apart homes and businesses, ripped into a high school and caused severe damage to one of the two hospitals in the city, officials said Monday.
As many as a quarter of the buildings in the southwest Missouri city suffered major or significant damage, fire and emergency management officials said.
Parts of the city were unrecognizable, according to Steve Polley, a storm chaser from Kansas City, Missouri, who described the damage from the Sunday night tornado as "complete devastation."
Joplin Fire Chief Mitch Randles said he believes people were still trapped in buildings Monday morning. Authorities warned the death toll was likely to rise.
Complicating the situation, broken natural gas lines caused fires overnight throughout the city of 50,500, Gov. Jay Nixon said.
Survivors tell their stories
"It's going to be a stark view as people see dawn rise in Joplin," he said.
Tornado rips Missouri town apart
Tornado damage in Waverly, Missouri
Tornado devastates neighborhood
'We are going to need a lot of help'
The tornado struck shortly before 6 p.m. Sunday. It overturned 10 tractor-trailers on Interstate 44 as it barreled through the town, a major trucking center.
"The particular area that the tornado went through is just like the central portion of the city, and it's very dense in terms of population," Joplin Emergency Management Director Keith Stammer said on CNN's "American Morning."
A 1/2- to 1-mile stretch of the city was affected, including residential and commercial districts, city spokeswoman Lynn Onstot said.
Aerial footage from CNN affiliate KOTV showed houses reduced to lumber and smashed cars sitting atop heaps of wood. Some structures were engulfed in flames.
Amber Gonzales was driving through southwest Missouri when she heard tornado warnings on the radio. She took refuge at a gas station before getting back on the road and seeing the aftermath of what she narrowly missed.
At a shopping center, she saw people pulling people from rubble and rushing them to the hospital as overwhelmed emergency workers were unable to reach everyone in need.
"I saw an older woman taken on the back of a truck bed, speeding down the road," Gonzales said. "I can't get the lady out of my mind. ... I don't know if she made it."
Nixon dispatched a specialized search-and-rescue team to the city, along with 100 National Guard troops and state troopers from other parts of the state. City officials said they were being supported by at least 40 public safety agencies from Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri.
Mike O'Connell, spokesman for the Missouri Department of Public Safety, said Sunday night that authorities were trying to get additional search-and-rescue teams to the area.
89 dead after tornado in Joplin, Missouri; number expected to rise
A tornado that chewed through a densely populated area of Joplin, Missouri killed at least 89 people as it tore apart homes and businesses, ripped into a high school and caused severe damage to one of the two hospitals in the city, officials said Monday.
As many as a quarter of the buildings in the southwest Missouri city suffered major or significant damage, fire and emergency management officials said.
Parts of the city were unrecognizable, according to Steve Polley, a storm chaser from Kansas City, Missouri, who described the damage from the Sunday night tornado as "complete devastation."
Joplin Fire Chief Mitch Randles said he believes people were still trapped in buildings Monday morning. Authorities warned the death toll was likely to rise.
Complicating the situation, broken natural gas lines caused fires overnight throughout the city of 50,500, Gov. Jay Nixon said.
Survivors tell their stories
"It's going to be a stark view as people see dawn rise in Joplin," he said.
Tornado rips Missouri town apart
Tornado damage in Waverly, Missouri
Tornado devastates neighborhood
'We are going to need a lot of help'
The tornado struck shortly before 6 p.m. Sunday. It overturned 10 tractor-trailers on Interstate 44 as it barreled through the town, a major trucking center.
"The particular area that the tornado went through is just like the central portion of the city, and it's very dense in terms of population," Joplin Emergency Management Director Keith Stammer said on CNN's "American Morning."
A 1/2- to 1-mile stretch of the city was affected, including residential and commercial districts, city spokeswoman Lynn Onstot said.
Aerial footage from CNN affiliate KOTV showed houses reduced to lumber and smashed cars sitting atop heaps of wood. Some structures were engulfed in flames.
Amber Gonzales was driving through southwest Missouri when she heard tornado warnings on the radio. She took refuge at a gas station before getting back on the road and seeing the aftermath of what she narrowly missed.
At a shopping center, she saw people pulling people from rubble and rushing them to the hospital as overwhelmed emergency workers were unable to reach everyone in need.
"I saw an older woman taken on the back of a truck bed, speeding down the road," Gonzales said. "I can't get the lady out of my mind. ... I don't know if she made it."
Nixon dispatched a specialized search-and-rescue team to the city, along with 100 National Guard troops and state troopers from other parts of the state. City officials said they were being supported by at least 40 public safety agencies from Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri.
Mike O'Connell, spokesman for the Missouri Department of Public Safety, said Sunday night that authorities were trying to get additional search-and-rescue teams to the area.
Taliban say Mullah Omar safe and sound
Afghan Taliban say leader Mullah Omar "safe and sound"
The Afghan Taliban rejected as "propaganda" on Monday unsourced media reports that their reclusive leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, had been killed in Pakistan, saying he was alive and in Afghanistan and vowing to continue their insurgency.
Security officials in Pakistan and diplomats, U.S. military commanders and government officials in Afghanistan all cast doubt on reports that Omar, one of the most-wanted men in the world, had been killed while traveling between Quetta and North Waziristan in Pakistan.
"He is in Afghanistan safe and sound," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location. "We strongly reject these baseless allegations that Mullah Mohammad Omar has been killed."
"This is the propaganda by the enemy to weaken the morale of fighters."
A spokesman for the Afghan intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security (NDS), said its sources knew that Mullah Omar had been living in the Pakistani town of Quetta in the Baluchistan region of Pakistan but had recently gone missing.
"We can confirm that he has been disappeared from his hideout in Quetta in Baluchistan for the last four or five days," NDS spokesman Lutfullah Mashal told a news conference.
"We can't confirm if he is dead or alive."
The heavily bearded, one-eyed Omar is rarely seen in public.
With a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head, he fled with the rest of the Afghan Taliban leadership to Quetta after their government was toppled by U.S.-backed Afghan forces in late 2001. They formed the "Quetta shura," or leadership council.
The Taliban were overthrown for refusing to hand over al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
Bin Laden was killed by a U.S. Navy SEAL team in a garrison town not far from the Pakistan capital, Islamabad, on May 2, ending a search that had dragged on for more than 10 years.
Bin Laden's killing came as a blow to an already splintered al Qaeda, but its effect on loosely allied groups like the Afghan and Pakistan Taliban movements has been less clear.
"CUNNING ENEMY"
In Afghanistan, the Taliban have already vowed to step up attacks as part of their long-awaited spring offensive they call "Operation Badar" -- named for a decisive 7th century Muslim battle -- and violence has spiked with a series of assaults on major targets in recent days.
They said the rumors of Mullah Omar's death would not stop their fighters from continuing attacks.
"The enemy, with these kinds of rumors, is trying to halt the devastating waves of 'Badar' operations and is trying to create confusion amongst mujahideen, countrymen and faithful Muslims," the Taliban said in an emailed statement.
