A Florida man suspected of gunning down four of his family members on Thanksgiving is now on the U.S. Marshals' list of the top 15 most-wanted fugitives.
Paul M. Merhige is accused of fatally shooting his twin sisters, a 6-year-old cousin and a 79-year-old aunt at a family home in Jupiter, Florida, on Nov. 26. One of his sisters was pregnant.
A $25,000 reward has been offered for information leading to his arrest.
Along with adding Merhige, 35, to its most-wanted list, the U.S. Marshals Service has released some distinguishing characteristics about him.
Merhige might be "homosexual and/or effeminate and may frequent homosexual establishments," according to a U.S. Marshals statement. He also is known to either fake or display symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder, such as frequent bathing and shaving, and difficulty making decisions. He also has faked or displayed symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Merhige has been taking several prescription drugs for the ailments.
"Sudden or prolonged cessation of any of his prescribed medication can result in adverse side effects, including seizures and death," according to the Marshals Service.
Authorities say Merhige also wounded two other family members during the shooting rampage.
He faces four counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder, the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office has said.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
School stampede in China turns deadly
A stampede on a school staircase in central China's Hunan province killed eight students and injured 26 others, state media reported.
A student had fallen on a flight of stairs, causing dozens of others to lose their balance and triggering the stampede Monday night, Xinhua News Agency cited officials as saying. The students at Yucai Middle School in Xiangxiang had just finished their evening study session, Xinhua reported.
Seven boys and a girl -- ranging in age from 11 to 14 -- were killed, and five others were seriously injured.
Eight children who were at the center of the stampede were being kept at local hospitals for medical observation, as doctors from the nearby city of Xiangtan were arriving to help treat the injured.
A student had fallen on a flight of stairs, causing dozens of others to lose their balance and triggering the stampede Monday night, Xinhua News Agency cited officials as saying. The students at Yucai Middle School in Xiangxiang had just finished their evening study session, Xinhua reported.
Seven boys and a girl -- ranging in age from 11 to 14 -- were killed, and five others were seriously injured.
Eight children who were at the center of the stampede were being kept at local hospitals for medical observation, as doctors from the nearby city of Xiangtan were arriving to help treat the injured.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Arrest warrant issued for Florida man in quadruple slaying
An arrest warrant has been issued for a Florida man suspected in the shooting deaths of four people, including his sisters, in the coastal town of Jupiter, authorities said Saturday.
Paul Michael Merhige, 35, allegedly left the scene of the Thanksgiving Day shooting armed. He faces four counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder, the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office said in a statement.
The U.S. Marshals have joined the search for Merhige, and a $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to his arrest.
The shooting victims include Merhige's 6-year-old cousin, Makayla Sitton; his 33-year-old twin sisters, Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight; and 76-year-old Raymond Joseph, police said.
One of the victims -- Knight -- was pregnant, a police spokeswoman said Friday.
Two others -- Patrick Knight and Clifford Gebara -- were wounded, police said.
Interviews with family members suggest that Merhige "had ongoing resentment" for some of his relatives, said Sally Collins-Ortiz, a spokeswoman for Jupiter police.
The shooting occurred about 10 p.m. Thursday.
Merhige is thought to have escaped in a blue 2007 Toyota Camry with Florida license plate number W42 7JT, police said.
Paul Michael Merhige, 35, allegedly left the scene of the Thanksgiving Day shooting armed. He faces four counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder, the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office said in a statement.
The U.S. Marshals have joined the search for Merhige, and a $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to his arrest.
The shooting victims include Merhige's 6-year-old cousin, Makayla Sitton; his 33-year-old twin sisters, Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight; and 76-year-old Raymond Joseph, police said.
One of the victims -- Knight -- was pregnant, a police spokeswoman said Friday.
Two others -- Patrick Knight and Clifford Gebara -- were wounded, police said.
Interviews with family members suggest that Merhige "had ongoing resentment" for some of his relatives, said Sally Collins-Ortiz, a spokeswoman for Jupiter police.
The shooting occurred about 10 p.m. Thursday.
Merhige is thought to have escaped in a blue 2007 Toyota Camry with Florida license plate number W42 7JT, police said.
Tiger Woods Questioned About Wreck
State troopers arrived at the home of Tiger Woods on Saturday to interview the pro golfer and his wife about a car crash near his home but were told the couple was not available to talk as scheduled, a spokeswoman for the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The troopers were asked by Woods' agent to postpone the interview until Sunday, spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Montes told CNN. She said she didn't know whether a reason was given.
Troopers had also tried to speak to Woods on Friday as part of a routine car accident investigation, but his wife said he was sleeping, Montes said. Troopers decided they would come back Saturday afternoon.
While Woods is required to show his license, registration and proof of insurance, he's not obligated by state law to give a statement on the crash. However, it's "very unusual" not to do so, Montes said.
"We simply want to ask why did he crash his car," she said, adding, "All we're trying to do is get his side of the story."
Though they didn't interview Woods on Saturday, the troopers entered the luxury complex and started part of their investigation into the incident, Montes said. Investigators will seek possible surveillance tapes of the accident from Woods and his neighbors and review the 911 call from Friday, she said.
The single-vehicle accident occurred about 2:25 a.m., according to a police report. Woods pulled out of his driveway in a 2009 Cadillac SUV and struck a fire hydrant, then a tree, the report says.
Authorities have said they don't have details on why Woods was driving away from his home at such an early hour. Montes acknowledged there are questions surrounding the circumstances of the crash, saying, "If this turns up something else, we'll go down that road. ... We're knee-deep in this now."
Police Chief Daniel Saylor on Friday said two Windermere police officers were the first to arrive on the scene.
"There was Tiger Woods laying on the ground in front of the vehicle with his wife over him rendering first aid," he told reporters.
"He was in and out of consciousness with lacerations to his upper and lower lip," Saylor said. "He was mumbling but didn't say anything coherent."
Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren, told the police she was inside the house when she heard the accident. She said she went outside and used a golf club to break out the rear window of the vehicle, then pulled him from the SUV.
"According to the officers, yes, she was very upset," he said in response to a question. But, he added, "Things like this happen all the time ... I understand he's stable and he's fine."
Nordegren rode in the ambulance with Woods, who was treated at Health Central Hospital before he was released Friday, Montes said Saturday.
Montes said both rear passenger windows of the SUV -- which was towed from the scene -- were shattered and there was damage to the left and right of its front end, resulting in $5,000 to $8,000 in estimated damages. She said the left side hit the fire hydrant, the right hit the tree.
The accident was not alcohol-related, according to the police report.
The 33-year-old golf phenomenon has won 14 major championships, only four shy of Jack Nicklaus' record. His 71 PGA tournament victories rank third all time behind Sam Snead and Nicklaus. He was set to host and play in the Chevron World Challenge on Monday at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California. Woods has won the tournament -- which helps raise money for Tiger Woods Foundation programs -- four times.
Woods has won six times on the PGA tour this year after returning from knee surgery he underwent in 2008.
In a post on his blog last month, Woods said he was "absolutely thrilled" about his play of late, adding, "This has been one of my most consistent years on the PGA tour."
Woods and his wife have two children ages 2 years and 10 months.
The troopers were asked by Woods' agent to postpone the interview until Sunday, spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Montes told CNN. She said she didn't know whether a reason was given.
Troopers had also tried to speak to Woods on Friday as part of a routine car accident investigation, but his wife said he was sleeping, Montes said. Troopers decided they would come back Saturday afternoon.
While Woods is required to show his license, registration and proof of insurance, he's not obligated by state law to give a statement on the crash. However, it's "very unusual" not to do so, Montes said.
"We simply want to ask why did he crash his car," she said, adding, "All we're trying to do is get his side of the story."
Though they didn't interview Woods on Saturday, the troopers entered the luxury complex and started part of their investigation into the incident, Montes said. Investigators will seek possible surveillance tapes of the accident from Woods and his neighbors and review the 911 call from Friday, she said.
The single-vehicle accident occurred about 2:25 a.m., according to a police report. Woods pulled out of his driveway in a 2009 Cadillac SUV and struck a fire hydrant, then a tree, the report says.
