Russia ACTS against ISIS: Putin's bombers FIRE in campaign to wipe out ISIS in Syria

October 1, 2015, 8:01 am

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RUSSIA has launched fighter jets on a bombing campaign in Syria - just HOURS after its parliament unanimously approved the use of military force in the war-torn country.

Putin will use the SU-34 fighter jets on both ISIS and the rebel forces in Syria

Vladimir Putin this morning bolstered his support of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad by sending six of its most advanced fighter bomber jets to the Middle East to attack ISIS.

Permission from parliament for attacks followed and an attack was launched by the country's deadliest aircraft shortly after.

A senior source in Washington, which was said to have been alarmed by the latest developments, revealed the raids this afternoon, adding they were given an hour's notice by Moscow.

He said today's raids were carried out in Homs, an area in western Syria where ISIS recently gained ground.

Putin's move comes just after he met international leaders in New York.

Among them was US President Barack Obama, who told Putin that Assad could not be part of Syria's future.

Putin has called for an "anti-Hitler-style coalition"to crack Islamic State (ISIS) and says backing Assad is the only way to beat Islamic extremists in the Middle East.

But Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron want the Syrian dictator ousted as civil war has seen atrocities against his own people.

While Russia and the US were locked in face-to-face talks, Putin was sending six Su-34 Fullbacks to Assad-controlled Latakia.

The planes were spotted by bloggers.

They were led by a Russian Air Force Tu-154 and join 28 fighter jets already in Syria.

Putin and Obama had a frosty meeting in New York where the pair disagreed over Assad

It is forbidden to come close to the airport, even for Syrian officers and soldiers

Syrian activist

A Syrian activist said: "The movement in the airport never stops with warplanes and helicopters taking off and landing.

"It is forbidden to come close to the airport, even for Syrian officers and soldiers.

"The management is 100 per cent Russian except for some Syrian senior personnel and experts who sometimes accompany the Russians to the airport."

Putin with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon earlier this week

President Obama is demanding Assad is replaced as Syrian leader

Both ISIS and rebel forces against Assad are likely be targeted in Russian raids from the Syrian base.

But the US and UK are backing the rebel fighters and this has led to warnings from senior army officers that Britain is on collision course with Putin and must prepare for war with the Russians.

Although meetings between Putin and Obama have been frosty when it comes to Assad's future, the pair both agreed on an alliance to tackle ISIS.

Russian President Vladimir Putin submerges on board C-Explorer 3 bathyscaphe into the waters of the Black Sea outside Sevastopol

Putin said: "We must address the problems that we are all facing and create a broad anti-terror coalition."

Obama remained steadfast in his view Assad must go.

The US leader said: "The United States is prepared to work with any nation, including Russia and Iran, to resolve the conflict.

"But we must recognise that there cannot be, after so much bloodshed, so much carnage, a return to the pre-war status quo."

Russia's head of the presidential administration Sergei Ivanov said the vote to approve Russia's offensive abroad was made this morning.

It came after a request for help was made by Assad. It relates to use of the air force and not boots on the ground.

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القبض على المتهم بحرق القطارات بعد تنفيذ جريمته بقطار منوف - القاهرة

October 1, 2015, 12:25 pm

≫ Next: أخ وأخت عاشقان يقتلان والديهما ويأكلان جثتيهما قبل حرقهما..Brother and sister kill their parents and eating their bodies before burning them

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تمكنت مباحث السكك الحديدية والشرطة من القبض على المتهم الذي قام بإشعال النيران بقطار منوف - القاهرة أثناء تواجده بمحطة مصر من أيام، وتبين أنه شاب في العقد الثالث من عمره واعترف بارتكاب الواقعة، وجار التحقيق معه وكانت شرطة النقل قامت بتفريغ الصور الموجودة بكاميرات المراقبة بالسكك الحديدية وتمكنت من كشف هوية المتهم.

من جانبه قال المهندس أحمد حامد رئيس هيئة السكة الحديد إن الهيئة بصدد التوسع في عمليات استخدام كاميرات المراقبة لمنع تكرار مثل هذه الحوادث وأشاد بمجهودات شرطة السكة الحديد والبحث الجنائي في القبض على المتهمين في حريق عربة القطار.

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أخ وأخت عاشقان يقتلان والديهما ويأكلان جثتيهما قبل حرقهما..Brother and sister kill their parents and eating their bodies before burning them

October 1, 2015, 12:51 pm

≫ Next: The Real Beauty : 20 Cities With Very Beautiful Women

≪ Previous: القبض على المتهم بحرق القطارات بعد تنفيذ جريمته بقطار منوف - القاهرة

شهدت العاصمة الأرجنتينية "بوينس أيرس"حادثا مروعا انتهى بمقتل أب وأم وحرق جثتيهما على يد أبنائهما.

Step brother and sister accused of being lovers 'shot dead their parents, fed them to their dogs and were only caught after a pelvis bone was found in a bucket in the garden' in Argentina

Leandro Acosta, 25, and Karen Klein, 22, accused of murdering parents
Step siblings, who are also a couple, caught after police found bones
Couple claim their parents had been abusing their younger siblings
Acosta's lawyer says he has admitted to eating part of stepfather's corpse

بحسب موقع مترو، ألقت الشرطة الأرجنتينية القبض على كارين كلاين البالغة من العمر 22 عاما، وأخيها غير الشقيق لياندرو أكوستا البالغ من العمر 25 عاما بعد أن عثرت على أجزاء من جثث والديهما داخل المنزل.

An Argentine step-brother and sister have admitted to murdering their parents and feeding their dismembered bodies to the family dogs.

Leandro Acosta, 25, and Karen Klein, 22, who are also reportedly in a relationship, allegedly shot and killed their parents for abusing their younger siblings.

The gruesome crime was only discovered when police found part of the pelvic bone of their mother Miryam Kowalczuk in a bucket in their home in Pilar, on the outskirts of the capital of Buenos Aires.

اعترف الاثنان أنهما وقعا في الحب قبل تنفيذ عملية القتل، حيث قاما بقتل والديهما بالرصاص وتمزيق جثتيهما ثم قاما بحرقهما في النهاية.

قال أكوستا إنه فعل ذلك لأن زوج والدته "ريكادرو"كان يسيء معاملته ويؤذى أشقاءه، مضيفا أنه تناول جزءا من جسده قبل أن يلقى بباقى أجزاء جسمه إلى 6 كلاب تنتمى للعائلة.

Killers: Leandro Acosta, 25, and his step sister - and girlfriend - Karen Klein, 22, pictured with their younger siblings, allegedly murdered their parents before feeding their remains to the family dogs

The pair reportedly killed Kowalczuk, Acosta's mother, and Ricardo Klein, father of Karen, in retaliation for their abuse of their 11-year-old twin brother and sister.

Acosta has reportedly confessed to the crime, and admitted to eating part of his stepfather's corpse, as he fed the bodyparts to the family's six dogs.

تم اكتشاف الجريمة البشعة في بيلار بضواحى العاصمة الأرجنتينية عندما استدعى أحد أقارب الضحايا الشرطة حيث تزايدت شكوكه بعدما لم يسمح له بالدخول إلى المنزل.

According to Klein, the pair carried out the brutal murders while their 11-year-old siblings were at at school.

She claims Acosta shot her father whilst he was asleep and then shot his mother in the head as she walked in the door.

They then reportedly cut up and burned the body parts that were not given to their pets.

Justification: Acosta, who has admitted to eating a piece of his step-father's corpse, allegedly justified the murders by claiming that his mother and step-father had been abusing their younger siblings

وأوضحت محامية أكوستا أن موكلها عانى طوال حياته سوء معاملة الزوج، واعترف أنه لم يشعر بأى ندم بل إنه يشعر براحة لأنه أوقف معاناة أشقائه الصغار، وأضافت أن شخصيته تغيرت منذ علاقتها بكارين وبدأت تسيطر على عقله.

Horrific: Police found part of the pelvic bone of their mother in a bucket in their home in Pilar, on the outskirts of the capital of Buenos Aires

فيما قالت كارين للشرطة: إنها أجبرت على التخلص من الجثث بعد أن هددها أكوستا بقتلها، وعلى الرغم من أن دفاع أكوستا ادعت أنه يعانى مشاكل نفسية وارتكاب جريمته انتقاما لسوء معاملته إلا أن المحققين يعتقدون أن الدافع الحقيقى وراء القتل هو المال.

Acosta's defence lawyer Monica Chirivin said:'He does not feel remorse and in fact describes a state of relief for a burden he has felt from childhood.

'He told me that he ate a bit of the corpse. For him it was almost a pleasure.'

Acosta has a chronic intestinal condition and had to use a colostomy bag all his life.

He claims this is one of the reasons he was mistreated during his childhood by his mother and stepfather.

The victim's brother Roberto Klein admitted: 'My brother was a difficult man, with little time for his children, there has always been resentment between him and his stepson and I believe this was a long time coming.'

كانت الشرطة قد وجدت في وقت لاحق منطقة الحوض للأم في دلو لطلاء قديم على الشرفة، وتم احتجاز أكوستا وكلاين لحين عرضهما على المحكمة.

The crime was discovered when a relative of the victim notified the police after he grew suspicious when he was not allowed entry into the family home.

The police found pieces of a female pelvis and vertebra column in an old paint bucket on the terrace.

Several rubbish bags which the couple took to a nearby waste ground are also being analysed by the crime squad.

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The Real Beauty : 20 Cities With Very Beautiful Women

October 1, 2015, 1:12 pm

≫ Next: 5 Cities That Will Be Wiped Off the Map by Natural Disasters

≪ Previous: أخ وأخت عاشقان يقتلان والديهما ويأكلان جثتيهما قبل حرقهما..Brother and sister kill their parents and eating their bodies before burning them

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” goes the saying, and no one can argue with that. But certain places, be they countries or cities, seem to have more than their fair share of women with grace and appeal. Some chalk it up to genetic diversity, from invasions, colonization or immigration; others to sheer chance. Be it as it may, certain places astound and make the heart beat faster just from a mere glance at a local street. Our list is not complete, and there may be disagreement among readers, but these cities undeniably host an unfair amount of beauty queens, crowned or not. Here are the top 10 cities with the most beautiful women. Enjoy!

The land that brought us caipirinhas, bossa nova, extravagant carnivals and a new way of looking at soccer is also a land of unparalleled beauty. Yes, Brazil is a country of exceptional beauty, and Brazilian women rival any landscape found in the country. Rio de Janeiro is not only the country’s flagship and ambassador to the world, it’s also the focal point of Brazil’s syncretic culture. The combination of African, European and the Native population has produced a rare and exotic beauty, that, while true of the entire country, is best exemplified by the Cariocas and their enchanting Rio with its tanned bodies, Sugarloaf, and sprawling beaches.

