Current Breaking News

It's a well-worn (if not-entirely-agreed-upon) idea that college makes people more liberal. But a new report adds a twist to this: the most educated Americans have grown increasingly liberal over the last couple of decades.

A report from the Pew Research Center finds a wide partisan gap between highly educated and non-highly-educated americans. Not only that, but the share of college grads and post-graduates who are "consistently liberal" (based on their answers to a series of policy questions) has grown sharply in the last 20 years.

In 1994, 7 percent of post-grads were "consistently liberal," and 1 percent of people with high school educations or less were — not much of a difference. Today, the gap is 25 points wide — 31 percent of people with post-grad educations are consistently liberal, compared to 5 percent of those with high school educations or less.

The same kind of change just hasn't happened on the conservative side.

Split it out by party, and the shift is even starker. Among the post-grad set, more than half of Democrats and Democratic-leaners today are "consistently liberal," up from fewer than one-in-five in 1994. Likewise, among college grads, it jumped from 12 to 47.

This squares with something Pew found last year: while the partisan identification of people without college degrees have held steady over the last couple of decades, people with college degrees increasingly identify as Democratic or lean that wa

22.17.00

Four Grandchildren Killed In Texas Flood

A grandmother and four of her grandchildren have been killed after tornadoes and torrential rain caused flooding in Texas.

They escaped from a flooded house in Timber Drive, Palestine, 100 miles southeast of Dallas, and were then swept away in the torrent.

Palestine police Captain James Muniz said the bodies of Lenda Asberry, 64, and her grandchildren Jamonicka Johnson, six, Von Anthony Johnson, seven, Devonte Asberry, eight, and nine-year-old Venetia Asberry were later found by emergency services.

He said the water had reached the roofline of some houses in the block.

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm alert for the Houston area, where flooding has killed eight people this month.

There is also a flash flood warning from Texas stretching into western Tennessee.

"Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected today into this evening across the lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley, Ozarks and the Ohio Valley," it said.

There were seven tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma on Friday.

A twister caused damage to several buildings in Ninnekah, about 50 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.

21.47.00

iPhone May Solve Mystery Of Teens Lost At Sea

A rusty iPhone may provide clues to the disappearance of two teenagers whose boat was found washed up 1,000 miles away off Bermuda.

Experts at Apple are to examine the phone to try to find out what happened to Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen, who were last seen on 24 July when they left Jupiter, Florida, for a fishing trip.

The 14-year-olds were spotted in distress on the day of their disappearance and there was another sighting two days later, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) said.

It has released video footage of the boys sailing out of Jupiter Inlet Light for the trip.

Two days later, a pilot involved in the search was flying off the Georgia coast when he saw two pieces of white debris tied together with an orange life jacket.

He flew lower and saw someone waving their hands.

He climbed to 1,500ft so he could radio controllers and when he went back down he could no longer find the make-shift raft.

The Coast Guard searched the area and could not find anything.

Then, last month, a Norwegian freighter spotted the boys' upturned boat off Bermuda.

There was no trace of the boys, but Austin's rusty iPhone 6 was found in the 19ft-long vessel.

On Friday, nine months after their disappearance, the teenagers' families agreed to allow Apple to examine the phone's data.

Perry's mother had sued Austin's parents and the FWC to have the phone examined by an independent third party after the commission released it to the Stephanos family.

Investigators tried to use phone records to track down the teens' location but were told they needed a search warrant.

"Phone records did not show the text, data information and cell tower information needed to locate phone," a 128-page report by the FWC said.

"Family asked AT&T and they were denied, saying they would have to have a law enforcement subpoena."

Since the search was not part of a criminal investigation, Snapchat, Instagram and AT&T would not release information from the phone.

The fishing boat was taken to Norway, and is now on its way back to Florida.

21.43.00

Hordes Of Protesters Storm Trump Speech Venue

Hundreds of raucous protesters stormed a California hotel on Friday shortly before Donald Trump made a speech at the venue.

It came as the Republican White House front runner made a speech to the party's state convention.

The hordes of demonstrators broke through barricades to get to the front doors of the Hyatt Regency near San Francisco airport and threw eggs at police before being driven back by officers in riot gear.

Some protesters infiltrated the building and hung a giant banner reading: "Stop Hate."

The protest comes a day after at least 20 people were arrested as Trump supporters and opponents clashed outside a rally in Southern California.

Mr Trump had to enter the besieged venue in the city of Burlingame on Friday by the back door.

Aerial footage showed the 69-year-old emerging from a motorcade, flanked by Secret Service agents, and walking up a small dirt hill at the side of a road.

"That was not the easiest entrance," he said as he began his speech, quipping that it "felt like I was crossing the border".

The real estate baron, whose outsider campaign has upheaved the Republican party, was making his case to California's conservative establishment.

During his speech, Mr Trump called for the party to unify behind him but added that even if it doesn't, he thinks he can beat Hillary Clinton.

"There has to be unity in our party," he said.

Mr Trump's two rivals for the Republican nomination, Ted Cruz and John Kasich, were also addressing the party's state convention on Friday.

But most of the protesters' invective seemed to be directed at the Manhattan property mogul.

On Thursday night, violence erupted during demonstrations at a Trump rally in the city of Costa Mesa.

The front and back windows of a police car were smashed and its roof was dented.

A Trump supporter suffered a bloodied face in a scuffle as he tried to drive out of the arena.

The Pacific Amphitheatre was filled to its 18,000-strong capacity and many hundreds more were turned away.

California holds its Republican primary on 7 June.

Voters in the heavily Latino state of California have objected to Mr Trump's immigration proposals and comments he has made about Mexicans.

21.22.00

Syrian Government Airstrikes in Aleppo Kill 5

About 30 airstrikes by Syrian government warplanes and helicopter gunships hit rebel-held areas of the northern city of Aleppo on Saturday, killing at least five people.

According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, nearly 250 civilians have died in shelling, rocket fire and air raids in the contested city since April 22. Among those killed were at least 50 people in a hospital that was hit in an airstrike.

The surge of violence came as the International Committee of the Red Cross warned that the intensification of fighting could bring many people closer to a humanitarian disaster in Aleppo, Syria's largest city and former commercial center.

Kerry to Geneva

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Geneva on Sunday for talks on Syria. The State Department said in a Saturday release that Kerry would discuss efforts to reaffirm a cessation of hostilities throughout the country.

Kerry called the U.N. envoy to Syria and the Syrian negotiations coordinator in preparation for the trip. State Department spokesman John Kirby said the secretary made it clear that ending the violence in Aleppo and returning ultimately to a durable, nationwide cessation was a top priority.

