Kansas shooting: gunman kills three before being shot dead

A gunman killed three people in a workplace shooting in Hesston,Kansas on Thursday afternoon, before being shot dead by an officer at the factory where the shooter worked.
The shooter also injured 14 people, 10 critically, until his rampage across several locations ended at Excel Industries, a manufacturer of turf-care products in Harvey County, 35 miles north of Wichita, Sheriff T Walton told reporters at news conferences on Thursday and Friday.
Walton said the shooter was an employee of Excel but declined to identify him or say how long he had worked for the company.

Culled from www.theguardian.com

Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence Passed On Reverend King

The Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence handed down to the General Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly in Lagos, Rev. Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, also known as Reverend King.

The Apex Court also vacated the jail term handed down to him for attempted murder of five of his church members
In his lead judgment, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta who described the facts of the case ”like what you see in a horror movie” said Reverend King’s appeal lacks merit.
Reverend King was challenging the judgment of a Lagos High Court sentencing him to death by hanging.
The Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, who appeared before the Supreme Court alongside Mrs Idowu Alakija, the Director of Public Prosecution and Other Senior Counsel in the state, urged the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the judgment of the lower court.
Reverend King was arraigned on September 26, 2006 on a six-count charge of attempted murder and murder.

Culled from www.channelstv.com

Become a Local: Get to Know Your New City

Regardless of whether or not you’re new to a city, few renters truly consider themselves to be “locals.” Just think about it:  how often do you truly take the time to explore your city? It’s no secret that since so many of us are constantly in a rush to get from point A to point B, we sometimes overlook the excitement and wonder that our cities have to offer. So, why not pledge to take a “day-cation” this year – and truly get to know your stomping grounds? Here are a few great ways to get you acquainted with all your city has to offer!

 Consider alternate forms of transportation. If you regularly travel the city via public transit, consider touring through town on a bike if your city is bike- friendly. In addition to providing exercise, a bike will allow you to navigate yourself through a different route, allowing you to take in new surroundings. If biking isn’t for you, walking is another reliable alternative to help discover hidden gems and explore with your senses! Smell the bread as you pass by bakeries, listen to talented street performers and view parts of the city that you might not have noticed before. From smaller paths that you never knew existed, to hole-in-the-wall restaurants, you might be surprised at where the city will take you!

As you probably know, one of the best ways to become a local is to actually learn from the locals themselves. Rather than visiting chain restaurants and shops, consider locally-owned boutiques and mom-and-pop restaurants, which will provide exposure to your city’s unique style. Purchasing items from the farmers market within your area will also allow you to connect with locals and introduce you to the food products that your city is best known for.

Although a city’s architecture and landmarks might make it attractive, the people of the city are what truly makes it one-of-a-kind. Therefore, get to know your neighbors! Consider joining local clubs, or volunteering at an organization. Not only will your community benefit, but doing so also presents an excellent opportunity to meet other locals who might share similar hobbies or interests. Attending block parties, street fairs, and festivals are other fantastic ways to participate in your city’s celebrations and get to know your neighbors.

Lastly, reading local newspapersreading will allow you to stay up-to-date with recent events in your neighborhood or city. Read local blogs and reviews about shops around you to get a better feel for what’s nearby! Local bloggers can also provide you with honest opinions in addition to reviews and feedback about places that you might be unsure of yourself. For all you know, the best places in town could possibly just be around the corner!

The cities that we live in are all filled with delicious culinary delights and fascinating people. However, it’s up to you to explore your city and see what it has to offer! So, the next time that you decide to take a stroll around town, consider the famous idiom: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

 Written by Lloyd Martin

6 Tips for Staying alive in Poland

Poland is a safe, civilised, wonderful country. You can have an awful lot of fun here in world-class cities without bags of cash or the worry that something is going to go wrong. But, like anywhere, Poland has it rules and regulations – and they may not be ones you’re used to. Follow this quick guide to stay on the right side of the law, and to avoid some common pitfalls.

1. Stamp your bus/tram ticket
In Poland, you can’t just buy a ticket and get on a bus or tram, you need to validate that sucker too. This means finding a validating machine on the bus or tram you are travelling on. The machine will stamp it with the date, time and your route. If you don’t do this, you’re travelling without a valid ticket and could be fined. Plainclothes ticket inspectors can pop up at any time and they don’t care that this isn’t the way it’s done on the No.7 to Ealing.

2. Jaywalking and road safety
Only cross roads at marked pedestrian crossings, or face a 500zł fine. Wandering across the street anywhere you like, even when there is no traffic in sight, is illegal. The police are bored of foreigners trying to get out of these fines by claiming ignorance, so don’t even try it. And by the way, offering a bribe could get you a ticket straight to jail.

Some pedestrian crossings have lights (and a recorded voice) to tell you when you can cross. Don’t think you can ignore these at 2am when there’s nothing but tumbleweeds bowling down the street.Poland has one of the worst road safety records in Europe – don’t take the risk.

3. Public drinking
It is illegal to drink alcohol in a public place. It doesn’t matter if you’re sucking back cans on the corner of the street or sipping cocktails with your pinky extended at a riverside picnic – either can earn you a hefty fine and a possible trip to the drunk tank (see no. 4).

Obviously, this doesn’t apply to outside seating provided by licensed premises (though don’t be surprised if you can’t buy spirits sitting outside). It does apply to nipping outside for a ciggie and taking your beer with you. If the bar doesn’t have a license for on-the-street tables, you’re just on the street drinking a beer, and open to prosecution.