The “Paris of South America,” as it was once known, still preserves that European flavor and old-world charm, and is famous for many things, especially the beauty of its women. And it seems that all Argentinians are aware of this; they say it’s in the genes. It’s fair to say that the mixture of ethnicities has made this land bloom into an explosion of beauty. Though the main immigrant groups came from Spain and Italy, most Argentinians have a smattering of Jewish, French, Turkish, Polish, English, Russian and Lebanese blood, which makes the Argentinian female form incomparable. Porteña women are worldly, sophisticated, gorgeous and downright feminine; enough to make a man fall head over heels, literally, especially if he’s walking down the Avenida 9 de Julio admiring more than just the obelisk.

The world capital of salsa, Cali is also known as the “subsidiary of heaven” and its women “God’s angels on Earth,” and the entire country knows this. Colombians will always brag about the beauty of the Caleñas. Cali’s tropical savanna climate and mild temperatures give the city warm days and cool evenings, and that’s the time to heat up the night. Caleñas are famous for rumbiar, or partying, all night long and dancing to the break of dawn with ease and sensuality. They exude confidence in their attitude and dress, and aren’t afraid to flaunt what they’ve got, something uncommon in Europe and America. When you’re down there, be sure to visit the beach at Piangua, but remember, whiplash is painful.

The capital of Sweden has long been known to be a center of beauty, style and fashion, both male and female, for a long time. In fact, the last 100 years has seen the likes of Greta Garbo, Brit Ekland, Signe Hasso and Lena Olin, to name just a few, fuel the fantasies of men the world over. Like their Danish brothers, Stockholmers fit the Scandinavian ideal: Tall, blonde, civilized and uncomplicated, especially when it comes to love. These days, the Stockholmers hogging the camera are models Elin Nordegren, Dani Karlsson and Hannah Graaf, among others. The heat is in the north!

Hong Kong, one of the most densely populated areas on the planet with 6,650 people per square kilometer, is experiencing a rather disturbing demographic problem; there aren’t enough men for the amount of women available. The gender ratio currently stands at 876 men for every 1,000 women, a gap predicted to widen to 763:1000 by 2036. Woe for the Hongkongese women, but a big plus for you. The ladies in Hong Kong are exceptionally beautiful, highly educated, sophisticated and desperately looking for a man; a man they can’t find in their territory.., so you know what that means for you, don’t you?

The Middle East, that beguiling and mysterious place, abounds with beautiful women, and nowhere is this more patent than in Beirut. Their swarthy skin, dark, almond-shaped eyes and comely curves betray the sadness of a city that was recently in thrall of a bloody civil war. Beirutis have bounced back though, and the women, strong and glamorous, have proven their mettle time and again. A controversial photo of affluent Lebanese women riding through a war-torn neighborhood in Beirut surfaced in 2006. The picture showed a group of beautiful, sun-tanned women full of energy cruising as if nothing could distract them from their objective; love. Beirut, with its bubbly and fun-loving people is well worth anybody’s time.

Much has changed in the Angolan capital since the end of the country’s bloody civil war in 2002. For starters, the city has undergone a major facelift thanks to the economic boom fuelled by oil and diamond production. As a consequence, Luanda has seen an influx of foreigners settling in its neighborhoods, the city has become dynamic and expensive and its beautiful women more visible. Angolan models are taking over the catwalk and have adorned many beauty pageants. Prominent representatives of the Angolan ideal include Leila Lopes, Maria Borges and Amilna Estevao.

Bangkok, the jewel of The East, conceals untold treasures worthy of viewing, and I’m not talking about the plethora of Buddhist temples. Thai women are famous for their ethereal beauty, their grace and charm and their cheerful attitude. No westerner can resist the bewitching gaze of a Thai girl expressing demure interest. At this point, you’re probably thinking about the bad reputation Thai women have acquired over the years regarding their lax sexual mores. While it is true or not, it certainly doesn’t employ the entire female population. You’ll know a good Thai girl, with a good upbringing, when you see one as they are polite, respectful and not easy.

Caracas’ reputation has gone to the dogs recently with all the events that have unfolded lately and its depressing top place on the list of the most dangerous cities in the world. But there is a bright side here: Caracas is to beauty what Rome is to Catholicism; a holy city. Venezuela is the only country to win 21 international beauty contests and all four pageants several times (Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss International and Miss Earth). Although beauty has become an industry in the Venezuelan capital, the raw material is plentiful. One walk down a Caracas street (bodyguards nearby) will make a believer out of anyone.

Moscow is an entry that shouldn’t surprise anyone. They’ve long been famous for giving birth to rare and exceptional beauties and is considered a breeding ground for would-be models, with agencies ever scouting for new talents in the Russian capital. In case you’ve been sleeping the last few decades and hadn’t noticed, stunning beauties like Natalia Sokolova, Anna Kournikova or actress Olesya Rulin are all Muscovites; not to mention fellow compatriot Irina Shayk, who though not Muscovite, still place the Russian women in the Pantheon of Pulchritude.

One of the best things about Bulgaria is that it’s one of the least known of the Eastern European countries, and therefore not subject to invasion by millions of tourists, and full of gorgeous women, especially in the coastal town of Varna. Set on the Black Sea, this cosmopolitan seaside resort is full of history and charm. Stroll along the lengthy beaches to get a glimpse of the spectacular women, or better yet, mingle and invite one out to delight on the local cuisine. Either way, Varna is the perfect place to fall in love with life and femininity.

The recent conflict aside, the Ukraine and Russia have always been battling it out, but this conflict leaves no slaughter in its trail. As mentioned elsewhere in this article, Russian women have a reputation for holding a top spot among the most beautiful in the world, but their biggest competitors are the Ukrainians. Despite their impossible beauty, Ukrainian women are friendlier and more down-to-earth than their Russian counterparts. They’re also well-educated, classy and smart dressers. Unfortunately, people in The West tend to think they’re Russian when they hear or read their names but the likes of Olga Kurylenko, Natasha Yarovenko, Mila Kunis and the stunning Daria Werbowy are all Ukrainian.

Along with its Eastern European neighbors, Prague is famed for its beauties, having sent many of its daughters to the stratosphere of fame and fortune through modeling and the entertainment industry. It was in the ‘80s when Czech model Paulina Porizkova made her debut in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue becoming the instant fantasy of many men. Since then, the world has seen the constant onslaught of Czech beauties, from Eva Herzigova and Petra Nemcova to Karolina Kurcova and Hana Soukupova, and we’re happy for it. Yes, one of the world’s most beautiful cities must also be the home of some of the most beautiful women in the world.

Centuries of invasions from Vandals, Visigoths, Romans, Jews, Greeks, Phoenicians, Arabs and others, mingling with the native Celtiberian population, has made Spain’s capital a magnet of migration from the country’s other regions and one of the most genetically diverse cities. This melting pot has spawned uniquely beautiful and diverse women from the Arabic look of Penelope Cruz and Ines Sastre with their deep, dark eyes and manes, to that almost Scandinavian look sported by the likes of Amaia Salamanca or Anne Igartiburu. Spain is a complex land of beauty, contradictions and variety, much like its women.

Jules Dassin’s 1948 classic “The Naked City” ended with the now famous closing line: “There are 8 million stories in the naked city…”, an obvious reference to New York City and its denizens. Dassin, however, failed to break down the numbers into specific demographics. Yes, there are just over 8 million inhabitants in New York City (at least in the census), and over half of them (53%) are women. The microcosm of the world boasts some of the world’s most beautiful women who come from all corners of the planet and in all shapes and sizes. They have married people from other places and their offspring, the exotic mix of colors and creeds, shine brighter than the lights on Broadway. Best of all, not only are they gorgeous, but they’re sassy, sophisticated and smart; a real tribute to the Big Apple’s diversity and spirit.

Italy has always enjoyed a top spot for beautiful women, and Milan is probably the gravitational center where they all flock. On top of that, as the reigning fashion capital of the world, the city attracts thousands of would-be models from other parts of the country and the world, where a contract with one of the modeling agencies or fashion houses can jump start their careers. It’s not just sleek, long-legged models you’ll encounter on the streets of this wonderful city but also hordes of local and national Mediterranean wonders parade each day up and down the streets ready to make you faint with their charm, a simple buongiorno and a cappuccino.

South Korea has experienced an explosion of pop bands recently, or what they refer to as K-Pop, good-looking boy and girl bands dancing in sync to sticky rhythms. The phenomenon has taken the country, and Asia, by storm. What struck people viewing these bands was the beauty of the singers. Members of girl groups like Baby VOX, 2NE1, After School or Wonder Girls exemplify that beauty: Young, modern, fresh and sexy. The Hongdae, Itaewon and Gangnam neighborhoods of Seoul are bustling with activity and revelers pounding the pavements looking for fun in Korea’s technological and entertainment mecca, dressed to kill and ready to take your heart.

Culturally comfortable in a European or American setting, Montrealers are hip to make the most of the city’s vibrant push and energetic nightlife. Skillful in two languages, the women of Montreal prefer to ravish you with French, the language of love. Taking in the sights in Montreal is always best when accompanied by one of the lovely natives. You can choose from the Montreal Biennale, the Jazz Festival, Old Montreal and the Port or a gastronomical evening out; culture and beauty all in one city.

No list of cities with the most beautiful women would be complete without Copenhagen; a city so civilized and beautiful (along with its Scandinavian brothers) that the only thing that can rival such fine architecture and civility is the charm and drop-dead looks of its women. Yes, the myth is true: They are tall, blonde, statuesque and gorgeous; and yes, you will hang on their every word before you hit the ground stupefied by the hypnotic spell cast by their lustful eyes (if you’re lucky enough). Just so you know, there are more things to see in Copenhagen than just The Little Mermaid.

As the focal point of Israeli culture and nightlife, Tel Aviv is, of course, teeming with beautiful women lying on the beach and soaking up the sun. The epicenter of Israeli cultural, economic and social life has consistently been ranked among the top ten cities for beautiful people, and it’s no wonder with native daughters like Ayelet Zurer, Noa Tishby (pictured) and Esti Ginzburg, it’s easy to understand why.

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5 Cities That Will Be Wiped Off the Map by Natural Disasters

October 1, 2015, 11:37 pm

≫ Next: BREAKING NEWS: Mass Shooting At Umpqua Community College In Oregon, 13 Reported Dead, Shooter Identified

≪ Previous: The Real Beauty : 20 Cities With Very Beautiful Women

No matter how technologically advanced humans become, we'll always spend a good portion of our time pathetically flailing at nature and the various disasters it attempts to grind us down with. Which makes it all the more awesome that many have actually chosen to live right on the bulls-eye of mother nature's bazooka practice target. As we all go blithely about our daily lives, just remember ...

