Photos/Pics: Reeva Steenkamp Funeral -- Service held at Victoria Park Crematorium on Tuesday Morning

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa (Tue, Feb. 19) – Reported by madn3wz

Photos/Pics: Reeva Steenkamp Funeral -- Service held at Victoria Park Crematorium on Tuesday Morning

Slain South African model Reeva Steenkamp’s funeral service held on Tuesday morning in her hometown, Port Elizabeth after the coffin of 29-year-old Reeva’s was carried by Doves Funeral Services into the chapel at the Victoria Park Crematorium.

A large number of media persons were gathered outside the crematorium, which is in the Eastern Cape, from early on Tuesday morning. The family has requested the media to respect the privacy.

The coffin, wrapped in a white cloth with an arrangement of white flowers on it, was carried to Victoria Park Crematorium by a black Mercedes-Benz at a side entrance then the attendees and staff of Doves Funeral Services brought the coffin in by hand.

"We want to remember her goodness," said Adam Steenkamp, Reeva’s brother, just ahead of funeral service of his sister later on the day. The family wanted to remember Reeva and ''all the goodness that she stood for, '' Adam said further.

Oscar Pistorius, a double amputee who became a sporting hero to millions when he competed at the Olympics last year, has been charged with killing Steenkamp and will appear in a Pretoria court on Tuesday for a bail hearing.

Watch exclusive photos of funeral service >>> HERE.

"Single self-inflicted gunshot" caused Mindy McCready death: Police

US country singer Mindy McCready has been found dead in her apartment in circumstances which pointing towards an apparent suicide by the troubled singer. She was just 37.

"Single self-inflicted gunshot" caused Mindy McCready death: Police

According to official statement from police deaprtment; McCready's body was found on the porch of a house in Heber Springs, Arkansas, at 3.58pm Sunday. She was declared dead at the scene "from what appears to be a single self-inflicted gunshot wound," the in a statement. Officers were dispatched to the area after reports of shots being fired.

The troubled singer had attempted to take her own life twice before and was known to have problems with prescription drugs and alcohol.

Just last month David Wilson, McCready’s boyfriend and the father of her 9-month-old son Zayne, was found dead on the same porch where McCready's body was found. His death also was investigated as a suicide.

Continue reading >>>>  madnewz

Reeva Steenkamp Murder Updates: Funeral on Tuesday, while Police Found Bloodied Bat in Pistorius Home

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Sun, Feb. 17) – Reported by madn3wz

Reeva Steenkamp Murder Updates: Funeral on Tuesday, while Police Found Bloodied Bat in Pistorius Home

Funeral of murdered South African model Reeva Steenkamp is announced on Tuesday, five days after her mysterious death, after her body returned her hometown of Port Elizabeth, a city on South Africa’s southern coast. The funeral will be a private affair, Reeva’s family said in a statement today.

The South African model was killed on Thursday at the home of her boyfriend, Olympic and Paralympic superstar Oscar Pistorius also dubbed as “Blade Runner”.

The father of Reeva Steenkamp said "there is no hatred in our hearts" over her death, according to the Mail on Sunday. Oscar Pistorius' father said he had acted "on instinct" as his girlfriend was shot, according to the Sunday Telegraph.

Police has found a bloodied bat at Pistorious home and according to South Africa's City Press police are investigating a number of scenarios involving the bat, one of which being that Oscar Pistorius used it as a weapon to viciously beat his former girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, before shooting her to death.

Pistorius was charged with her murder and is expected to make a second court appearance on Tuesday - the same day as the funeral - for the start of his bail hearing. He remains in custody in a police station in Pretoria ahead of that hearing.

The 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp was seen laughing and smiling on South African television Saturday night after national broadcaster SABC chose to air the first episode of Tropika Island of Treasure, a pre-recorded game show in which she appeared.

Exlusive Photos: Unification Church's First Mass Wedding Since Sun Myung Moon's Death

GAPYEONG, South Korea (Sun, Feb 17) — About 3500 couples tied their wedding knots Sunday in South Korea in the first mass wedding organized by the Unification Church on Sunday - the first since the death of their "messiah" and controversial church founder Sun Myung Moon.

