GemMan

Former Bangladesh captain Ashraful admits match-fixing, apologises Former Bangladesh cricket captain Mohammad Ashraful on Tuesday admitted match-fixing and apologised for the latest damaging scandal to hit the sport. June 04, 2013 Dhaka AFP "I should have not done this injustice to the nation. I feel guilty," he told the Independent TV channel in a televised interview. "I would only say 'Please all forgive me, my conduct was improper'," he added. His apology came shortly after the Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan announced the right-handed batsman had been suspended pending the full report of an investigation by the International Cricket Council. Mohammad Ashraful. Pic/AFP The ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) has been probing allegations of match-fixing during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), a Twenty20 competition. "I felt that I have done an injustice, so I have told them (the ACSU team) the truth at the first chance. I tried to help the ICC as much as I could for the welfare of our cricket," Ashraful said. "You all know me, I have been playing international cricket for 12 years. I did not tell them a single lie," he added. Ashraful became the country's youngest Test centurion in 2001 at the age of 17 and captained Bangladesh between 2007 and 2009. The alleged fixing involves a match between the Dhaka Gladiators and the Chittagong Kings teams during the second edition of the BPL. Local media have reported that 28-year-old Gladiators star Ashraful was allegedly paid about one million taka ($12,800) to lose the February 2 match.

Smugglers drive Thailand's grim trade in dog meat By Peter Shadbolt, for CNN June 3, 2013 -- Updated 1036 GMT (1836 HKT) Dogs slaughtered for meat in Vietnam STORY HIGHLIGHTS Dog smuggling is booming in Thailand around the Mekong border region with Laos Thai authorities say the trade has been growing thanks to a strong market in Vietnam Animal welfare groups say operators often pick up strays off the street including pets A dog in Thailand can fetch up to $10 but sells for $60 in restaurants in Vietnam (CNN) -- Packed tight into wire baskets -- sometimes 20 or more to a cage -- animal rights activists say as many as 200,000 live dogs every year are smuggled from northeast Thailand across the Mekong River destined for restaurants in Vietnam. Dehydrated, stressed, some even dying of suffocation on the trip, the dogs are often stacked 1,000 to a truck on a journey that lasts for days. "Obviously when you've got dogs stacked on top of each other they start biting each other because they are so uncomfortable, any kind of movement then the dog next to the one that's being crushed is going to bite back," said Tuan Bendixsen, director of Animals Asia Foundation Vietnam, a Hanoi-based animal welfare group. When they arrive in Vietnam, the suffering doesn't end there. A common belief is that stress and fear releases hormones that improve the taste of the meat, so the dogs are placed in stress cages that restrict their movement. Eventually, the dogs are either bludgeoned to death or have their throats cut in front of other dogs who are awaiting the same fate. In some cases, they've been known to be skinned alive. "Dogs are highly intelligent animals so if you kill a dog and you have a whole cage of dogs next to the one that's being killed, those dogs that are going to be killed next know what's going on," Bendixsen said. According to animal rights groups, dog smugglers round up everything from family pets to Thailand's ubiquitous strays -- known as soi dogs -- to sell the animals in Vietnam, or even as far away as China where a pedigree dog can fetch a premium price. John Dalley of the Phuket-based Soi Dog Foundation estimates 98% of the dogs are domesticated and that some are even still wearing collars and have been trained and respond to commands.

Earthquake kills 1 in Taiwan From Yuling Chang, for CNN June 3, 2013 -- Updated 0040 GMT (0840 HKT) Strong earthquake jolts Taiwan STORY HIGHLIGHTS The quake rattles buildings in central Taipei Panicked residents run to the streets Its epicenter was near Jenai town in Nantou county Taipei (CNN) -- A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan on Sunday, killing at least one and sending panicked residents dashing to the streets. The quake rattled buildings in central Taipei. Its epicenter was near Jenai town in Nantou county. Local hospital officials reported one death. Measuring the magnitude of earthquakes The quake was 20 km deep (12.4 miles), and hit 728 km (452 miles) east northeast of Hong Kong.

Family of girl desperate for transplant says she can't wait for policy to change June 3, 2013 -- Updated 0657 GMT (1457 HKT) Transplant hopeful's mom slams system STORY HIGHLIGHTS "I'm praying that somebody sees this ... and is in a position to save my baby," mom says Federal agency says policy aims to be fair in difficult situations Officials will take several years to review lung transplant policy Sarah Murnaghan has been waiting for a transplant for 18 months (CNN) -- The parents of a 10-year-old Pennsylvania girl who's been waiting more than a year for a lung transplant says the girl has essentially been "left to die." Sarah Murnaghan, who has had cystic fibrosis since birth, could die within weeks without a transplant. She has been waiting 18 months for another pair of lungs as her ability to breathe has rapidly deteriorated. She is at the top of the list for any pediatric lungs that may become available for transplant in her six-state region. Doctors say modified adult lungs could help save her, and adult lungs become available much more often. But children under age 12 aren't prioritized for adult organs, under federal rules. So Sarah could only get available adult lungs if everyone else waiting for lungs in her region -- no matter how sick they are -- turns them down. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has called on officials to review the nation's lung transplant policy for children, but any change could take up to two years. Organ donation by the numbers A statement from Fran and Janet Murnaghan welcomed the policy review as a "positive step." Waiting for transplant, a fight for life The race for Sarah's life 10-year-old hopes for new lung "However, Sarah, and other children like her who need a transplant now, do not have the luxury of time to wait for a lengthy bureaucratic change," the parents said. "Essentially, Sarah has been left to die." The department said Sunday it is sympathetic to the many parents facing similar circumstances. "Our heart goes out to any family that is dealing with a loved one who is on a waiting list for an organ transplant," the statement said. "Given the significant disparity in the number of transplantable organs to the number of people in need of an organ, (the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network) has regulations and policies to ensure that decisions are based on the best medical science and the most equitable process in a very difficult situation." The Murnaghans asked that other parents consider naming Sarah as a transplant recipient should they or one of their children face death in the coming weeks. "If you want to directly donate your loved one's lungs to Sarah, the law cannot change that. And Sarah will use that and create a positive and wonderful life and legacy for your loved one," Janet Murnaghan told CNN. "I'm praying that somebody sees this story and is in a position to save my baby." Sarah had a setback Sunday night, suffering from a fever and increased carbon dioxide levels, according to a post on Janet Murnaghan's Facebook page. "I am feeling anxious and praying," she wrote. The United Network for Organ Sharing, a nonprofit that manages the nation's transplant system under federal contract, agreed to the review Friday, the same day Sebelius sent an urgent request for it to look at its policy, UNOS spokeswoman Anne Paschke said. But because the review process involves research and public comment, which take time, and because there are not enough organ donations for children, the nation's transplant system may not be able to save Sarah's life. Her family wants Sebelius to step in. "We are going to let a kid die over red tape. Somebody needs to stand up that this isn't right, this is a human issue. This isn't politics, this is a human issue," Janet Murnaghan said. Paschke urged more Americans to look at an organ donation website. Sebelius' request to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network called on officials to look at the age categories used in lung transplant cases. Sarah's struggle has ignited a fight for new rules governing organ donations. She's been in a Philadelphia hospital for months due to her cystic fibrosis. Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition on Change.org, and a congressman has called on the Obama administration to take quick action. Sarah's mother told CNN she was "shocked" when she learned the rules a couple of weeks ago. Sebelius asked for the policy review in a letter to Dr. John Roberts, board president of OPTN. Sebelius cited the significant disparity between the number of transplantable organs and the number of people in need of an organ, especially among children. She also directed HHS's Health Resources and Services Administration Division of Transplantation to consider new approaches for promoting pediatric and adolescent organ donation. "With 1,819 pediatric patients on organ transplant waitlists and only 852 pediatric organ transplant donors each year, it is especially clear that we can and should, if possible, do more to encourage the public to become registered organ donors," Sebelius wrote. OPTN issued a statement last week noting that there is a separate policy for children because the "biological needs and circumstances of candidates younger than age 12 are different from either adolescent or adult candidates. One key difference is the size and lung capacity of donors and patients among these age ranges." Children younger than age 12 are prioritized for donations from other children of similar age and size within a 1,000-mile radius. Policies allow "status adjustments for specifically defined groups of candidates with unique medical circumstances not addressed by the overall policy," the statement said. The network routinely reviews policies and considers "public input as well as medical data and experience," the statement said.