#5. New York Is Due for a Hurricane Worse Than Sandy

There's no shortage of hazards that can be associated with New York: Muggings, terrorist attacks, and terrible celebrity chef restaurants are all par for the course when it comes to the Big Apple. Yet the most dangerous of them all tends to go unmentioned ... right until it throws a skyscraper at you. Most of us were shocked to find out that New York was in hurricane territory at all, then all of a sudden the city gets sideswiped by Irene and Sandy. They flooded subways, collapsed quite a few buildings and dealt billions in damage. And they were nothing compared to what is (eventually) coming.

Both of those storms were only Category 1 when they hit, meaning that they were not that powerful -- even though they still tore up plenty of shit in the region, some of which still hasn't been fixed. Which is to say that it could have been much worse. As in, Roland Emmerich worse.

Whoa, whoa, let's not be hasty. Have we forgotten how bad 2012 really was?

In fact, New York City has a pretty good chance of being hit by a category 3 Hurricane this very decade. And the next one. And, in fact, each and every decade. A Category 3 hurricane, in case you were wondering, is defined by the phrase "Devastating damage will occur."We're talking demolished houses, damaged skyscrapers, and destroyed infrastructure, here. We're talking JFK airport under 19 feet of water, according to the people who study this sort of thing.

Because of New York's unique geography (and in case anyone needed an extra reason to dislike New Jersey), Northeast New Jersey and Western Long Island form a bottleneck for hurricanes to pass right into. Essentially, any storm with great intensity has a decent chance of a direct hit. This, incidentally, subjects the city to far worse things than just a "mere" Category 3: New York's near future can very well see a full-on "Oh shit" hurricane of the Category 5 classification. Destruction wise, this storm would be a dozen times worse than a Category 3.

Leading us to wonder why it's not a Category 36 hurricane.

So, What Can Be Done?

Luckily, New York City is prepared for pretty much anything. And when we say prepared, we mean they know precisely how screwed they're going to be.

Using a Category 4 hurricane as a sort of average of terror, authorities have calculated that a massive hurricane would do about $500 billion worth of foreseeable damage -- that is, four times as much as Hurricane Katrina managed. Hell, a mere Category 2 would turn the subway into an aquarium in 40 minutes, with Grand Central and Penn Stations flooding as well. There is also the matter of the 15-foot wall of water expected to hit three of the five N.Y. boroughs with all the havoc a mini-tsunami with New York attitude can wreak.

"HEY- I'm floodin' here."

Bottom line for hurricane survival in New York: When it hits, be in Cleveland. Though it could be worse...

#4. Amsterdam Lives in Constant Dread of Drowning

Amsterdam is the capital of Netherlands, and the Red Light Districted obligatory rest stop for backpackers who want to take pictures of each other giggling nervously over a ridiculously oversized and overpriced blunt. It is a beautiful city with hundreds of years of history and wonderful art museums, with the added bonus of hash bars freaking everywhere.

It's also about to be eaten by the ocean, every single minute of the day.

Most of Netherlands resides below sea level, and if anything -- anything, anywhere, at all -- goes wrong, Amsterdam will take an entire ocean right in the face. Subsequently, the map of the Netherlands would look a little something like this:

See the black blip labeled "Amsterdam"that's right in the middle of the fucking blue? That's what happens if just one of the various, intricate failsafe barriers and dams surrounding the country goes down. Not only the city (highest point: seven feet above sea level), but in fact much of the entire country (lowest point: minus 23 feet) is at constant risk of being claimed by the sea.

The good news is, Amsterdam's an old hand at fighting water and the authorities have actually set up the elaborate not-getting-drowned network that is keeping them safe. The bad news: They absolutely blow at keeping said network up to date. In fact, only 50 percent of the defenses are somewhat capable of handling their task of keeping people's feet dry. The Netherlands had their latest hazardous flood defense failure in 2010, and rest assured there will be more: Many experts are not even sure some of the dams will hold if they get just the tiniest of hairline cracks.

In fact, The defenses keeping Amsterdam turning from pot paradise to Waterworld are so leaky, maintaining and improving them (what with the rising sea levels) add up to around 1 billion euros a year. Oh, and that's just for ocean level preparedness. If the sea level rises sufficiently, their rivers can also fuck them up.

So, What Can Be Done?

Not a lot, really. There is a century-spanning multibillion-dollar plan to fortify the country's defenses, sure, but even its makers acknowledge the absurdity of attempting to plan so far into the future.

Still, before you rush mailing bong-shaped lifeboats to random Amsterdam dwellers, it's worth keeping in mind that this is a situation that has been going on for centuries. The country has been flooded dozens and dozens of times, including a great 1953 flood that essentially turned Amsterdam into Venice for a while.

So, they might be going under, and facing insurmountable odds against saving themselves from that fate, but at least they're fully aware what they're up against. Also, this situation goes a long way toward explaining all the pot.

#3. Greater Seattle Will Be Drowned by a River of Hot Mud

Poor Seattle can't catch a break. We've already covered how the mild-mannered city is particularly prone to giant earthquakes, but it gets even worse: the entire Greater Seattle is at the risk of being buried under a sea of mud.

The area lies downstream from Mount Rainier, which carries the questionable honor of being one of the most dangerous volcanoes in existence. However, this particular danger doesn't come from soot and magma -- sure, there would be some if it was to erupt, but that would be just the icing on the horror cake. The true killer would be a lahar, whose nerdy name betrays its potential for destruction. Lahars are giant flows of hot mud, trees and water, rolling forward with the consistency of a zillion tons of wet cement and at speeds up to 60mph.

And they can get big: Urban Seattle could be facing a Lahar as tall 600 freaking feet. How do we know? Because it's happened before! Around 5,000 years ago, a giant lahar called the Osceola Mudflow filled a part of Puget Sound with three cubic kilometers of hot, steamy, gooey mud. What was once a pristine sea was, in a matter of hours, suddenly 200 square miles of new land. For comparison, the disastrous 1985 Nevado del Ruiz lahar that killed 25,000 people in Colombia only had 2.5 percent of the volume of the Osceola Mudflow.

So, What Can Be Done?

A lahar detection system was installed in 1998, but it remains loose and incomprehensive. To make matters worse, these mud tsunamis (mudnamis!) are a right bastard to detect: a lahar doesn't need a volcanic eruption as an excuse to kick in: A sector collapse or some magma leakage could be enough to send a mudnami the size of Godzilla into Seattle.

If just the Puyallup Valley lahar (the purple one in the above picture) sparks off, material damages alone could be as high as $13 billion. Also, a non-volcanic lahar could easily spread from one to several of the six (six!) Mount Rainer lahar systems, multiplying the destruction.

#2. Naples Will Be Just the Latest of Mount Vesuvius' Casualties

In the year 79, the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculanium were completely and utterly screwed as they were buried by the sudden, violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the 'roided up Chad of volcanoes. The carnage was fled by few and witnessed by pretty much everyone, including the famed statesman Pliny the Younger, who made it his mission to tell everyone about the incident as a warning to never mess with nature. In a way, the towns always had it coming. If they'd dug around a bit before building, they'd have found ash from an ancient eruption that still had fleeing footprints from an ancient bronze age town not too far away.

"Oh come on, when has a volcano ever destroyed a city with no warning except those 7 times?"

Meanwhile, the people of the neighboring city of Naples (or as it was known at the time, Neapolis), took a look at the angry, angry mountain annihilating their pals. Then, they shrugged and lived on as if nothing had happened. Despite Vesuvius waking up periodically for a demonstration of what happens when people ignore it, Naples pushes on -- even when the volcano covered the city in an inch-thick layer of hot, jagged ash in 1906, killing over 100 people and causing enough expensive carnage to actually relocate the Olympics from Rome to London two years later because Vesuvius' bullshit had eaten all Rome's Olympic money, the citizens of Naples didn't take the hint and move.

So, What Can Be Done?

When you're up against an angry mountain that has destroyed populations since the Bronze Age, the only sensible thing is to get the hell away. However, the Neapolitans see things otherwise. Despite Mount Vesuvius having reaffirmed the danger it posed to them with literally dozens of eruptions since the Pompeii incident, well up to the 20th century, Naples remains.

It's like BASE jumping with a city.

#1. Wellington Will Be Hit by Everything

Sitting in the South Pacific, Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and home to over 400,000 people. In addition to its claim to fame as Peter Jackson's base in his mission to film all things Tolkien, the city is also notable for the surprising amount of ways it's citizens can die by natural disaster. Like Dhaka, the most popular pastime in Wellington seems to be guessing the next major doomsday scenario coming to kill everyone.

The city has managed to grow on a site where all bets are truly off. It sits at the tip of an island, so water is a constant threat. The last major tsunami hit Wellington in 1946, coming in at a roar that could be heard from 15 miles away. The next one? Why, it's severely overdue! And when it comes, rest assured it will kick all the available asses.

"Jeff had Megatsunami in the Doomsday Pool, he gets the cash! Or he would if he was still alive."

And chances are they're not even looking at a medium sized tsunami: Authorities warn that a 115-foot massive tsunami can definitely be in the cards. This bodes particularly well for the residents who still haven't recovered from the hellish flood that took place in 1984.

They pulled a lot of Uruk-Hai out of that mud.

Of course, water is just one of the various hazards nature enjoys throwing at Wellington. The city is also lucky enough to be located right by a gigantic fault line, with earthquakes causing damage every so often, triggering those huge tsunamis as they come. Add in a bunch of volcanoes up north, throwing ash and soot at the city every time they decide to erupt, and the picture begins to form: Peter Jackson didn't give a hoot about idyllic hobbit scenery when he decided to film in New Zealand. He just wanted to keep Mordor close at hand.

So, What Can Be Done?

Evacuation is pretty much the only thing that can be done when nature starts drunkenly shooting at you with the entirety of its arsenal. Sadly, that's not a possibility for a good chunk of the population. Projections of just a medium-sized tsunami show utter destruction of the city's airport, marina, and local stadium (stadiums being the evacuation shelters of choice during many a disaster), with floods turning the downtown into a Sea World. If you try to run, you're even more screwed -- although the city does have an evacuation plan, most of the evacuation zones are in the worst risk areas, placing roughly half the population in immediate danger when the shit truly hits the fan.

"That's the last place tsunamis will look!"

↧

BREAKING NEWS: Mass Shooting At Umpqua Community College In Oregon, 13 Reported Dead, Shooter Identified

October 2, 2015, 3:04 am

≫ Next: WARNING : Hurricane Joaquin Upgraded to Category 4

≪ Previous: 5 Cities That Will Be Wiped Off the Map by Natural Disasters

Mass Shooting At Umpqua Community College In Oregon, 10 Reported Dead

The shooter reportedly had four guns.

