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Portugal Shooting: Three People Killed in Quinta do Conde After Domestic Row

Nancy Clayson
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Portugal Shooting: Three People Killed in Quinta do Conde After Domestic Row

Three people have been shot dead and another wounded after a domestic row near Lisbon, Portugal, media and officials say.

Two of the victims were police officers, officials say.

The incident took place in Quinta do Conde, 18 miles south of the capital Lisbon.

A 77-year-old man is said to have opened fire after a row over a barking dog.Quinta do Conde shooting

The man reportedly tried to take his own life with a hunting rifle and was arrested and taken to hospital.

A plainclothes officer who lived in the area was shot dead as he ran to investigate the row, and a patrol officer then called to the scene was shot in the head and killed.

The third victim was reportedly the son of the plainclothes officer who was trying to help his father.

The son was seriously injured in crossfire and died of his wounds in hospital.

One neighbor told the Lusa news agency the gunman had threatened to kill a neighbor if the dog did not stop barking “but it never crossed our mind he would try to do it”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPv1Jg_ZCCY

Katrina Anniversary: New Orleans Remembers Victims 10 Years Later

Diane A. Wade
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Katrina Anniversary: New Orleans Remembers Victims 10 Years Later

New Orleans marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with multiple events across the city.

At a memorial service, Mayor Mitch Landrieu recalled how residents had turned to each other for support.

Former President Bill Clinton later spoke at a concert in New Orleans.

Hurricane Katrina killed nearly 2,000 people and displaced one million in 2004. It was the most expensive natural disaster in US history and caused destruction along the Gulf coast.

In New Orleans, the failure of the levee system left about 80% of the city under water.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu led a sombre tribute to the 83 unidentified victims whose bodies lie in mausoleums at the city’s Hurricane Katrina Memorial.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

“Though they are unnamed, they are not unclaimed because we claim them,” he said.

“We saved each other,” the mayor added.

“New Orleans will be unbowed and unbroken.”

Residents and community activists also gathered at the levee in the Lower Ninth Ward, where storm waters broke through and flooded the district.

After speeches, a parade took place through the neighbourhood, with some participants in colourful Mardi Gras dress.

Throughout the day, thousands took part in traditional musical parades through the city’s streets.

Former President Bill Clinton later spoke at a free concert at New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center.

He said the sheer magnitude of what had been accomplished in rebuilding the city should not be underestimated, but that more work needed to be done so that the lines that divided communities – such as race and wealth – could be erased.

A ceremony was also held at the Superdome arena that housed thousands of displaced people after the storm.

President Barack Obama visited the Lower Ninth Ward on August 27, praising “the extraordinary resilience of this city and its people”.

Although New Orleans has largely recovered from the disaster, some – particularly from the African-American community – feel left behind.

On August 28, former President George W. Bush visited the city. His administration was criticized at the time over its slow response and the issue remains a source of deep resentment in New Orleans.

Kyle Jean Baptiste Dead: Le Miserables Actor Falls from Fire Escape

Sonia Pantiss
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Kyle Jean Baptiste Dead: Le Miserables Actor Falls from Fire Escape

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, the first African-American and youngest person ever to play the lead role in Les Miserables on Broadway, has died in a fall, a show spokesman has said.

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, 21, fell from a fire escape after Friday evening’s performance at the Imperial Theatre, said representative Marc Thibodeau.

The actor made history performing the role of ex-convict Jean Valjean in the musical.

A statement described him as a remarkable young talent.

Photo Twitter
Photo Twitter

The notice placed on Facebook said: “The entire Les Miserables family is shocked and devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of Kyle, a remarkable young talent and tremendous person who made magic — and history — in his Broadway debut. We send our deepest condolences to his family and ask that you respect their privacy in this unimaginably difficult time.”

In May, Kyle Jean-Baptiste announced on Twitter he would be joining Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Les Miserables as Courfeyrac and understudying Jean Valjean. He first went on stage in that role on July 23.

Kyle Jean-Baptiste told Playbill magazine: “This was my dream since I was a little boy.”

His last performance in the role was on August 27.

The circumstances of Kyle Jean-Baptiste’s death are unclear. Some reports have said he was at his mother’s home at the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7duj5qM_Sd0

Lebanon Protests: Thousands of You Stink Activists Attend Rubbish Rally in Beirut

Diane A. Wade
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Lebanon Protests: Thousands of You Stink Activists Attend Rubbish Rally in Beirut

Thousands of Lebanese people took Beirut streets in protest at a government they say is corrupt and ineffective.

Security was high amid fears the demonstrations could turn violent, as similar protests did last weekend.

Organizers of Saturday’s mostly peaceful rally demanded the environment minister resign within 72 hours.

The government’s failure to solve the crisis over the disposal of rubbish led to the “You Stink” campaign.