"Our nation is an intelligent nation, which is aware of the tricks and lies of the devious and cunning enemy," it said.
A senior Pakistani security official also said he could not confirm media reports, including on Afghanistan's private TV station TOLO, that Omar had been killed by members of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency.
According to one media report, former ISI chief Hamid Gul had been moving Omar from Quetta to North Waziristan when Omar was killed, although Gul denied the report.
The Afghan Taliban rejected as "propaganda" on Monday unsourced media reports that their reclusive leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, had been killed in Pakistan, saying he was alive and in Afghanistan and vowing to continue their insurgency.
Security officials in Pakistan and diplomats, U.S. military commanders and government officials in Afghanistan all cast doubt on reports that Omar, one of the most-wanted men in the world, had been killed while traveling between Quetta and North Waziristan in Pakistan.
"He is in Afghanistan safe and sound," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location. "We strongly reject these baseless allegations that Mullah Mohammad Omar has been killed."
"This is the propaganda by the enemy to weaken the morale of fighters."
A spokesman for the Afghan intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security (NDS), said its sources knew that Mullah Omar had been living in the Pakistani town of Quetta in the Baluchistan region of Pakistan but had recently gone missing.
"We can confirm that he has been disappeared from his hideout in Quetta in Baluchistan for the last four or five days," NDS spokesman Lutfullah Mashal told a news conference.
"We can't confirm if he is dead or alive."
The heavily bearded, one-eyed Omar is rarely seen in public.
With a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head, he fled with the rest of the Afghan Taliban leadership to Quetta after their government was toppled by U.S.-backed Afghan forces in late 2001. They formed the "Quetta shura," or leadership council.
The Taliban were overthrown for refusing to hand over al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
Bin Laden was killed by a U.S. Navy SEAL team in a garrison town not far from the Pakistan capital, Islamabad, on May 2, ending a search that had dragged on for more than 10 years.
Bin Laden's killing came as a blow to an already splintered al Qaeda, but its effect on loosely allied groups like the Afghan and Pakistan Taliban movements has been less clear.
"CUNNING ENEMY"
In Afghanistan, the Taliban have already vowed to step up attacks as part of their long-awaited spring offensive they call "Operation Badar" -- named for a decisive 7th century Muslim battle -- and violence has spiked with a series of assaults on major targets in recent days.
They said the rumors of Mullah Omar's death would not stop their fighters from continuing attacks.
"The enemy, with these kinds of rumors, is trying to halt the devastating waves of 'Badar' operations and is trying to create confusion amongst mujahideen, countrymen and faithful Muslims," the Taliban said in an emailed statement.
"Our nation is an intelligent nation, which is aware of the tricks and lies of the devious and cunning enemy," it said.
A senior Pakistani security official also said he could not confirm media reports, including on Afghanistan's private TV station TOLO, that Omar had been killed by members of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency.
According to one media report, former ISI chief Hamid Gul had been moving Omar from Quetta to North Waziristan when Omar was killed, although Gul denied the report.
Mullah Omar Killed in Pakistan
Mullah Omar Killed in Pakistan
Mullah Omar's death in Pakistan are greatly exaggerated: Taliban
A report that the mysterious, one-eyed Taliban leader Mullah Omar has been killed led to staunch denials by the militant group Monday, which claimed he is alive and well.
Afghan news channel Tolo, citing intelligence sources, reported that Omar was shot dead in Pakistan while being moved to a tribal area that is a known refuge to militants.
But a Taliban spokesman said the report was false.
"This is absolutely wrong. It's only propaganda and we completely deny theses rumors," said Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid. "He is inside Afghanistan and he is busy directing military operations with his commanders."
The report stated that a former Pakistani intelligence chief, Gen. Hamid Gul, had been helping Omar relocate when he was killed.
Gul also said the report was bogus.
"This is propaganda, sheer deception, disinformation," he said. "I have never met him. I've never seen him. No contact whatsoever."
The report comes amid heightened speculation that the U.S. would move quickly to rout out Taliban and Al Qaeda leadership based off intelligence gained in the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden.
U.S. and NATO officials said they were aware of the report but could neither confirm nor deny it.
Afghan intelligence officials confirmed that they believed Omar had been moved to North Waziristan two days ago and had been silent since then.
"Since the transfer, our sources tell us that there has been no contact between Mullah Omar and the leadership of the Taliban," said spokesman Latifullah Mashal.
NATO spokesman Brig. Gen. Josef Blotz said Taliban claims of responsibility for several recent attacks in Afghanistan - including at a military hospital - were inflated.
"The Taliban falsely claimed responsibility because in their weakened state, they need to project that they still have power and relevance," he said.
A report that the mysterious, one-eyed Taliban leader Mullah Omar has been killed led to staunch denials by the militant group Monday, which claimed he is alive and well.
Afghan news channel Tolo, citing intelligence sources, reported that Omar was shot dead in Pakistan while being moved to a tribal area that is a known refuge to militants.
But a Taliban spokesman said the report was false.
"This is absolutely wrong. It's only propaganda and we completely deny theses rumors," said Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid. "He is inside Afghanistan and he is busy directing military operations with his commanders."
The report stated that a former Pakistani intelligence chief, Gen. Hamid Gul, had been helping Omar relocate when he was killed.
Gul also said the report was bogus.
"This is propaganda, sheer deception, disinformation," he said. "I have never met him. I've never seen him. No contact whatsoever."
The report comes amid heightened speculation that the U.S. would move quickly to rout out Taliban and Al Qaeda leadership based off intelligence gained in the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden.
U.S. and NATO officials said they were aware of the report but could neither confirm nor deny it.
Afghan intelligence officials confirmed that they believed Omar had been moved to North Waziristan two days ago and had been silent since then.
"Since the transfer, our sources tell us that there has been no contact between Mullah Omar and the leadership of the Taliban," said spokesman Latifullah Mashal.
NATO spokesman Brig. Gen. Josef Blotz said Taliban claims of responsibility for several recent attacks in Afghanistan - including at a military hospital - were inflated.
"The Taliban falsely claimed responsibility because in their weakened state, they need to project that they still have power and relevance," he said.
Friday 20 May 2011
Osama Compound Details
Osama compound Information
The Bin Laden compound was identified by US intelligence sources as long ago as last summer - after a courier trusted by the Al-Qaeda leader to keep him in touch with the outside world was spotted in Abbottabad. The compound is on the outskirts of the town of Abbottabad, a hill town, 35 miles north of Islamabad, at the end of what was then a relatively isolated dirt road. Other homes have since been built in the area, which is described as a wealthy suburb, home to many retired military officials. Security was clearly an issue for the owner. The compound is surrounded by 12-18ft walls, topped with barbed wire. Access to it is restricted by two security gates and the residents burnt their rubbish - rather than put it out for collection. The main structure, a three-story building, has few windows facing the outside of the compound. A terrace on the third floor has a seven-foot wall around it. Intelligence analysts concluded that the compound was custom built to hide someone of significance. It is valued at approximately $1million, but has no phone or internet connections. The courier who eventually led the way to Bin Laden's home was first identified four years ago, but it took another two years before US sources were able to establish the areas of Pakistan where he operated.