Ten people were killed and seven were wounded Thursday in a shooting at a small community college in Roseburg, Oregon.

Students, staff and faculty are evacuated from Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore. Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, after a deadly shooting.

Sheriff John Hanlin said Thursday evening that the toll had been revised downward from the earlier figures of 13 dead and at least 20 wounded. Names of the victims won't be released for at least a day, he said.

Police search students outside Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, following a deadly shooting at the college.

THE KILLER

Umpqua Gunman Chris Harper-Mercer Hated Religion Online

Hanlin said earlier that officers had "neutralized" and killed the shooter during an exchange of gunfire in a campus building at Umpqua Community College.

Authorities respond to a report of a shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

The shooter was identified as Chris Harper Mercer, 26, according to The New York Times and other news outlets, citing unidentified sources.

CNN said authorities found three handguns and an assault weapon.

An official told CNN he appeared ready to put up a fight, with body armor and stash of ammunition. Hanlin declined to reveal any information about the shooter.

"Today in southern Oregon is not a good afternoon,"Hanlin said."It's been a terrible day."

"This is a small community,"the sheriff added. "A lot of our friends and family attend this college. I personally know a number of people I work with that had very strong concerns about the welfare for loved ones going to school there."

A woman is comforted as friends and family wait for students at the local fairgrounds after a shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) and UCC interim president Rita Cavin attened a vigil later that night at Stewart Park in Roseburg.

In a blog linked to that identity, Harper-Mercer expressed admiration for Roanoke shooter Vester Flanagan.

"In our sorrow, we will remember and honor those lost today,"Brown said. "And they will forever be in our hearts. May peace be with you."

Authorities carry a shooting victim away from the scene after a gunman opened fire at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

Students were transported to a nearby fairground, according to a statement from the sheriff's office. Law enforcers searched buildings and cars on campus, Hanlin said.

Nearby Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg said that it has received 10 patients from the shooting.

Hannah Miles, center, is reunited with her sister Hailey Miles, left, and father Gary Miles, right, after a shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

President Obama Adesses Mass Shooting At Umpqua Community College

FULL SPEECH: President Obama Angrily Addresses UCC Oregon Shooting

Three additional victims were taken to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield, about an hour north of the site of the shooting.

The hospital said on Twitter that the victims were all female and between the ages of 18 and 34, and quoted a doctor who said that an "army" of doctors and nurses had volunteered to help. The hospital later said two of the victims were in serious condition and one was critical.

Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin addresses the media following a deadly shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

Students, staff and faculty are evacuated from campus after Thursday's deadly shooting.

Several media reports on Thursday afternoon indicated that before opening fire, the gunman ordered students onto the ground and asked them to identify their religion, according to an 18-year-old student who witnessed the shooting.

The New York Times cited the student's account of events in a post that was later taken down to attribute the interview with the student to The News-Review of Roseburg, Oregon.

The campus, located about 70 miles south of Eugene, was reportedly on lockdown after 10:45 a.m Pacific time. The shooting took place in classrooms in Snyder Hall, according to CNN.

People hold signs for free rides as friends and family wait for students at the local fairgrounds after a deadly shooting at Umpqua Community College, in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

Umpqua Community College is a 100-acre campus located on the North Umpqua River. Hanlin noted in Thursday's press conference that the school is the only higher education facility in Douglas County. UCC's website crashed following the shooting.

A bullet casing is marked at the scene of a deadly shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

The campus will be closed for all activities through the weekend, Rita Cavin, interim president of UCC, said at a press conference, but intends to reopen on Monday. "It's a very tight-knit community and the whole community rose to the occasion today," she said.

Officers direct traffic on a road leading to the Umpqua Community College campus in Roseburg, Ore., after a deadly shooting Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

"I feel awful," Cavin added.

Cavin noted that all campus security officers were on campus Thursday, none of whom were armed, as is campus policy.

A patient is wheeled into the emergency room at Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, Ore., following a deadly shooting at Umpqua Community College, in Roseburg, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

John Parker, a 36-year-old Air Force veteran who told HuffPost that he was on campus at the time, said he learned of the shooting from law enforcement officers sweeping through campus buildings. Parker said he was carrying a concealed handgun.

Charles Porter, left, and Joseph Baldi, right, are reunited with Scott Leonard, center, after a shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

"I told the officer about the gun on my hip," Parker said. "He searched me, took the gun, escorted me back to my car and gave me my gun back and told me to have a nice day."

Students are running everywhere. Holy God.

— Kayla Marie (@KP_KaylaMarie) October 1, 2015

President Barack Obama was briefed on the situation by Lisa Monaco, his homeland security adviser, according to a White House official, who said he would to receive updates throughout the day. The president gave a public statement about the shooting on Thursday evening.

Students, staff and faculty are evacuated from Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore. after a deadly shooting Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

"We've become numb to this," Obama said. "This is something we should politicize, it is relevant to our common life together, to the body politic."

People gather at a road block near the entrance to Umpqua Community College, in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, following a deadly shooting at the campus.

“I hope and pray that I don’t have to come out again during my tenure as president to offer my condolences ... but based on my experiences as president I can’t guarantee that,"the president added. "And that’s terrible to say. And it can change.”

Authorities respond to a report of a shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, the mass killing is the 45th shooting at a school so far this year.

Police search students outside Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, following a deadly shooting at the southwestern Oregon community college.

Umpqua Community College

People wait for information at the local fairgrounds after a deadly shooting at Umpqua Community College, in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

Friends and family are reunited with students at the local fairgrounds after a deadly shooting at Umpqua Community College, in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

A woman speaks on her cellphone as friends and family are reunited with students at the local fairgrounds after a deadly shooting at Umpqua Community College, in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

Friends and family are reunited with students at the local fairgrounds after a deadly shooting at Umpqua Community College, in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

Friends and family wait for students at the local fairgrounds after a deadly shooting at Umpqua Community College, in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

Oregon College Shooter Identified As Chris Harper Mercer

Reports say the shooter had three handguns and an assault weapon.

Law enforcement officials have identified Chris Harper Mercer as the person responsible for the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, according to multiple news reports.

He was armed with four weapons -- three handguns and one assault weapon, according to NBC News' Pete Williams. Mercer, 26, was not a student at the school, authorities said. They are still working to figure out his connection to UCC, Williams said, and have uncovered "documents that expressed the philosophy of hate."

At an evening news conference on Thursday, Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin refused to confirm the name of the shooter. "I will not name the shooter,"Hanlin told reporters. "I will not give him the credit he probably sought prior to this horrific and cowardly act."

Hanlin said an official identity will come from the medical examiner's office.

Police taped off an Oregon apartment complex listed as Mercer's address.

Meanwhile, authorities taped off a Winchester, Oregon, apartment complex that was listed as Mercer's address. Bronte Hart, 21, told HuffPost Mercer may have lived above her unit.

"I don't want to believe there's a guy like that living here. I have kids," said Hart. "I think he lives above me. The guy lives here. It's so messed up."

She said she began to cry when police started taping off the complex, assuming the shooter lived alongside her.

At 7 p.m., law enforcement officers with K-9 units began searching cars in the cordoned off parking lot.

This is apartment complex in Torrance, California, where Mercer and his mother lived before 2011.

Mercer's father, Ian Mercer, addressed reporters late Thursday.

"It's been a devastating day, devastating for me and my family,"he said. "Shocked is all I can say."

Alleged Gunman's Father: 'Devastating Day'

Before moving to Oregon, Mercer lived with his mother in Torrance, California, old neighbors told HuffPost. They described a reserved young man who did not appear dangerous.

Brian Clay, who lived across the pool from their apartment, said the Mercers lived there for about a year, and moved away around 2011. Mercer's mother seemed "happy to move,"Clay said, although he did not know the reason they left.

"Chris was kind of reserved, kept to himself mostly,"Clay said. "Sometimes I would see his mom come out and complain about kids playing outside."

Clay described a routined man who did not appear dangerous. "The way Chris carried himself was like ex-military almost -- combat boots, camo pants, white shirt, brown shirt. Every day it was the same thing".

"He never showed guns or talked about guns," Clay said. "[There was] no fear of him when he was here. He was just our neighbor."

Another neighbor, Derrick McClendon, said he was shocked to learn of Mercer's alleged involvement in Thursday's shooting.

McClendon described the Mercers has having "kept to themselves."

"I didn't speculate any danger with them," he said. "We are all shocked around here, comes definitely as a surprise. I'm still in disbelief. I did not pick up that kind of behavior from him to just pick up and kill somebody".

"Chris told me he was over 20 years old when we talked, but his mindset was like a teenager -- no girlfriend no friends. That was the only thing that was a concern to me, but that's his business," McClendon said.

Unconfirmed social media accounts tell a different story. Profiles of Mercer contain photos of the Irish Republican Army, a revolutionary group that has historically been rooted in acts of violence.

Jessica Vazquez, left, hugs her aunt Leticia Acaraz as they await word on Acaraz's daughter at the local fairgrounds after a shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

Police shot the gunman to death on Thursday morning after he entered an English classroom and opened fire, then moved to Snyder Hall, killing 10 and wounding as many as seven more.

An unidentified law enforcement official told CNN that three pistols and a rifle were recovered at the scene, and appear to have belonged to the gunman. It's unclear if the guns were obtained legally.

A comment on the web bulletin board 4chan warned of a school shooting in the Northwest on Wednesday, but authorities appear to be unconvinced that the message portended the attack.

“I was in the classroom right next door to the shooter, and I … heard a popping noise, almost like a balloon popping," student Cassandra Walker told CNN in an interview Thursday afternoon.

"We got underneath the tables, one of my fellow classmates went to see what was going on … and the gunman shot her. We locked the doors, turned off the lights, and were pretty much in panic mode. We called 911 and called our loved ones."

Walker estimated Mercer fired 35 to 40 shots.

President Barack Obama offered his thoughts and prayers to the families affected by the shooting and pushed for "common sense" gun laws.

"We don’t yet know why this individual did what he did," Obama told reporters. "It’s fair to say that anybody who does this has a sickness in their minds, regardless of what they think their motivations might be."

"But we are not the only country on Earth that has people with mental illnesses or want to do harm to other people," the president added. "We are the only advanced country on Earth that sees these kinds of mass shootings every few months.”

↧

WARNING : Hurricane Joaquin Upgraded to Category 4

October 2, 2015, 3:09 am

≫ Next: EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS : Victims of Oregon shooting identified

≪ Previous: BREAKING NEWS: Mass Shooting At Umpqua Community College In Oregon, 13 Reported Dead, Shooter Identified

Hurricane Joaquin strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it approached the Bahamas on Thursday afternoon.