Authorities have said they don't have details on why Woods was driving away from his home at such an early hour. Montes acknowledged there are questions surrounding the circumstances of the crash, saying, "If this turns up something else, we'll go down that road. ... We're knee-deep in this now."
Police Chief Daniel Saylor on Friday said two Windermere police officers were the first to arrive on the scene.
"There was Tiger Woods laying on the ground in front of the vehicle with his wife over him rendering first aid," he told reporters.
"He was in and out of consciousness with lacerations to his upper and lower lip," Saylor said. "He was mumbling but didn't say anything coherent."
Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren, told the police she was inside the house when she heard the accident. She said she went outside and used a golf club to break out the rear window of the vehicle, then pulled him from the SUV.
"According to the officers, yes, she was very upset," he said in response to a question. But, he added, "Things like this happen all the time ... I understand he's stable and he's fine."
Nordegren rode in the ambulance with Woods, who was treated at Health Central Hospital before he was released Friday, Montes said Saturday.
Montes said both rear passenger windows of the SUV -- which was towed from the scene -- were shattered and there was damage to the left and right of its front end, resulting in $5,000 to $8,000 in estimated damages. She said the left side hit the fire hydrant, the right hit the tree.
The accident was not alcohol-related, according to the police report.
The 33-year-old golf phenomenon has won 14 major championships, only four shy of Jack Nicklaus' record. His 71 PGA tournament victories rank third all time behind Sam Snead and Nicklaus. He was set to host and play in the Chevron World Challenge on Monday at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California. Woods has won the tournament -- which helps raise money for Tiger Woods Foundation programs -- four times.
Woods has won six times on the PGA tour this year after returning from knee surgery he underwent in 2008.
In a post on his blog last month, Woods said he was "absolutely thrilled" about his play of late, adding, "This has been one of my most consistent years on the PGA tour."
Woods and his wife have two children ages 2 years and 10 months.
Monday, October 12, 2009
'Obama, I know you are listening': Gay rights activists march in D.C.
Judy Shepard stood before a massive crowd at the Capitol on Sunday for a single, painful reason.
Sunday's National Equality March in Washington coincided with National Coming Out Day.
"I'm here today because I lost my son to hate."
Her gay son, Matthew Shepard, was kidnapped and severely beaten in October 1998. He died five days later in a hospital.
More than 10 years later, Judy Shepard addressed the thousands of gay rights activists in Washington who wrapped up Sunday's National Equality March with a rousing rally at the Capitol.
"No one has the right to tell my son whether or not he can work anywhere. Whether or not he can live wherever he wants to live and whether or not he can be with the one person he loves -- no one has that right," Judy Shepard told the crowd. "We are all Americans. We are all equal Americans, gay, straight or whatever."
The activists marched through Washington, calling for an end to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and equality in marriage.
The National Equality March coincided with National Coming Out Day, and came a day after President Obama delivered a supportive speech to the nation's largest gay and lesbian rights group.
Obama was praised for his remarks to the Human Rights Campaign, where he said he has urged congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and to pass the Domestic Partners Benefit and Obligations Act. But Obama has also been criticized by gay rights activists who say he has put those issues -- and the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which bans homosexuals from openly serving in the military -- on the back burner.
"Obama, I know you are listening," pop star Lady Gaga told the crowd, before shouting, "Are you listening? We will continue to push you and your administration to bring your words of promise to a reality." Shepard told the crowd she was confident in Obama's pledge, but that the activists could also play a critical role by contacting their congressional representatives and voting for politicians who support their cause. Legislation bearing her son's name was passed in the House this week. It expands the definition of hate crimes to include attacks based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The legislation is awaiting a Senate vote.
"I can announce that after more than a decade this bill is set to pass and I will sign it into law," Obama said Saturday.
At the Capitol on Sunday, the participants spilled from the western front of the building, where a podium was set up, onto Pennsylvania Avenue. There was no official estimate of the size of the crowd.
Christine Quinn, the first openly lesbian speaker of the New York City Council, said she had one request for lawmakers at all levels across the country.
"Look me in the eye and tell me I am less of a person than you are," she said. "Look me in the eye and tell me my family is worth less than yours. Look me in the eye and tell me I am not an American. Well you know what, not one person in any of those places can do that, not one of them."
She continued: "So what we're here about today is to start telling the truth and to force the lawmakers from coast to coast and in the nation's capital to make our law books tell the truth."
Although Obama's speech Saturday was supportive of changes in the law to reflect equal rights in marriage and service to the military for homosexuals, given a full plate of other issues at home and abroad facing the administration, it remains unclear how quickly the issues at the center of Sunday's march will be addressed.
Even members of the president's own party are split.
"I've said in the past I don't think that's the way to go," Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, told CNN's John King, referring to the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. "We can move forward on a lot of measures, but I'm not sure there's the support yet for that."
"We are gathered here today from all over the U.S., and back home many of us are deeply embroiled in the particular local battles that we are fighting, but today is a national rally and when we walk away from here tonight, we need to walk away with a common national resolve," actor Cynthia Nixon, of "Sex in the City" fame, told the crowd.
A small number of counter-protesters gathered at the beginning of the march.
Sunday's National Equality March in Washington coincided with National Coming Out Day.
"I'm here today because I lost my son to hate."
Her gay son, Matthew Shepard, was kidnapped and severely beaten in October 1998. He died five days later in a hospital.
More than 10 years later, Judy Shepard addressed the thousands of gay rights activists in Washington who wrapped up Sunday's National Equality March with a rousing rally at the Capitol.
"No one has the right to tell my son whether or not he can work anywhere. Whether or not he can live wherever he wants to live and whether or not he can be with the one person he loves -- no one has that right," Judy Shepard told the crowd. "We are all Americans. We are all equal Americans, gay, straight or whatever."
The activists marched through Washington, calling for an end to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and equality in marriage.
The National Equality March coincided with National Coming Out Day, and came a day after President Obama delivered a supportive speech to the nation's largest gay and lesbian rights group.
Obama was praised for his remarks to the Human Rights Campaign, where he said he has urged congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and to pass the Domestic Partners Benefit and Obligations Act. But Obama has also been criticized by gay rights activists who say he has put those issues -- and the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which bans homosexuals from openly serving in the military -- on the back burner.
"Obama, I know you are listening," pop star Lady Gaga told the crowd, before shouting, "Are you listening? We will continue to push you and your administration to bring your words of promise to a reality." Shepard told the crowd she was confident in Obama's pledge, but that the activists could also play a critical role by contacting their congressional representatives and voting for politicians who support their cause. Legislation bearing her son's name was passed in the House this week. It expands the definition of hate crimes to include attacks based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The legislation is awaiting a Senate vote.
"I can announce that after more than a decade this bill is set to pass and I will sign it into law," Obama said Saturday.
At the Capitol on Sunday, the participants spilled from the western front of the building, where a podium was set up, onto Pennsylvania Avenue. There was no official estimate of the size of the crowd.
Christine Quinn, the first openly lesbian speaker of the New York City Council, said she had one request for lawmakers at all levels across the country.
"Look me in the eye and tell me I am less of a person than you are," she said. "Look me in the eye and tell me my family is worth less than yours. Look me in the eye and tell me I am not an American. Well you know what, not one person in any of those places can do that, not one of them."
She continued: "So what we're here about today is to start telling the truth and to force the lawmakers from coast to coast and in the nation's capital to make our law books tell the truth."
Although Obama's speech Saturday was supportive of changes in the law to reflect equal rights in marriage and service to the military for homosexuals, given a full plate of other issues at home and abroad facing the administration, it remains unclear how quickly the issues at the center of Sunday's march will be addressed.
Even members of the president's own party are split.
"I've said in the past I don't think that's the way to go," Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, told CNN's John King, referring to the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. "We can move forward on a lot of measures, but I'm not sure there's the support yet for that."
"We are gathered here today from all over the U.S., and back home many of us are deeply embroiled in the particular local battles that we are fighting, but today is a national rally and when we walk away from here tonight, we need to walk away with a common national resolve," actor Cynthia Nixon, of "Sex in the City" fame, told the crowd.
A small number of counter-protesters gathered at the beginning of the march.
NEW MJ SONG!!
A brand new song by Michael Jackson was released on the late singer's Web site early Monday.
