Chris Brown says he’s sorry ‘for what transpired’

Singer Chris Brown broke his silence Sunday, a week after allegedly attacking his girlfriend, fellow performer Rihanna, on a street in Los Angeles, California. “Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired,” the 19-year-old said in a statement released by his spokesman.

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Rights Groups Probe India’s Shoot-Out Cops

Scarcely a day passes in India by without news of an encounter between the police and criminals elements — “encounter” being the local jargon for shootouts involving the police, who are allowed to fire only in self-defense. On Wednesday, it was a “dreaded mafia don” who was gunned down by the Uttar Pradesh police — shot dead, and therefore unable to challenge the police account of the circumstances of the shooting. But some in India have begun to question the frequency of such “encounters”

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CNN exclusive: Secret files reveal NIU killer’s past

A former student who killed five people at Northern Illinois University last Valentine’s Day had been drummed out of the Army for hiding his psychiatric history and expressed admiration for famous murderers, CNN has learned. Steven Kazmierczak was known as “strange Steve” to roommates, studied the Virginia Tech and Columbine massacres and idolized the sadistic killer in the “Saw” horror films, according to documents from the year-long investigation into the NIU killings. The still-unreleased police file on the shootings, which also left 18 students wounded, shows that 27-year-old Kazmierczak had been hospitalized several times as a teenager for psychiatric issues and had a history of suicide attempts

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Man charged with arson in Australia wildfires

Police have arrested a man in connection with one of the myriad wildfires that have laid waste to parts of southeastern Australia and killed at least 181 people. Police say the man is suspected of lighting a fire on February 7.

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China fire ignites debate over fireworks

Public debate over fireworks is taking over China’s online chatter, ignited by Monday’s tragic blaze in central Beijing which left one of China’s most treasured modern buildings in cinders, killing one fireman and injuring several bystanders. Police on Thursday announced they had detained 12 people, including four employees of China’s state television station CCTV. They are being held as suspects for setting off large firecrackers next to the newly constructed Mandarin Oriental Hotel, a flagship property of the hotel chain.

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Father of missing girl vows no revenge if child returned

The father of a missing 5-year-old Florida girl made a renewed plea Thursday for the return of his daughter. “If you have my daughter and you’re watching this, drop her off somewhere safe,” Roland Cummings said of his daughter Haleigh. “I’m not out for revenge, I’m not out for nothing else.

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Chris Brown case ongoing

The investigation into what happened between singers Chris Brown and Rihanna on a Hollywood street early Sunday remained in the hands of police Wednesday, a day after the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office said it needed more information before deciding on formal charges. A spokeswoman for the prosecutor said Brown, 19, was arrested and booked on suspicion of making criminal threats

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Second Swiss bank loses billions

Switzerland’s Credit Suisse has joined the list of banks revealing disastrous results for 2008 after it reported losses of $7.1 billion (8.2 billion Swiss francs). The officials told CNN that the alleged cell had connections to a senior al Qaeda operative who helped orchestrate the 2006 “Airline Plot,” widely recognized as al Qaeda’s most serious terror attempt since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

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Brain scan may reveal risk for Alzheimer’s disease

Key structural changes have been identified in the brain images of some patients with mild cognitive impairment which could help determine who’s at greatest risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Francisco Velasco Delgado was detained by military officials early Monday and flown to Mexico City, where he was placed under 45 days of house arrest, according to the media reports

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