Forecasts remained unclear as to whether it’s on track to make landfall on the East Coast or turn and head out to sea, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Despite that, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has declared a state of emergency for the state. South Carolina is already experiencing heavy rainfall.

WTNT31 KNHC 020841

TCPAT1

BULLETIN

HURRICANE JOAQUIN ADVISORY NUMBER 18

NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL112015

500 AM EDT FRI OCT 02 2015

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS JOAQUIN MOVING SLOWLY NORTHWESTWARD AS IT

BATTERS THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS...

...HURRICANE CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE OVER THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS

TODAY...

SUMMARY OF 500 AM EDT...0900 UTC...INFORMATION

----------------------------------------------

LOCATION...23.3N 74.7W

ABOUT 20 MI...35 KM NE OF CLARENCE LONG ISLAND BAHAMAS

ABOUT 50 MI...80 KM SSW OF SAN SALVADOR

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...130 MPH...215 KM/H

PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 315 DEGREES AT 3 MPH...6 KM/H

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...935 MB...27.61 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS

--------------------

CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

None.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...

* Central Bahamas

* Northwestern Bahamas including the Abacos, Berry Islands,

Eleuthera, Grand Bahama Island, and New Providence

* The Acklins, Crooked Island, and Mayaguana in the southeastern

Bahamas

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...

* Bimini

* Andros Island

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...

* Remainder of the southeastern Bahamas including the Turks and

Caicos Islands

* Andros Island

* Cuban provinces of Camaguey, Los Tunas, Holguin, and Guantanamo

A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected

somewhere within the warning area.

A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible

within the watch area.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are

expected somewhere within the warning area.

Interests in Bermuda should monitor the progress of Joaquin. A

Tropical Storm or Hurricane Watch may be required later today.

For storm information specific to your area, please monitor

products issued by your national meteorological service.

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK

------------------------------

At 500 AM EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Hurricane Joaquin was

located near latitude 23.3 North, longitude 74.7 West. Joaquin is

drifting toward the northwest near 3 mph (6 km/h). A faster

northward motion is expected to begin later today, followed by a

turn toward the northeast and an increase in forward speed tonight

and Saturday. On the forecast track, the core of the strongest winds

of Joaquin will continue moving over portions of the central and

northwestern Bahamas today. Joaquin will begin to move away from the

Bahamas tonight and Saturday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 130 mph (215 km/h) with higher

gusts. Joaquin is a dangerous category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-

Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are

possible during the next 24 hours. Slow weakening is expected to

begin on Saturday.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 50 miles (85 km) from the

center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 205 miles

(335 km).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 935 mb (27.61 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

----------------------

WIND: Hurricane conditions are expected to continue across portions

of the central and southeastern Bahamas through today. Hurricane

and tropical storm conditions are expected over portions of the

northwestern Bahamas today. Tropical storm conditions will affect

other portions of the southeastern Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos

Islands today. Tropical storm conditions are expected over portions

of eastern Cuba through this morning.

STORM SURGE: A very dangerous and life-threatening storm surge will

raise water levels by as much as 6 to 12 feet above normal tide

levels in the central Bahamas in areas of onshore flow. A storm

surge of 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels is expected in the

remainder of the Bahamas within the hurricane warning area. Near

the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous

waves.

RAINFALL: Joaquin is expected to produce total rain accumulations

of 12 to 18 inches over the central Bahamas with isolated maximum

amounts of 25 inches. Rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches are

expected over the southeastern Bahamas, with 2 to 4 inches over the

northwestern Bahamas, eastern Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic,

and the Turks and Caicos Islands. This rainfall could result in

life-threatening flash floods.

SURF: Swells generated by Joaquin will affect portions of the

Bahamas during the next few days. Swells have begun to affect

portions of the southeastern coast of the United States and will

spread northward along the east coast of the United States through

the weekend. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf

and rip current conditions. Regardless of Joaquin's track, a

prolonged period of elevated water levels and large waves will

affect the mid-Atlantic region, causing significant beach and dune

erosion with moderate coastal flooding likely. Please consult

products from your local weather office.

↧

EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS : Victims of Oregon shooting identified

October 2, 2015, 10:51 pm

≫ Next: ‪#‎Merkel‬ says military efforts needed in ‪#‎Syria‬ but they won't end war

≪ Previous: WARNING : Hurricane Joaquin Upgraded to Category 4

Families Remember Victims Of Tragic School Shooting

Our hearts go out to the families and survivors.

Community members gather for a candlelight vigil for those killed in a shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015

As a small Oregon community is reeling from the fatal shooting of nine innocents at a school, family members want the world to know what their loved ones meant to them.

On Friday afternoon, Sheriff John Hanlin released the names of those who perished during Thursday's massacre at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. They are: Lucero Alcaraz of Roseburg, 19 years old.

Alcaraz's sister wrote on Facebook of her pride in her sister's academic accomplishments. Alcaraz received a full scholarship for college, her sister, Maria Leticia Alcaraz, wrote, and "made it into college honors." Lucero Alcaraz would have become a "great pediatric nurse," her sister wrote.

"I never got the chance to tell you how proud of you I was," Maria Alcaraz wrote. "I ache so much right now."

Quinn Glen Cooper of Roseburg, 18 years old. He had just graduated from high school last June. Described by his family as a "sweet, loving person," he loved dancing, voice acting, and hanging out with his brother, Cody. "Our lives are shattered beyond repair," Cooper's family said. "No one should ever have to feel the pain we are feeling."

Kim Saltmarsh Dietz of Roseburg, 59 years old.

Dietz was taking classes at UCC. Her 18-year-old daughter was also a student there, her ex-husband, Eric Dietz, told The Associated Press. Their daughter was not hurt in the shooting.

Dietz worked for many years as caretaker of Pyrenees Vineyard in Myrtle Creek. Her ex-husband managed the vineyard.

Lucas Eibel of Roseburg, 18 years old. Eibel was described by his family as an "amazing soccer player"who enjoyed volunteering at animal shelters. He was studying chemistry at UCC. The family has asked that donations in his honor be made to Roseburg High School FFA and injured victims.

Jason Dale Johnson of Winston, 33 years old. Johnson was "proud to be a Christian," his mother said. His family said he had "finally found his path" by enrolling in college. He will be loved and missed, they said.

Lawrence "Larry" Levine of Glide, was a 67-year old and a teacher at the school. Years before becoming an adjunct English professor, Levine was a bartender in Grants Pass, Oregon. A former co-worker there remembered that Levine had been working on a novel about 20 years ago and was also an avid fly fisherman.

"We're flabbergasted. Our friend Larry. I'm just shocked," said Willy Evans, who's worked in the Wonder Bur Cafe in Grants Pass for 28 years. "He was a really good guy. He was very soft-spoken, but he meant what he said."

Though it's been more than 20 years since Levine tended bar at the cafe, he would occasionally drop in as a customer, Evans said. Levine's Facebook page said that he'd also worked as a fly fishing guide and that he hailed from New York City.

Sarena Dawn Moore of Myrtle Creek, 44 years old.

Treven Taylor Anspach of Sutherlin, 20 years old. He was the son of a firefighter in Roseburg.

"The Anspach family would like to thank everybody for their heart felt thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time. Treven was one of the most positive young man always looking for the best in life. Treven was larger than life and brought out the best in those around him," his family said in a statement Friday afternoon.

Rebecka Ann Carnes of Myrtle Creek, 18 years old. She was the niece of a paramedic in Roseburg.

Bethany Johnson, who said she is Carnes' cousin, paid tribute on Facebook: "Speachless! Your cousins are your first bestfriends I got the pleasure of having this Amazing young lady as mine. She had the biggest heart an amazing soul. The world clearly cocouldnt handle that much good."

Two of the nine injured survivors have also been named. They include:

Ana Boylan, 18, who is awake after undergoing surgery to remove a single bullet from her spine. The UCC freshman told her family that alleged gunman Chris Harper Mercer ordered all Christians to stand up before he shot and killed them. Boylan was hit in the back by one of the bullets, which struck her spine, her family told.

UCC student Ana Boylan, who was shot in the spine Thursday in the attack on her school.

"Hey you, blond woman," Mercer allegedly said to Boylan as she lay bleeding on the ground. The girl's mother said the teen played dead, and likely survived because of that.

Doctors at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center in Springfield, Oregon, said Boylan and two other patients involved in the tragedy are all in stable condition.

"I can tell you that she has been affected greatly by this event in her life," Dr. Scott Russi told the station.

Chris Mintz, a 30-year-old Army veteran, shielded his classmates from the gunman, miraculously surviving after being shot more than five times".

"He could have very easily died," his aunt, Wanda Mintz, told Q13 Fox. "I really think that if he wasn't such a strong, young guy, he may have died.”

As Mintz blocked a classroom door, he was shot three times. "It's my son's birthday today," he told the shooter. The gunman shot him two more times.

Mintz has served in the Army for 10 years, and is awake and alert at a hospital.

hero! Chris Mintz, Army vet used to live in Tacoma. He rushed the gunman and survived being shot 7 times

Classes at the college will be canceled next week. Our hearts go out to the families and survivors.

MY PERSONAL CONDOLENCES TO ALL THE VICTIMS FAMILIES AND FRIENDS WORLDWIDE....LIGHTEN A CANDLE FOR YOU WITH OUR PRAYERS... FROM MY DEEPEN SAD HEART TO ALL THOSE INNOCENT WHO LOST THEIR LIVES BY A BARBARIAN ANIMAL CRIME ... REST IN PEACE IN THE HEAVEN ... MAY BE WE LOST YOUR BODIES , FACES AND APPEARANCE ... BUT YOUR FACE VIEW , YOUR SOUL AND YOUR BRIGHT SMILE WILL KEPT AROUND US ... DEEP INSIDE OUR HEARTS..WE SHALL NEVER EVER FORGOT YOU.... REST IN PEACE

Tarek El Agamy

↧

‪#‎Merkel‬ says military efforts needed in ‪#‎Syria‬ but they won't end war

October 4, 2015, 7:51 am

≫ Next: ‪#‎Egypt‬ says ‪#‎Russia‬'s intervention in ‪#‎Syria‬ will counter terrorism

≪ Previous: EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS : Victims of Oregon shooting identified

German Chancellor Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a German radio station that military efforts were necessary in Syria even though they would not put an end to the war there.

"Regarding Syria, I said for the first time: We will need military efforts, but military efforts will not bring the solution; we need a political process but that has not really got going very well yet," she told Deutschlandfunk, according to the text of an interview due to be broadcast later on Sunday.

