Bahamas police, FBI: 'Barefoot bandit' apprehended

(CNN) -- After eluding authorities for years from Washington state to Indiana, a notorious teenage fugitive called the "barefoot bandit" was arrested Sunday following a high-speed boat chase in the Bahamas, police said.

Police said 19-year-old Colton Harris-Moore was taken into custody without incident following the chase in the waters off Harbour Island. Authorities responded to a reported sighting of Harris-Moore just after 2 a.m ET Sunday, said police commissioner Ellison Greenslade.

However, an account of the arrest offered by a spokeswoman for Romora Bay Resort and Marina described a dramatic capture befitting a James Bond film.

The marina's security director, Kenneth Strachan, saw a barefoot young man about 2 a.m. Sunday carrying a gun with a knapsack over his shoulder running up the dock. "They're going to kill me," the man told Strachan, according to a statement issued by the resort.

The man had arrived on Harbour Island from the nearby island of Eleuthera in a 15-foot skiff, said resort manager Anne Ward in the statement. Strachan put out a call for help, telling Ward to come as soon as possible.

Upon her arrival, Ward told guards to disable the skiff's engine as the man ran through the resort property, attempting to steal a boat from a nearby house as a crowd gathered at the marina, the statement said.

However, Ward said he ran aground in the second boat, as he didn't realize how shallow the water was. Police and marina authorities surrounded his boat, and police shot out its engines, she said in the statement.

"At one point, the boy threw his computer in the water and put a gun to his head. He was going to kill himself. Police talked him out of it". Authorities loaded the suspect into the resort's work truck and took him to the Harbour Island police station, she said.

Harris-Moore was being transported to Nassau, Bahamas, on Sunday, authorities said. Greenslade said police seized a gun and other items from him.

The fact that Strachan could call for help was significant, the resort said, noting phone service on Harbour Island has been erratic since an underwater cable was cut recently.

The FBI held off on confirming that the suspect was indeed "barefoot bandit" Harris-Moore, with the agency saying it wanted to positively identify him through fingerprints. But Sunday night, the FBI announced its conclusion.

"We've confirmed that's it him -- the 'barefoot bandit,' Colton Harris Moore," said Steve Dean, assistant special agent in charge for the FBI's Seattle, Washington, office.

Greenslade said earlier Sunday that the suspect was positively identified as Harris-Moore by local authorities, and that he was seen by a doctor following his arrest and "appeared to be in very good health".

"The first thing I thought was that it's my bad luck, because there's another one right next door he could have taken," said William Sport of Florida, who owns the second boat. He said he had just arrived on Harbour Island for his annual monthlong stay there, but that his 32-foot boat had enough fuel on board to make it back to Florida.

Sport told CNN he had left the keys in the boat, although it had a cover on. The suspect took the cover off, found the keys and started the boat, he said.

Sport said he believes he saw the suspect about midnight. He said he had just finished a dinner party on the boat and was walking down the dock when a young man ran past him. At the time, he thought nothing of it, he said. He found out later that the suspect had come back and swam to the boat from shore.

Bahamian police have told him they will take care of repairs to his boat after shooting the engines out, he said.

Harris-Moore is suspected of flying a stolen plane to the Bahamas. He has been on the run since 2008, when he escaped from a juvenile halfway house in Renton, Washington, after pleading guilty to three counts of burglary and being sentenced to three years. He was called the "barefoot bandit" because he was without shoes when he allegedly broke into houses.

He has been linked to a series of home break-ins in Oregon and Washington, but authorities believed he moved eastward recently. He was suspected of breaking into airports in South Dakota and Nebraska, and also suspected in the thefts of several cars.

Authorities in Madison County, Nebraska, issued an arrest warrant for him last month on charges of burglary and theft by unlawful taking or deception. The affidavit supporting the warrant details a crime spree fitting the alleged pattern of the elusive teen, who has amassed thousands of followers on Facebook.

