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Saturday, April 23, 2005

The woman claiming headlines for allegedly finding part of a human finger in her bowl of Wendy’s chili late last month, was arrested Thursday evening at 8:45pm at or near her home.

San Jose Police Chief Rob Davis, declaring the arrest was part of an ongoing investigation, said Anna Ayala was arrested and charged with one count of attempted grand theft in the Wendy’s incident, and one count of grand theft in an unrelated home purchase transaction. She is being held under a $500,000 arrest warrant.

Chief Rob Davis describes the case as a CSI-type operation where forensics studying the finger found it to be inconsistent with conditions it would have experienced if it were cooked at 170 degrees for 3 hours according to Wendy’s food preparation standards. The loss in sales due to negative publicity for the chain could range into the millions, a loss for which Ayala could be held criminally responsible. Davis said, “… evidence suggests that the truest victims in this case are the Wendy’s owner, operators and employees here in San Jose, who have suffered financially throughout this investigation.”

Prior to her arrest, Wendy’s had recently concluded its own internal investigation that turned up nothing to explain the source of the finger. The San Jose police, who have not accused Ayala, 39, of planting the finger herself, did search her home on April 6 for evidence relating to a possible hoax. There are no reports evidence was found.

She has a history of filing suits for financial settlements. Cases involve the El Pollo Loco chicken chain over a claim her daughter got sick, a sexual harassment suit against her former boss in 1998, and General Motors in 2000. A total of 13 lawsuits in California and Nevada had been filed.

There is an inconsistency in the Ayala account of finding the finger and claiming it caused her to vomit compared with police saying there was no vomit at the scene. One larceny charge concerns $11,000 from the sale of a mobile home owned by her live-in boyfriend.

The two combined charges, which could result in a possible 6-year prison term, are against the backdrop of the Wendy’s chain offering a reward for information to solve the case, which has cost the chain millions of sales.

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

On Saturday, a tsunami struck Indonesia’s Sunda Strait coastline at around 21:30 local time (1430 UTC). Indonesian officals suggested it was caused by an undersea landslide that followed the recent eruptions of Anak Krakatoa, later receiving support from geological experts.

The BBC reported on Sunday 222 dead and 843 injured, with Indonesian government officials saying the numbers were likely to rise further. NPR reported at least 281 killed; more recently The Guardian gave a minimum death toll of 373. Early reports indicated the wave was about 3–7 feet (1–2 meters) high. No earthquake accompanied it; victims had no warning before the surge arrived.

On Sunday a tsunami warning siren went off accidentally, causing panic because of the false alarm. The affected area incorporates Java and Sumatra, the nation’s most populous islands. The Sunda Strait forms a link between the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean.

The International Federation of the Red Cross said on Sunday it was on the scene working to support survivors and locate the deceased. President Joko Widodo spoke of his sadness at the disaster.

Three months ago a tsunami hit Sulawesi, causing thousands of deaths. A 2004 tsunami that hit thirteen nations killed over 220,000 with Indonesia the worst affected. The island nation is in an area of high tectonic activity known as the Ring of Fire, making earthquakes and tsunamis relatively common.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Controversy has arisen over the reported presence of blue asbestos on the MV Freewinds, a cruise ship owned by the Church of Scientology. According to the Saint Martin newspaper The Daily Herald and the shipping news journal Lloyd’s List, the Freewinds was sealed in April and local public health officials on the Caribbean island of Curaçao where the ship is docked began an investigation into the presence of asbestos dust on the ship. Former Scientologist Lawrence Woodcraft supervised work on the ship in 1987, and attested to the presence of blue asbestos on the Freewinds in an affidavit posted to the Internet in 2001. Woodcraft, a licensed architect by profession, gave a statement to Wikinews and commented on the recent events.

According to The Daily Herald, the Freewinds was in the process of being renovated by the Curaçao Drydock Company. The article states that samples taken from paneling in the ship were sent to the Netherlands, where an analysis revealed that they “contained significant levels of blue asbestos”. An employee of the Curaçao Drydock Company told Radar Online in an April 30 article that the Freewinds has been docked and sealed, and confirmed that an article about asbestos ran in the local paper.

Lloyd’s List reported that work on the interior of the Freewinds was suspended on April 27 after health inspectors found traces of blue asbestos on the ship. According to Lloyd’s List, Frank Esser, Curaçao Drydock Company’s interim director, joined Curaçao’s head of the department of labor affairs Christiene van der Biezen along with the head of the local health department Tico Ras and two inspectors in an April 25 inspection of the ship. “We are sending someone so that they can tell us what happened, where it came from, since when it has been there,” said Panama Maritime Authority’s director of merchant marine Alfonso Castillero in a statement to Lloyd’s List.

