Jason Russell, Invisible Children Co-Founder (makers of Kony 2012), detained for public masturbation, destruction of vehicles and intoxication

A co-founder for Invisible Children was detained in Pacific Beach on Thursday for being drunk in public and masturbating, according to the San Diego Police Department.

Jason Russell, 33, was allegedly found masturbating in public, vandalizing cars and possibly under the influence of something, according to the SDPD. He was detained at the intersection of Ingraham Street and Riviera Road.

An SDPD spokesperson said the man detained was acting very strange, some may say bizarre. t

"Due to the nature of the detention, he was not arrested," Lt. Andra Brown said. "During the evaluation we learned we probably needed to take him to a medical facility because of statements he was saying."

Police said they received several calls Thursday at 11:30 a.m. of a man in various stages of undress, running through traffic and screaming. more

Til: Celebrity earless baby bunny killed by clumsy cameraman

An earless baby bunny that was a rising star on Germany's celebrity animal scene had his 15 minutes of fame brought to an abrupt end when he was accidentally stepped on by a television cameraman.

The fate of 17-day-old Til, a bunny with a genetic defect, was plastered across German newspapers on Thursday, the same day a small zoo in Saxony was to have presented him to the world at a press conference.

The cameraman told Bild newspaper he hadn't seen Til, who had buried himself in hay, when he took the fateful step backward Wednesday.

Zoo director Uwe Dempewolf told Spiegel magazine Til didn't suffer: "It was a direct hit." The magazine described him as "still shaken" as he spoke of the tragedy.

"No one could have foreseen this," he told the magazine. "Everyone here is upset. The cameraman was distraught."

Rabbits without ears are "pretty rare" he said. "The other five bunnies are right as rain. It is regrettable that he was the one who got stepped on." more

Greek bail-out still not enough?.....The whole world could of told you that

London (CNN) – The bail-out is a done deal, the International Monetary Fund has agreed its share and the Europeans have started to hand over the money. One of the ratings agencies has even upgraded the new Greek bonds.

So it is incredibly dispiriting to be reading more and more notes from economists and analysts suggesting that this is not over yet.

Paul Donovan, in his note from UBS, noted that the markets were not that impressed by the state of play. The markets, he said, were pricing in “the debate about when the next restructuring will take place.”

According to Societe Generale, it is "only a matter of time before Greece will need an additional package." Citigroup reflects the same view, noting: “In our view, Greece requires further official funding beyond at least 2014, and we also see the need of further debt restructuring in order to get the country back on a sustainable fiscal path.”

It gets worse with the prognosis "the risk of Greece exiting the euro area remains elevated (around 50%)."

Hang on. "Next restructuring?" and "further debt restructuring?" What on earth have we been going through for the past three months if this isn’t going to solve the Greece problem once and for all?

You would be forgiven for a certain incredulity, given that no sooner is the ink dry on the checks being sent to Athens than the economists who know about these things say it’s not enough.

This is made all the more likely by European politicians who continue to call for even more austerity in Greece. This lemon is just about squeezed out, and if they don’t want to be facing riot and mayhem they would do well to recognize this. Read More

Dead birds in Hong Kong test positive for H5N1 virus‎

TWO dead birds found in Hong Kong in early March have tested positive for H5N1 virus, the city's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said today.

A black-headed gull was collected at Castle Peak Power Station at Tuen Mun on March 2, while a peregrine falcon was found at Kam Kwai House at Ma On Shan on March 3. Both birds were confirmed to be H5N1-positive after a series of laboratory tests.

The department said it would continue to inspect poultry farms to ensure that proper precautions against avian influenza have been implemented. Source

Cats Killed by H5N1-Infected Turkey Consumption

ISRAEL - The Israeli veterinary authorities have reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Hadarom.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received an immediate notification yesterday, wherein it was reported that H5N1 was diagnosed in turkeys on 8 March 2012.

On 9 March 2012, just before the culling of the birds, cats were seen eating carcasses. On 14 March 2012, four cats were found dead around the affected pen and some showed clinical signs such as respiratory signs and weakness. On 15 March 2012, the authorities succeeded to catch 16 cats roaming around the infected pen and euthanized them.