The protesters have been calling on the government to hold snap parliamentary elections, and also want the interior minister held to account for excessive force by police at least week’s protests.

They poured into a major square in central Beirut, waving Lebanese flags and shouting anti-government slogans.Lebanon rubbish rally

Many wore t-shirts with the words “You Stink”. Some were playing music and singing.

The rally was mostly peaceful although a small group of masked youths tried to break through barbed wire to reach the prime minister’s office. They set fire to rubbish and pelted police officers with stones and plastic bottles.

Barricades and barbed wire were installed around government buildings as security was increased ahead of the rally.

Amnesty International urged the security services to show restraint and called for an investigation into last week’s violence.

Rubbish has been piling up on the streets of Beirut since Lebanon’s largest landfill shut down last month with no ready alternative.

This led to the creation of the You Stink movement, which blames political paralysis and corruption for the failure to resolve the crisis.

The cabinet failed to reach agreement on August 25 on a way forward, saying the fees quoted by private waste management companies were too great.

Lebanon has been without a president for more than a year, while members of parliament have extended their own terms until 2017 after failing to agree on a law on fresh elections.

The conflict in neighboring Syria has also exacerbated political and sectarian divisions, and resulted in the arrival of 1.1 million refugees, putting a strain on the economy and public services.

How to Prevent a Hangover? Drink Less Alcohol, Say Scientists

Kathryn R. Bown
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How to Prevent a Hangover? Drink Less Alcohol, Say Scientists

A recent Dutch research suggests that drinking water does not prevent a hangover the next day.

Instead, the study concluded, the only way to prevent a hangover is to drink less alcohol.

More than 800 students were asked how they tried to relieve hangover symptoms, but neither food nor water was found to have any positive effect.

The findings are being presented at a conference in Amsterdam.

A team of international researchers from the Netherlands and Canada surveyed students’ drinking habits to find out whether hangovers could be eased or if some people were immune to them.

Among 826 Dutch students, 54% ate food after drinking alcohol, including fatty food and heavy breakfasts, in the hope of staving off a hangover.hangover cure

With the same aim, more than two-thirds drank water while drinking alcohol and more than half drank water before going to bed.

Although these groups showed a slight improvement in how they felt compared with those who hadn’t drunk water, there was no real difference in the severity of their hangovers.

Previous research suggests that about 25% of drinkers claim never to get hangovers.

So the researchers questioned 789 Canadian students about their drinking in the previous month and the hangovers they experienced, finding that those who didn’t get a hangover simply consumed “too little alcohol to develop a hangover in the first place”.

Of those students who drank heavily, with an estimated blood alcohol concentration of more than 0.2%, almost no-one was immune to hangovers.

According to lead author Dr. Joris Verster, from Utrecht University, the relationship was pretty straightforward.

“The more you drink, the more likely you are to get a hangover.

“Drinking water may help against thirst and a dry mouth, but it will not take away the misery, the headache and the nausea.”

Dr. Joris Verster said part of the problem was that scientists still do not know what causes a hangover.

“Research has concluded that it’s not simply dehydration – we know the immune system is involved, but before we know what causes it, it’s very unlikely we’ll find an effective cure.”

He said the next step was to carry out more controlled trials on hangovers.

The paper is presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology conference.

Austria: Second Migrant Truck Found in Braunau

Diane A. Wade
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Austria: Second Migrant Truck Found in Braunau

A second migrant truck has been found in Austria, police said.

The truck contained 26 migrants including three children in critical condition.

The vehicle was stopped in Braunau district and the Romanian driver was arrested after a chase.Austria migrant truck

Those inside were said to be from Syria, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

Separately, four men appeared in court in Hungary following the discovery of another truck in Austria containing the bodies of 71 people.

In the latest incident, the three children were taken to hospital suffering from severe dehydration.

Police had tried to stop the vehicle near St Peter am Hart and gave chase when it drove off at speed.

Egypt: Al-Jazeera Journalists Sentenced to Three Years in Jail at Retrial

Roy Siemens
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Egypt: Al-Jazeera Journalists Sentenced to Three Years in Jail at Retrial

Al-Jazeera journalists Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, who were convicted in Egypt of “spreading false news”, have been sentenced to three years in prison at their retrial in Cairo.

Australian Peter Greste was deported back to Australia earlier this year and was on trial again in absentia.

Egyptian Baher Mohamed and Canadian-Egyptian Mohamed Fahmy were led away from court after the verdict.

Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed are accused of aiding the banned Muslim Brotherhood group but they strenuously deny the allegations.

Photo EPA
Photo EPA

The three journalists were originally sentenced in July 2014, with Peter Greste and Mohamed Fahmy receiving 7 years and Baher Mohamed getting 10 years.

