A boy playing with matches led to the destruction of 63 homes by Corina Ciubotaru

It comes as a surprise to many but it looks like the author of one of the 15 major wildfires in California last week was a boy under the age of 13. He was apparently playing with matches in his yard when he accidentally started a fire that was quickly spread by the Santa Ana winds. Dry, warm weather also helped fires spread and it eventually lead to 14 deaths: seven due to the fire, six of natural causes and one because of a fall. The boy, whose name is yet to be disclosed, has been returned to his parents after being questioned by the police, and the family is now waiting to see if charges will be pressed against him. It was initially believed that this particular blaze was started by a downed power line; after having been proved it was set, it joins another in the list of fires whose causes have been discovered. Police are now looking for the man in the white van who is thought to have set the fire in Orange County. Five other men were arrested with arson charges but the police still lacks evidence of their involvement in the fires. In total, the California wildfires have caused 508,000 acres to be scorched and 2,300 buildings to be destroyed, of which 63 by the fire the kid started. The same fire also burned 38,526 acres of land. Fortunately, firefighters have contained all but four blazes but they seem to be on top of things and are closely monitoring the weather forecasts.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071031/ap_on_re_us/california_wildfires;_ylt=Ar.JedcsF8.J0BgwTFtrjg2s0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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California shook by 5.6 earthquake by Corina Ciubotaru

As if fires weren't enough for the people of California, they were also shaken Tuesday evening especially in the Bay Area, by an earthquake of 5.6 degrees. It hit San Jose the hardest and it occurred on the Calaveras fault; it didn't cause major damage but scared some people who ran for shelter after objects started collapsing around them. The earthquake hit San Jose's neighborhood Alum Rock and even Mayor Chuck Reed's home was affected, without major damage. It broke two glass panels at the Reid-Hillview Airport in East San Jose and caused minimal damage to schools, but neither the schedule of the schools of the one of the airport were affected. The quake had about 30 aftershocks measuring between 1.1 and 2.8; it lasted 30 seconds and was felt even in Oregon, Sacramento and Sonoma. The epicenter was in the Diablo Range foothills east of San Jose, nine miles from San Jose City Hall. The bad news is that the Hayward fault which runs through a San Francisco suburbia, has produced a major earthquake about every 151 years and right now the next one may be approaching fast as the last one happened in 1868. Hayward quakes are in the range of 6.7 to 7.0 degrees Richter and are potentially lethal. The last lethal earthquake to hit California was Loma Prieta in October 1989, which registered a 6.9 and killed 62 people during the World Series. It caused $6 billion worth of damages and struck in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071031/ap_on_re_us/california_earthquake;_ylt=AndHPFJcfoxuEehfL3Lygoys0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Short on water by Claudia Sonea

The blue planet is on the verge of having water problems. People have long abused of what nature offered to them, now it seems like it turned its on us for breaking the natural balance of the Universe. The epic drought in Georgia is only one of many more water crisis to come. Due to rising temperatures, drought, population growth, urban sprawl, waste and excess, the US government expects at least 36 states to be short on water. This situation is not specific to Americans, but to people all over the world like Australia is around a 30-year dry spell, while its population is growing, especially that in urban centers of sub-Saharan Africa is straining resources. A United Nations network of scientist called the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change revealed that by 2050 up to 2 billion people will have to deal with water shortages. According to Jack Hoffbuhr, executive director of the Denver-based American Water Works Association a solution must be found fast before it turns into a problem. It is a challenge for water manager who will have to do go on with conservation, recycling, desalination and stricter controls on development. Also, it will be expensive, for instance experts come up with a cost for upgrading the pipes handling new supplies of about 300 billion dollars in 30 years. Concerning the amount of water consumed by people every year is registered with US Geological Survey which says that in 2000 there was a consume of 500000 gallons per person in US including residential, commercial, agriculture, manufacturing and every other use. The main causes for which Florida and California deal with water shortages are that the increasing demand and temperature that leads to the melting of glaciers that make the sea level to rise and therefore water is lost through evaporation or it is pushed into the underground source of freshwater. Florida instead of using for irrigation hundreds of billions of gallons a year of treated wastewater, it dumps everything into the Atlantic through pipes. Still Michael Sole, Florida's environmental chief, is trying to find a legal way of persuading the municipalities to reuse the wastewater. He stated that although the state is leader in reusing the water with a record of 240 billion gallons annually, it is still insufficient. There is expected a boom in population especially in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach and that may lead to water crisis. Barry Nelson, a senior policy analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council says the next century will be of water efficiency and Benjamin Grumbles, assistant administrator for water at the Environmental Protection Agency supports this idea, underlining the fact that water efficiency represents the future. It is a matter of concern for everyone. What will happen? Stop wasting water and look better around you, spoiling nature gifts attracts misery upon mankind and its existence.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071027/ap_on_re_us/vanishing_water;_ylt=An56FEor3OUlYMANwrrVfiSs0NUE

by Claudia Sonea for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Life comes back to normal in San Diego as Chargers win third game in a row by Corina Ciubotaru