Africanized bee swarm kills Texas man Jun 03, 2013 <iframe src="http://embed.newsinc.com/Single/iframe.html" height="315" width="560" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0"></iframe> 62-year-old Larry Goodwin died from a swarm of Africanized bees on Sunday. Goodwin was consolidating a brush pile on a neighbor's property when he upset a killer bee hive living in an old chicken coop. CNN News Wire Larry Goodwin, 62, was pushing over a chicken coop when the swarm attacked MOODY, Tex. — A Texas man died after a swarm of Africanized bees disturbed by his tractor attacked, stinging him more than 1,000 times Saturday. The bees were living inside an old chicken coop that Larry Goodwin, 62, was pushing over to clear off his Moody, Texas, property, neighbor John Puckett told CNN affiliate KCEN-TV. “He lifted the whole hive and disturbed them all and they just came swarming out of there and trapped him on his tractor,” Puckett said. His daughter and neighbors rushed to help, but they said there was nothing they could do to save Goodwin. “When we got to him, he was purple, he had thousands and thousands of bee stings on his face and arms,” Tanya Goodwin said. Puckett said his wife and daughter were stung 100 times. “I came pretty close to losing my family,” Puckett said. Allen Miller, whose company Bees Be Gone removed the hive after the attack, said he’s seen more Africanized bee hives in the past few weeks than he normally sees in a year. “If anybody has any brush or anything on their lands, please clear it, because they don’t want to go through this,” Tanya Goodwin said. “Nobody needs to go through this.” Africanized honey bees, known colloquially as “killer bees,” are believed to have entered Texas in 1990 and have since spread to at least 10 other states, from California to Florida. Africanized honey bees, which are hybrids of African and European bees, can be highly defensive around their nests and swarm more frequently than other honey bees, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The venom carried by honey bees has similar potency.

Not Your Average Wax Figures "Sculptor Carole Feuerman’s hyper-realistic work might look like those celebrity wax figures, but they’re more Michaelangelo than Madame Tussaud’s."

Android Effect.....!!!!

Chinese Counterfeit Goods Whether you have been burned by counterfeit goods or not, everyone is aware of their existence. When it comes to their manufacture, no country on the planet can compare to China's remarkable ability to mimic. I'm sure that such practices are common throughout the world, but I tend to think its all on a small scale, so its easy to hide. China has no intention of hiding their actions, shouting it from all the rooftops. If you really want some great counterfeits in the USA, there is no better place to find them than eBay. If the retail stores sell a product for $100, and eBay has it for $50 brand new, you can be pretty sure its a fake, and chances are that fake was made in China. While some goods that come from China are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing, others don't quite have that property. I am not sure if the images below represent a bad joke, intentional mimicry, or just poor attention to detail on the part of the counterfeiter, but either way I find them all quite funny. Next time you buy your Calvin Klein shirt from eBay, or your next apple product, pay close attention. Sometimes the signs are so apparent that only an idiot wouldn't notice.

Surveying the Damage From Deadly Oklahoma Twister 9 killed and 100 hurt as wrecked cars litter I-40 Saturday, June 1, 2013 AP Photo/The Omaha World-Herald OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Emergency officials set out Saturday to assess damage from a series of violent storms and tornadoes that killed nine people as it swept through Oklahoma City and its suburbs with tornadoes, large hail and heavy rain. More than 100 people were injured. Muddy floodwaters stood several feet deep in the countryside surrounding the metro area. Torrential downpours followed for hours after the twisters moved east, and water damage was reported at the city's airport. The storms battered a state still reeling after a monstrous storm known as an EF5 - ranking at the top of the scale measuring tornado strength - ripped through suburban Moore on May 20, killing 24 people and decimating neighborhoods. Water surged up to the hoods of cars on many streets, snarling traffic at the worst possible time: Friday's evening commute. Even though several businesses closed early so employees could beat the storm home, highways were still clogged with motorists worried about a repeat of the chaos in Moore. Bart Kuester, 50, a truck driver from Wisconsin, said he was driving along Interstate 35 past Moore when he realized a dangerous storm was approaching. He said the interstate was flooded and jammed with people trying to outrun the storm. "Everyone was leaving. ... Just because that one that hit Moore was so fresh in their memory," he said. Though it was in the tornado warning zone, Moore was spared major damage by the storms, but still experienced heavy rain and high wind. A convention center where the town held its graduation in the days after the storm suffered minor flooding damage, officials said. The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office said a man was missing from a vehicle near Harrah, east of Oklahoma City, and a pair of sinkholes were reported on each side of the metro area. When the storm passed between El Reno and Yukon, it barreled right down Interstate 40 for more than two miles (three kilometers), ripping billboards down to twisted metal frames. Debris was tangled in the median's crossover barriers, including huge pieces of sheet metal, tree limbs, metal pipes, a giant oil drum and a stretch of chain-link fence. Violent weather also moved through the St. Louis area. Early aerial images of the storm's damage showed groups of homes with porches ripped away, roofs torn off and piles of splintered wood scattered across the ground for blocks. Officials in St. Charles County also reported that local schools suffered some damage. Among the nine dead in Oklahoma were a mother and a baby found in a vehicle. Amy Elliott, a spokeswoman for the state medical examiner, said Saturday the death toll was up to seven adults and two children. The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported Saturday afternoon that 104 people were hurt. Meteorologists had warned about particularly nasty weather Friday but said the storm's fury didn't match that of the tornado that struck Moore. The Friday storm, however, brought with it much more severe flooding. It dumped around 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain on Oklahoma City in the span of a few hours and made the tornado difficult to spot for motorists trying to beat it home. Emergency officials reported that numerous injuries occurred in the area along I-40, and said the storm's victims were mostly in cars. Standing water was several feet deep, and in some places it looked more like a hurricane had passed through than a tornado. More than 86,000 utility customers were without power. Among the injured was Weather Channel meteorologist Mike Bettes, who suffered minor injuries when his "tornado hunt" SUV that he and two photographers were riding in was thrown 200 yards (180 meters). The Weather Channel said all of the people in the vehicle were able to walk away, and that it was the first time a personality at the cable television network was injured in a storm. Will Rogers World Airport was slowly reopening Saturday and some flights were resuming. But the airport reported significant damage to the roof of the terminal, and flooding damage to walls, counters and floors. In Missouri, the combination of high water and fallen power lines closed dozen of roads, snarling traffic on highways and side streets in the St. Louis area. At the Hollywood Casino in the St. Louis suburb of Maryland Heights, gamblers rushed from the floor as a storm blew through, causing minor damage to the building. The U.S. averages more than 1,200 tornadoes a year and most are relatively small. Of the 60 EF5 tornadoes to hit since 1950, Oklahoma and Alabama have been hit the most - seven times each. National Weather Service meteorologists said Saturday that it's unclear how many tornadoes touched down as part of the Friday evening storm system. Dozens of tornado warnings were issued for central Oklahoma and parts of Missouri, especially near St. Louis, they said, but crews must assess the damage before determining whether it was caused by tornadoes or severe thunderstorms. But one thing is certain: The chances for severe weather are on the decline as a cold front moves through the region, said weather service meteorologist Gene Hatch in Springfield, Missouri. This spring's tornado season got a late start, with unusually cool weather keeping funnel clouds at bay until mid-May. The season usually starts in March and then ramps up for the next couple of months. PHOTOS AP Photo/The Oklahoman, Jim Beckel AP Photo/The Oklahoman, Nate Billings AP Photo/Tulsa World, Tom Gilbert The storms rolled across the region overnight, and more bad weather was poised to strike Friday, with tornadoes and baseball-sized hail forecast from Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. Flooding also is a concern in parts of Missouri, Iowa and Illinois through Sunday. AP Photo/The Oklahoman, Jim Beckel AP Photo/The Omaha World-Herald AP Photo/Nick Oxford AP Photo/The Omaha World-Herald, Chris Machian An overturned semitrailer rests on its side on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 40, just east of El Reno, Okla., after a tornado touched down, Friday, May 31. thestormreport/Twitter "This hailstone fell this evening from the Oklahoma City Area. stormchaser4850/Twitter BuzzFeedNews/Twitter FriskyFatFeline/Twitter "This hailstone fell this evening from the Oklahoma City Area. NewsGunner/Twitter ThePigskinArch/Twitter JanetShamlian/Twitter Janet Shamlian‏ wrote, "Underground @fly_okc with at least 1,200 people waiting for severe weather to pass. #Oklahoma kailanikm/Twitter Kailani K-M‏ wrote, "Here's the Oklahoma sky where the tornado was forming All photos supplied through: http://weather.aol.com/2013/05/31/stunning-photos-from-the-2013-tornado-season/

