2018年4月24日星期二

Yahoo! News: Iraq

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yahoo! News: Iraq


Southwest airlines cancels dozens of flights for engine inspections after deadly midair explosion

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 08:52 AM PDT

Southwest airlines cancels dozens of flights for engine inspections after deadly midair explosionInspecting its 737 engines round-the-clock on Monday, Southwest canceled 3 percent of its total flights, inconveniencing several thousand passengers.


Rural districts are the new frontier for women running for office

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 08:16 AM PDT

Rural districts are the new frontier for women running for officeEsther Roberts stands in her friend's field in Somers, Wis., which sits directly across the road from the massive Foxconn development site in Pleasant Prarie, WIs. At the moment when Esther Roberts decided to run for elected office, she was standing far from her home in Somers, Wisc., amid a sea of pink hats at the March for Women in Washington, D.C., in January 2017. Roberts is typical of the thousands of women who have entered the political arena in the past 18 months in the wake of Donald Trump's election.


13 semi truck drivers line up under bridge to stop man from committing suicide

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 01:08 PM PDT

13 semi truck drivers line up under bridge to stop man from committing suicideThe Michigan State Police, along with the help of 13 semi truck drivers,


Van plows down multiple pedestrians in Toronto

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 01:30 PM PDT

Van plows down multiple pedestrians in TorontoThe driver suspected of killing 10 people and injuring 15 others when he ploughed a rental van into pedestrians in Toronto will make his first court appearance on Tuesday when details of a motive for the attack were expected to emerge.


Uranus Is Actually A Giant Ball Of Farts Floating In Space, Study Finds

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 02:01 AM PDT

Uranus Is Actually A Giant Ball Of Farts Floating In Space, Study FindsSomeone light a match.


Senators Cancel Confirmation Hearings For Trump's VA Pick

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 04:19 AM PDT

Senators Cancel Confirmation Hearings For Trump's VA Pick### TOP STORIES


Missing Virginia Girl Identified as Toddler Found Dead in Suitcase Along New Jersey Train Tracks

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 04:49 PM PDT

Missing Virginia Girl Identified as Toddler Found Dead in Suitcase Along New Jersey Train TracksThe toddler found dead in a suitcase in New Jersey has been positively identified as two-year-old Te`Myah Plummer from Richmond.


Peruvian mob kills Canadian blamed for shaman's killing

Posted: 22 Apr 2018 05:57 PM PDT

Peruvian mob kills Canadian blamed for shaman's killingLIMA, Peru (AP) — A 41-year-old Canadian who traveled to Peru to study hallucinogenic medicine was killed by a mob in a remote corner of the Amazon rain forest after people blamed him for the slaying of an elderly shaman, authorities said Sunday.


Peru judge orders two arrested for allegedly lynching Canadian

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 05:05 PM PDT

Peru judge orders two arrested for allegedly lynching CanadianA Peruvian judge on Monday ordered the arrests of two men accused of lynching a Canadian man last week in a remote Amazonian village as retribution. The Canadian, 41-year-old Sebastian Woodroffe, had been accused by villagers of murdering an indigenous medicine woman in the region of Ucayali and was killed in revenge by a "mob," according to Peru's interior ministry. A minute-and-a-half-long cellphone recording of the lynching, which was posted on Facebook, showed two men dragging Woodroffe by a noose around his neck as others looked on.


Mummified body of the Shah of Iran 'found in Tehran' construction site

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 06:05 AM PDT

Mummified body of the Shah of Iran 'found in Tehran' construction siteA construction worker in southern Tehran may have stumbled across the mummified body of Reza Shah Pahlavi, the Iranian ruler whose son was overthrown in the revolution of 1979.  Builders were carrying out construction work at a Shia shrine in Tehran when they found the body amid a pile of rubble.  Pahlavi was buried in a mausoleum nearby after his death in 1944 but the tomb was blown up by Iranian revolutionaries as they tried to erase all traces of the previous regime.  The shah's body was never found in the ruins and has been missing for nearly 40 years.  Hassan Khalilabadi, the head of Tehran's heritage committee, said it was "a possibility" that the corpse may be that of the former Iranian leader. "This will be examined by responsible bodies," he said. The body was reportedly found by construction workers Pahlavi was a military officer who overthrew the ruling Persian dynasty in 1921 and seized power for himself, first becoming the country's prime minister and then its monarch.   He introduced widespread reforms and is credited by some as the founder of modern Iran. But he was forced from power in 1941 by British and Russian troops and abdicated in favour of his son.  Pahlavi went into exile and died in South Africa in 1944. His son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was overthrown during the Iranian revolution in 1979.  Reza Shah's body as it was buried in 1944 Pahlavi's legacy is a taboo subject for Iran's government. While his son is still deeply controversial, some Iranians think fondly of the older Pahlavi because of his modernisation programme and his expansion of some freedoms for women.    During the widespread protests in Iran in late 2017 and early 2018, many protesters shouted out Pahlavi's name as a way of defying Iran's revolutionary regime. "Reza Shah, bless your soul," people cried. If the body found in Tehran is indeed that of Reza Shah Pahlavi, Iran's current rulers may have a delicate task figuring out what to do with it.  Islamic custom demands that all bodies be treated with respect but Iranian authorities will also be wary of allowing it to become a rallying point for opposition groups.  A spokesman for the Shah Abdol Azim shrine said the body was not Pahlavi's. "All the rumours on the social media that claim this mummified body belongs to Reza Shah are false and void of any truth," he said.    Reza Shah Pahlavi took power in 1921 but was forced to abdicate in 1941 by the UK and the Soviet Union Pahlavi's grandson, Reza Pahlavi, said in a statement that he was "closely following" the reports that his grandfather's body had been found.  He warned Iran's government "against any secrecy or lack of transparency" in its handling of the body.   Iranian authorities said the body had been reburied. It was not immediately clear what steps Iran planned to take to verify if the body did belong to Pahlavi.  A widely-shared photograph on social media appeared to show an Iranian construction work taking a selfie with the body after discovering it at the foot of his bulldozer.