 Unification Church's First Mass Wedding Since Sun Myung Moon's Death

It was certainly an awesome event participated by thousands of identically-dressed couples - many of mixed nationality who had met just days before - taking part in the ceremony in Gapyeong, north-east of the capital, Seoul.

The event was not only participated by followers- often known as "Moonies" – inside South Korea; but more than 24,000 members were also married in other countries via video link.

Sunday's event carried a special resonance, with Moon's 70-year-old widow Hak Ja Han presiding for the first time without her husband who died in September last year because of complications from pneumonia. An estimated 30,000 people attended the 92-year-old's funeral.

The church's mass weddings began in the early 1960s and originally involved just a few dozen couples. Over the years they grew in size and attracted international media attention.

In 1997, some 30,000 couples were married in Washington. and two years later around 21,000 filled the Olympic Stadium in Seoul.

Report Tags:

mass wedding, Mass Wedding Korea, Mass Wedding South Korea, Moonie Mass Wedding, Unification Church, Sun Myung Moon, Sun Myung Moon Mass Wedding, South Korea, Hak Ja-han

For more photos >>>> Click HERE.

UK: Fourth SARS-Like-Virus Infected Case Confirmed, Third from a Single Family

LONDON (Sat, Feb. 16) – Reported by madn3wz

The number of confirmed cases worldwide reach to 12 with yet another person in UK has been infected by new potentially deadly SARS-like virus. The person is the third victim from the same family, while this is the fourth case as a whole emerged in Britain.  

UK: Fourth SARS-Like-Virus Infected Case Confirmed, Third from a Single Family

In September last year, a 49-year-old Qatari national was treated at a London hospital in September for the virus. Five people have died of the virus, according to the HPA — three in Saudi Arabia and two in Jordan.

The latest person infected with novel coronavirus, also known as NCoV, was a relative of two other cases revealed earlier this week, who were admitted to intensive care units (ICU’s) at two British hospitals; Britain’s Health Protection Agency (HPA) said in a statement.

Continue reading …. Your Health Partner

Peter Root and Mary Thompson, British Couple, Killed in Thailand While on World Cycling Tour

BANGKOK, Thailand (Sat, Feb 16) – Reported by madn3wz

Peter Root and Mary Thompson, British Couple, Killed in Thailand While on World Cycling Tour

A well known cycling couple from Britain was killed in a tragic road accident; while they were on world cycling tour. The couple, Peter Root and Mary Thompson, was killed by a truck in Thailand on Wednesday doing what they loved.

The 34-year-old British couple set off on a round-the-world expedition in July 2011 and had passed through Europe, the Middle East and China until their cycling adventure ended tragically on the death of both.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are aware of the deaths of two British nationals in Thailand on February 13 and we are providing consular assistance."

Peter’s father, Jerry Root, told Friday that they were informed on Wednesday about the accident but not sure about the exact timing of the death of the son and daughter-in-law because there’s an eight-hour timing difference with Thailand.

‘We’re assuming it was Tuesday,’ said Peter Root’s mother.

Thailand - the famous holiday destination in South East Asia - is notorious for its dangerous roads with more than 13,000 people killed and almost one million injured each year in accidents.

One of their friends, Chris Roach, paid his tribute to Pete and Mary on Lonelyplanet.com. He wrote:

 “If you ever had the fortune to meet these two lovely people on the road you would have been taken back by Pete's generosity, his enthusiasm on the banjo and touched by Mary's gentle nature, sense of humor and beautiful smile.”

“Pete recently put together this video cycling through "The Stans" which was shortlisted for the Filmed by Bike Festival,” Roach mentioned further. 

Utah Family Survive Plane's Crash Landing -- Video by Jonathan Fielding Now Trending

WELLSVILLE, Utah (Fri, Feb 15) – Utah family survives miraculously a crash landing which might easily be turned into the most tragic incident of their life. Seven-month-old baby boy is also among the survivors.

Utah Family Survive Plane's Crash Landing -- Video by Jonathan Fielding Now Trending

The most interesting thing about this accident was that the crash landing was filmed by the cellphone from inside the plane and the video was uploaded on Youtube and currently it is trending on Youtube.

