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Man arrested for flashing laser pointer at plane

JEDDAH: Security officers have arrested a man for directing the beam of a laser pointer at a Saudia aircraft while it was landing at Prince Muhammad Airport in Madinah on Wednesday, a civil aviation official said.

Japan, US to start joint cargo screening against nuclear terrorism

Snippets: Japan and the United States on Thursday announced a joint project to screen nuclear and other radioactive materials on cargo vessels as a measure to prevent nuclear terrorism.

The Megaports Initiative commits the two governments to set up the screening project at Japan's central Yokohama port to thwart nuclear proliferation.

The United States already has similar joint projects with nine nations including Singapore, Spain and the Philippines

Scientists discover way to protect against death following plague infection

Bacteria that cause pneumonic plague can evade our first-line defences, making it difficult for the body to fight infection. In fact, a signature of the plague is the lack of an inflammatory response.

Now, scientists have discovered a way to protect against death following infection with plague bacteria, by using molecules that can mimic the pathogens. According to research published in the July issue of Microbiology, these molecules make antibiotics more effective and can even be used to protect against other diseases.

Star witness in terrorism case warns prosecutors he's nobody's shill

Police informant Mubin Shaikh said Thursday that he was “nobody's shill.” Two weeks earlier, the Crown pounced on him at the trial of a youth on terrorism charges for contradicting statements he had made at a previous hearing. His warning to prosecutors came outside a Toronto court minutes after he pleaded guilty to threatening a pair of 12-year-old girls in April, 2007, in his Etobicoke neighbourhood.

Mr. Shaikh, a devout Muslim who was paid $300,000 by the RCMP to infiltrate an alleged terrorist cell, said a group of preteens had “swarmed” his two children, and when the group did not back off at his request, ...... Mr. Shaikh pleaded guilty to telling the girls, “Do you know who I am? I'm going to chop off your legs!”