A blind man, who lost his eyes in a bomb blast, has been convicted of dangerous driving after police spotted his car on the wrong side of the road. Omed Aziz, 31, was being aided as he drove through Oldbury, West Midlands, by an allegedly banned driver in the passenger seat.
Warley magistrates were told he reached speeds of up to 35mph on the half-mile trip in April.
Aziz, of Oldbury, who denied dangerous driving, will be sentenced next Monday.
At a previous hearing, Iraqi-born Aziz pleaded guilty to driving with no MOT, no licence and no insurance.
Aziz is also partially deaf and suffers from leg tremors.
Richard Knight, chairman of the bench at Warley Magistrates Court, said Aziz was aware of the risk he posed to others.
"Mr Aziz was fully aware of his disabilities and we find the driver was in a dangerous, defective state," he said.
Aziz and his friend were arrested on 23 April at about 2300 BST after police followed their car along Oldbury Ringway and into West Bromwich Street, Pc Glyn Austin told the court.
He said: "I attempted to speak to the driver, who appeared to be fumbling around with the controls.
"At that point the passenger leaned across and stated: 'He's blind'".
Another officer, Pc Stuart Edge, who was present at that time, told magistrates the vehicle had crossed a white hazard line on to the wrong side of the road just before being stopped.
Pc Edge said: "I asked him if he could see me. He removed the dark-coloured sunglasses he was wearing and I could clearly see he was blind as he had no eyes."
Aziz, who said he had previous driving experience prior to being blinded in his homeland, was present in court and was helped around by an interpreter.
ANKARA: An angry group of worshippers lynched a man inside a mosque early Sunday, minutes after he stabbed a retired imam during religious discussions, reports said. Both the imam and the man were killed. The violence occurred in the Ismailaga Mosque in Istanbul's conservative district of Fatih following early morning prayers, the state-run Anatolia news agency and other reports said.
Although retired, the imam had been holding informal discussions in the mosque after early Sunday morning prayers, the private Dogan news agency reported. It was during one of those discussions that a man rose up from within the congregation, handed over a note to imam Bayram Ali Ozturk and then stabbed him in the heart, shouting "Allah", the agency said.
The faithful then attacked the man - identified as 27-year-old Mustafa Erdal - and killed him, the report said. Istanbul police chief Celalettin Cerrah inspected the area on Sunday but declined to comment on the incident. Dogan news agency said police described Erdal as being mentally unstable. His note to the imam read: "will you pray for me?" the agency reported. Anatolia quoted Mahmut Ustaosmanoglu, of the Ismailaga mosque, as saying the man died as the congregation tried to prevent him from striking at the imam again.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2006 00:00 ||
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"the man died as the congregation tried to prevent him from striking at the imam again"
Uh-huh.
Stick to your story, boys.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/04/2006 0:39 Comments ||
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One of the New York state troopers shot on Thursday night near Fredonia has died. State police confirmed Sunday night that Trooper Joseph Longobardo has died of his injuries. He was shot in the leg on Thursday while searching for Ralph "Bucky" Phillips in the town of Cassadaga, south of Buffalo. State police say Phillips in the main suspect in the shooting. A massive manhunt for Phillips continues in Chautauqua County and the surrounding area.
Longobardo suffered severe blood loss in the attack. Surgeons amputated his leg on Saturday at Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo. Longobardo was based out of Troop G in Loudonville and was working in Western New York as part of a Mobile Response Team. Fellow team member, Trooper Donald Baker was injured in the attack. He was shot in the back and is listed in critical condition in an Erie, Penn. hospital. Baker is also based out of Troop G in Loudonville. Longobardo was 32 years old and a married father of one.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
I'm so sorry - my sympathies to the family, and to all New York State Troopers.
I hope they find this clown soon - with a severe case of lead poisoning.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/04/2006 0:35 Comments ||
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#2
One of the Marines in my office is a NY State Trooper in his other existence. He is straight as they come.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2006 0:55 Comments ||
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#3
Rest in peace, sir, and thank you for your service to the state of New York.
#6
that is a shame. RIP. I really enjoyed his shows. He did leave the world an important message and one that I'm sure if he had to go early he would be happy to make: Wild animals are dangerous and they are not pets to be played with.
THE Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, is dead. He was killed in a freak accident in Cairns, police sources said.
It is understood he was killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest.
That's just got to hurt.
He was swimming off the Low Isles at Port Douglas filming an underwater documentary when the tragedy occured. Ambulance officers confirmed they attended a reef fatality this morning at Batt Reef off Port Douglas. Irwin's body is being flown to Cairns.
It is believed Mr Irwin's American-born wife Terri is trekking on Cradle Mountain in Tasmania and is yet to be told of her husband's death.
Mr Irwin - known worldwide as the Crocodile Hunter - is famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchcry "Crikey!". The father of two's Crocodile Hunter program was first broadcast in 1992 and has been shown around the world on cable network Discovery. He has also starred in movies and has developed the Australia Zoo wildlife park, north of Brisbane, which was started by his parents Bob and Lyn Irwin.
A Tourism Queensland spokeswoman today said the death was shocking and paid tribute to Irwin's "enormous contribution" to his adopted state. Louise Yates said it was impossible to quantify how much Mr Irwin had meant to the Queensland tourism industry. "I don't think we could even estimate how much he brought us through his personality and his profile and his enthusiasm about Queensland," she said. "It would be difficult to estimate how much he was worth. And it would be difficult to underestimate."
She said Mr Irwin had been a larger-than-life ambassador. "It's not just what he brought but what he took with him when he travelled, his passion."
Australia Zoo, on southeast Queensland's Sunshine Coast, employs more than 500 people and attracts thousands of visitors every day. But Ms Yates said it would be "unfair and unjust" to put a dollar value on Irwin's worth to the state, because of how much he had given.
#4
My guess would be he trod on or disturbed a stingaree- they reach a massive size, several hundred pounds. Two surfers were killed by them on Sydney beaches in the 1930's, and this is the first fatality I have heard of since, if this is indeed the case. The spine penetrates the chest cavity and toxin goes in or near the heart.
This is very sad and a great shock- Irwin was a good man.
#5
I've caught big ones [no surprise, they fight to get away] and dove amongst them but I've never obsereved aggressive behavior unless you f*ck them in some way.
In addition to the puncture wounds, many scutes [A horny, chitinous, or bony external plate on the shell of a turtle Also called scutum.] have been shed from the carapace.
..and larger
in comemoration then, i think I'll put another shrimp on the barbie...
#6
shame he died but it was on the cards wasnt it, i thought a croc woulda had him but oddly not - they say ont.v hes one of only three people ever to die from ray atatcks there, i feel sorry for the family but it was to be expected.
Posted by: Shep UK ||
09/04/2006 2:26 Comments ||
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#7
Lots of nasty things in the ocean here in Oz. My favourite is still the Perth man who stuffed a large conch shell into his shorts. He didn't notice the blue-ringed octopus inside the shell. He nearly died from the octopus's venom and the swelling was apparently something to behold.
Steve Irwin died doing something he loved. Not many of us can say that.
#8
My favourite is still the Perth man who stuffed a large conch shell into his shorts. He didn't notice the blue-ringed octopus inside the shell. He nearly died from the octopus's venom and the swelling was apparently something to behold.
#14
I once asked an Aussie friend if there was anything in that country that wasn't venomous.
He said, "Yes. The sharks."
This is really a stunner - I expected him to get tagged by some weird snake or one of his gators, not something like this. His family has my deepest sympathies - and it is a loss to the zoological community as well. He was largely self-taught and for all his seeming silliness, he was a smart, knowledgeable, and intelligent advocate for the wild. He'll be missed.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
09/04/2006 6:02 Comments ||
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#15
So sad.
He was a a buffoon at times but you could see he really cared about animals and conservation of habitat.
Thanks Steve, for entertaining and educating us for all these years.
Posted by: john ||
09/04/2006 6:12 Comments ||
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#16
Yes. Unlike the vast majority of teevee "stars", he is someone I will miss, as he he brang both fun and substance in his shows, and was a very likable figure, quirks included (remember the South Park parody, with the "thumb up the *rse"?). Hope the family is coping as well as possible in those circumstances.
#17
I can personally verify that the barbs hurt, and are fully capable of going through your ankle in between the bone and achilles tendon. They are also angled with barbs so you have to push it through rather than pulling it back out. Through the chest? Jeebus
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/04/2006 7:07 Comments ||
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#18
What SPoD said.
Posted by: Mike ||
09/04/2006 7:51 Comments ||
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#19
On a cruise last year, we took a side trip to visit the stingrays - Grand Cayman? There were very friendly, but I couldn't quite kiss one. Many did, as the guide supported them partway out of the water.
Still, we were nice to them.....
Posted by: Bobby ||
09/04/2006 7:58 Comments ||
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through your ankle in between the bone and achilles tendon
! Damn! You too?
Open wound for about half the damn school year in '70.
#24
Irwin once let an Inland Python lick his face. That is the only snake that kills three ways: causing blood clotting, nerve failure and poisoning body organs. A baby python has enough venom to kill 6 adult men.
#25
"Irwin once let an Inland Python lick his face. That is the only snake that kills three ways: causing blood clotting, nerve failure and poisoning body organs. A baby python has enough venom to kill 6 adult men."
You are an idiot! Pythons by genus are NOT venomous! If you're referring to the Inland Taipan, it is venomous, but it is NOT a member of the Python Family.
was just a casual watcher of Steve Irwin, but IMO the big difference was that with the Croc Hunter there was never any doubt that he knew that what he was doing was incredibly dangerous; if I recall, with Grizzly Man he didnt think the bears were all that dangerous, that you could some how commune with them, that if you were nice to bears, they would be nice to you. Steve always let us know that he was dealing with very dangerous animals and that it had taken him years to gain the knowledge to do that with any degree of safety, I dont get that impression from Grizzly Man. Just my thoughts.
Posted by: Mike ||
09/04/2006 12:47 Comments ||
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#27
Speaking of grizzlys, as I recall they were one of the few animals that he openly avoided making contact with when he was around them on his shows. (those and elephants)
Posted by: Ernest Brown ||
09/04/2006 13:45 Comments ||
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#28
SS-3550 Irwin once let an Inland Python lick his face. That is the only snake that kills three ways: causing blood clotting, nerve failure and poisoning body organs. A baby python has enough venom to kill 6 adult men.
is that your final answer SS-3550?
I'm sorry then you lose SS-3550, Pythons are constrictors and squeeze-lock their prey until the prey suffocates/heart stops, they NEVER envenomate prey because not even one of them owns a pair of fangs or a drop of neurotoxic and/or hemotoxic venom.
#34
radio reports this morning said tv footage of Steve's death has been recorded on film and handed over to the police. Is now believed that Steve actually pulled the barb out from his chest after realizing that he had been stung. OUCH !
#36
I just read that this was taped and that it may be that he went and pulled the stinger out of his chest. If true, I wonder if he could've been saved had he not done that.
#37
Others said they were upset at the unfitting manner of his passing: to survive crocs, sharks, komodo dragons and deadly snakes only to be speared in a freak accident by a fish said to be responsible for only 17 deaths ever worldwide seems particularly cruel. "That's like Superman dying while crossing the road," wrote one blogger.
Posted by: john ||
09/04/2006 21:34 Comments ||
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Friend John Stainton said the footage of the stingray attack which took the life of the Crocodile Hunter on the Great Barrier Reef yesterday was "shocking".
Mr Irwin, 44, died after the stingray barb punctured his chest while snorkelling off Port Douglas, in far north Queensland, yesterday.
A cameraman captured the incident during filming for Irwin's new project with daughter Bindi, eight, that was to debut in the United States next year.
"I did see the footage and it's shocking," Mr Stainton said today in Cairns.
"It's a very hard thing to watch because you're actually witnessing somebody die ... and it's terrible."
Mr Stainton, also a producer and director of Irwin's popular television shows, said the footage showed Mr Irwin pulling the barb out of his chest before losing consciousness.
"It shows that Steve came over the top of the ray and the tail came up, and spiked him here (in the chest), and he pulled it out and the next minute he's gone.
"That was it. The cameraman had to shut down."
Mr Stainton, who was aboard Mr Irwin's vessel Croc One when the tragedy occurred, said it was likely the television star and naturalist died almost immediately as a result of the stingray's blow.
"(He was) probably a metre coming over the top of it," he said.
"He was underwater. I think, and the coroner's report will say what happened, but I think he died fairly instantly."
Mr Stainton said he was still in disbelief that a stingray could claim his close friend's life.
"He was always on the precipice," he said.
"He always pushed himself to the very limits but I thought he was invulnerable and I think he did too.
"I think we all had that belief that we'd pull through whatever situation we were in and he has been in some very close shaves with snakes and crocodiles.
"I would never imagine it to come from something like a stingray."
Iraq, abortion and fiscal policy -- they're among the issues that divided the two leading candidates in a high-profile Pennsylvania Senate race during a debate this morning.
Republican incumbent Rick Santorum, during the debate on N-B-C's "Meet the Press," said the Iraq war is a necessary one in a broader global fight. He described Iraq as "a serious and grave danger to America."
But Democratic challenger Bob Casey accused Santorum of failing to hold the administration responsible.
Casey, though, said he wouldn't "abandon" the mission in Iraq by setting a timetable for troop withdrawal. And he said he would have voted to go to war in Iraq, given the evidence available before the 2003 invasion.
Santorum, the number-three Senate Republican, accused Casey of failing to take stands on the issues. Casey leads in the polls, but his lead has narrowed to single digits.
Both candidates oppose abortion. Casey said the "morning after pill" should be available over the counter to women over 18. Santorum disagreed, and accused Casey of violating his principles to get votes.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2006 00:00 ||
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I heard this one. I think it was Santorum by TKO. The only real damage to Santorum was the part about his children being privately schooled in Virginia, courtesy of Pennsy taxpayers. That would bother me if I were a member of Keystone State.
#2
Privately schooled with the income the State gives him? Or did he send a separate bill to Harrisburg? He draws a Federal salary; should us Virginians be upset, too?
Once one earns a salary, it no longer belongs to the employer, they can do whatever they like with it.
Posted by: Bobby ||
09/04/2006 7:52 Comments ||
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#3
"Privately" schooled with money the Penn Hills township gave him under laws that allow Pennsylvania children to attend cyber schools. The Commonwealth eventually reimbursed the township.
The crux of the issue is that he has virtually abandoned his Pennsylvania residency and moved his family to Virginia but still took advantage of PA taxpayers. This is a real problem with our professional politcal class that really lives in and relates only to DC and loses touch with its constituency base. Though I'll vote for Santorum, I think less of him because of this.
#4
I have to disagree with that one, Nimble Spemble. Senator Santorum's job requires him to live in Washington, DC for six years at a go in order to get the job done. If he doesn't want to give hs wife legitimate cause to divorce him and take the children, he'd be wise to move them with him and school the children there. That's the unfortunate reality for those with jobs beyond an easy driving distance from home.
#6
As I said, my problem is with a professional political class in DC. They should not be there for such long terms and the sessions should not be so long. But neither problem will go away in my life time.
#7
Casey's case is far more damaged. He opposes abortion, as Lieberman supports war, yet he has not been thrown out of the donkey party. Why ? Because they don't have a suitable replacement. Casey is a lame duck if he wins and a forgotten fool when he loses.
Cudos to Santorum for keeping his family together, but he really should spend time in Pa. listening to the people. So should all the rest.
I'll never vote for a donkey, so Rick gets my aye.
#8
I read the transcript of this debate last night over on Real Clear Politics. To me, it seemed like Casey was rather incoherent. He came up with no plan for the GWoT other than holding the administration accountable for the Iraq war and increasing the size of Special Forces. His response to how he would balance the budget in the midst of this was totally incomprehensible. The point regarding the schooling of Santorum's children was legit, although, almost every Senator brings there family with them. Being a US Senator is a career political, Washington DC based job. If Casey wins I bet he does the same thing.
#9
I don't know if Casey will be harmed by the abortion issue. I remember reading that being opposed to abortion does not divide evenly among party lines. I don't recall the actual numbers, but dems oppose it in higher numbers than you might think. While the "Christian Right" almost overwhelmingly opposes abortion - the Christian moderates and conservative moderates (ah - you know what I mean) don't feel as strongly about the issue as you might suppose - that they take into consideration factors such as back room abortions and children being born unwanted. So like gun control and gay marriage - maybe this is not such a winner for the dems as we have been led to believe.
Connecticut's Democrats had most of the staples at their summer picnic Sunday _ pasta salad, burgers and speeches about serving blue-collar workers and taking back the governor's seat.
But one longtime fixture of Democratic party gatherings was absent: U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, the party's former vice presidential candidate.
While he stayed out of the public eye Sunday, political allies with whom he'd campaigned and served for decades _ including fellow U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd _ cheered on his Democratic opponent, Greenwich millionaire Ned Lamont, with the same adoration they once showered upon Lieberman.
Lieberman, who lost last month's party primary to Lamont, is running an independent campaign against Lamont and Republican Alan Schlesinger to retain the seat he has held for 18 years.
Lieberman was not invited to the picnic, and his name was never mentioned in the speeches. The only evidence of his existence was the lone Lieberman campaign worker who regularly appears at Lamont events to videotape Lamont's speeches.
Dodd, who said his schedule has prevented him from seeing or speaking with Lieberman since the night of the Aug. 8 party primary, said the election should be about broader public policy issues, not personalities.
"It's no secret I worked very hard for Joe to win the Democratic nomination," Dodd said. "I'm sorry he didn't, but the Democrats have spoken and I respect their choice."
Posted by: Fred ||
09/04/2006 00:00 ||
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"the Democrats have spoken and I respect their choice"
Translation: "I'm afraid they'll do the same thing to me if I don't kiss their asses and do exactly as I'm told. Anyway, thinking for yourself is highly overrated."
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/04/2006 0:33 Comments ||
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#2
I hope Joe drubs him in the Nov. election. I don't often agree with Joe, but I think he's a man of his convictions and has the backbone to stand for them. Kinda like Ronnie Reagan.
#3
This is all portrayed as the rise of the "netroots" and a referendum on the war, but the bunch rooting for the terrorists "antiwar movement" has an anti-Semitic streak a mile wide. I'm not so sure that we're not seeing that anti-Semitic streak at work here. Hillary Clinton has a voting record on the war that's nearly as neocon as Lieberman's, but the "netroots" are leaving her alone. Maybe because she's not Jewish?
Posted by: Mike ||
09/04/2006 7:57 Comments ||
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#4
According to Morris Hillary already has a "you people" to her credit. She's safe.
#5
The Kos Kiddies hate Senator Clinton as much as they do Senator Lieberman. They are antisemitic, sure, but they hate anyone who doesn't toe their line -- they've got lots of hate to share out.
#6
Or maybe they believe that Hillary isn't sincere about the whole neo-con thing and will change when she has an executive office of her own and a Congress behind her.
#7
Wake up, if Hillary gets the oval office and Kos has not displayed full unyielding support, his ass is grass, and the IRS is the lawn mower.
Don't ever forget who this lady prick really is.
#8
Hillary ever got to be president (please let that never happen) KOS is finish, she will nail them and anyone that ever said a damn bad thing about her from the donkey side.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
One of the New York state troopers shot on Thursday night near Fredonia has died. State police confirmed Sunday night that Trooper Joseph Longobardo has died of his injuries. He was shot in the leg on Thursday while searching for Ralph "Bucky" Phillips in the town of Cassadaga, south of Buffalo. State police say Phillips in the main suspect in the shooting. A massive manhunt for Phillips continues in Chautauqua County and the surrounding area.
Iraq, abortion and fiscal policy -- they're among the issues that divided the two leading candidates in a high-profile Pennsylvania Senate race during a debate this morning.
Connecticut's Democrats had most of the staples at their summer picnic Sunday _ pasta salad, burgers and speeches about serving blue-collar workers and taking back the governor's seat. 
