Friday, October 18, 2019

El Chapo: Mexican president says police 'did right' to free drug lord's son

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When Ovidio Guzmán López was seized at a house on a judge's warrant in the city of Culiacán, cartel gunmen fought street battles with security forces.

At least eight people were killed and 16 wounded, the authorities say, with vehicles left burning in the streets.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the decision to cancel the arrest on Thursday had saved lives.

Senior security officials had decided on his release, the president said at a news conference. "The officials who took this decision did well," he said.

"The capture of a criminal is not worth more than people's lives."




lawyer for the Guzmán family appeared before journalists and described the president as "human" and "Christian". He had decided "not to cause Ovidio harm", Jose Luis Gonzalez Meza said.

There was no negotiation to free him, he added.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Mayor in Mexico tied to a truck and dragged through streets for ‘failing to fulfill campaign promises’

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Angry farmers in Mexico abducted the mayor of their village and dragged him through the streets after claiming he went back on key campaign promises.

Police intervened to free Jorge Luis Escandón Hernández, who suffered no major injuries after the ordeal.

A group of protesters armed with clubs and rocks detained the mayor of Las Margaritas and tied him to the back of a pickup truck and dragged him through the streets, according to local news website El Heraldo de Mexico.

Footage of the attack shows the man being dragged along a road, with a mob running after him.

Related Video: U.S. Border Agent Dies on Patrol Near Mexico/Arizona Border
It was the second attack by farmers demanding that he fulfil his campaign promise to repair a local road and bring drinking water and electricity to the community of roughly 500.

In an earlier incident four months ago, a group of men ransacked his office after turning up there and finding it empty.


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A family found more than half a million dollars in cocaine on the beach during their vacation

South Carolina beach

A man and his family discovered 20 bricks of cocaine while on vacation in South Carolina.

According to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, the man stumbled upon a strange object near the shore and brought it home.

When he opened it, he discovered 20 kilograms (44 lbs.) of cocaine estimated to be worth $600,000.

Bricks of cocaine also washed around in Florida following Hurricane Dorian, which lashed the southeastern coast in September.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A family discovered 20 bricks of cocaine on a beach while on vacation in South Carolina, estimated to be worth around $600,000.

A man and his family were walking along the beach on Fripp Island, a popular tourist spot located near the state's border with Georgia, when he stumbled upon an object floating in the water, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said, according to NBC affiliate WMBF News.


Swiss climbs 1,800-foot vertical rock face in record time... without a safety rope

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It's one thing climbing over 1,800 feet up a vertical rock face, it's another thing altogether to do it without the use of safety ropes -- at speed.

In September, Dani Arnold scaled the imposing Cima Grande wall in the Dolomites mountain range, Italy, with nothing but his bare hands and a bag of chalk.
He did so in a record breaking time of 46 minutes, 30 seconds, obliterating the previous record by almost 20 minutes.
"It's very much a head game. All the skills, like the climbing technique and all the endurance, these are basic for me," the 35-year-old Arnold told CNN Sport, from his home in Switzerland, as he reflected on his love of free soloing (climbing without ropes).
"There are so many very strong climbers around but having these normal climbing skills whilst also having a very clear mind and feeling safe without a rope, that's a bit like a joker [card] or a jackpot."

The secret to a long life? No sex or spicy food, says monk who claims to be 124 years old

If his passport is to be believed, Swami Sivananda is the oldest man on Earth

An Indian monk who claims to be 124 years old left airport security staff in Dubai aghast when he presented his passport during a stopover.

Swami Sivananda was en-route from Kolkata to London when murmurs spread of his age, after which photos spread on social media of the gentleman with various employees at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

While doubts exist as to the validity of the date of birth (August 8, 1896) on his document, Sivananda puts his longevity down to a lifelong regime involving plenty of yoga, no sex or "fancy foods", and sleeping on just a mat with a wooden slab for a pillow.

Indian passport authorities obtained Sivananda's birth records from a temple register, according to Gulf News, making it difficult to verify.

One social media user, Bint Bilaad Al Harmain stated: “These ages are often not true because of the lack of identity documents and available data back in the old days. While the birth dates may be accurate for some, there are parents that would not have been able to remember all the dates of when their children were born.”

Sivananda lost both parents when he was six years old and was sent to live with a guru. He was raised in poverty and adapted to a basic lifestyle. While the purpose of his trip to London is unknown, it's not the first time the Hindu yogi has made the press.

