FBI Release Whitney Houston Files

Newly released documents, though heavily redacted, shed light on pressure the singer faced from blackmailers and obsessives.

The FBI has released 128 pages from its file on Whitney Houston, revealing details of an apparently successful blackmail plot, as well as an investigation into an obsessed fan.

Released in response to a freedom of information request, the FBI's documents cover 11 years of threats against the singer, from 1988 to 1999. But the pages are heavily redacted – in many cases, to the point of incomprehensibility.

Sometimes the redactions are tantalising. In late 1992, an unidentified Chicago lawyer wrote to Houston's New Jersey-based production company stating that unless the singer paid $100,000 (£66,000), his client planned to "reveal certain details of Houston's private life … to several publications". Later the blackmail amount was boosted even higher, to $250,000 (£165,000).

According to the FBI, this was extortion. But when agents met with Houston and her father, the singer said she knew the woman who was making the threats, and that she was "a friend … [who] would never do anything to embarrass her". Officers closed the case, even though Houston's father had apparently sent the blackmailer a confidentiality agreement and an unknown sum of money.

In addition to the extortion case, officers investigated several cases of over-devoted fans. One Vermont letter-writer claimed: "I start to shake … when I think about you."

"Over the past 17 months, I have sent … 66 letters to Miss Whitney," he wrote. "I have tried to stop writing the letters and to give up twice but after a few weeks I had to start writing again … I have gotten mad at [Whitney] a few times [for not replying] … it scares me that I might come up with some crazy or stupid or really dumb idea … I might hurt someone with some crazy idea."

FBI agents eventually questioned Houston's one-sided pen-pal in 1988. They decided he was harmless. The same was true for a Dutch or Belgian correspondent who insisted he had written some of Houston's songs. The writer further claimed that he was the president of Europe and had purchased the country of Brazil for $66bn.

After selling more than 200m records worldwide, Houston drowned in a hotel bathtub in February 2012. She was 48.

Venezuela's Hugo Chavez Dead At 58

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has died, his vice-president has announced.

Mr Chavez had not appeared in public since he returned to Venezuela last month after cancer treatment in Cuba.

An emotional Nicolas Maduro made the announcement on Tuesday evening, flanked by leading Venezuelan political and military leaders.

Earlier, he said the 58-year-old Venezuelan leader had a new, severe respiratory infection and had entered "his most difficult hours".

Billionaire Unveils New Titanic II

Australian billionaire Clive Palmer unveiled plans Tuesday for construction of Titanic II, a cruise ship designed as a "full-scale re-creation" of the Titanic, which sank in the Atlantic Ocean in April 1912.

Displaying a blueprint for the Titanic II at a press conference aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Palmer announced that the ship will be built in China and begin carrying passengers in the third quarter of 2016.

Palmer, who refused to divulge the cost of building the ship, said "the Titanic was a ship of dreams," and "the Titanic II will be the ship where dreams come true."

The Australian businessman, who owns an Australian mining company and other businesses, said he has received an overwhelming response from prospective passengers who want to travel on Titanic II. He predicted that it "will be a real financial bonanza" so successful that he will "have to build Titanic III."

Some Titanic and cruise-ship experts doubt the Titanic II, which Palmer says will regularly sail across the North Atlantic, will be able to attract enough passengers after its maiden voyage. Some also question whether the new cruise ship desecrates the memory of those who died on the Titanic.

The Titanic II will be built 883 feet long – 3 inches longer than the original Titanic– and weigh 55,800 gross tons, according to Palmer. It will carry a maximum of 2,435 passengers and 900 crew members, and include a gymnasium, Turkish baths, a squash court, a swimming pool, a theater and a casino.

Its first voyage is scheduled to be from Shanghai to Southampton, England, and then on to New York.

The Titanic — the largest and most luxurious cruise ship of its time — departed from Southampton on its maiden voyage to New York in 1912 and made two stops in Europe before striking an iceberg several hundred miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. More than 1,500 people aboard died after the collision.

The Titanic II, which will be built by a state-owned Chinese company, CSC Jinling Shipyard, will honor the memories of those who died and survived on the Titanic, Palmer said. The Titanic was operated by the White Star Line, and Palmer's cruise company is called Blue Star Line.

Like the original ship, there will no TVs aboard and probably no Internet service, he says.

The press conference was held on an aircraft carrier in the Hudson River near where the Titanic was expected to dock in 1912 and next to another ill-fated form of transport, the supersonic Concorde.

Timing of the announcement for the unveiling of Titanic II wasn't smooth.

Palmer originally scheduled the unveiling of his plans at six kick-off events in December, but they were postponed because of the "devastation caused in New York and along the East Coast by Hurricane Sandy," which struck last October.