Kerry also expressed his concern about the Assad regime's continued escalation of the conflict by predominantly targeting innocent civilians.

Aleppo was left out of the temporary U.S.-Russian-brokered cease-fire that took effect early Saturday in Syria (2200 UTC Friday). It was set to last for 24 hours in Damascus and the Eastern Ghouta region and appeared to be holding.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said similar truce plans for Latakia would test the commitment that all of the parties made to the initial cessation of hostilities.

“This is a recommitment, and it is a test for the Russians, for the regime as well as for the opposition,” he said.

Rebels continued to hit government-controlled neighborhoods in Aleppo with rocket and artillery fire. Similarly, the Syrian government also kept up its bombing raids.

More than 80 international and Syrian NGOs signed an urgent statement Friday demanding that U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin respond to appeals by the United Nations to try to stop the bloodshed.

From Geneva, U.N. rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said this week's violence in Syria showed a "monstrous disregard for civilians" lives by all parties to the conflict."

Rebels demanding the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the government troops opposing them control separate parts of Aleppo, and portions of the surrounding province are in the hands of numerous other fighters, including members of al-Qaida and the Islamic State terror group.

20.05.00

Parents of Hawaii boy missing since 1997 charged with murder nearly two decades after disappearance

HILO, Hawaii — The parents of a Hawaii boy who has been missing for nearly 20 years have been charged with murder after authorities reopened the case and re-evaluated the evidence.

The boy's parents have long been suspects in the 1997 disappearance of then 6-year-old Peter Kema Jr., known as "Peter Boy," but prosecutors said there hadn't been enough evidence to charge them until now.

Peter Kema Sr. had told authorities he took his son to Oahu and gave him to a longtime family friend.

A grand jury indicted Peter and Jaylin Kema on second-degree murder charges Wednesday. The boy's father is being held on $500,000 bail after being arrested Thursday on an unrelated traffic offense. The mother was arrested in Hilo and her bail has been set at $150,000.

t's not clear whether the parents have attorneys. The Hilo public defender's office said they couldn't confirm or deny they were representing the parents.

The young boy in the late 1990s and early 2000s became the face of a campaign for missing and abused children. Posters and bumper stickers asked, "Where's Peter Boy?"

His father told authorities he took the child to Oahu and gave him to an "Aunty Rose Makuakane" in an informal adoption. Police could not find a woman as described by Kema or airline records indicating he had flown there.

In 2005, then-state Human Services Director Lillian Koller released more than 2,000 pages of heavily redacted documents, with details of abuse allegedly suffered by Peter Boy and his siblings at the hands of their father.

The youngest, Devalynn, told a psychologist in 1998 that she saw Peter Boy dead in a box, but the then-5-year-old girl also told the psychologist her brother was alive in Honolulu. The psychologist noted the girl's understanding of death was consistent with her age and could lead her to believe a person could become alive again after death.

The girl, now an adult and known as Lina Acol, also told the psychologist that Peter Sr. gave both Peter Boy and her mother "dirty lickins," which she described as punching, hitting and slapping, and that Peter Boy was tied up with chains and ropes.

The boys' parents had denied any wrongdoing.

19.57.00

Woman riding scooter is hit, killed by duck boat filled with 30 passengers in Boston

A 29-year-old woman was killed and her passenger was injured after the scooter she was driving was struck by an amphibious sightseeing vehicle in downtown Boston on Saturday.

The crash happened around 11:30 a.m. right near public park Boston Common when the vessel, known as a duck boat, collided with the scooter.

The woman and her male passenger were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where the woman died from her injuries, according to Boston police Officer Rachel McGuire. The passenger suffered non-life threatening injuries, McGuire added.

There were about 30 passengers on the duck boat when the crash happened, McGuire said. There were no other injuries.

Started in 1994, Boston Duck Tours float on the Charles River and stop at Boston historical spots like Bunker Hill, Faneuil Hall and Trinity Church.

Bob Schwartz, a Boston Duck Tours spokesman, said in an email that the group is cooperating with police and trying to obtain video footage to see what happened.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. No further details were immediately available.

This is not the first mishap on the nation’s roads and waterways involving duck boats.

A duck boat crashed into a charter bus, killing five passengers on the bus last year in Seattle. Two Hungarian tourists were killed in 2010 when a sightseeing duck boat was hit by a barge on the Delaware River near Philadelphia.

Also in Philadelphia, a Ride the Ducks vehicle struck and killed a woman in 2015 who witnesses say was crossing the street, distracted by her cellphone.

Duck boats were first used by the U.S. Army when it deployed thousands of amphibious landing craft during World War II that were known then by their military designation, DUKW. Once the war was over, they were used by civilian law enforcement agencies and also converted to sightseeing vehicles in U.S. cities. The DUKW designation was replaced with the duck boat moniker that is used by various tour companies.

19.37.00

Amy Schumer vows to never take photos with fans after a man ‘scared the s--t’ out of her

Celebrity

Fans looking to take a photo with Amy Schumer are out of luck.

After the "Trainwreck" star was scared by a fan in South Carolina, she took to Instagram Saturday to share her new no-picture policy, along with a photo of the man.

"This guy in front of his family just ran up next to me scared the s--- out of me. Put a camera in my face. I asked him to stop and he said, 'No, it's America and we paid for you' this was in front of his daughter."

The run-in occurred Saturday in Greenville, where the comedian performed Friday night.

"I was saying stop and no. Great message to your kid. Yes legally you are allowed to take a picture of me. But I was asking you to stop and saying no. I will not take picture with people.

This guy in front of his family just ran up next to me scared the shit out of me. Put a camera in my face. I asked him to stop and he said " no it's America and we paid for you" this was in front of his daughter. I was saying stop and no. Great message to your kid. Yes legally you are allowed to take a picture of me. But I was asking you to stop and saying no. I will not take picture with people anymore and it's because of this dude in Greenville.

A photo posted by @amyschumer on Apr 30, 2016 at 9:23am PDT

anymore and it's because of this dude in Greenville," she wrote.

Fortunately, the 34-year-old's Southern stop wasn't all bad.

The comic and writer shared a video from her Greenville stop, set to Aliyah's "Are You That Somebody," where she's seen eating lobster and posing with some less-intrusive fans.

She later thanked her fans for their support and walked back her outright ban on fan photos, writing on Twitter, "I'll still take pictures with nice people when I choose to if it's a good time for that.

"But I don't owe you anything," she wrote. "So don't take if I say no."

Later in the day, she posted of picture of herself with a horse and the caption, "Day turned around with Harley" and added another pic on the same theme, captioned: "F the haters! Much love to the lovers."