Japan Loss Reports
Japan loss reports
Japan Loss after earthquake, tsunami
Tokyo: Hammered by a nuclear accident at its Fukushima Daiichi power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co. on Friday reported a net loss of 1.2 trillion yen ($15.4 billion) for the fiscal year that ended March 31.
Tokyo Electric also announced it will decommission reactors Nos. 1-4 at Fukushima Daiichi. It also has canceled plans to build two other reactors at the site.
In addition to the company's earnings, Tokyo Electric president Masataka Shimizu announced his resignation Friday, which must be approved by the board of directors at a June meeting.
"The accident compromised our confidence in the safety of nuclear power," Shimizu said. "We have caused problems and anxiety to the public."
Managing Director Toshio Nishizawa has been tapped to replace the president.
"We are facing the gravest crisis in the history of the company," Nishizawa said. "I feel the enormous gravity of the responsibility to assume the position of the president ... so I accepted the position."
Vice Presidents Sakae Mutoh and Makio Fujiwara also tendered their resignations, as did Director Tomijirou Morita.
A restructuring plan was announced to boost company finances and help create more than a trillion yen in savings by selling off real estate, cutting pay and reducing staff.
The Fukushima Daiichi plant has faced a series of setbacks since a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami struck on March 11. The disasters triggered a glitch in the plant's cooling system, and caused radiation to leak.
As crews work to bring the problems under control, the government said this week it would compensate more than 78,000 displaced by the nuclear disaster.
Tokyo Electric has made a down payment on compensation of 1 million yen (about $12,000) per household to some families.
Some analysts say total compensation could amount to more than 10 trillion yen ($124 billion).
The government has set no ceiling on the compensation and Tokyo Electric will be required to pay back the money spent out of a government-backed fund.
The shadow cast by Fukushima Daiichi has inflicted yet-unknown losses on farmers, fishermen and shopkeepers. And looming compensation costs have darkened the future of Tokyo Electric, a $157 billion company that could still be driven into some form of government receivership by the nuclear disaster.
Japan Loss after earthquake, tsunami
Tokyo: Hammered by a nuclear accident at its Fukushima Daiichi power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co. on Friday reported a net loss of 1.2 trillion yen ($15.4 billion) for the fiscal year that ended March 31.
Tokyo Electric also announced it will decommission reactors Nos. 1-4 at Fukushima Daiichi. It also has canceled plans to build two other reactors at the site.
In addition to the company's earnings, Tokyo Electric president Masataka Shimizu announced his resignation Friday, which must be approved by the board of directors at a June meeting.
"The accident compromised our confidence in the safety of nuclear power," Shimizu said. "We have caused problems and anxiety to the public."
Managing Director Toshio Nishizawa has been tapped to replace the president.
"We are facing the gravest crisis in the history of the company," Nishizawa said. "I feel the enormous gravity of the responsibility to assume the position of the president ... so I accepted the position."
Vice Presidents Sakae Mutoh and Makio Fujiwara also tendered their resignations, as did Director Tomijirou Morita.
A restructuring plan was announced to boost company finances and help create more than a trillion yen in savings by selling off real estate, cutting pay and reducing staff.
The Fukushima Daiichi plant has faced a series of setbacks since a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami struck on March 11. The disasters triggered a glitch in the plant's cooling system, and caused radiation to leak.
As crews work to bring the problems under control, the government said this week it would compensate more than 78,000 displaced by the nuclear disaster.
Tokyo Electric has made a down payment on compensation of 1 million yen (about $12,000) per household to some families.
Some analysts say total compensation could amount to more than 10 trillion yen ($124 billion).
The government has set no ceiling on the compensation and Tokyo Electric will be required to pay back the money spent out of a government-backed fund.
The shadow cast by Fukushima Daiichi has inflicted yet-unknown losses on farmers, fishermen and shopkeepers. And looming compensation costs have darkened the future of Tokyo Electric, a $157 billion company that could still be driven into some form of government receivership by the nuclear disaster.
Rejects Obama
Israeli PM Netanyahu rejects Obama '1967 borders' view
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected comments from US President Obama that a future Palestinian state must be based on the 1967 borders. In a major speech to the state department, Mr Obama said "mutually agreed swaps" would help create "a viable Palestine, and a secure Israel". But Mr Netanyahu said those borders, which existed before the 1967 Middle East war, were "indefensible". Mr Netanyahu is preparing to meet Mr Obama for talks at the White House. An estimated 300,000 Israelis live in settlements built in the West Bank, which lies outside those borders. The settlements are illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this.
Relates Osama Bin Laden
Relates Osama Bin Laden
Al-Qaeda founder and leader Osama Bin Laden is dead, US President Barack Obama has announced
US forces took possession of Bin Laden's body after "a firefight"
He was discovered living in a compound in a town some 100km from Islamabad
His body has been buried at sea
The White House says it will not release a picture of Bin Laden's body, amid concerns it could prove inflammatory
Osama Bin Laden was unarmed when he was shot by US forces in Pakistan, but he resisted efforts to capture him alive, US officials say
US forces had faced immediate and sustained resistance from many other people in the compound who were armed, the White House adds
Bin Laden was killed in a raid by US special forces on a compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, some 100km from Islamabad. His body was buried at sea
White House counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan says material seized during the raid in Abbottabad could provide leads to the whereabouts of Ayman al-Zawihiri, thought to be al-Qaeda's deputy leader
US President Barack Obama has hailed the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden as a "good day for America"
Bin Laden was killed in a raid by US special forces on a compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, some 100km from Islamabad. His body has been buried at sea
He is believed to have ordered the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001, as well as a number of other deadly bombings, and topped the US "most wanted" list
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari has denied that the killing of Bin Laden in his country is a sign of its failure to tackle terrorism.
The director of the CIA has said the US decided not to share information with Pakistan, fearing Bin Laden could be tipped off.
Al-Qaeda founder and leader Osama Bin Laden is dead, US President Barack Obama has announced
US forces took possession of Bin Laden's body after "a firefight"
He was discovered living in a compound in a town some 100km from Islamabad
His body has been buried at sea
The White House says it will not release a picture of Bin Laden's body, amid concerns it could prove inflammatory
Osama Bin Laden was unarmed when he was shot by US forces in Pakistan, but he resisted efforts to capture him alive, US officials say
US forces had faced immediate and sustained resistance from many other people in the compound who were armed, the White House adds
Bin Laden was killed in a raid by US special forces on a compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, some 100km from Islamabad. His body was buried at sea
White House counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan says material seized during the raid in Abbottabad could provide leads to the whereabouts of Ayman al-Zawihiri, thought to be al-Qaeda's deputy leader
US President Barack Obama has hailed the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden as a "good day for America"
Bin Laden was killed in a raid by US special forces on a compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, some 100km from Islamabad. His body has been buried at sea
He is believed to have ordered the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001, as well as a number of other deadly bombings, and topped the US "most wanted" list
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari has denied that the killing of Bin Laden in his country is a sign of its failure to tackle terrorism.