Interest has been running high in "This Is It" -- the song, the two-disc album and the movie.
However about 45 seconds of "This Is It" did the rounds online Sunday after being leaked ahead of its scheduled release on Michaeljackson.com.
"This Is It" will be followed by a two-disc album with the same title on October 26.
The album features music that inspired the film "Michael Jackson's This Is It," which is scheduled for release October 28.
Interest has been running high in "This Is It" -- the song, the two-disc album and the movie.
However about 45 seconds of "This Is It" did the rounds online Sunday after being leaked ahead of its scheduled release on Michaeljackson.com.
"This Is It" will be followed by a two-disc album with the same title on October 26.
The album features music that inspired the film "Michael Jackson's This Is It," which is scheduled for release October 28.
41 dead in Pakistan Swat Valley blast
At least 41 people were killed and dozens wounded in a blast Monday at a security forces checkpoint in northwest Pakistan, authorities said.
Pakistani soldiers patrol outside the main gate of army headquarters in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
About 45 people were injured in the explosion in the Shangla district in the volatile Swat Valley, said Syed Altaf Hussein, a senior government official in the area.
The explosion targeted a military vehicle, officials said.
The blast is the latest in a string of attacks in the country.
On Saturday, militants attacked the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, killing 11 military personnel and three civilians, according to the Pakistani military's press office. Nine militants died in the attack.
A total of 39 hostages were freed Sunday morning after being held by five militants at the army headquarters.
In a news conference Monday, the top spokesman for the Pakistani military said Saturday's attack was planned by the Taliban based in South Waziristan.
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Gen. Athar Abbas said intelligence agents intercepted a phone call in which Pakistani Taliban commander Wali-ur Rehman was informed about the start of the attack. Rehman responded by calling for a prayer for the operation to succeed, Abbas said.
Abbas said the leader of the operation, who was captured alive, is from Pakistan's Punjab province. Four other militants were from Punjab as well. Five others were from South Waziristan.
During the standoff, two of the militants held 22 hostages in a small room, Abbas said. One of the militants wore a suicide vest connected to a mine and a bomb. He sat in the middle of the 22 hostages. Abbas said this room was the focus of the operation and security forces were successful in storming the room and killing the militant with the suicide vest before he could detonate his bombs.
Military officials said they have tightened security around army headquarters.
The attacks will not deter Pakistan from launching an offensive in South Waziristan, the Interior Ministry said. South Waziristan is one of seven districts in Pakistan's tribal region along the Afghan border. Intelligence analysts consider it a haven for Islamic militants who have launched attacks in Pakistan and targeted U.S. forces in neighboring Afghanistan.
A date for the offensive in the area has not been announced.
The Shangla district east of Mingora is one of the areas where the military conducted search-and-destroy operations earlier this year. Troops targeted terrorist hideouts and reported the arrest of one militant leader and the death of another.
Pakistani soldiers patrol outside the main gate of army headquarters in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
About 45 people were injured in the explosion in the Shangla district in the volatile Swat Valley, said Syed Altaf Hussein, a senior government official in the area.
The explosion targeted a military vehicle, officials said.
The blast is the latest in a string of attacks in the country.
On Saturday, militants attacked the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, killing 11 military personnel and three civilians, according to the Pakistani military's press office. Nine militants died in the attack.
A total of 39 hostages were freed Sunday morning after being held by five militants at the army headquarters.
In a news conference Monday, the top spokesman for the Pakistani military said Saturday's attack was planned by the Taliban based in South Waziristan.
Don't Miss
Gen. Athar Abbas said intelligence agents intercepted a phone call in which Pakistani Taliban commander Wali-ur Rehman was informed about the start of the attack. Rehman responded by calling for a prayer for the operation to succeed, Abbas said.
Abbas said the leader of the operation, who was captured alive, is from Pakistan's Punjab province. Four other militants were from Punjab as well. Five others were from South Waziristan.
During the standoff, two of the militants held 22 hostages in a small room, Abbas said. One of the militants wore a suicide vest connected to a mine and a bomb. He sat in the middle of the 22 hostages. Abbas said this room was the focus of the operation and security forces were successful in storming the room and killing the militant with the suicide vest before he could detonate his bombs.
Military officials said they have tightened security around army headquarters.
The attacks will not deter Pakistan from launching an offensive in South Waziristan, the Interior Ministry said. South Waziristan is one of seven districts in Pakistan's tribal region along the Afghan border. Intelligence analysts consider it a haven for Islamic militants who have launched attacks in Pakistan and targeted U.S. forces in neighboring Afghanistan.
A date for the offensive in the area has not been announced.
The Shangla district east of Mingora is one of the areas where the military conducted search-and-destroy operations earlier this year. Troops targeted terrorist hideouts and reported the arrest of one militant leader and the death of another.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Nurse accused of reusing equipment; patients warned
A Fort Lauderdale nurse has resigned and more 1,800 patients have been notified that they may have been exposed to diseases such as HIV and hepatitis, after the nurse allegedly admitted to the hospital that she used disposable IV equipment on multiple patients, a violation of safety standards.
Reuse of disposable equipment violates "universal, standard" safety policy, a hospital official noted.
Fort Lauderdale Police are investigating to determine whether any crimes were committed after an anonymous caller reported seeing the nurse use the same saline bag and a portion of tubing more than once, during adult cardiac chemical stress tests.
The hospital, Broward General Medical Center, said that a review of the nurse was conducted when administering intravenous fluids during the stress tests and that she was suspended pending the outcome of a full investigation. The nurse subsequently resigned, according to the hospital.
Police have identified the nurse as Qui Lan of Fort Lauderdale. CNN was unable to reach her for comment.
"She's not a suspect," said police Sgt. Frank Sousa. "We don't have a crime at this point....If any victims come forward, we're going to investigate." Police have not released an incident report.
"It's heartbreaking to every employee here," said Cathy Meyer, a spokeswoman for Broward General Medical Center.
"She was aware that she was doing this. It's no different than changing a sheet, or a BandAid. This is what nurses go into nursing school for," Meyer said.
"It's a violation of standard nursing infection control procedures," she said. "It's a universal, standard policy which was violated."
The hospital says a review of medical files from the nurse's date of employment, January 2004, until today identified 1,851 patients to whom the nurse administered cardiac chemical tests. These patients are being urged to get tested for the hepatitis B and C virus, and HIV.
Alice Taylor, the hospital's chief operating officer, said the nurse admitted to a hospital investigator that she should have used new equipment for each patient. When asked why she didn't, the nurse did not respond, Taylor said, through a spokesperson.
"She admitted to inconsistencies in replacing the saline bag," Taylor said.
A cardiac chemical stress test is designed for people who cannot tolerate a traditional stress test, which involves walking on a treadmill with electrodes attached to their body.
So, the chemical test is performed, using specific medicines that increase the heart beat as if the person were exercising. It was during this intravenous process that saline bags and tubing were allegedly used more than once, according to the anonymous individual. The hospital believes the risk of exposure is low but said it's important for patients to be tested and will pay all necessary costs.
"This is an individual's unacceptable practice that once discovered was immediately corrected," said James Thaw, CEO of Broward General Medical Center, in a written statement.
Health Library
As of Tuesday morning, the hospital had already received more than 600 calls and had counseled 30 people inside the hospital.
"It's prudent for our hospital to go into an investigation and notify every patient. We took a conservative approach," said Meyer, the hospital spokesperson.
But whether the nurse's actions result in criminal charges remains to be seen. The police have sealed the incident report and have not yet interviewed the nurse. "We are investigating to see whether or not there was a crime that was committed," said Sgt. Frank Sousa of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
Reuse of disposable equipment violates "universal, standard" safety policy, a hospital official noted.
Fort Lauderdale Police are investigating to determine whether any crimes were committed after an anonymous caller reported seeing the nurse use the same saline bag and a portion of tubing more than once, during adult cardiac chemical stress tests.
The hospital, Broward General Medical Center, said that a review of the nurse was conducted when administering intravenous fluids during the stress tests and that she was suspended pending the outcome of a full investigation. The nurse subsequently resigned, according to the hospital.
Police have identified the nurse as Qui Lan of Fort Lauderdale. CNN was unable to reach her for comment.