18.30.00

North Carolina mother and daughter miraculously saved four frigid nights after getting lost on hike in New Zealand

A heroic North Carolina mother and her daughter were rescued by a helicopter crew after getting lost on a hike and spending four frigid nights in the New Zealand wilderness.

Carolyn Lloyd, 45, and her daughter, Rachel, 22, of Charlotte, N.C., were miraculously spotted in the Tararua Forest with the assistance of a “HELP” sign they constructed out of brush, rocks and logs, the New Zealand Herald reported.

“They were physically and mentally very tired so it's fair to say they were pretty pleased to see us," Jason Diedrichs, the helicopter pilot who spotted the two women waving their arms near their homemade sign, told the New Zealand Herald.

“They were a little bit worse for wear, they’d been in there for four nights out in the open with very little food so they were definitely feeling the effects of that.”

The pair had spent over four arduous days in the exotic park after setting out on what was supposed to be a one-day hike in the New Zealand bush on Tuesday.

Rachel Lloyd is a graduate of North Carolina State University, but was living in New Zealand to attend Massey University.

Her mother was visiting at the time and the two avid hikers decided to trek while together in the island country.

The pair strayed from the path after misreading the signs on their way out — and never made it out by nightfall, according to what Carolyn’s husband told a New Zealand reporter.

Temperatures in the area dipped as low as 40 degrees at night before wind chill made it feel even colder.

"My wife was frightened to death. She stayed awake all night and held my daughter to keep her warm,” Barry Lloyd told the New Zealand Herald.

“The next day when the sun came up they got up and tried to find their way out but it just kept getting worse."

Carolyn Lloyd valiantly carried her weak daughter on her back as days went by without food.

"My daughter was getting weaker. She doesn't have a lot of extra meat on her bones and she couldn't walk so my wife told me she was carrying her on her back, trying to walk back up the mountains,” Barry Lloyd said.

"She had a backpack with her so she was carrying that on her front and my daughter on her back."

Meanwhile, authorities were alerted to the pair’s whereabouts when they discovered their rental car parked near the entrance to the park two days after they failed to check into their hotel, WSOC TV reported.

Helicopter crews scanned the area and eventually spotted the two women, who were treated for dehydration and exhaustion but are otherwise healthy.

New Zealand authorities hailed the two women for their survival instincts.

"They've done all the right things. They've stayed together, they've conserved their heat, they've conserved their resources so they gave themselves the best chance possible," Sergeant Anthony Harmer told the New Zealand Herald.

Jumat, 29 April 2016

22.09.00

Apple Will Analyze iPhone of Teen Missing at Sea

Apple will analyze the recovered iPhone that may hold the key to what happened last summer when two Florida teens disappeared on a boating trip, according to an agreement reached by the teens' parents in court today.

The recovered iPhone belonged to 14-year-old Austin Stephanos, who went missing while on a boat trip with Perry Cohen, also 14, in July. The Coast Guard led an eight-day search in the Atlantic, covering 50,000 nautical miles. The boys' bodies were never found.

But Austin's iPhone was on board when the boys' boat was recovered last month about 100 miles off the coast of Bermuda.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission gave the recovered iPhone to Austin’s father, Blu Stephanos, but Perry's mother, Pam Cohen, took the issue to court, fighting to hand the phone over to experts.

At today's emergency hearing, an attorney for the Stephanos family said, "Apple has already agreed to take in the phone" and analyze it for answers.

The phone will be sent to Apple to be analyzed and all evidence will be sealed and sent back to court, according to the agreement reached this afternoon. Apple declined to comment.

Cohen called for today's emergency hearing after filing a civil lawsuit, demanding to know why Florida Fish and Wildlife officers gave the phone to Austin's father instead of experts, according to ABC West Palm Beach affiliate WPBF-TV.

An injunction signed by Cohen Sunday said: "the Plaintiff believes the information on Austin’s iPhone must be collected by technology experts who have the expertise required to extract such data without unnecessary risks of losing such information inadvertently or due to inexperience in such highly technical matters."

Cohen's lawyer said at the hearing today that "a mother has the legal right ... to exhaust all legal possibilities," and that Cohen is entitled to information about what happened on the boat.

Stephanos' attorney stressed today that his client was "going to take every means necessary to have that phone forensically analyzed."

17.27.00

Briton Killed In Norway Helicopter Crash

A Briton is among 13 people killed in a helicopter crash near the city of Bergen in Norway, the UK Foreign Office has confirmed.

Police spokesman Morten Kronen said the Eurocopter EC225LP was "totally smashed" in the crash in the North Sea.

The aircraft had its maintenance servicing delayed twice, according to Norway's Civil Aviation Authority.

A witness told Norwegian media that the helicopter's rotor was seen flying away from the helicopter before it crashed.

Wreckage of the rotor was found lying onshore, up to 300m away from the rest of the helicopter.

"While I looked up, the rotor loosened and disappeared towards the north," John Atle Sekkingstad told local newspaper Bergens Tidende.

"After that, the helicopter turned north and I saw fire at the top of the helicopter, where the rotor had been attached. It caught fire before it crashed."

Eleven Norwegians and an Italian were also on the flight, which crashed close to the country's west coast as it transported workers from a North Sea offshore oil field.

Search operations which had hoped to find any remaining survivors have now ended. Eleven bodies have been recovered.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have offered our support to the family of a British national who has sadly died in a helicopter crash in Bergen, Norway.

"Our thoughts are with all those affected. We will remain in contact with local authorities."

Accident investigators from Britain are being sent to help assist with the inquiry.

The UK and Norwegian Civil Aviation Authorities have since imposed flying bans on the model of aircraft involved in the crash.

Weather conditions at the time of the crash were normal.

State-owned Statoil, which operates the Gullfaks B platform which the helicopter was flying from, have stopped production at the site.

Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg has described the news as "horrible".

17.25.00

Child Porn Suspect Appeals In Password Case

A police sergeant imprisoned for refusing to decrypt his hard drives following a child pornography investigation has launched an appeal.

Francis Rawls was remanded in custody in October after being found in contempt of court for refusing an order to hand over his Apple 'File Vault' passwords to detectives.

He was told he would be incarcerated until he complies.

Police had searched Rawls' home and seized an Apple Mac Pro, an iPhone 6 and two external hard drives after his sister alleged they had viewed indecent images of children together.

An expert said it was his "best guess" that the hard drives contained child abuse images after Pennsylvania prosecutors had monitored anonymous peer-to-peer file sharing service Freenet.