After a week of devastation and mayhem, things have literally cooled down in California. Winds aren't blowing much anymore and a little rain helped firefighters contain the blazes that remained so that evacuees could return home. The total damages amounted to 2,767 buildings, of which 2,013 were homes, but most evacuees had something to return to. They left the Qualcomm Stadium in time for the Chargers to play a great game against the Houston Texans and win by 35-10 on Sunday; it was the third straight game the San Diego team won this season. None of the Chargers' players, coaches and staff lost homes or family to the fires, and their game attracted thousands of tailgaters and was watched by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger himself. The players said they were happy they could boost the city's morale in these troubled times. Just two days earlier, the stadium was filled with 10,000 evacuees who received free food and massages to help deal with the stress. They were apparently better taken care of than people massed in a stadium during hurricane Katrina, who were left to the mercy of thieves and lived in improper conditions. Now that the fires seem to be under control, authorities' studies focus on two directions: who was the arson that set some of the fires and who was to blame for the sometimes poor management of the helicopters sent to put out fires. $285,000 are up for reward for anyone that can provide information on the arson, as officials are now certain at least two fires were set on purpose.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071028/ap_on_re_us/california_wildfires;_ylt=AsT6K9G_6KoUTlePUkSbKbas0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Santa Ana consequences. by Barbie Kunkelova

California wildfires of 2007 â€" a series of wildfires, or uncontrolled destructive fires, started on Saturday, October 20. Main causes are: lightning, human carelessness (after camping, for example), arson, volcano eruption and the heat waves spreading from it. According to Wikipedia, the deadliest wildfires known in our history were the ones of summer 2007 in Greece. 64 people died and over 438,000 acres of land and forests were destroyed. In California, four times more people than by the Katrina hurricane (of 2005) had to be evacuated. So far, around 1,500 homes have burned to ashes along with 270,000 acres of land. The governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency and said they can only hope for the winds to slow down. The Santa Ana winds are characteristic for being warm and dry, not too fast. Ron Roberts said for The New York times: “This is a major emergency, the speed with which these fires are moving, because of the wind, they are probably unlike anything we’ve seen before.” But winds aren’t the only spark for these wildfires; there is also the drought and the hot weather. However, the causes of two of the fires seem to be the arson and a crashed semi-truck, the other causes are still under investigation (there is a $150,000 reward on any piece of information which would lead to conviction). By Wednesday, the winds slowed down and made the task a little easier for the firefighters. Still, around 9,000 people were helping to stop the fires. The estimated losses caused by these fires so far are between $900,000 and $1.6 billion, according to Yahoo! News. And what’s worse, the danger is not completely over yet.

related story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20071025/tts-uk-california-wildfire-d1d4700_6.html

by Barbie Kunkelova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Are the United States on the brink of war against Iran? by Corina Ciubotaru

A new war is about to be started by the Bush administration, and the target is now Iran. Rich in oil, neighbor to Iraq and with a population of over 68 million, Iran is now being made to look like a major threat for world peace because it would not give up its nuclear program. In the eyes of the Bush administration, Iran is secretly developing nuclear weapons; Iranian officials always claimed the program is only for peaceful purposes and President Ahmadinejad raised the question of why should Americans be allowed to have nuclear programs while they forbid them to the rest of the world. Even though international voices and even American people strongly oppose a war against Iran, White House officials aren't known for solving political situations by peaceful talks. So they began imposing economic sanctions that affected three Iranian banks, Bank Melli, Bank Mellat and Bank Saderat, in an effort to pressure the country into accepting economic benefits that would derive from officially abandoning the nuclear program. This action might have effects in European countries that do business with Iran, as well as on the global oil market, as oil prices went above $90 per barrel after the new sanctions were enforced. But, as was the case for a long time with Iraq, the Bush administration has yet to produce evidence of their allegations regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons programs. And with presidential elections approaching fast, let's just hope we won't see any hasty attacks on a country much more powerful than Iraq, actions that the entire world might end up regretting.

related story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20071025/tpl-uk-iran-43a8d4f_3.html