Out of 50 susceptible cats, eight cases were reported, out of which four deaths occurred. 16 were destroyed.

Clinical signs appeared on the cats about one week later. Source

Dolphins found dead on Powderhorn Beach

A Seadrift environmentalist is reporting the death of six dolphins on Powderhorn Beach, and state officials are trying to determine how they died.

Diane Wilson, of Seadrift, heard Wednesday that dolphin carcasses had been discovered on the beach that sits on the edge of Matagorda Bay between Indianola and Port O'Connor.

She investigated and found the dolphins herself. There were six carcasses - ranging from about 31/2 to 8 feet long - lying on a milelong stretch of sand. They appeared to have been dead for two to three weeks, Wilson said.

Wilson reported this to the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, the only agency in the state authorized to deal with beached marine mammals, alive or dead.

Lee Walker, regional coordinator for the Corpus Christi branch of the network, said it is unclear why the animals died.

Stranding season - the time of year when remains of marine mammals are more likely to wash up on shore - runs from December to April, Walker said. This follows birthing season, so there is a natural mortality from premature births and early deaths of baby dolphins that might have caused the animals to die, Walker said. Read More

Iowa Sheriff: Dozens Of Dead, Neglected Horses Found

SUMNER, Iowa -- The Fayette County sheriff said a Sumner, Iowa, man faces charges after dead and neglected horses were discovered on his property.

The sheriff said officers were called to the farm on March 12 to investigate a report of livestock negligence.

The sheriff said officers found 25 dead animals and 25 live animals.

An Iowa veterinarian who conducted an examination of the live horses determined that the animals had been neglected, according to the sheriff.

Lawrence Michael Daisey, 66, is charged with 25 counts of duty to dispose of dead bodies and livestock neglect.

The sheriff said arrangements were made for care of the animals while the Sheriff’s office worked to rescue the animals. Some animals have been removed and others are being rescued by private organizations.

The Sumner Police Department is also conducting its own investigation of the livestock. Source

Foot-and-mouth disease spreads in Egypt; thousands of cattle dead‎

CAIRO — Egypt’s veterinary authorities say foot-and-mouth disease has left more than 2,000 young cattle dead.

Egypt’s local press on Friday quoted veterinary official Essam Abdel-Shakour as saying that 24,500 livestock have been infected with the disease over the past two weeks. Most of the infections have come in the Nile Delta provinces in northern Egypt.

Agriculture Minister Mohammed Ismail told parliament this week that the ministry has ordered the isolation of infected animals, the closure of cattle markets across the country and is working on providing a new vaccine for the highly contagious disease.

Egyptian farmers have accused the government of incompetence, and have thrown dead cows in front of the governors’ offices during protests. Source

50+ Dead Cows and Improper Waste Found at Dairy

GUSTINE—A dairy is being ordered to cleanup more than 50 dead cows found partially buried.

The cows were found decomposing in a manure pile in the dairy’s production area last month. The dairy is in Gustine, and is owned by the Rego Family Trust.

A routine inspection of the dairy by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board found numerous violations of Federal and State water quality regulations.

“This dairy’s lack of good management practices and blatant disregard for the law impacts both surface and groundwater, posing dangers to public health and polluting the waters of the State of California,” said Water Board Executive Officer Pamela Creedon in a release.

In addition to the dead cows, inspectors found signs that wastewater had flowed into nearby drainage ditches, rodent holes, discarded medical syringes, and manure wastewater improperly dumped on cropland. Read More

78 rabbits found in Virginia Beach home

More than 75 rabbits - both dead and alive - were found inside a home in the city's Hilltop section Thursday evening.

On Thursday, March 15 at 6:55 p.m. Virginia Beach police responded to the 2100 block of Wolfsnare Road in the Hilltop neighborhood of the city after receiving a phone call from a neighbor who reported a "foul odor" coming from the home.