However, their convictions were overturned in January 2015 and they were freed in February to await retrial.

Giving the verdict on August 29, Judge Hassan Farid said the three men were not registered journalists and had been operating from a Cairo hotel without a license.

The judge handed three-year sentences to Peter Greste and Mohamed Fahmy but gave Baher Mohamed an additional six months.

It is unclear how long Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed will now serve. They were in prison for about a year before being freed.

Lawyers for the three journalists are expected to appeal against the decision.

Peter Greste said in a tweet that he was “shocked” and “outraged” while Al-Jazeera said the verdict was “yet another deliberate attack on press freedom”.

Outside the courtroom, Mohamed Fahmy’s lawyer, Amal Clooney, called on Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to issue a pardon to the journalists.

“The verdict today sends a very dangerous message in Egypt,” she told reporters.

“It sends a message that journalists can be locked up for simply doing their job, for telling the truth and reporting the news.”

Amal Clooney said she would push for her client, who has given up his Egyptian citizenship, to be deported to Canada.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj4DsjNx2Cg

Malaysia Protests: Bersih Activists Call for PM Najib Razak to Resign over Financial Scandal

Diane A. Wade
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Malaysia Protests: Bersih Activists Call for PM Najib Razak to Resign over Financial Scandal

A mass protest are being held in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur and elsewhere with protesters calling for PM Najib Razak to step down over a financial scandal.

Protesters are angered by a $700 million payment made to his bank account from unnamed foreign donors.

It was discovered last month during a probe into alleged mismanagement at the debt-laden state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

PM Najib Razak has denied any wrongdoing.

The pro-democracy group Bersih has also called for protests in the cities of Kota Kinabalu and Kuching on the Malaysian side of Borneo.

Kuala Lumpur authorities have rejected the group’s application for a permit to protest and Malaysian police have declared the rallies illegal.

Security is tight and access to Kuala Lumpur’s Independence Square has been blocked. Eyes will be focused on any possible army intervention.

At the last big rally in 2012, police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse protesters.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

Estimates put the number of protesters in Kuala Lumpur at 50,000 to 80,000, though figures issued by the police suggested much lower numbers.

A carnival atmosphere, punctuated by music, vuvuzelas and political speeches, prevailed in the city centre.

The leader of Bersih, Maria Chin, said the protest was not anti-government.

“We don’t want to topple the government but we want to topple corrupt politicians,” she told the Malaysian Insider.

The demonstrations coincide with preparations for National Day on August 31 – the former British colony’s 58th anniversary of self-rule.

Najib Razak said on his blog he did not want a “provocation” to be triggered.

He said: “Whatever the disagreements or misunderstandings between us, National Day should not be a stage of political disputes.”

The main accusation against Najib Razak is that he took $700 million from the indebted 1MDB, which he established in 2009 to try to turn Kuala Lumpur into a financial hub.

Cabinet ministers have said the money transfers were “political donations” from unidentified Middle Eastern sources, and that there was nothing improper. No further details have been given.

1MDB has said it has never given money to Najib Razak and called the accusations “unsubstantiated”.

Najib Razak retains significant support from the long-ruling Barisan Nasional coalition and from within his party, the United Malays National Organization.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vxn_38vmQw

Finding the Best Nursing Programs in Arizona

Lisa.Felice
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Finding the Best Nursing Programs in Arizona

You’ve thought a lot about pursuing a career in healthcare. You want to help people on a daily basis, have the opportunity to work in a variety of settings and enjoy a stable career in an in-demand field. Now it’s time to decide on how to go about choosing among the best nursing programs in Arizona.In this post, we’ll highlight some of the things you’ll want to explore in order to find the best school for you.

Degrees Offered

Do you want your Associate Degree in Nursing, Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, Masters of Science in Nursing, what about your Doctorate? The programs you explore may not have all of these options available, and some will only have one. Know the degree you want to obtain and narrow down the list of programs to those offering that degree.

Scholarships  and Financial Aid         

Though the field of nursing is expected to grow 19 percent from 2012-2022 doesn’t mean you shouldn’t concern yourself with scholarships or financial aid. Work with the schools financial aid department to come up with a plan that works for you.

Curriculum Offered

Once you’ve figured out the degree you want and explored financial aid options, check out the nursing program’s curriculum. How many hours of clinical rotation will you experience throughout the program? Is the curriculum more hands-on, lecture-based, or a bit of both? Are there open lab hours? What’s the equipment like that you’ll be using? The more questions you can get answered the more you’ll find certain programs starting to look better than others. Look for nursing programs in Arizona offering a well-rounded curriculum. For example, Arizona College provides a blend of ethics, theory, leadership, critical thinking skills and technology, all in a comprehensive classroom and high-fidelity lab environment.

