Breaking News: 10 Foreign Tourists Shot Dead in Northern Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Sun, Jun 23) – Reported by madn3wz

10 Foreign Tourists Shot Dead in  Gilgit-Baltistan region of northern Pakistan

At least ten foreign tourists were shot dead on Sunday morning by unidentified gunmen in northern Pakistan.

According to police sources; unknown armed men stormed a hotel in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of northern Pakistan at about 1 a.m. on Sunday and killed 10 foreign tourists, mostly of Chinese origin. The tourists from Ukraine and Russia are also reported among the dead.

"Unknown people entered a hotel where foreign tourists were staying last night and opened fire," Ali Sher, a senior police officer in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan province, told Reuters. "They killed 10 foreign tourists and fled."

The attackers escaped the scene while noo one has yet claimed the responsibility as the area had been cordoned off and police were hunting for the killers, local TV channel Geo news reported.

Further details to follow ….

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

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

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.

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

Police: 4 wounded in shooting on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras

NEW ORLEANS (Sun, Feb 10) – At least four people were reported injured as a result of wild gunfire following apparently verbal arguments turned into violent reaction involving some people on a New Orleans’ famed Bourbon Street ahead of Mardi Gras celebrations, as per  Washington Post.

Police: 4 wounded in shooting on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras

The details of the incident revealed by police after reviewing footage caught by a bystander show that four shots rang out rapidly Saturday night followed by screams. Authorities said an argument involving some of those in the crowd led up to the shooting.

Nobody was arrested immediately while police were seeking public’s help to find three men who escaped from the spot allegedly involved in pre-shooting heated conversation.

Police spokesman Frank B. Robertson says the shooting in the crowded French Quarter just days before Fat Tuesday left four people wounded, including a male victim shot in the abdomen, thigh and pelvic area. He says two other male victims also were wounded and one female.

New Orleans has been plagued for years by violent crime, including gun violence that has soared since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005, reported Washington Post.

Source: Washington Post

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New Orleans, New Orleans Shooting, Mardi Gras, French Quarter, Bourbon Street, Bourbon Street Shooting, Frank B. Robertson, French Quarter, French Quarter Shooting, Fat Tuesday

Plane Crash at Charleroi Airport, Belgium: Three Kids Among Five Killed from Same Family

BRUSSELS, Belgium (Sat, Feb 09) – At least five people were killed, including three ill-fated children, as result of a small tourist plane crash at Belgium's Charleroi airport on Saturday. Flying conditions at the time of crash were reported to be poor, with freezing fog causing difficulties.

Plane Crash at Charleroi Airport, Belgium: Three Kids Among Five Killed from Same Family

According to further details; the small Cessna aircraft encountered problems right at the take-off; therefore, pilot tried to return to Charleroi to attempt an emergency landing but crashed on the side of the runway, airport officials said.

Melissa Milioto, an airport spokesperson said, “There was a problem on take-off and they tried to come back, but unfortunately the plane crashed that killed all five on board.” The twisted wreckage of the plane could be seen on the runway, with little but the rear section intact.

Belgian media reported that the five people on board were from the same family - three young children, their mother and grandfather.

BBC reported that the tragic mishap forced authorities to suspend the operation at the airport, which is considered a center for low-cost carriers such as Ryanair, the heaviest user of the airport.

The airport would be closed until at least 14:30 local time (13:30 GMT), reported by local media.

Report Tags:

Plane Crash, Belgium, Belgium Plane Crash, Charleroi airport, Ryanair, Melissa Milioto, 

TTP Claimed Responsibility of Lakki Marwat Terrorist Attack on Army Camp

LAKKI MARWAT, Pakistan (Sat, Feb 02) – A terrorist attack on an army camp in the wee hours today left more than one and half dozen killed including 12 terrorists and 6 security personnel in northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkha (KPK).

TTP Claimed Responsibility of Lakki Marwat Terrorist Attack on Army Camp 

According to details; a large group of militants assaulted an army camp located in Serai Naurang town (Lakki Marwat) at 3:45 AM with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades, killing six security personnel while eight others were injured.

The wounded were shifted to CMH Bannu and Peshawar.

The responsibility of the attack was accepted by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP); while Ahsanullah Ahsan, the spokesperson of TTP said that four suicide bombers were involved in the attack and three of them were killed while the fourth was still resisting.

But according to police sources there were at least 40 militants who attacked the army camp.