"She's not a suspect," said police Sgt. Frank Sousa. "We don't have a crime at this point....If any victims come forward, we're going to investigate." Police have not released an incident report.
"It's heartbreaking to every employee here," said Cathy Meyer, a spokeswoman for Broward General Medical Center.
"She was aware that she was doing this. It's no different than changing a sheet, or a BandAid. This is what nurses go into nursing school for," Meyer said.
"It's a violation of standard nursing infection control procedures," she said. "It's a universal, standard policy which was violated."
The hospital says a review of medical files from the nurse's date of employment, January 2004, until today identified 1,851 patients to whom the nurse administered cardiac chemical tests. These patients are being urged to get tested for the hepatitis B and C virus, and HIV.
Alice Taylor, the hospital's chief operating officer, said the nurse admitted to a hospital investigator that she should have used new equipment for each patient. When asked why she didn't, the nurse did not respond, Taylor said, through a spokesperson.
"She admitted to inconsistencies in replacing the saline bag," Taylor said.
A cardiac chemical stress test is designed for people who cannot tolerate a traditional stress test, which involves walking on a treadmill with electrodes attached to their body.
So, the chemical test is performed, using specific medicines that increase the heart beat as if the person were exercising. It was during this intravenous process that saline bags and tubing were allegedly used more than once, according to the anonymous individual. The hospital believes the risk of exposure is low but said it's important for patients to be tested and will pay all necessary costs.
"This is an individual's unacceptable practice that once discovered was immediately corrected," said James Thaw, CEO of Broward General Medical Center, in a written statement.
Health Library
As of Tuesday morning, the hospital had already received more than 600 calls and had counseled 30 people inside the hospital.
"It's prudent for our hospital to go into an investigation and notify every patient. We took a conservative approach," said Meyer, the hospital spokesperson.
But whether the nurse's actions result in criminal charges remains to be seen. The police have sealed the incident report and have not yet interviewed the nurse. "We are investigating to see whether or not there was a crime that was committed," said Sgt. Frank Sousa of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
Obama wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize
President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, a stunning decision that comes just eight months into his presidency.
Less than nine months into his presidency, Barack Obama has been awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it honored Obama for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."
The president had not been mentioned as among front-runners for the prize, and the roomful of reporters gasped when Thorbjorn Jagland, chairman of the Nobel committee, uttered Obama's name.
The president, who was awakened to be told he had won, said he was humbled to be selected, according to an administration official.
The Nobel committee recognized Obama's efforts to solve complex global problems including working toward a world free of nuclear weapons.
"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the committee said.
Jagland said the decision was "unanimous" and came with ease.
He rejected the notion that Obama had been recognized prematurely for his efforts and said the committee wanted to promote the president just it had Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990 in his efforts to open up the Soviet Union.
"His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population," it said.
Obama's recognition comes less than a year after he became the first African-American to win the White House. He is the fourth U.S. president to win the prestigious prize and the third sitting president to do so.
Jagland said he hoped the prize would help Obama resolve the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Listen to Jagland explain why Obama was this year's choice »
Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, last year's laureate, said it was clear the Nobel committee wanted to encourage Obama on the issues he has been discussing on the world stage.
"I see this as an important encouragement," Ahtisaari said.
The committee wanted to be "far more daring" than in recent times and make an impact on global politics, said Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the International Peace Research Institute.
And Wangari Muta Maathai, the Kenyan environmentalist who won the 2004 Peace Prize, said the win for Obama, whose father was Kenyan, would help Africa move forward.
"I think it is extraordinary," she said. "It will be even greater inspiration for the world. He has shown how we can probably come together, work together in a cooperative way."
The award comes at a crucial time for Obama, who has initiated peace missions to key parts of the globe.
Obama's envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, has returned to the region to advocate for peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Mitchell met Thursday with Israeli President Shimon Peres. He plans to meet Friday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before talking with Palestinian leaders in the West Bank.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton starts a six-day trip to Europe and Russia on Friday. On the trip, the secretary will discuss the next steps on Iran and North Korea, and international efforts to have the two countries end their nuclear programs.
The centerpiece of the trip will be her visit to Moscow, where she will work toward an agreement to take the place of the Start II arms control pact, which expires December 5. She also will address the new bilateral presidential commission that is working on a broad range of issues, from arms control to health.
Mohamed ElBaradei, who won the 2005 peace prize for his efforts to prevent nuclear energy being used for military means, said Obama deserved to win for his efforts to bring Iran to the table for direct nuclear talks with the United States.
"I could not think of anybody who is more deserving," said ElBaradei, the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Listen to ElBaradei react to the announcement »
As the news of Obama's win broke online, postings on social network sites Twitter and Facebook expressed surprise. Many started with the word: Wow.
The last sitting U.S. president to win the peace prize was Woodrow Wilson in 1919. The other was Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. Jimmy Carter had been out of office for more than two decades when he won in 2002.
This year's Peace Prize nominees included 172 people -- among them three Chinese dissidents, an Afghan activist and a controversial Colombian lawmaker -- and 33 organizations, the highest number of nominations ever.
The deadline for nominations must be postmarked by February 1 each year. Obama was inaugurated on January 20.
The Nobel recipient receives a prize of about $1.4 million
Less than nine months into his presidency, Barack Obama has been awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it honored Obama for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."
The president had not been mentioned as among front-runners for the prize, and the roomful of reporters gasped when Thorbjorn Jagland, chairman of the Nobel committee, uttered Obama's name.
The president, who was awakened to be told he had won, said he was humbled to be selected, according to an administration official.
The Nobel committee recognized Obama's efforts to solve complex global problems including working toward a world free of nuclear weapons.
"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the committee said.
Jagland said the decision was "unanimous" and came with ease.
He rejected the notion that Obama had been recognized prematurely for his efforts and said the committee wanted to promote the president just it had Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990 in his efforts to open up the Soviet Union.
"His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population," it said.
Obama's recognition comes less than a year after he became the first African-American to win the White House. He is the fourth U.S. president to win the prestigious prize and the third sitting president to do so.
Jagland said he hoped the prize would help Obama resolve the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Listen to Jagland explain why Obama was this year's choice »
Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, last year's laureate, said it was clear the Nobel committee wanted to encourage Obama on the issues he has been discussing on the world stage.
"I see this as an important encouragement," Ahtisaari said.
The committee wanted to be "far more daring" than in recent times and make an impact on global politics, said Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the International Peace Research Institute.
And Wangari Muta Maathai, the Kenyan environmentalist who won the 2004 Peace Prize, said the win for Obama, whose father was Kenyan, would help Africa move forward.
"I think it is extraordinary," she said. "It will be even greater inspiration for the world. He has shown how we can probably come together, work together in a cooperative way."
The award comes at a crucial time for Obama, who has initiated peace missions to key parts of the globe.
Obama's envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, has returned to the region to advocate for peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Mitchell met Thursday with Israeli President Shimon Peres. He plans to meet Friday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before talking with Palestinian leaders in the West Bank.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton starts a six-day trip to Europe and Russia on Friday. On the trip, the secretary will discuss the next steps on Iran and North Korea, and international efforts to have the two countries end their nuclear programs.
The centerpiece of the trip will be her visit to Moscow, where she will work toward an agreement to take the place of the Start II arms control pact, which expires December 5. She also will address the new bilateral presidential commission that is working on a broad range of issues, from arms control to health.
Mohamed ElBaradei, who won the 2005 peace prize for his efforts to prevent nuclear energy being used for military means, said Obama deserved to win for his efforts to bring Iran to the table for direct nuclear talks with the United States.
"I could not think of anybody who is more deserving," said ElBaradei, the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Listen to ElBaradei react to the announcement »
As the news of Obama's win broke online, postings on social network sites Twitter and Facebook expressed surprise. Many started with the word: Wow.
The last sitting U.S. president to win the peace prize was Woodrow Wilson in 1919. The other was Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. Jimmy Carter had been out of office for more than two decades when he won in 2002.
This year's Peace Prize nominees included 172 people -- among them three Chinese dissidents, an Afghan activist and a controversial Colombian lawmaker -- and 33 organizations, the highest number of nominations ever.
The deadline for nominations must be postmarked by February 1 each year. Obama was inaugurated on January 20.