Mars Water? Curiosity Rover Finds Pebbles On Red Planet's Surface Likely Shaped By Ancient River 1 June 2013 The Curiosity rover investigated an area on Mars named Hottah, which appears to be part of an ancient riverbed. SPACE.com Smooth, round pebbles found by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity provide more evidence that water once flowed on the Red Planet, according to a new study.The Curiosity rover snapped pictures of several areas with densely packed pebbles, and by closely analyzing the rock images, researchers discovered that the shapes and sizes of the individual pebbles indicate that they traveled long distances in water, likely as part of an ancient riverbed. The rocks were found near Curiosity's landing site, between the north rim of Gale Crater and the base of Mount Sharp, a peak that rises 3 miles (5 kilometers) above the crater floor. [Photos: The Search for Water on Mars] Round and smooth Scientists divided a photo mosaic of an area called Hottah into smaller frames to study the small rocks, which were cemented together and ranged in size from 0.08 inches (2 millimeters) to 1.6 inches (41 mm) across. In total, the researchers examined 515 stones and noticed that their surfaces were round and smooth. Rocks worn by wind are typically rough and angular, whereas stones in water tend to become smooth over time, as the rocks get churned around with coarse grains of sand. "We could see that almost all of the 515 pebbles we analyzed were worn flat, smooth and round," study co-author Asmus Koefoed, a research assistant at the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, said in a statement. The cemented sections of rock were likely formed by a combination of fine sand, mud, gravel and pebbles, the researchers said. This mixture clumped together and hardened, creating the solid formations seen by the Curiosity rover. Over time, as sand particles were blown across the surface of Mars, the tops of these cemented rocks became worn and flat, the researchers added. Gale Crater "The main reason we chose Gale Crater as a landing site was to look at the layered rocks at the base of Mount Sharp, about five miles away," study co-author Dawn Sumner, a geologist at the University of California, Davis, said in a statement. "We knew there was an alluvial fan in the landing area, a cone-shaped deposit of sediment that requires flowing water to form. These sorts of pebbles are likely because of that environment. So while we didn't choose Gale Crater for this purpose, we were hoping to find something like this." The Martian pebbles offer tantalizing clues about Mars' aqueous past, said Morten Bo Madsen, head of the Mars research group at the Niels Bohr Institute. "In order to have moved and formed these rounded pebbles, there must have been flowing water with a depth of between 10 centimeters (4 inches) and 1 meter (3.3 feet) and a flow rate of about 1 meter per second — or 3.6 km/h (2.2 mph) — slightly faster than a typical natural Danish stream," Madsen said in a statement. Scientists have long been interested in the search for water on Mars in order to determine if conditions on the planet were ever hospitable for microbial life. Although modern-day Mars is an arid place, there is substantial evidence that water likely flowed on the planet's surface several billion years ago. NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers, which both touched down on Mars in 2004, found signs of the planet's watery past. In 2008, the agency's Phoenix Mars Lander confirmed the existence of current water-ice on Mars, after it scraped away clumps of dirt on the surface of the Red Planet. The results of the new study show that Curiosity, which was launched in August 2012, has already achieved one of its main objectives: to investigate whether areas of Mars could have been habitable for ancient microbial life. The answer, apparently, is yes....... McLaughlin Crater on Mars (3D View) Credit: High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC)/Mars Express/Freie Universität Berlin This color image draped onto digital topography shows McLaughlin Crater in a 3D perspective, looking toward the east. Light-toned deposits on the crater floor contain alteration minerals that are overlayed by debris flows from Keren Crater, present on the south rim. McLaughin Crater once contained a lake that was likely fed by groundwater. Signs of Possible Water on Mars at Newton Crater Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona Oblique View of Newton Crater Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona] These slopes on Mars, as photographed by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRise) on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, may have been carved by saltwater that could run down the Martian surface each spring. Impact Crater in Mars' Newton Basin Credit: Science/AAAS An impact crater in Mars' Newton basin shows lines that appear to have been carved by salt water. Four side panels show these lines in the late summer on Mars (B), then faded by the next very early spring ©, then gradually darkening and reforming in the spring (D) and summer (E). Gully Gazing: Scientists Search for Flowing Water on Mars Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona Crater edge in Terra Sirenum has been imaged by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Gully watching thanks to repeat sweeps over the same landscape by orbiting spacecraft could catch gullies in action, if they are active today. Mars Once Shuffled Its Icy Poles Credit: ESA Pockets of water ice on the southern pole of Mars, such as these, have been stopped from their once-routine migration by a cap of dry ice, or frozen carbon dioxide. Planetary scientists think the migrations was fueled by an eccentric wobble in Mars'tilt. Hidden Glaciers Are Common on Mars Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASI/University of Rome/Southwest Research Institute The Shallow Radar instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has detected widespread deposits of glacial ice in the mid-latitudes of Mars. This map of a region known as Deuteronilus Mensae, in the northern hemisphere, shows locations of the detected ice deposits in blue. McLaughlin Crater on Mars (Annotated) Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona An annotated look at the huge McLaughlin Crater on Mars, showing locations of minerals and clays created by water in the ancient past. The region may have once been a groundwater lake billions of years ago. Image released Jan. 20, 2013. NASA Gives Frozen Mars Lander Last Chance to Phone Home Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona Stages in the seasonal disappearance of surface ice from the ground around the Phoenix Mars Lander are visible in these images taken on Feb. 8, 2010, (left) and Feb. 25, 2010, during springtime on northern Mars, by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Giant Pool of Water Ice at Mars' South Pole Credit: NASA/JPL/ASI/ESA/University of Rome/MOLA Science Team/USGS This radar map shows the thickness of the south polar layered deposits of Mars (purple represents the thinnest areas and red the thickest). The dark circle is the area poleward of 87 degrees south latitude, where MARSIS can’t collect radar data. Rivers Might Have Flowed Recently on Mars Credit: NASA/JPL/GSFC/Malin Space Science Systems In this perspective view looking at the inside rim of Lyot Crater on Mars, a broad lobate debris apron (left) (thought to be a debris-covered glacier) is found amongst water-carved channels. The authors argue that these ice-rich units underwent melting in the relatively high-pressure environment provided by Lyot Crater, the deepest point in the northern hemisphere of Mars. Flashback: Water on Mars Announced 10 Years Ago Credit: Science The floor and banks of a Mars gully on the northwest wall of a crater in Terra Sirenium changed between December 2001 and April 2005 due to a distinct light-toned material that flowed down the slope and formed a deposit (top). The same change occurred in a crater in the Centauri Montes region (bottom). Water Flowed on Mars More Recently Than Thought Credit: NASA/JPL/MSSS Melting glaciers spawned rivers on Mars as recently as several hundred million years ago. This image shows a river that sprang from a past glacier from an unnamed crater in Mars’ middle latitudes. Young Mars Crater Contains Water Ice, Photo Shows Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona At the center of this view of an area of mid-latitude northern Mars, a fresh crater about 6 meters (20 feet) in diameter holds an exposure of bright material, blue in this false-color image. Study Suggests It Rained on Ancient Mars Credit: ESA/DLR (E. Hauber) The picture shows a topographic map of a crater in the Xanthe highlands, which held a lake 3.8 to 4 billion years ago. Sediments were deposited in the lake, forming a distinctly shaped delta. The lake was fed by a river that flowed through the Nanedi valley and into the crater from the south. Study: Mars Had Drizzle and Dew Credit: NASA Cracks caused by the contraction of sulfate are evident in this image of the surface of Mars' Meridiani Planum site by NASA's Opportunity Rover. Signs of Underground Plumbing Seen on Mars Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona Dense clusters of crack-like structures called deformation bands form the linear ridges in this Mars image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Oceans of Ancient Mars May Have Sprung From Slow Leaks Credit: G. Di Achille The ancient oceans or seas thought to have covered ancient Mars 3 billion years ago, as shown in this artist's rendition based on actual topography of Mars from NASA Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter, may have sprung up through surface cracks. Mystery Solved: Mars Had Large Oceans Credit: Taylor Perron/UC Berkeley A view of Mars as it might have appeared more than 2 billion years ago, with an ocean filling the lowland basin that now occupies the north polar region. New Map Bolsters Case for Ancient Ocean on Mars Credit: Wei Luo, Northern Illinois University This is a global map depicting the dissection density of valley networks on Mars, in relation to the hypothesized northern ocean. Two candidate sea levels are shown: contact 1 with mean elevation at -1,680 meters and contact 2 with mean elevation of -3,760 meters