Sandy's aftermath (Painful Video): NYU Langone Medical Center evacuated due to power outage

NEW YORK (Wed, Oct 31) – Reported by madn3wz

Sandy's aftermath: NYU Langone Medical Center evacuated due to power outage

Shattered medical staff worked through the night to evacuate NYU's Langone Medical Center after substantial swamping from Superstorm Sandy caused the hospital to lose not only normal supply of electricity, but backup power generator was also failed for some unknown reasons.

A stream of ambulances was seen towards downtown hospitals to aid in evacuation of Tisch Hospital NYU Langone Medical Center. The hospital lost power needed to care for 215 patients when their backup generators fail. They are still investigating the cause of failure. Patients were carried down 18 flights of stairs by nurses and other paramedical staff of the hospital.

Ambulances came from around the city to help transport the patients, which were hurried to other hospitals including Mount Sinai and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer.

 

Doctors and nurses first moved the sickest and youngest patients. Some were on respirators operating on battery power.

 

Among more than 200 patients evacuated there were 20 babies from the neonatal intensive care unit. Because the hospital's respirators for infants do not have backup batteries, each of the infants required extra attention from nurses at the hospital.

 

At least four babies had to be carried to a waiting ambulance down nine flights of stairs while a nurse "breathed" for the infant by manually squeezing a bag to drive oxygen into the lungs.

Watch video of evacuation below:

 

Superstorm Sandy left destruction: U.S. death toll rises to 48, total 118

NEW YORK (Wed, Oct 31) – Reported by madn3wz

 

Superstorm Sandy left destruction: U.S. death toll rises to 48, total 118

 

The despair of Superstorm Sandy’s destruction raised Tuesday as millions along the U.S. East Coast were deprived of power or mass transit, and enormous strips of New York City remained weirdly discreet. The U.S. death toll climbed to at least 48, many of the victims killed by falling trees, while the rescue operation is on.

New York was among the worst affected in terms of death toll and financial loss, with its financial heart closed for a second day consecutively.   Sandy killed 18 people only in New York City, while three were reported dead in New Jersey, three in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, two in Connecticut, two in Virginia, one in West Virginia. It also killed 69 people in the Caribbean before making its way up the Eastern Seaboard.  At least one death in Canada was attributed to the storm taking the total death toll to 118.

Superstorm Sandy, also dubbed as Frankenstrom, caused the worst damage in the 108-year history of the New York’s subway system, and NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg said it could be four or five days before the biggest U.S. transit system would be operative again. It also left at least 8.2 million people without power and an undetermined number evacuated from their homes, especially from low-lying areas.

Airlines cancelled more than 18,000 flights worldwide. New York City’s three major airports remained closed, however, authorities announced that John F Kennedy International Airport in New York and Newark International Airport in New Jersey will reopen at 7 am Wednesday with limited service. However, New York's LaGuardia Airport will remain closed. 

Rick Knabb, the Director at National Hurricane Center, said in a midday conference call with reporters that Sandy's sway along the U.S. East Coast had diminished, but flooding of 2-4 feet was likely in some areas at high tide and wind speeds were "fairly strong" as far west as Lake Michigan.

 

Knabb said further power disruption could occur Tuesday and "it will take well into [Wednesday] for all of the weather to clear out of the United States."

 

He said river flooding will be a risk over a large area, particularly in the New Jersey-New York area, because "there is still a lot more rain that could fall."

Superstorm Sandy killed 16 in U.S., more than 7.5 million deprived of electricity

NEW YORK (Tue, Oct 30) – Reported by madn3wz

 

Superstorm Sandy killed 16 in U.S., more than 7.5 million deprived of electricity

 

As per the latest figures; the death toll in the United States reached 16 as Superstorm Sandy continued to cause mayhem. Meanwhile, one death was also reported from Canada.

The Frankenstorm Sandy, one of the biggest storms ever to hit the U.S. The deadly Hurricane Sandy has also left more than 7.5 million people without electricity.

 

 

 

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says backup power has been lost at New York University hospital and the city is working to move people out. Bloomberg was talking in a news conference Monday night and said rain was pointed off in the city and the storm outpouring was expected to withdraw by midnight. The hospital complex is near the East River in an area of lower Manhattan where flooding has been reported.

The 16 deaths were reported in the states of New Jersey, New York, Maryland, North Carolina, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Some of the victims were killed by falling trees. One person also killed in Canada due to storm.

More than 1 million people across a dozen states were under orders to evacuate as the gigantic system continued to digger westward.