Officers say when they arrived at the home they could see at least 30 rabbits inside. Animal Control was called to the scene to investigate further. The home owner gave permission for police to enter the house, and officers found 74 rabbits living in "deplorable conditions" with fecal material, trash, and dead animals throughout the living space.

Police and Animal Control Officers had to wear protective clothing in order to safely remove the rabbits from the home and conduct their cruelty investigation. Read More

Throng carve up whale died on Puerto Plata reef

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.- A throng carved up a humpback whale first spotted 8pm Thursday and died on the reefs near shore early Friday, when several people climbed on the carcass to take pictures.

A tugboat’s attempts to drag it out to deep water failed, as locals fear the decomposed animal will pollute the coast and jeopardize tourism activities.

The cause for the whale’s death have yet to be determined, but according to local media, the sea mammal has a gaping hole on back, possibly from a harpoon or large boat’s propeller.

Many people cut chunks of meat with machetes and knives, who say it tastes good.

The incident coincides with the humpback whales’ return to the North Atlantic, after having arrived in the waters around the Samana Peninsula to calve and breed in December. Source

4.0 Magnitude Earthquake EASTERN TURKEY - 16th Mar 2012

A magnitude 4.0 earthquake has struck Eastern Turkey at a depth of 5 km (3.1 miles), the quake hit at 19:19:48 UTC Friday 16th March 2012
The epicenter was 26 km (16.1 miles) East of Ercis, Turkey
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

4.9 Magnitude Earthquake VANUATU - 16th Mar 2012

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake has struck Vanuatu at a depth of 63 km (39.1 miles), the quake hit at 18:46:37 UTC Friday 16th March 2012
The epicenter was 61 km (37 miles) East of Isangel, Tanna, Vanuatu
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

5 people killed in fiery jet crash at Macon County Airport, Carolina

Five people were killed in an airplane crash at the Macon County Airport in Franklin, NC Thursday, March 15 when a twin-engine Cessna Citation 501 mid-size executive jet exploded just off the runway following an unusual landing.

Terry Bates, Macon County Emergency Services Coordinator, stated Thursday afternoon at approximately 4:45 pm that at least three people were killed in the accident, but that it was possible there would be more accounted for as the investigation continued. By the time the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released the bodies, the total fatalities had climbed to five after two more bodies were pulled from the wreckage. Authorities confirmed later in the afternoon that two couples, sets of husband and wife, and the infant daughter of one of the couples, were killed in the incident.

Angela Kinsland, Macon County 911 Coordinator, reported that the executive jet apparently approached the runway at too steep of an angle at approximately 1:45 in the afternoon. She said the pilot tried to correct the landing but touched the right wing to the runway, flipping the plane over and causing it to explode on impact. Emergency and fire personnel responded and extinguished the flames. Read More

Stauffer's Iced Animal Crackers Botulism Case Remains Under Investigation; New Details Released, Virginia

The Barbour County Sheriff's Office is releasing the following update to the alert put out Wednesday evening.

The suspected food items have been sent to a reference lab for further testing.

The Barbour County Health Department has reviewed the medical records and at this time have no reason to believe this is a case of Botulism. The patient is recovering and the symptoms are not consistent with Botulism, which is a fast progressing condition.

We will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. As soon as any results are confirmed, further information will be released.

If you or a family member have medical concerns, you should seek medical attention with your physician or a medical facility.

ORIGINAL STORY 3-14-12

The Barbour County Sheriff's Department says they've received a report of Botulism connected to the eating of Stauffer's Iced Animal Crackers. Read More

Heavy thunderstorms flood Logan, Lincoln, Virginia

LOGAN, W.Va. -- Heavy thundershowers swept across Southern West Virginia on Thursday, sending dozens of small streams out of their banks and across roads, isolating numerous communities and temporarily marooning students in at least three schools.

The storm struck Thursday morning with a mixture of torrential rains, lightning and pea-size hail.

During a briefing at the Logan County Emergency Services headquarters, Sen. Art Kirkendoll, D-Logan, told Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin that 1.7 inches of rain fell on Logan in a 75-minute period Thursday morning.