This month, the cruise ship industry received a black eye after a fire broke out on the Carnival Triumph, knocking out power and causing five days of hardship for 4,200 passengers until the ship was towed to shore.

Michael Driscoll, the editor of the industry newsletter Cruise Week, is skeptical about the future of Titanic II in the aftermath of the Carnival Triumph fire and last year's shipwreck of the Costa Concordia off the coast of Tuscany. The Costa Concordia slammed into a jagged reef and capsized, and 32 people were killed.

"Given all the safety concerns the industry has faced over the past 14 months — especially with Costa Concordia — such a ship would appear to have very limited appeal in this era," Driscoll says. "Themed cruises in general and even one-off re-creations of Titanic sailings in particular have proven popular in this business, but those thrive because they are done infrequently, not on a year-round basis."

Driscoll says he's been told by travel agents that Titanic II will have "very limited viability with the North American market."

Bad weather and big waves pose problems for trans-Atlantic sailings in winter, and the Titanic II "would appear to have no appeal" in regions with warmer weather, he says.

"Titanic II is a curiosity and may have a draw as a floating hotel, but the idea of spending close to a week at sea on a vessel built around such a thin premise is seen as a stretch, at least by many within the industry," Driscoll says.

Titanic expert J. Joseph Edgette, professor emeritus of education at Widener University in Chester, Pa., questions whether cruise ship passengers will continue to book Titanic II "once the initial hype is over."

He says the Titanic's primary purposes were to carry mail and cargo across the Atlantic, and it was a means of transportation for European and American passengers. In contrast, Titanic II will solely be a cruise ship, he says.

Edgette, who is also folklorist emeritus at Widener, says a cruise ship named Titanic II is "a little tacky," and there is a maritime tradition of not naming a ship after one lost at sea.

Some people may not want to travel on it because of the tragedy suffered by its predecessor or a belief it would be disrespectful to those who died on the original ship, Edgette says.

Brad Matsen, author of Titanic's Last Secrets, says "some people" like Palmer "have too much money."

There was "an immense amount of hubris in the construction of the Titanic," and that may be the case in the building of Titanic II, he says.

Matsen says the story of the Titanic still holds the "public's fascination," but he doesn't know why anyone would name a ship after it.

"There were a lot of people who died on the Titanic," Matsen says. "That's what gets lost on this."

Helen Benziger, the great-granddaughter of Molly Brown, who survived the Titanic sinking, says she is "thrilled" that the Titanic II is being built.

Benziger said at the press conference that Palmer "has assured me that everything possible has been done to honor the passengers who perished and the passengers who survived."

Paul Kurzman, whose great-grandparents, Isidor and Ida Straus, died on the Titanic, says he has "no problem" with the construction of Titanic II. Isidor served in Congress and owned R.H. Macy & Co..

He says he thinks his grandparents would also not have felt offended.

"I don't think they would have had any problem whatsoever, as long as the Titanic II steers clear of icebergs," says Kurzman, a professor of social work at Hunter College in New York.

Karen Kamuda, vice president of The Titanic Historical Society in Indian Orchard, Mass., says a new cruise ship modeled after the original Titanic is a positive development.

"The Titanic was a piece of history and a symbol of an era," Kamuda says. "As we get farther away from that time, people want to feel that part of history."

Kamuda says it's not insensitive to build a ship today modelled after one involved in a tragedy.

"I'm glad people are interested in history," she says. "If a symbol like this makes people reflect on an era that's past, I don't have a problem with that."

Julie Hedgepeth Williams, whose great uncle, Albert Caldwell, survived the Titanic sinking, says she often spoke with Albert about the tragedy. She is author of A Rare Titanic Family.

She says Albert, who died in 1992, would have wanted to travel on the Titanic II.

"He would have loved to have seen it," says Williams, a professor of journalism at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. "He would have found a new ship intriguing. He always wanted to see the Titanic again."

Oscar Pistorius Granted Bail

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius, who faces murder charges over the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, has been granted bail after a four-day hearing.

Magistrate Desmond Nair said the state had not made a case that he would flee, or that he had a violent character. The Paralympic champion denies murder, saying he shot Reeva Steenkamp thinking she was an intruder at his home. The next hearing in the case has been set for 4 June. Bail was set at 1m rand (£74,000; $113,000). He was ordered to hand over his passport, avoid his home in Pretoria and report to a police station between 07:00 and 13:00 every Monday and Friday. Reeva Steenkamp's family say they want the truth. Mr Nair took almost two hours to deliver his judgement. He criticised the testimony of Detective Hilton Botha for not following up important leads and changing his evidence. But the magistrate also said he had difficulty understanding why Mr Pistorius had opened fire in the way he did. However, he said Mr Pistorius had "reached out to meet the state's case" and had given a full version of events at an early stage. "I come to the conclusion that the accused has made a case to be released on bail," he said. Mr Pistorius's family and supporters in the court gasped and cheered as the magistrate announced his decision.