Desired Work Settings

A big thing to figure out, as you look into nursing programs, is the type of environment you’d like to work in. Schools may offer a curriculum catered to certain specialties, so it’s important to have at least a broad vision of where you’d like to end up — whether it be a full-fledged hospital, senior living home, physician’s office, school, clinic, or even the military. Knowing your desired work settling may help determine the curriculum you need, and the program that offers it.

After Graduation Support

Nursing jobs are available. There’s no question. However, you should still learn about the career services or after graduation support each nursing program offers. A solid career services department will not only try to find you a job, but they’ll try to find you the job that’s right for you. Larger schools will have bigger career service departments, but also more alumni to serve. Smaller nursing programs will have smaller career service teams but much more personalized, one-on-one attention.

Keeping the above things in mind when researching nursing programs will help you to make the best possible decision for your future.

Daniele Watts Gets 15 Hours of Community Service

Lisa.Felice
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Daniele Watts Gets 15 Hours of Community Service

Daniele Watts has been ordered to perform community service after a judge refused to accept her apologies to Los Angeles police she had accused of racial profiling.

The Django Unchained actress and her boyfriend, Brian Lucas, were sentenced on August 26 to 15 hours of community labor.

Last September, police questioned Daniele Watts and Brian Lucas while investigating reports of people having s** in a car. Daniele Watts, who is black, and Brian Lucas, who is white, claimed they were profiled.

Photo Instagram
Photo Instagram

Daniele Watts and Brian Lucas later pleaded no contest to disturbing the peace and was told to write apology letters.

The Los Angeles Times says in her initial letter, Daniele Watts called a police sergeant sarcastic and dismissive. The judge said: try again.

This week, Daniele Watts apologized for what she called lack of emotional control.

However, the judge called Daniele Watts’ apologies insincere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqu6RWWWNZo

Bangkok Bomb Attack Suspect Arrested

Diane A. Wade
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Bangkok Bomb Attack Suspect Arrested

Thai police have arrested a man in connection with the Bangkok bomb attack that killed 20 people at Erawan Shrine nearly two weeks ago.

Officers raided an apartment used by the man in northern Bangkok on August 29 and found possible bomb-making materials, a police spokesman said.

The suspect “looks like the one we are looking for”, said the spokesman, Prawut Thavornsiri.

The bomb tore through Bangkok’s crowded Erawan Shrine on August 17.Bangkok bomb attack suspect arrested

Prawut Thawornsiri said that the arrested man is a foreigner but refused to say whether he is Turkish, as reported by some Bangkok media.

Police said at the time they suspected the attack had been planned a month or more in advance and involved at least 10 people, but said a connection to international terrorism was unlikely.

An arrest warrant was issued for one unidentified man seen on CCTV footage leaving a backpack at the shrine shortly before the blast, and a photofit image was released.

A reward of one million baht ($28,000) was offered for information but it is not known whether this played a part in today’s arrest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu75ggw-cz0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es2in-yY0TE

Tyler, The Creator Banned from UK over Lyrics

Sonia Pantiss
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Tyler, The Creator Banned from UK over Lyrics

Rapper Tyler, The Creator claims he has been banned from entering the UK.

Tyler, The Creator says he is not allowed to enter the UK for “three to five years” because of lyrics he wrote in 2009.

The rapper tweeted: “That is why the shows were cancelled.”

Tyler, The Creator, 24, had been due to play the Reading and Leeds festivals this weekend.

He previously said he had been forced to cancel four gigs because of unspecified “circumstances”.

Photo Instagram
Photo Instagram

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Coming to the UK is a privilege, and we expect those who come here to respect our shared values.

“The Home Secretary has the power to exclude an individual if she considers that his or her presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good or if their exclusion is justified on public policy grounds.”

Tyler, The Creator has always attracted controversy.

Protesters regularly try to stop his gigs because they say some of his lyrics are homophobic and offensive.

The rapper’s manager Christian Clancy said: “Tyler has been banned from entering the UK for somewhere between three to five years per a letter from the secretary of state for the home department of the United Kingdom.

“The letter specifically cites lyrics he wrote six to seven years ago for his albums Bastard and Goblin – the type of lyrics he hasn’t written since…”

Tyler, The Creator has had other problems touring in 2015.

In July he tweeted to say that a campaign group in Australia had successfully stopped him from performing.

However, his own company denied that he had been banned from entering the country and said the visa application was still open.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqojPJ3X-Hs

Justin Bieber’s What Do You Mean? Leaked Online Ahead of Official Release

Sonia Pantiss
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Justin Bieber’s What Do You Mean? Leaked Online Ahead of Official Release

Justin Bieber’s new song What Do You Mean? has been leaked online a few hours ahead of its official release.

The video for the song has been posted on a number of sites, but keeps being taken down.