She also said it would be necessary to involve the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in talks.

"To get to a political solution, I need both the representatives of the Syrian opposition and those who are currently ruling in Damascus and others as well to get real successes and then above all the allies of the respective groups."

She said Russia, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Iran could play an important role as well as Germany, France and Britain.

↧

‪#‎Egypt‬ says ‪#‎Russia‬'s intervention in ‪#‎Syria‬ will counter terrorism

October 4, 2015, 7:54 am

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Russia's President Vladimir Putin listens to his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at a news conference after their meeting in Cairo February 10, 2015

Russia's intervention in Syria will curtail the spread of terrorism and help deal a fatal blow to Islamic State in the war-torn country, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said.

Russia launched air strikes in Syria on Wednesday in its biggest Middle East intervention in decades, marking a dramatic escalation in a more than four-year-old civil war in which every major country in the region has a stake.

"Russia's entrance, given its potential and capabilities, is something we see is going to have an effect on limiting terrorism in Syria and eradicating it," Shoukry said in a televised interview on Saturday.

Vladimir Putin said he is striking Islamic State and helping Syria's Bashar al-Assad, long Russia's closest ally in the region. But the United States is concerned that Moscow is propping up Assad, who Washington has long held should leave.

Egypt has avoided showing support for al-Assad, a leader whom Saudi Arabia, a key Egyptian ally that has propped up the country economically, believes should be ousted.

Shoukry's comments are just the latest sign of warming relations between Russia and Egypt. In a state visit to Russia by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in August, the two countries called for a coalition to fight terrorism in the Middle East.

In June, Egypt and Russia held their first-ever joint naval exercise.

Egypt, the Arab world's most-populous nation, is confronted by an increasingly violent insurgency in North Sinai, where the most active militant group has pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

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A New Kingdom relief illegally smuggled out of the country has been retrieved from ‪#‎England‬

October 4, 2015, 8:01 am

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Egypt recovers Stolen relief of King Seti I from London

A New Kingdom relief illegally smuggled out of the country has been retrieved from England

Relief of SetI

A limestone relief dating back to the New Kingdom period, between the 16th and 11th centuries BC, was recovered Sunday from an auction hall in London after two weeks of negotiations.

Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh Eldamaty told Ahram Online that the ministry was informed about the relief by the curator at the British Museum, Marcel Mary.

Mary sent a photograph of the piece to the ministry asking for its authenticity, as the piece was put on display in an auction hall in London.

Eldamaty assigned an archeological committee to inspect the relief. The committee later confirmed its authenticity.

A report was then filed at Egypt’s Tourism and Antiquities police and a similar one was sent to Interpol in order to stop the sale of the relief.

Ali Ahmed, Director of the Recuperation Antiquities Department, explained that the relief was then confiscated by the British police and is due to come home next week.

He explained that the relief was stolen due to illegal excavations. The relief is engraved with a scene depicting the 19th dynasty King Seti I before goddess Hathor and god Web Wawat. It also bears hieroglyphic text and the names of several ancient Egyptian deities of Assiut governorate in Upper Egypt.

“It is a very important relief as it depicts a not yet discovered temple of king Seti I in Assiut,” Ahmed pointed out.

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Minister : #Egyptian #pilgrim fatalities in ‪#‎hajj‬ #stampede rise to 138

October 4, 2015, 8:10 am

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The death toll has been rising on a daily basis since 23 September

Medics rush to the site where pilgrims were crushed and trampled to death during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mina, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015

The number of Egyptian pilgrims killed in the Mecca stampede has risen to 138, head of Egypt's pilgrimage delegation and religious endowments minister Mokhtar Gomaa said on Sunday.

The minister also announced during a news conference that 96 Egyptians are still missing, according to the latest reports.

Gomaa's statements came following a meeting with the head of the Egyptian cabinet, Sherif Ismail. During the meeting, the latest reports concerning the fatalities and missing pilgrims were presented.

The stampede occurred Wednesday, 23 September, as pilgrims converged in Mena, just outside Mecca, to take part in a ritual involving the symbolic stoning of the devil.

The Egyptian foreign ministry and the ministry of endowments have been posting pictures and providing the numbers of information hotlines for the families of missing pilgrims.

Meanwhile, the minister of endowments said that the cause of the incident will not be discussed before investigations are closed.

Investigations into the hajj tragedy are being conducted by Saudi Arabian authorities.

"All casualties have been buried and DNA samples have been taken from the unidentified bodies. It will take up to 12 days to identify these deceased pilgrims," Gomaa added.

It is expected that DNA samples will also be collected from families of missing pilgrims starting Monday, following the arrival of the health minister from Saudi Arabia.

The latest figures released on Saturday by Saudi authorities placed the death toll of the Mena stampede at 769, with at least 934 injured.

Almost two million pilgrims took part in the stoning ritual this year, with an estimated 62,000 Egyptians performing hajj in 2015.

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Parts of King ‪#‎Nakhtanebu‬ I's shrine uncovered in Cairo

October 4, 2015, 8:20 am

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Basalt blocks of King Nakhtanebu I's shrine were unearthed today in Matariya area in Ain Shams, Cairo

Eldamaty (in black) listening to the explanation of the head of the excavation mission

Blocks of King Nakhtanebu I’s shrine were unearthed during excavation works carried out by an Egyptian-German archaeological mission in the area known in ancient times as Oun city, now Ain Shams

Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh Eldamaty told Ahram Online that the mission also uncovered small limestone blocks of a number of columns and the ceiling of the temple of 30th Dynasty King Nakhtanebu I. The ceiling is decorated with stars.

A block depicting god Hapy

Parts of Kings Meneptah and Nakhtanebu I statues were also found along with a collection of mud bricks used in the fence that once surrounded Oun.

Mahmoud Afifi, head of the Ancient Egypt Department at the antiquities ministry, explained that the sizes of the newly discovered blocks of the shrine range between 75cm and 1.25 cm, carved in Basalt and engraved with the different names of Egypt’s regions at that time.

Other blocks are decorated with scenes depicting the god Hapi holding offerings. Further excavation is now in full swing in an attempt to unearth more of the shrine’s blocks, in order to restore it to its original form.

part of the shrine depicting king Nakhtanebu I

Oun is one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, the capital of the 13th Lower Egyptian nome. Today, it is mostly destroyed, its temples and other buildings used for the construction of medieval Cairo.

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Oregon Community College Shooter Left a Message for Police Before Killing Himself

October 4, 2015, 9:41 am

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Police confirmed on Saturday that Christopher Harper-Mercer, the gunman who killed nine people at a community college in Oregon this week, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a shootout with police officers.

Harper-Mercer was armed with six guns, multiple ammunition magazines, and body armor when he opened fire on an English class in which he was enrolled at Umpqua Community College on Thursday. Altogether, the New York Times reports, police have confiscated 14 guns from Harper-Mercer. (The rest were at his apartment.)

According to the Times, all of the gunman’s weapons had been purchased legally—either by Harper-Mercer himself or by a relative. Harper-Mercer’s father, Ian Mercer, spoke to CNN from his home in Tarzana, California, saying that he had not known his son owned so many weapons. (Harper-Mercer’s parents divorced 10 years ago; he lived with his mother.)

“How was he able to compile that kind of arsenal?” Mercer asked, going on to say that the killings “would not have happened” if his son had not been able to get his hands on the weapons.

“It has to change,” Mercer said. “How can it not? Even people that believe in the right to bear arms, what right do you have to take someone’s life?”

Police arrived on campus five minutes after the first 911 calls were made, the Times reports. Two minutes later, police officers exchanged gunfire with Harper-Mercer, and, two minutes after that, they reported that he had gone down.

Before his death, though, Harper-Mercer terrorized the classroom, telling some of his victims to crawl across the floor as he shot them, and killing another after telling her to beg for her life, the Associated Press reports.

According to the mother of a student who witnessed the killings, Harper-Mercer gave one student—the “lucky one”—something to deliver to authorities. Other survivors’ relatives confirmed the account, the AP reports: Pastor Randy Scroggins said his daughter, who survived the shooting without injury, had told him Harper-Mercer said to one student, “Don’t worry, you’re the one who is going to survive.” He gave the student his backpack, which contained “all the information that you’ll need. Give it to the police.”

Police have not said whether they received anything from Harper Mercer, although the AP reports that a law enforcement official said that a several-pages-long manifesto had been recovered.

Everything We Know About the Oregon Community College Shooting and the Alleged Gunman, Chris Harper Mercer

Thursday morning, a lone gunman opened fire at Oregon’s Umpqua Community College. By the end of his rampage, at least ten people—himself included—were dead. Here’s everything we know so far about the shooting, the alleged shooter, and his victims.

The Shooting and the Victims

Around 10:38 a.m. Thursday, a gunman armed with three handguns and an assault rifle, bullets and body armor entered a campus building and began shooting at Umpqua Community College students and professors.

The numbers are still varied, but according to reports ten people were killed and at least another seven were seriously injured.

Most of the victims’ names have been held back—officials say they may need up to 48 hours to identify the victims and notify their families—but some accounts are already surfacing.

One student, 18-year-old Ana Boylan, reportedly told her family she was sitting in class when the gunman shot and killed her professor. He proceeded to shoot Boylan in the back and also shot girl standing next to her.

“They just laid on the ground and pretended they were dead,” Boylan’s grandmother Janet Willis—who says Boylan “tearfully” recounted the ordeal from a hospital bed—told the LA Times.

Boylan’s father, Stacey, also recounted his daughter’s story on CNN.

Before going into spinal surgery, Anastasia Boylan told her father the gunman entered her classroom firing.

“I’ve been waiting to do this for years,” the gunman told the professor teaching the class. He shot him point blank, Boylan recounted.

Others were hit too, she told her family.

Everyone in the classroom dropped to the ground.

The gunman, while reloading his handgun, ordered the students to stand up and asked if they were Christians, Boylan told her family.

“And they would stand up and he said, ‘Good, because you’re a Christian, you’re going to see God in just about one second,’” Boylan’s father, Stacy, told CNN, relaying her account.

“And then he shot and killed them.”

Boylan, 18, was hit in the back by a bullet that traveled down her spine. While she lay bleeding on the floor, the gunman called out to her, “Hey you, blond woman,” her mother said.

Boylan is now reportedly recovering from spinal surgery.

Another student, Kortney Moore, relayed a similar story about playing dead “amid the bleeding gunshot victims” after her professor was shot in the head. She also confirms the shooter questioned his victims about their religion.

A New Zealand-based basketball coach says his former student, 20-year-old Jaylen Gerrand, was running from the gunman when bodies started falling around him. Via the Guardian:

“He was running alongside a guy and the guy was shot dead – the guy running next him,” Green told the Herald.