His uncle, Arnold Pistorius, said outside court: "We are relieved by the fact that Oscar got bail today, but at the same time, we are in mourning for Reeva Steenkamp and her family." The hearing began on Tuesday and both prosecution and defence laid out their cases. Both sides agree that Mr Pistorius shot through the bathroom door four times, hitting and killing Ms Steenkamp. But prosecutors allege the shooting happened after the couple had an argument at Mr Pistorius's home in the early hours of 14 February. Det Botha told the court that witnesses had heard shouting, screaming and gunfire from about 600m (2,000ft) away. But later he changed his evidence to suggest the witnesses were much closer.


Bail conditions

• Must hand over 1 million rand: 100,000 rand in cash up front, and proof that the rest is available
• Must turn in passports and any guns that he owns
• Cannot leave Pretoria without permission from probation officer, nor can he return to his home
• Forbidden to take drugs or drink alcohol
• Must report to police station between 07:00 and 13:00 every Monday and Friday

And on Thursday it emerged that Det Botha faces allegations of attempted murder, and he was removed from the case. Mr Pistorius says he woke in the middle of the night, and thought there was an intruder in the bathroom. The prosecutors sought to portray Mr Pistorius as man with a history of violence who was likely to flee the country. But the defence argued it would be impossible for Mr Pistorius to flee because his prosthetic legs would be noticed wherever he went. Ms Steenkamp, 29, was a model and law graduate with a burgeoning television career. 

Oscar Pistorius, 26, won gold medals at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. In London he made history by becoming the first double-amputee to run in the Olympics, making the semi-final of the 400m.

Meteor Shower Explodes In Russia

A meteor streaked across the sky and exploded over Russia's Ural Mountains with the power of an atomic bomb, its sonic blasts shattering countless windows and injuring about 1,100 people.

- Shock wave blew in estimated 100,000sq m of glass
- Exploded above the Chelyabinsk region in Russia's Urals

The spectacle deeply frightened many Russians, with some elderly women declaring that the world was coming to an end. Many of the injured were cut by flying glass as they flocked to windows, curious about what had produced such a blinding flash of light.

The meteor - estimated to be about 10 tons - entered the Earth's atmosphere at a hypersonic speed of at least 54,000 kph and shattered into pieces about 30-50 kilometers above the ground, the Russian Academy of Sciences said in a statement.

Amateur video showed an object speeding across the sky, just after sunrise, leaving a thick white contrail and an intense flash.

"There was panic. People had no idea what was happening,'' said Sergey Hametov, a resident of Chelyabinsk, a city of 1 million about 1,500 kilometers east of Moscow.

"We saw a big burst of light, then went outside to see what it was and we heard a really loud, thundering sound,'' he told The Associated Press by telephone.

'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius Faces Life

'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius faces life in prison if found guilty of murder.

Olympic superstar Oscar Pistorius wept in court Friday as prosecutors said they'll pursue a charge of premeditated murder against him for killing his model girlfriend, meaning the man who once inspired the world could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Pistorius' family and London-based management issued a statement disputing the murder charge he now faces for the slaying of Reeva Steenkamp. The athlete himself initially appeared solemn and collected in his first court appearance, but later sobbed loud enough for his cries to be heard over the more than 100 spectators gathered for the hearing.

His tears even drew the attention of Chief Magistrate Desmond Nasir, who at one point simply said: "Take it easy."

The double-amputee athlete's arrest stunned South Africa, which awoke the morning of Valentine's Day to hear that Steenkamp had been shot to death at Pistorius' home in a gated community in an eastern suburb of South Africa's capital, Pretoria. Police said investigators recovered a 9 mm pistol from the home.

In Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Friday, throngs of photographers, videographers and journalists besieged the brick-walled Courtroom C, where Pistorius appeared. Nasir's first ruling in the matter focused on the press: He dismissed requests from a private television station and the state broadcaster to air the hearing live.

Nasir also ordered that no photographs be taken while court was in session. That left kneeling photographers less than 3 feet from Pistorius to simply stare at a man some previously photographed sprinting on his famous carbon-fiber blades as he cried uncontrollably. Pistorius' brother, Carl, and his father, Henke, reached out at separate times to comfort him as he sat in the dock.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said in court he would pursue a charge of premeditated murder against Pistorius for allegedly killing Steenkamp, a 30-year-old model known for her vamping, bikini pictures in men's magazines and appearances in commercials.

