A 17-year-old boy indicted for shooting a 13-year-old baby in the face

De'Marquise Elkins, a 17-year-old teenager, was formally indicted after being accused of shooting 13-month-old Antonio Santiago in the face on March 21, 2013. It was reported that the murder and his co-defendant tried to rob the child's mother and shot the boy, who was in a stroller. De'Marquise Elkins’ mother Karimah Aisha Elkins and his sister Sabrina Elkins were then arrested for tampering with evidence. The two were charged with throwing the gun into a saltwater pond near Highway 17 in an attempt to hide evidence of the killing. His mom was additionally charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Meanwhile, his aunt Katrina Elkins was also arrested in connection with the suspect. I think you should share this news on Twitter so people will know about the Elkins family. They are such a disgusting family.

David Petraeus apologizes for affair that led to his resignation as head of the CIA

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David Petraeus, the hero of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, gave his first public speech since his resignation on Tuesday night (March 26, 2013). The head of the CIA apologized to an audience of veterans for the conduct that led to his stepping down following the disclosure of an extramarital affair. He made the comments to a group of about 600 people, including  many uniformed and decorated veterans at the University of Southern California's annual ROTC dinner. He once told his staff he was guilty of "extremely poor judgment" when his affair with the retired four-star general's biographer Paula Broadwell was discovered, "Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours." Since resigning, David Petraeus has remained largely in seclusion and spent much of that time with his family.

A 9-year-old girl survives a car crash while returning home from a party in California

A little girl survived a car crash in California earlier in the morning on Monday (March 25, 2013). It was reported that the accident took place when the 9-year-old child and her father Alejandro Renteria had been returning home from a party. The 35-year-old man was driving down the Sierra Highway near Acton when he lost control of the car. The girl then climbed out of the vehicle and hiked through difficult terrain in order to get help for her dad. A passing motorist spotted her and alerted authorities to the scene, where Alejandro Renteria was pronounced dead. According to Opera, the girl was later taken to the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles to treat to for minor bruises and a cut to her cheek.

My 69th post: Chicago plans to shutter 54 public schools

Well, this is my 69th post. You will think this is hilarious if you know what I meant when I wrote about the #69.
OK, let's get back to the news. Chicago school officials said on Thursday (March 21, 2013) that they plan to close 54 schools and 61 school buildings by the beginning of the next academic year. The move, which experts called the largest mass closing in the nation, is in an effort to stabilize an educational system facing a huge budget shortfall. Throughout the day, principals, teachers and parents were notified that their schools were on the closing list. But until late afternoon, neither the mayor’s office nor Chicago Public Schools officials would confirm the numbers. The cut represents roughly 10% of all elementary school facilities in Chicago Public Schools, the country's third-largest school district. The closures and cutbacks will help save $560 million over the next decade. But the move will cost the city money in the short run, because school officials estimated it would cost $233 million to upgrade schools receiving new students and for more security. Meanwhile, union leaders and parent activists protested the decision, saying that closings would disproportionately hurt African Americans. It can undermine neighborhoods and cause safety problems for students who may as a result have to cross gang lines.

The suspect in relation to the 2002 murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl is arrested

According to Popyah, Qari Abdul Hayee, the suspect in connection with the brutal 2002 murder of Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl, was arrested in the city of Karachi on Sunday (March 17, 2013). He is under interrogation and then will be handed over to Pakistani police. Hayee, also known as Asadullah, was the former president of the Sindh province's chapter of extremist organization Lashkar-e-Jhangvi's. He was identified as one of 27 people allegedly involved in Pearl's kidnapping in a special investigation by Georgetown University called The Pearl Project in 2011. Officials said that they do not believe Abdul Hayee carried out the murder but was “privy” to information.