The Nobel recipient receives a prize of about $1.4 million
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Vice President Biden Hits Campaign Trail to Protect Obama Agenda
Biden said in stark terms that if Democrats were to lose 35 House seats they currently hold in traditionally Republican districts, it would mean doomsday for President Obama's agenda.
"If they take them back, this the end of the road for what Barack and I are trying to do," the vice president said at a fundraiser for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., in Greenville, Del.
The vice president said Republicans are pinning their political strategy on flipping these seats.
"If they take them back, this the end of the road for what Barack and I are trying to do," the vice president said at a fundraiser for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., in Greenville, Del.
The vice president said Republicans are pinning their political strategy on flipping these seats.
2 Americans, 1 Israeli Win Nobel Chemistry Prize
Two Americans and an Israeli scientist won the 2009 Nobel Prize in chemistry on Wednesday for atom-by-atom mapping of the protein-making factories within cells — a feat that has spurred the development of antibiotics.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Thomas Steitz and Israeli Ada Yonath's work on ribosomes has been fundamental to the scientific understanding of life. They will split the 10 million (US$1.4 million award).
Yonath, 70, is the fourth woman to win the Nobel chemistry prize and the first since 1964, when Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin of Britain received the award.
"I'm really, really happy," Yonath said. "I thought it was wonderful when the discovery came. It was a series of discoveries ... We still don't know every, everything
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Thomas Steitz and Israeli Ada Yonath's work on ribosomes has been fundamental to the scientific understanding of life. They will split the 10 million (US$1.4 million award).
Yonath, 70, is the fourth woman to win the Nobel chemistry prize and the first since 1964, when Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin of Britain received the award.
"I'm really, really happy," Yonath said. "I thought it was wonderful when the discovery came. It was a series of discoveries ... We still don't know every, everything
Abducted Tenn. Baby's Mom Gets Kids Back
A mother was reunited Tuesday with her newborn son after losing him twice, first to a kidnapper and then to state custody after someone claimed a family member had tried to sell him.
Infant Yair Anthony Carrillo and three siblings were no longer in foster care and authorities do not believe parents Maria Gurrola and Jose Carrillo were involved in the baby's Sept. 29 abduction, the Department of Children's Services and Nashville police said.
Gurrola told The Tennessean she was better but still has nightmares reliving the ordeal.
"It's a bad horror movie," she said. "But it's getting better. I have my baby. I have my children, and I'm healing physically and emotionally."
Gurrola said she had wanted to return to Mexico after the attack and never return to the home where the kidnapping and stabbing happened. But for the time being, they are still in Antioch.
"We know we have to see this out because the police expect us to," she said.
Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Gurrola and her family were unsuccessful Tuesday. AP also could not locate Jose Carrillo for comment, but he told The Tennessean that it has been a long ordeal and hopes the family will be left alone.
Gurrola lost custody of Yair and his three siblings after the baby was found safe in Alabama. Two officials familiar with the case, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it, said the state took the children after someone claimed a family member had tried to sell the baby.
A police statement says "significant unanswered questions remain" in the case, including why Gurrola and her infant were targeted. Thomas Miller, an attorney appointed to represent the children, told AP that police informed child welfare officials Tuesday they had "cleared the parents of any wrongdoing."
Meanwhile, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe into the release of confidential juvenile court records to news organizations for stories about the children being placed in foster care.
Infant Yair Anthony Carrillo and three siblings were no longer in foster care and authorities do not believe parents Maria Gurrola and Jose Carrillo were involved in the baby's Sept. 29 abduction, the Department of Children's Services and Nashville police said.
Gurrola told The Tennessean she was better but still has nightmares reliving the ordeal.
"It's a bad horror movie," she said. "But it's getting better. I have my baby. I have my children, and I'm healing physically and emotionally."
Gurrola said she had wanted to return to Mexico after the attack and never return to the home where the kidnapping and stabbing happened. But for the time being, they are still in Antioch.
"We know we have to see this out because the police expect us to," she said.
Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Gurrola and her family were unsuccessful Tuesday. AP also could not locate Jose Carrillo for comment, but he told The Tennessean that it has been a long ordeal and hopes the family will be left alone.
Gurrola lost custody of Yair and his three siblings after the baby was found safe in Alabama. Two officials familiar with the case, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it, said the state took the children after someone claimed a family member had tried to sell the baby.
A police statement says "significant unanswered questions remain" in the case, including why Gurrola and her infant were targeted. Thomas Miller, an attorney appointed to represent the children, told AP that police informed child welfare officials Tuesday they had "cleared the parents of any wrongdoing."
Meanwhile, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe into the release of confidential juvenile court records to news organizations for stories about the children being placed in foster care.
AP Poll: Health Care Overhaul Has a Pulse
The fever has broken. The patient is out of intensive care. But if you're President Barack Obama, you can't stop pacing the waiting room. Health care overhaul is still in guarded condition.
The latest Associated Press-GfK poll has found that opposition to Obama's health care remake dropped dramatically in just a matter of weeks. Still, Americans remain divided over complex legislation that Democrats are advancing in Congress.
The public is split 40-40 on supporting or opposing the health care legislation, the poll found. An even split is welcome news for Democrats, a sharp improvement from September, when 49 percent of Americans said they opposed the congressional proposals and just 34 percent supported them.
Anger about health care boiled over during August. Lawmakers returning home for town hall meetings faced outcries that the government was trying to take over the system, ushering in higher costs, lower quality — even rationing and euthanasia.
The latest Associated Press-GfK poll has found that opposition to Obama's health care remake dropped dramatically in just a matter of weeks. Still, Americans remain divided over complex legislation that Democrats are advancing in Congress.
The public is split 40-40 on supporting or opposing the health care legislation, the poll found. An even split is welcome news for Democrats, a sharp improvement from September, when 49 percent of Americans said they opposed the congressional proposals and just 34 percent supported them.
Anger about health care boiled over during August. Lawmakers returning home for town hall meetings faced outcries that the government was trying to take over the system, ushering in higher costs, lower quality — even rationing and euthanasia.
New Technology Cuts Costs of Killing Bedbugs
Etymologist Phil Koehler saw a bad case of the bedbugs last month. The parasites had gone unnoticed by a resident in an on-campus apartment at the University of Florida, in Gainesville for what could have been months. By the time Koehler arrived to inspect the infestation, there were hundreds: under the futon and in the walls.
Bedbugs.
"They were everywhere. It was discovered by chance by some of the maintenance people who walked in and saw [them]," said Koehler, a professor at UF's Food and Agricultural Sciences.
A little more than a decade ago, Koehler destroyed his research colony of bedbugs, the small tick-like parasites that dine off people's blood in the places humans like to live and sleep. There was little reason to keep the colony for study, Koehler said, since in the United States, there were hardly any of the insects left to cause a problem.
But things have changed -- and college campuses are among the hardest hit.
"There have been two other apartments within the last month that we know of in family housing that have had infestations," said Koehler, who often advises his university and others on parasite problems.
Bedbugs.
"They were everywhere. It was discovered by chance by some of the maintenance people who walked in and saw [them]," said Koehler, a professor at UF's Food and Agricultural Sciences.
A little more than a decade ago, Koehler destroyed his research colony of bedbugs, the small tick-like parasites that dine off people's blood in the places humans like to live and sleep. There was little reason to keep the colony for study, Koehler said, since in the United States, there were hardly any of the insects left to cause a problem.
But things have changed -- and college campuses are among the hardest hit.
"There have been two other apartments within the last month that we know of in family housing that have had infestations," said Koehler, who often advises his university and others on parasite problems.
Scientists discover massive ring around Saturn
Scientists at NASA have discovered a nearly invisible ring around Saturn -- one so large that it would take 1 billion Earths to fill it.
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted a massive, nearly invisible ring around Saturn.
The ring's orbit is tilted 27 degrees from the planet's main ring plane. The bulk of it starts about 3.7 million miles (6 million km) away from the planet and extends outward another 7.4 million miles (12 million km).
Its diameter is equivalent to 300 Saturns lined up side to side. And its entire volume can hold one billion Earths, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory said late Tuesday.
"This is one supersized ring," said Anne Verbiscer, an astronomer at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
Verbiscer and two others are authors of a paper about the discovery published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
The obvious question: Why did it take scientists so long to discover something so massive?