What Do You Mean? is produced by Skrillex and is being seen as a more grown up style for Justin Bieber.Justin Bieber What Do You Mean

The video features skateboarders Ryan Sheckler and Chelsea Castro on a day out and then Justin Bieber pops up and shows off his boarding talents.

The singer has been whipping his fans into a bit of a frenzy of late.

In the past month Justin Bieber has put up a 30-day countdown on Instagram to the big launch.

It features a huge range of celebrities, from Mark Wahlberg to Britney Spears all promoting his new single.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7jrJF8ynUM

Tropical Storm Erika Hits Dominica Killing at Least 20

Diane A. Wade
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Tropical Storm Erika Hits Dominica Killing at Least 20

Tropical Storm Erika hit the island of Dominica, in the eastern Caribbean, killing at least 20 people.

The storm caused floods and mudslides that have set the country back 20 years, Dominica’s PM Roosevelt Skerrit said.

Haiti and the Dominican Republic are now expecting 53mph winds.

A state of emergency has been declared in Florida, where the storm is expected on August 30.

PM Roosevelt Skerrit said in a televised address on August 28 that hundreds of homes, bridges and roads had been destroyed.

Photo AP
Photo AP

He said: “It is with heavy heart that I address you, you can well imagine the hell that it has been for me since I heard of the passing of Tropical Storm Erika and the damage it has done to our dear people and beloved country. But we all have to pull ourselves together.

“The extent of the devastation is monumental. We have, in essence, to rebuild Dominica.”

Erika dumped 15in of rain.

At least 31 people on the island of 72,000 people have been reported missing, according to officials with the Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency.

Other Caribbean nations have issued tropical storm warnings.

In Puerto Rico, Erika knocked out power to more than 200,000 people and caused more than $16 million of damage to crops including plantain, bananas and coffee, AP reported.

The US National Hurricane Centre said the system was expected to move north across the island of Hispaniola – shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic – where the high mountains would weaken it to a tropical depression on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency as a precaution with officials urging people to prepare by stockpiling food and water and fuelling their vehicles.

Separately, in the Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Ignacio strengthened into a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 90mph, centered south-east of Hilo in Hawaii, and moving north-west.

Brazil Enters Recession After Two Consecutive Quarters of Economic Contraction

Clyde K. Valle
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Brazil Enters Recession After Two Consecutive Quarters of Economic Contraction

Brazil’s economy has entered recession after official figures showed it contracted by 1.9% between in Q2 2015 compared with the previous three months.

Analysts had expected a contraction, but the number was worse than expected.

Q1 2015 output was also revised down to show a 0.7%, rather than a 0.2%, contraction.

Brazil, the seventh-largest economy in the world, has seen economic growth fall sharply in recent times.Brazil economy falls into recession 2015

This is due in part to low commodity prices and sluggish global growth.

High interest rates – currently 14.25% – have also affected consumer spending, an important element of Brazil’s economy, while this year, the government has introduced stringent austerity measures designed to tackle high levels of debt.

Government spending, including on unemployment benefits, has fallen sharply, while taxes have risen.

In Q2 2015, household spending fell by 2.1% compared with the previous three months. The biggest falls came in the industrial sector, where construction output fell 8.4%

Transport, storage, postal services, financial services and insurance all saw falls in output.

Compared with a year earlier, Brazil’s economy as a whole shrank by 2.6%.

The technical definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of economic contraction.

WDBJ Shooting: Alison Parker and Adam Ward Died After Being Shot in the Head

Nancy Clayson
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WDBJ Shooting: Alison Parker and Adam Ward Died After Being Shot in the Head

WDBJ7 journalists, Alison Parker and Adam Ward, who were killed by former colleague Vester Flanagan while broadcasting in Virginia, were shot in the head, officials have said.

Both of their causes of death are listed as homicides by the US state’s medical examiner’s office.

Alison Parker, 24, suffered gunshot wounds to the head and chest while Adam Ward, 27, died from gunshot wounds to the head and torso.

It is not yet clear how many times Alison Parker and Adam Ward were shot during the attack on August 26.

Parker and Ward both worked for WDBJ in Roanoke, Virginia, and were shot while broadcasting by a former employee of their station.

Vester Flanagan, 41, later died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. He had claimed staff had mistreated him during his time there.Virginia TV shooting Alison Parker and Adam Ward

During Friday morning’s broadcast on WDBJ, anchor Kim McBroom said it was “another tough morning for us, but we’re soldiering on”.

Two days after the horrifying events, Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta where Alison Parker and Adam Ward were killed during an on-air interview is re-opening.

“It’s very bittersweet, but we are glad to be back,” said one store manager, Lesley Kocsis.

She saw the shooting on TV before she came into work and told employees not to bother coming in.