Armenia celebrates as veteran leader quits amid protests

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 02:05 PM PDT

Armenia celebrates as veteran leader quits amid protestsArmenia's veteran leader Serzh Sarkisian resigned on Monday after mass protests against his election as prime minister with sweeping powers, sparking celebrations across the impoverished country. Last week lawmakers voted for Sarkisian as prime minister after he served a decade as Armenia's president, triggering political turmoil in the Moscow-allied nation of 2.9 million people. The opposition said the move was designed to extend his chokehold on power under a new parliamentary system of government, with tens of thousands taking to the streets of the capital Yerevan and other cities in recent days in largely peaceful protests.


The Latest: Dad says 'incompetency' led to school shooting

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 10:50 AM PDT

The Latest: Dad says 'incompetency' led to school shootingCOCONUT CREEK, Fla. (AP) — The Latest on the commission investigating the Florida high school massacre (all times local):


Toronto Van Attack: Suspect ID'd as 25-Year-Old University Student as First Victim Is Named

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 05:34 AM PDT

Toronto Van Attack: Suspect ID'd as 25-Year-Old University Student as First Victim Is NamedThe first of 10 victims was identified as Anne Marie D'Amico, who worked at an investment management firm.


Sean Hannity Defends Real Estate Empire Aided By HUD Loans

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 01:27 PM PDT

Sean Hannity Defends Real Estate Empire Aided By HUD LoansFox News host Sean Hannity is speaking out following a report that he


Prince William, Duchess Kate Welcome Baby Boy to the Royal Family

Posted: 22 Apr 2018 09:00 PM PDT

Prince William, Duchess Kate Welcome Baby Boy to the Royal FamilySiblings Prince George and Princess Charlotte were seen walking into the hospital for a visit.


A Woman Says Smallville Actress Allison Mack Tried to Recruit Her Into an Alleged Sex Cult

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 08:22 PM PDT

A Woman Says Smallville Actress Allison Mack Tried to Recruit Her Into an Alleged Sex CultMack was arrested for her alleged involvement in controversial self-help group Nxivm, which one former member described as a "cult"


Who controls the world's longest river?

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 09:03 AM PDT

Who controls the world's longest river?With Ethiopia signaling it may start filling its towering $4 billion Grand Renaissance Dam this year, safeguarding scarce Nile water resources has surged to the top of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's policy agenda as he begins a second term. Egypt, which relies almost exclusively on the Nile for farming, industry and drinking water, has sought assurances that the dam will not significantly cut the river's flow to its rapidly growing population. Ethiopia, the source of the Blue Nile which joins the White Nile in Khartoum and runs on to Egypt, has said the dam will not disrupt the flow and hopes the project will transform it into a power hub for the electricity-hungry region.


Saraland Police Stand By Controversial Arrest Of Woman At Waffle House

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 05:14 PM PDT

Saraland Police Stand By Controversial Arrest Of Woman At Waffle HousePolice in Saraland, Alabama, said a disturbance at a Waffle House there very


Man shackled for days in prisoner transport van files suit

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 01:29 PM PDT

Man shackled for days in prisoner transport van files suitMcLEAN, Va. (AP) — Edward Kovari's 18-day ordeal began Sept. 12, 2016, when some guys in a van showed up to take him from a jail in Virginia to Texas, where he was wanted on charges that he had stolen a car.


Nicaraguan journalist shot dead on Facebook Live while covering protests

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 03:19 AM PDT

Nicaraguan journalist shot dead on Facebook Live while covering protestsA journalist was gunned down during a Facebook Live broadcast as he covered an anti-government protest in Nicaragua. Angel Gahona was describing damage to a cash machine at a bank in the town of Bluefields on the country's southern Caribbean coast, when a shot rang out and he fell to the ground, bleeding from the head. Another reporter in the area, Ileana Lacayo, said Mr Gahona, who worked for the Meridiano news show, died before reaching the hospital.


Nine killed, 16 injured by driver in Toronto: police

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 03:49 PM PDT

Nine killed, 16 injured by driver in Toronto: policePolice say nine people were killed and sixteen others were injured when a white van struck multiple people at a major intersection in Toronto's northern suburbs. Jillian Kitchener reports.