Filehost Rapidgator Wins in Court-ISP Unblocked Rapidgator Not Responsible for Pirating Users, Court Lifts ISP Blockade 31 May 2013 In April the Public Prosecutor of Rome targeted a total of 27 file-sharing related sites, including the popular cyberlockers Rapidgator, Uploaded and BitShare. The sites all had their domains blocked at the ISP level and were rendered inaccessible in Italy. In addition, the prosecutor indicated that he wants to progress the case internationally in pursuit of full-blown domain seizures. Of the affected sites, Rapidgator was the only one to fight back. As one of the most visited file-sharing sites on the Internet, Rapidgator has been branded a rogue site before, not least by the U.S. Government. However, the site’s owner believes that he is not breaking any laws. This week at the Court of Appeal, Rapidgator’s lawyer Fulvio Sarzana contested the prosecutor’s argument that the cyberlocker is responsible for the material its users upload, and the Court agreed. The Court decided that Rapidgator should be unblocked as the operator(s) can’t be held accountable for files that he doesn’t know exist. Rapidgator’s notice and takedown procedure give the site’s management safe harbor protection. “The Court gave the example of the lockers in a swimming pool, where the manager of the pool is responsible for what is stored inside the lockers,” Rapidgator lawyer Fulvio Sarzana told TorrentFreak. The lawyer believes that the decision could have a major impact on the future of website blockades in Italy. “I think it’s an important precedent,” Sarzana says. “The Court ruled that before ordering a website blockade by Internet providers, the prosecution first has to check whether the rightsholder has done everything possible to removal content from the site.” The above means that many of the other sites that are currently blocked, including the popular KickassTorrents site, could also take their case to the Court of Appeal. Until then these sites will remain unavailable in Italy. Rapidgator definitely has something to celebrate, but the legal trouble isn’t over just yet. While the cyberlocker may soon be accessible in Italy, the criminal investigation into the operator(s) of the site continues.

Frozen fruit mix suspected in hepatitis A outbreak SATURDAY, 01 JUNE 2013 21:18 A frozen fruit mix commonly used in smoothies is suspected in a hepatitis A outbreak that has affected five Western states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thirty people have been infected with acute hepatitis A, and nine of them have been hospitalized. Infections have been reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, the CDC websitesaid Friday. Eleven of 17 ill people interviewed reported eating Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend, a mix of frozen berries andpomegranate seeds.

Iraq Uncovers al-Qaeda 'Chemical Weapons Plot'-Terrorists Arrested The militants allegedly built two facilities to produce sarin and mustard gas The authorities in Iraq say they have uncovered an al-Qaeda plot to use chemical weapons, as well as to smuggle them to Europe and North America. Defence ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said five men had been arrested after military intelligence monitored their activities for three months. Three workshops for manufacturing the chemical agents, including sarin and mustard gas, were uncovered, he added. Remote-controlled toy planes, believed were going to be used to distribute the chemicals, were also seized at the workshops. Mr Askari said they were to have been used to release the chemical agents over the target from a "safe" distance of 1.5km (0.9 miles), reports the BBC's Rami Ruhayem in Baghdad. All of the arrested men had confessed to the plot, and said they had received instruction from another al-Qaeda offshoot, he added. As the defence ministry spokesman spoke on Iraqi TV, footage was shown of four men with black hoods on their heads, our correspondent adds. Three of them were wearing bright yellow jumpsuits and a fourth was in a brown jumpsuit. All of the arrested men have allegedly confessed Their arrests were possible because of co-operation between Iraqi and foreign intelligence services, Mr Askari said. Chlorine bombs Al-Qaeda in Iraq is believed the only offshoot of the Islamist militant network to have used chemical weapons. It detonated a 16 crude chlorine bombs in Iraq between October 2006 and June 2007. Chlorine inhalation made many hundreds of people sick, but no deaths resulting from exposure to the chemical were recorded, US officials said at the time. Instead, the bomb blasts are believed to have caused the fatalities. At the time, US officials said al-Qaeda appeared to want to use debilitating agents like chlorine in their bombs to cause casualties beyond those hit by the initial explosion. US and Iraqi troops subsequently killed or detained many of the militants who were building the chlorine-laced bombs and seized much of their stockpiled chemicals. A letter written by the late al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden five days before he was killed in a US military raid in Pakistan in 2011 urged members of the group's offshoot in Yemen who he believed were considering using "poison" to be "careful of doing it without enough study of all aspects, including political and media reaction"

3 Businesses That Go Together

Chinese Hack US Weapon Systems-Australia Affected Chinese Hackers Access U.S. Weapon Systems and Steal Blueprints to Australia’s New Spy HQ Months Before it has even Opened Hackers have 'compromised' U.S. designs for combat aircraft and shipsMore than two dozen U.S. weapons systems including F35 fighter have been stolen by Chinese hackers, claims Pentagon They also accessed missile defenses vital for Europe, Asia and the Gulf Floorplans of Australia Security Intelligence Organisation's new $630m headquarters have also been stolen - before it has even been opened China has dismissed claims it is connected to the latest cyber attacks By Daily Mail UK, 29 May 2013 Chinese hackers have accessed designs for more than two dozen U.S. weapons systems and stolen the blueprints for Australia's new spy headquarters which hasn't even been opened yet. These latest strikes come after months of numerous computer security breaches involving Chinese hackers as the ongoing cyber war between China and the West intensifies. Hackers have now 'compromised' U.S. designs for combat aircraft and ships, as well as missile defenses vital for Europe, Asia and the Gulf, it has emerged. Security risk: Chinese hackers have 'compromised' U.S. designs for its weapon systems and stolen the floorplans of Australia Security Intelligence Organisation's new HQ Chinese hackers access U.S. weapon systems and steal blueprints... The Washington Post learned of the breach from a Pentagon report prepared for the Defense Department by the Defense Science Board. Among the weapons listed in the report were the advanced Patriot missile system, the Navy's Aegis ballistic missile defense systems, the F/A-18 fighter jet, the V-22 Osprey, the Black Hawk helicopter and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The report did not specify the extent or time of the cyber-thefts or indicate if they involved computer networks of the U.S. government, contractors or subcontractors. But the espionage would give China knowledge that could be exploited in a conflict, such as knocking out communications and corrupting data, the Post said. It also could speed Beijing's development of Chinese defense technology. Chinese hackers stole plans for confidential United States weapons systems including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter pictured here In a report to Congress earlier this month, the Pentagon said China was using espionage to modernize its military and that its hacking was a serious concern. It said the U.S. government had been the target of hacking that appeared to be 'attributable directly to the Chinese government and military'. China has dismissed as groundless both the Pentagon report and a February report by the U.S. computer security company Mandiant, which said a secretive Chinese military unit was probably behind a series of hacking attacks targeting the United States that had stolen data from 100 companies. Meanwhile, news reports in Australia claim hackers linked to China stole the floorplans of the $630 million headquarters for the Australia Security Intelligence Organisation, the country's domestic spy agency. 'Compromised': A V-22 Osprey pictured here is among the aircrafts for which plans were stolen The attack through the computers of a construction contractor exposed not only building layouts, but also the location of communication and computer networks. Australia security analyst Des Ball told the ABC in the report that such information made the yet to be completed spy headquarters vulnerable to future cyber attacks. 'You can start constructing your own wiring diagrams, where the linkages are through telephone connections, through wi-fi connections, which rooms are likely to be the ones that are used for sensitive conversations, how to surreptitiously put devices into the walls of those rooms,' said Ball. The building is designed to be part of a global electronic intelligence gathering network which includes the United States and the UK, but its construction has been plagued by delays and cost blowouts, with some builders blaming late design changes on cyber attacks. The ABC report said the Chinese hacking was part of a growing wave of cyber attacks against business and military targets in the close U.S. ally. It said the hackers also stole confidential information from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which houses the overseas spy agency the Australian Secret Intelligence Service and had targeted local companies, including steel-manufacturer Bluescope Steel, and military and civilian communications manufacturer Codan Ltd. Chinese hackers allegedly associated with the country's government stole United States missile plans for weapons such as Patriot missile batteries (pictured here) The influential Greens party said the hacking was a 'security blunder of epic proportions' and called for an inquiry, but the government refused to confirm the breach. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the reports were 'inaccurate', but declined to say how. Australian officials, like those in the United States and other Western nations, have made cyber attacks a security priority following a growing number of attacks of the resource rich country, mostly blamed on China. Despite being one of Beijing's major trade partners, the country is seen by China as the southern fulcrum of the U.S. military pivot to the Asia-Pacific and in 2011 agreed to host thousands of U.S. Marines in near-permanent rotation. Australia is a major buyer for U.S. weapons systems and is one of the largest overseas customers for the Lockheed Martin manufactured F-35, as well as for Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet and associated weapons systems. Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei was last year barred from bidding for construction contracts on a new Australian high-speed broadband network amid fears of cyber espionage. Hacked: The New York Times office in Manhattan. The newspaper has reported that its computer system was breached by Chinese hackers The Reserve Bank of Australia said in March that it had been targeted by cyber attacks, but no data had been lost or systems compromised amid reports the hackers had tried to access intelligence on Group of 20 wealthy nations negotiations. China has dismissed the allegations by Australian media that Chinese hackers have stolen the blueprints for the new Australian spy headquarters. Foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: 'China pays high attention to cybersecurity issues, and is firmly apposed to all forms of hacker attacks. Groundless accusations will not help solve this issue.' The risk of cyber hacking came to the forefront of the news agenda after Chinese hackers were accused of being responsible for hacking The Washington Post and The New York Times earlier this year. And just last month, hacking attacks on the servers of South Korean broadcasters and banks originated from an IP address based in China. But China says it is impossible to tell the true origin of cyber-attacks, and accuses hostile forces of blaming it out of prejudice or a desire to put Beijing on the defensive. Under attack: The Washington Post spent most of 2012 trying to deal with Chinese hackers who infiltrated their computer network

