Tuesday, September 18, 2012

South African Striking Miners Agree to Terms

South African striking miners will be returning to work on Thursday.

They've finally come to terms with the owners of the mine.

The strike began six weeks ago, and has involved the deaths of forty-five.

Strikers had been demanding a pay increase of more than one hundred percent, but they have settled for one of twenty-two percent.

Two British Constables Killed in Ambush

PC Fiona Bone and PC Nicola Hughes
Two British constables were ambushed and killed, in Manchester, England.

Police received a call, Tuesday morning, from a man who said his home had been burglarized.

Constables Fiona Bone, thirty-two, and Nicola Hughes, twenty-three, were dispatched to investigate.

Upon arriving at the residence they entered and were killed in a hail of gunfire, which was followed by a grenade exploding.

Other police officers arrested wanted fugitive Dale Cregan, twenty-nine, at the scene of the crime, and he is being held for the murders of the two constables.

Cregan was wanted for two previous murders that he was believed to have committed, he is formally being charged with those as well, bringing the count to four murders.

The two previous incidents, both involved Cregan using a gun, and in one a grenade.

His two other victims were David Short, who was killed in August, and his son Mark who was killed in May.

As is customary, the two constables were unarmed.

Marine Sgt. Bradley W. Atwell

MARINE Sgt. Bradley W. Atwell, 27, of Kokomo, IN, died Sept. 15, in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

A Kokomo Marine died in Afghanistan Saturday, according to the Department of Defense.

Sgt. Bradley W. Atwell, 27, was one of two Marines killed in Helmand Province. He and the other Marine were part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Marines. Atwell was part of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13.

Atwell enlisted in October 2005 as an electrical systems technician. He has earned several medals, including one for good conduct.

Egypt Orders Arrests in US

Egypt has ordered the arrests of eight people over the making of the film that is being used as an excuse to attack US and European embassies.

Seven of the warrants are for Egyptian Coptic Christians who are living in the US, the eighth is for US pastor Terry Jones.

They are accused of "insulting the Islamic religion and insulting the Prophet".

The seven Coptics are believed to have made the film, whilst Jones is accused of promoting it.

US freedom of religion and speech laws should protect the eight from prosecution, but police have most if not all of them in custody, "for their protection".

Death threats have been made against them, so protective custody might be necessary.

Jones was previously made famous two years ago when he planned a mass burning of Qurans at his church.

Marine Lt. Col. Christopher K. Raible

MARINE Lt. Col. Christopher K. Raible, 40, of Huntingdon, PA, died Sept. 15, in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

A Westmoreland County native serving in the Marines was killed Friday in an attack in Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. Christopher Raible, of Irwin, was one of two service members killed when fifteen insurgents stormed an airfield in Kandahar province.

Raible, 40, graduated from Norwin High School and earned a degree in civil engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 1995.

"When the Korean War broke out in '51, I enlisted, and I just love being a Marine. I'm proud of being a Marine, and I'm sure he was as well," said former teacher Don Kattic.

Raible, who was married with three children, was assigned to the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Ariz.

"I'm proud to have him as my brother, and I know he's in heaven looking down at us at this moment," said Kattic.

The Norwin School Board planned to honor Raible with a moment of silence during a meeting Monday night.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the strike that killed Raible and Sgt. Bradley Atwell, saying it was staged to avenge an anti-Islamic film that insulted the Prophet Muhammad and also because Britain's Prince Harry is serving at the base, the military disclosed Sunday.

Fourteen of the fifteen well armed attackers were killed and one was captured after they penetrated the perimeter of Camp Bastion and made it onto the flight line, the military said.

The attackers destroyed six Harrier jump jets assigned to Yuma's Marine Attack Squadron 211 and heavily damaged two others. The British air base is next to the Marines' Camp Leatherneck in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province.

A statement issued by the US led International Security Assistance Force in Kabul said the insurgents were wearing U.S. Army uniforms and armed with automatic rifles, rocket propelled grenade launchers and suicide vests.

The ISAF statement said the insurgents were in three teams and appeared to be well-equipped, trained and rehearsed. They attacked helicopters and fixed wing aircraft on the flight line along with aircraft hangars and other buildings.

The insurgents also destroyed three refueling stations and damaged six hangars.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Occupy Celebrates With Over 125 Arrests

Occupy Wall Street celebrated their one year anniversary by seeing over one hundred and twenty-five of their number arrested.

Thirty some cities had planned occupy marches, to mark the anniversary.

Witnesses in some cities said that police outnumbered the occupiers, not due to the number of police, but due to the lack of protesters.

Despite the poor turn out, Occupy states that they aren't disappearing and are stronger than ever.

Krispy Kreme and Talk Like a Pirate Day

Krispy Kreme is celebrating "Talk Like a Pirate Day" on Wednesday, September 19.

It's the tenth year of the day, and Krispy Kreme is joining in the fun.

For all those who enter their stores and issue a pirate line, will receive one free original glazed doughnut.

Anyone who comes dressed as a pirate, from head to toe, will be awarded a full dozen of the original glazed.

Japanese Close Shop in China

Japanese shops and factories all over China have closed their doors and boarded up the windows.

Many took the extra time to cover their shops in Chinese flags, in hopes that protesters won't attack their businesses.

Tens of thousands of Chinese have been protesting the Japanese purchase of islands, which China has also claimed.

Tuesday marks the eighty-first anniversary of the Japanese invasion of China, and protesters are using it as a focal point.

Shop owners hope to reopen in a couple of days.

2 Million i5s Sold Within 24 Hours

Apple sold over two million iPhone 5s in the first twenty-four hours during which they were available for preorder.

The sheer amount of sales forced Apple to end preordering.

Most phones will be available on September 21, but due to the over expected desire for the phones some won't be til October.

The US and most of Europe are expected to get them on time, and then on September 28 they'll be available to the rest of the world.

Strip Mall in Aurora Evacuated Due to Suspicious Package

Google Maps image of the strip mall
Monday afternoon, police evacuated three stores in a strip mall in Aurora, Colorado after a suspicious package was delivered to one of the businesses.

Apparently "the package is wrapped in newspaper, with electrical tape on two ends and a Comcast flag sticking out of it."

Arapahoe Counties bomb squad was called out and determined that it was not dangerous.

When the package was opened, it was found to be a toy gun and holster.

Police allowed the stores to reopen shortly after that, about two hours after they were first closed.

The shops are located a block from city hall, and just two blocks north of the movie theater where thirteen people were murdered, in July.