The Church of Scientology purchased the ship, then known as the Bohème, in 1987, through an organization called Flag Ship Trust. After being renovated and refitted, it was put into service in June 1988. The ship is used by the Church of Scientology for advanced Scientology training in “Operating Thetan” levels, as well as for spiritual retreats for its members. Curaçao has been the ship’s homeport since it was purchased by the Church of Scientology.

According to his 2001 statement, Lawrence Woodcraft had been an architect in London, England since 1975, and joined Scientology’s elite “Sea Organization” (Sea Org) in 1986. He wrote that he was asked by the Sea Org to work on the Freewinds in 1987, and during his work on the ship “noticed a powdery blue fibrous substance approximately 1 ½” thick between the paint and the steel wall,” which he believed to be asbestos. He also discovered what he thought was blue asbestos in other parts of the ship, and reported his findings to Church of Scientology executives. Woodcraft discussed his experiences in a 2001 interview published online by the Lisa McPherson Trust, a now-defunct organization which was critical of the Church of Scientology.

Church of Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw responded to Radar Online about the asbestos reports, in an email published in an article in Radar on May 1. “The Freewinds regularly inspects the air quality on board and always meets or exceeds US standards,” said Pouw. She stated that two inspections performed in April “confirmed that the air quality is safe,” and asserted that the inspections revealed the Freewinds satisfies standards set by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Clean Air Act.

Pouw told Radar that “The Freewinds will be completing its refit on schedule.” The Church of Scientology-affiliated organization Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) had been planning a cruise aboard the Freewinds scheduled for May 8, but according to Radar an individual who called the booking number for the cruise received a message that the cruise had been delayed due to ongoing work on the ship. Citing an article in the Netherlands Antilles newspaper Amigoe, Radar reported on May 6 that a team from the United States and supervised by an independent bureau from the Netherlands traveled to Curaçao in order to remove asbestos from the Freewinds.

“I stand by everything I wrote in my 2001 affidavit,” said Lawrence Woodcraft in an exclusive statement given to Wikinews. Woodcraft went on to state: “I would also comment that if the Church of Scientology claims to have removed the blue asbestos, I just don’t see how, it’s everywhere. You would first have to remove all the pipes, plumbing, a/c ducts, electrical wiring etc. etc. just a maze of stuff. Also panelling as well, basically strip the ship back to a steel hull. Also blue asbestos is sprayed onto the outer walls and then covered in paint. It’s in every nook and cranny.”

Many Scientologist celebrities have spent time aboard the Freewinds, including Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Chick Corea, Lisa Marie Presley, Catherine Bell, Kate Ceberano, and Juliette Lewis. Now magazine reported that Tom Cruise has been urged to seek medical attention regarding potential asbestos exposure, however a representative for Cruise stated he has “absolutely no knowledge” of the recent asbestos controversy. Cruise, Holmes, Travolta and Preston have celebrated birthdays and other events on the Freewinds.

In a May 15 statement to the United Kingdom daily newspaper Metro, a representative for the Church of Scientology said that “There is not now and never has been a situation of asbestos exposure on the Freewinds.” The Asbestos and Mesothelioma Center notes that agencies have recommended anyone who has spent time on the Freewinds consult with their physician to determine if possible asbestos exposure may have affected their health.

Raw blue asbestos is the most hazardous form of asbestos, and has been banned in the United Kingdom since 1970. Blue asbestos fibers are very narrow and thus easily inhaled, and are a major cause of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer which can develop in the lining of the lungs and chest cavity, the lining of the abdominal cavity, or the pericardium sac surrounding the heart. The cancer is incurable, and can manifest over 40 years after the initial exposure to asbestos.

“This is the most dangerous type of asbestos because the fibres are smaller than the white asbestos and can penetrate the lung more easily,” said toxicologist Dr. Chris Coggins in a statement published in OK! Magazine. Dr. Coggins went on to note that “Once diagnosed with mesothelioma, the victim has six months to a year to live. It gradually reduces lung function until the victim is no longer able to breathe and dies.”

Friday, May 28, 2010

A man accused of being a serial killer has appeared in Bradford magistrates court in West Yorkshire today charged with three counts of murder. 40-year-old Stephen Griffiths is accused of killing Suzanne Blamires, 36, Susan Rushworth, 43, and Shelley Armitage, 31, all prostitutes.

Griffiths, a former van driver with a degree in psychology and studying for a PhD in criminology, gave his name as “Crossbow Cannibal” when asked. He has been in police custody since Monday when police were alerted to a CCTV recording that appeared to show a murder.

A caretaker had been reviewing footage from the flats where Griffiths lives when he saw footage of a woman and a man enter a flat early on Saturday morning. Two minutes later, she ran out and was followed by the man, who beat her to the ground and shot her in the head with a crossbow. Over the course of the weekend, the man was seen several times with bin bags and a rucksack.