The ring is made up of ice and dust particles that are so far apart that "if you were to stand in the ring, you wouldn't even know it," Verbiscer said in a statement.
Also, Saturn doesn't receive a lot of sunlight, and the rings don't reflect much visible light.
But the cool dust -- about 80 Kelvin (minus 316 degrees Fahrenheit) -- glows with thermal radiation. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, used to spot the ring, picked up on the heat.
One of Saturn's moons, Phoebe, orbits within the ring. As Phoebe collides with comets, it kicks up planetary dust. Scientists believe the ice and dust particles that make up the ring stems from those collisions.
The ring may also help explain an age-old mystery surrounding another of Saturn's moons: Iapetus.
Astronomer Giovanni Cassini, who first spotted Iapetus in 1671, deduced the moon has a white and dark side -- akin to a yin-yang symbol. But scientists did not know why.
The new ring orbits in the opposite direction to Iapetus. And, say researchers, it's possible that the moon's dark coloring is a result of the ring's dust particles splattering against Iapetus like bugs on a windshield.
"Astronomers have long suspected that there is a connection between Saturn's outer moon Phoebe and the dark material on Iapetus," said Douglas Hamilton of the University of Maryland in College Park -- one of the three authors reporting on the findings in the journal Nature.
"This new ring provided convincing evidence of that relationship."
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted a massive, nearly invisible ring around Saturn.
The ring's orbit is tilted 27 degrees from the planet's main ring plane. The bulk of it starts about 3.7 million miles (6 million km) away from the planet and extends outward another 7.4 million miles (12 million km).
Its diameter is equivalent to 300 Saturns lined up side to side. And its entire volume can hold one billion Earths, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory said late Tuesday.
"This is one supersized ring," said Anne Verbiscer, an astronomer at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
Verbiscer and two others are authors of a paper about the discovery published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
The obvious question: Why did it take scientists so long to discover something so massive?
The ring is made up of ice and dust particles that are so far apart that "if you were to stand in the ring, you wouldn't even know it," Verbiscer said in a statement.
Also, Saturn doesn't receive a lot of sunlight, and the rings don't reflect much visible light.
But the cool dust -- about 80 Kelvin (minus 316 degrees Fahrenheit) -- glows with thermal radiation. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, used to spot the ring, picked up on the heat.
One of Saturn's moons, Phoebe, orbits within the ring. As Phoebe collides with comets, it kicks up planetary dust. Scientists believe the ice and dust particles that make up the ring stems from those collisions.
The ring may also help explain an age-old mystery surrounding another of Saturn's moons: Iapetus.
Astronomer Giovanni Cassini, who first spotted Iapetus in 1671, deduced the moon has a white and dark side -- akin to a yin-yang symbol. But scientists did not know why.
The new ring orbits in the opposite direction to Iapetus. And, say researchers, it's possible that the moon's dark coloring is a result of the ring's dust particles splattering against Iapetus like bugs on a windshield.
"Astronomers have long suspected that there is a connection between Saturn's outer moon Phoebe and the dark material on Iapetus," said Douglas Hamilton of the University of Maryland in College Park -- one of the three authors reporting on the findings in the journal Nature.
"This new ring provided convincing evidence of that relationship."
Saudi sex braggart gets 5 years, 1,000 lashes
A Saudi court on Wednesday sentenced a man who openly bragged about his sex life to five years in prison and 1,000 lashes, according to Ministry of Information officials.
Pre-marital sex is illegal in Saudi Arabia, and unrelated men and women are not permitted to mingle.
His lawyer could not be reached for comment. The ministry officials spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity.
Mazen Abdul Jawad, a 32-year-old airline employee and divorced father of four, spoke openly about his sexual escapades, his love of sex and losing his virginity at age 14. He made the comments on Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, which aired the interview a few months ago.
Saudi authorities shut down LBC offices in Jeddah and Riyadh after airing the interview on an episode of its popular show "A Thick Red Line." Abdul Jawad was arrested shortly after the program aired and charged with violating Saudi Arabia's crime of publicizing vice.
On the program, Abdul Jawad is also shown in his bedroom, where he holds sexual aids up to the camera. The episode ends with him cruising the streets of Jeddah in his car looking for women.
The episode caused an uproar in deeply conservative Saudi Arabia, where sharia, or Islamic law, is practiced. Pre-marital sex is illegal, and unrelated men and women are not permitted to mingle.
The segment in question has been posted on the video-sharing site YouTube since its initial broadcast last month, and has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.
Speaking about promiscuous acts "is a violation of the sharia regulations on the one hand and against Saudi customs on the other," police spokesman Suleiman Al-Mutawae told Arab News, an English-language daily newspaper in Saudi Arabia.
Before Jawad's detention, Arab News reported that he initiated a damage-control campaign, apologized for his comments and was considering filing a complaint against the show's producers for presenting him "in the worst possible manner by taking two hours of footage and condensing it down to a minutes-long segment.
Pre-marital sex is illegal in Saudi Arabia, and unrelated men and women are not permitted to mingle.
His lawyer could not be reached for comment. The ministry officials spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity.
Mazen Abdul Jawad, a 32-year-old airline employee and divorced father of four, spoke openly about his sexual escapades, his love of sex and losing his virginity at age 14. He made the comments on Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, which aired the interview a few months ago.
Saudi authorities shut down LBC offices in Jeddah and Riyadh after airing the interview on an episode of its popular show "A Thick Red Line." Abdul Jawad was arrested shortly after the program aired and charged with violating Saudi Arabia's crime of publicizing vice.
On the program, Abdul Jawad is also shown in his bedroom, where he holds sexual aids up to the camera. The episode ends with him cruising the streets of Jeddah in his car looking for women.
The episode caused an uproar in deeply conservative Saudi Arabia, where sharia, or Islamic law, is practiced. Pre-marital sex is illegal, and unrelated men and women are not permitted to mingle.
The segment in question has been posted on the video-sharing site YouTube since its initial broadcast last month, and has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.
Speaking about promiscuous acts "is a violation of the sharia regulations on the one hand and against Saudi customs on the other," police spokesman Suleiman Al-Mutawae told Arab News, an English-language daily newspaper in Saudi Arabia.
Before Jawad's detention, Arab News reported that he initiated a damage-control campaign, apologized for his comments and was considering filing a complaint against the show's producers for presenting him "in the worst possible manner by taking two hours of footage and condensing it down to a minutes-long segment.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
NASTY JUDGE!!!!!!!
A former state judge, who allegedly used a sex toy called a penis pump in court, was charged with three felony counts of indecent exposure by Oklahoma authorities on Thursday. Former Judge Donald Thompson, 58, pleaded not guilty in the Creek County District Court in the northeastern Oklahoma town of Sapulpa. If convicted, Thompson could face up to 10 years in prison for each count. At the courthouse on Thursday, Thompson was taken to a backroom where he provided a DNA sample to authorities. Last year, a court reporter who worked for Thompson was fired after she said she saw the judge masturbate and use the penis pump during hearings. Other witnesses claimed they saw Thompson use the pump in court. Thompson stepped down in August after the allegations came to light and the state attorney general acted to remove him from the bench. Officials searched Thompson's courtroom and chambers, and performed tests on carpet, a chair, a trash can and the judge's robe. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 22.
Video recorded by Travolta's attorney played at trial
Videotapes secretly recorded by John Travolta's attorney were played Monday at the trial of two people accused of trying to extort millions of dollars from the actor after his son died in the Bahamas in January.
Two people in the Bahamas stand accused of trying to extort millions from actor John Travolta.
The videotapes showed what Travolta's attorney said were negotiations between himself and one of the defendants, with discussions centering on a document the suspects claimed could reflect unfavorably on Travolta's actions after his son was found unconscious.
Defendants Tarino Lightbourne, a paramedic, and former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater are on trial on charges they plotted to extort $25 million from Travolta after 16-year-old Jett Travolta died from a seizure.
Travolta attorney Michael McDermott testified Monday that he assisted police in a sting.
As the videotape was played Monday, McDermott described it as depicting a meeting in a hotel room between himself and Bridgewater, who said she represented Lightbourne. Bahamian police had placed wireless microphones on McDermott and hidden two cameras in the room, McDermott said.