The 36-year-old Philadelphia police sergeant was suspended from duty following his arrest and has reportedly told officers he cannot remember the encryption codes.

Rawls' lawyer has filed an appeal arguing his indefinite detention without charge is unconstitutional as it breaches the Fifth Amendment that prevents self-incrimination.

He has so far spent seven months in Philadelphia's Federal Detention Centre.

The original ruling referred to case law which recognised that "civil contempt orders are intended to be coercive … and do not require a jury trial.

"The contemnor will be released subject to compliance with some condition. He is thus understood to carry the keys of his prison in his own pocket."

The court applied the All Writs Act 1789, the same law the Justice Department tried to use against Apple over its refusal to hack into the phone of one of the people who carried out the San Bernardino attack.

17.18.00

Woman Who Cut Baby From Stranger's Womb Jailed

A Colorado woman convicted of attempted murder after cutting a seven-month-old foetus from the womb of an expectant mother has been sentenced to a total of 100 years in prison.

A jury found Dynel Lane guilty in February of attempting to kill Michelle Wilkins on 18 March 2015 in the Denver suburb of Longmont.

The 36-year-old was also convicted of four felony assault charges and another felony count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy.

Lane got off lightly in Friday's sentencing as prosecutors had pressed for the maximum sentence of 188 years.

She had spent months faking a pregnancy before she lured Ms Wilkins, 28, to her apartment with a Craigslist ad for maternity clothes.

Lane bludgeoned Ms Wilkins over the head with a lava lamp and stabbed her in the neck with the broken glass.

She then cut Ms Wilkins' abdomen, took the unborn baby and left the woman for dead.

The child, later named Aurora, did not survive the attack.

Ms Wilkins addressed her attacker in court on Friday in front of a poster-sized photo of Aurora.

"It is clear that you need healing and I hope that you get it," Ms Wilkins told Lane.

Prosecutors said they could not charge Lane with murder in the unborn baby's death because of state law.

Colorado Republicans introduced legislation that would have allowed such a murder charge, but Democrats rejected the measure.

Some 38 US states have made a foetus' killing a homicide despite objections from abortion-rights supporters.

17.12.00

Pentagon Disciplines 16 For Deadly Afghan Raid

The Pentagon says 16 US military personnel have been disciplined over a botched gunship attack that left dozens dead at an Afghan hospital.

But the US military said last year's raid on the Doctors Without Borders site, which killed 42 people, was not a war crime because it was unintentional.

US Central Command chief General Joseph Votel said they crews had thought they were attacking a Taliban base, not a hospital.

The personnel responsible for the 3 October 2015 attack would receive administrative punishments, said the Defence Department.

But there will be no criminal charges and no one is facing a court martial.

A two-star general, other officers and special ops troops are among the 16 being disciplined.

The hospital in the northern city of Kunduz was attacked by an AC-130 gunship, which is armed with side-firing cannons and guns.

Gen Votel told a news conference: "The label 'war crimes' is typically reserved for intentional acts - intentional targeting (of) civilians or intentionally targeting protected objects or locations.

"Again, the investigation found that the incident resulted from a combination of unintentional human errors, process errors and equipment failures, and that none of the personnel knew they were striking a hospital."

Gen Votel said the hospital was on a US military no-strike list, but the gunship crew had no access to that information.

The mission was launched on short notice, which meant the crews did not have the data loaded to their onboard systems, he added.

He expressed "deepest condolences" to the victims.

Survivors and families of the victims said on Friday they were angry no US military personnel would face criminal charges.

Zabihullah Neyazi, a nurse who was maimed in the attack, told the Associated Press the incident was "not forgivable".

Doctors Without Borders previously called the attack "relentless and brutal".

The US Air Force special operation was unleashed as Afghan forces fought to retake Kunduz from the Taliban.

Afghan officials claimed the hospital had been occupied by the Taliban, though no evidence has emerged to support that claim.

President Barack Obama apologised for what was one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in the 15-year war.

The US command in Kabul has offered compensation to more than 140 families and individuals.

The payouts include $3,000 to those injured in the attack and $6,000 to relatives of those killed.

17.06.00

Hillsborough: New Police Chief Offers To Quit

The acting chief constable of South Yorkshire Police has offered to step down - just 24 hours after being appointed.

Dawn Copley was promoted from her role as deputy chief constable after her boss David Crompton was forced out of his job on Wednesday following public anger over the Hillsborough disaster.

He was suspended six months before he was reportedly due to retire as chief constable of the force, which was heavily criticised by families of the 96 people killed in the stadium tragedy.

Mrs Copley offered to quit after it emerged her conduct at her previous employer, Greater Manchester Police, is being investigated.

The allegations reportedly involve a group of senior officers accused of "corrupt practice".

Greater Manchester Police confirmed "an independent investigation was undertaken by Kent Police following a number of allegations".

South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings said Mrs Copley had "offered to step back to her substantive role" while another candidate is sought.

He said he had been made fully aware of the allegations when Mrs Copley was originally appointed as deputy chief constable.

Dr Billings added: "As this matter has not yet been concluded I am unable to comment publicly on the allegations and the outcome, but as soon as I am able, I will do so.

"In the meantime, Mrs Copley has my full support. However, Mrs Copley has made clear to me that she does not want any further negative publicity or criticism to be levelled at the force.

"In the interests of the force and the workforce she has therefore offered to step back to her substantive role."

It comes as families expressed outrage after the secretary of the South Yorkshire branch of the National Association of Retired Police Officers (NARPO) posted online that officers had done a "good job" despite the deaths of the 96 Liverpool fans.

Rick Naylor, whose comments have since been removed, said ex-officers acted with "dignity" despite the "bile and hatred" aimed at them.

The jury at the inquests ruled the 96 fans were unlawfully killed - and the behaviour of supporters was not a factor in the tragedy at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final.

Jurors also concluded blunders by the police and ambulance services "caused or contributed to" the deaths.

17.06.00

Two Men And A Woman Charged With Terrorism

Two men and a woman from the Small Heath area of Birmingham have been charged with terrorism offences.

Mohammed Ali Ahmed, 26, Zakaria Boufassil, 26, and Soumaya Boufassil, 29, were arrested two weeks ago and questioned by West Midlands detectives.

They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court in London later.

Ahmed and Zakaria Boufassil are accused of supplying money for terrorism purposes on or before 7 July 2015.

Ahmed is also accused with Soumaya Boufassil of collecting money for terrorism between 1 January 2015 and 8 April 2016.

The trio were among five people arrested on 14 and 15 April.

A fourth man − Fazal Sajjad Younis Khan, 40, also from Small Heath - has been charged with possession of CS spray.

