Seattle attack suspect ‘wanted’ to kill many
Seattle, June 7
The man accused of killing one person and wounding two others in a shooting spree at a small Christian college in Seattle wanted to kill as many people as possible before killing himself, the police has said. A judge found probable cause to hold 26-year-old Aaron Ybarra without bail. The hearing came a day after Ybarra was arrested in the shooting that killed student Paul Lee and wounded two other young people, one critically, at Seattle Pacific University.

Shooting suspect Aaron Ybarra is led in chains in Seattle. AP/PTI

Kiev, June 7
Ukraine’s new president Petro Poroshenko said his country would never give up Crimea and would not compromise on its path towards closer ties with Europe, spelling out a defiant message to Russia in his inaugural speech on Saturday.

The 48-year-old billionaire took the oath of office before Parliament, buoyed by Western support but facing a crisis in relations with Russia as a separatist uprising seethes in the east of his country.

Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in March, weeks after street protests ousted Poroshenko’s pro-Moscow predecessor Viktor Yanukovich, in a move that has provoked the deepest crisis in relations with the West since the Cold War.

“Citizens of Ukraine will never enjoy the beauty of peace unless we settle our relations with Russia. Russia occupied Crimea, which was, is, and will be, Ukrainian soil,” Poroshenko said in a speech that drew a standing ovation.

He said he had delivered that message to Russian President Vladimir Putin when the two met on Friday at a World War Two anniversary ceremony in France. There is no prospect of Russia reversing its takeover of Crimea, but in what could be a positive signal from Moscow, Russian news agencies reported Putin had ordered the Federal Security Service to strengthen protection of the border with Ukraine and prevent people crossing illegally.

The move was potentially significant because Ukraine and Western governments have been pressing Moscow to stop what they say is a flow of Russian arms and fighters into eastern Ukraine. Russia denies it is backing the uprising but journalists have encountered Russian nationals among the separatist ranks.

Poroshenko, who earned his fortune as a confectionery entrepreneur and is known locally as the “Chocolate King”, said he intended to sign the economic part of an association deal with the European Union as a step towards full membership. That idea is anathema to Moscow, which wants to keep Ukraine in its own post-Soviet sphere of influence.

His voice swelling with emotion, Poroshenko stressed the need for a united Ukraine and the importance of ending the conflict that threatens to further split the country of 45 million people. He said it would not become a looser federalised state, as advocated by Russia. — Reuters

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday ordered the border service to reinforce the state border with Ukraine, the Kremlin press service said. Putin issued the order for border guards to take all necessary measures to prevent illegal crossings. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday that thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing the combat zone into bordering Russian regions and 4,000 have sought refugee status

London, June 7
Pakistan’s powerful MQM chief Altaf Hussain was today released on bail, four days after he was arrested here by the British police on charges of money laundering.

The 60-year-old exiled leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was arrested on June 3 from his north London home and taken to a central London police station for questioning.

“The 60-year-old man arrested on Tuesday June 3 on suspicion of money laundering has been released on police bail to a date in July pending further enquiries,” a police statement said without naming Hussain.

Soon after he was released, Hussain via telephone addressed his party lawmakers and workers who were participating in a sit-in protest in Karachi.

“I salute those who participated in the sit-in protest against my arrest. I will continue to fight for the truth until my last breath. I respect the British law and have complete trust in the British judicial system. I am prepared to go to jail for a refresher course,” he was quoted as saying by Dawn News.

Hussain was questioned for seven hours last evening. He was transferred to a hospital for check-ups after being arrested on Tuesday. — PTI

Lahore, June 7
A Pakistani anti-terrorism court today jailed the father of a young pregnant woman who was stoned to death for marrying a man of her choice.

The police presented Muhammad Azeem before the ATC Lahore on the expiry of his seven-day physical remand and told it that they did not require more remand of the accused as they had interrogated him and recorded his statement.

On this the judge sent Azeem to jail on judicial remand. Police sources told PTI that Azeem did not confess to have taken part in stoning his daughter Farzana Parveen, 25.

On May 27, three-month-old pregnant Farzana was on her way to the Lahore High Court along with her husband Muhammad Iqbal, 45, to appear in a case when her father, two brothers and some other relatives allegedly attacked them on Fane Road near the court with bricks. She died on the spot while Iqbal remained unhurt. — PTI

Islamabad: An 18-year-old Pakistani girl "miraculously survived" after being shot and thrown into a canal by her father for marrying against the family's wishes, the police said on Saturday, describing the latest in a series of such attacks on women in the country. AP

Seattle, June 7
The man accused of killing one person and wounding two others in a shooting spree at a small Christian college in Seattle wanted to kill as many people as possible before killing himself, the police has said.

A judge found probable cause to hold 26-year-old Aaron Ybarra without bail. The hearing came a day after Ybarra was arrested in the shooting that killed student Paul Lee and wounded two other young people, one critically, at Seattle Pacific University.

In a statement filed in court, the Seattle police wrote that Ybarra admitted to detectives after his arrest that he wanted to kill as many people as possible and then himself.

Instead, the police say a student building monitor pepper-sprayed and tackled Ybarra as he reloaded his shotgun. The police said yesterday the shooter had 50 additional shotgun shells and a hunting knife.

There have been a series of horrific shooting sprees in the US in recent years, amid a fierce debate over the country’s gun laws and its system for dealing with mental health issues. Several of the attacks have been on or near US university campuses. — AP