The director of the CIA has said the US decided not to share information with Pakistan, fearing Bin Laden could be tipped off.
Saturday 7 May 2011
osama bin laden dead
Osama bin laden dead body
Al-Qaeda confirm death of Osama bin Laden
Barack Obama last night shook the hand of the man who killed Osama bin Laden.
The US president met the US Navy Seals team which executed the al-Qaeda chief and praised their mission as “one of the greatest intelligence and military operations in our nation’s history”.
After a private visit to Fort Campbell in Kentucky, where he awarded the Seal Team Six crack troops the Presidential Unit Citation – the highest honour that can go to a military unit – Mr Obama said: “They practised tirelessly. When I gave the order, they were ready. We have cut off their head and we will ultimately defeat them. This was a chance for me to say on behalf of Americans and people around the world ‘job well done’.”
His visit came on the day al-Qaeda chiefs formally confirmed bin Laden’s death – and vowed bloody revenge on the US and its allies. The fanatics pledged to never give up Jihad and, in a chilling warning, claimed bin Laden’s “blood is more precious to us and to every Muslim than to be wasted in vain”.
As hundreds of bin Laden followers clashed with right-wing extremists outside the US Embassy in London, a spokesman for al-Qaeda pronounced via the internet: “Bin Laden’s blood will remain, with permission from Allah the Almighty, a curse that chases the Americans and their agents, and goes after them inside and outside their countries.
“Their happiness will turn into sorrow, and their blood will be mixed with their tears. We call upon our Muslim people in Pakistan, on whose land Sheikh Osama was killed, to rise up and revolt to cleanse this shame attached to them by a clique of traitors and thieves... and in general to cleanse their country from the filth of the Americans who spread corruption in it.”
As al-Qaeda confirmed the death of their leader – crushing conspiracy theories that he was still alive – it emerged yesterday that bin Laden was running out of money in the weeks before he was killed by US special forces. The once-wealthy Saudi blew millions to fund al-Qaeda plots and training camps, while the CIA and other global counter-terror spook agencies had spent the past 10 years painstakingly freezing bank accounts linked to bin Laden.
Locals say the al-Qaeda mastermind’s “million dollar mansion” where he was killed in Pakistan was worth £150,000 – less than the price of the average home in Britain.
A senior Pakistani intelligence official told reporters: “Osama bin Laden was cash-strapped in his final days. He had no money.”
Experts estimate there still could be as much as £180million hidden around the globe by al-Qaeda’s financiers in mystery accounts and property holdings.
An intelligence report seen by the Mirror also contradicts claims that Pakistani intelligence did not know about bin Laden’s presence. It says: “Contrary to statements released by Pakistani intelligence agencies denying any knowledge of the occupants of the Abbottabad compound raided by American Special Forces units on May 1, there is evidence the occupants of the compound housing Osama bin Laden were well known to Pakistani intelligence from the time the purpose-built building was being constructed.” Sources also claimed al-Qaeda had been split into two – the largest faction run by bin Laden’s No2, Egyptian-born Ayman al-Zawahiri.
As revealed by the Mirror, al-Zawahiri is being hunted by a shadowy US special forces network called the Intelligence Support Agency.
Meanwhile, a “funeral service” for the dead al-Qaeda boss in London yesterday turned to violence. Right-wing English Defence League members chanted “USA, USA” as supporters knelt to pray for bin Laden at the opposite end of the highly secured US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, Central London.
Police officers then moved in to quell trouble as angry Islamic fanatics chanted in response: “American leaders are murderers.”
Abu Muaz, 28, from East London, raged: “It is only a matter of time before another atrocity – the West is the enemy.”
An ambulance was called amid reports one of the extremists had been attacked. The event was organized by hate-preacher Anjem Choudary – ex-UK leader of the outlawed al-Muhajiroun and member of the “poppy-burning” Muslims Against Crusades – who called on Mr Obama to return bin Laden’s body to relatives.
He has already warned of another 7/7-style attack in the wake of bin Laden’s death.
Britain has followed the US in placing its embassies and military bases around the world on heightened alert in recent days.
The head of the UK’s Armed Forces said yesterday that bin Laden’s death sent out a vital message. General Sir David Richards, Chief of the Defence Staff, who was yesterday made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath by the Queen at Windsor Castle, said: “This is definitely a positive. It will remind like-minded people wherever they are that one day their deeds will catch up with them.”
National security adviser Sir Peter Ricketts, who was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George at the same ceremony, added: “This is not the end but a big step forwards. This has been an extraordinary week in the fight against terrorism.”
Al-Qaeda confirm death of Osama bin Laden
Barack Obama last night shook the hand of the man who killed Osama bin Laden.
The US president met the US Navy Seals team which executed the al-Qaeda chief and praised their mission as “one of the greatest intelligence and military operations in our nation’s history”.
After a private visit to Fort Campbell in Kentucky, where he awarded the Seal Team Six crack troops the Presidential Unit Citation – the highest honour that can go to a military unit – Mr Obama said: “They practised tirelessly. When I gave the order, they were ready. We have cut off their head and we will ultimately defeat them. This was a chance for me to say on behalf of Americans and people around the world ‘job well done’.”
His visit came on the day al-Qaeda chiefs formally confirmed bin Laden’s death – and vowed bloody revenge on the US and its allies. The fanatics pledged to never give up Jihad and, in a chilling warning, claimed bin Laden’s “blood is more precious to us and to every Muslim than to be wasted in vain”.
As hundreds of bin Laden followers clashed with right-wing extremists outside the US Embassy in London, a spokesman for al-Qaeda pronounced via the internet: “Bin Laden’s blood will remain, with permission from Allah the Almighty, a curse that chases the Americans and their agents, and goes after them inside and outside their countries.
“Their happiness will turn into sorrow, and their blood will be mixed with their tears. We call upon our Muslim people in Pakistan, on whose land Sheikh Osama was killed, to rise up and revolt to cleanse this shame attached to them by a clique of traitors and thieves... and in general to cleanse their country from the filth of the Americans who spread corruption in it.”
As al-Qaeda confirmed the death of their leader – crushing conspiracy theories that he was still alive – it emerged yesterday that bin Laden was running out of money in the weeks before he was killed by US special forces. The once-wealthy Saudi blew millions to fund al-Qaeda plots and training camps, while the CIA and other global counter-terror spook agencies had spent the past 10 years painstakingly freezing bank accounts linked to bin Laden.