Police said Friday that investigators conducted an autopsy on Steenkamp's body. Lt. Col. Katlego Mogale said the results of the autopsy would not be published.

Pistorius entered no plea at the hearing and his family left quickly, without speaking to journalists who followed them outside. In a statement later Friday, his family and management questioned the criminal charge the 26-year-old athlete faces.

"The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms," the statement read, without elaborating.

The statement also said Pistorius wanted to "send his deepest sympathies to the family of Reeva."

"He would also like to express his thanks through us today for all the messages of support he has received — but as stated our thoughts and prayers today should be for Reeva and her family — regardless of the circumstances of this terrible, terrible tragedy," the statement read.

South Africa continues to question itself over what to think about the shooting, with local newspaper headlines veering from the lurid to "Blade gunner?" on Friday morning, playing on Pistorius' nickname given for his running blades. The nation of 50 million has one of the world's highest rates of shooting deaths, behind only Colombia. South Africa as whole recently recoiled at the brutal gang rape and attack that killed a 17-year-old girl and many wore black Friday to demonstrate against the high levels of violence against women in the country.

Others focused their attention on Pistorius, who is fascinated by fast cars, cage fighting and firearms. He crashed a speedboat in February 2009, breaking his nose, jaw and several ribs and damaging an eye socket. He later required 180 stitches to his face. Witnesses said he had been drinking, and officers found alcoholic beverages in the wreckage, though they did not do a blood test on Pistorius.

His love life, the fodder of gossip columns in the country, also saw turmoil. In November, Pistorius was involved in an altercation over a woman with a local coal mining millionaire, South African media reported.

Gianni Merlo, who co-authored the 2009 biography "Blade Runner" with Pistorius, told The Associated Press in a phone interview Friday from Italy that Pistorius once drove out in the middle of the night to see his first love after a fight. Pistorius crashed his car when he fell asleep behind the wheel, though Merlo said it showed his devotion.

However, he said Pistorius once threw a friend's girlfriend out of his house, prompting police to investigate and take him in for questioning.

"He explained that this was a kind of (plot) against him, planned against him," Merlo said.

At the defense's request, the chief magistrate delayed Pistorius' bail hearing until Tuesday and Wednesday. Prosecutors and defense lawyers agreed to keep Pistorius in a police holding cell, rather than transfer him to prison like most normal suspects. While Nasir acknowledged that could give them impression that the athlete was getting "preferential treatment," he agreed to it. Police have said they oppose Pistorius being freed on bail.

In saying they'll seek a premeditated murder charge against Pistorius, prosecutors likely are claiming they have evidence that the athlete planned the killing ahead of time, said William Booth, a prominent defense lawyer from Cape Town. The charge, which carries a sentence of life in prison, also makes it more difficult for Pistorius to successfully apply for bail, Booth said, though it could be a challenge to get a conviction.

"It's quite difficult to prove that in a situation where there isn't a witness," the defense lawyer said. "If I just plan it in my mind and I arrive at somebody's house and there's no witnesses and I shoot the person, it's really tough for the prosecution to show that planning."

On call-in radio shows and in private conversation Friday, some in South Africa compared Pistorius' case to that of O.J. Simpson, a former football star accused of the slayings of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. That case, drawing international media attention, saw Simpson acquitted by a jury in 1995. However, in South Africa, there is no jury system, leaving Pistorius face largely to the judge who will oversee his possible trial.

Pistorius made history at the London Olympics last year when he became the first double-amputee track athlete to compete at any games. He didn't win a medal but did make the semifinals of the 400 meters and the final of the 4X400 relay, propelling the world's best-known Paralympian to the level of an international track star and one of the world's best-known sportsmen. But police hinted at a troubled lifestyle away from public scrutiny for the runner Thursday when they said there had previously been domestic incidents at Pistorius' home.

Fox Attacks Young Baby In South East London

"A pest and a menace" are the words mayor of London, Boris Johnson, used to describe foxes after a young one month old baby boy was attacked.

The child, Denny Dolan, was dragged from its cot by the fox after it had gotten into the house via the back door. The child's mother was alerted by her sons screams and ran into the room to find the boy's hand "halfway down the animal's throat" and had to kick the fox numerous times before it released the baby.

In the process of this all happening the fox tore the child's finger off, but luckily surgeons were able to reattach the finger and he is said to be recovering well.

While Boris Johnson and others are now calling for culling of the animals they describe as "pest", the RSPCA are reminding the public "it's extremely unusual for foxes to attack young children or anyone."