A 59-year-old man remains on bail with strict conditions while the investigation continues. (SKYNEWS)

17.06.00

British Cyclist Fails Drugs Test In Competition

A British cyclist has failed a drugs test during a competition, the sport's governing body has confirmed.

Simon Yates tested positive for Terbutaline on 12 March while racing from Paris to Nice - and according to his team, the substance was being used to treat "documented asthma problems".

In a statement, Orica-GreenEdge explained a team doctor had made an "administrative error" by failing to apply for the Therapeutic Use Exemption required for professional cyclists who need medication.

"There has been no wrongdoing on Simon Yates' part," a spokesperson added.

"The team takes full responsibility for this mistake and wishes to underline their support for Simon during this process."

Mr Yates, from Bury in Greater Manchester, joined the Australian group in 2014.

The 23-year-old has been described as one of Britain's brightest prospects, and was tipped to be part of TeamGB's road race squad at the Rio Olympics later this year.

His potential anti-doping violation will be investigated by the International Cycling Union.

In a statement, British Cycling added: "It would be inappropriate to comment further until the process has been completed."

UK Anti-Doping has refused to discuss or disclose details of the case until the legal process has been completed, and an anti-doping rule violation is deemed to have been committed.

This is the latest controversy to rock British Cycling in days.

The organisation recently suspended its technical director, Shane Sutton, while allegations he made sexist and discriminatory remarks are investigated.

It has also been claimed that the head of British Cycling, Ian Drake, was aware of the allegations against Sutton but failed to act.

Meanwhile, the embattled governing body has also denied that high-performance bikes and skinsuits provided by UK Sport have been sold on for profit - with some pieces of equipment costing around £10,000 each.

Upon hearing about the doping allegation, Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy tweeted: "And just when you thought the week couldn't get any more depressing."

17.05.00

Man Left With Half A Skull After 'Savage' Attack

A man has been left with half a skull after what police have described as a "savage and despicable" attack.

Kirk Hutchinson was found lying unconscious on a pavement with severe head injuries by officers following reports of a disturbance involving several males in the town of Bacup, Lancashire.

The 52-year-old of Stacksteads, a neighbouring village, required surgery for a bleed on the brain and was placed in a medically induced coma.

He has been left with life-changing injuries following the brutal assault on the evening of 26 October last year,

Mr Hutchinson is still in hospital and police say he will probably need medical care for the rest of his life.

Seven men aged 20 to 33 and a 38-year-old woman were arrested near the time in connection with the attack. All were released without charge.

Six months on, Lancashire Police have renewed an appeal for witnesses and released images of Mr Hutchinson - before and after the attack.

They believe he was attacked by a group of men wearing dark clothing, scarves and balaclavas.

Detective Inspector Andy Cribbin said: "This was a particularly vicious and cowardly assault on a defenceless individual.

"Despite making some initial arrests, we have yet to charge those responsible for carrying out this attack. This must change.

"We are appealing to the community to provide information which could help us with our investigation.

"We believe at least two people saw the attack and would ask them and any others to come forward with information.

"This was a savage and despicable assault and Mr Hutchinson deserves justice."

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

17.05.00

High Jumper Left Paralysed In Backflip Mishap

An Olympic high jumper who was paralysed after a backflip went wrong has posted a video from his hospital bed to let fans and friends know his condition is improving.

Retired US athlete Jamie Nieto had attempted his signature move but did not complete the rotation and slipped, landing on his head.

The accident happened a few days ago as he was coaching a group of jumpers in Los Angeles.

The 39-year-old athlete, who finished fourth at the 2004 Athens Olympics and sixth at the 2012 London Games, was taken to the USC Trauma Center after suffering numbness throughout his body.

He was unable to move his arms and legs and was struggling to breathe.

Once at hospital, he began to regain some feeling in his hands and feet, but he could not move any of his limbs.

Nieto said: "I could still feel my body but it was numb and tingly and I couldn't move."

However, he is now starting to "move more stuff" and is "breathing better".

Test results indicated there were no breaks of the spine or cut in the spinal cord.

He said a disc in his neck slipped and hit a nerve.

He has now had surgery and each day he is regaining strength.

In his video, he said: "A lot of things come into perspective when something like this happens - makes you realise stuff like this can happen to anybody.

"One day you're floating along and life is going well and everything is cool.

"Maybe you get in a car accident or do training things and flip and hit your head.

"You never know what can happen.

"I'd like to thank God I'm still alive."

He has also thanked people for their support:

"For me, seeing the overwhelming response really let me know how many peoples' lives that I've touched."

Nieto does not have health insurance but fellow athletes have helped him out with medical costs by setting up a fund page that has already raised tens of thousands of dollars.

His agent Paul Doyle has said there is a positive outlook and Nieto could make a full recovery.

17.03.00

Video Shows Florida Teens Leaving Inlet the Day They Went Missing

Newly released video shows missing Florida teens Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen as they pull out of the Jupiter inlet by boat the day they went missing.

In the video, both 14-year-olds are shirtless and wearing dark-colored shorts. At one point, Stephanos takes off his hat, showing his blond hair and indicating he was driving the 19-foot single-engine boat as Cohen sits on the boat's edge, facing him.

The video, which shows several different angles of the boys as they cruise through the inlet lined with luxury homes, was released as part of the investigation into their disappearance.

The boat was found on March 18 off the coast of Bermuda, the U.S. Coast Guard announced last weekend. An iPhone belonging to Stephanos was recovered from the boat.

The boys' parents initially feuded over what to do with the phone, with Perry's mother, Pam, taking the issue to court. They eventually agreed today to have Apple analyze the iPhone, which may hold the key to what happened to the boys.

The teens, both experienced boaters, went missing on July 24. They were last seen buying more than $100 worth of fuel at the marina in Jupiter.

16.03.00

A hummingbird plays with the California dog that saved her

A tiny California hummingbird that was recused by a dog named Rex and his owner, Ed Gernon, loves being able play with her new friends.

10.45.00

Missouri Cops Rescued From Elevator With 'Severely Injured' Egos

A dozen Kansas City police officers were rescued Wednesday afternoon after getting stuck in an elevator, officials said.

The Missouri cops were training at the police academy when an elevator apparently stopped because of their combined weight.

Academy staff had to make an “embarrassing” call to the fire department for a rescue team, officials said.

“They had some good-natured fun,” Kansas City Fire Department spokesman James Garrett said. “It’s always a treat when you’re in the helping business and you get to help fellow brothers out.”