Locals say the al-Qaeda mastermind’s “million dollar mansion” where he was killed in Pakistan was worth £150,000 – less than the price of the average home in Britain.
A senior Pakistani intelligence official told reporters: “Osama bin Laden was cash-strapped in his final days. He had no money.”
Experts estimate there still could be as much as £180million hidden around the globe by al-Qaeda’s financiers in mystery accounts and property holdings.
An intelligence report seen by the Mirror also contradicts claims that Pakistani intelligence did not know about bin Laden’s presence. It says: “Contrary to statements released by Pakistani intelligence agencies denying any knowledge of the occupants of the Abbottabad compound raided by American Special Forces units on May 1, there is evidence the occupants of the compound housing Osama bin Laden were well known to Pakistani intelligence from the time the purpose-built building was being constructed.” Sources also claimed al-Qaeda had been split into two – the largest faction run by bin Laden’s No2, Egyptian-born Ayman al-Zawahiri.
As revealed by the Mirror, al-Zawahiri is being hunted by a shadowy US special forces network called the Intelligence Support Agency.
Meanwhile, a “funeral service” for the dead al-Qaeda boss in London yesterday turned to violence. Right-wing English Defence League members chanted “USA, USA” as supporters knelt to pray for bin Laden at the opposite end of the highly secured US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, Central London.
Police officers then moved in to quell trouble as angry Islamic fanatics chanted in response: “American leaders are murderers.”
Abu Muaz, 28, from East London, raged: “It is only a matter of time before another atrocity – the West is the enemy.”
An ambulance was called amid reports one of the extremists had been attacked. The event was organized by hate-preacher Anjem Choudary – ex-UK leader of the outlawed al-Muhajiroun and member of the “poppy-burning” Muslims Against Crusades – who called on Mr Obama to return bin Laden’s body to relatives.
He has already warned of another 7/7-style attack in the wake of bin Laden’s death.
Britain has followed the US in placing its embassies and military bases around the world on heightened alert in recent days.
The head of the UK’s Armed Forces said yesterday that bin Laden’s death sent out a vital message. General Sir David Richards, Chief of the Defence Staff, who was yesterday made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath by the Queen at Windsor Castle, said: “This is definitely a positive. It will remind like-minded people wherever they are that one day their deeds will catch up with them.”
National security adviser Sir Peter Ricketts, who was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George at the same ceremony, added: “This is not the end but a big step forwards. This has been an extraordinary week in the fight against terrorism.”
Friday 29 April 2011
USA Attacks on Libya
Libyan leader Muammar al- Gaddafi said Saturday he was ready for a ceasefire and negotiations provided NATO "stop its planes," but he refused to give up power as rebels and Western powers demand.
Weeks of Western air strikes have failed to dislodge the Libyan leader, but have instead imposed a stalemate on a war Gaddafi looked to have been winning with government forces held at bay in the east and around the besieged city of Misrata, while fighting for control of the western mountains.
But with neither side apparently able to gain the upper hand, Gaddafi struck a conciliatory tone in an 80-minute televised address to the nation in the early hours of Saturday.
"(Libya) is ready until now to enter a ceasefire," said Gaddafi, speaking from behind a desk and aided by reams of paper covered in what appeared to be hand-written notes.
"We were the first to welcome a ceasefire and we were the first to accept a ceasefire ... but the Crusader NATO attack has not stopped," he said. "The gate to peace is open."
Gaddafi denied mass attacks on civilians and challenged NATO to find him 1,000 people who had been killed in the conflict.
"We did not attack them or cross the sea ... why are they attacking us?" asked Gaddafi, referring to European countries involved in the air strikes. "Let us negotiate with you, the countries that attack us. Let us negotiate."
But as he spoke, NATO warplanes hit three targets close to the television building in Tripoli in what state media said was an attempt to kill Gaddafi who has ruled Libya for 41 years.
The air strikes left a large crater outside the attorney general's office but did not damage the building and hit two other government offices housed in colonial-era buildings. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties.
"I'M NOT LEAVING"
Previous ceasefire offers have been rebuffed by NATO as Libyan government forces continued to fight on, something which looked as though it would be repeated as Gaddafi indicated he wanted both sides to stop fighting at once, saying "a ceasefire cannot be from one side."
More importantly though, the Libyan leader refused to leave the country or step down, the central demand of the rebels, the United States, and also of France and Britain which are leading the NATO air campaign.
"I'm not leaving my country," Gaddafi said. "No one can force me to leave my country and no one can tell me not to fight for my country."
Gaddafi's forces showed no sign of giving up the fight either, claiming to have captured the port of the city of Misrata Friday, the last major rebel outpost in western Libya, but NATO said it saw no evidence of that.
Libya's government has threatened to attack any ships approaching Misrata, potentially depriving insurgents of a lifeline to the country's eastern insurgent heartland.
NATO said Gaddafi forces had laid mines on the approach to the harbor, under siege for weeks, and forced a temporary halt in humanitarian shipments.
"NATO forces are now actively engaged in countering the mine threat to ensure the flow of aid continues," the alliance said.
Further west, the war spilled into Tunisia when Gaddafi's forces overran a rebel enclave at the frontier. The Libyan army shelled the Tunisian border town of Dehiba, damaging buildings and wounding at least one person, witnesses said. They said Libyan soldiers drove into the town in a truck chasing rebels.
BORDER CLASHES
Tunisian Deputy Foreign Minister Radhouane Nouicer, speaking on Al Jazeera television, said casualties, including a young girl, were inflicted when the conflict spilled over on Friday.
"We summoned the Libyan envoy and gave him a strong protest because we won't tolerate any repetition of such violations. Tunisian soil is a red line," he said.
The Libyan government said rebels had briefly pushed its forces into Tunisia and that it was coordinating with Tunisia to avoid a disaster in the border area.
"We are respecting the sovereignty of the Tunisian country and state," spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said.
A Reuters cameraman who crossed into Libya from Dehiba saw the bodies of three Gaddafi soldiers on the ground. It was not clear if they had been shot by rebels or by Tunisian forces.
Tunisian border guards had shut down the border, he said. They were laying barbed wire and fortifying their positions.
Libyan refugees fleeing the fighting in the Western Mountains were reaching the crossing but unable to get through.
Reuters photographers in Dehiba, a short distance from the border, saw several abandoned pick-up trucks which Gaddafi loyalists had driven. One had a multiple rocket launcher on the back. Another, which had overturned and lay upside down in the sand, was fitted with a heavy caliber machine gun.
Rebels seized the Dehiba post a week ago. It controls the only road link which their comrades in the Western Mountains have with the outside world, making them rely otherwise on rough tracks for supplies of food, fuel and medicine.
"Right here at this point I'm looking at the new flag flying up there at the border. The rebels have got control of it, the freedom fighters. We're just in the process of opening it up," rebel Akram el Muradi said by telephone.
