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Monday, 01 September 2008 |
INTERNATIONAL
Benazir Bhutto’s widower could be Pakistan’s next president
Following the recent resignation of Pakistani Pervez Musharraf, the country’s largest political party named Asif Ali Zardari, 52, the husband of slain leader Benazir Bhutto to contest the elections to become Musharraf’s successor.
According to an AP report Zardari is emerging as the favorite to be elected by the country’s legislators on September 6. Although Zardari was critical of Musharraf, he is expected to continue the former president’s support of the United States and its war against terrorists in Pakistan. However, the reports also state that Zardari’s election is not certain since the governing coalition that forced Musharraf to resign is said to be on the verge of collapse. Also, there is strong opposition to Zardari within the coalition from the party, led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who was a fierce rival of Bhutto. Sharif’s party has been threatening to break away from the coalition as a power struggle ensues.
The citizens of Pakistan and leaders of the Western World are urging the leaders within the coalition to solve the power struggle and attend to Pakistan’s many problems that include high inflation, slow economic growth and rising violence by Islamic militants who are located along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.
SOUTH FLORIDA
Possible assassin pleads “not guilty”
Raymond Hunter Geisel who was arrested a few weeks ago for allegedly threatening to assassinate President George W. Bush and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has pleaded not guilty in federal court in Miami. Geisel’s court appointed attorney entered the no-guilty plea at a brief hearing in federal court.
Geisel was accused of making the threats against the two political leaders during a two-week bail bondsman training class in Miami last month and also at a hotel where the students were staying. He was arrested without bond on August 2. It was reported that a student from the bail bondsman class heard Geisel saying that if Obama was elected president he would assassinate him. At the hotel where the students were staying another student overheard Geisel saying that he wanted to shoot Bush.
The case against Geisel was strengthened when the Secret Service searched his vehicle and found military fatigues, a machete, hand-held radios, flashing red and yellow lights and ammunition. In his hotel room they also found more than 100 rounds of ammunition, including armor piercing bullets, body armor, batons, a stun gun, tear gas, among other weapons.
If convicted Geisel could receive a maximum of five years for each charge in federal prison.
STATE
University of Florida ranked best college in Florida
According to a ranking of the best U.S. colleges published in the September 1 issue of the U.S. News & World Report Magazine, the University of Florida in Gainsville was ranked the 49th best college on the list. This was the highest rank given to colleges located in Florida. The University of Miami was listed as the 51st and Florida State University in Tallahassee was listed at 102. The top ranking college in the nation was Harvard University in Boston, followed by Princeton and Yale universities.
Although Florida State’s ranking seems low at 102, the college made a significant leap forward from 112th position last year. The University of Florida’s ranking remained unchanged from last year, and the University of Miami moved up one place from 52 last year. However UM has moved up 15 spots in the last six years.
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