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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California fires under control by Corina Ciubotaru

An estimated $1 billion will be necessary to rebuild the 1,500 homes destroyed by flames in California. Hot Santa Ana winds blowing from the desert combined with the driest summer on record have created an ideal place for fires to destroy homes and take lives. Six people have been reported dead and dozens of others were injured, while half a million were evacuated in the largest action of its kind in California's modern history. The worst affected area was San Diego, where many of the evacuees went to the San Diego Chargers' stadium, where they were given free food and shelter, along with massages and acupuncture to relieve some of the stress. Luckily winds aren't blowing as hard now and firefighters have been able to put out 18 blazes; very soon, some of the evacuees will go back to see if anything is left of "home". During the fires of 2003, 22 people died and thousands of homes destroyed but this year, evacuating threatened areas in time made all the difference in saving many lives. Firefighters complained about some people's refusal to leave their homes despite the warnings but the problem has been dealt with better eventually due to improving weather conditions that allowed for helicopters to put out fires from the air. A remote plane from NASA's nearby Ames center was sent to fly over the area and send images of the affected areas; it can see hot spots, flames and temperature differences eve through dense smoke like the one still covering areas of California cities.

related story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20071024/tts-uk-california-wildfire-d1d4700_11.html

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Nature gets back by Claudia Sonea

On Wednesday, a four-day wildfire that caused over $1 billion damages only in San Diego county, seemed to offer a chance to the firefighters in order to tame it using the ease of the wind. It destroyed more than 1500 houses of which only 1200 were in San Diego and a record of people who fled was achieved in the history of the state- more than half-million people. Ron Lane, San Diego County's director of emergency services at the news conference stated that they expect more harm to be produced in the future. Therefore Bush had signed a major disaster declaration for California which introduces long-term federal recovery programs to help state and local governments, families, individuals and certain nonprofit organizations recover. Furthermore, he plans to visit the state on Thursday. The fact that Santa Ana wind had started to calm down on Wednesday created an opportunity for firefighters despite gusts that continued to blow through some canyon areas. Forecasters also lit hope in them saying that it will be followed by cooling sea breeze. At the location of the hot spots helped an unnamed NASA aircraft that took off from Edwards Air Force Base on Wednesday. More firefighters and equipment from other states are expected to come. Tuesday was the worst day due to the increasing frustrations created by a fire official who stated that not enough efforts were made in protecting the houses. Moreover, Orange County Fire Chief Chip Prather expressed his concerns about firefighters lives, because they were not enough and reproach that an aircraft could have diminish the effects of a massive blaze near Irvine. By Sunday only eight of the state's nine water-dumping helicopters were in Southern California and other 13 air tankers were added, according to Ruben Grijalva, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Nevertheless, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said that it can be helped even if there were all the planes in the world at the fire scene, because of the wind. The injuries number rose to 45 and 5 deaths have been reported in connection with the blaze. A lot of evacuation was imposed: communities of Fallbrook and Julian, an area devastated by a 2003 wildfire, De Luz, an unincorporated community north of Camp Pendleton. Interstate 5 and Metrolink commuter rail were closed because of the fire. Some areas of San Diego County including Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Del Mar, Encinitas and Solana Beach were more fortunate and the residents were allowed to get back to their homes. So far this wildfire affected more San Diego County and San Bernardino County, where in a mountain resort hundred of houses burnt down from the communities near Lake Arrowedhead. Nature keeps getting back on us. It is a lesson to not play around with nature. Lets say a pray for all those that are on the field sacrificing their lives for the sake of others and for those who already lost it.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071024/ap_on_re_us/california_wildfires;_ylt=AnzQk56Wwx8AIWXf34dd3s6s0NUE

by Claudia Sonea for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Fewer deaths in Iraq by Corina Ciubotaru

Good news from the Iraqi front: it looks like casualties among American troops are falling. On average, there have been 1.2 deaths in October, the lowest death toll since March 2006 and Maj. Gen. Lynch leading the 3rd Infantry Division is very optimistic about this outcome of the war. It's what American forces had hoped for all along, as it was common sense to think the Iraqis are the only ones that can improve their country. For all the military support foreign troops can provide, that's never going to be enough to keep an entire nation at peace if militias still rule, so Iraqi civilians began reporting insurgent activity to the U.S. troops. The ones who are still up to no good are still hunted down and just yesterday 11 Iraqis were killed after a helicopter spotted them planting roadside bombs. Civilian deaths amount to 900 in October compared to over 1,900 in August so hopes are high that these figures will continue to fuel Iraq's growth and quest for democracy. Hopefully, they have learned something after the deaths of over one million of their own and 160,000 Americans and will begin to take matters seriously, defending their country against the al Qaeda. Still, over 1,000 Iraqis are fleeing their homes every day in search of peace and understanding in neighboring countries. There is even a website called Icasualties.org that counts the victims of the Iraq war and its numbers show a drop in casualties after the surge began in early spring.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071023/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_deaths_decline;_ylt=Akh8trc4Bzkw0Yi9.kQy8m.s0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Space bubble. by Barbie Kunkelova