This is not the first time children have been attacked by foxes. The council are urging people to remember  that foxes are drawn to food, open rubbish left out and not to leave windows or doors open as they will venture into your home.

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Five Dead As Lifeboat Plunges Into Sea In Canary Islands

Five people have been killed and three injured when a lifeboat fell into the sea off a British-registered cruise ship in the Canary Islands.

Officials said first responders were called to the ship, the Thomson Majesty, at 1205 GMT on Sunday after "a lifeboat with occupants had fallen overboard from a cruise ship docked at the pier of Santa Cruz port in La Palma".

The incident reportedly took place during a safety drill, when one of the winches lowering the lifeboat to the water is believed to have broken. The boat plummeted more than 60 feet to the water and landed upside down.

The nationality and sex of those who died was not known, a government statement said. Spanish media reported that three of the victims were from Indonesia, one was from the Phillippines, and one was from Ghana. All were believed to be crew.

The injured were all men, two aged 30 and another, a Greek national, aged 32.

"We are working closely with the ship owners and managers, Louis Cruises, to determine exactly what has happened and provide assistance to those affected by the incident," Thomson Cruises said in a statement.

Television images showed a small, white two-hulled lifeboat capsized beside the ship, operated by British travel group TUI Travel.

Spanish daily El Pais said that some 2,000 passengers were travelling on the ship, but that none had been involved in the incident. Many of the passengers had reportedly been on the shore touring the local Carnival celebrations when the incident occurred.

The Thomson Majesty, with five restaurants and two swimming pools, cruises to the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, according to Thomson's website.

The Horse Meat Scandal

Owen Paterson, the environment minister, has committed himself to getting answers over the finding of horse meat in beef products. But what do we already know about the scandal? What do you think?

The scandal started with the discovery of horse meat
in various retailers burgers, including Tesco.

Originally the story broke with burgers with some burgers including Tesco Everyday Value burgers containing one third horse meat. Even more shocking news is that Findus "beef" lasagne was found to be one hundred percent horse meat.

The horse meat is thought to be from a polish filler product what makes up the beef product but this idea is being rethought as a filler would not explain the one hundred percent horse meat Findus product.

Horse meat its self is not at all dangerous to humans, what is dangerous is that the meat was not intended for the food it ended up in, though drugs such a Phenylbutazon, more commonly known as Bute, that could of been used on the animals and does pose a health risk to humans. The food standards agency is currently testing meat suppliers and ingredients for non regulation meat, and will release further findings as they come out.

Some retailers (Iceland and M&S) must however be praised,  if that's the right word, for not having horse meat in their food.  Many people say this scandal could prompt a rise in sales at local butchers because you could be told where the meat was sourced from, which people would mostly likely pay more for. End of the day it's for beef not horse you're paying extra for.

Leave us your opinion on the matter by leaving a comment below, visiting our Facebook page or Twitter.

Confirmed: King Richard III Bones Found Under Car Park

The remains of a body found under a car park in Leicester,UK have been confirmed to be King Richard the Third.

Who was king Richard?

Born at Fotheringhay Castle, Richard III became the Duke of

Gloucester and took a white boar as his symbol. He became king for 26 months

before being killed by the future king, Henry VII.

The old monarch was killed, aged 32, in 1485 during battle.

The University of Leicester said DNA from the king's body matched that of descendants of the monarchs. The university said that "beyond reasonable doubt it's Richard".

The body had 10 injuries 8 of which were to the skull. Many of the wounds were described as "humiliation injuries", caused most likely after death, when enemies were "let loose" on the body.

The body was buried crudely an ill fitting grave, the body just tossed into the hole in the ground. Now after being rediscovered, 527 years later, planning is beginning for a proper reburial of the bones.

So after almost a year after the bones were found, they were found in August 2012, they are confirmed to be King Richard III, who may finally be able to rest in peace.

America's Most Deadliest Sniper Shot Dead

Chris Kyle, the most deadliest American sniper, has been shot dead at a Texas gun range.

Chris Kyle, 38, on tour in Iraq.

The Iraq veteran and ex Navy Seal was found dead along with another, unnamed man, at Rough Creek Lodge gun range on Saturday 2nd February.

Mr Kyle, aged 38, wrote  best selling book "American Sniper" in which he said to have killed more than 250 people over the course of four tours in Iraq, in which he was decorated with an award of bravery. During his time in Iraq, insurgents nicknamed Kyle "The Devil" and put a $20,000 bounty on his head.

The shots were fired at round 15:30 local time, the gunman then fled in one of the victims vehicle.The police have said they know no reason as to way the men were shot but have said a 25 year old suspect is being detained by the local police.