After nightfall, Gaddafi's forces resumed their bombardment of the post in an apparent attempt to return and the government said it had regained control over the Libyan side of the border.
Weeks of Western air strikes have failed to dislodge the Libyan leader, but have instead imposed a stalemate on a war Gaddafi looked to have been winning with government forces held at bay in the east and around the besieged city of Misrata, while fighting for control of the western mountains.
But with neither side apparently able to gain the upper hand, Gaddafi struck a conciliatory tone in an 80-minute televised address to the nation in the early hours of Saturday.
"(Libya) is ready until now to enter a ceasefire," said Gaddafi, speaking from behind a desk and aided by reams of paper covered in what appeared to be hand-written notes.
"We were the first to welcome a ceasefire and we were the first to accept a ceasefire ... but the Crusader NATO attack has not stopped," he said. "The gate to peace is open."
Gaddafi denied mass attacks on civilians and challenged NATO to find him 1,000 people who had been killed in the conflict.
"We did not attack them or cross the sea ... why are they attacking us?" asked Gaddafi, referring to European countries involved in the air strikes. "Let us negotiate with you, the countries that attack us. Let us negotiate."
But as he spoke, NATO warplanes hit three targets close to the television building in Tripoli in what state media said was an attempt to kill Gaddafi who has ruled Libya for 41 years.
The air strikes left a large crater outside the attorney general's office but did not damage the building and hit two other government offices housed in colonial-era buildings. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties.
"I'M NOT LEAVING"
Previous ceasefire offers have been rebuffed by NATO as Libyan government forces continued to fight on, something which looked as though it would be repeated as Gaddafi indicated he wanted both sides to stop fighting at once, saying "a ceasefire cannot be from one side."
More importantly though, the Libyan leader refused to leave the country or step down, the central demand of the rebels, the United States, and also of France and Britain which are leading the NATO air campaign.
"I'm not leaving my country," Gaddafi said. "No one can force me to leave my country and no one can tell me not to fight for my country."
Gaddafi's forces showed no sign of giving up the fight either, claiming to have captured the port of the city of Misrata Friday, the last major rebel outpost in western Libya, but NATO said it saw no evidence of that.
Libya's government has threatened to attack any ships approaching Misrata, potentially depriving insurgents of a lifeline to the country's eastern insurgent heartland.
NATO said Gaddafi forces had laid mines on the approach to the harbor, under siege for weeks, and forced a temporary halt in humanitarian shipments.
"NATO forces are now actively engaged in countering the mine threat to ensure the flow of aid continues," the alliance said.
Further west, the war spilled into Tunisia when Gaddafi's forces overran a rebel enclave at the frontier. The Libyan army shelled the Tunisian border town of Dehiba, damaging buildings and wounding at least one person, witnesses said. They said Libyan soldiers drove into the town in a truck chasing rebels.
BORDER CLASHES
Tunisian Deputy Foreign Minister Radhouane Nouicer, speaking on Al Jazeera television, said casualties, including a young girl, were inflicted when the conflict spilled over on Friday.
"We summoned the Libyan envoy and gave him a strong protest because we won't tolerate any repetition of such violations. Tunisian soil is a red line," he said.
The Libyan government said rebels had briefly pushed its forces into Tunisia and that it was coordinating with Tunisia to avoid a disaster in the border area.
"We are respecting the sovereignty of the Tunisian country and state," spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said.
A Reuters cameraman who crossed into Libya from Dehiba saw the bodies of three Gaddafi soldiers on the ground. It was not clear if they had been shot by rebels or by Tunisian forces.
Tunisian border guards had shut down the border, he said. They were laying barbed wire and fortifying their positions.
Libyan refugees fleeing the fighting in the Western Mountains were reaching the crossing but unable to get through.
Reuters photographers in Dehiba, a short distance from the border, saw several abandoned pick-up trucks which Gaddafi loyalists had driven. One had a multiple rocket launcher on the back. Another, which had overturned and lay upside down in the sand, was fitted with a heavy caliber machine gun.
Rebels seized the Dehiba post a week ago. It controls the only road link which their comrades in the Western Mountains have with the outside world, making them rely otherwise on rough tracks for supplies of food, fuel and medicine.
"Right here at this point I'm looking at the new flag flying up there at the border. The rebels have got control of it, the freedom fighters. We're just in the process of opening it up," rebel Akram el Muradi said by telephone.
After nightfall, Gaddafi's forces resumed their bombardment of the post in an apparent attempt to return and the government said it had regained control over the Libyan side of the border.
Royal Wedding Ever
Royal newly-weds celebrate at Buckingham Palace
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have celebrated their marriage with dinner and dancing at Buckingham Palace, along with about 300 friends and family.
The bride wore a white evening gown by Sarah Burton, who created her wedding dress, to the event.
The couple stayed at the palace after the reception, which lasted into the early hours.
It is thought they may depart for their honeymoon later, though details of their plans have not been made public.
The reception, hosted by the Prince of Wales, is believed to have featured Prince Harry's best man speech and Michael Middleton's father of the bride address.
A St James's Palace spokesman said the new duchess had donned a white angora bolero cardigan over her white satin gazar dress, which featured a circle skirt and diamante embroidered detail round the waist.
Her sister Pippa changed for the evening reception into a long emerald green sleeveless dress with a jewelled embellishment on the front and a plunging neckline.
The Duchess of Cambridge The festivities continued until early in the morning
Their mother, Mrs Middleton, wore a black capped sleeve dress, cut low at the front and back, with a tiered skirt.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh did not attend, having left for a private weekend away.
'Party mad'
Meanwhile, a spokesman for President Obama said that the White House wished the newly-weds "a lifetime of happiness together".
"The United States has no closer friend in the world than the United Kingdom," he added.
"On this occasion, the American people extend heartfelt congratulations to the peoples of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and share in their hopes for a bright future for the royal couple."
Continue reading the main story
Peter Hunt, royal correspondent
After a very public wedding, the honeymoon will be very private.
Whenever it is and wherever it is, Prince William will expect the media to respect his wishes. He will want to spend time, alone with his new wife, the new duchess.
Mindful of his mother's experiences at the hands of the paparazzi, William believes he has the law on his side as he strives to maintain a royal right to privacy. The couple's first holiday together as man and wife has the potential to test that.
The desire to witness the Windsors on vacation is not a new phenomenon. Back in 1947, after her wedding, the Queen attended a service at a church in Hampshire. People climbed over tombstones and carried chairs, ladders and even a sideboard so they could peer in through the windows for a glimpse of the then princess praying.
Follow Peter Hunt on Twitter
Views on the dress
Royal wedding: Where were you?
The State Rooms, including the grand ballroom, were used for the reception.
The ballroom, measuring over 36 meters in length and 18 meters in width, is the largest of the 775 rooms in the palace.
It was added in the 1850s at the request of Queen Victoria and opened in 1856 with a ball to celebrate the end of the Crimean War - a war in which the previous holder of Prince William's new title, the 2nd Duke of Cambridge, served.