On Tuesday, the day after the arrest of Griffiths, Blamires’ remains were found in the River Aire in nearby Shipley. She had been cut into several pieces and her head was located in a rucksack. Police continue to search for the other two alleged victims; Rushworth has been missing since June last year and Armitage vanished in April.

Police have searched much of Bradford’s red-light district, where Griffiths’ third-floor flat is located. Forensic investigations at the flat are expected to last around three weeks. There are plans to search landfill sites for bodies, and police may yet expand the inquiry to cover three more cold cases, although at present they have not been linked to the current inquiry.

Sniffer dogs have been used throughout the city, and police have been taking away plastic evidence bags. Some alleyways remain closed off. Police charged their suspect yesterday.

Griffiths was known as “the lizard man” in his block of flats owing to his habit of walking his two pet monitor lizards in the area. One neighbour is reported to have quoted him as saying he was studying for “a PhD in murder and Jack the Ripper,” and he has spent time in a high-security psychiatric hospital. During his five-minute court appearance he did not enter a plea, kept his head bowed and fidgeted with his cuffed hands. He said “Here, I guess,” when asked for his address.

As he stood in the glass-fronted dock, guarded by three security officers, he was watched by the families of Rushworth and Armitage, who were accompanied by police family liaison officers. Blamires’ family chose not to be present, but the victim’s mother Nicky Blamires, 54, has told the press that Suzanne was a “much-loved” family member even though she “went down the wrong path and did not have the life she was meant to have.” “Nobody deserves this,” she said. “All these girls were human beings and people’s daughters.”

Griffiths’ morning court appearance was followed by a second one this afternoon, at Bradford Crown Court. This time, he confirmed his name without incident. He was remanded into custody until next month, when he will appear in court again.

British media has been quick to compare the case to Peter Sutcliffe, dubbed the “Yorkshire Ripper”. Sutcliffe was a Bradford killer responsible for thirteen murders and seven attempted murders, including several prostitutes. Since his 1981 conviction he has spent most of the last three decades in Broadmoor high-security psychiatric hospital near London.

Thursday, August 8, 2019

On Saturday morning, a gunman shot shoppers at a Walmart store in the U.S. border city of El Paso, Texas, with the death toll rising to 22 people on Monday, reported officials, with 25 others injured. Police said the suspected gunman surrendered himself to police after being confronted by officers. The shooting began at 10:39 a.m. local time (1639 UTC), according to police, who said officers arrived at the Walmart six minutes later.

State prosecutors charged the suspect in the shooting with capital murder, they said Sunday — murder carrying the possibility of the death penalty.

Federal authorities are investigating the shooting as domestic terrorism, according to prosecutor Josh Bash, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas. Bash characterized the attack as “designed to intimidate a civilian population, to say the least.”

“We are treating it as a domestic terrorism case, and we’re going to do what we do to terrorists in this country, which is deliver swift and certain justice,” said Bash. Charges of domestic terrorism also carry a possible death penalty at the federal level.

The Walmart, by the Cielo Vista Mall, where the shooting happened is roughly five miles (eight kilometers) from the U.S.–Mexico border crossing between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, separated by the Rio Grande.

According to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, six Mexican nationals were killed in the attack, and seven more were injured. Another report from the Mexican government during the weekend said eight Mexicans died in the attack. Mexico’s Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said the Mexican government would pressure the U.S. government to provide better protections for Mexicans in the United States.

The foreign minister said Mexico would consider charging the gunman with terrorism against Mexicans and would seek to extradite the gunman to face charges in Mexico. Ebrard said, “As far as I know, this would be the first case of this type in history”, adding, “For Mexico, this individual is a terrorist”.

U.S. officials identified the suspect as 21-year-old Patrick Crusius of Allen, Texas, near the city of Dallas.

According to the El Paso mayor, Dee Margo, during the weekend, police were investigating whether a manifesto posted online to the message board 8chan was written by the suspect. In the document, the writer supposes a “cultural and ethnic replacement brought on by an invasion” of Hispanic people into the United States.

According to U.S. Attorney Bash, the manifesto if written by the suspect could strengthen the federal government’s case: “The key factor here is that it appears to be an intent to coerce or intimidate a civilian population[…] That’s met here.”

El Paso’s police chief Greg Allen said late Sunday the police were attributing authorship of the document to Crusius.

According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, the shooting followed four deadly mass shootings in the United States that week, including one in California at a garlic festival in Gilroy, killing three, and another in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin where at least five died. The El Paso shooting preceded another one less than thirteen hours later in Dayton, Ohio where ten people died. The archive characterizes events where four or more people are killed or injured by gunfire, other than the perpetrator, as a mass shooting.