4. Public drunkenness
Polish cops have long, long experience of public drunkenness and they know exactly how to deal with it – by locking you up in a bare cell until long after you have a very sore head.

5. Drinking and driving

The legal blood-alcohol level for driving in Poland is ZERO. Poland has an horrendous problem with drink driving, and the authorities are keen to do something about it. Random checks are as real possibility.

Note that Polish drinking and driving laws also apply to bicycles. It might sound like a fun idea to hire some bikes and tool around town after a few afternoon beers, but it could prove a lot more expensive than anticipated.

6 Strip clubs and brothels
You’ve probably read somewhere that prostitution is legal in Poland and have mentally constructed all kinds of interesting scenarios. While it is true that there is no law against an individual selling sex, brothels are completely illegal. This doesn’t mean they don’t exist, they do, but if you step through the door be aware that you’re walking into a criminal world, and all that entails.

There are several strip clubs in Krakow, and these are legal. But keep your wits about you. The Krakow Post has received many reports of customers’ credit and debit cards being scammed for thousands of pounds.

Written by Jamie Stokes

6 Things you must not do in Germany

 

If you are travelling to Germany,there are six things you need to know before entering into the country.

Germany has a reputation for efficiency and punctuality, and learning a little of the local etiquette and customs should stand travellers in good stead;

Don’t abuse the Autobahn
Imagine nearly 13,000 kilometers of clear, well-maintained roads with absolutely no speed limit! That’s the reality of the autobahn system with covers 12,845 kilometres (7,982 mi). But a word of warning, although technically you can drive as fast as you want, it doesn’t mean that you have to. In fact there is an advisory speed limit in place of 30 kilometres per hour (81 mph) and reduced speeds around junctions etc. And the local cops are pretty hot on spotting boy (and girl) racers, so make sure your vehicle is roadworthy and all your documents are in order! And in case you wondered, it is illegal to take part in rallies and races on German roads.

Don’t take your dirty car into town
We’re not talking a wash and wax here, but the highly exciting topic of exhaust emissions! Basically if your vehicle doesn’t meet the strict criteria on emissions you’ll be barred from entering the cities and regions that have an environmental zone (umweltzone) in place. Low emission zones currently exist in 47 cities and 11 states including Berlin,Stuttgart and Cologne. Other European countries including Italy, Sweden and Austria have also followed suit.

Don’t walk
Don’t you hate it when pedestrians just wander across the road with little regard that your traffic light is on green? Well that’s not an issue in Germany as its illegal for pedestrians to use the crossings when the red pedestrian light is on. And if you’re caught crossing on a red, you run the risk of a fine and copping for all the costs should there be an accident.

Don’t expect free tap water
Water is free right? Not in German restaurants it isn’t! Water is treated like any other beverage within the food service industry and if you ask for water there are only two options – still or sparkling. Tap water is pretty much off the menu, unless you want to appear cheap and rude!

Don’t forget your EHIC
Make sure you have a valid and up to date European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which you can obtain absolutely FREE of charge. Should you need medical treatment whilst on holiday, the card entitles you to treatment at the same cost as locals. The card is only for emergency situations and won’t entitle you to non-urgent treatment! And on another note, it’s not a substitute for proper travel insurance, which you’ll need to buy as well, even for short trips.

Don’t skip your work permit
If you plan on working or studying in Germany for longer than three months you need to register with the German authorities, before the 3 months are up. EU citizens don’t need to apply for a residence permit anymore.

Written by Jules

6 thing you must not post on social media

Privacy's a rarity these days, and your beloved social media sites are largely to blame for that. But there are things you are doing on those sites that are making the situation even worse. Before you ever hit "share" again, make sure you're not posting one of these six things.

1. Your home and work addresses
"Duh," you think. But we're not just talking about typing your whole address onto your Facebook profile. "Checking in" and geotagging photos can give away your address even when you don't realize are. For instance, you know how you can create your own geo tags for Instagram photos? When you do this, it pulls the location of where you're currently at. So if all your made-up geo tags point to the same location, some creep can assume that's where you live or work.
Also be mindful of other people who may tag your address. One time a friend "checked in" to my apartment on Facebook — address and all — without asking for permission. Not OK.
2. Certain photos of kids
If there's one time you should be extra, extra careful, it's when it comes to children and social media. When they're not your own kids, you should always get permission from their parents before you post anything. And even if they are your kids, you still want to steer clear of uploading these compromising images , including where they go to school.
3. Vacation details
Telling people you're away from home for an extended period time is an invite for robbers to break in. This doesn't mean you can't post photos from your trip while you're on vacation. Just limit this to a select, trustworthy group of people as opposed to your entire network. And never post your entire itinerary ("I'm in Madrid Oct. 10 to 17, Berlin Oct. 17 to 25, and Rome Oct. 25 to 31 before flying back home. Know anyone in those cities who might want to hang out with a new friend?").
4. Password clues
Online security questions aren't the strongest, especially when they require information that you could easily give away on social networks. The small town where you grew up, your childhood pet's name, where you were married, your first boyfriend's name — these are all specific details your larger social circle doesn't need to know anyway.
5. Private photos
We're not assuming you would ever post nude photos on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. But you may Direct Message or Snapchat them. That's still a bad idea, seeing as how no one but you can be trusted with those photos these days.
6. Credit card or financial information
Yup, some people post pictures of their credit cards on social media (please say you're not one of them). But less obvious details you might unintentionally give away through Facebook or Twitter conversations: what bank you use and your income range. Even your birth date and place give hackers enough details to access your financial information.

Written by Lisette Mejia