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BREAKING: Explosion at the Boston Marathon Finish Line
Reuters is reporting that the headquarters at the Boston Marathon have been locked down after two explosions were reported near the finish line Monday afternoon, near the Boston Library.
According The Boston Globe, there are dozens injured though there are varying reports on the number of injuries:
Follow our live blog for updates.
[Image: @Boston_to_a_T]
Debated reblogging this due to the gruesomeness of the photo, but the story’s too important.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/5cad677c6882910fb47d0d06b945fb43/tumblr_mlb9hlseO31qcokc4o1_500.jpg)
BREAKING: Explosion at the Boston Marathon Finish Line
Reuters is reporting that the headquarters at the Boston Marathon have been locked down after two explosions were reported near the finish line Monday afternoon, near the Boston Library.
According The Boston Globe, there are dozens injured though there are varying reports on the number of injuries:
Follow our live blog for updates.
[Image: @Boston_to_a_T]
Debated reblogging this due to the gruesomeness of the photo, but the story’s too important.
Since his arrest, a portrait has emerged of a bright young man who was brought in to help rebuild Mantua but ultimately may have done far more to bring it down.
Over the years, his abortion practice deteriorated. He prescribed drugs freely, investigators say. And in the twilight of his career, he has become a symbol for those who would tighten restrictions on all abortion providers.
Gosnell is accused of doing some awful things, nearly all of which you’ll learn about behind the link (be warned). When you’re done reading this, read Dave Weigel’s piece on the “media blackout” that some are suggesting is happening with the case. Whatever your take on abortion, you should be aware of this story, because it’s starting to pick up mainstream traction.
Two Torrington High School football players stand accused of sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl. Four others were suspended in a hazing scandal last fall that is still under investigation. One player, the team’s second-highest scorer last fall, was allowed to play even though the team’s coach knew he had been charged with felony robbery and assault.
School officials claim that the sexual assault charges against 18-year-olds Edgar Gonzalez and Joan Toribio, the hazing and other incidents are isolated problems and don’t signal a deeper issue with the culture of Torrington High School, its athletic programs or football team.
…
But on social media in recent weeks, dozens of athletes and Torrington High School students, male and female, have taunted the 13-year-old victim, calling her a “whore,” criticizing her for “snitching” and “ruining the lives” of the 18-year-old football players, and bullying students who defend her.
Extremely tough read. A number of tweets are republished behind the link.
The Indian Parliament’s lower house passed a landmark law Tuesday that sets tougher penalties for rapists and police who refuse to file a woman’s complaint of rape, as well as criminalizing sexual offenses such as stalking, voyeurism and acid attacks.
The amendments to the existing law incorporate some of the sweeping changes that were demanded after the fatal gang rape of a young paramedical student in New Delhi in December, an incident that sparked a nationwide outcry against the lack of safety for women.
Despite the unprecedented protests that galvanized tens of thousands of Indians, the number of incidents of sexual assault has not diminished.
Those convicted of sexual assault in India will now face the death penalty in cases where their victim(s) dies or is left in a permanently vegetative state, and mandatory minimum sentences have been raised to 20 years in prison (formerly 7-10 years). Government approval will no longer be needed to pursue charges against policemen, government officials, politicians, or judges either; however, the legislation fails to address cases of marital rape or sex crimes committed by members of the Indian military. Still, it’s pretty hard not to look at today’s changes as signs of progress.
The girl testified Saturday that after leaving a party around midnight on Aug. 11 with the two football players, she woke up the next morning in the basement living room of another house. She was naked, she recalled, with no idea how she got there or where she was, and Mr. Mays, Mr. Richmond and another boy were surrounding her. The girl said that the boys put her clothes on a table, but she could not find her phone, her underwear, her earrings or her shoes.
“I was embarrassed and scared, and I did not know what to think because I could not remember anything,” she testified. She said that over the next two days she pieced together what had happened with the help of friends who showed her a video posted on YouTube and a picture that had circulated of her in the basement lying naked.
Earlier on Saturday, two former friends of the girl testified for the defense that she had a reputation as a liar. An expert defense witness also testified that the girl was not likely to have consumed enough alcohol to pass out that night but that she did drink enough to have a memory lapse, implying she could have consented to having sex but did not remember doing so.