Trump Reportedly Uses Private Cell Phone More Often Amid Kelly's Waning Influence

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 01:25 AM PDT

Trump Reportedly Uses Private Cell Phone More Often Amid Kelly's Waning InfluencePresident Donald Trump has reportedly increased his use of a private cell


12 Questions People In Polyamorous Relationships Are Sick Of Hearing

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 06:00 AM PDT

12 Questions People In Polyamorous Relationships Are Sick Of HearingPeople who practice polyamory understand the world's curiosity: Loving more


US gymnast says spoke of Nassar abuse 5 years before his arrest

Posted: 22 Apr 2018 07:43 PM PDT

US gymnast says spoke of Nassar abuse 5 years before his arrestOlympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney revealed sexual abuse by Larry Nassar five years before his arrest but nobody listened, she told NBC News' "Dateline" in an interview aired on Sunday. The disclosure came as she rode back to a hotel in a car with then-USA team coach John Geddert and others in 2011, she said. "I even said out loud that, last night, Larry was fingering me," she said, referring to the team's physician.


Russia, China to obstruct U.S. attempt to sabotage Iran nuclear deal: TASS

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 02:22 AM PDT

Russia, China to obstruct U.S. attempt to sabotage Iran nuclear deal: TASSMOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday he had agreed with his Chinese counterpart that Moscow and Beijing would try to block any U.S. attempt to sabotage the Iran nuclear deal, Russian state news agency TASS reported. "We are against revising these agreements, we consider it very counter productive to try to reduce to zero years of international work carried out via talks between the six major powers and Iran," TASS quoted Lavrov as saying after talks with Wang Yi, China's top diplomat, in Beijing. ...


What do we know about Alek Minassian, arrested after Toronto van attack?

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 03:31 AM PDT

What do we know about Alek Minassian, arrested after Toronto van attack?The Toronto van attack suspect is a socially awkward student who graduated from college last week, his former classmates say.  Alek Minassian, a 25-year-old student, was arrested after 10 people were killed by a van in northern Toronto on Monday evening.  He was taken into custody after the rented vehicle ploughed into a crowd, leaving a further 15 people hospitalised. Video footage showed a suspect being handcuffed after a tense stand-off with armed police. Authorities are still attempting to establish a motive for the attack.  The Globe and Mail spoke to three of Minassian's former classmates who described him as being socially awkward, believing he may have suffered from a social or mental disability.  Police now inside home of Toronto van suspect. Alek Minassian lives in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto. (Picture by CBC's Natalie Nanowski). pic.twitter.com/DGPAB8VfZa— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) April 23, 2018 Minassian lives in nearby Richmond Hill and has been a student at Seneca College, according to his LinkedIn page. One classmate said he graduated from the college only last week.  Another student, who worked with Minassian on a school project in 2015, expressed his surprise that the suspect was even capable of hiring and driving a vehicle, adding he didn't know how a steering wheel worked when he knew him.  Other classmates suggested he had never exhibited any indication of possessing extremist views or violent tendencies and was described by one couple as being "friendly".   One student said Minassian did not interact particularly well with other students, but would not describe him as a loner.  A damaged van that struck multiple people in Toronto Credit: Reuters Ari Bluff, who went to secondary school with Minassian, recalled that "he wasn't overly social" when she knew him.  "I'm not sure if he had any very, very close friends, at least publicly," he told CBC News. "I never saw him with a group of friends, generally. But whenever we would see him in the hallways, we'd always speak to him or say hi to him or whatnot. "I remember seeing him probably just walking down the halls, usually by himself, or in the cafeteria by himself."  Minassian was also regarded as an IT expert with comprehensive knowledge of computers chips, according to his former classmates.  His name is listed as a developer on a number of apps, including one that found parking spots in the Toronto area. He is believed to have attended the college for seven years while also working in several software development jobs. Officers were searching his home on Monday night. Mark Saunders, Toronto police chief, said the suspect had not been known to police previously. "Based on what we have there's nothing that has it to compromise the national security at this time," he told a news briefing after being asked if there was any like to international terrorism. Investigators are still working to establish a motive for the van rampage, Mr Saunders declined to speculate but said the driver's actions "definitely looked deliberate".  "We are looking very strongly to what the exact motivation was for this particular incident to take place," he told a press conference. "At the end of the day, we will have a fulsome answer, and we will have a fulsome account as to what the conclusion of this is."  Witness Ali Shaker, who was driving near the van at the time, told Canadian broadcast outlet CP24 that the driver appeared to be moving deliberately through the crowd. "He just went on the sidewalk," he said. "He just started hitting everybody, man. He hit every single person on the sidewalk. Anybody in his way he would hit." Witness Peter Kang told CTV News that the driver did not seem to make any effort to stop. "If it was an accident he would have stopped. But the person just went through the sidewalk. He could have stopped." Police in Toronto during the aftermath Credit: Zumapress NBC news cited American and Canadian law enforcement officials saying that mental illness was the leading theory for a motive, rather than terrorism. They also said the suspect had been involved in an online discussion about Elliot Rodger, the man accused of carrying out a 2014 shooting rampage, near Santa Barbara, California, that killed six people. A Facebook post by a man with the same name and the same photo as the one that appears on the LinkedIn profile refers to the "Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger". In a video posted before the attack, Rodger had ranted about women turning down his advances, turning him into an "incel" - an abbreviation for "involuntarily celibate". Minassian is due to appear in court at 10am local time on Tuesday. 