Follow El Senores for future news on this story.

Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil Predicts An Early Spring

Also known as woodchucks, groundhogs are part
of the Marmot family (large ground squirrels).

It is groundhog day in the States today after a hard winter for the Americans, including hurricanes and heavy snow. The famous groundhog, Phil, from the US state of Pennsylvania has emerged from his home and did not see his shadow signalling in an early spring.

The tradition of Groundhog day goes back generations to 1887 and involves the town's elders watching Punxsutawney Phil leave his lair, if he looks to his shadow, then there will be six weeks more cold weather. However, Phil did not look at his shadow this time round so there will be an earlier spring.

Groundhog day was made internationally famous by the 1993 film, groundhog day. This fame has attracted thousands of Americans as well as those from as far a fields as Europe and Australia to see Phil's opinion on the weather. 

Two “ Hit Men” Found Guilty For The Murder Of Aamir Siddiqi

Aamir Siddiqi was a Muslim 17 year old Student, whom was getting
ready for a Quran lesson from his Imam just before the attack.

Described by the judge as “staggeringly incompetent”, Jason Richards and Ben Hope, the two “hit men”, were found guilty for the murder of Aamir Siddiqi today.

The two men received their verdict with no reaction or even emotion.

Aamir was attacked by the men at his Cardiff home in April 2010. The men were paid £1000 to kill there target, but Aamir was not the target they were paid to kill. They were in fact hired to kill a different man on the adjacent street. They made the mistake of arriving at the wrong house and  were both high on heroin at the time of the killing. They were said to of howled as they raised their blades over their heads and brought them down on Aamir. The two then stabbed Aamir to death in front of his parents.
The killers sat and received the guilty verdict with no emotion or reaction today; sentencing will follow next Friday. Aamir’s parents said “this scene I will live with all of my life” and “nothing is valuable now”.

A very sad story that the people of Cardiff will not soon forget.

Also in the news.

-A Metropolitan Police detective who tried to sell information on the phone-hacking probe to the News of the World, is sentenced to 15 months in prison.

- A missing Irish property developer is found lost and starving with abuse carved on his head, eight months after he was reported missing.

-A supplier of meat to UK prisons is suspended after tests find that it may have supplied Halal foods containing traces of pork.

-A suicide bomber has attacked the US embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara, killing a guard.

Doubt Over Alan Turing's "Suicide"

The truth behind Turing's death?

Today, 23/06/12, is the birthday of Alan Turing the famous mathematician, war time code breaker and leader in early computer science. Who was said to have commit suicide after the poor treatment he received after being revealed as a homosexual.

But that has been bough into question today after prof. jack Copeland questioned the evidence of the 1954 inquest into Turing's death. Copeland feel in today's terms the evidence would not be sufficient to conclude that it was a suicide. it's well know that Turing die of cyanide poisoning, his housekeeper found him perished in his bed with a half eaten apple by his bedside, he was aged just 41.

It is said Turing was haunted by the story of the poisonous apple from snow white and the seven dwarfs,and resorted to the same means to kill himself because of the suffering and ill treatment he faced because he was gay. However Copeland thinks this can not be necessarily true as Turing had an apple every night and it was very unlike him not to finish it, so it somewhat rules out that it was deliberate, the police never even tested the apple of cyanide traces. Copeland also stressed the point that if the case where modern day then the authority's would of looked for premeditation of suicide of which there is none, in fact Turing was said to be in a very cheerful mood.

Turing also left a note of things he must do at his practice before he "killed himself", why would a man who intended to kill themselves leave a note of tasks they know they will never have the opportunity to do?

Many people have disregarded Copeland's evidence, saying that it was well know how Turing was an unpredictable man, his mood could greatly vary from one day to the next. They also state how Turing had very little reason to live, he faced losing his job a Manchester university where he had access to one of the world only computers and the possibility of a jail sentence so he turned to the only alternative of being  "chemically castrated" with was said to make gay men straight.

Copeland replies with yet more evidence of a man not on the verge of suicide but despite his hardships was in a rather good mood, regularly joking about events in his life that many today would find shocking. After being found to of been having a relationship with a mister Kjell Turing had written "for sheer incident, it rivaled the Arnold [gross-indecency] story" and on the day of his try was stated as saying, "The day of the trial was by no means disagreeable.Whilst in custody with the other criminals, I had a very agreeable sense of irresponsibility, rather like being back at school." Turing's neighbour had described how he had thrown "such a jolly [tea] party" for her and her son four days before he died.

Was A Poisson apple, the cause of death?