The 28-year-old Jonathan Fielding was capturing video of his flight’s emergency landing in the snowy Utah countryside with his cellphone while he and his family were seated passengers. It’s not clear when the aborted flight occurred, but Fielding posted the video on YouTube Feb. 6.

Jonathan was taking his wife Kara out for a birthday flight with their 7-month-old son Jacob and Kara’s mother, when the pilot told them there was ice on the plane’s carburetor.

The pilot was experienced in field landings but unfortunately the snow caused the landing gear to sever from the plane, flipping the plane front to back and smashing the tail before it came to a rest upside down. No one was hurt in the accident save for bruises, whiplash and minor cuts.

In a shaken yet somewhat confident tone, Jonathan Fielding told the camera, “This is kind of exciting. I’m not worried. I think we’re going to be just fine.”

Watch original footage below:

To Hell With Sanctions and Warning -- N Korea Ready for Further Nuclear Tests This Year

Pyongyang, North Korea (Fri, Feb 15) – They’re not gonna stop even after the worldwide condemnation and threats following third nuclear test, after nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, that was conducted by isolated nation – North Korea, earlier this week on Tuesday (Feb 12).

To Hell With Sanctions and Warning -- N Korea Ready for Further Nuclear Tests This Year

"North Korea is moving to become an existential threat to the U.S.," said by former senior US official on Pyongyang's nuclear test this week. It was the most powerful of North Korea's three nuclear tests so far, providing a bomb of perhaps half the strength of that which devastated Hiroshima in World War II.

North Korea has reportedly been preparing for their fourth and fifth nuclear test very soon even after warnings from Washington and others that more sanctions would be imposed on the isolated state.

According to Reuters citing an anonymous source related to the issue; in effort to force U.S. into diplomatic talks with Pyongyang, North Korea reportedly tells their key ally China about their preparations for the one or possibly two nuclear test in this year.

"It's all ready. A fourth and fifth nuclear test and a rocket launch could be conducted soon, possibly this year," the source said, adding that the fourth nuclear test would be much larger than the third at an equivalent of 10 kilotons of TNT.

Further nuclear tests will be carried out, the source said, except Washington holds talks with North Korea and dumps its policy of what Pyongyang assumes as an attempt of regime change in the country.

The North is banned under United Nations sanctions from developing missile or nuclear technology after its 2006 and 2009 nuclear tests. The U.N. Security Council has only just tightened sanctions on Pyongyang after it launched a long-range rocket in December.

Washington already took Tuesday’s nuclear test very seriously and issued warnings that more sanctions would be imposed on North Korea. It will be interesting to see how U.S. will react to the latest development in the region?

Report Tags:

North Korea, North Korean Nuclear Test, North Korea Threat, North Korea Sanctions, North Korea Further Nuclear Tests, Nuclear Tests, Pyongyang,

Sam Woodhead Missing: Family fears for teen lost in Australian outback

LONGREACH, Australia (Thu, Feb 14) – Search for missing British teen ended fruitless on Thursday in Australian outback near Longreach, Queen’s Land. Police launched a land and aerial search for English teenager after he failed to return from his outing on Tuesday evening.

Sam Woodhead Missing: Family fears for teen lost in Australian outback

The 18-year-old Sam Woodhead was last seen at Upshot Station, on Bogewong Alroy Rd. 130 kilometers southwest of Longreach, at around 5.30pm on Tuesday and police fear he has become lost or injured during a run. Woodhead had been staying at the remote Upshot Station for about 10 days.

The station owner reported him missing Wednesday morning after finding his bed empty. His backpack and a pair of jogging shoes were missing but other stuff including his wallet had been left behind at the station.

The family of missing youngster, intended to be an army officer in future, is desperately hoping he will be found safe and well - and will turn up asking 'what's all the fuss about'.

The father of a teenage backpacker missing in the Australian outback fought back tears today as he pledged to do everything 'physically, mentally, emotionally and financially' possible to find him.

Woodehead’s 54-year-old mother has flown out to Australia and the family has hired an extra helicopter with night vision equipment to help join the search effort. But so far no trace of the former head boy at Brighton College has been found.