On Friday, pubs were allowed to remain open for an additional two hours beyond the conventional closing time; they will be granted the same flexibility on Saturday.
Millions of people across the UK marked the royal wedding with street parties, picnics and other festivities.
But one party in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park resulted in 21 arrests as police attempted to disperse thousands of revelers.
The organizers described themselves as "royalist/party mad", but Glasgow City Council had urged people not to attend their "unsafe and unofficial" party.
One police officer was injured and several police vans had their windows smashed in clashes attributed by Ch Supt Bernard Higgins to "completely
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have celebrated their marriage with dinner and dancing at Buckingham Palace, along with about 300 friends and family.
The bride wore a white evening gown by Sarah Burton, who created her wedding dress, to the event.
The couple stayed at the palace after the reception, which lasted into the early hours.
It is thought they may depart for their honeymoon later, though details of their plans have not been made public.
The reception, hosted by the Prince of Wales, is believed to have featured Prince Harry's best man speech and Michael Middleton's father of the bride address.
A St James's Palace spokesman said the new duchess had donned a white angora bolero cardigan over her white satin gazar dress, which featured a circle skirt and diamante embroidered detail round the waist.
Her sister Pippa changed for the evening reception into a long emerald green sleeveless dress with a jewelled embellishment on the front and a plunging neckline.
The Duchess of Cambridge The festivities continued until early in the morning
Their mother, Mrs Middleton, wore a black capped sleeve dress, cut low at the front and back, with a tiered skirt.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh did not attend, having left for a private weekend away.
'Party mad'
Meanwhile, a spokesman for President Obama said that the White House wished the newly-weds "a lifetime of happiness together".
"The United States has no closer friend in the world than the United Kingdom," he added.
"On this occasion, the American people extend heartfelt congratulations to the peoples of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and share in their hopes for a bright future for the royal couple."
Continue reading the main story
Peter Hunt, royal correspondent
After a very public wedding, the honeymoon will be very private.
Whenever it is and wherever it is, Prince William will expect the media to respect his wishes. He will want to spend time, alone with his new wife, the new duchess.
Mindful of his mother's experiences at the hands of the paparazzi, William believes he has the law on his side as he strives to maintain a royal right to privacy. The couple's first holiday together as man and wife has the potential to test that.
The desire to witness the Windsors on vacation is not a new phenomenon. Back in 1947, after her wedding, the Queen attended a service at a church in Hampshire. People climbed over tombstones and carried chairs, ladders and even a sideboard so they could peer in through the windows for a glimpse of the then princess praying.
Follow Peter Hunt on Twitter
Views on the dress
Royal wedding: Where were you?
The State Rooms, including the grand ballroom, were used for the reception.
The ballroom, measuring over 36 meters in length and 18 meters in width, is the largest of the 775 rooms in the palace.
It was added in the 1850s at the request of Queen Victoria and opened in 1856 with a ball to celebrate the end of the Crimean War - a war in which the previous holder of Prince William's new title, the 2nd Duke of Cambridge, served.
On Friday, pubs were allowed to remain open for an additional two hours beyond the conventional closing time; they will be granted the same flexibility on Saturday.
Millions of people across the UK marked the royal wedding with street parties, picnics and other festivities.
But one party in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park resulted in 21 arrests as police attempted to disperse thousands of revelers.
The organizers described themselves as "royalist/party mad", but Glasgow City Council had urged people not to attend their "unsafe and unofficial" party.
One police officer was injured and several police vans had their windows smashed in clashes attributed by Ch Supt Bernard Higgins to "completely
Thursday 28 April 2011
World Biggest Wedding
Royal Wedding ex plainer: Schedule of events
Here's your essential guide to Prince William and Kate Middleton's big day.
The couple
Prince William, second in line to the British throne, elder son of heir to the throne, Prince Charles and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, will marry Kate Middleton, daughter of Michael and Carole Middleton.
Inside William and Kate's St Andrews
The couple met while studying at St Andrews University in Scotland. Prince William proposed in October 2010 in Kenya, with his mother's diamond and sapphire engagement ring.
Friends open up about Kate Middleton
The ceremony
The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. on April 29 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London, England.
It takes place at the following times around the world:
3 a.m. in Los Angeles
6 a.m. in New York
12 noon in Paris
2 p.m. in Abu Dhabi
6 p.m. in Hong Kong
8 p.m. in Sydney
Unveiled blog: The latest on the ceremony
The ceremony will probably last around an hour.
Getting to the church
The bride-to-be will travel to Westminster Abbey by car, rather than horse-drawn carriage as Diana, Princess of Wales did on her wedding day 30 years ago.
Kate to ride to Abbey in Rolls Royce
It's likely Kate will leave from one of the London palaces or possibly an exclusive London hotel, while Prince William will start off from Clarence House, Prince William's official residence, though these details are yet to be confirmed by the Prince's office.
The venue
Westminster Abbey is over 700 years old and holds 2,200 people. It's been the site of coronations since William I's in 1066.
Westminster Abbey: In-depth profile
Many royal weddings have taken place here, including current queen, Elizabeth II's to Prince Philip in 1947. The Abbey is considered a more modest, but fittingly grand, alternative to the larger St Paul's Cathedral.
Key players
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, will marry the couple. The Dean of Westminster will conduct the service.
The Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, will give the address. He is a family friend of the Windsors and spoke at Diana, Princess of Wales's memorial in 2007.
William has chosen his younger brother, Prince Harry, third in line to the throne, as best man. Kate's sister Philippa, often known as Pippa, will be her maid of honor.
There will be four younger bridesmaids and two younger page boys, including two of William's godchildren.
Who are the bridesmaids and page boys?
The music
Two choirs, one orchestra, a fanfare team and trumpeters will play at the wedding:
- The Choir of Westminster Abbey, formed of 20 boys and 12 professional singers. The Abbey's sub-organist will play the organ.
- The Chapel Royal Choir, formed of 10 boys and six professional singers.
- The London Chamber Orchestra, the longest established professional chamber orchestra in the UK. Its 39 members will play from the organ loft in the Abbey.
- The Fanfare Team from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force, which consists of seven players and their conductor.
- The State Trumpeters of The Household Cavalry, eight trumpeters drawn from the Band of the Life Guards and the Band of the Blues and Royals.
The guests
Around 1,900 people have been invited to the main ceremony at Westminster Abbey, mainly made up of the couple's friends and family.
The other guests will be members of foreign royal families, heads of state, members of the army, navy and air force and around 80 regular joes from the charities Prince William supports.
Check out the guest list!
A surprise at the royal wedding
Get a look at a royal wedding gown
RELATED TOPICS
Kate Middleton
Prince William of Wales
Royalty
Prince Charles
Princess Diana
Six hundred people have been invited to a lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by The Queen. Just three hundred people have been asked to an exclusive dinner in the evening thrown by Charles, Prince of Wales.