3 murdered Mexican film students caught in gang turf battle

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 01:29 PM PDT

3 murdered Mexican film students caught in gang turf battleMEXICO CITY (AP) — Three vanished film students whose case had become emblematic of Mexico's 30,000 missing people were killed after being caught unaware in the midst of a drug gang turf battle, officials say.


Russia's S-300 or S-400: F-35 Killer or Overhyped?

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 04:48 AM PDT

Russia's S-300 or S-400: F-35 Killer or Overhyped?The Pentagon is casting doubt on the effectiveness of Russian-made air defense systems. The Pentagon's move appears to be aimed at deterring Turkey from purchasing the Russian-made S-400. Until the Pentagon's April 19 press briefing, the Defense Department would routinely scaremonger how the S-400 would effectively turn an area into an anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) bubble.


Waffle House shooting in Nashville – Suspect in custody

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 02:25 PM PDT

Waffle House shooting in Nashville – Suspect in custodyThe mentally unstable gunman suspected of opening fire at a Waffle House restaurant in the middle of the night was arrested not far from his apartment Monday after hiding from police for more than a day following the attack that killed four people, authorities said.


Report supports dossier, contradicts Trump on night in Moscow

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 02:09 PM PDT

Report supports dossier, contradicts Trump on night in MoscowDonald Trump responded to accusations in the Steele dossier by telling James Comey he never spent the night in Moscow. A new Bloomberg report, along with past reporting, show Trump claim is not true.


NRA members destroy products of outdoor company that cut ties with the organisation

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 09:05 AM PDT

NRA members destroy products of outdoor company that cut ties with the organisationNational Rifle Association (NRA) members have been posting videos of destroying products made by Yeti after the company cut ties with the group in the wake of the Parkland, Florida school shooting. Yeti primarily makes high-end outdoors products, including iceboxes costing between $250 to $1,300 according to the Washington Post. The company had been offering NRA members a discount on its products often used for outdoor events.


20 Mother's Day Bouquet Ideas

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 08:28 AM PDT

20 Mother's Day Bouquet Ideas


Canadian police seek motive in van attack that killed 10

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 02:41 AM PDT

Canadian police seek motive in van attack that killed 10Canadian police sought a motive Tuesday for a van attack on a bustling downtown Toronto street that left at least 10 pedestrians dead. It took place in broad daylight around 16 kilometers (10 miles) from a conference center hosting a meeting of G7 ministers, but officials said they had no evidence of a link to the event. "The actions definitely looked deliberate," Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders told journalists.


Sarah Sanders: Democrats need to confirm Mike Pompeo

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 05:23 AM PDT

Sarah Sanders: Democrats need to confirm Mike PompeoOn 'Fox & Friends,' White House press secretary discusses U.S.-France relations, Pompeo's confirmation battle and North Korea.


The Latest: UN chief says retreat 'cooled' Syria tensions

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 09:43 AM PDT

The Latest: UN chief says retreat 'cooled' Syria tensionsBEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on the Syria conflict (all times local):


Toronto suspect begged police to shoot him after van ploughs into pedestrians leaving ten dead