Serial Killer Locked in Cage by Mum=11yrs The Mentally ill Killer forced to live Locked in a Cage for 11 years by his own mother over fears he will strike again in China Wang Muxiang made the cage after her son was released In 2001, Wu Yuanhong beat to death a 13-year-old boy By Daily Mail UK, 28 May 2013 The sickening story of how a mother has been forced to cage and shackle her mentally ill son in a homemade cage for 11 years has emerged from China. The 74-year-old Wang Muxiang made the cage after her son Wu Yuanhong murdered a teenager in his village in Ruichang, Jiangxi Province, while reportedly suffering an episode of 'psychosis'. In 2001, Wu beat to death a 13-year-old boy in the same village. He was released home a year later because he suffered from mental illness. Wang Muxiang, 74, with her son Wu Yuanhong who has been caged at home for 11 years ... Shackled: Wu Yuanhong murdered a teenager in his village whiles reportedly suffering an episode of 'psychosis' Mother Wang Muxiang tried to find someone who would weld her a strong cage for her son. The local blacksmiths refused out of fear the sick man may attack them in revenge if he escaped. Wang Muxiang described how she was forced to build it herself. 'I wielded the cage while crying heavily. Although he suffers from mental illness and killed a person, he still is my son. 'Thinking I am making a cage to lock him in, my heart was broken.' In 2001, Wu beat to death a 13-year-old boy in the same village. He was released home a year later because he suffered from mental illness Mother Wang Muxiang tried to find someone who would weld her a strong cage for her son. The local blacksmiths refused out of fear the sick man may attack them in revenge if he escaped

Most Terrifying Mountain to "Climb" What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Tourists trek thousands of Feet up a Chinese Mountain along boards nailed together 700 YEARS AGO Daily Mail UK, 29 May 2013 These vertigo-inducing pictures show tourists navigating an extremely narrow and treacherous walkway along cliffs at a scenic mountain in China's Shaanxi Province. The precipitous Chang Kong Cliff Road on Haushan mountain was built more than 700 years ago by hermits seeking ‘immortals’ they thought were living deep in the mountains. The walkway is only a foot width wide and has been built clinging to the absolutely vertical cliff. One misstep would send pilgrims plunging thousands of feet down into the valley. These days, anyone brave enough to navigate the path does have to wear a special safety harness. These vertigo-inducing pictures show tourists navigating an extremely narrow and treacherous walkway along cliffs at a scenic mountain in China's Shaanxi Province. The precipitous Chang Kong Cliff Road on Haushan mountain was built more than 700 years ago by hermits seeking 'immortals' they thought were living deep in the mountains. The walkway is only a foot width wide and has been built clinging to the absolutely vertical cliff. One misstep would send pilgrims plunging thousands of feet down into the valley. Perhaps its better not to see? A daredevil visitor to Huashan Mountain's Chang Kong Cliff Road walks the narrow pathway in a dense mist which obscures the background... and the lethal drop below But what a view... A young woman poses for photographs along the walkway, which was built more than 700 years ago by hermits seeking ‘immortals’ they thought were living deep in the mountains Look! No hands! A man trusts his life to the safety harness as he negotiates a section where the wooden walkway ends and the path continues cut out of the living rock of the mountain Don't look down! The man in the red jacket breaks the cardinal rule of moutaineering. But even if he is afraid, there's no turning back: to avoid precarious congestion the Chang Kong route is strictly one way Thank goodness for those safety ropes: The walkway is only a foot width wide and has been built clinging to the absolutely vertical cliff. One misstep would send visitors plunging thousands of feet down into the valley Breathtaking: Huashan Mountain is part of the Qin Ling Range that divides northern and southern Shaanxi, and also China. It is one of China's Five Great Mountains, and has a long history of religious significance Ancient: The road was built during the Yuan dynasty by a person named He Yuan Xi and his students and took them 40 years to complete. It was built as a route to a more peaceful place to practice their religious beliefs Vertigo-inducing: Tourists cling to the safety chains as they make their way along the Chang Kong route Tourists climb stairs to the narrow walkway: The route to conquer the peaks passes temples, shrines, pavilions, terraces, carvings, and statues interspersed between the granite paths and forested margins Sacred place: Many visitors time their ascent to arrive at the peak to watch the spectacular sunrise Danger: Tourists queue to make their way up the mountain. Despite the safety measures introduced by cutting deeper pathways and building up stone steps and wider paths, fatalities continue to occur on the mountain END

FBI Seizes Online Bank-Arrests Worldwide=$6 Billion Fraud Online currency company founder indicted for largest money-laundering scam in history 'after website users carried out millions of criminal transactions worth $6 BILLION' 'Liberty Reserve became the bank of choice for the criminal underworld' U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara Trouble ahead? The online currency network is similar to Bitcoin, which has garnered a large community Arthur Budovsky, founder of Liberty Reserve, arrested in Spain on Friday Six others have also been charged in $6 billion money transfer scheme Liberty Reserve allowed users to convert money to online currency Transactions 'hid the proceeds of crimes including credit card fraud, child pornography, identity theft and drugs trafficking' U.S. Attorney: 'It was the bank of choice for the criminal underworld' By Daily Mail UK, 29 May 2013 The founder of an internet company that allows users to convert money to an online currency has been indicted in the U.S. for a massive $6 billion money-laundering scheme - in what authorities have called the largest case of its kind in history. Arthur Budovsky, the founder of Liberty Reserve, was arrested in Spain on Friday. The Costa Rica-based company, which had more than one million users, allegedly helped hide 55 million illegal transactions across the world, authorities said today. In total, seven people indicted for their alleged part in the cyber network, which authorities said was 'staggering' in scope. Budovsky's partner, Vladimir Kats, is in custody in New York. Complex: Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, explains the global interests of Liberty Reserve during a news conference about the money-laundering arrests of its founders U.S. shuts digital money system it suspects of criminal links Budovsky's deputy, Azzedine El Amine was also arrested, as were two technology designers, Maxim Chukarev and Mark Marmilev. Two more company employees were still at large in Costa Rica according to officials: Ahmed Yassine Abdelghani and Allan Esteban Hidalgo Jimenez. The investigation involved law enforcement in 17 countries and 'is believed to be the largest money laundering prosecution in history,' the prosecutor's office said. The suspects were indicted for allegedly facilitating millions of transactions that hid the proceeds of credit card fraud, identity theft, computer hacking, child pornography, narcotics trafficking and other crimes, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said on Tuesday. The indictment calls the network 'one of the principal means by which cyber criminals around the world distribute, store and launder proceeds of their illegal activity'. 'The scope of the defendants' unlawful conduct is staggering,' it added. Press conference: Mythili Raman, left, from the Dept. of Justice, accompanied by Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, speaks about the scheme on Tuesday ONLINE CURRENCY AT LIBERTY RESERVE: HOW DID IT WORK? Quote: Liberty Reserve was an online payment network that allowed users to convert dollars or euros into currency that could be exchanged on the internet. According to the indictment, Liberty Reserve's currency unit was called the 'LR'. Users opened accounts at Liberty Reserve giving only a name, address and date of birth that the company made no attempt to verify. Customers funded their Liberty Reserve accounts with payments from a bank wire, postal money order or other money transfers. It was then converted to LR. Funds could then be transferred to or bought by another account holder via third-party exchange merchants. Each transaction cost $2.99. Liberty Reserve allowed users to open accounts using fictitious names, including 'Russian Hacker' and 'Hacker Account.' The indictment said Liberty Reserve did not collect any banking or transaction information from the third-party exchange companies. It also let its users hide their Liberty Exchange account numbers when making transactions, which offered another opportunity for the users to mask their true identities. The company processed around 12 million financial transactions per year. Since it began operating in 2006, the indictment said, Liberty Reserve laundered over $6 billion in criminal proceeds. Digital currency is made up of transferable units that can be exchanged for cash. Over the past decade, its use has expanded, attracting attention from the media and Wall Street. The most widely known digital currency is called Bitcoin. Liberty Reserve's currency was not connected to Bitcoin. In announcing the case on Tuesday afternoon, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said the network 'became the bank of choice for the criminal underworld'. Its digital currency service was designed to shield the identity of crooked users seeking to launder ill-gotten gains, he said. 'The coin of the realm was anonymity,' he said. 'It was the opposite of a know-your-customer policy.' In a statement, Costa Rica police confirmed that Budovsky had been arrested in Spain on money laundering charges and that several premises linked to his company had been raided. A notice pasted across Liberty Reserve's website last week said the domain 'has been seized by the United States Global Illicit Financial Team'. Liberty Reserve's demise is likely to send a sharp shock across the Internet. It allowed users to open accounts using fictitious names, including 'Russian Hacker' and 'Hacker Account.' The network charged a 1 per cent fee on transactions. Budovsky and Katz have previous convictions on charges related to an unlicensed money-transmitting business, according to court papers. After that case, the pair decided to move their operation to Costa Rica, where Budovsky officially renounced his U.S. citizenship, the papers say. In an online chat captured by law enforcement, Katz admitted Liberty Reserve was 'illegal' and noted that authorities in the United States knew it was 'a money laundering operation that hackers use'. Aditya Sood, a computer science doctoral candidate at Michigan State University who has studied the underground economy, described Liberty Reserve as a no-questions-asked alternative to the global banking system, with little more than a valid email needed to open an account and start moving money across borders. Explanation: Bharara speaks beside a chart detailing the operation of the Costa Rica-based company 'You don't need to provide your full details, or personal information, or things like that,' Sood said. 'There's no way to trace an account. That's the beauty of the system.' Liberty Reserve's ease of use also attracted a thriving community of tech-savvy users in countries with limited access to credit cards, said Mitchell Rossetti, whose Houston-based ePayCards.com was one of several mainstream merchants that accepted the online-only currency. Rossetti said his business still had about $28,000 tied up in Liberty Reserve accounts. Liberty Reserve's irreversible transactions made it attractive to small merchants worried about fraud. 'The irony of this is I went to them because of the security,' Rossetti said. 'All sales were final.' He acknowledged that the currency was being used by scammers, but said Liberty Reserve was just like any other currency. 'The U.S. dollar can be donated to a church or it can pay a prostitute,' he said. Liberty Reserve appears to have played an important role in laundering the proceeds from the recent theft of some $45 million from two Middle Eastern banks, according to legal documents made public by U.S. authorities earlier this month. The complaint against one of the Dominican Republic gang members allegedly involved in the theft states that thousands of dollars' worth of stolen cash was deposited into two Liberty Reserve accounts via currency centers based in Siberia and Singapore. The Costa Rica police statement said that they raided three homes and five businesses linked to Liberty Reserve and seized papers and digital documents that will be turned over to U.S. authorities. __________________

