Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Last of The Missing From Colorado's Floods Found

The last six people missing after Colorado's floods have been reported safe. Officials had published their names, on Monday, and all six called in to say they were not missing.

Eight people were killed in the floods which caused massive destruction in the state, almost two weeks ago.

Nearly two thousand homes and more than two hundred business were destroyed, while over sixteen thousand homes and almost eight hundred business were damaged.

Hundreds of miles of roadway and some sixty bridges were damaged or destroyed, making
travel still very difficult. Repairing and replacing the travel system has been made a priority by the government.

Flooding also damaged several oil containers, leaking around twenty-seven thousand gallons. However most of it was swept away by the raging waters, leaving no trace of the oil.

All told damages in Colorado are estimated at more than two billion dollars.

Kenya Once Again Says Hostage Situation is Over

Officials in Kenya are once again saying that the hostage situation in the Westgate Mall is over. The mall was attacked, on Saturday, by Al Shabaab militants.

They had initially said it was all over, late Monday night, but fighting broke out again, on Tuesday. It is unclear if the government simple said it early or if terrorists had been hiding, making the government think it was over.

A total of seventy-two people were killed in terrorist attack. Sixty-one civilians, six military personnel, and five of the terrorists. Nearly two hundred were injured and the Kenyan Red Cross lists sixty-five as still missing. The missing may be in a part of the mall where explosions collapsed three floors of the building.

Eleven of the terrorists were captured. The government is working to determine if all of the militants are accounted for, or if some managed to escape. On Monday, they had been claiming that the attackers were made up of foreigners, however, on Tuesday they had no comment about those claims.

Egypt's Military Holds Off Moving Against Muslim Brotherhood

On Tuesday, Egypt's military made it clear that they will not yet move on a court's decree that banned the Muslim Brotherhood.

They instead will wait to see if a higher court supports the decree.

The Muslim Brotherhood challenged the ruling, calling it a "totalitarian decision".

If the ruling stands any and all assets belonging to the group can be legally seized.

Car Bomb in Damascus Kills 7

Seven people were killed when a car bomb exploded in a Damascus neighborhood.

Another fifteen people were injured when the blast tore through Tadamon, on Tuesday.

The blast was powerful enough to destroy several nearby buildings.

Crews searched through the rubble looking for survivors and victims.

Syria's government blamed the attack on terrorists and rebel forces.

7.8 Quake Kills 45 in Pakistan and Creates New Island

At least forty-five people were killed when a 7.8 quake struck in western Pakistan, on Tuesday.

The quake was felt as far away as New Delhi, India.

Most of the deaths occurred in Labach, where dozens of homes and building collapsed.

Houses and buildings were reported down all over the Awaran district.

Rescuers are working to free any survivors and find victims.

The government has sent two hundred soldiers to aid the region. 

A new island appeared, because of the quake, off the coast of Gwadar.

Located half a mile off the coast, it is about one hundred feet long, with a height of twenty to forty feet.

US Army: Specialist Joshua J. Strickland

Specialist Joshua J. Strickland, twenty-three of Woodstock, Georgia, died on September 21.

He and two other soldiers were killed in Gardez, Paktia province, Afghanistan.

Strickland was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

US Army: Staff Sergeant Timothy R. McGill

Staff Sergeant Timothy R. McGill, thirty of Ramsey, New Jersey, died on September 21.

He and two other soldiers were killed in Gardez, Paktia province, Afghanistan.

McGill was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group out of Middletown, Rhode Island.

His decorations include: Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Parachutist Badge, Special Forces Tab, Global War on Terrorism Expedition Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal.

US Army: Staff Sergeant Liam J. Nevins

Staff Sergeant Liam J. Nevins, thirty-two from Denver, Colorado, died on September 21.

He and two other soldiers were killed in Gardez, Paktia province, Afghanistan.

It was his fourth tour of duty between Afghanistan and Iraq.

Nevins was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group out of Watkins, Colorado.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Hostage Situation in Kenya has Ended

Officials in Kenya have announced that the hostage situation in the Westgate Mall is over. The mall was attacked, on Saturday, by Al Shabaab militants.

The Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government in The Office of the President made the announcement on Twitter saying, "Our forces are combing the mall floor by floor looking for anyone left behind. We believe all hostages have been released."

Monday saw Kenyan troops continue to force their way into the remainder of the mall, going room by room to remove the terrorists. Their efforts were slowed with concern for the safety of hostages. Smoke rose from the building as the militants lit fires to try and further slow the soldiers progress.

Earlier Monday, the death toll had been lowered to sixty-two, with sixty-three missing. It is not yet clear if the sixty-three have been accounted for.

Amina Mohamed, the Kenyan foreign minister, announced that several of the terrorists were foreigners. She stated that there were at least "two Americans" and "a Brit" amongst their number. General Julius Karangi, chief of the Kenya Defense Forces, also stated that the terrorists were a "multinational collection from all over the world", but did not give specifics.

Court in Egypt Bans Muslim Brotherhood

An Egyptian court banned the Muslim Brotherhood from being involved in politics, on Monday.

It also ordered the seizure of any and all assets belonging to the group.

The court did not provide a reason as to why the decision had been made.

However, the Brotherhood has been accused of helping in terrorist activities against the state.

Many of the groups' leaders have already been arrested, over the past weeks.

Their remaining leadership decried the act as a "totalitarian decision".

Being banned is nothing new for the group.

Until former president Morsi made the group legal, they had been banned since being formed eighty-five years ago.