Monday, October 7, 2019

Ancient 'New York': 5,000-year-old city discovered in Israel

Aerial view of the excavation site reveals an organized grid system of the ancient city.

The remains of a 5,000-year-old cityhave been discovered in Israel - the largest and oldest such find in the region. The city was home to 6,000 people and included planned roads, neighbourhoods, a ritual temple and fortifications. An even earlier settlement, believed to be 7,000 years old, was discovered beneath the city.

An overhead photo of the excavation site gives a clear view of the planned design of the ancient city. A stone basin that looks similar in shape to a tub


 Israeli archaeologists said the discovery was the most significant in the region from that era. "This is the Early Bronze Age New York of our region; a cosmopolitan and planned city where thousands of inhabitants lived," the excavation directors said in a statement. "There is no doubt that this site dramatically changes what we know about the character of the period and the beginning of urbanization in Israel," the statement added. Known as En Esur, the site spans 650 dunams (161 acres), about double the size of previous similar findings.

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac: Man pleads guilty to attempted robbery of Arsenal duo

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A man who admitted attempting to rob Arsenal stars Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolašinac in London in July has pleaded guilty, PA Media reported Thursday.

Ashley Smith, 30, pleaded guilty of attempting to steal watches from the Arsenal pair in Hampstead, northwest London on July 25.
Smith, of Archway, north London, has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on November 1.
A CCTV video, which was shared widely across social media at the time, showed both Ozil and Kolašinac being approached by masked men who had pulled alongside their vehicle on a moped in north London.

Chernobyl control room now open to visitors -- but only wearing a hazmat suit

The control room of the fourth reactor at the Chernobyl has opened to tours.

The Chernobyl nuclear power plant has seen a huge increase in visitor numbers in recent years as part of a growing global interest in dark tourism.
And now, intrepid travelers be able to get inside the control room where the world's worst nuclear accident unfolded, Chernobyl tour companies confirmed to us.
Those who venture inside the highly radioactive area at the infamous Reactor 4 will be provided with white protective suits, helmets and masks for the brief visits. After leaving, they will be subject to two radiology tests to measure exposure.
The move is part of a government drive to encourage tourism in the area after President Volydymyr Zelensky signed a July decree designating Chernobyl an official tourist attraction.
"We must give this territory of Ukraine a new life," Zelensky said at the time. "Until now, Chernobyl was a negative part of Ukraine's brand. It's time to change it."

Chernobyl-tourism---information-center---Getty-Images

Four killed in knife attack at Paris police headquarters


Emergency personnel stand by an air ambulance helicopter on the Pont Marie near Paris police HQ.

Four police employees were killed in a knife attack at Paris police headquarters on Thursday, according to city prosecutor Remy Heitz.

The three policemen and a female police administrative worker were killed by a fellow member of staff, who was later shot dead, authorities told us.
The incident took place inside the building, which is located near Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité in central Paris.
One victim is undergoing surgery, said French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner. He did not elaborate on the victim's condition or injuries.
Castaner said the assailant was a 45-year-old man and had been an employee at the police station since 2003. There is no indication of a motive yet.
The wife of the attacker has been taken into custody, a source in the Paris prosecutor's office told us. It is not yet clear if she was at the scene of the attack or why she was taken into custody.

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin Wed in South Carolina



A little over a year since the couple legally tied the knot in a Manhattan courthouse, they held their more traditional wedding ceremony on Monday.
Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin are Mr. and Mrs. (again)!

A little over a year since the couple legally tied the knot in a Manhattan courthouse, they held their more traditional wedding ceremony in South Carolina on Monday, according to multiple news outlets. The duo wed at sunset at Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina.

The 154 guests included Scooter Braun, Kendall Jenner, Camila Morrone and Joan Smalls, and Daniel Caesar is expected to perform later in the evening.

As a "wedding gift" for himself, Bieber splurged on a watch from Jadelle Beverly Hills, taking to Instagram to share a photo of his new ice.

MTV EMAs: Ariana Grande Leads Nominations



The star gets seven nominations, followed by Shawn Mendes, Lil Nas X and Billie Eilish with six each.
Ariana Grande is leading the nominations for the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) with seven, including for best artist, best video for "thank you, next," as well as best song.

Shawn Mendes, Lil Nas X and Billie Eilish follow with six nominations each, J Balvin with five and Lizzo and Taylor Swift with four each.