http://youtu.be/xWMkOwq2qIU

Memorial Day weekend tragedy as woman drowns and 100 are rescued after 10 inches of rain falls on San Antonio in just 8 hours By Daily Mail UK, 25 May 2013 One woman, 29, has died after a massive Memorial Day weekend storm brought up to 10 inches of rain in San Antonio. Massive flooding was reported on Saturday across South Texas as emergency crews scrambled to rescue one hundred residents in flood prone areas. As many as 13,000 San Antonio residents were without power on Saturday morning but officials believe electricity has been restored to many, leaving 2,000 now without power. Neighbors: Marco Fairchild, left, and Gary Garza, right, help Sueann Schaller from her car Saturday after she drove it into floodwaters in the Westwood Village neighborhood Water: A bus is stranded in the water on Blanco Road near Basse during heavy rains in San Antonio after heavy ran began on Friday night Widespread: The Olmos Basin Municipal Golf Course and Basse Road are underwater as a result of heavy rains in San Antonio on Saturday Easy rider: Albert Rios holds a beer as he floats into the intersection of Castleridge Dr. and Crestfield Street in San Antonio Safety: San Antonio mayor Julian Castro urged San Antonians to stay home Life threatening: Torrential rains fell overnight and into the early morning hours on Saturday, triggering Flash Flood warnings across South Texas Flash flooding: Massive flooding was reported on Saturday across South Texas as emergency crews scrambled to rescue residents in flood prone areas Rain: A flood gauge shows waters just under 10 feet at an intersection on Saturday in San Antonio Police say the woman who died was driving when waters rushed upon the road and washed her car away. She tried to escape the vehicle and is believed to have been waiting on the roof of the car when she was swept away by the rising waters. Her vehicle was found pushed against a drainage culture, KSAT-TV reported. Officials from the local fire department said the woman, whose identity was not released, was dead when they arrived. Rains began on Friday evening and have been falling at a rate of nearly 2 inches per hour for the past 8 hours. Officials have closed numerous roadways across South Texas due to flash flooding. Weather officials warned the heavy rain could be a 'life-threatening' situation similar to a 1998 flood - when two dozen people dead, according to the National Weather Service. Public transit spokeswoman Priscilla Ingle told the NWS how firefighters used a boat to reach a public bus that had become stranded, rescuing three passengers and driver early on Saturday. San Antonio Fire Department spokesman Christian Bove said 'since 5:25 this morning, we've received at least 70 calls just for water rescues. We're urging the public just to stay home and stay off the road.' Downpour: A man photographs floodwaters caused by heavy rains Damage: A San Antonio metro bus sits in floodwaters after it was swept off the road during heavy rains Rescue: Three passengers and the bus driver were rescued and uninjured after this VIA bus was swept away Waterway: San Antonio residents captured pictures of the rain waters flooding the streets Aftermath: An estimated 10 inches of rain hit San Antonio on Saturday, leaving a pool in this Texas backyard Unbelievable: A man surveys floodwaters caused by heavy rains in San Antonio Another woman was found trapped in her car and was rescued by officials. She was transported to the hospital. Local media reported another man, in the flood-prone Olmos Park area, was standing on the roof of a structure to escape the rising waters. Firefighters managed to reach him in a rescue boat. The National Weather Service extended the flash flood warning for Bexar Country and surrounding counties until 3:30pm on Saturday. Road closures: Flood waters cover eight lanes of Highway 281 in San Antonio Warning: The National Weather Service extended the flash flood warning for Bexar Country and surrounding counties until 3:30pm on Saturday Heavy rain: This NOAA satellite image taken on Saturday shows rain clouds hovering over South Texas and the Midwest Mayor Julian Castro urged San Antonians to stay home. 'Despite a break in the rain, many roads throughout the city continue to be impassable and dangerous. We ask San Antonians to please stay off the roads and stay at home,' he said. 'Just because it's not raining at the moment, does not mean that the threat has passed. If you must drive, observe all low-water crossings and use common sense.' The San Antonio International Airport remained open on Saturday though spokesman Nora Castro told The San Antonio Express News many flights had been cancelled or were delayed. Though Memorial Day weekend is typically a celebration of summer, many parts of the country will be experiencing unseasonably cold temperatures. Forecasters have suggested parts of the Northeast, including parts of northern Maine, New York, New Hampshire and Vermont, could even experience snow.