The search on Thursday was called off about 5:00 pm as the sun set and will start again at first light on Friday but the teenager could survive in the outback for anywhere between a few hours and a few weeks, according to survival instructor Nick Vroomans.

"If he's moving during the day and working really hard, he could be gone in 24 hours," he said.

Woodhead, who is from London and went to Brighton College, had been experiencing the Outback during an Australian adventure that had previously included a visit to the Gold Coast.

Horrible Crash Landing at Donetsk (Ukraine) Airport Left 5 dead, 12 injured

Donetsk, Ukraine (Wed, Feb 13) – At least five ill-fated football fans were reported killed Wednesday when a plane carrying supporters of European soccer league was caught fire after attempting a crash-landing near the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk.

Horrible Crash Landing at Donetsk (Ukraine) Airport Left 5 dead, 12 injured

Apart from the five people confirmed dead, 12 others had been injured, the officials said.

According to details; the Antonov AN-24, a twin-engined turboprop was on a charter flight from the Black Sea coastal city of Odessa to Donetsk. The aircraft is reported to have overshot the runway at Sergey Prokofiev International Airport.

About 45 people were on board, including the crew members, most of them soccer fans looking forward to attending a UEFA Champions League football match between the Ukrainian home team Shakhtar Donetsk and Germany's Borussia Dortmund.

The aircraft is reported to have overshot the runway at Donetsk's Sergey Prokofiev International Airport.

The airport was cloaked in thick fog at the time of the tragic incident but it’s just before time to blame the weather for this mishap.

The reports suggest that the crew evacuated the plane at least partially before it caught fire.

A local police source told the AFP news agency that the aircraft came to rest about 700m (2,300ft) from the runway.

"We collided with the ground, then the plane opened up like a tin can," one passenger told Kanal 5 TV.

"Thanks to the crack that formed in the fuselage, we were able to get out of the plane before it caught fire."

Source: BBC News

Report Tags:

Plane Crash, Donetsk Plane Crash, Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Dortmund, Sergey Prokofiev International Airport, Odessa, Ukraine Plane Crash, Football fans killed in plane crash, 

Fugitive cop's death not confirmed: LA Mayor (Watch video of last shootout)

BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. (Wed, Feb 13) – Last night, after hours of standoff with police, the human remains believed to belong to fugitive ex-LAPD cop Christopher Dorner were recovered from a burned cabin.

Fugitive cop's death not confirmed: LA Mayor 

Joint task force of law enforcement agencies stayed on mountain peaks for days, using everything from bloodhounds to high-tech helicopters, to find out Chris Dorner hideout while he holed up in a vacation cabin across the street from their command post.

The extensive manhunt concluded Tuesday when a man believed to be fugitive cop mounted a last stand in a furious shootout in which he killed one sheriff’s deputy and injured another before the cabin erupted in flames.

There was no immediate confirmation about the death of Dorner but hours later a charred body was discovered in the basement of the burned cabin along with a wallet and personal items, including a California driver’s license with the name Christopher Dorner, an official briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation.

Authorities including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the man who had barricaded himself inside the cabin was almost certainly Dorner.

"Almost everybody believes it is him, but at this point we're not absolutely sure," Villaraigosa told CNN.

"There's a sigh of relief," Villaraigosa said. He cautioned, however, that it could be "days, maybe even weeks" before there is final confirmation that Dorner was dead.

Watch below the raw video of last moments of shootout between Chris Dorner and LAPD cops:

Researchers developed a computer program to reconstruct ancient languages

Computer scientists have apparently developed a program capable of reconstructing ancient languages using huge data computing methods and machine learning, according to BBC reports.

Researchers developed a computer program to reconstruct ancient languages

According to details; the software would be capable to rebuild protolanguages - the ancient tongues from which our modern-day languages developed. The new program will help ease the old slow and labor-intensive process of rebuilding old languages being used by linguists.

The model is based on the established linguistic theory that words evolve along the branches of a family tree. Linguists typically use what is known as the 'comparative method' to establish relationships between languages, identifying sounds that change with regularity over time to determine whether they share a common mother language.