“He ran past three others that were shot dead, so it was horrifying, horrific.

“So he saw four people dead. He’s totally distressed, totally distressed. He just wants to come home right now. It’s a huge, huge tragedy.”

Another victim, Chris Mintz, who reportedly spent around a decade in the military, was shot seven times in back, abdomen and hands while apparently trying to prevent the gunman from entering his classroom. He also suffered two broken legs, NBC reports

“We’re not sure how his legs got broken,” his aunt told NBC. “He was on the wrestling team and and he’s done cage-fighting so it does not surprise me that he would act heroically.”

Student Cassandra Welding tells the LA Times she was in a writing class “when she heard a noise that seemed to be coming from next door.”

A classmate opened the door to look. She was shot.

“We were screaming, ‘Close the door! Close the door!’” said Welding, 20.

Another classmate dragged the woman into the room and locked the door. Someone else turned off the lights.

Classmates performed CPR on the woman, who appeared to be shot in the torso.

The sounds kept coming.

Students crawled along the floor to the back right corner of the classroom, getting as far away from the door as possible.

“I was so terrified for my life and I was shaking,” she said.

Someone used 4chan to post about Oregon college shooting in the US before it actually took place.

Blood covered the walls near the student who’d been shot. The wounded woman’s broken glasses lay on the floor.

And a freshman, Hannah Miles, told reporters Mercer may have tried to enter their classroom. Her account, via the New York Daily News:

The death toll was likely limited when a teacher and her students, huddled inside a classroom near the shootings, ignored a knock at their locked door.

“Come on out,” a man’s voice called out. “Come on out.”

Freshman Hannah Miles said the group instead stayed dead silent and ignored his invitation.

Elsewhere, students scattered “like ants,” and at least one woman swam across a creek in an attempt to escape, 23-year-old Brady Winder reportedly told the Roseburg News-Review.

The school says it employs at least one security guard, but he—and all the other people on campus (including, reportedly, several retired law enforcement officers)—were unarmed: “We have a no-guns-on-campus policy,” college president Rita Calvin tells the Los Angeles Times.

The timeline still isn’t entirely clear, but by 1:30 p.m. there was confirmation that the gunman had been shot and killed, reportedly by Sgt. Joe Kaney. In the encounter, which was reportedly recorded, an officer “can be heard describing an exchange of gunfire with the assailant before shouting, ‘The suspect is down!’” Another officer can reportedly be heard requesting “immediate medical assistance.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, all of the victims were transported to Mercy Medical Center, where one person died in the ER, four went into surgery, and three—reportedly women suffering gunshot wounds to the head—were airlifted to another hospital in Eugene “for a higher level of care.” Two others were released Thursday and another victim is expected to be released today. All were shot in the head, abdomen and/or limbs, CNN reports.

Once the shooter had been incapacitated, a student told CNN, FBI agents did a sweep of the classrooms, patted down students and evacuated them on buses to a nearby fairground.

Many of those students held a candlelight vigil for the victims Thursday night.

The Shooter

Oregon officials have identified 26-year-old Chris Harper Mercer as the gunman. Still unclear is his motive and his connection to the college, though one woman tells CNN she was in a theater class with him and thought,“He was a little odd, like sensitive to things.”

Still, Mercer—who was shot and killed by police Thursday—left behind a seemingly detailed online trail that showed him to be a fan of guns, Nazis, the IRA, and mass shootings. In a blog post written by a user under the name lithium_love and registered to an email address associated with Mercer, the author mulled the “limelight” that followed WDBJ shooter Vester Lee Flanagan.

I have noticed that so many people like him are all alone and unknown, yet when they spill a little blood, the whole world knows who they are. A man who was known by no one, is now known by everyone. His face splashed across every screen, his name across the lips of every person on the planet, all in the course of one day. Seems the more people you kill, the more you’re in the limelight.

And I have to say, anyone who knew him could have seen this coming. People like him have nothing left to live for, and the only thing left to do is lash out at a society that has abandoned them.

(The FBI is also investigating a message, seemingly posted to a 4chan message board Wednesday night, that warned users in the northwest not to attend their schools the next day.)

Still he also appeared to be looking for a connection with anyone willing to reach out to a Nazi-themed handle: on a dating website called Spiritual Passions, he reportedly identified himself as “Not Religious,” and stated he was looking for a soulmate.

But it’s clear many people noticed something off about Mercer, who was reportedly born in the UK before moving to California with his parents.

For many years, Mercer reportedly attended the Switzer Learning Center in Torrance, CA—a school for special needs students which lists him as a 2009 graduate. He and his mother moved to Oregon about a year ago, apparently after his mom secured a new job there.

While in Torrance, Mercer, who had a shaved head, was often spotted riding a red bike wearing “military-style, green pants with black boots” but reportedly “didn’t want to talk about it,” when a neighbor asked why.

Friends and acquaintances, speaking with the media, describe Mercer as a loner “who seemed to recoil from social interaction.” One woman tells the New York Times he spent most of his time with his mother, with whom he reportedly shared a one-bedroom apartment before their move to Oregon.

“He always seemed anxious... He always had earphones in, listening to music,” Rosario Lucumi, who rode the bus with Mercer, tells the New York Times.“He and his mother were really close... They were always together.”

Torrance neighbors also report seeing Mercer and his mother carrying what appeared to be matching rifle cases, and, when pressed, Mercer reportedly admitted he liked to practice target shooting.

And by many accounts, Mercer’s mother was fiercely protective and tried to shelter her adult son from daily disturbances. Via the New York Times:

In the offline world, Mr. Mercer’s mother sought to protect him from all manner of neighborhood annoyances, former neighbors in Torrance said, from loud children and barking dogs to household pests. Once, neighbors said, she went door-to-door with a petition to get the landlord to exterminate cockroaches in her apartment, saying they bothered her son.

“She said, ‘My son is dealing with some mental issues, and the roaches are really irritating him,’ ” Julia Winstead, 55, said. “She said they were going to go stay in a motel. Until that time, I didn’t know she had a son.”

Rosario Espinoza, 33, was once a neighbor of Mr. Mercer’s and moved into the apartment that the mother and son shared when the two moved from Torrance a couple of years ago. She said that the two “kept to themselves,” but that from time to time Mr. Mercer’s mother would complain that Ms. Espinoza’s young children were playing too loudly and bothering her son.

“They’re normal children that play, but she would get really upset,” Ms. Espinoza said. “It was during the daytime. But I guess the noise would really upset him, the son.”

But once in Oregon, neighbors say, Mercer had no problem standing up for himself: “He yelled at us, me and my husband [for smoking on our balcony],” his downstairs neighbor told the New York Times. “He was not a friendly type of guy. He did not want anything to do with anyone.”

He would often sit on his own balcony in the dark “with this little light,” another neighbor told the LA Times.

Still, his stepsister says she saw a different side of him.

“All he ever did was put everybody before himself. He wanted everyone to be happy. No matter if he was sad or mad, he would always try to cheer up everybody,” she told NBC.

Mercer’s mother was reportedly spotted “crying her eyes out” after the news broke Thursday.

Mercer’s father, Ian Harper—who reportedly lives in Tarzana with his wife and stepdaughter and didn’t appear to have much contact with his son—tells the LA Times he was “shocked” to hear the news.

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BREAKING NEWS: 2 Awarded The 2015 Nobel Prize In Physics For Neutrino Discovery

October 6, 2015, 8:36 am

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The 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded on Tuesday to :

Japanese scientist Takaaki Kajita

and

Canadian scientist Arthur B. McDonald

for their discovery of neutrino oscillations, "which shows that neutrinos have mass."

According to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the scientists made key contributions to experiments that showed neutrinos change identities.

This discovery "changed our understanding of the innermost workings of matter and can prove crucial to our view of the universe."

Takaaki is the director of Institute for Cosmic Ray Research and a professor at University of Tokyo in Kashiwa, Japan.

McDonald is a professor emeritus at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada.

The winners will split the $960,000 prize, As reported, and will receive a diploma and gold medal during the prize ceremony in December.

The Nobel Prizes in chemistry, literature and peace will be announced later this week. The economics prize will be awarded next Monday.

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Emirates launch Jennifer Aniston campaign

October 6, 2015, 9:59 am

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Emirates has unveiled its new television commercial (TVC) featuring Hollywood actress, director and producer Jennifer Aniston. This marks the first time Emirates has collaborated with the international star in a global digital and TV campaign.

The ad opens with Aniston looking frantically for the onboard shower and lounge but being mocked and ridiculed by the cabin crew, she then awakens in a Private Suite in the Emirates First Class cabin.

Emirates divisional senior vice president, corporate communications, marketing and brand, Boutros Boutros explained: “Jennifer Aniston’s appeal and effortless connection with a global audience makes her the perfect choice for our campaign. As one of the busiest women in Hollywood, Aniston, like many of our customers, enjoys downtime only when she is travelling. At Emirates, we ensure the experience is an exceptional one.

“In a departure from the usual airline industry ads, we chose to take a humorous approach to showcase the amazing products we offer on board. We couldn’t think of anyone better suited for the role than Jennifer Aniston and we wrote the script with her in mind. Her professionalism and comedic talent shone on the set and we are very pleased with the outcome,” he added.

The TVC was directed by industry veteran and Oscar-nominee Bryan Buckley, who is acclaimed for his numerous Super Bowl ads. RKCR/Y&R London developed the concept while the script was a collaboration between the agency, Buckley and Emirates’ in-house advertising team.

The global digital and television campaign will begin in the United States and the UAE before being rolled out in November to other countries where Emirates has a big operational presence – including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, India and Australia.

Emirates has, to date, invested $20 million in securing TV spots worldwide for this campaign, which will have a 30-second and longer 60-second version.

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Flash floods kill 16 on French Riviera

October 6, 2015, 10:05 am

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Flash floods on the French Riviera killed 16 people and five others were reported missing on Sunday, prompting the government to declare a natural disaster in the southeastern tourist region.

People look at damaged cars after flooding caused by torrential rain in Cannes, France

Torrential rain struck the Alpes-Maritimes administrative department on Saturday evening, flooding local towns including Cannes and disrupting transport routes.

The victims included three people killed at a retirement home that was flooded in the village of Biot, and seven inhabitants of the town of Mandelieu-la-Napoule who had attempted to reach their cars in a garage, local government officials said.

Five people were still reported missing on Sunday afternoon, which could push the death toll higher, officials said.

In the resort town of Cannes, home to the prestigious annual film festival, two people were killed, the train station was flooded, and cars were swept along streets by torrents of rain.

Local rail services resumed on Sunday after being suspended overnight, holding up passengers including around 2,000 Italian pilgrims on their way back from Lourdes.