Tim Duplin of the fire department said, “They thought it was funny. It’s a good, fun rivalry that we have. We do charitable events, and softball tournaments together, but this was an unexpected encounter.”

A photo of the rescue quickly trended on social media with more than 7,000 shares on Facebook and 500 retweets on Twitter. The Kansas City Police Department posted the photo to its Facebook page Wednesday, saying, "Well, this is embarrassing."

None of the twelve officers was injured.

“Everyone was physically safe,” the police department said, “but egos were severely injured.”

10.34.00

Kerry, Lavrov Expected To Discuss Situation in Syria Friday - State Depart

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are expected to discuss the situation in Syria on Friday, a senior US Department of State official told journalists on Friday.

"The Secretary [Kerry] has just spoken or is speaking with [Russian Foreign] Minister Lavrov," the official said.

The US is working with Russia on including Aleppo into the "silence regime," the official said.

The new cessation of hostilities was agreed for the western Latakia region and parts of the southern Damascus province starting on April 30 at midnight, in a bid to end the recent spike in hostilities, Russian and Syrian military said Friday.

10.30.00

Jose Fernandez had the best reaction to a pitch that completely fooled him

Miami Marlins hurler Jose Fernandez is one of those Major Leaguers trying to “Make Baseball Fun Again” and he’s doing a pretty good job of it.

Just check out the reaction he had on Thursday night to a pitch from Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda after whiffing on it:

That’s sort of a good way to summarize the reaction the rest of the league has had to Maeda (1.41 ERA in five starts) thus far. Also, it reminded me of this now-legendary exchange between Fernandez and then-Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in 2013.

10.09.00

Rookie Florida cop arrested, fired after being caught on video beating up handcuffed strip club employee

A rookie Jacksonville cop was arrested and fired after being caught on shocking video beating up a handcuffed strip club employee.

Video shows probationary patrol officer Akinyemi Borisade repeatedly hitting 31-year-old Mayra Martinez on Wednesday at the Duval County jail.

Earlier in the day, Borisade and another officer had to use force to restrain Martinez — an incident that was also recorded.

At the jail, Borisade struck Martinez several times after she had tried to kick him. She then sat slumped next to a garbage can as other officers looked on.

“There are ways that this could have been dealt with without striking her,” Undersheriff Pat Ivey told the Florida Times-Union.

Borisade, 26, was arrested on a battery charge, authorities said Thursday. The cop, hired in March of 2015, also lost his job.

Other officers at the scene were not charged.

“Witnessing a crime does not constitute a crime,” Christian Hancock of the sheriff's office told the Times-Union. “They would have been questioned about the incident as any other witness to a crime would be. The reporting of this incident was almost instantaneous.”

Earlier Wednesday, officers were called to Scores Gentlemen's Club after receiving complaints of Martinez's behavior. An employee said Martinez consumed four shots of 100-proof liquor, according to the Times-Union, and decided to quit her job even though she had just starting working there. When officers arrived, she resisted and did not want to leave.

In another revealing video obtained by the Times-Union, Borisade and another officer can be seen hitting and restraining Martinez in the parking lot of the strip club.

Martinez, charged with trespassing and resisting police, was then put in the squad car and taken to the jail, where Borisade was caught on video punching her while she was in handcuffs. (nydailynews)

07.55.00

Millionaire former fashion chain boss arrested on suspicion of murdering intruder will face no further action

A millionaire former fashion chain executive who was arrested on suspicion of murder after defending himself from an intruder has been told that he will face no further action.

Richard Glanville, 60, the ex-chief financial officer for Oasis, Warehouse and Coast was allegedly confronted at his £2million home by a near neighbour armed with a baseball bat.

Deliver driver Rici Gallagher, 46, suffered head injuries in the confrontation at 9.20am on July 30 last year.

He was airlifted to hospital in an East Anglian Air Ambulance helicopter, crewed by Prince William, but died a week later.

Mr Gallagher's home in a wooden shack in woodland around half a mile from Mr Glanville's luxury farmhouse was destroyed in a fire just minutes before the incident.

It is believed that Mr Gallagher dialled 999 to report the blaze before he went to Mr Glanville's home on a secluded track in Little Burstead near Billericay, Essex.

Mr Glanville and another 54-year-old man, believed to have been his gardener, were initially arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder before being quizzed and released on police bail.

The pair were re-arrested on January 26 on suspicion of murder and bailed again until May 11 pending further inquiries.

An Essex Police spokesman confirmed yesterday that the two men would not face any charges.

It is believed that a police investigation established that they had acted in self defence.

The police spokesman said: "Two men arrested on suspicion of the murder of a man in Little Burstead in July 2015 have been released from their bail and will face no further action.

"The 54-year-old man from Basildon and 60-year-old man from the Billericay area were due to answer bail on May 11 but have had it cancelled in advance due to insufficient evidence. An inquest will be held in due course."

At the opening of Mr Gallagher's inquest, coroner Eleanor McGann said he "appeared to have broken into" Mr Glanville's home.

She said that an "altercation broke out" during which Mr Gallagher "was struck on the head and fell to the floor with a traumatic head injury". A full inquest is due to take place at a later date.

Margaret Bryan, 66, who lives nearby said it appeared that Mr Glanville and his gardener had tried to remove Mr Gallagher after he broke into the former farmhouse.

She said: "I was here at the time and the whole stretch of road was filled with police and fire engines.
"I heard that Ricci had gone into the house with a baseball bat and started smashing the place up. He was being aggressive and they must have tried to stop him.

"I think the other man was the gardener as he is round there almost all the time. She added: "Everyone has the right to protect their home from intruders. If you can't do that, what can you do? It's very rural round here and someone breaking into your home must be terrifying."

Mr Gallagher is believed to have moved to his shack, which had no electricity, only a week before the fire and is thought to have had plans to demolish it and build a new house on the three acre site.

The wooden bungalow and its surrounding land had previously been advertised for sale for £400,000 as a potential development site. Three crews of 15 firefighters spent 90 minutes tackling the blaze.

Mrs Bryan said it was "a complete mystery" how the fire had started in Mr Gallagher's home and if it was connected with the confrontation between the men.

She added 'If he thought that his neighbour had set fire to it and he went down to the house to get revenge, then I think he was probably mistaken."

Mr Gallagher who previously lived in Benfleet, Essex, with his wife Linda, 58, who worked for the Royal Mail. He is believed to have moved in to his rundown home just a week before the fire.

His widow Linda paid tribute to him following his death, describing him as a "very kind considerate person with a great zest for life and was liked by all who met him".

His most recent role was as chief financial officer at Aurora Fashions Ltd, a fashion firm which owns, develops and manages the performance of some of the UK's most respected women's fashion brands, including Karen Millen, Coast, Warehouse and Oasis.