See the discussion page for instructions on adding schools to this list and for an alphabetically arranged listing of schools.

Due to the damage by Hurricane Katrina and subsequent flooding, a number of colleges and universities in the New Orleans metropolitan area will not be able to hold classes for the fall 2005 semester. It is estimated that 75,000 to 100,000 students have been displaced. [1]. In response, institutions across the United States and Canada are offering late registration for displaced students so that their academic progress is not unduly delayed. Some are offering free or reduced admission to displaced students. At some universities, especially state universities, this offer is limited to residents of the area.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

A New Jersey state senator has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn a federal law banning sports betting in 46 states.

State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, a Democrat representing portions of Union County, filed the suit Monday, arguing the 17-year-old law is unconstitutional because it treats four states differently than the other states.

Under the law, sports betting is prohibited in all states except Delaware, Oregon, Montana and Nevada, although only the latter two currently allow wagering.

“This federal law deprives the State of New Jersey of over $100 million of yearly revenues, as well as depriving our casinos, racetracks and Internet operators of over $500 million in gross income,” Lesniak said in a statement to the press.

The 39-page lawsuit is believed to be the first challenge to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. New Jersey missed a 1994 deadline that would have allowed it to join the other states when the law was implemented.

Atlantic City officials and their political allies have argued allowing sports betting would give all the states a new source of revenue needed in the face of a staggering recession.

New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine was not involved with the lawsuit, but he said legalizing sports betting would help Atlantic City and said it was “worth pursuing”.

Legalizing sports betting in New Jersey could bring the state more than $50 million in annual tax revenue, according to officials from the Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based consultant for the electronic gaming industry, which joined Lesniak as a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

“This is about more than revenue,” said Joe Brennan Jr., chairman of Interactive Media Entertainment. “It’s about jobs and economic activity.”According to 1999 study, $380 billion in illegal sports betting occurs in the state each year.

New Jersey, in particular, is facing a difficult budget season, and the Atlantic City casinos are in what the Associated Press called a “financial meltdown”. Eleven of the city’s casinos suffered their biggest revenue decline in 30 years last month.

Delaware is reported to be considering regulating sports betting, which New Jersey backers of the lawsuit said adds a sense of urgency to the issue.

“We cannot afford to be naive about illegal sports betting,” New Jersey State Sen. Jeff Van Drew said in a statement to the press. “It’s happening right now, and is funding other criminal enterprises which are far more dangerous.”

The New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, the Thoroughbred Breeders Association of New Jersey and the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey were also listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

The American satirist Stephen Colbert has announced that he will run for the Presidency of the United States. He made his announcement on his mock news show The Colbert Report.

However, Colbert said that he would only run in his home state of South Carolina as a favorite son. He also said that he would represent both major political parties: the Republicans and the Democrats. It is not known how far Colbert will go with his character during his electoral run.

Colbert has hosted The Colbert Report, a spin-off to another satirical television series, The Daily Show, since its creation in 2005. “I didn’t have a job back then. I wonder what it was like to have a job back then. I am sure I could ask a dentist or a surgeon. He would know.” On the show he plays a right-wing political pundit, based on real-life pundits such as Bill O’Reilly and Stone Phillips. Colbert has been credited with popularizing certain words such as “Truthiness”, meaning to believe something intuitively, without regard for actual facts, logic or evidence.

Filling in for New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd on Sunday, Colbert wrote: “I am not ready to announce yet — even though it’s clear that the voters are desperate for a white, male, middle-aged, Jesus-trumpeting alternative.”

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Toncontin International Airport, serving the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa, has reopened fully to air traffic six weeks after a deadly jetliner crash. TACA Flight 390, an Airbus A320 carrying 124 people, overshot the runway in poor weather and ran across a busy street, killing five, two of whom were on the ground. The accident occurred on May 30.

Since the crash the airport has refused to allow aircraft with more than 42 passengers on board to operate from the airport due to safety fears. Only domestic flights were allowed to land. Air traffic that did not conform to these rules instead landed at San Pedro Sula‘s Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport, which is 112 miles North of Tegucigalpa.

Manuel Zelaya, President of Honduras, announced the reopening after spending three hours in a meeting with businessmen who demanded the airport return to full operations. He also said that future plans are to route all commercial traffic to a new airport under construction at a nearby US air base, which is scheduled to enter service next year.

So far, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Panama’s Copa Airlines and TACA have all confirmed intent to resume flights to Toncontin International next week, by which time they will have reprogrammed their routing schedules accordingly.

The airport is considered one of the most dangerous in the world and for years people have called for its replacement. The airport features an inadequately short runway, outdated navigational equipment and is surrounded by hills.