Damage in F-16s of about $112 million. Two pilots dead, eight times loss of more than $1 million, one pilot dead due to an Iraq combat & though, he was on a real mission & so his death doesn't count. The amount of the flights has rapidly decreased over the past few years but still the number of fatal crashes keeps going up. Ten "class A" crashes only during the years 2006 through 2007 (until September). The rate of these is 3.18 per 100,000 flights. It was stated by an Air Force official that the main element which fails up there is the human instinct. Human error. That was the case of four of the crashes; the other failed element was the engine. Every time before the F-16 (the Fighting Falcon) departs, the pilots are told to stay on the alert at all times, not to allow the comfort of the view to overwhelm them; the trainers are constantly trying to improve the human side of flying. Some experts think the cause pilots get nervous is the Iraq threat nowadays (pilots also get exhausted by flying at any time of the day, during any kind of weather). F-16 is, according to Wikipedia, a lightweight fighting multirole jet. It was developed in the US for the Air Force. Its maiden flight was in year 1974; the cost of these planes varies between $14 million to $19 million. It is supposed to be very airy inside the F-16 & the cockpit looks like a glass bubble. Such a great view, updated engines… So why so many crashes happen? The producers, users and repairmen of the F-16s are only human beings. And human beings tend to learn best by their own mistakes, right?

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071022/ap_on_re_us/f16_crashes;_ylt=AkBEwlhh_Az4rksJDhXxIsys0NUE

by Barbie Kunkelova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Fires in California sent people to the stadium by Corina Ciubotaru

Wildfires in Southern California continue to burn everything in their path while hundreds of thousands of evacuees spend their nights away from home and belongings. One person died in San Diego due to fires and hundreds of homes were destroyed or damaged while the Santa Ana fires continue to blow relentlessly. Authorities believe that the fire in Orange County was set on purpose while the one in Malibu was probably caused by downed power lines. Embers carried by the strong winds helped to spread the wildfires up the hills and to the sea, destroying everything in their paths, including celebrity homes and a church. Firefighters' efforts were hampered by some people's refusal to leave their homes in time. But even though they were weary about leaving so much behind, they cared more for their lives and that of their families, so they packed up what they could and left eventually. They spent the night in parking lots, at friends' homes or, like the Katrina victims before them, in the local stadium; this time, it belongs to the San Diego Chargers, and it is named Qualcomm Stadium. They got visits from state governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and local authorities made sure they have everything they need for decent living. Tents provide shelter for the evacuees, while a Hyatt hotel provides free food and drinks. Security is strong, with heavy numbers of police and National Guard making sure everyone behaves. Some of them have already survived fires in the same region in 2003, when 3,640 homes were destroyed and 22 people killed.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071022/ap_on_re_us/california_wildfires;_ylt=Appb2OqqWjA_lzAOJxgW2V2s0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

Fires in California kill one, damage multiple homes by Corina Ciubotaru

Fires in southern California are causing major damage to Malibu homes and it looks like the rampage is going to last for a few more days. It's the peak of the wildfire season and so far one person has died and eight others were injured by the fires. Santa Ana winds have been blowing hard lately and the hot weather made things even worse, destroying three homes and two commercial buildings, while several other houses were damaged. 250,000 people left their homes for fear of the fires that scorched 100,000 acres of land from Santa Barbara to San Diego and California's governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in seven counties. This allows the regional firefighting forces to request help from the Office of Emergency Services and firefighters were called also from the neighboring states of Nevada and Arizona. The winds are expected to calm down tomorrow but still firefighters have their work cut out trying to avoid more damage to the celebrity homes in the Malibu area. Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft were also deployed to put out fires from the sky but with the wind blowing at 90mph, it looks like Mother Nature is not going to let people go back to their ordinary lives any time soon. Official investigations suggest the fires in Malibu were caused by a power line falling to the ground due to high wind, while the one in Orange County was arson. Rainfall in California was very little this year, at one fifth of the average.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071021/ap_on_re_us/california_wildfires;_ylt=AuA1Zb96wq8293av.y8m0MSs0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