Sandy, which was especially imposing because of its wide-raging winds, brought a record surge of almost 14 feet (4.2 meters) to downtown Manhattan, well above the previous record of 10 feet (3 meters) during Hurricane Donna in 1960, the National Weather Service said.

Frankenstorm Sandy Lashes New York -- Live coverage, video and photos

NEW YORK (Mon, Oct 29) – Reported by madn3wz

Frankenstorm Sandy Hits New York

New York, the biggest city of United States, chocked for Hurricane Sandy as forecasters said the Hurricane Sandy – also referred as super storm and Frankenstorm -  gained the strength and was raging toward the New York region, packing high winds and rain and a gigantic wall of water that could as high as 11 feet.

As reported by the Weather Channel; Hurricane Sandy is starting to move faster and could make landfall in New Jersey as early as 5 p.m. ET Monday.

The storm has regained the strength as it heads along the Eastern Seaboard threatening some 50-60 million habitants, many who have evacuated coastal cities. Only From New York City more than 375,000 evacuations have been ordered by Mayor Michael Bloomberg towards the 72 evacuation centers which had been set up around the city in schools and community centers.

According to latest updates; Sandy is heading as a strong Category 1 storm carrying winds measured at 90 mph. Wind gusts were reported as high as 115 mph.

 

Massive companies like Google, Apple and Amazon host their servers in specialist 'farms' - many of which are based in Virginia and areas at risk from the 'Frankenstorm'. 

 

U.S. President Barack Obama has already declared emergencies in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and promised the government would "respond big and respond fast" after the storm hits.

 

 

 

U.S. President Barack Obama has already declared emergencies in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and promised the government would "respond big and respond fast" after the storm hits.

See more photos as Sandy hits NYC, HERE.

Watch another video captured by a New Yorker, MrsShawtiie, from her window and uploaded on YouTube just an hour ago. Link is given below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2wf5AgWHeM

Live coverage of the Frankenstorm Sandy, HERE.

 

 

 

Super Storm Sandy: Mass evacuation ordered, subway and schools closures in New York City

NEW YORK (Sun, Oct 28) – Reported by madn3wz

 

Super Storm Sandy: Mass evacuation ordered, subway and schools closures in New York City

 

 

The ‘Frankenstorm’ Sandy is set to be unmatched in size once it hits the U.S. mainland Monday night. According to government forecasters on Sunday; the projected surge of Hurricane Sandy is a “worst case scenario” with shocking waves and tides forecasted for the thickly populated New York City metro area.

 

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered the evacuation of 375,000 people threatened by Hurricane Sandy in low-lying areas, like Manhattan and the Rockaways, towards the 72 evacuation centers which had been set up around the city in schools and community centers.

 

"This is a serious and dangerous storm," Bloomberg told a news conference on Sunday as he ordered the mandatory evacuation ahead of the storm, which is expected to start hitting on Monday.

 

Forecasters said Sandy is set to morph into "super storm," as the tropical storm merges with a winter storm and a cold front, intimidating up to 12 inches of rainfall in some areas and heavy snow inland.

 

"We're looking at impact of greater than 50 to 60 million people," says Louis Uccellini, head of environmental prediction for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

 

"The time for preparing and talking is about over," Federal Emergency Management administrator Craig Fugate warned as a monster Hurricane Sandy headed up the Atlantic Coast on a collision course with two other weather systems. "People need to be acting now."

 

The massive storm also threatens to bring a near halt to air travel for two days in a key region for both domestic and international flights. Subway, bus and train services will also be suspended from 7pm local time and hundreds of flights into the city's airports have been rerouted or cancelled.

 

New York's public transport system is America's largest. The subway alone has more than five million passengers in every single day.

 

The New York Stock Exchange will close its trading floor on Monday, but trading will continue electronically.

 

Furthermore, all of the city's public schools have been closed that will affect 1.1 million school going kids in New York City.

 

Report Tags:

 

hurricane sandy, Sandy, Frankenstorm, Michael Bloomberg, U.S. East Coast, super storm, Sandy Super Storm, tropical cyclone, hurricane

VIDEO: Massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Canada, prompted tsunami warning for Hawaii

HONOLULU, Hawaii (Sun, Oct 20) – Reported by madn3wz

 

Massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Canada, prompted tsunami warning for Hawaii

 

The U.S. state of Hawaii is on high alert after tsunami warnings prompted by massive earthquake struck off western Canada on Saturday evening. Authorities have ordered for the evacuation of at least 100,000 people on the island state to move to higher ground.