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 01:08 PM PDT

Toronto suspect begged police to shoot him after van ploughs into pedestrians leaving ten dead• Suspect Alek Minassian in custody • 10 people dead, 15 wounded • Police officer hailed a hero for not firing shot • Investigators say no threat to national security The Toronto attack suspect begged police to shoot him before being arrested in connection with the death of ten pedestrians killed after a van mounted a pavement. As victims of the attack were left strewn across the street Alek Minassian, who has now been pictured, was locked in a tense police stand-off, during which video footage showed him telling officers he had a gun and shouting: "Shoot me in the head". In the video Minassian shouts that he has a gun and then says: "Kill me." The officer, hailed a hero for not opening fire, declines and demands Minassian "get down" before he is arrested. Witnesses described a van driver mounting a kerb and swerving to deliberately hit pedestrians, leaving a pushchair "split in half" and hitting people sitting on a bench. The suspect was later named by police as Minassian, a 25-year-old student. Minassian appeared in court on Tuesday morning where a judge detained him on ten counts of murder and thirteen count of attempted murder. Dressed in a white prison jumpsuit with a shaved head and his hands cuffed, he showed little emotion as the charges were read. He did not enter a plea to the charges and was ordered to return to court on May 10. Police have revealed the 25-year-old suspect was not known to intelligence agencies and that the incident was not being treated as a threat to national security.  Alek Minassian (pictured), 25, is accused of carrying out the van attack in Toronto The driver posted a "cryptic" Facebook message minutes before the van attack, police said on Tuesday night.  Facebook has confirmed a message linked to an account matching Minassian was posted publicly before the social network shut down his account. The post referred to the "Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger" - the California gunman who killed six people in 2014. Mark Saunders, the Toronto police chief, said the suspect had not been armed and that there was nothing so far to suggest terrorism as a motive. "It's very clear from a general perspective that the actions looked deliberate," he said, describing how the van had driven on the wrong side of the road and mounted the pavement. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/24/toronto-van-suspect-shouted-shoot-head-police-officer-hailed/ Numerous body bags were seen in the street after the attack, according to testimonies of people in the city, with one describing the scene as a "war zone".  Investigators are appealing for information from the public. A hotline for witnesses to the incident will be announced later today. A separate hotline for family members will also be made available. ^js— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) April 23, 2018 There were also accounts of victims with faces "full of blood" and twisted limbs, with one witness suggesting the van drove more than half a mile hitting people.  Emergency services treat victims of the crash Credit: Pixel8000  The incident occurred in the Yonge Street and Finch Avenue area of the city, according to police, which is around 18 miles north of the city centre. It began around 1.30pm Toronto time on Monday.  Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, was attending a meeting of G7 ministers in the city, but the gathering was not near the site of the incident.  Map: Toronto van attack route Our thoughts are with all those affected by the terrible incident at Yonge and Finch in Toronto. Thank you to the first responders working at the scene – we're monitoring the situation closely.— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 23, 2018 Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister, said: "We're still gathering information and as soon as we can, we'll share more information with Canadians." Mr Trudeau added:  "Our thoughts are with all those affected by the terrible incident at Yonge and Finch in Toronto. Thank you to the first responders working at the scene – we're monitoring the situation closely". Numerous witnesses, many of whom appeared shaken by the incident, described seeing the van swerving to hit pedestrians. James Forrester saw the aftermath of the incident from the 19th floor of an office building where he works as a financial services representative with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.  "Police were just arriving, people were screaming, there were bodies on the  ground, and I saw a lot of blood," he told The Telegraph. Mr Forrester described seeing three dead bodies on the pavement covered by orange sheets, about 10 ambulances, seven police cars and an estimated crowd of 30 onlookers.  Police said nine people have been killed in the attack, while 16 more are injured Credit: Zuma press He added that the white van travelled about two kilometres before it was stopped by police, and that as many as 40 people may have been hit.  Henry Miller, who lives in an apartment overlooking the street, told Sky News: "I heard a large amount of honking...and I stepped out onto the balcony to see what was causing the trouble and at this point I saw a lady lying on the floor and the van driving off with people running around trying to help her". Mr Miller said the white van "[sped] probably 60-70mph down this major road, swerving to what I would say fairly deliberately hit pedestrians and swerving in and out of traffic before eventually careering off into one of the other side streets and out of view". The van injured around ten people in Toronto, according to reports Credit: James Forrester One witness described seeing a middle-aged man "barely moving" on the ground after being hit. He told CNN: "I feel sick to my stomach ... I've never seen anything like this before." Kash Alavi, another witness, described seeing victims with faces "full of blood", telling CNN that the legs of those hit had been "twisted and contorted".  Video from Yonge and Finch at Toronto pic.twitter.com/YvS8GcJ8pg— Vince (@vce7) April 23, 2018 Another witness speaking to the network who did not give his name became emotional describing how the van swerved to repeatedly hit pedestrians.  "He's just hitting people one by one by one. It was a nightmare," he said. The van "just went on the side walk and started hitting everyone", he added.  A woman stands crying in the aftermath of the incident Credit: Reuters The witness said seeing a pushchair "split in half" and a group of people sitting on a bench being hit by the van. He said what he had witnessed was like "a war zone". 3:10AM Justin Trudeau issues statement The @TorontoPolice and first responders faced danger without hesitation today, and I want to thank them for their courage and professionalism. We'll continue working with our law enforcement partners as the investigation continues.— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 24, 2018   1:53AM Opposition leader praises emergency workers Andrew Scheer, leader of the opposition Conservative Party, has issued a statement, extending his condolences to those who had lost loved ones in the attack and said the individual responsible should feel the full force of the law. "We have all seen by now the incredible footage of a police officer staring down the attacker alone on a city street. "The men and women of our police services represent the best of what it means to be Canadian, and today we thank them. "I am confident that all Canadians stand in support of the people of Toronto as they come together to support families impacted by this tragedy. The stories of bravery, selflessness, and kindness that have emerged have been an inspiration to an entire nation." 1:38AM Police not ruling anything out Mr Saunders is asked about sources saying police have ruled out a connection to Isil or international terrorism, but he won't be drawn.  "I'm not going to answer what the media are putting forward," he said. "We open lanes and we explore." If there is no evidence to support a theory, he says, then it is closed - but not until then. 1:28AM Actions 'looked deliberate' Mark Saunders, the Toronto police chief, is taking questions from journalists. He says the suspect, Alek Minassian, was not known to police as far as he could tell so far. But he said the van had driven on the wrong side of the road and repeatedly mounted the kerb.  "It's very clear from a general perspective that the actions looked deliberate," he said. He added that the suspect was not armed and that police were investigating whether he had accomplices. 1:24AM 'No national security connection' Speaking to the media, Ralph Goodale, Canadian Public Safety Minister, said so far there was "no national security connection to this particular incident". However, officials are at pains to say the investigation is at an early stage. 