The war in Iraq isn't supported by American troops anymore by Corina Ciubotaru

There are more than 170,000 soldiers currently in Iraq; some of them overlap as formations replace each other but nonetheless this number will be increased in the following months with 7 National Guard brigades. These brigades consist of about 3,500 troops each and the Defense Department will make sure they spend less than a year in Iraq. It's becoming increasingly difficult to keep soldiers interested in this war as even the American public opposes its continuation. It's also creating a vacuum of young officers and estimates show that by 2013, the Army will have a shortage of around 3,000 captains and majors per year. Bonuses for young officers get higher and higher but already reports from men who served there are appearing to tell the public the truth: that the Iraqi army they are training is not nearly as professional and patriotic as official reports say, and that corruption has poisoned every aspect of Iraqi life. The police are influenced by militias and the civilians don't welcome foreign troops now more than they did five years ago. Some of them argue that if army enrollment wasn't voluntary, most people in America would put massive pressure on the government to withdraw troops and even as it is now, the Marines are planning to leave Iraq and go to Afghanistan, where they would have a much more visible role and fight against the real enemy, the Talibans. Marines leaving should say a lot about the success of this unplanned and reckless war that could very well stretch for decades.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071017/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/national_guard_iraq;_ylt=AnTpZ1iStLAQ8frgXIIOp1us0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

More guns for O.J. Simpson by Nina Gotzmannova

O.J. Simpson, infamously famous for murder trial in 1994, is asking for more trouble. On 16 September 2007 he was arrested and questioned in case of stolen property from a Las Vegas hotel. He admits he took them, because they belonged to him, bud denied anything else. And now it looks like nothing is as it seemed to be. The whole case begins two days earlier. Some memorabilia mysteriously disappeared from Palace Station Casino, but Simpson denied he broke into a room or he was carrying a weapon. But his two accomplices, Walter Alexander and Michael McClinton said something else. On 18 September all three were charger with multiple felony charges, including assault, robbery, using a deadly weapon and more. O.J. Simpson is now facing more than 60 years imprisonment. Now Alexander spoke with police and revealed an interesting fact. According to his words Simpson asked for armed men when he was going to take his belongings to the hotel. Alexander also said that Simpson didn't want to use the guns; he only wanted to look tough. But Simpson himself denied that guns were involved. It's obvious that the men are traversing each other. Alexander also said that the aggressive one was McClinton. For his cooperation with police Alexander can receive a suspended sentence and gain more benefits for his words. But what could bring him better fate would probably ruin the life of O.J. Simpson. Lawyers for McClinton and attorneys of Simpson didn't respond to this news.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071017/ap_on_re_us/o_j__simpson;_ylt=AvWDt3dwrc_Y8VRRkOSRRnqs0NUE

by Nina Gotzmannova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Murderer behind bars by Claudia Sonea

On March 3, 1970 at half past 12 in the afternoon, both police and fire brigade rushed to a five-room house near 175th and Beech Avenue in Hammond's Woodmar section where an explosion took place. At the scene of the fire they found a body lying in the bed with a hole in the head created by a shotgun and the body was all wrapped in plastic garment bags. The first person to be interrogated was his wife, who initially stated to have been out of town, visiting her family in Ashland, Ky., and in the night of the incident she was staying at a motel in Valparaiso-area. They suspected Linda Darby due to the financial issues that were leading to the break up of the marriage. Moreover, just before his assassination, Charles posted an advertisement in The Times saying he has no debts towards his estranged wife. But without the testimony of her 9-year-old daughter, Terry Dixon, she wouldn't have been convicted. She was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Indiana Women's Prison from where on March 13 she escaped by climbing over a barbed-wire fence. For 35 years she lived a quiet life with her third husband in Pulaski, Tennessee, near the border with Alabama, under the name of Linda Joe McElroy. According to Karen Cantou Grubbs, a spokeswoman for the Indiana Department of Correction, she had two children with her third husband and five from her previous two marriages. Although she refused to give an interview to AP, she talked with WSMV-TV of Nashville and stated she is not guilty and she cannot understand how they convicted her the first time. Both WSMV-TV and Giles County Sheriff Kyle Helton said that she had lived a flawless life in the past 30 years, cleaning houses and taking care of her one-story yellow house with flowers planted in the yard and a pasture with horses behind it. The success of the 30 years hunt is due to the collaboration between Pulaski Police Capt. John Dickey and the Indiana Department of Correction's new Indiana Fugitive Apprehension Unit, created thanks to a law approved by the General Assembly. For all those offenders who have escaped, fled residential programs or vanished while on parole, watch out there's a new unit in town…and your busted!