On Tuesday, a federal judge in Washington unsealed an indictment for airplane theft against Harris-Moore in the theft of an aircraft last year in Idaho, which was flown to Washington state and found crashed. DNA evidence and fingerprints linked Harris-Moore to the plane theft, the indictment states.

Harris-Moore was linked to the theft of a single-engine plane last week at Monroe County Airport in Bloomington, Indiana.

Bruce Payton, the airport director, said a 2009 Cessna 400 Corvalis was reported missing from a locked hangar. He said the owner of the plane was told by the U.S. Coast Guard that an emergency locator transmitter for the Cessna was sending out a beacon from the Bahamas.

The plane was found just off Abaco Island in the Bahamas, police said, and evidence from the aircraft was taken by investigators. Authorities were also looking into several reported thefts and break-ins reported in the area since the crash-landing.

The FBI had offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. An FBI statement indicated that agents believe Harris-Moore was involved in the Indiana theft, with the statement saying, "Should you see Harris-Moore in The Bahamas, please contact the nearest Royal Bahamas Police Force Station".

Greenslade said Harris-Moore is expected to appear in court later this week.

Dean said he wasn't surprised at reports of Harris-Moore's arrest. "I'm glad this is over," he said.

"There was a big effort to find him, and on a small island, there were a lot of burglaries ... eventually, he was bound to be caught," Dean said.

In Yankton, South Dakota, on June 17, residents returned to find an intruder inside the house, said Assistant Police Chief Jerry Hisek.

"He'd eaten some of their food, took a shower, cut his hair," Hisek said of the intruder. "He started to run and the guy chased him into the basement of the house".

The intruder "laser-dotted the guy and said, 'I have a gun. Get out of here, or I'm going to kill you'". Hisek said the owner did not know if the individual had a laser pen or a gun.

Harris-Moore was suspected in the incident, and "we're classifying him as armed," Hisek said.

In December, Time magazine dubbed Harris-Moore "America's Most Wanted Teenage Bandit," and a Facebook site for him showed nearly 58,000 "fans" as of Sunday.

Harris Moore's mother, Pamela Kohler, has told CNN affiliate KIRO that she wanted her son to turn himself in, but said she was "proud" her son had actually taught himself to fly.

20th Century Fox has purchased the rights for a film based on the exploits of the young fugitive.

"I think it's sad, very sad," Dean said Sunday of support for Harris-Moore. "People have been making him an idol and a hero when he's hurt so many hard-working people, broken into homes, stolen property, ripped off businesses. It's pretty pitiful".

Sunday shootout in Juarez leaves three cartel gunmen dead, police say

(CNN) -- A predawn, hourlong gun battle -- the latest volley in an escalating series of attacks on Mexican federal police by drug cartel hitmen -- left three cartel gunmen dead Sunday in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, a federal police spokesman told CNN.

Local reports said some of the suspected traffickers were carrying grenades. The gunfire could be heard by residents across the border in El Paso, Texas, local observers said.

"We believe these attacks are in direct response to recent seizures by the federal police force," federal police spokesman Ramon Salinas told CNN.

The gun battle Sunday pitted Ciudad Juarez municipal police and the federal police against drug cartel gunmen who attacked the officers, Salinas said.

There was no information on whether any civilians were injured in the gun battle, but Salinas said the three dead gunmen, who authorities linked to a cartel, were the only fatalities.

There had been relative calm in the city since elections were held in Juarez on July 4.

But Sunday's attack against Mexican federal police marks the third major incident of its kind in recent weeks.

On June 29 a shooting between suspected drug traffickers and Mexican federal police left one officer dead. The shooting was also seen as a watershed moment in the ongoing border drug war -- several bullets from that gunfight strayed crossed the border into Texas, hitting the El Paso City Hall. There were no injuries reported on the U.S. side.