Train services, however, were expected to remain limited for the rest of Sunday, while some roads also continued to be blocked.

Thousands of homes were still without electricity on Sunday afternoon after as many as 70,000 suffered blackouts the previous evening, power network operator ERDF said.

Visiting the affected zone on Sunday, President Francois Hollande said the government would approve natural disaster status for the area at Wednesday's cabinet meeting and pledged relief payments to help cover damage within three months.

Residents were taken by surprise by the exceptionally violent downpour over Alpes-Maritimes, which lies at the eastern end of France's Mediterranean coast and borders Italy.

Cannes registered close to 180 millimeters (7.1 inches) of rain in three hours at the height of the storm, the interior ministry said.

Flights were diverted away from Nice airport on Saturday evening, leaving some passengers stranded overnight, officials said.

A soccer match between Nice and Nantes in the French first division was abandoned midway due to the rain, while hundreds of people were stranded overnight at a concert venue in Nice after attending a show by French rock legend Johnny Hallyday.

Hundreds of police and fire officers were mobilized for search and rescue operations across areas affected by the floods, while police were also drafted in to patrol shopping areas after reports of some looting overnight.

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U.S. JETS STEER CLEAR OF RUSSIANS

October 7, 2015, 1:49 pm

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The U.S. military has had to divert its flight path over Syria because of competing Russian combat flights there, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

In “at least one instance,” the U.S. military had to conduct a “safe maneuver,” Navy Captain Jeff Davis told reporters.

The intent was to “ensure the separation of aircraft.”In “at least one instance,” the U.S. military had to conduct a “safe maneuver,” Navy Captain Jeff Davis told reporters. The intent was to “ensure the separation of aircraft.” A senior defense official told The Daily Beast that the interaction happened two days ago when a Russian flight came within 20 miles of a manned U.S. aircraft flying over eastern Syria.

The self-proclaimed Islamic State dominates much of northeast Syria.

That Russian flights were over eastern Syria suggests that Russia is conducting military movement in territory under the ISIS control, despite U.S. assertions that Russia’s focus is on other opponents to the current Syrian leader.

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BREAKING NEWS : Arizona Freshman Shot 4 in Late-Night Brawl

October 9, 2015, 10:42 am

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Steven Jones, 18, reportedly pulled out a handgun and started shooting in a parking lot fight between students. As one victim died in a friend's arms, he fired again.

<span class='image-component__caption' itemprop="caption">Students comfort each other at a press conference at Northern Arizona University following a shooting where 1 student was killed and 3 people were injured.</span>

Students comfort each other at a press conference at Northern Arizona University following a shooting where 1 student was killed and 3 people were injured.

One student was killed and three others were wounded during a shooting near the Delta Chi fraternity at Northern Arizona University early Friday morning. Early reports indicate that the incident was a fight between students on the Flagstaff campus. Police Chief G.T. Fowler said there was a confrontation between frat members.

The deceased student has been identified as Colin Brough. Nicholas Prato, Kyle Zientek, and Nicholas Piring were hospitalized with gunshot wounds. Their condition is not yet known.

Brough’s LinkedIn page identifies him as a member of the class of 2017. A description written in his freshman year says his major was business marketing. “I am associate member of the Delta Chi fraternity, and a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society,” he wrote.

Here's a picture of Mountain View Resident Hall, where shooting occurred. 1 person killed. 3 others injured

“Friends, my nephew was a casualty in the shooting at NAU,” Prato’s aunt wrote on Facebook, adding that the student was shot in the neck. “Sadly, his best friend was killed in front of him. The shooter is in custody. Please keep the victims and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Stay strong, Nick.”

According to an update posted by the aunt, Prato’s girlfriend was also present during the shooting. She said the girl’s father told her that Prato held Brough as he died, and then was shot. The girl reportedly escaped being shot by running, and the update says that she placed the 911 call.

“Still in a bit of shock right now,” a man who identified himself as Zientek’s stepbrother wrote on Facebook. “He is a strong kid and will overcome this devastating situation.”

Piring is also a junior at the university. His LinkedIn page says he got a full-tuition scholarship, and attends the school’s W.A. Franke College of Business.

The shooter, identified by campus police as Steven Jones, 18, is in custody. The incident was quickly stabilized, but it was not known if students subdued the freshman before police arrived. The students who were hospitalized had what Fowler described as multiple gunshot wounds.

Delta Chi confirmed that some of its members were involved in the shooting in a statement Friday morning. “We do not have any information on the victims nor do we know if the deceased individual is a member of the fraternity,” the statement read. “At this time, we can confirm that this incident had no ties to the chapter.” It is not immediately clear whether Jones was a member of the fraternity.

An Instagram post from an account purportedly belonging to Jones shows him posing with guns. Arizona is a concealed-carry state, but applicants for permits are required to be 21 years old. The Northern Arizona campus also requires separate permission for weapons on campus.

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سرى وخطير للغاية - مقتلى داعش يتم علاجهم بالمستشفيات الإسرائيلية

October 13, 2015, 1:58 am

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TOP SECRET- ISIS FIGHTERS MEDICAL TREATMENT IN ISRAEL

سرى للغاية - مقتلى داعش يتم علاجهم بالمستشفيات الإسرائيلية

ربما الأمر سيكون كالصاعقة للبعض وسيكون نبأ عاديا ومتوقعا للبعض الأخر ولكنها كارثة حقيقية بالفعل ...

لم يكن غريبا أن يخطأ باراك أوباما عندما سقطت منه سهوا كلمة (نحن نمول داعش) ثم عدلها بكلمة (نحن نحارب داعش ونوقف تمويلهم)كما تحجج من قبل بفضيحة التجسس على بريطانيا وفرنسا وألمانيا والقضية الشهيرة التى فجرها عميل المخابرات الأمريكية (سنودن)قبل أن يطلب حق اللجوء السياسى إلى دولة روسيا لحمايته وتغطيته من القنص والقتل لفضحه مخططات أمريكية خبيثة ضخمة بجميع أنحاء العالم وبأن أمريكا هى الشيطان الأكبر للإرهاب فى العالم

كشف الرائد خالد أبو بكر مؤسس الجيش المصرى الأليكترونىعن نبأ كالصاعقة بإختراق حصون أمنية عالية الدقة والسرية عن طريق أحد المراسلين الذى إكتشف سرا خطيرا للغاية بتصوير مقاتل شرس مطلوبا دوليا من تنظيم "داعش "الإرهابى الدولى يتم علاجه في أحد المستشفيات الإسرائيلية وذلك بالقرب من الحدود مع سوريا حيث يوجد مقر المستشفى العلاجى المطور بأحدث الأجهزة ونظرا لتكلفته العالية لا يرتاده إلا فئة قليلة من الأغنياء .

بأيدى خائفة ومرتعشة أن يتم كشفه قام أحد المراسلين بفضح هذا السر الخطير خوفا من أن يتم كشفه وتصفيته فورا وقام بتصوير هذا المقاتل الداعشى داخل غرفة العناية المركزة ..و بالكشف عن هذا المقاتل الاجنبي الذى تم تصويره تبين انه "شاؤول ماكاييف "و الذي يعمل في جهاز الخدمة السرى بالإستخبارات الصهيونيه والمعروف جيد بأنه هو الذي كان يقود مجموعه من المقاتلين في سوريا وذكر أنه من قام بتدريب بعض المقاتلين الأجانب على كيفية إستخدام وإطلاق صواريخ غاز السارين القاتل المحرم دوليا ليفتك بالمدنيين ويزج بسوريا لتحقيق دولى عاجل بالأمم المتحدة ثم الى التدمير وأتون حرب لا يعلم مداها إلا الله بواسطة طائرات حلف الناتو وليكون مصيرها أسوء من مصير ما حدث بالعراق ..

تدرب شاؤول بجهاز الشين بيت الإستخباراتى وكأن أحد أفراد خلية التتبع والتصفية الكبرى والسرية قبل أن يتم تكليفه بتلك المهمة ويعمل أكثر من 94 مقاتل أجنبى تحت لوائه للتكليف بعمليات القنص والإستهداف عن بعد والمدربين على مهمات الإختطاف والقتال الحر بأحدث الأسلحة المتطورة والصواريخ الموجهة التى لا يمكن إمتلاكها إلا لدول عظمى وليس لمجموعة من أفراد العصابات المسلحة مثل صاروح سام 7 الذى أطلق على الطيار المقاتل المصرى أحمد أبو العطا فى طائرته الهليكوبتر فى سيناء وإسقاطه وقتله هو ومجموعته وأسلحة أخرى إستخدمت ضد معسكرات وكمائن الجيش المصرى فى سيناء ..وتبين تصفيه بعض من أفراد مجموعة شاؤول أثناء القصف الروسى الشرس المتواصل برا وبحرا وجوا عليهم بعد رصدهم بالأقمار الصناعية وبمساعدة الطائرات بدون طيار الموجهة وإستهدافهم عن بعد..

الجيش المصرى الأليكترونى..خالد أبو بكر...(مخترقينكو)

وبعد إصابة شاؤول من نتيجة عمليات القصف المتواصل التى تحاول الولايات المتحدة تبريره بأنه هجوما على المدنيين للتغطية على المبعوثين من الإستخبارات الإسرائيلية حليفتها بالشرق الأوسط والمكلفة بتنفيذ كافة المخططات الخبيثة فى الدول العربية والكيان العربى..

و يتبين بذلك ما هو سر إعتراض أميركا على الضربة الروسية المكثفة لتجفيف منابع الإرهاب بالشرق الأوسط لمساعدة حليفتها وإبنتها الصغرى إسرائيل فى ممارساتها القمعية ضد الفلسطينيين والمدنيين العزل وباقى عملياتها القذرة فى الشرق الأوسط..

وذلك لنشر الإرهاب تحت غطاء ومظلة أمريكية تلوح بها دبلوماسيا وبحجة أن روسيا تضرب المدنين وتقتل الأبرياء بدون وجه حق لتظهر للعالم الوجه الزائف بأنها تراعى حقوق الإنسان وتحرص على سلامة المدنيين وبأنها دولة العدل والديمقراطية متناسية تصرفاتها العنصرية ضد المدنيين السود فى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية حتى القرن الواحد والعشرين وبأنها هى من أسست تنظيم داعش لمحاربة الأنظمة القمعية بالشرق الأوسط حسب الإعترافات التى أدلت بها هيلارى كلينتون عفويا بأحد الإجتماعات وهى مخمورة...

بغرفة العناية المركزة ...

بعد إصابة شاؤول فقد تم نقله لمقر الكيان الصهيوني لتلقي العلاج والرعاية المكثفة......... حيث تم رصده و تصويره هناك

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