1:15AM Increased death toll City officials are briefing the media now. Key points from Mark Saunders, the Toronto police chief, so far: Male suspect arrested "without incident" Named as Alek Minassian, a 25-year-old student from Richmond Hill Increased death toll - 10 dead and 15 wounded and in hospital 1:08AM Passers-by set up memorial A woman signs a memorial card for the victims near the scene on Yonge St Credit: Cole Burston/Getty Images An impromptu memorial has been set up close to the scene of the deaths. We are expecting a news briefing any minute to bring us up to date with happened. 1:01AM Police at suspect's home Police now inside home of Toronto van suspect. Alek Minassian lives in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto. (Picture by CBC's Natalie Nanowski). pic.twitter.com/DGPAB8VfZa— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) April 23, 2018   12:46AM Sources suggest terrorism an unlikely motive A senior national government official later said that authorities had not turned over the investigation to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a sign that investigators believed it unlikely terrorism was the motive, according to the Associated Press. The official agreed to reveal that information only if not quoted by name. Three sources tell us: Toronto suspect is Alek Minassian, 25 Years Old, deliberate act influenced by mental illness leading theory. He allegedly researched past 2014 incident in CA.— jonathan dienst (@jonathan4ny) April 23, 2018   12:39AM Threat level unchanged Ralph Goodale, Canadian Public Safety Minister, said he had no evidence to suggest Canada's national threat level needed to be raised following today's attack in Toronto. "There is no information available to me at the present time that would indicate a change in the risk level," Mr Goodale told reporters in Toronto, where he is attending the G7 foreign and security ministers meeting. 12:10AM Suspect named by media as Alek Minassian The suspect in the Toronto van attack that killed nine people and injured 16 others is a 25-year-old man named Alek Minassian, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation said on Monday. He is believed to be a student at Seneca College in Toronto. He reportedly lives in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto. 12:07AM 'This has never happened here' Phil Zullo was headed north driving along Yonge Street, Toronto's main artery, early Monday afternoon when he saw a bus shelter down, poles bent over, shoes along the road, "and then body after body after body" for a three-block stretch. "People were mangled on the sidewalk. "At first I saw what I thought was a stroller – and said to myself 'please don't make me see a kid,' but I got closer and saw it was a walker," said Mr Zullo, 47, who runs a fitness facility in the city and estimated that he saw between 10 and 15 bodies on the ground. "I called my wife and said, 'I think I just saw a terrorist attack.'" He said that thousands of people live and work in the area, and that dozens of police officers and emergency responders converged on the scene "from everywhere" providing CPR to the victims. "It was as if they had done this a hundred times. These guys were unbelievable." Mr Zullo also saw the suspect, leaning against a police cruiser, surrounded by three officers who handcuffed him. He described the man as dark-skinned, clean-shaven, bald and wearing glasses. The man reportedly pointed his cellphone at police as if it were a weapon. "This has never happened here," said Mr Zullo. "But why not us?" 11:52PM Facebook activates emergency response Officers at the scene Credit: Chris Donovan/Reuters Users in the area can check in and let friends know they are safe here 11:45PM Canadians call for unity Toronto just proved how rare it stands in North America, and even the world. No shots fired. No mass panic. Suspect peacefully arrested. No security lockdown. No system-wide transit shutdown or politicians rushing to lay blame.— Muhammad Lila (@MuhammadLila) April 23, 2018 Don't give people trying to use today's tragedy in Toronto for political gain a platform. Especially the ones who are commenting from the outside. They want attention, controversy, and divisiveness. Let's focus on being there for each other, which is what this city does best.— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) April 23, 2018 Canadians at home and all around the world are doing their Canadian thing, keeping calm and not jumping to conclusions. 11:36PM Additional security at ice hockey game The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing the Boston Bruins in a play-off game tonight. The club has announced extra security for the night: The Toronto Maple Leafs and (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment) are keeping all of those impacted by today's tragic incident in Toronto in our thoughts and prayers. Our organisation continuously works in close partnership with Toronto Police Service, and other security agencies, to ensure the safety of all fans attending games at Air Canada Centre, including playoff tailgate events at Maple Leaf Square. In addition to the safety measures already in place, Toronto Police Service will be implementing a number of additional measures including road closures surrounding Air Canada Centre tonight to create the safest environment for our fans watching in Maple Leaf Square, as well as providing enhanced security inside Air Canada Centre.  11:30PM 'Shoot me in the head' After multiple pedestrians plowed down on Toronto sidewalk, driver gets out holding what appears to be a gun. Police arrest him. No shots fired. pic.twitter.com/xWHeylS1d8— Michel Boyer (@BoyerMichel) April 23, 2018 This is the extraordinary moment when a suspect is arrested. Filmed by an anonymous witness and passed to CTV News, a man appears to tell police he has a gun and asks them to shoot him. Social media is buzzing with comments written by American viewers incredulous that the man was taken alive. 11:17PM Orange shrouds on the street A tarp covers an unidentified body on Yonge Street at Finch Avenue Credit: Cole Burston/Getty Images   11:14PM Is terrorism the motive? The Associated Press is quoting an unnamed US security source saying that investigators are examining terrorism as the likely motive. The source said there was no reason to believe that the incident in which a Ryder rental van plowed into a crowd was an accident. 11:12PM Minister: No known threat to G7 talks Canada's minister for public safety, Ralph Goodale, was asked at the G7 meeting whether the government had received any threats or information to suggest that the talks might be targeted. "No, not to my knowledge," he said. 11:11PM Helicopter footage shows aftermath   11:08PM International ministers were meeting elsewhere in city The incident occurred as ministers from the major industrial countries were gathered in Canada to discuss a range of international issues in the run-up to the G7 meeting near Quebec City in June. Currently in Toronto attending the G7 Security Ministers meeting. My thoughts are with all those caught up in the incident today in this fine City. #G7— Ben Wallace MP (@BWallaceMP) April 23, 2018   10:59PM A city in mourning The Toronto Sign has been dimmed and the official flags at Toronto City Hall, all Civic Centres and Metro Hall will be flown at half-mast until further notice to mark the tragic events that took place today. pic.twitter.com/4fNVQbEiJb— City of Toronto (@TorontoComms) April 23, 2018   10:42PM Appeals for eye witnesses Peter Yuen, Toronto Police's acting chief, said officers arrived on the scene after receiving multiple calls indicating a van was "striking a number of pedestrians". "We have located that vehicle, the driver is in custody right now and he is being investigated to the events that took place this afternoon," Mr Yuen told reporters.  "I want to offer my condolences to the families of the victims of this tragic event. We can confirm right now that we have nine people that are dead, sixteen that are injured. "I can assure the public that all available resources have been brought in to investigate this situation." Mr Yuen appealed for eye witnesses to contact police in order to help with their enquiries. The city's police chief, Mark Saunders, who was in New York at the time of the incident, travelled back to Toronto on Monday night to oversee the investigation. 10:42PM Mayor calls for calm The city's mayor, John Tory, appealed for calm in the aftermath of the incident as he praised the "professionalism" and "thoroughness" of the emergency services, saying he hoped the city's "spirit of unity" would continue after the incident.  "I hope that we will as a city remind ourselves of the fact that we are admired around the world for being inclusive, and for being accepting, understanding and considerate," Mr Tory said. 10:41PM Ryder rental van involved in incident Claudia Panfil, a spokeswoman for Ryder Systems, confirmed that one of the company's rental vehicles was involved in Monday's tragedy.  Ms Panfil said the company was co-operating with authorities.


Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury Concept

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 07:00 AM PDT

Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury ConceptThose turbine wheels look awesome, though.


Appeals court sides with states over fuel economy standards

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 04:27 PM PDT

Appeals court sides with states over fuel economy standardsNEW YORK (AP) — The federal government can't delay plans to more than double penalties automakers pay when they fail to meet fuel economy standards, an appeals court said on Monday in siding with five states.


Police probe Korean Air chairman's wife over abuse

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 02:49 AM PDT

Police probe Korean Air chairman's wife over abuseSeoul police on Monday launched a probe into whether the wife of Korean Air's chairman illegally abused employees -- the latest accusation against a powerful, wealthy family with members known for their tantrums. The hot-tempered clan landed in hot water earlier this month after chairman Cho Yang-ho's second daughter was accused of throwing water into an advertising agency manager's face in a fit of rage during a business meeting. The incident was dubbed "nut rage", prompting the sister's case to be described as "water rage".


Nashville Waffle House shooting: Man suspected of fatally shooting four people arrested

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 11:09 AM PDT

Nashville Waffle House shooting: Man suspected of fatally shooting four people arrestedNashville police officers have arrested the man suspected of opening fire at a Waffle House, ending a methodical day-and-half manhunt. Acting on a tip, law enforcement located Travis Reinking in a wooded area near a construction site. The Nashville police department released an image of the suspect with his short torn, his jeans muddied and scratches visible on his shoulder.


Kremlin, on possible missile delivery to Syria, says Western strike soured atmosphere

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 04:19 PM PDT

Kremlin, on possible missile delivery to Syria, says Western strike soured atmosphereThe Kremlin on Monday declined to comment on media reports that Russia planned to soon supply Syria with S-300 missile systems, but said a Western missile strike on Syria had soured the atmosphere in the region. Russia's daily Kommersant newspaper, citing unnamed military sources, reported earlier on Monday that Russia might start supplying S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Syria in the near future.