Copeland feels that Turing did not in fact kill himself but rather died for an accident. Turing used cyanide for many of his experience which took place in what he referred to as "the nightmare room" Turning was well know for being somewhat careless, he had severely electrocuted himself by accident in the past. Copeland feels perhaps Turing put his apple down in a puddle of cyanide by mistake or even more likely would be that Turing died for cyanide inhalation rather then ingestion, which would explain why the cyanide was found spread through out his body's organs which is common which in cyanide inhalation cases.

Copeland concluded by mentioning how he did not want to rule anything out, even the possibility of foal play. Copeland added "The exact circumstances of Turing's death will probably always be unclear."

I agree with Copeland in that turnings death will always be mysterious, I think maybe however we should concentrate less on his death and rather more on his life, for he truly was a man ahead of his time, not just scientifically but also socially. Turning to me, will always be someone I hold in high regard, no matter how he died.

Leave a comment below telling us what you think.

Falklands Island Dispute Continues At The G20 Summit

Left, Ms Fernandez. Right. Mr Cameron.

The Prime Minister has refused a letter from the president of Argentina concerning her beliefs over the Falklands Islands.

The two leaders spoke before the beginning of the G20 summit. The PM said to the President “respect the views” of the islanders, who are taking a referendum concerning the issue.

As the islanders on the Falklands are marking the 30 year anniversary since the end of the war with Argentina, world leaders, including Argentina and the UK, are meeting in Los Calbos, Mexico for the G20.

Mr Cameron has stated that during the summit he will repeat to Ms Fernandez what he has said many a time; that the Falkland islanders have the right to decide for themselves whether or not they wish to remain British.

Mr Cameron told Ms Fernandez: "I am not proposing a full discussion now on the Falklands but I hope you have noted that they are holding a referendum and you should respect their views.” He added "We should believe in self determination and act as democrats here in the G20."

Tension lingers 30 years after the 1982
invasion.

Ms Fernandez tried to hand the PM a letter with the details of UN resolution 40 of November 1985, which explains that both the UK and Argentine governments are to negotiate a peaceful resolution over the sovereignty of the island. However, the PM refused the letter.
On Thursday 14/06/12 Ms Fernandez spoke to the UN, telling them she questioned the UK’s sovereignty over the islands, Mr Cameron stated there was to be “no negotiation”.

In my opinion. the islands are British and therefore should remain so. What makes it British you may ask? It's the people living on the island: as long as they wish to remain British the island too will remain British. The Argentinian government is handling the whole issue poorly, using childish tactics passing letters and throwing fists (I refer to the 1982 invasion), is something you would expect from a child who is not getting their own way, it is purely juvenile! Cameron's words may worry some, "No negotiation", remanding how Argentina's only way of obtaining the islands would be via a successful invasion and occupation. This however seems impossible for Argentina, in a war against Britain: they simply could not succeed. Britain will never lose the islands, but we may lose may more lives defending them.

Here is the fairly small islands, which are thought to contain large 
amounts of oil.

What do you think? Leave a comment and answer our poll below.

Should the Falkland Islands remain British?

17/06/12 UFO Object Found In The Baltic Sea

An x-ray image of the "UFO" from a satellite.

The thought of Aliens has always amazed the minds of the human race, however Swedish divers were sent to the bottom of the Baltic sea to investigate an unidentified object that was lying on the seabed.

The divers have linked the object to the shape of the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars, it was also curved at the side giving it a mushroom like appearance.

At the centre of the of the 60 metre diameter object there is an egg shaped hole that leads down into the object, also around this strange hole their are mysterious rock formations. Adding to the speculations, there appears to be something resembling soot, covering the rocks.

Diver Peter Lindberg explained that "At first we though it was only a stone, however this is something different entirely" he also added that "It is even more mysterious because there has never been any volcanic activity in the Baltic Sea."

A 300 metre runway trails behind the object implying that it skidded along the seabed before coming to a halt. The object was found in June of last year, however due to lack of funding and bad weather nothing was able to be conjured up until this year.

Lindberg also mentioned that they were looking for a World War 1 wreck, however their sonar on their ship picked up the strange object, in the past sonar technology has often got unearthly like objects confused with rock patterns. The Baltic sea is a treasure trove for wreck-hunters, because as much as 100,000 objects are thought to line the cold sea's seabed.

Overall I believe that this is a fascinating find because it shows they maybe there is more life out there than us, it also shows how we can band together in the name of science.

16/06/12 Anorexic Woman To Be Force Fed

The term "force fed" can be misinterpreted, 'E' would not be
forced to eat but instead have a tube inserted providing the correct
amount of nutrients similar to the image above.