Defense attorneys have attempted to convince the jury that Travolta's attorney came to the Bahamas to "set up" their clients. Murrio Ducille, who represents Bridgewater, on Friday said to Travolta's attorney, "you came to the island with evil in your heart."
Earlier in the trial, Travolta testified that his son was found unresponsive by a nanny at their home on Grand Bahama Island, where the family was spending their New Year's holiday. Travolta said he initially told the ambulance driver to rush them to an airport where his private jet was parked and where Travolta, who is a pilot, planned to fly his son to a West Palm Beach, Florida, hospital instead of driving him to one in nearby Freeport.
Don't Miss
Lawyer says he refused alleged extortion scheme
People: Explosive evidence from trial
Travolta testifies about day son Jett died
The paramedic, however, asked Travolta to sign a statement releasing the ambulance company from liability.
"I received a liability of release document. I signed it. I did not read it. Time was of the essence," Travolta testified last week. Travolta said that while he and his wife were riding in the ambulance with their son, they decided to divert to the hospital. At the hospital, the actor was told his son "wasn't alive," he said.
Two people in the Bahamas stand accused of trying to extort millions from actor John Travolta.
The videotapes showed what Travolta's attorney said were negotiations between himself and one of the defendants, with discussions centering on a document the suspects claimed could reflect unfavorably on Travolta's actions after his son was found unconscious.
Defendants Tarino Lightbourne, a paramedic, and former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater are on trial on charges they plotted to extort $25 million from Travolta after 16-year-old Jett Travolta died from a seizure.
Travolta attorney Michael McDermott testified Monday that he assisted police in a sting.
As the videotape was played Monday, McDermott described it as depicting a meeting in a hotel room between himself and Bridgewater, who said she represented Lightbourne. Bahamian police had placed wireless microphones on McDermott and hidden two cameras in the room, McDermott said.
Defense attorneys have attempted to convince the jury that Travolta's attorney came to the Bahamas to "set up" their clients. Murrio Ducille, who represents Bridgewater, on Friday said to Travolta's attorney, "you came to the island with evil in your heart."
Earlier in the trial, Travolta testified that his son was found unresponsive by a nanny at their home on Grand Bahama Island, where the family was spending their New Year's holiday. Travolta said he initially told the ambulance driver to rush them to an airport where his private jet was parked and where Travolta, who is a pilot, planned to fly his son to a West Palm Beach, Florida, hospital instead of driving him to one in nearby Freeport.
Don't Miss
Lawyer says he refused alleged extortion scheme
People: Explosive evidence from trial
Travolta testifies about day son Jett died
The paramedic, however, asked Travolta to sign a statement releasing the ambulance company from liability.
"I received a liability of release document. I signed it. I did not read it. Time was of the essence," Travolta testified last week. Travolta said that while he and his wife were riding in the ambulance with their son, they decided to divert to the hospital. At the hospital, the actor was told his son "wasn't alive," he said.
Alice in Chains returns after death of singer
The four members of Alice in Chains are always amazed every time someone says, "Wow, you guys sound like Alice in Chains!"
New lead singer William DuVall belts out a tune for Alice in Chains.
The pioneering grunge band has just released "Black Gives Way to Blue" -- it's first studio album since singer Layne Staley died from a heroin and cocaine overdose in 2002 -- and fans are understandably playing a game of compare and contrast.
With his scruffy blond goatee and pain-laced baritone, Staley may have been the face and voice of Alice in Chains, but in many ways, guitarist Jerry Cantrell has been the unsung heart of it, writing much of the band's catalogue and singing half of the droning harmonies that would become group's trademark.
These days, when Cantrell shares the mic with new vocalist William DuVall, the blend is uncannily familiar. DuVall's voice can sound eerily like Staley's, but instead of being borne of desperation, it suggests a certain soulfulness that becomes more apparent on live acoustic tracks.
We caught up with DuVall and Cantrell, along with bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney, as they shot the video for their current single, "Check My Brain," on a Hollywood soundstage. The song is currently No. 1 on both Billboard's Rock Chart and Alternative Chart.
New lead singer William DuVall belts out a tune for Alice in Chains.
The pioneering grunge band has just released "Black Gives Way to Blue" -- it's first studio album since singer Layne Staley died from a heroin and cocaine overdose in 2002 -- and fans are understandably playing a game of compare and contrast.
With his scruffy blond goatee and pain-laced baritone, Staley may have been the face and voice of Alice in Chains, but in many ways, guitarist Jerry Cantrell has been the unsung heart of it, writing much of the band's catalogue and singing half of the droning harmonies that would become group's trademark.
These days, when Cantrell shares the mic with new vocalist William DuVall, the blend is uncannily familiar. DuVall's voice can sound eerily like Staley's, but instead of being borne of desperation, it suggests a certain soulfulness that becomes more apparent on live acoustic tracks.
We caught up with DuVall and Cantrell, along with bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney, as they shot the video for their current single, "Check My Brain," on a Hollywood soundstage. The song is currently No. 1 on both Billboard's Rock Chart and Alternative Chart.
Homeless find hope in working on TV show
Just a few years ago, Ron Kenebrew was in prison. When he got out, he moved from Arizona to Minnesota, but he soon wound up homeless.
Ron Kenebrew directs "Voices for Change" from the control room of the television studio.
It was at that point that he realized it was time to turn his life around.
"I had time to re-evaluate my life," Kenebrew says, "and find the path that I'm supposed to be on."
He says homelessness can be one of two things: "a place in despair or ... a slingshot to opportunity."
It's clear he chose the latter.
"Now it's all about giving back," he says.
He's doing that through a cable-access TV show. But it's not just any local program. This show is produced and presented by people who've experienced exactly what it means to be homeless.
It's part of a multimedia collaborative created by Luis Alvarenga, a former TV and radio reporter from El Salvador who now works as a pastor at St. Paul's First Lutheran Church. His focus there has largely been on using cable television as an outreach medium. The latest in his series of programs has been a weekly cable access show titled "Voices for Change."
Alvarenga says the program accomplishes two things. Not only does it give those in the homeless community a much-need voice, it also provides hands-on training and, in the end, a marketable skill.
"When they're in the streets they can't work," Alvarenga explains. "And that's my goal, that a person can come in and learn a skill."
"I am amazed that many of the people who come from the streets are sometimes well-educated and also very versatile in computer skills," he adds. "My hope is that they will understand solidarity, what it means to work together with others, so they can achieve a skill, use it for themselves in the future."
Ron Kenebrew directs "Voices for Change" from the control room of the television studio.
It was at that point that he realized it was time to turn his life around.
"I had time to re-evaluate my life," Kenebrew says, "and find the path that I'm supposed to be on."
He says homelessness can be one of two things: "a place in despair or ... a slingshot to opportunity."
It's clear he chose the latter.
"Now it's all about giving back," he says.
He's doing that through a cable-access TV show. But it's not just any local program. This show is produced and presented by people who've experienced exactly what it means to be homeless.
It's part of a multimedia collaborative created by Luis Alvarenga, a former TV and radio reporter from El Salvador who now works as a pastor at St. Paul's First Lutheran Church. His focus there has largely been on using cable television as an outreach medium. The latest in his series of programs has been a weekly cable access show titled "Voices for Change."
Alvarenga says the program accomplishes two things. Not only does it give those in the homeless community a much-need voice, it also provides hands-on training and, in the end, a marketable skill.
"When they're in the streets they can't work," Alvarenga explains. "And that's my goal, that a person can come in and learn a skill."
"I am amazed that many of the people who come from the streets are sometimes well-educated and also very versatile in computer skills," he adds. "My hope is that they will understand solidarity, what it means to work together with others, so they can achieve a skill, use it for themselves in the future."
Bodies of soldiers killed in Afghanistan due back in U.S
The flag-draped coffins of at least four U.S. soldiers killed during a weekend onslaught against a U.S. military outpost in Afghanistan were scheduled to arrive Tuesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, the military said.