San Antonio Flooding Kills 2, More Than 200 Rescued Published May 26, 2013 Associated Press May 25, 2013: A San Antonio metro bus sits in floodwaters after it was swept off the road during heavy rains in San Antonio. SAN ANTONIO – Two women died after being swept away by floodwaters after weekend rains deluged numerous roads in San Antonio, forcing more than 235 rescues by emergency workers who aided stranded motorists and homeowners at times using inflatable boats. At least one teenage boy also was reported missing after Saturday's torrential rains, carried away while trying to cross the swollen Cibolo Creek in the San Antonio suburb of Schertz, authorities said. At the height of Saturday's torrential downpours, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro urged residents not to drive as a flash flood warning covered nearly two dozen counties. Nearly 10 inches of rainfall was reported in a matter of hours Saturday at the city's airport. The National Weather Service said the flash flood threat would persist until late Sunday morning though mostly cloudy weather with occasional thunderstorms and showers was expected to give way to partly sunny skies later in the day. The rains left more than 200 residents of the Texas city stranded in cars and homes when water rose unexpectedly up to 4 feet in some spots. Traffic also was snarled, making driving difficult. "It was pretty crazy," said Gera Hinojosa, a valet parking cars downtown after the storm. "It was pretty unexpected. We hardly got any warning about it." One woman became trapped in her car and climbed to the roof before being swept away in floodwaters, said San Antonio Fire Department spokesman Christian Bove. Her body was later found against a fence, he said. Emergency officials also recovered the body of a woman in her 60s who was swept away in her car while firefighters were trying to rescue her. Authorities did not immediately identify the women. At nightfall, water still was pooling in many ditches and underpasses. Several roadways were closed, including a major highway linking the suburbs and the city. But even in low-lying neighborhoods along Commerce Street east of downtown San Antonio -- a faded stretch of clapboard houses and beauty parlors -- yards were clear. In the tourist district around the River Walk, the streets were thick with weekend holiday revelers. While the water in some homes rose 4 feet high, according to Bove, most residents experienced the floods primarily as a major traffic hassle. Karen Herring, 50, who spent the day volunteering at a fitness contest at the AT&T Center, said participants complained of three-hour drives across town. In the city, even a municipal bus was swept away, but firefighters on a boat were able to pluck the three passengers and driver to safety, public transit spokeswoman Priscilla Ingle said. Nobody was injured. The San Antonio International Airport by Saturday afternoon had recorded 9.87 inches of rain since midnight, causing nearly all streams and rivers to experience extraordinary flooding. The highest amount of rainfall recorded since midnight was 15.5 inches at Olmos Creek at Dresden Drive. The San Antonio River about 20 miles southeast of the city, near Elmendorf, was expected to peak at 62 feet by Sunday morning, well above the flood stage of 35 feet, the National Weather Service said. The National Weather Service compared the flooding to the storm of October 1998, when 30 inches of rain fell in a two-day period. In that flood, the Guadalupe and San Antonio River basins overflowed, leaving more than 30 people dead, according to the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority.

PHOTOs-Futuristic Sub Test-Dives into Deep=Fearful Moments 'I've had years to contemplate this moment, and I won't say there hasn't been dread': James Cameron relives his heart-stopping seven-mile descent into the abyss in sub just 43-inches wide The Titanic director (right, inside the sub) reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific in his futuristic sub Deepsea Challenger (seen left dangling above the Mermaid Sapphire, and center during test dives) in 2012. ... James Cameron relives his heart-stopping descent to the deepest part of the ocean in submersible just 43-inches wide Daily Mail UK 25 May 2013 Reliving the experience in the new issue of National Geographic, Cameron described being packed into the pilot's chamber 'like a walnut in its shell'. The film-maker admitted to moments of dread in the lead up to the dive, but said any apprehension gave way to 'childlike excitement' on the day of his descent. Titanic director completed first solo dive to bottom of Mariana Trench beneath the western Pacific Described being packed into sub - which measures just 43-inches across - like a 'walnut in its shell' Reveals his dread in weeks before the attempt gave way to 'childlike excitement' on day of dive He is no stranger to the power of the ocean, having made his name by recreating the sinking of the Titanic to spectacular effect. But James Cameron has admitted to moments of dread in the lead up to his latest marine adventure - which saw him become the first lone human to reach the deepest realm of the Earth's oceans. The director relives his record-breaking journey to the bottom of the Mariana Trench inside a '43-inch diameter steel ball' in next month's National Geographic magazine. Murky depths: A panel of LED lights illuminates the ocean floor during a further test dive off the Ulithi Atoll in the Pacific 'Childlike excitement': The Titanic director, seen monitoring the systems inside the pilot's sphere, told National Geographic the sub felt 'snug and comforting' After years of research, planning and preparation, Cameron completed the deepest solo dive ever made in his futuristic submersible Deepsea Challenger last year. Seven miles beneath the surface of the western Pacific, the Mariana Trench is deeper than Mount Everest is high. The director described the weeks spent imagining 'all the things that could go wrong' before the descent, but said that on the day of the dive his apprehension was replaced by 'childlike excitement'. 'The pilot’s chamber is a 43-inch-diameter steel ball, and I’m packed into it like a walnut in its shell' - Cameron recounts his historic dive '...my knees pushed up in a hunched sitting position, my head pressed down by the curve of the hull. I’ll be locked in this position for the next eight hours.' 'I won’t say there hasn’t been dread in the past few weeks, thinking about all the things that could go wrong. But right now I feel surprisingly calm.' 'I am wrapped in the sub, a part of it and it a part of me, an extension of my ideas and dreams.' 'After weeks of pilot training, my hand goes to a specific control or switch without thinking. There’s no apprehension at this point, only determination to do what we came out here for, and childlike excitement for what’s ahead.' The cramped pilot's chamber, into which he was crammed 'like a walnut in its shell', was not claustrophobic, but 'snug and comforting', Cameron writes in the magazine. 'I feel surprisingly calm. I am wrapped in the sub, a part of it and it a part of me, an extension of my ideas and dreams,' the director said of the day of the dive. 'As co-designer, I know its every function and foible intimately. 'There's no apprehension at this point, only determination to do what we came out here for, and childlike excitement for what's ahead.' Cameron spent about three hours at the bottom of the ocean off the island of Guam, the deepest-known part of any ocean in the world. He shot some 3-D video during the dive, but admitted afterwards it was difficult to see much in the murky depths from his vantage point inside Deepsea Challenger. The futuristic electric green submersible was launched off the Mermaid Sapphire in the western Pacific in March 2012. The Avatar director revealed he cut the mission three hours short after hydraulic fluid started leaking into his sub. The 57-year-old described it as ‘a heck of a ride.’ Cameron planned to spend seven hours under water but decided to head back up after spotting the leak. ‘I saw a lot of hydraulic oil come up in front of the port. The port was coated with it. I couldn’t pick anything up so I began to feel like it was a moment of diminishing returns to go on,’ he explained. ‘I lost a lot of thrusters. I lost the whole starboard side. That’s when I decided to come up. I couldn’t go any further - I was just spinning in a circle,’ he added. ‘It was bleak. It looked like the moon. I didn’t see a fish. I didn’t see anything that looked alive to me, other than a few shrimplike amphipods in the water.' He also realised how alone he was, with that much water above him. ‘It's really the sense of isolation, more than anything, realising how tiny you are down in this big vast black unknown and unexplored place,’ Cameron said. Cameron said he had hoped to see some strange deep sea monster like a creature that would excite the storyteller in him and seem like out of his movies, but he didn't. He didn't see tracks of animals on the sea floor as he did when he dove more than five miles deep weeks ago. All he saw were voracious shrimp-like critters that weren't bigger than an inch. But that was okay, he said, it was all about exploration, science and discovery. He is the only person to dive there solo, using a sub he helped design. He is the first person to reach that depth - 35,576 feet - since it was initially explored in 1960. Cover star: The full article appears in the June issue of National Geographic He spent more than three hours at the bottom, longer than the 20 minutes Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard spent in the only other visit 52 years ago. But it was less than the six hours he had hoped. He said he would return. ‘I see this as the beginning,’ Cameron said. ‘It's not a one-time deal and then moving on. This is the beginning of opening up this new frontier.’ ‘To me, the story is in the people in their quest and curiosity and their attempt to understand,’ Cameron said. His return aboard his 12-ton, lime-green sub called Deepsea Challenger was a ‘faster-than-expected 70-minute ascent,’ according to National Geographic, which sponsored the expedition. Cameron is a National Geographic explorer-in-residence. The only thing that went wrong was the hydraulics on the system to collect rocks and critters to bring them back to land. Just as he was about to collect his first sample, a leak in the hydraulic fluid sprayed into the water and he couldn't bring anything back. When Cameron climbed into his sub, it was warm because it was near the equator and his cramped vehicle - his head hit one end and his feet the other - was toasty because of the heat given off by electronics. It felt ‘like a sauna’ with temperatures of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, he said. But as he plunged into the deep, the temperature outside the sub dropped to around 36 degrees, he said. The pressure on the sub was immense - comparable to three SUVs resting on a toe. The super-strong sub shrank three inches under that pressure, Cameron said. ‘It's a very weird environment,’ Cameron said. ‘I can't say it's very comfortable. And you can't stretch out.’ Cameron gave two thumbs up when he triumphantly resurfaced. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who appeared in Cameron's Terminator films, showed his support for the director via Twitter. 'Congrats to my great friend on the deepest solo dive ever. Always a pioneer'. Richard Branson and Jessica Alba were just a couple of the other celebrities who got behind Cameron's journey. The scale of the trench is hard to grasp - it is 120 times larger than the Grand Canyon and more than a mile deeper than Mount Everest is tall. The film director has been an oceanography enthusiast since childhood and has made 72 deep-sea submersible dives. Thirty-three of those dives have been to the wreckage of the Titanic, the subject of his 1997 hit film. The following is an extract from the full article by James Cameron, which appears in the June issue of National Geographic: Quote: The pilot’s chamber is a 43-inch-diameter steel ball, and I’m packed into it like a walnut in its shell, my knees pushed up in a hunched sitting position, my head pressed down by the curve of the hull. I’ll be locked in this position for the next eight hours. My bare feet rest on the 400-pound steel hatch, locked shut from the outside. I’m literally bolted in. People always ask me if I get claustrophobic in the sub. To me it just feels snug and comforting. My visual field is filled by four video screens, three showing views from the external cameras, one a touch screen instrument panel. The sub, painted electric green, is hanging upright in the swells like a vertical torpedo aimed at the center of the Earth. I tilt my 3-D camera, out on the end of its six-foot boom, to look up the face of the sub. The divers are getting into position to release the buoyant lift bag attached to the sub, holding it at the surface. I’ve had years to contemplate this moment, and I won’t say there hasn’t been dread in the past few weeks, thinking about all the things that could go wrong. But right now I feel surprisingly calm. I am wrapped in the sub, a part of it and it a part of me, an extension of my ideas and dreams. As co-designer, I know its every function and foible intimately. After weeks of pilot training, my hand goes to a specific control or switch without thinking. There’s no apprehension at this point, only determination to do what we came out here for, and childlike excitement for what’s ahead. Challenge: Launched from the Mermaid Sapphire, the futuristic sub relies on 180 different systems, from battery packs to sonar Into the blue: Director James Cameron took his futuristic submersible - christened Deepsea Challenger - for a test dive off Papua New Guinea to see if it could survive the crushing pressure at the depths of the ocean Record: The director became the first person to reach the deepest point of the Earth's oceans alone in his Deepsea Challenger, seen on the Mermaid Sapphire Success: James Cameron gives two thumbs-up as he emerges from the Deepsea Challenger today after his successful solo dive in the Mariana Trench Cameron's dive took him to a part of the ocean no one has visited for 50 years - and he is the only human being to have travelled and returned solo James Cameron emerging from the hatch of Deepsea Challenger - the tiny submarine the director will use to travel to the bottom of the Pacific's Mariana trench Race is on: James Cameron's team tested the Deepsea Challenger in the ocean at Jervis Bay, south of Sydney, Australia before he set off Moment of truth: Deepsea Challenger carrying Carmeron is hoisted into the Pacific Ocean on its way to the bottom of the Mariana Trench