Camila Cabello, Nicki Minaj, Shawn Mendes and Cardi B were among last year's winners.

With the EMAs set to take place in Seville, Spain on Nov. 3, MTV unveiled the nominees in key categories with a nod to the traditional Spanish cortado via foam cream visuals.

The awards show will air live on MTV in nearly 180 countries, with the red carpet sponsored by the upcoming Charlie’s Angels film.

Below is the full list of nominations.

Al Franken Faces New Sexual Harassment Allegation



Al Franken was accused of sexual harassment by an anonymous woman on Monday, the latest in a string of misconduct allegations that forced the former Democratic Minnesota senator’s resignation last year.

In a piece published by New York magazine’s The Cut, the woman, a current “senior staffer at a major progressive organization” came forward on condition of anonymity to accuse Franken groping her at an fundraising event in 2006 for U.S. Senator Patty Murray.

“At the time of the incident, I think, I’m going to go to law school. All I want to do is run for office in my home state. This created a moment of reflection,” she told The Cut. “ … It rocked my confidence. As I look back on my career, I am always in deputy roles and support roles.”

Franken resigned in July 2018 at the behest of Democratic leadership after a conservative talk radio host accused him of forcibly kissing her during a skit performed as part of a 2006 U.S.O tour.

The latest allegation comes in the midst of a bit of public comeback for Franken, who on Saturday launched a weekly program on SiriusXM titled “The Al Franken Show.”

Trump's 'Civil War' threat is 'beyond repugnant,' says GOP Rep. Kinzinger

President Trump and Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill. (Photos: Carolyn Kaster/AP, Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

President Trump sent out a barrage of tweets over the weekend defending his “perfect” phone call with the president of Ukraine and trying to shut down the House impeachment inquiry before it gets underway — including passing along a warning that removing him from office would lead to “a Civil War like fracture,” a threat that a Republican congressman called “beyond repugnant.”

“If the Democrats are successful in removing the President from office (which they will never be), it will cause a Civil War like fracture in this Nation from which our Country will never heal,” Trump tweeted, adding his own parenthetical to a quote from Robert Jeffress, an evangelical pastor and ardent Trump supporter who appeared on “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

The invocation of a civil war was met with outrage from Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., an Air Force veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I have visited nations ravaged by civil war,” Kinzinger tweeted, tagging Trump’s Twitter handle. “I have never imagined such a quote to be repeated by a President. This is beyond repugnant.”

Trump, though, did not seem interested in toning down the rhetoric.

Leonardo DiCaprio reacts to Trump's 'insulting' tweet to Greta Thunberg at 2019 Global Citizen Festival

Image result for Leonardo DiCaprio reacts to Trump's 'insulting' tweet to Greta Thunberg at 2019 Global Citizen Festival

Leonardo DiCaprio shocked the 60,000 people who united in Manhattan's Central Park on Saturday for the 2019 Global Citizen's Festival, which honored the significant efforts to end extreme poverty by 2030.

The Oscar-winning actor took the stage to discuss the current climate movement and expressed gratitude for youth climate activists. He brought out three young leaders, Alexandria Villaseñor, Xiye Bastida, and Selina Neirok Leem, who he says " are powering the movement from the frontlines."

During DiCaprio's speech, he got candid about Donald Trump's headline-making tweet, where the president seemingly mocked 16-year-old Greta Thunberg hours after she delivered a passionate speech to the United Nations Climate Action Summit.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Khashoggi murder 'happened under my watch,' Saudi crown prince tells PBS

Khashoggi murder 'happened under my watch,' Saudi crown prince tells PBS

Saudi Arabia's crown prince said he bears responsibility for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year by Saudi operatives "because it happened under my watch," according to a PBS documentary to be broadcast next week.

It is the first time that Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, has publicly indicated personal accountability for the killing inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by operatives seen as close to him. The CIA and some Western governments have said they believe he ordered it, but Saudi officials say he had no role.

The death sparked a global uproar, tarnishing the crown prince's image and imperiling ambitious plans to diversify the economy of the world's top oil exporter and open up cloistered Saudi society. He has not since visited the United States or Europe.

"It happened under my watch. I get all the responsibility, because it happened under my watch," he told PBS' Martin Smith, according to a preview of a documentary, "The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia," set to air on Oct. 1, ahead of the one-year anniversary of Khashoggi's death.

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