Wedding invitations stamped and sent
The Swedish royal family has confirmed. The Japanese royal family has pulled out due to the devastating events in Japan.
Bahraini crown prince to skip royal wedding
The biggest snub so far is for Sarah Ferguson, ex-wife of Andrew, Duke of York, who has not been invited.
Royal procession
After the ceremony, the newlyweds will travel back to Buckingham Palace in a horse-drawn five-carriage procession, along a set route lined by fans and well-wishers. The route takes in some of London's most historic places: Parliament Square, Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade and The Mall.
Royal route: Interactive map
William and Kate will likely use the 1902 State Landau, which Prince Charles and his first wife, the late Diana, Princess of Wales also used at their wedding. If it's raining, the newlyweds will revert to the Glass Coach, which has a roof. The white-looking Windsor Greys, which are usually reserved for the Queen, will pull the newlyweds.
Full details on the carriages
The reception
William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, will host a reception at Buckingham Palace for the couple's friends and family.
Chefs prepare 10,000 canapes
It's traditional for the couple to make a public appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace before joining the reception. The whole world will be hoping for a romantic kiss from the newlyweds.
Prince William chooses cake made from cookies!
Later on, William's father, Prince Charles, will host a dinner for close friends and family at Buckingham Palace.
Wedding gifts
The couple have asked that members of the public who would like to give them a gift instead donate to charity. They have set up a dedicated website where donations can be made. Charities from Canada, the UK and Australia will benefit and include Oily Cart, New Zealand Government Christchurch Earthquake Appeal and Earthwatch.
The honeymoon
Clarence House hasn't yet disclosed where the couple will honeymoon.
Once back, they will live on Anglesey, Wales, where Prince William works as a Royal Air Force search and rescue helicopter pilot.
What's next
The couple will go, on their first official trip, to Canada in June and visit Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and the National Capital Region.
Here's your essential guide to Prince William and Kate Middleton's big day.
The couple
Prince William, second in line to the British throne, elder son of heir to the throne, Prince Charles and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, will marry Kate Middleton, daughter of Michael and Carole Middleton.
Inside William and Kate's St Andrews
The couple met while studying at St Andrews University in Scotland. Prince William proposed in October 2010 in Kenya, with his mother's diamond and sapphire engagement ring.
Friends open up about Kate Middleton
The ceremony
The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. on April 29 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London, England.
It takes place at the following times around the world:
3 a.m. in Los Angeles
6 a.m. in New York
12 noon in Paris
2 p.m. in Abu Dhabi
6 p.m. in Hong Kong
8 p.m. in Sydney
Unveiled blog: The latest on the ceremony
The ceremony will probably last around an hour.
Getting to the church
The bride-to-be will travel to Westminster Abbey by car, rather than horse-drawn carriage as Diana, Princess of Wales did on her wedding day 30 years ago.
Kate to ride to Abbey in Rolls Royce
It's likely Kate will leave from one of the London palaces or possibly an exclusive London hotel, while Prince William will start off from Clarence House, Prince William's official residence, though these details are yet to be confirmed by the Prince's office.
The venue
Westminster Abbey is over 700 years old and holds 2,200 people. It's been the site of coronations since William I's in 1066.
Westminster Abbey: In-depth profile
Many royal weddings have taken place here, including current queen, Elizabeth II's to Prince Philip in 1947. The Abbey is considered a more modest, but fittingly grand, alternative to the larger St Paul's Cathedral.
Key players
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, will marry the couple. The Dean of Westminster will conduct the service.
The Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, will give the address. He is a family friend of the Windsors and spoke at Diana, Princess of Wales's memorial in 2007.
William has chosen his younger brother, Prince Harry, third in line to the throne, as best man. Kate's sister Philippa, often known as Pippa, will be her maid of honor.
There will be four younger bridesmaids and two younger page boys, including two of William's godchildren.
Who are the bridesmaids and page boys?
The music
Two choirs, one orchestra, a fanfare team and trumpeters will play at the wedding:
- The Choir of Westminster Abbey, formed of 20 boys and 12 professional singers. The Abbey's sub-organist will play the organ.
- The Chapel Royal Choir, formed of 10 boys and six professional singers.
- The London Chamber Orchestra, the longest established professional chamber orchestra in the UK. Its 39 members will play from the organ loft in the Abbey.
- The Fanfare Team from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force, which consists of seven players and their conductor.
- The State Trumpeters of The Household Cavalry, eight trumpeters drawn from the Band of the Life Guards and the Band of the Blues and Royals.
The guests
Around 1,900 people have been invited to the main ceremony at Westminster Abbey, mainly made up of the couple's friends and family.
The other guests will be members of foreign royal families, heads of state, members of the army, navy and air force and around 80 regular joes from the charities Prince William supports.
Check out the guest list!
A surprise at the royal wedding
Get a look at a royal wedding gown
RELATED TOPICS
Kate Middleton
Prince William of Wales
Royalty
Prince Charles
Princess Diana
Six hundred people have been invited to a lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by The Queen. Just three hundred people have been asked to an exclusive dinner in the evening thrown by Charles, Prince of Wales.
Wedding invitations stamped and sent
The Swedish royal family has confirmed. The Japanese royal family has pulled out due to the devastating events in Japan.
Bahraini crown prince to skip royal wedding
The biggest snub so far is for Sarah Ferguson, ex-wife of Andrew, Duke of York, who has not been invited.
Royal procession
After the ceremony, the newlyweds will travel back to Buckingham Palace in a horse-drawn five-carriage procession, along a set route lined by fans and well-wishers. The route takes in some of London's most historic places: Parliament Square, Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade and The Mall.
Royal route: Interactive map
William and Kate will likely use the 1902 State Landau, which Prince Charles and his first wife, the late Diana, Princess of Wales also used at their wedding. If it's raining, the newlyweds will revert to the Glass Coach, which has a roof. The white-looking Windsor Greys, which are usually reserved for the Queen, will pull the newlyweds.
Full details on the carriages
The reception
William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, will host a reception at Buckingham Palace for the couple's friends and family.
Chefs prepare 10,000 canapes
It's traditional for the couple to make a public appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace before joining the reception. The whole world will be hoping for a romantic kiss from the newlyweds.
Prince William chooses cake made from cookies!
Later on, William's father, Prince Charles, will host a dinner for close friends and family at Buckingham Palace.
Wedding gifts
The couple have asked that members of the public who would like to give them a gift instead donate to charity. They have set up a dedicated website where donations can be made. Charities from Canada, the UK and Australia will benefit and include Oily Cart, New Zealand Government Christchurch Earthquake Appeal and Earthwatch.
The honeymoon
Clarence House hasn't yet disclosed where the couple will honeymoon.
Once back, they will live on Anglesey, Wales, where Prince William works as a Royal Air Force search and rescue helicopter pilot.
What's next
The couple will go, on their first official trip, to Canada in June and visit Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and the National Capital Region.
International News Ever
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