The bodies will include Sgt. Joshua J. Kirk of South Portland, Maine; Spc. Michael P. Scusa of Villas, New Jersey; Spc. Christopher T. Griffin of Kincheloe, Michigan; and Pfc. Kevin C. Thomson of Reno, Nevada, according to the Air Force mortuary affairs office. The dignified transfer ceremony also might include other fallen service members.
The bodies will include Sgt. Joshua J. Kirk of South Portland, Maine; Spc. Michael P. Scusa of Villas, New Jersey; Spc. Christopher T. Griffin of Kincheloe, Michigan; and Pfc. Kevin C. Thomson of Reno, Nevada, according to the Air Force mortuary affairs office. The dignified transfer ceremony also might include other fallen service members.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Sunday school teacher to face death in child's killing
A Sunday school teacher, Melissa Huckaby, is being charged with the kidnapping and murder of Sandra Cantu. Sandra was found in a suitcase at the bottom of a pond at a dairy farm. Huckaby said the suitcase is hers but it was recently stolen. She is also being charged for the poisoning of two more people, including a seven year old girl. Huckaby pleaded guilty in court and prosecutors are looking to sentence her to the death penalty if she is convicted. Huckaby is being help in jail without bail and her hearing is set for September 25th.
Nurse Files Suit Over Flu Vacination
A union representing 16,000 registered nurses in Washington state has filed a federal lawsuit against MultiCare Health System for implementing a mandatory flu vaccination policy. "This new policy will force nurses to get the flu vaccination or to wear face masks as a condition of employment and may result in the firing of nurses who do not comply with the policy," the union said in a statement.The lawsuit, filed by the Washington State Nurses Association, seeks an injunction to stop the policy from being implemented at both Tacoma General and Good Samaritan hospitals. The nurses' union said in a statement that it supports a voluntary vaccination program, but that any mandatory policy should be overseen by the state or federal government."Any mandatory vaccination policy should be implemented on a federal or state level, not through a patchwork of hospital-by-hospital policies," said Judy Huntington, executive director of the nurses' association.The union said it was in the midst of negotiating a flu prevention program it they learned from the nurses that MultiCare had unilaterally implemented a mandatory vaccination policy. "MultiCare’s unilateral implementation of this policy blatantly ignores their legal obligation to bargain with the union," said Barbara Frye, the association's assistant executive director of labor relations."Their refusal to bargain and to cease and desist forced us to take this extraordinary measure to seek relief from federal court," she said.The union said MultiCare’s proposed plan would require unvaccinated nurses to wear a surgical mask at all times while on duty even though there is a lack of research showing that masks actually prevent flu transmission.
Earthquake Kills 1,100
At least 1,100 people are dead in Indonesia as a result of two large earthquakes in as many days, United Nations humanitarian chief John Holmes told reporters Thursday.
Family members mourn in front of a collapsed school in Padang on Thursday.
Hundreds more are believed to be injured, Holmes said. "These numbers, I fear, will rise as more information becomes available," he said. "It's still feared that thousands of people are trapped under damaged houses and many buildings."
Telecommunications are difficult into the region, roads are cut off and the hardest-hit area, including the city of Padang, lacks power and other services, Holmes said. Heavy rainfall also has hindered search and rescue efforts.
Corpses lay stacked outside hospitals in Padang as night fell Thursday, casting nearly the entire city in darkness.
The 6.6 magnitude quake Thursday hit South Sumatra (9:52 p.m. Wednesday ET), about 100 miles (160 km) from Bengkulu, the U.S. Geological Survey said. An earlier quake Wednesday had a magnitude of 7.6.
Worst hit was the West Sumatran capital of Padang, where officials estimate 376 people perished.
Rustam Pakaya, the head of the Ministry of Health's crisis center, said thousands of people may be trapped by collapsed buildings and houses.
Officials say casualties could surpass those of the massive Yogyakarta earthquake three years ago, given the intensity and the spread of the damage this week. The second set of tremors Thursday only magnified the scope of the disaster.
In May 2006, a 6.3 magnitude quake centered in the central Java city of Yogyakarta killed more than 5,000 people and triggered fears of an eruption of a nearby volcano.
Family members mourn in front of a collapsed school in Padang on Thursday.
Hundreds more are believed to be injured, Holmes said. "These numbers, I fear, will rise as more information becomes available," he said. "It's still feared that thousands of people are trapped under damaged houses and many buildings."
Telecommunications are difficult into the region, roads are cut off and the hardest-hit area, including the city of Padang, lacks power and other services, Holmes said. Heavy rainfall also has hindered search and rescue efforts.
Corpses lay stacked outside hospitals in Padang as night fell Thursday, casting nearly the entire city in darkness.
The 6.6 magnitude quake Thursday hit South Sumatra (9:52 p.m. Wednesday ET), about 100 miles (160 km) from Bengkulu, the U.S. Geological Survey said. An earlier quake Wednesday had a magnitude of 7.6.
Worst hit was the West Sumatran capital of Padang, where officials estimate 376 people perished.
Rustam Pakaya, the head of the Ministry of Health's crisis center, said thousands of people may be trapped by collapsed buildings and houses.
Officials say casualties could surpass those of the massive Yogyakarta earthquake three years ago, given the intensity and the spread of the damage this week. The second set of tremors Thursday only magnified the scope of the disaster.
In May 2006, a 6.3 magnitude quake centered in the central Java city of Yogyakarta killed more than 5,000 people and triggered fears of an eruption of a nearby volcano.
Victims of Crime
People with disabilities are 50 percent more likely to be victims of violent crimes than are people without disabilities, according to a government study released Thursday.
A study suggests the disabled are more likely to be victims of violent crime than those without disabilities.
The first national study of its kind found that a wide range of disabled people -- including blind, deaf, developmentally disabled, and others with physical and mental limitations -- were victims of assaults, rapes and robberies in 716,000 cases in 2007.
The study by the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics said instances of violence against disabled people occurred overall 1½ times the rate of those without disabilities, but the numbers varied by age group.
The most vulnerable groups were disabled people ages 12 to 19 and 35 to 49, for whom victimization occurred at nearly twice the rate of non-disabled persons.
Michael Rand, chief of victimization research for the Bureau of Justice Statistics, did not speculate on the reasons for the findings.
"It's hard to say," Rand said. "We didn't try to get at motivations."
Rand, a co-author of the study, said many of the crimes were committed by people who did not know their victims. Forty percent of the crimes against disabled male victims were committed by strangers versus 45 percent against those without disabilities.
A study suggests the disabled are more likely to be victims of violent crime than those without disabilities.
The first national study of its kind found that a wide range of disabled people -- including blind, deaf, developmentally disabled, and others with physical and mental limitations -- were victims of assaults, rapes and robberies in 716,000 cases in 2007.
The study by the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics said instances of violence against disabled people occurred overall 1½ times the rate of those without disabilities, but the numbers varied by age group.
The most vulnerable groups were disabled people ages 12 to 19 and 35 to 49, for whom victimization occurred at nearly twice the rate of non-disabled persons.
Michael Rand, chief of victimization research for the Bureau of Justice Statistics, did not speculate on the reasons for the findings.
"It's hard to say," Rand said. "We didn't try to get at motivations."
Rand, a co-author of the study, said many of the crimes were committed by people who did not know their victims. Forty percent of the crimes against disabled male victims were committed by strangers versus 45 percent against those without disabilities.
Kanye West TOur Cancled
Concert promoter Live Nation said Thursday that West's concert tour with Lady Gaga, titled "Fame Kills," has been canceled just two weeks after it was announced.
The reason for the cancellation was not revealed. West told NBC's Jay Leno last month, before the tour was officially announced, that he planned "to take some time off" in the aftermath of his MTV Awards show embarrassment.
The three-month, 34-show tour across the United States and Canada was to start next month. Tickets went on sale last week.
Live Nation said people who bought tickets could get refunds at the point of purchase. Tickets purchased online and on the phone will be refunded automatically, the promoter said.
The reason for the cancellation was not revealed. West told NBC's Jay Leno last month, before the tour was officially announced, that he planned "to take some time off" in the aftermath of his MTV Awards show embarrassment.
The three-month, 34-show tour across the United States and Canada was to start next month. Tickets went on sale last week.
Live Nation said people who bought tickets could get refunds at the point of purchase. Tickets purchased online and on the phone will be refunded automatically, the promoter said.
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