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071016/ap_on_re_us/fugitive_captured;_ylt=ArXyhMLR6viW9GhXA8VAzrGs0NUE

by Claudia Sonea for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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O.J. Simpson's trial gets new witness confessions by Corina Ciubotaru

O.J. Simpson is facing another trial, this time because he broke into a hotel room with some friends and pointed guns at some people's heads and stole their O.J. memorabilia. It sounds like a crazy case but it's a serious enough matter for the former athlete who has been under trial for a month now. Apparently, a man called Tom Riccio, an old acquaintance of Simpson's, told him a collector named Alfred Beardsley was in a Las Vegas hotel with some O.J. memorabilia. Beardsley, a big fan of Simpson, was threatened to be shot by the men who broke in his room and the memorabilia was taken. Later, Beardsley dropped the charges against the former football star, who still claims the objects he took were rightfully his, having been previously stolen from him. The trial is coming across a new twist now, as some of O.J.'s co-defendants agreed to testify against him in exchange for a lowered sentence. Walter Alexander and Charles Cashmore, the men who went in the room with Simpson are now prepared to tell their side of the story in court and perhaps change the outcome of this lawsuit that could mean a life in prison for O.J. At 60, he's already been through an outrageous trial after he was accused of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994. He was acquitted in 1995 but in the civil case that followed, it was decided he should pay $33.5 million dollars to the Goldmans.

related story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20071015/ten-entertainment-us-crime-people-simpso-c3b52a1_2.html

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Security gone wrong. by Barbie Kunkelova

The ban is not permanent, just inevitable. It will last only during the numerous investigations. Why were Blackwater's actions and services banned in Iraq? It all started in Baghdad on September 16, when a group of Blackwater's employees was escorting US Department vehicles to a building where a meeting with US Agency for International Development members was held. As they were heading North, an unexpected situation happened on the road. A small Toyota was approaching the convoy on the wrong, closed side of the road. The Blackwater's security guards gave out a warning (a whistle) & but the Toyota driver showed no sign of intending to switch lanes. The security people fired a couple of shots, stun grenades and a lethal fire. You see, Toyota, such a threat! The domestic police department officials took this all wrong too & they fired shots back at the Blackwater team. Blackwater team responded. There was fire everywhere; the inhabitants of the Toyota & a woman and a child & were burned alive, seventeen Iraqi soldiers were killed and other twenty four people injured. After such an "accident", there is no wonder the Iraqi government became scared even of their own security arrangements. What if the baby in the car was screaming for another doughnut? And its mom overheard the whistle and was only hoping for a turn, for a way out of the fatal Nisoon Square? Now, if the Blackwater loses its contract with the Iraqi government, it will put other security companies into sight (Dyncorp or Triple Canopy). The sight of guards in black outfits always made me shiver and surely this news didn't increase world's feeling of security at all.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071011/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_blackwater;_ylt=ArdawmKJQWTfmuwXNt8uprus0NUE

by Barbie Kunkelova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

Illegal weapon smuggling is going big by Corina Ciubotaru

Night vision goggles and body armor are some of the most frequently smuggled pieces of army equipment and now American authorities are becoming concerned. The number of suspicious contacts with US defense firms has increased by 46 percent last year and some are fearful the weapons will end up in the wrong hands, especially in countries like China and Iran. Materials being used to create Improvised Explosive Devices have been in high demand since the attacks on September 11th 2001, the moment that sparked America's interest in fighting terrorists on their own ground. Parts of F-14 fighter planes are also being sold illegally and most likely destined for Iran, which is suspected of trying to acquire information about nuclear weapons as well. And since their not easily convinced to give up their nuclear program, proof of attempts to build things like that would not come as a surprise. The Justice Department will create a special task force destined to stop illegal weapon deals, known as the National Counter-Proliferation Initiative. Trials against weapon dealers are usually long, complex and expensive so prosecutors in this new department will be highly trained in dealing with cases involving exports and weapons. Some people have been charged though in cases like this, including and Indonesian man from Wisconsin who is believed to have helped smuggle weapon parts to Indonesia, another man in California who tried to send 100,000 Uzi rifles to Iran, while two other men also from California were found guilty of sending illegal military software to China.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071012/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/terror_exports;_ylt=AiTrpa9MwrlZqEBPbh.aXxas0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