In Wales, a severely anorexic woman wished to starve herself to death, but a decision was made by judge, Peter Jackson, which meant that she was to be force fed. He made the decision last month, but it only became public recently. Mr Jackson believed the woman did not have the capacity to make decisions for herself.

The conservative MP for Montgomeryshire tweeted, calling the ruling a
"shameful decision" and saying
"she should be allowed to die with dignity". The woman, known as ' E' for her protection and privacy,
had the case brought forward by her local authority's after she refused to eat and took only small amounts of water. `E' has suffered from eating disorders since the age of 11. Now 32 years of age it leaves me asking the question: "Why has nothing more been done to try and prevent her disorder getting this severe?"

No official statement has been given by 'E's family but it is known that they believe the ruling is wrong, thinking she should be allowed a dignified death.

My opinion on this is that, I would have to compare the force feeding to a medical treatment, because we all have the right to refuse medical treatment, unless we are deemed medically insane. In this case, I believe 'E' was likely to be 'medically insane' Anorexia is a mental condition, as a result, it could influence her judgement. Therefore the decision should be made for her and in this case, I believe it was the right one.

17/06/12 Stage Collapse In Toronto

The collapsed stage which cause fatalities. 

The massive stage that will hold the band Radiohead while they are doing a concert in Toronto has collapsed, killing one man and critically injuring another, it is reported another two people were also injured it is claimed by paramedics.

The incident happened at around 4pm at the Downsview park in the Canadian city of Toronto, and it happened while the sound crew were doing their checks. An employee at the park told local media that the band were due to arrive just after the stage collapsed, it is believed that the deceased man is in his 30's and that the other man is in hospital with head injuries.

Fire crews have declared the stage a no go area, as it is not known how much more of the stage may come down, also officials from the Ministry Of Labour have been called to investigate the accident.

Fire Captain Mike Strapko told local media that the piping which makes up the roof and supports the lights collapsed down on top of the workers setting up the stage.

Radiohead were quick to announce on their twitter that due to unforeseen circumstances that they would not be able to perform and Downsview park tonight, the 572 acre park has been used by bands such as the rolling stones and AC/DC, Radiohead were also marking the 15th anniversary since their classic album OK computer.

Our thoughts are with the friends and families of the deceased and the injured people that came about from this incident.

Forced Abortion In China 15/06/12

The Chinese have never been known for their amazing human rights but latest stories coming out of the country claim that a woman was forcibly given an injection for breaching the countries one child policy.

Dead mother and the also dead baby.

The mother Feng Jianmei, told local media that she was given an injection that induced an abortion and her child was stillborn 36 hours later. pictures showing the woman and her blood covered baby have shocked anti-abortion groups in China and the fury is quickly spreading throughout the world, with one writer commenting on a social media site saying "this is what they say the Japanese devils and the Nazis did."

The One Child policy was introduced in 1978 and initially applied to only first born children in 1979, it was created to tackle China's economic social and environmental problems. It has claimed to have stopped around 400 million births by 2011.

Because Feng Jianmei already had one child, local birth authorities ordered her to pay a £4,400 fine, and because she did not have the money to pay this then a team from the local planning authority came to her house to collect her for the forced abortion, Feng told the planning department time and again that the reason she could not pay the money is because she was saving it for her mother-in-law's cancer treatment. Feng told local media that around 20 staff from the local planning department came to her house, she also claimed that when they were en route to the hospital she began to resist which meant she was beaten.When her father-in-law heard about the apparent forced abortion he tried to go see her however he was not allowed in to the obstetrics ward.

Overall I believe that this is a massive misuse of human rights and that a baby is something special to a family, and that maybe it should have been put up for adoption that way the child would have lived instead of being killed in such a horrible manner.

14/06/12 - Rude Airlines?

Does the future of cheap air travel come at the cost of common courtesy?

In recent years airplane safety has grown a lot and it is now considered for of the most safest ways to travel, however that does not seem to be the problem anymore.In the last month or so the Japaneese airline Skymark announced that it will no longer help the passengers on board the plane, these services include stowing luggage, being polite and they will not have to deal with customer complaints.The budget airline Skymark anounced an eight point plan in mid may, declaring what kind of services they are responsible for.The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Consumer Affairs Agency have requested that the company remove these notices.Skymark remarked their staff as being there to be safety personnel rather then being there to serve the passengers, the company also told their passngers not to complain to staff before take off as they wanted to make sure they were on time to take off.Passengers were instead told to take their complaints to the Consumer Affairs Agency.Hirohiko Fukushima, the head of the Consumer Affairs Agency commented "We cannot condone an attitude of directing complaints about a company's services to public orginisations."However on Wednesday the Airline gave into pressure and announced that it would revise the notice that it had made.