Flood-prone Mud Fork, which passes through Verdunville before emptying into Holden Creek on the outskirts of Logan, suffered the heaviest damage from the storm. Mud Fork Road was blocked by high water, debris and slides throughout the day, leaving residents unable to leave, or receive outside assistance. Read More

7 injured in Kentucky roof collapse; tornado strikes Michigan

(CNN) -- Seven people were injured Thursday when heavy rains caused a partial roof collapse at a Barbourville, Kentucky, business, officials said.

Initial reports from the scene were that the drainage system at Tru-Seal Manufacturing was clogged and caused water to pool on the roof, causing a partial collapse, said Kentucky Emergency Management spokesman Buddy Rogers.

Three people were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Rogers said. Several others walked over to the hospital on their own with minor injuries, he said.

A total of seven people, all adults, were checked into the Knox County Hospital, said hospital spokesman Shawn Gentry. Read More

Tornado Michigan: More than 110 homes damaged as tornado touches down near Ann Arbor

Updated at 7:58 a.m. ET: A tornado ripped through a rural Michigan community Thursday evening, damaging or demolishing many homes, downing trees and power lines, sparking fires and flooding roads.

A dispatcher with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department told Reuters that "there are homes leveled" in Dexter, which is located northwest of Ann Arbor. The Detroit Free Press linked to a YouTube video of a twister.

Sheriff's spokesman Derrick Jackson told The Associated Press that 105 homes were significantly damaged in Dexter and the surrounding area, and 13 were destroyed. Read More

Norwegian military transport plane with 5 people on board missing and feared to have crashed

OSLO, Norway — A Norwegian military transport plane with five people aboard went missing Thursday during an exercise and was feared to have crashed in bad weather in a mountainous area in northern Sweden, officials said.

The C-130 was heading from Evenes, on Norway’s Arctic coast, to the Swedish city of Kiruna when it disappeared from radar screens just before 3 p.m. (1400 GMT), rescue coordinators said.

“We have to assume that we are looking for a plane that has crashed,” Norwegian military spokesman John Espen Lien told The Associated Press.

A military helicopter searching the area picked up an emergency signal near mount Kebnekaise, 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Kiruna, Swedish air rescue spokesman Jonas Sundin told AP. Read More

Anonymous - KONY 2012 Warning

North Korea flaunts military might

March 16 - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un orders his leaders to stay on maximum alert as he inspects combined strike drills. Sunita Rappai reports.

4.9 Magnitude Earthquake SEA OF JAPAN - 16th Mar 2012

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake has struck the Sea of Japan at a depth of 462.2 km (264.8 miles), the quake hit at 18:37:55 UTC Friday 16th March 2012
The epicenter was 260 km (162 miles) NNW from Tottori, Honshu, Japan
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

5.0 Magnitude Earthquake NEW ZEALAND - 16th Mar 2012

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake has struck the Rotorua Region, New Zealand at a depth of 190 km (117.8 miles), the quake hit at 18:23:17 UTC Friday 16th March 2012
The epicenter was 5 km (3.1 miles) Rotorua, New Zealand
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

5.0 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTHEAST OF THE LOYALTY ISLANDS - 16th Mar 2012

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake has struck Southeast of the Loyalty Islands at a depth of 83.1 km (51.6 miles), the quake hit at 17:18:34 UTC Friday 16th March 2012
The epicenter was 350 km (218 miles) ESE from Tadine, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

Swiss teacher kidnapped in Yemen

Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- Tribesmen demanding the release of prisoners kidnapped a female Swiss teacher in Yemen, two Yemeni Interior Ministry officials told CNN on Friday.

The abduction took place Thursday in Hodeida on the Red Sea coast of the impoverished and restive Arab nation. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is an al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen, but the ministry denied the kidnappers have links with the terror network.

Imprisoned tribesmen are being held in the Hodeida Central Prison for disturbing travelers and creating roadblocks.

Officials said people belonging to the Biahan tribe of Shabwa province are demanding the release of two prisoners. The officials told CNN the teacher was most likely taken to Shabwa, a south-central province.

A Swiss government crisis team has begun working on getting the woman freed, the Swiss Foreign Office said. Read More