More money for not-right-now retired soldiers by Nina Gotzmannova

If you have never considered working for US army, this may be the right time. The Pentagon has recently paid more than $ 100 million as bonuses to soldiers serving in US military services. They have also offered a fat bonus for wearing uniform for several more years. This bonus is available for Green Berets, Navy SEALs or Air Force combat controllers. After they reach age eligible for retirement but they decided to serve for example three more years, they will receive $ 50.000. The more the soldiers will extend their stay, the more they will get. The highest sum of money they can get is $ 150.000 for six more years. This financial benefit has already used 900 Green Berets, from which 300 will stay for full six years, 300 Navy SEALs and 150 will stay for the longest term and 32 Air Force pool of combat controllers and pararescuemen and half will stay for six years. Adding noncash bonuses like lower grocery costs at base stores or free access to recreational facilities, it is really good to be a soldier and help protect your country. The ones who decided not to sign the contract and stay with the Army for longer time, they don't have to be worried much. After they retire, they will still have lifetime access to military medical care and receive half of their payment. All this effort of US army is an answer to all private security organizations operating in Middle East. They lure already trained soldiers from the army and offer them slightly more money for they service. A soldier working in Iraq for one of the three private security companies like Blackwater can make up to $500 a day.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071012/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/pentagon_commando_costs;_ylt=Ak_1Zq_Z5l_0VTl7hoDctn6s0NUE

by Nina Gotzmannova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

Spanish drawer full of pottery. by Barbie Kunkelova

Human beings are such interesting creatures. Human's mind consists of millions of tiny drawers filled with bunches of complicated or simple ideas. Same with the Earth. Our Earth is made up of millions of tiny places that are stocked with history and also with new, shocking and motivating ideas. In order to see as many of these places as possible, humans keep looking and digging and uncovering in the most hidden areas. The most recent discovery was accomplished under seas - in Florida's Pensacola Bay, a place known for a huge hurricane storm which buried seven Spanish ships in the depths of this Bay in year 1559. One of the ships was found fifteen years ago. Since then, no diver had been successful. Until this year. What they found was a complete ship with lots of pottery pieces, everything still in a breathtakingly good shape. The bowls were still round and smooth, the wood pieces still rough and wrinkled and some angular. After few teenage divers had their turn under the water, they added also rat skeletons and seeds to the collection. With this discovery being so well-preserved, people came all the way down the Pensacola Bay to observe the "excavated" treasures. Good news for the public is that there were no leftovers from human bodies found, the inhabitants of the ship probably evacuated the board before the storm hit it (and did it). This is another step forwards for the archaeologists - with another fabulous secret of the Earth uncovered, congratulations!

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071011/ap_on_re_us/florida_shipwreck;_ylt=ArUMb0wFKmBK7RF7cmzHWUms0NUE

by Barbie Kunkelova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

Mass nuclear weapons were close to becoming standard by Corina Ciubotaru

Throughout human history, every country had its good times and its bad times. The Cold War was one of the world's darker moments as the biggest nations fought silently to rule it. America and Russia each wanted a piece of the post-World War II world so they resorted to ruthless, violent acts against each other's supporters. Recently surfaced documents approved in 1948 in the U.S. show that Americans planned on researching biochemical weapons and using radioactive material left over from bomb manufacturing to poison enemy civilian areas that were to be evacuated and then rendered impossible to live in. For now, the only nuclear weapons ever used to such a purpose were the bombs dropped upon Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which led to the end of World War II and killed around 160,000 people instantly and countless others in subsequent diseases. Other radioactive materials would probably have been used by spies to quietly kill targets, as these substances can not be detected by the human senses. They cause slow deaths and there is no cure known for them; inconspicuous and ruthless, they make the perfect spy weapons but due to their devastating effects, nuclear weapons in general and atomic bombs in particular have been prohibited by international laws. Still, the recent death by poisoning with radioactive polonium-210 of Aleksandr Litvinenko, one of President Putin's harshest critics, goes to show they exist somewhere in evil hands. Radioactive by-products can be created either as a result of nuclear fission processes, activities such as oil refining or natural occurrences.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071008/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/assassination_weapon;_ylt=AsSiPcM2N3LoiqzWbyzzNsys0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