Canadian lynched by villagers in Peruvian Amazon after death of elderly healer

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 09:36 AM PDT

Canadian lynched by villagers in Peruvian Amazon after death of elderly healerPolice in Peru were last night preparing a series of arrests over the lynching of a Canadian man accused by villagers of murdering an 81-year-old medicine woman. Sebastian Woodruffe's body was found in a shallow grave on Saturday in a remote village in the Amazonian region of Ucayali. The 41-year-old had been accused by locals of the murder of Olivia Arevalo, a traditional healer of the Shipibo-Conibo tribe. She was shot twice and died on Thursday near her home, said Ricardo Palma Jimenez, the head of a group of prosecutors in Ucayali. Arevalo had been working with traditional plant medicine since the age of 15, and came from a long line of healers, according to the Temple of the Way of Light centre, where she worked. The centre published a YouTube video that shows her singing one of her curing songs. Ricardo Franco, Arevalo's nephew, described her to a Peruvian TV station as "the mother that protects the Earth in the jungle". He said she was "the most beloved woman" in the tribe. Woodruffe was believed to have been one of her clients, and some reports on social media suggested that she was killed for refusing to perform an ayahuasca ceremony – a hallucinogenic spiritual ritual increasingly popular with Westerners. Other reports indicated a row over debts. Arevalo's sons disputed both versions, however, saying that she had stopped performing ayahuasca ceremonies due to her health. Sebastian Woodroffe was found buried. Villagers in remote parts of Peru often punish suspects according to local customs and without the involvement of authorities Locals told an indigenous news outlet that witnesses saw Woodroffe shoot Arevalo multiple times after she sang an ikaro, or curing song. He then fled, local residents alleged, prompting Arevalo's family members to post a "wanted" bulletin online and on Facebook, showing Woodroffe's photo, identifying him by name and nationality, and offering a reward. Distressing mobile phone footage, shared on social media, showed the attack on Woodruffe. He is seen in the film groaning in a puddle near a thatched-roof structure, as another man puts a rope around his neck and drags him, with others looking on. Mr Jimenez said the footage was being studied, and Peru's ministry of the interior said in a statement issued on Monday that they were close to making arrests in the case. "The prosecutor is concluding his file soliciting the preliminary arrest of the person seen in the video," a ministry source told Peruvian newspaper El Comercio. Canada's foreign ministry said they were investigating. "Canada extends its deepest condolences following the reported assassination of‎ Olivia Arévalo Lomas, an Indigenous elder and human rights defender," said Global Affairs Canada, which manages Canadian foreign relations, in a statement. "We are also aware that a Canadian ‎was killed in a related incident. Consular services are being provided to the family of the Canadian." Woodruffe, who is the father of a nine-year-old boy, grew up in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. His friend Yarrow Willard told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that Woodroffe worked odd jobs in recent years and did some professional diving. Woodroffe said in a YouTube video in 2013 that he decided to leave his job and leave his home in Canada to study plant medicine in Peru. A relative's battle with alcoholism had inspired him to "fix the family's spirit" and pursue a career as an addictions counsellor, he said. Woodroffe began raising money for an apprenticeship with traditional healers in the Amazon, writing on his fundraising page that he felt a responsibility to "support this culture and retain some of their treasure in me and my family, and share it with those that wish to learn." But Mr Willard said Woodroffe had become more distant after trying ayahuasca in Peru in 2016, and came back "troubled" from his retreats there. He described Woodroffe as a person "who likes to poke, and likes to test the boundaries of people's beliefs, but is very much a gentle person underneath all that." He found it hard to believe that his friend would ever be involved in a violent crime. "He had a beautiful spark to him that people respected and loved." He added: "This man has never had a gun or talked about anything along that line," suggesting that Woodroffe may have become a scapegoat for Arevalo's murder. Arevalo's murder prompted outrage in Peru following other unsolved murders of indigenous activists who had repeatedly faced death threats related to efforts to keep illegal loggers and oil palm growers off native lands. Policing is scant over much of the Peruvian Andes and Amazon and villagers in far-flung provinces often punish suspected criminals according to local customs and without the involvement of state police and prosecutors. "We've just been in shock," said Mr Willard. "It just felt like a scam because there is no way this person is capable of that." Woodroffe becomes the second Westerner to die at a Peruvian retreat. In December 2015 Joshua Andrew Freeman Stevens, 29, killed 25-year-old Briton Unais Gomes after Gomes tried to stab him at a ceremony involving the hallucinogens. Mr Freeman Stevens' actions were ruled self defence and he returned home to Canada. Mr Jimenez said that an autopsy showed Woodroffe died of strangulation, after receiving several blows to his body. "We will not rest until both murders, of the indigenous woman as well as the Canadian man, are solved," he said. "We want the people of the Amazon to know that there is justice, but not justice by their own hands." A Peruvian vice minister visited the community at the weekend to reassure locals that they would find the truth behind both murders. But the villagers were sceptical. "There is justice for those with money," one local resident, Alder Rengifo Torres, told TV Peru. Another local woman was captured on Peruvian television telling the minister: "A foreigner can come and kill us, day after day, like dogs or cats, and nothing happens. The state does nothing." A Peruvian ombudsman wrote tweets condemning the killing of Arevalo, "a promoter of the cultural rights of the Shipibo-Conibo indigenous people." He urged the government to protect indigenous people "in the face of an increase in illicit activities that put their lives at risk." But the ombudsman's office also expressed its "resounding rejection of the lynching and murder of the alleged perpetrator" of Arevalo's killing, adding: "We ask the authorities for an in-depth investigation."


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