Another shop at the plaza, CJ’s Coffee and Sandwich Shop, re-opened on Friday morning as well. Owner Chris Genna said it was an “emotional” day.

Vicki Gardner, who was being interviewed at the time of the attack and was shot in the back after Vester Flanagan missed her twice, got up and walked to the ambulance after being hit, said her husband Tim Gardner, speaking to ABC News.

Sh is now in a “good condition” at a hospital.

Tim Gardner said: “But the surgeon told me that a couple of centimeters and she wouldn’t be walking, and a couple of centimeters and she wouldn’t be alive.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA0dB7-6Vz0

Austria Migrant Truck: Four People Arrested by Hungarian Police

Diane A. Wade
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Austria Migrant Truck: Four People Arrested by Hungarian Police

Four people have been arrested by Hungarian police over the discovery of the bodies of 71 migrants, thought to be Syrian, in an abandoned truck in Austria.

Three of those arrested are Bulgarian and one is Afghan.

The bodies of 59 men, 8 women and four children were discovered on August 27 in an abandoned truck on an Austrian highway near the Hungarian border.

They are thought to have been dead for about two days.

Officials said the victims probably died after suffocating in the vehicle.

The truck was towed to a customs building with refrigeration facilities where forensic teams worked through the night to examine the bodies.

The migrants are thought to have been dead when the vehicle crossed into Austria from Hungary. Among the victims was a girl aged between one and two years old.Austria migrant truck arrests

The local Austrian police chief said a travel document found on the vehicle suggested that the group were Syrian migrants.

“Our preliminary assumption is of course that they were refugees, possibly a group of Syrian refugees,” Hans Peter Doskozil, Burgenland province police chief, told reporters.

The truck had the branding of a Slovakian poultry company, Hyza, on it but the firm said it no longer owned the vehicle.

Hans Peter Doskozil said it was unusual for people smugglers to use a refrigerated vehicle.

“In our preliminary investigation we found that there was no ventilation possible through the sides of the truck,” he said, adding that the victims had probably suffocated.

Hungarian police said in a statement that they had “conducted house searches… and questioned almost 20 people as witnesses”.

Hans Peter Doskozil said one of the Bulgarians arrested is assumed to be the truck’s owner, while it is “highly likely” the other two are “the ones who drove the vehicle”.

He said there was “an indication we are talking about a Bulgarian-Hungarian human trafficking operation”.

“If you look at the organization of people traffickers, these are the lowest two levels of a criminal organization,” Hans Peter Doskozil added.

No details have been given about the Afghan detainee.

The truck, which has Hungarian number plates, is understood to have left Budapest on Wednesday morning, August 26.

It is believed to have been parked in the lay-by between Neusiedl and Parndorf for at least 24 hours before police discovered the bodies.

Tens of thousands of migrants from conflict-hit states in the Middle East and Africa have been trying to make their way to Europe in recent months.

A record number of 107,500 migrants crossed the EU’s borders last month.

Some of them pay large sums of money to people smugglers to get them through borders illegally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEU9K3Omuac

Ashley Madison COO Noel Biderman Steps Down Following Privacy Scandal

Nancy Clayson
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Ashley Madison COO Noel Biderman Steps Down Following Privacy Scandal

Ashley Madison’s founder and COO Noel Biderman has stepped down.

According to a statement released by the Canada-based infidelity dating website, Noel Biderman’s departure was “in the best interest of the company”.

The senior management team will take over leadership until a new chief executive is appointed, the statement added.

Details of more than 33 million accounts were stolen from the website, which offers people the chance to have an affair.

Photo Ashley Madison
Photo Ashley Madison

“We are actively adjusting to the attack on our business and members’ privacy by criminals. We will continue to provide access to our unique platforms for our worldwide members,” the company said.

“We are actively co-operating with international law enforcement in an effort to bring those responsible for the theft of proprietary member and business information to justice.”

Avid Life Media, which owns the site, has offered a reward of C$500,000 for details about the Ashley Madison hackers.

The leaked data, stolen by a group calling itself Impact Team, also included 200,000 emails belonging to Noel Biderman.

Noel Biderman, a former sports lawyer, launched the website in 2001.

He said at the time that he wanted to offer the same opportunities for both women and men seeking extra-marital encounters.

The website’s name was made up of the two most popular names for baby girls in the US at the time – Ashley and Madison.

Parent company Avid Life Media also owns other match-making websites including Cougar Life, Established Men, and The Big and the Beautiful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAp7bSqC3hU

Donald Trump Mocks Asians at Iowa Rally

Nancy Clayson
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Donald Trump Mocks Asians at Iowa Rally

Donald Trump did it again! Now is about Asian people.

The Republican presidential front-runner impersonated Asian negotiators using broken English during a campaign speech in Iowa on August 25.