New York became too congested by Corina Ciubotaru

In our busy world, bicycle riding is one of the least used modes of transportation, even though it is being regarded as one of the healthiest. There are currently 130,000 bike riders in New York out of 8 million people, and it looks like the city has decided to repay them in some way. Between angry pedestrians and inattentive drivers, bikers have a tough life in New York, having to avoid potholes while making their way through the busy boroughs. It's still the best way to move around the city without polluting and you can keep yourself healthy in the process. Over the summer, dozens of new bike racks made their way to the city's sidewalks and legislation has been proposed to ensure all commercial buildings have bike parking spaces for riders who want to be certain they still have a bike to come back to when they leave work. The same measures are being taken in Chicago, Boston and San Francisco but are they enough? Are bikers prepared to hit the streets, and most importantly, are drivers ready to start watching out for people on two wheels? Improving New Yorkers' lives is not only a matter of turning them from car drivers into bike riders; the city is planning to invest $767 million into public transport, thereby decongesting streets. The money will go into consolidating stations and introducing new trains and buses and starting a few days ago, commuters can use a service called Clever Commute on their BlackBerry phone, that send alerts about train and bus delays as soon as they are reported by other commuters.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071007/ap_on_re_us/urban_biking;_ylt=Ai6gmp_5JyEXeQWNeiMHvb6s0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

Clarence Thomas on 60 Minutes by Delia Cruceru

Clarence Thomas, the Supreme Court Justice, was guest for Steve Kroft in "60 Minutes" show on CBS, Sunday evening. The show coincided with the release of his autobiography, "My Grandfather's Son," that was released Monday. He was described as being the most influential black man in the country, court's single African American and the most conservative. He was also accused by many of his race of opposition to government programs intended to help minorities and he was called hypocrite and traitor to his own people. "I'm black. So I'm supposed to think a certain way. I'm supposed to have certain opinions. I don't do that. You don't create a box and put people in and then make a lot of generalizations about them," Justice Thomas said. He spoke about his childhood, when he was left in his grandfather's care, which meant for him a great opportunity saying that his grandfather was the greatest man he ever met, and in his tribute he named his memoirs book "My Grandfather's Son." He spoke about Anita Hill that alleged him of sexually harassed her when she was an employee for him. Investigation turned that the accusations were unfunded and it called an inconclusive report, but Hill's statement was leaked to the media. "It was only after they had been leaked illegally, to the public and the press, that then it's outta hand. It's in the feeding frenzy," Thomas explains.

related story: http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/97/clarence_thomas

by Delia Cruceru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

Sputnik celebration by Claudia Sonea

Fifty years ago, the Soviet Union succeeded something that will mark the history of mankind forever; they launched Sputnik- the first artificial satellite to be put into geocentric orbit. The satellite helped to identify the density of high atmospheric layers by its orbit change and provided data on radio-signal distribution in the ionosphere. Due to the Cold War, it was regarded as a strategy to show the communist superiority over the West. In fact the space age was opened by a scientist who gambled and took advantage of the desire to project a rocket capable to stoke US with a hydrogen bomb. Georgy Grechko, a rocket engineer and cosmonaut, said the warhead called R-7 was more powerful than anything that the Americans possessed at that moment and perfect to launch an object into orbit. Korolyov, the scientist that made opened mankind way to space, seized the opportunity created by the nuclear threat and the race against the Americans who announced a similar project as part of the International Geophysical Year. In 1954 he approached Dimitry Ustinov, then Ministry of the Defense, but only in 1956 he got the approval necessary to start the project. Because of the delay, Korolyov sketched a primitive satellite called Prosteishiy Sputnik, Grechko tried to convince him to put some more equipment, but he refused and that was he's best decision. Weighing just 184 pounds, the satellite had the shape of a sphere like Earth, made out of polished aluminum alloy with two radio transmitters and four antennas. It was launched on 4 October because of the fear that the Americans might launch before them. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev was there to report the success and the first beep transmitted from out of space would mark the beginning of a new era. Pravda, the Communist Party daily, was the first one publishing about the amazing achievement. Korolyov name was never mentioned until after his death and that hurt him a lot, according to his daughter Natalia he felt like a rat working underground. He launched on November 2 Sputnik 2 with a dog on board that survived for a week proving that it is possible to live in space. The main reason for the anonymity was the fact that the Soviet Union did not wanted to create jealousy among the others scientists. Even the Nobel's Committee attempt to nominate Korolyov was rejected by Khrushchev. Now everyone knows the true and the researchers involved in the project can speak thanks to the liberalization of the Soviet Union by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. It was an important achievement for the Russians as a nation and for the mankind because of all the benefits the Sputnik brought. However, for the Soviet people there will always be the regret that they did not managed to surpass the Americans on their race to the moon. Who knew that the war could actually bring something good?

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070930/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/nuclear_warheads;_ylt=AmBUf58Td_f06Qjwkshlcwas0NUE

by Claudia Sonea for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.