Five Undercover Police Cars Sent To Arrest Single Alleged Movie Pirate May 25, 2013 Police assisted by the Federation Against Copyright Theft showed up in large numbers to arrest an alleged movie pirate in the UK this week. Armed with an emergency search warrant issued out of hours by a judge, five undercover police vehicles containing detectives and FACT officers were deployed to arrest a 24-year-old said to have recorded the movie Fast and Furious 6. The MPAA-backed Federation Against Copyright Theft is well known for its anti-piracy actions around the UK, tracking down alleged movie pirates with the help of the police and hauling them, if at all possible, through the court system. What remains remarkable about FACT operations is how they are able to persuade the police to invest significant resources towards detaining individuals for non-violent crimes. This week witnessed yet another example of that ability. Five undercover cars containing 10 police officers and officers from the Federation Against Copyright Theft arrived at a property in the West Midlands at 07:30 Thursday morning. After seizing numerous items including three servers, a desktop computer, blank hard drives and blank media, police detained the 24-year-old and transported him to a nearby police station. Despite the ‘emergency’ nature of the raid, no movie recording equipment was found.

Ohio Doctor Accused of Raping, Injecting Pregnant Woman With Heroin Published May 25, 2013 Associated Press NEW ALBANY, Ohio – The personal ads that Dr. Ali Salim placed on Craigslist -- and police say he posted hundreds of them -- made one thing clear: He wanted "no drama." He didn't always get his wish. One woman told police she was accosted at Salim's house. Another said she was sexually assaulted. Another woman left after she said Salim insisted she pose in her underwear while he painted the digestive system on her abdomen. The final drama, police and prosecutors say, occurred July 31 when Deanna Ballman, nine months pregnant with two young children at home, disappeared after answering one of Salim's ads. Ballman's body was found the next day in the backseat of her car on a country road a few miles from Salim's house. After a six-month investigation, Salim was arrested in February and charged with kidnapping, raping and killing Ballman by injecting her with heroin, as well as killing her unborn child, to be named Mabel Lilly. Salim has pleaded not guilty and is on house arrest on $1 million bond. His trial is scheduled for Sept. 3. Ballman told her mother she was responding to a housecleaning ad. Investigators say that's not the whole story. "That's not quite what we've found," said Delaware County Prosecutor Carol O'Brien. Salim, 44, who is single, is originally from Pakistan where he earned his medical degree at King Edward Medical College at the University of the Punjab in 1993, according to Ohio medical board records. He did his residency at West Virginia University and worked most recently as an emergency room physician in Mt. Vernon, a small city in east-central Ohio. The Ohio medical board has revoked Salim's license because of the criminal charges. He had no medical disciplinary cases as a doctor and no previous criminal record. He is a permanent U.S. resident with a green card. Salim did well: He lived in a $305,000 house in New Albany, a tony Columbus suburb, and owned expensive cars, including a Porsche and Infiniti. He drove his vehicles fast: Records obtained by The Associated Press found at least 15 speeding tickets since 2000. Salim's life was full of drama in the months before his encounter with Ballman, according to police records obtained by the AP, prosecutors' statements and interviews with Delaware County sheriff's investigators. In September 2010, Salim told police his house had been burglarized with the help of a female heroin addict he'd been trying to help get treatment. He refused to cooperate with investigators despite losing three TVs, two laptops, $500 in cash and credit cards, and the case was placed on inactive status, according to a Columbus police report. In April 2011, a woman who answered one of Salim's Craigslist ads called 911 to report an assault at Salim's address. "I came to a gentleman's house, and he accosted me," she said. Eight months later, in early December, aspiring model Gabrielle Roush answered what she thought was a legitimate modeling ad: $400 to let Salim paint the human digestive system on her abdomen for what he said was a work assignment. But Roush, accompanied by her future father-in-law, turned down the job after Salim insisted she be in the house alone while he worked. "He said, `As long as you don't cause drama, you can do this for me,"' recalled Roush, 21, a college student in Columbus, whose meeting with Salim and call to police came long before Ballman's death and Salim's arrest. The following July, a woman was sexually assaulted at Salim's house, according to a report she filed with police a month later, after Ballman's death. Ballman, 23, was a supply specialist with a National Guard military police unit in Colorado who had just moved back to Ohio after separating from her husband. She had her own apartment east of Columbus and was still trying to buy furniture for her children's bedrooms. The family reported her missing July 31, telling police about the housecleaning ad. At 3:30 p.m. that day, Deanna Ballman called her mother, Lori Ballman. "Deanna stated that she felt dizzy and did not feel well. Deanna then stopped talking. Lori stated a male with a foreign accent then got on the phone asking what he could do to help. The call was then lost," according to the missing-person's report. Lori Ballman also told investigators she heard the sound of a woman's voice in the background speaking another language. Investigators say they've never located this person. O'Brien, the Delaware County prosecutor, says it's not clear how Deanna Ballman's car got to the country road. Compounding the family's struggle, Ballman's 19-year-old brother, James, died in an accidental shooting in February. Deanna Ballman's children are in foster care in Colorado, her mother said. Ballman was a high school graduate and devoted mother who hoped eventually to go to college to be a dentist, her mother said. Lori Ballman helped her daughter gather cleaning supplies the day she disappeared, but she believes now that was a cover story for something darker she can't quite bring herself to name. "That's the only reason I can think she told me she was going housecleaning, because she was humiliated," Ballman said. Investigators say only that Deanna Ballman answered a personal ad. A cursory review of Craigslist finds Salim was not alone in placing such ads, dozens of which, many of them suggestive, abound for the Columbus area. In one, on May 14, a married man said he was looking for a "discreet relationship." Another, the same day, was seeking "a woman who is pregnant and horny as hell." Salim's lawyer goes a step farther and bluntly calls Ballman an "unfortunate victim" who died as a result of prostituting herself to feed a drug habit. "Regrettably, she caused her own demise and Dr. Salim had nothing to do with it," said attorney Sam Shamansky. The rape charge against Salim alleges he assaulted her knowing her ability to resist "was substantially impaired." Capt. Kevin Savage of the Delaware County Sheriff's Office says there's no evidence Ballman was a drug addict. But, like the prosecutor, he hints that Ballman's reasons for going to Salim's home have yet to come out. "I don't think she knew she was going to be overdosed with heroin and subsequently die, but I think she knew what she was responding to," Savage said.