He did it on the same day he ripped fellow 2016 candidate Jeb Bush for referring to Asian “anchor babies.”

Donald Trump told supporters in Dubuque, Iowa: “Negotiating with Japan, negotiating with China, when these people walk into the room, they don’t say, <<Oh hello, how’s the weather, so beautiful outside, isn’t it lovely? How are the Yankees doing? Oh they are doing wonderful, great>>.Donald Trump mocks Asians

“They say, <<We want deal>>. “

Donald Trump went on to pan Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton, asking the crowd which one of the three White House candidates they would want negotiating a deal.

The comments come after he panned Jeb Bush on Twitter for a “clumsy move” on immigration.

Jeb Bush, who previously defended his use of the term “anchor babies” after criticism, said on August 24 that his use of the phrase applied more to illegal businesses that aim to woo pregnant Chinese immigrants into the US so that their children could be born as American citizens, and not as much to Hispanic immigrants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip69555_A0g

 

Mei Xiang’s Panda Cub Dies Days After Birth

Nancy Clayson
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Mei Xiang’s Panda Cub Dies Days After Birth

One of Mei Xiang’s panda cubs recently born at the National Zoo in Washington, DC has died on August 26, the zoo confirmed.

The giant panda cub was incubated by zookeepers because Mei Xiang had trouble nursing both cubs.

Staff swapped the small cub in for feeding with her mother on August 25 and saw the cub was struggling on August 26.

“When we realized the cub wasn’t going to make it, it was devastating,” zoo staff said.

The zoo said it was “prepared” to rear twin cubs and did everything it could to keep both of them alive.

Antibiotics and other liquids could not save the cub, who was having respiratory issues.Mei Xiang panda cub August 2015

One zoo official said there had been some “misunderstanding” that Mei Xiang preferred one cub over another.

“We were optimistic, we think Mei Xiang was doing everything right, but we don’t know,” said Dr Donald Neiffer, chief veterinarian at the National Zoo.

“She was trying to balance and juggle two kids at the same time. There were days when she was a little less interested in taking a baby, but that occurred for both babies.”

No official cause of death has been named, but the zoo is running tests to figure it out.

The small cub weighed 86 grams when it was born, while the larger cub weighed 138 grams.

The 17-year-old Mei Xiang weighs 238 lbs (108kg).

Mei Xiang’s first cub, Tai Shan, was born in 2005 and returned to China in 2010. Her second cub, Bao Bao, just celebrated her second birthday.

Giant pandas are one of the most endangered species in the world and are notoriously hard to breed in captivity.

The National Zoo is one of only four zoos in the US to have pandas, which are on loan from China.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dm7B0Ff0nA

Austria Migrant Truck Held More than 70 Bodies

Diane A. Wade
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Austria Migrant Truck Held More than 70 Bodies

The bodies of more than 70 people, thought to be migrants, have been found in an abandoned truck found on an Austrian highway on August 27, Austrian authorities say.

Authorities originally estimated that between 20 to 50 people died in the vehicle, found near the Hungarian border.

Police sent to investigate the dumped truck on the A4 road towards Vienna discovered the decomposing bodies.

The local police chief said it appeared those in the truck had been dead for one-and-a-half to two days.

The victims were probably already dead when the vehicle crossed into Austria from Hungary, authorities said. It is unclear how they died.Austria migrant truck 2015

The vehicle was towed to a customs building with refrigeration facilities in Nickelsdorf where forensic teams worked through the night to examine the bodies.

Austrian police are expected to reveal the exact toll at a news conference at 11:00 on August 28.

The police forces in Austria and Hungary are working together to try and find the driver.

A report in Austrian newspaper Krone said on August 28 that seven people had been arrested in Hungary, but this has not been confirmed.

The truck bears the logo of a Slovakian poultry company, Hyza, which said it no longer owned the vehicle – but the buyers had not removed the branding.

The Hungarian prime minister’s chief of staff, Janos Lazar, said on August 28 that the truck was registered to a Romanian citizen in Kecskemet, a city in central Hungary.

Hans Peter Doskozil, police chief in the Burgenland province where the lorry was found, said it was a refrigerated vehicle – not the typical choice for people smugglers, he added.

The truck, which has Hungarian number plates, is understood to have left Budapest on August 26.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICSgraSO1hY

China Stock Market Ends Week Almost 8% Lower

Clyde K. Valle
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China Stock Market Ends Week Almost 8% Lower

China stock market ended the week almost 8% lower after volatile trading that started on August 24 with shock losses and spread fear to global markets.

On August 28, the mainland’s benchmark Shanghai Composite closed up 4.8% at 3,232 points.

China’s second bourse, the Shenzhen Composite, closed up 5.4% to 1,846 points, but ended the week 9.4% lower.