 

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked the Queen Charlotte Islands off the west coast of Canada, with no immediate reports of damages.

 

Earlier, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned a tsunami was heading towards Hawaii, while the Hawaii-based center warned the first tsunami wave was expected to arrive in the Pacific island state at 10.28pm local time on Saturday (7.28pm AEDT Sunday).

 

"Basically this tsunami is pointed right at us," Gerard Fryer, senior geophysicist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, told CNN International. "It's not just one wave, it's a succession of waves... We are recommending coastal evacuation."

 

The PT WC said the first tsunami wave was three feet high and less forceful than expected. Some forecasts had predicted a wave of up to six feet high.

 

‘The tsunami arrived about when we expected it should,’ Senior Geophysicist Gerard Fryer told reporters at a news conference, saying: ‘I was expecting it to be a little bigger.’

 

The tsunami warnings followed a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 that hit Canada’s Pacific coastal province of British Columbia late on Saturday.

 

The US Geological Survey said the quake was centered 123 miles (198 km) south-southwest of Prince Rupert at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 km).

 

Watch video report:

 

Ontario will receive worst of Sandy: Says Canadian Hurricane Centre

HALIFAX, Canada (Sun, Oct. 28) — Reported by madn3wz The northeastern states of US will face Hurricane Sandy as it whips north this weekend, but huge masses of Canada are also expected to take a hit as well.

 

Ontario will receive worst of Sandy: Says Canadian Hurricane Centre

 

 

According to the Canadian Hurricane Centre; Ontario may see the worst of Sandy when it hits early next week.

 

Centre’s spokesperson Bob Robichaud tells while the rainfall amounts are still difficult to forecast, southern and eastern Ontario could see between 50 and 100 millimeters late Monday and early Tuesday.

 

He says there is also the potential for significant impacts in Eastern Ontario and those areas will also see high winds, although they will likely not hit hurricane strength.

 

"As many as 23 million Canadians stand to be affected by this storm," said meteorologist Mark Robinson at the Weather Network. "That's 70% of the country.

 

On Saturday Pearson International Airport reported 25 flight cancellations and Air Canada says it expects further delays and cancellations because of Hurricane Sandy.

 

Sandy is presently heading northward over the Bahamas and is likely to remain to track north while sustaining its hurricane strength. A large, high-pressure system over the Maritimes is likely to block Sandy’s movement, pushing it into the Mid-Atlantic States on late Monday or early Tuesday.

 

Weather forecasters forecast its effects will be far-reaching on Canadian territory, with rainy and blustery conditions also expected for Quebec and the Maritime provinces.

 

Sandy has so far killed more than 44 people in the Caribbean, wrecked homes and knocked down trees and power lines.

 

Report Tags:

 

hurricane sandy, Sandy in Ontario, Sandy Storm, Bahamas, Canada, super storm, Sandy Super Storm, tropical cyclone, hurricane

Video Report: Sandy at U.S. East Coast could be morphed into 'Super Storm'

MIAMI (Sat, Oct 27) – Reported by madn3wz After killing dozens in the Caribbean, Hurricane Sandy heading towards the U.S. East Coast Saturday, menacing as much as one third of the United States with what has been named as a powerful "Frankenstorm" by some weather watchers because it will combine elements of a tropical cyclone and a winter storm.

 

Hurricane Sandy at U.S. East Coast could be morphed into 'Super Storm'

 

 

More alarmingly, forecast models show Sandy will have all the ingredients to transform into an enormous and possibly catastrophic "super storm."

 

Earlier, Category 1 Hurricane Sandy pulled away from the Bahamas on Saturday after killing at least 44 people in the Caribbean. Sandy left a stream of damage in the Caribbean, bringing strong winds and heavy rain. In Haiti, a bridge connecting to the Dominican Republic was smashed by fast rising water. Towns are flooded and inhabitants have rescued to higher ground as safety precautions.

 

Authorities in states coming under danger zone along the U.S. East Coast declared states of emergency on Friday, and officials urged residents to stock up on food, water and batteries in the event the storm develops as forecast.

 

"It is going to be a challenging storm," Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Craig Fugate said. Although as on early Saturday morning, Sandy was about 375 miles south-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, packing sustained winds of 75 miles per hour (120 km per hour); but officials warned it was too early to say when and where the storm would make its initial landfall.

 

On its current projected track, government forecasters said, Sandy could make landfall on Monday night or Tuesday in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York or southern New England. The US Navy has already ordered some of its ships out to sea.

 

Watch video below: