Tourists flee Spanish wildfires

DRAMATIC footage has emerged showing how dozens of terrified tourists scrambled down a Spanish hillside in a desperate attempt to escape a raging wildfire that was apparently started by a tossed cigarette.

Tragically, a father and daughter plummeted to their deaths from the steep hillside in Portbou, just five kilometres from the French border, as they tried to reach the waters of the Mediterranean.

A cigarette tossed from a car is believed to have started the fire, which quickly spread to woods along the road before officials could shut the thoroughfare, Deputy Mayor Elisabet Cortaba told the Associated Press.

Around 150 people were soon running from their vehicles and down into the rocky terrain towards the beach.

Tourists abandon their vehicles and make their way down the hillside in Portbou on the Costa Brava as the wildfire rages. Source:Supplied

Five members of a French family abandoned their car and stumbled through the thick smoke as the wildfire closed in on them, the Associated Press reported. 

Instead of a beach, they found themselves at the edge of a cliff with no choice but to jump or try to climb down.

The 60-year-old father died instantly when he hit submerged rocks, and his 15-year-old daughter drowned, Mayor Cortaba told the Associated Press. 

The deadly northern regional wind phenomenon called "Tramontana" led to intense gusts in the heavily forested area, spreading the blaze quickly.

Two others were also killed by the fires in northeastern Spain, which is enduring one of its driest summers on records, including a man who had a heart attack while fighting a fire at his property.

Many of the tourists who dashed down the hillside suffered injuries ranging from broken bones and burns to smoke inhalation, Ms Cortaba said.

"The only way out was to flee and head down toward the sea," she said.

original: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/tourists-flee-spanish-wildfires/story-fndo48ca-1226434638122

French bride gives birth at town hall wedding

A bride in France only just made it through the ceremony before she gave birth. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

A BRIDE gave birth only minutes after tying the knot in France, making it more of a "big day" than anticipated.

"It did rather shake us up," admitted Jean-Robert Gachet, mayor of Jallais, after hearing that mother and baby were doing well.

Saturday's ceremony at 11am (7pm AEST) was nearly called off after the heavily pregnant bride had several false alarms, although her due date was July 14.

The bride was "definitely a bit worn out, but we put that down to the stress of the wedding. I tried to hurry it up a bit so that she didn't get too tired," said Mr Gachet.

But only moments after the happy couple said their vows and emerged outside to pose for the traditional photos, while the guests left for the reception, the bride suddenly felt unwell and went back into the town hall.

Emergency services were called, but her waters had already broken and she gave birth to a little boy on the spot at 12.15pm.

"The cry of the new born boy was an emotional moment! It was a first for us and for the emergency services," Mr Gachet said.

original: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/baby-comes-an-hour-after-wedding/story-e6frf7lf-1226420662103

Shark kills surfer at Indian Ocean's La Reunion island

A shark has killed a surfer on the island of La Reunion, the third fatal attack there in two years. Source: AFP

A SURFER has died on the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion after a shark bit off his leg, officials said.

Fellow surfers were able to haul Alexandre Rassica, a 22-year-old local, back to the beach at Trois-Bassins on the west of the island after the attack.

But when paramedics arrived he was in a state of cardiac arrest, officials said.

La Reunion, a popular tourist destination, last year saw six shark attacks on humans, two of them deadly.

original: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/shark-kills-surfer-in-indian-ocean/story-fnd134gw-1226433425855

First US woman in space, Sally Ride, dies From:

THIS NASA FILE PHOTO DATED JUNE 1983 SHOWS AMERICA'S FIRST WOMAN ASTRONAUT SALLY RIDE, AS SHE COMMUNICATES WITH GROUND CONTROLLERS FROM THE FLIGHT DECK DURING THE SIX-DAY SPACE MISSION OF THE CHALLENGER. RIDE, THE FIRST US WOMAN TO FLY IN SPACE, DIED ON JULY 23, 2012 AFTER A 17-MONTH BATTLE WITH PANCREATIC CANCER. AFP

SALLY Ride, the first US woman to fly in space, has died after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 61.

SALLY RIDE IN JUNE 1983 AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN HOUSTON.. RIDE FIRST LAUNCHED INTO SPACE IN 1983, ON THE SEVENTH US SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION. AFP

Ride first launched into space in 1983 aboard the Challenger shuttle, on the seventh mission of US space shuttle program.

In a statement, US President Barack Obama called her a ``national hero and a powerful role model'' and a woman who ``inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars''.

``Sally's life showed us that there are no limits to what we can achieve and I have no doubt that her legacy will endure for years t o come,'' Obama said, offering condolences to Ride's family and friends.

Ride, born May 26, 1951, in Encino, California, earne d degrees in physics and English from Stanford University.
She applied to be an astronaut at US space agency NASA in 1977, after seeing an ad in her university's student newspaper.

It was the first time the space agency was allowing applications from civilians - or from women.

Ride was one of 35 people, including just six women, chosen from a pool of 8000 applicants.

She flew in two space missions, logging nearly 350 hours in space. However, her third planned mission was grounded in 1986, after the trag ic Challenger explosion that killed all seven crew members.

Ride served on the commission to investigate the accident, and lat er was assigned to NASA headquarters.

She retired from NASA in 1987.

Ride was the first American woman, but not the first woman in space. That honour belongs to Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, who flew a three-day mission in 1963.

original: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/first-us-woman-in-space-sally-ride-dies/story-e6frf7jo-1226433527997

Plane lands on US freeway

Pilot Ken Gheysar was forced to land his single-engine plane on a Southern California freeway when he ran out of fuel. Picture: NBC San Diego Source: Supplied

WHEN his single-engine plane ran out of fuel, 48-year-old Ken Gheysar did the first thing that popped into his head: He landed on a Southern California freeway.

Luckily, it was almost midnight on Sunday and traffic was light on the southbound lanes of Interstate 15 in Escondido, north of San Diego.

The seasoned pilot said he guided his 1968 Piper down as soon as he spotted an opening. His wife and two cousins did not breathe a word while he focused on what needed to be done.

"I found a spot that didn't have cars right underneath me and went for it," he said. "You don't have too much choice, because you can't go back up."

Once they were on the ground, Gheysar said he rolled the plane over to the right-hand shoulder to get it out of the way as much as possible.

No cars were hit and no one was injured. Gheysar said he was amazed to see traffic continued to flow in the far lane.

"Basically it was just a quick reaction," Gheysar told The Associated Press, as he worked on getting the plane towed from the freeway on Monday. "The fuel ran out and there was not much time, and there was not much else to do. Can I call you back? I've got some important calls I need to take about moving my plane."

When asked if he would fly again, Gheysar said, "Absolutely".

Will his family go with him again next time? "Probably not," he said, chuckling.

original: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/plane-lands-on-us-freeway/story-fndo48ca-1226433705458

Woman who aborted baby in final weeks facing jail

Modern ultrasound 3D image of baby foetus in third trimester. Picture: Dr Bernard Benoit. Source: Supplied

A MOTHER of two who admitted aborting her baby herself in the final weeks of pregnancy faces jail.

Sarah Catt, 35, bought a drug over the internet and appeared in court yesterday charged with taking it with "intent to procure a miscarriage".

She pleaded guilty to the charge but refused to co-operate with police who do not know what happened to the baby’s body, the Mail Onlinereports.

Catt, of Elmet, North Yorkshire, England, has two children, aged 10 and eight. She is still with her husband Stephen, 41, who went with her to court yesterday.

Police revealed Catt had a scan at two days short of 30 weeks in March 2010, which confirmed she was pregnant. The baby was terminated "in the final stages of pregnancy".

Chief Inspector Kerrin Smith, of North Yorkshire Police, said Catt bought a drug via the internet which is commonly used to induce abortions. Inspector Smith said the medication "could facilitate the labour and delivery of a child".

"The evidence shows this to have happened in the final stages of pregnancy within the last week of the due date that this baby should have been born," she said.

"Throughout this investigation [Catt] has claimed that this pregnancy was terminated legitimately even though that would not be legally possible.

"A legal termination can only be carried out up to 24 weeks in normal circumstances unless there are dire medical requirements to go beyond this. There were none in this case."

Catt pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 58 of the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, which in theory carries a maximum life imprisonment sentence.

original: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/sarah-catt-pleads-guilty-to-aborting-baby-in-final-weeks/story-fnd134gw-1226433885015

David Guetta's cousin Samuel found dead

French DJ David Guetta's cousin has been found dead on party island of Ibiza. Picture: Emi. Source: Supplied

 

Watch

Behind the music

Forget sand, sea, and sex: Aussie DJ Goodwill takes us on a dance-fuelled hedonistic tour of the real Ibiza.

Play

0:00 / 1:54

Scrubber

mute

Share

Fullscreen

CHART-topping DJ David Guetta's cousin has been found dead at his luxury home on the party island of Ibiza.

Samuel Guetta, 40, had been the head of Cadenza Records since 2008 and was a big name in the Ibiza clubbing scene.

Reports confirm Samuel died unexpectedly last Thursday night in his home on the Spanish island.

He leaves behind a wife and their young children, a daughter and a son.

Details of the cause of his death are yet to be released.

The Frenchman moved to the island in 1997 after a career in advertising in Paris and set up a DJ agency.

He also ran a booking agency and is most famous for launching music website Ibiza Voice.

Staff at Ibiza Voice released a statement paying tribute to their "much-loved founder, friend, boss, and inspiration."

"He adored drama. 'Hype, lies and gossip' wasn’t just a tagline: it was a way of life.

"He always had a line on the coolest parties, the sexiest girls, and the most outrageous stories.

"Samuel was a walking exclamation mark who whirled through rooms trailing cigarette smoke and superlatives."

Guetta, 44, whose hits have included Titanium, When Love Takes Over and I Gotta Feeling has not commented.

original: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/david-guettas-cousin-samuel-found-dead/story-fnd134gw-1226434142953