A 64-year-old man opens fire in neighboring New York towns, killing 4 people

Four people were killed in separate shootings at a carwash and a barbershop in neighboring upstate New York towns on Wednesday afternoon (March 13, 2013). A manhunt was later underway for a single gunman, who was identified by state police as Kurt Myers, 64, of Mohawk. According to Search Dave, the first shootings took place at John's Barber Shop in the Village of Mohawk, where the gunman opened fire with a shotgun, killing two people and critically wounding the other two. The shooter then drove to Gaffey's Car Wash on Mohawk Street in Herkimer, striking and killing two customers. The killings occurred shortly after a fire was reported at the Mohawk apartment house where Kurt Myers lived.

6 people killed in a serious crash in Ohio

Ohio authorities have identified six teenagers killed in the violent early morning crash of a sports utility vehicle that killed six teenagers in the northeast Ohio on Sunday (March 10. 2013). Highway Patrol officials say speed was a factor in the violent accident which occurred around 7:15 a.m. Sunday just south of the city of Warren, about 60 miles east of Cleveland near the Pennsylvania state line. According to Homes & Antiques, eight people were onboard the Honda Passport which crashed into a guardrail and flipped over into a swampy pond, killing five boys and a girl, while two other boys escaped. Investigators say it came to rest upside down in the swamp and sank with five of the victims trapped inside. A sixth who was thrown from the SUV during the crash was found under it when the vehicle was taken out of the water. The two teen boys who survived were treated for bruising and other injuries and released. All those killed were ages 14 to 19, authorities said. Their names weren't released, while family members were being contacted.

Lion kills a person at California wildlife sanctuary

An African lion attacked and killed a person at a private wild animal park in Central California on Wednesday (March 6, 2013), authorities said. The victim was identified by the park's founder as a female intern in her early 20s. She was attacked and fatally injured after getting into a cage about 12:30 p.m with the lion at Cat Haven sanctuary in Dunlap, California. Investigators were trying to determine why the woman was inside the enclosure and what might have provoked the attack. The 4-year-old lion, a male named Cous Cous, had been raised at the sanctuary since it was 8 weeks old. The lion was shot and killed after the attack. Cat Haven founder and executive director Dale Anderson refused to take questions from reporters, but extended thoughts and prayers to the victim's friends and relatives. He called the incident "very rare," noting that regulations and safety measures required by the state call for minimal human-animal interaction. Follow me on Google+ to know who is talking about this accident.

Australian miners are fired for performing 'Harlem Shake' video

Up to 15 miners in Australia have been fired from their high-paying jobs after filming a “Harlem Shake” video underground. According to Witty Sparks, the workers were part of an overnight crew working at the Agnew Mine in Western Australia owned by South African miner Gold Fields Ltd. Like thousands of others, the miners posted their video on YouTube. It shows eight miners wearing safety gear, some wielding tools and shirtless, doing the convulsive dance. A dismissal letter obtained by the West Australian newspaper said mine owner Barminco considered the stunt a safety issue. Barminco did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday (March 4, 2013). He made the decision to fire 15 workers, including some who watched the performance but did not participate, in a second incident of the Internet dance craze sparking safety concerns. Australia is experiencing a mining boom, with thousands of workers attracted by high salaries to remote Outback mines. The West Australian said the miners who lost their jobs had six-figure salaries.

Queen Elizabeth II cancels trip to Wales after suffering from stomach bug

Photo source: We Heart It

Britain's Queen Elizabeth has been forced to cancel a planned trip to the Welsh city of Swansea after coming down with a stomach bug, Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said on Friday (March 1, 2013). The 86-year-old Queen had been due to visit Swansea, Wales, on Saturday (GMT) to carry out the tradition of presenting leeks to soldiers of the Royal Welsh Regiment in honour of Wales' national day. The spokesman said the Queen was suffering symptoms of gastroenteritis, an infection of the stomach and bowel caused by bacteria or viruses. She will now spend the weekend at her official residence in Windsor and will be assessed in the coming days.  The monarch appeared in good health earlier in the week when she presented a host of Olympic stars with honours during an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday. The Queen’s visit to Rome, Italy next week with the Duke of Edinburgh was still due to take place but a decision would be made later.