In his first year, he helped the company transform its then ailing fortunes, overseeing strong growth abroad and online.

07.50.00

Engineer Found Dead At Apple HQ Killed Himself

An Apple employee who was found dead in a conference room at the company's headquarters killed himself, police in California have confirmed.

Edward Mackowiak died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office said in a statement, but it is not clear what led him to take his own life.

The 25-year-old was a software engineer based at Apple's Silicon Valley campus according to his LinkedIn profile, which was recently taken down.

After Mr Mackowiak's body was found on Wednesday, the company issued a statement saying: "We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of a young and talented co-worker.

"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends, including the many people he worked with here at Apple."

More than 16,000 people work at the company's Infinite Loop headquarters in Cupertino, but a new campus is being built elsewhere in the city.

:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

07.49.00

FBI Arrests Three In San Bernardino Inquiry

The FBI has arrested three people over an alleged marriage fraud conspiracy uncovered during the investigation into last year's mass shooting in San Bernardino.

Federal agents detained the gunman's older brother, his Russian immigrant wife and her sister during raids on Thursday morning in the Californian cities of Corona and Ontario.

Syed Raheel Farook, 31, his wife Tatiana Gigliotti, also 31, and her sister, Mariya Chernykh, are accused of conspiracy to make a false statement to immigration officials while under oath.

Chernykh, 26, who was wed to another suspect in the terrorism investigation, is also charged with fraud and two counts of making false statements to federal agents.

In the 2 December mass shooting at San Bernardino, California, Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and his wife Tashfeen Malik, 29, shot dead 14 people before being killed by police.

Chernykh is married to Enrique Marquez, a former neighbour of the San Bernardino attackers.

Marquez was charged in December with conspiracy to support terrorism and lying about the purchase of the assault rifles used in the shooting.

He was also accused of entering into a sham marriage with Chernykh, who lives in Ontario.

On Thursday, investigators said that marriage was for Chernykh to obtain immigration benefits that she could not access because she lacked legal status in the US.

Federal agents had already searched the Corona home of the gunman's brother in February.

Neighbours had reported seeing agents carrying out papers, manila envelopes and computer equipment from Raheel Farook's house.

No one was arrested on that occasion.

07.47.00

Man Charged With Killing Super Bowl Winner

A man has been charged with second-degree murder over the shooting of a former US football player.

Will Smith, who won the Super Bowl in 2010 with the New Orleans Saints, was killed after he was involved in a car crash in the city.

Police said there was an argument after defendant Cardell Hayes hit the back of Smith's Mercedes.

The retired defensive end was shot seven times in the back and once in his side, while his wife Racquel, who was in the passenger seat, was shot twice in the legs but survived.

Hayes, a business owner and semi-professional US football player, is also facing an attempted murder charge over her shooting.

A lawyer for the Smith family said he never brandished or carried a gun and claimed Hayes was "enraged" during the altercation.

But Hayes' lawyer said he was not the aggressor and claimed a witness saw a gun in Smith's possession, while police said a loaded gun was found in Smith's vehicle.

The Smith family said they were pleased, though not surprised, that a grand jury had indicted Hayes.

A statement said: "The Smith family remains confident that once a jury hears all the evidence, Hayes will be convicted and justice will be served."

Hayes was also charged with assault and aggravated damage to property.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and his bail was set at $1.75m (£1.20m).

Second-degree murder is defined as an intentional killing that is not premeditated or planned.

Smith was praised as a leader on the Saints team that rebounded - along with New Orleans itself - after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005.

He stayed in the area after he retired in 2012 and was active with various charities. (skynews)

07.44.00

Bird Strike Leaves Large Dent In Plane

An American Airlines flight had to return to a Seattle airport after it was hit by a bird on takeoff, leaving a large dent in the plane's nose.

Flight 2310 struck the bird shortly after leaving Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at around 3.36pm on Wednesday, but circled around and then landed again at 4.25pm, according to an airport spokesman.

The impact left a dent in the fuselage, but did not cause enough damage to put the aircraft in danger, the spokesman added.

The Port of Seattle said workers would send the animal's remains to the Smithsonian to determine what kind of bird it was, The Seattle Times reported.

Airline spokesman Ross Feinstein said the plane "landed safely and taxied to the gate".

He added: "Our maintenance team is currently evaluating the aircraft."

Passengers were transferred on to a different aircraft for the journey to Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.

The pilot told air traffic controllers "looks like we hit some birds after takeoff, we're gonna need to go back and have the airplane looked at", ABC News reported.

The aircraft had 150 passengers and six crew on board.

07.25.00

Two Sons Arrested After Parents Shot Dead

Police have arrested the two sons of a California couple who were discovered dead in their home next to a disturbing message that apologised for a "clumsy" killing.

The bodies of Golam and Shamima Rabbi were found at the weekend in their San Jose property. Each had been shot at least once.

Hasib Bin Golamrabbi, 22, and his 17-year-old brother, a high school student, were both detained on Wednesday, police said.

The older brother, who is reportedly a San Jose State University, was missing until taken into custody Wednesday night, said authorities.

A motive for the double homicide remains unclear.

But sources told NBC Bay Area the parents did not approve that the older son was gay.

Hasan Rahim, a board member at the Rabbis' local mosque, the Evergreen Islamic Center, told the TV station: "I can't believe it."

He described both sons as "taciturn" and "not very communicative".

The Rabbis were discovered on Sunday afternoon by friends who came to check on them.

A message written in ink on the hardwood floor beside their bodies said: "Sorry, my first kill was clumsy."

Another message said: "I can't be like you, telling a lie. I can't love someone without telling them."

A relative said the siblings had gone to Oakland, California, on Saturday morning and were not around when their parents' bodies were discovered, reports the Mercury News.

The couple emigrated to the US from Bangladesh decades ago.

Mr Rabbi, 59, worked as an engineer and Mrs Rabbi, 57, was employed as an accountant.

Their funeral is scheduled for Friday. (skynews)

07.23.00

Prince Death Investigated As Possible Overdose

Detectives are looking into whether Prince was being prescribed drugs by a doctor in the weeks before his death - and whether the star died of an overdose.

A powerful painkiller such as Percocet may have been involved in the 57-year-old's death at his home in Minneapolis, according to anonymous law enforcement officials speaking to the Associated Press news agency.

They also confirmed US media reports that prescription drugs were at the Paisley Park complex where Prince was found dead, but refused to give further details about the type of pills discovered.
One line of enquiry for investigators is whether a doctor was on board Prince's private jet when the singer fell ill in the days before he died.