On April 24, six federal police officers were killed in a daylight shooting in Juarez. Hours after the attack, a painted message found in the city allegedly from members of "La Linea" claimed responsibility for the attack. La Linea is an extension of the Juarez cartel, made up in-part of former Juarez police officers, according to authorities.

Assaults against federal police have increased in recent months since they took full control of security in the city from the Mexican military on April 9.

"There have been at least a dozen, maybe 15 attacks against the federal police since we took over [security]," Salinas said.

The Juarez cartel and the Sinaloa cartel have been in a bloody turf war since 2008. More than 5,000 people have been killed due to drug related violence in Juarez during the turf war, according to local authorities.

Secret dumping of Bhopal toxic waste 'wrong'

Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has said the secret dumping by the government of toxic waste from the Bhopal chemical disaster was wrong.

People living near an incinerator where 40 tonnes of waste were taken two years ago, say it damaged their health.

Visiting the plant, Mr Ramesh promised transparency in the disposal of more than 300 tonnes of remaining waste.

More than 4,000 people died after the toxic gas leak from the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal in 1984.

It is considered the world's worst industrial accident.

Mr Ramesh, who was not environment minister at the time of the secret night-time dumping in Pithampur, said the continuing clean-up had to be done openly.

"I admit as minister that it was wrong to have brought those 40 tonnes of waste to Pithampur," he said.

"Whatever we do needs to be done with adequate transparency. I am ready to admit publicly that transporting that waste from the Union Carbide factory secretly during the night hours was wrong".

The incinerator is about 230 km (140 miles) from Bhopal.

Outrage

Angry villagers who live near the incinerator blocked a road and shouted slogans when Mr Ramesh arrived at the plant on Saturday, the Times of India reported. They want the facility shut down.

A year after poisonous gas from the Union Carbide plant poured into Bhopal's slums, local officials collected 350 tonnes of waste and left it in the factory yard. Most of it is still there.

There has been outrage over last month's court verdicts into who was responsible for the tragedy and also the amount of compensation offered to victims.

Seven former managers at the plant were given two-year jail sentences, but campaigners say senior figures at the US-based Union Carbide parent group should also be held responsible.

Last month, campaigners denounced a $280m (£186m) compensation package announced by the government for victims of the disaster.

The package was the latest in a series of pay-offs made by authorities to victims of the disaster.

China renews Google operating deal

China has renewed Google's licence to operate after a months-long dispute over internet censorship, saying the company had pledged not to provide "lawbreaking content".

Google said on Friday it had received approval to operate in the world's most populous country after it agreed to stop automatically rerouting users of Google.cn to its site in Hong Kong, which is not subject to China's online censorship.

Search requests at Google.cn from within mainland China will now require an extra click that then takes the user to the Hong Kong site.

That small concession by Google comes as the company tries to uphold its anti-censorship principles while protecting its economic interests.

The company wants to remain in China because its online advertising market is expected to grow as high as £10 to £13 billion annually in just a few years.

For its part, China seems to realise losing an industry giant like Google would set back its innovation efforts. Renewing Google's licence also mutes a high-profile dispute at a time when IS and European companies have said China has become a less friendly environment in which to do business.

An official with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology confirmed the licence was renewed for another year for Beijing Guxiang Information Technology, the operator of Google's China website, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

The website of the ministry, which regulates the internet in China, listed Guxiang on Sunday among some 200 companies whose licences had been renewed until 2012.

China's decision to allow Google to continue operations has resolved a lengthy dispute that had threatened the company's future in the country.

The Chinese government operates the world's most extensive system of web monitoring and filtering, blocking pornographic sites as well as those seen as subversive to Communist Party rule.

Ricky Nixon rushed to hospital after 'collapse'

Prominent AFL player manager Ricky Nixon is in hospital after he was reportedly found unconscious at his home in Melbourne's east early this morning.

Paramedics were called to a home in Kew just after midnight, where the 47-year-old is believed to have collapsed.

Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman Susannah Wilson could not confirm the patient was Mr Nixon, whose clients have included Ben Cousins, Matthew Richardson, Nick Riewoldt and Tom Hawkins.

She said a 47-year-old man was taken to St Vincent's Hospital after he was found unconscious. It was not known what caused him to collapse, or what condition he was in.

A hospital spokeswoman said Nixon was in a stable condition.

Nixon’s colleague Greg Miller today said he could not confirm reports that Nixon had collapsed after taking sleeping tablets.

‘‘I spoke to his wife once about 8 o’clock this morning, and she said he was fine,’’ Mr Miller said.

‘‘It’s a family matter and they will let everyone know as soon as they’re ready’’.

A spokesperson at the former AFL player's management company, Flying Start, this morning refused to comment.

Nixon was a pioneer of player management with his Flying Start group, which handled stars such as Wayne Carey after its inception in 1994.

He played 63 games as a utility with Carlton, St Kilda and Hawthorn between 1983 and 1993, his best season coming in 1990 when he played 17 games for the Saints, booting 19 goals.

Journalists protest against Punjab PA resolution

LARKANA: A black day was observed by the journalists of Larkana against the resolution passed unanimously by the Punjab Assembly against media here on Sunday. They vowed to continue their protests till the resolution is withdrawn and action is taken against all those who had prepared the resolution. Carrying placards and banners, the journalists raised slogans against the Punjab government. In Kot Ghulam Mohammad town of Mirpurkhas, the National Press Club held a demonstration on Sunday to protest against the passage of a resolution. The protesters chanted slogans against the Punjab Assembly and called for withdrawing the resolution against journalists. They also called for suspending the membership of those Punjab Assembly members who had submitted fake educational degrees. 

Our Thatta correspondent adds: The journalist community staged a demonstration here on Sunday to protest against the resolution passed by the Punjab Assembly against the media. Several political and social workers joined the protest held outside the Thatta Press Club. They condemned the Punjab Assembly resolution against the media.

Nitish meets BJP brass to hammer out differences

PATNA: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar met senior BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar over breakfast on Sunday to hammer out differences that have rocked the ruling NDA coalition in the state recently. 

Sources said almost all issues, including the contentious one related to Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, were "resolved" in the one-and-half hour meeting. This was Nitish's first meeting with BJP's central leaders after he cancelled a dinner he had thrown for them when they had gathered for their national executive meet at Patna on June 12. The JD(U)-BJP ties soured further after Nitish, angered over publication of his photograph with Modi in a newspaper advertisement, returned Rs 5 crore that the Gujarat CM had donated for Kosi flood victims' rehabilitation. 

"The meeting was very cordial and the leaders were unanimous over the alliance's continuation. There was specific agenda for discussion and everybody is satisfied with the talks," said Bihar JD(U) chief Vijay Chowdhary. He said both sides reached an understanding on respecting each other's sentiments and continuing with the time-tested alliance. 

Chowdhary claimed that there was little talk about election strategy and joint campaigning, but sources said Nitish reiterated his reservations over inviting Modi to Bihar during elections. "He gave reasons for his reservations," said a source. 

Sources said the BJP leaders agreed that only those leaders from outside the state would be invited for campaigning, who the party believes would help the alliance win elections. "The state party president and the deputy CM will take the decision in this regard," the source said. Jaitley described the event as a "social meeting" and refused to elaborate on the issues discussed. In the evening Nitish had another round of meeting with Jaitley.

Zuma says South African people are true champions

By Stella Mapenzauswa

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa bowed out of the World Cup at the first round stage but President Jacob Zuma said on Saturday the successful hosting of the tournament made its people the champions.

Africa's economic giant is crowing over its successful hosting of the world's biggest sporting tournament, defying sceptics who had doubted it could organise the tournament, including completing construction of stadiums on time.