Other Asian stock markets also continued their rebound, helped by a strong finish for Wall Street.

Photo AFP
Photo AFP

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 closed up 3% at 19,136 points, but the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong reversed earlier gains to close down 1%.

The Hang Seng ended the week 3.6% lower – its sixth consecutive weekly fall.

In London, the FTSE 100 also turned negative, after initially rising, to be down slightly at 6,186 points.

In Sydney, the ASX 200 finished 0.6% higher at 5,263 points.

Marking the end of a week of corporate results, the supermarket Woolworths reported a 12.5% drop in full-year profit – its first fall in almost two decades.

However, Woolworths’ shares closed 1.5% higher after the retailer announced a new chief executive in a bid to revive its fortunes.

South Korea’s Kospi index finished 1.6% higher at 1,937 points.

The recovery across Asia took its cue partly from China’s recovery, but also the strong sentiment from the US.

Shares on Wall Street rose overnight and oil prices jumped sharply after revised figures showed the US economy expanded far more than originally thought in the three months to June.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwrmaO5UQ7A

Usain Bolt Knocked Down by Segway-Riding Cameraman in Beijing

Clyde K. Valle
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Usain Bolt Knocked Down by Segway-Riding Cameraman in Beijing

Champion Usain Bolt was knocked down by a cameraman in Beijing, shortly after winning the 200m final at the World Athletics Championships.

On August 27, Usain Bolt was celebrating his win when the cameraman lost control of his segway as it rolled over a post and crashed into the Jamaican’s legs.Usain Bolt and segway riding cameraman

The runner did a backward roll and got back on his feet – he briefly rubbed his ankle before continuing to celebrate with fans.

Usain Bolt later told reporters: “Accidents happen. I have a few cuts but it is nothing that I have never done to myself in training. I will be all right.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsfZO_-bCV0

Guatemala Protesters Demand President Otto Perez Molina’s Resignation

Diane A. Wade
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Guatemala Protesters Demand President Otto Perez Molina’s Resignation

Thousands of Guatemalans have demonstrated in Ciudad de Guatemala, demanding the resignation of President Otto Perez Molina over a corruption scandal.

Businesses, including fast-food chains, were shut in support of the protest.

President Otto Perez Molina is facing impeachment proceedings over the affair, which has seen his former deputy Roxana Baldetti jailed and six cabinet ministers quitting in protest.

He has apologized over the scandal but denies involvement. He is due to step down at the end of his term in January.

Guatemalans are due to vote in just over a week’s time to choose his successor.Guatemala protests August 2015

Investigators have alleged that top government officials received a cut from bribes paid by businesses seeking to evade import duties.

The scandal has been dubbed “La Linea”, or “The Line”, after the hotline businesses allegedly rang to clear their imports through customs at cut-price rates.

UN-backed investigators have accused Otto Perez Molina of direct involvement in the customs scandal.

In a televised address to the nation last week, the president dismissed the allegations and insisted that his conscience was clear.

Former VP Roxana Baldetti has been arrested over her alleged involvement in the affair.

Prosecutors say she took a 50% cut from the bribes. She appeared in court on August 26, denying the charges.

On August 27, marchers took to the streets of Guatemala City, waving placards attacking corruption in the political establishment.

A committee has meanwhile been formed to consider lifting the president’s immunity from prosecution.

The committee was created after Guatemala’s Supreme Court gave the go-ahead for prosecutors to request impeachment proceedings.

Major business and religious leaders are supporting calls for President Otto Perez Molina to resign.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyyVr-OAD34

Parkinson’s Disease Study: Brain Cells Burn Out Like Overheating Engine

Kathryn R. Bown
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Parkinson’s Disease Study: Brain Cells Burn Out Like Overheating Engine

According to a Canadian study, brain cells in Parkinson’s disease exhaust themselves and die prematurely, burning out like an “overheating motor”.

Researchers say the findings, published in Current Biology, might help explain why only small parts of the brain are affected in the disease.

Parkinson’s is caused by a loss of nerve cells in certain areas of the brain – but why these cells are vulnerable has been a mystery.

Scientists from the University of Montreal studied the disease in mice cells.Brain cells Parkinsons disease

They found, unlike other similar brain cells, neurons most often involved in Parkinson’s disease were complex and had many more branches.

The cells also had much higher energy requirements, producing more waste products as they met this need.

Researchers suggest it is the accumulation of these waste products that triggers cell death.

Prof, Louis-Eric Trudeau said: “Like a motor constantly running at high speed, these neurons need to produce an incredible amount of energy to function.

“They appear to exhaust themselves and die prematurely.”

Researchers hope this finding may help create better experimental models of Parkinson’s and identify new treatments.

They suggest, for example, that medication could one day be developed to help reduce the energy requirement of cells or increase their energy efficiency.

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