The plane made an emergency landing in Illinois and first responders gave him a shot of Narcan - an antidote which is often used in suspected opioid overdoses.

Although the investigation into the performer's death is in the early stages, the involvement of a doctor could create parallels with other celebrity deaths.

Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's doctor, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter after he prescribed the music legend with a powerful anaesthetic which contributed to his death in 2009.

Officials in Minnesota have already performed Prince's post-mortem examination, but results may not be made public for another three to four weeks.

The death of the intensely private musician, whose hits included Purple Rain and When Doves Cry, shocked millions of fans around the world and prompted glowing tributes from fellow performers. (skynews)

06.58.00

Trump's Supporters, Opponents Clash in California

Several people were arrested Thursday night as police broke up clashes between supporters and opponents of controversial U.S. Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump in Southern California.

At one point, police in riot gear and on horseback formed a barrier between the two groups outside Orange County's Pacific Amphitheater, where Trump delivered a campaign speech.

The windows of a police car were smashed and several people were injured before the crowd was brought under control.

Earlier Thursday, billionaire business mogul Trump belittled Democrat Hillary Clinton's bid for the presidency, saying she would not have a chance except for the fact that she is playing the "woman's card" in hopes of becoming the first female U.S. president.

The real estate developer told NBC News, "She's playing that card like I've never seen anyone play it before. All I'm doing is bringing out the obvious, that without the woman's card, Hillary would not even be a viable person to even run for a city council position."

It was Trump's latest gender-related attack on the likely Democratic presidential nominee, the wife of former president Bill Clinton and a former senator and secretary of state in her own right. After winning five state Republican nominating contests and taking command of the party's nominating race earlier this week, Trump said that if Clinton were a man, she would only get 5 percent of the vote in an election.

"If fighting for women's health care, and paid family leave, and equal pay is playing the 'woman card,' then deal me in," Clinton retorted, drawing cheers from her supporters at a rally in Philadelphia as she celebrated four Democratic primary election victories that moved her closer to clinching the party's presidential nomination.(voanews)

06.49.00

US, Allies Tighten Cooperation to Counter China in South China Sea

The U.S. is ratcheting up cooperation with Asian allies to counter China’s “assertive and provocative behavior in the South China Sea” that is challenging the freedom of navigation in the crucial waterway, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told lawmakers Thursday during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing.

Blinken’s remarks came after a bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced the Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative Act — legislation they say will strengthen security assistance to partners in Southeast Asia and increase U.S. naval patrols near the contested islands in the South China Sea.

Defense officials have yet to publicly confirm the frequency of U.S. Navy patrols in the disputed waters, though some U.S. lawmakers asked the administration to expand the pace of freedom-of-navigation operations in that area to a weekly or monthly basis.

“Sending one a quarter is simply insufficient to send a strong message to China,” Republican Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado said Wednesday. He chairs the Senate Foreign Relations East Asia subcommittee and is one of the sponsors of the new maritime security legislation.

This proposal brought a sharp response from Beijing.

On Thursday, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hua Chunying cited data from a U.S. magazine (The National Interest) that indicated it cost “$6.5 million a day” to operate a U.S. carrier strike group. She denounced the legislation and said Washington was “exaggerating deliberately” against Beijing at the expense of U.S. taxpayers.

“With the U.S. national debt exceeding $19 trillion, have those in the U.S. won support from taxpayers when they go to all lengths to push for the so-called freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea?” asked Hua.

Although the United States is not a claimant to the sovereignty over disputed islands in the South China Sea, senior officials have been saying it is vital to U.S. interests that various claimants pursue their claims peacefully and in accordance with international laws.

Blinken told lawmakers anything that “threatens freedom of navigation” and the peaceful resolution of disputes is “a problem” for the U.S.

“China is making it more difficult for us to carry out our own commitments and our own alliances. That is also a problem for us,” Blinken said Wednesday during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.

06.16.00

After life-changing shooting, teen's spirit shines through

Abigail Kopf winces, nuzzling the side of her head into her Batman pillow. She needs relief.
"Stop it, Abbie," her mother, Vickie, snaps.

"My head itches," Abbie moans, her voice reaching the familiar whine of a 14-year-old girl.

"I know, honey." Vickie's voice softens, weary with repetition. She straightens the black cap on her daughter's head, trying to cover the upper right section of Abbie's brain and skull that's completely missing.

Two months ago, a bullet pierced Abbie's head. The shot was fired at close range by a gunman in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Abbie is a slight girl weighing less than 100 pounds. The Kopfs have no clear understanding of why she survived, and even less of an understanding of how she can talk to them and remember so much so clearly.

"Willpower, strength?" asks Vickie, her eyes turning upward.

Her husband, Gene, is more blunt: "Sheer dumb luck. The path of the bullet. It was cold that night. She was near a trauma center. A lot of dumb luck there. Fortunately, she's here." cnn

06.14.00

20 Arrested as Crowd Turns Violent Outside Trump Rally in California

Police arrested 20 people outside a Donald Trump rally in California Thursday night amid the worst violence since last month's cancelation of a campaign event in Chicago.

Hundreds of protesters blocked traffic in the streets surrounding the event in Costa Mesa, south of Los Angeles. A police car was smashed by a crowd.

Fights were seen breaking out and some chanted "Racists go home!" Others repeatedly yelled "Whose streets? Our streets!" as police moved to control the crowd. A car started doing donuts in the street amid the action.

A police car was seen with smashed windows and a person was jumping up and down on top of the vehicle. Another person appeared to be writing on the cruiser, and others tried to flip the vehicle.

Police on horses and other officers and deputies in riot gear set up skirmish lines to push protesters out of the streets, NBC Los Angeles reported.

There were no major injuries, the Orange County Sheriff's Department said, adding that the crowd had dispersed by 11 p.m. local time (2 a.m. ET).

Protests at Trump rallies have occasionally ended in clashes. In March, a planned Trump rally in Chicago descended into chaos, with fistfights breaking out between supporters and opponents of the controversial candidate.

The clashes took place as Trump addresses a crowd of thousands, taking a swipe at opponents including Ted Cruz who he criticized for choosing a running mate despite his campaign being "totally mathematically dead."

Jose Cruz, 21, told the Los Angeles Times that the protests reflected "the anger people have against Trump."

However, Colby Nicholson, 30, who described himself as a Trump supporter, told the newspaper: "These are all underage Mexican high-schoolers who have nothing to do." (nbcnews)

06.10.00

Man Shot With Fake Bomb at Baltimore TV Station Feared World's End: Father