The case, which involves texting and social media elements, has captured national attention in recent months, and the town itself has become torn as a result of the case, which involves two rising stars in the Steubenville High School football program.
backyardgoldmine says: I don’t understand why American news organizations are more concerned about the gang rapes that happen in India than the ones that happen here. Like the only articles Shortform Blog have about Stubenville are two articles about Rick Santorum giving a speech there.
» SFB says: We posted an article about Steubenville just a couple of days ago. As far as the case in India, it’s very significant issue culturally in that country and prior cases have led to mass protests. We try to cover issues happening in the U.S. as well as internationally. Fact of the matter: Both cases are worth our time and important to cover. — Ernie @ SFB
After spending the day in the picturesque Orchha town, known for its several forts and temples, the couple were camping about 250 metres off National Highway 75, a furlong from the local police station, inside the forest. According to local journalists, a few villagers had met the couple on Friday evening as they arrived. However, seven or eight men came back later with clubs and, after an altercation, started beating up the man.
The attackers “tied up the man and gang-raped the woman in his presence,” DIG (Chambal Range) D.K. Arya told The Hindu. Once the woman’s complaint was registered, she was taken to Gwalior district for a medical test around 8 a.m. as Datia does not have lady doctors to conduct medical tests. By midday, the test was conducted and rape was “informally” confirmed by a three-member panel of doctors at the Kamalaraje Women and Children’s Hospital in Gwalior. Later, the woman was brought back to Datia. “She is with us in Datia and out of danger,” Mr. Arya said.
The DIG confirmed that, so far, “50-60 villagers” from Datia and adjoining areas had been detained and a massive operation launched to nab the culprits. The attackers stole Rs. 12,000 and a mobile phone from the woman, the sources said.
The latest attack comes less than three months after a similar attack in New Delhi involving a medical student who later died. That incident led to massive protests throughout India.
Man shot dead after posting on Facebook: ‘im about to get shot’
(Photo: Facebook)
It appears that one of the last things Eric L. Ramsey did before he was shot and killed by police Thursday was to let his friends and family know on Facebook that he was about to die.
“Well folkes im about to get shot. Peace” Ramsey posted on the social network at 3:15 a.m. Jan. 17 using his mobile phone.
What this description doesn’t tell you is that, before this recent parolee got shot, he kidnapped and allegedly raped a woman, and when that woman successfully escaped to a nearby home, he tried setting the home on fire. Just a word of warning regarding this story. This FB message may be novel, but nothing else about this story is.
Inside the package was a notebook full of details about how he was going to kill people. There were drawings of what he was going to do in it — drawings and illustrations of the massacre.A law-enforcement official • Speaking to Fox News regarding a notebook that Aurora shooting suspect James Holmes allegedly sent his psychiatrist, who is reportedly a professor at the university where Holmes was enrolled. The notebook reportedly included crudely-illustrated images of his plan, including the violence. Whatever the case, the notebook certainly would support the theory that the shooting was heavily planned. (more here)
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Germany’s Bild newspaper is reporting that Luka Rocco Magnotta (disturbing details at the link; not for faint of heart), the lead suspect in a brutal killing in Montreal, has been arrested in an internet cafe in Berlin (story is in German). We’ll update when we learn more. (ht Matt)
EDIT: Now Reuters confirms, via police source, that Magnotta has been arrested.
Three stories that don’t pass the “breakfast test”: This week has been a bit of a roller coaster as far as downright sickening news goes. We feel that all this stuff has to be noted, but let’s be honest. This is not the kind of stuff that one expects to hear about back-to-back-to-back. Initially, we didn’t even mention the first story below because we felt it was too disturbing. But as the week has gone on and a trend of disturbing news has cropped up, we figured we had to get to get a mention in. For your sake, here’s what you need to know. Note: This story is tagged with “trigger warning” for folks who need that sort of thing.
(Photo by Luke Hayfield Photography; the original photoset has three parts)
*Trigger warning: Graphic story*
Suspect in murder, dismembering cultivated bizarre online presence: Luka Rocco Magnotta, a 29-year-old Canadian model and adult film star, has been named the main suspect in a bizarre murder case which began with the mailing of body parts to political offices throughout Canada. Prior to the current incident, Magnotta gained a bizarre reputation online for once dating a serial killer (edit: which he denies) and allegedly posting videos of himself killing kittens. In fact, Magnotta was deemed the main suspect in the case due to a video that allegedly showed the killing. (National Post link includes graphic content, though censored) The suspect has since escaped custody. *wince* Such a bizarre week for news.
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