The reports suggest that scientists have already used the program to recreate ancient Proto-Austronesian, which gradually developed into languages spoken in Polynesia and other places. The software developers’ team now plans to use the same program to help re-born original North American proto-languages.

The work is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Researchers apply this system to 637 Austronesian languages, providing an accurate, large-scale automatic reconstruction of a set of protolanguages. 

Dr Dan Klein, an associate professor at the University of California, Berkeley - one of the researchers involved in the developing of program - told that the system still has limitations. For example, it can't handle morphological changes or re-duplications - how a word like 'cat' becomes 'kitty-cat'.

Dr. Klein said: "At a much deeper level, our system doesn't explain why or how certain changes happened, only that they probably did happen."

While researchers are able to reconstruct languages that date back thousands of years, there is still a question mark over whether it would ever be possible to go even further back to recreate the very first protolanguage from which all others evolved.

After capturing the largest dam, Syrian rebels seize military air base in Aleppo

Damascus, Syria (Tue, Jan 12) – Syrian rebels are cruising fast to capture the strategically important locations in Syria with the passage of time and according to latest information; anti-Assad forces have captured a military air base in northern Syria, a day after seizing control of the country's largest hydro-electric dam.

After capturing the largest dam, Syrian rebels seize military air base in Aleppo

Voice of America reported citing Rami Abdul-Rahman, Director of Observatory for Human Rights based in UK, that al-Jarrah air base, located in Aleppo province, was taken after violent clashes with pro-Assad forces.

The capture of the air base comes a day after Syrian rebels seize the country’s largest dam in one of their biggest strategic victories since the crisis began back in 2011.

A Syrian government representative, on condition of anonymity, denied that the rebels on Monday captured the dam, saying that "heavy clashes are taking place around it." But a raw video uploaded by activists on internet showed gunmen walking around the facility's operations rooms and employees apparently carrying on with their work as usual.

Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says Syria is "self-destructing" and is calling on the Syrian government and the U.N. Security Council to take action.

Three killed, two police cops injured in Delaware Courthouse shooting

WILMINGTON, Del. (Mon, Feb 11) – Reported by madn3wz

Three people were killed Monday morning in a wild gunfire at a courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware, State Police said. The shooter is among the three dead.

Three killed, two police cops injured in Delaware Courthouse shooting

According to details; just after 8 AM in the morning a male shooter entered the lobby of Newcastle County Courthouse and started firing wildly. The gunman allegedly shot and killed his estranged wife before two others became victims of his vivid shooting.

The shooter was killed in cross firing by police officers on duty. Cops also shot by the gunman but luckily suffered non-life-threatening injuries due to their bullet proof vests.

In a press conference an hour ago, police spokesperson Paul Shavack confirmed two women were killed and two security officers were injured in the shooting. The gunman never got through a security checkpoint in the courthouse, so he never had to pass through a metal detector.

Shavack described the shooter as white and between the ages of 50 and 60. Gunman acted alone, and the shooting was not an act of terrorism, he added.

No further details about the victims were revealed by the police.

Report Tags:

Courthouse firing, Courthouse Shooting, Delaware Shooting, Delaware Courthouse Shooting, Wilmington Courthouse Shooting, Paul Shavack 

3 Killed in Helicopter Crash while Filming Reality-TV Show for Discovery Channel

LOS ANGELES, CA (Mon, Feb 11) – A pre-dawn helicopter crash killed three reality-TV members on Sunday while filming the show for Discovery Channel in Southern California County.

According to details; the helicopter crashed around 3:40 a.m. PST (6:40 a.m. EST) at the Polsa Rosa Ranch in Acton, reported Associated Press citing Los Angeles County Fire dispatcher Robert Diaz.

3 Killed in Helicopter Crash while Filming Reality-TV Show for Discovery Channel

All three men in their 40s aboard the Bell 206B Jet Ranger helicopter died as a result of being thrown from it as it crashed, KTLA 5 in Los Angeles reported. The victims have not been identified as of this writing.

"A production company was shooting a show for Discovery Channel when this tragic accident occurred," the channel said in a statement. "We are all cooperating fully with authorities. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families."

The show, listed on a filming permit as an untitled military-theme TV program, had not yet been aired or announced by Discovery, channel spokesperson Laurie Goldberg said.