"We extend a special thank you to South Africans for the passion and excitement that has kept the tournament alive for the past weeks. We thank you for putting the country first," Zuma said in a statement on Saturday.

"They are the stars and champions of this tournament," he said on the eve of the World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands.

Zuma's government has played down reports that despite an outpouring of support for other teams from the continent, locals have threatened to turn on poor African migrants competing for scarce jobs in the continent's largest economy when the World Cup ends. nLDE6670GA

"The committed support given to Ghana and other African teams displayed African unity, love and solidarity in practice," Zuma continued.

"We thank you for embracing one another and Africa. We thank (you for) your opening up your country and your hearts to the world in a most patriotic and memorable manner (and) for making this a truly African World Cup".

Iranian MP: Documents prove U.S. nabbed researcher

(CNN) -- A top Iranian lawmaker says newly found documents back up Tehran's claims that the CIA is responsible for the disappearance of one of its nuclear scientists, Iranian media reported Sunday.

Shahram Amiri, a researcher at Tehran's Malek Ashtar University, mysteriously disappeared in June 2009 while on a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, according to Iranian media reports.

"The U.S. move to kidnap Amiri runs counter to international regulations," said Javad Jahangirzadeh, a member of Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, the semiofficial Fars news agency reported.

He said Iranian officials had turned over the documents to the Swiss ambassador in Tehran. Calls to the U.S. interest section at the embassy were not immediately answered late Sunday.

Iran previously has accused the United States of involvement in Amiri's disappearance, with Iran saying the researcher was taken to force him to give up data about Tehran's nuclear program. The U.S. State Department has denied that charge but has been tight-lipped on whether Amiri defected.

As policy, the CIA does not comment on defections. But a U.S. official, who is not authorized to talk to the media about such issues, told CNN last month that it would be "ludicrous, absurd and even preposterous" to claim an individual was kidnapped by the United States and held against his will.

Jahangirzadeh called on Iran's Foreign Ministry and other bodies to give Amiri's case serious consideration, and said "international bodies should be held accountable," according to state-run Press TV.

Last month, two videos surfaced on the Internet of a man claiming to be Amiri, in which he said he had escaped from U.S. agents and was hiding in Virginia.

That was the third time that videos allegedly showing Amiri had been circulated on the Internet.

In one, he said he had been kidnapped by U.S. agents. Another contradicted that claim and said he was living freely and studying in Arizona.

In one of the videos posted June 30 on YouTube and dated June 14, the man again said that he was brought against his will to the United States and fears he will be discovered and re-arrested.

"I am Shahram Amiri, the son of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who with God's help succeeded in running away from the U.S. security agents in the state of Virginia. I am [temporarily] at a safe place and I am trying to do this video but it is quite possible that I may shortly be again arrested by American security agents".

He went on to say: "I am not free here and not allowed to contact my family or other people. If I face any problems or if I do not return to my country soon, the government of the U.S. would be directly responsible for it".

CNN could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos, nor the identity of the man in them.

"If he is who people think he is, the U.S. would be in contact with the person," a CIA official said last month.

And if he were being held against his will, "how would he have been able to produce any of the videos?" the official said.

In the second video that surfaced June 30 and was dated June 23, the man claiming to be Amiri reassures his family about his well-being.

"I want to let my beloved family know that I am OK and they should not worry about my health," he says. "With God's help I shall return to my beloved country in the next few days. I want them to be, as always, strong and patient and to pray for my safe return. I hope to see you in our beloved country".

Tehran blamed Washington for Amiri's disappearance shortly after revelations surfaced that Iran has been building a second uranium enrichment facility near the city of Qom. After that, tensions over Iran's nuclear program mounted.

Iran says its nuclear energy is solely for civilian purposes. But the United States pushed the United Nations to punish Tehran for its nuclear ambitions. The Security Council recently slapped a fourth round of tough sanctions on the Islamic republic.

It's unclear how much information Amiri was privy to in Iran.