The cause for the crash is still unknown, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said, and added that the helicopter had substantial damage. Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are currently investigating the situation.

Report Tags:

Helicopter Crash, Discovery Channel, Discovery Reality Show, Reality TV Show, Polsa Rosa Ranch, Discovery, Laurie Goldberg

Lucky Escape for Carnival Triumph: Cruise Ship Adrift Following Engine Room Fire

MEXICO CITY (Mon, Feb 11) – Reported by madn3wz

 A cruise ship was adrift 150 miles off southern Mexico's Yucatan peninsula on Sunday after a fire broke out in engine room. The cruise line was carrying 3,143 guests and 1,086 crew members; but no one got injured, according to initial information.

Lucky Escape for Carnival Triumph: Cruise Ship Adrift Following Engine Room Fire

According to available details; the Carnival Triumph, owned by Carnival Corp under its Carnival Cruise Lines brand, was heading back to Galveston, Texas, when the engine got fire Sunday morning, said Astevia Gonzalez from the Carnival Cruises family support team. The cruise ship's automatic fire extinguishing system kicked in and soon contained the flames, and no injuries were reported.

The company said the U.S. Coast Guard had been notified.

"Another Carnival ship, the Carnival Elation, is currently on scene and transferring additional food and beverage provisions to the Carnival Triumph," the statement said.

Tug boats have been sent to support the ship while it is getting supplies from another cruise ship. A Coast Guard ship is also reported on the way to assist if needed. 

In the wake of Costa Concordia tragedy in January 2012; it is believed that Carnival Triumph has certainly survived luckily from a disaster which could be as fatal as the Costa Concordia, which killed 32 people. Costa Concordia capsized and sank off the Tuscan island of Giglio in Italy. Italian investigators are still probing into the ship owner's potential liability for the shipwreck. 

The Carnival Triumph began its journey from Galveston, Texas, on Thursday, and was scheduled to get back on Monday February 11. The company said all the guests would receive a refund and "cruise credit equal to the amount paid for this voyage.'' 

The vessel's next two trips, scheduled for departure next week, were already postponed , the company added.

Report Tags:

Cruise liner adrift, cruise ship adrift, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Corp, Carnival Cruise Lines, Yucatan peninsula, Mexico, Costa Concordia

Chris Dorner Manhunt Updates (Day 4): Reward for Clue Leading to Fugitive Cop's Arrest

San Bernardino, Calif. (Sun, Feb 10) – Authorities are likely to announce a reward on Sunday for any clue leading to the arrest of Christopher Jordan Dorner – ex-LAPD cop accused of killing three people including ex-LAPD chief’s daughter, her boyfriend and a policeman – as the extensive manhunt goes into day four.

Chris Dorner Manhunt Updates (Day 4): Reward for Clue Leading to Fugitive Cop's Arrest

The reward will be offered a week after the 33-year-old Dorner’s alleged killing spree started on last weekend.

Earlier, Police Chief Charlie Beck announced to reopen the investigations about the allegations that led to firing of Chris Dorner in 2008, believed to be due to racism in LAPD.

Beck stressed that he was ordering a review of his 2007 case because he takes the allegation of racism in his department seriously.

"I do this not to appease a murderer. I do it to reassure the public that their police department is transparent and fair in all the things we do," the chief said in a statement.

Law enforcement agencies are extensively engaged in the manhunt of Dorner who is believed to be hidden in the wilderness of California’s snow-capped San Bernardino Mountains 80 miles east of Los Angeles.

According to latest news; searching teams have plans to use drones to help digging out the fugitive ex-cop, making him the first human target for remotely-controlled airborne drones on US soil.

A senior police source said: “The thermal imaging cameras the drones use may be our only hope of finding him. On the ground, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

When asked if the drones are already in use by the police; Riverside Police Chief Sergio Diaz, who is jointly leading the task force, told that they were already using all the tools at their disposal.

Report Tags:

Christopher Dorner, Chris Dorner Manhunt, Charlie Beck, Sergio Diaz, Dorner Reward, Drones Searching Dorner, San Bernardino, Ex-LAPD cop, Cop Killer Dorner,