Bad Luck Stories 2014... An Archive
Of "Hard Luck Stories Of The Month".

Realtor Working Alone Murdered : ... September 30, 2014.

An attractive 50 year-old Arkansas realtor has been murdered high-lighting the risks females face while working alone.

Beverly Carter disappeared after meeting a prospective buyer at an empty home in the town of Scott. Police used cellphone data to track her body to a shallow grave a half hour drive away. She leaves behind a husband, two sons and grandchildren.

The 33 year-old accused suspect told a reporter he targeted her "because she was just a woman that worked alone... a rich broker" and that he was "a stranger to her".

"Black Widow" Poisons 7 Partners: ... Nov 20, 2014.

A Japanese woman has been charged with the cyanide killing of 7 of her past partners... 4 husbands, 1 fiancee, and 2 former boyfriends.

The tiny, meek 67 year-old pleaded her innocence saying "This is terrible... there is no way for me to get such poison".

In just 10 years the "black widow" amassed a fortune of almost US$7 million dollars through inheritance and insurance.

Fearing Home Invader Dad Shoots Daughter: ... Oct 17, 2014.

Fearing an intruder had broken into his home at night a South African man has mistakenly shot his 8 year-old daughter in the head.

Being awoken around 3:30am by dogs barking the frightened man grabbed his weapon from the gun safe and fired through a closed door killing the little girl who was trying to get into the room to be with her parents.

A similar tragedy took place in 2004 when former South African Springbok rugby star Rudi Visagie (thinking a burglar was driving away with his 19 year-old daughter's car) accidentally shot her dead. Tragically she had decided to leave very early that morning to visit her boyfriend for his birthday.

The recent tragedy where Oscar Pistorius also shot and killed his lover through a closed door highlights the ultra violent environment in South Africa. The murder rate is 5 times the global average with around 17,000 murders per year.

Drone Risk to French Nuclear Plants? ... Nov 3, 2014.

A mysterious, co-ordinated wave of unidentified drone flights in recent weeks over at least 15 of France's nuclear power plants has authorities worried. It is illegal to operate drones within 5km of these installations.

France is the world's most nuclear dependant country with 58 nuclear reactors and 19 nuclear plants. Security experts are concerned that "the drones will take photos and video footage of the plants".

Greenpeace (a long time opponent of these nuclear plants) denies any involvement and alleges that additional security measures put in place after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the USA are inadequate. They claim "none of our nuclear plants could resist a plane crash" and even drones carrying explosives would present "an extremely important security issue".

800,000 Bees Kill Landscaper : ... October 9, 2014.

A swarm of 800,000 deadly Africanised "killer" bees has attacked 4 landscapers in Douglas, southern Arizona, USA. One man died and another was in a critical condition. The crew had been provided by the Douglas ARC which finds work for people with developmental disabilities.

The men were mowing grass and weeding the property of the 90 year-old house-owner when the bees emerged from the home's attic. Firefighters in protective bee suits (standard equipment in the Douglas Fire Dept) discovered a huge 3X8 foot nest in the attic. The elderly owner had no idea of its presence even though experts think it was up to 10 years old.

Africanised bees are much more aggressive than the European honey bees they have displaced. There are around 40 fatalities from bee attack each year in the US.

Private Jet Hits Snow Plough in Russia: ... Oct 21, 2014.

The private jet carrying the CEO of French oil giant Total has hit a snow plough while taking off from Moscow's Vnukovo Airport.

The tragedy occurred around midnight under conditions of poor visibility. Mr de Margerie and the 3 crew members had no chance of surviving the carnage.

The snowplough driver (who survived and is being detained for being drunk) became separated from a convoy of snowploughs. 4 other airport employees have also been detained including the traffic controller who gave the runway the "all clear".

Reuters reports "Russia's air safety record is patchy at best".

Brazilian Serial Killer of over 39 Arrested: ... Oct 17, 2014.

A 26 year-old Brazilian security guard has been arrested over the serial murders of at least 39 people over the past 3 years.

The quiet, handsome man still lived with his mother, never knew his father, and had been molested by a neighbour at age 11. He was in a relationship with a pretty church-going girl (whose appearance matched many of his 22 female victims)

He started out stabbing several prostitutes, choking several men he thought gay, and shooting random homeless people. However, this past year he shot 15 pretty young female victims in 7 months (one was only 14) from his motor bike in the city of Goiania. Gomes da Rocha attempted to commit suicide in his cell using glass from a broken light bulb to slash his wrists.

Cruise-ship Rape & Attempted Murder: ... Oct 1, 2014.

Miami... An Indonesian cruise ship room-service attendant for Holland America Line has pleaded guilty to rape and attempted murder. The incident occurred on a nudist cruise (where "clothes are optional") off the coast of Honduras in Central America.

The 29 year-old male room-attendant claims when he knocked on her door to deliver breakfast the 31 year-old woman insulted him by calling him "a son of a bitch". Apparently, the insult to his mother upset him so much that he then attacked and raped her, and tried to throw her overboard.

Makes you wonder... if he had succeeded in throwing the woman overboard, whether it would have been treated as "just another suicide at sea", and might he have gotten away with murder?

Young Tourists Murdered in Thailand : ... September 16, 2014.

An attractive 23 year-old university student and her 24 year-old companion have been savagely beaten to death with a garden hoe on the island of Koh Tao.

The British tourists had met up while in Thailand for the notorious and hedonistic "full moon party" on neighbouring Koh Phangnan island.

Both victims were found naked on the beach near their accommodation. Police were trying to determine whether the couple were disturbed while making love on the beach, or whether the woman had been raped and her companion killed while coming to her aid.

Police are yet to determine whether the murderers were local Thais, other foreign tourists, or poor Burmese migrant workers on the island.

Gas Explosion Kills 30, Injures 300: ... July 31, 2014.

A series of terrifying explosion from leaking gas pipelines in Taiwan have ripped along a main road sparking massive fires, blowing up cars, and littering the streets with burnt bodies and twisted rubble.

The catastrophe occurred in the port city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan with 2.8 million people. Several petrochemical companies operate pipelines in the district alongside the sewer system.

4 fire-fighters perished in the explosion which is thought to have been caused by leaking propene gas (which can't be put out with water). The government has sought to seize the assets of the company.

The incident has caused outrage at government oversight and permissive development rules which allow risky land use mixes of industrial and residential.

Volcano Eruption Kills 48 Hikers, 28 Missing: ... Sept 28, 2014.

A dramatic volcano on Japan's Mount Ontake, 130 miles west of Tokyo, has erupted killing at least 48 hikers and injuring dozens more; 28 hikers are still missing and unaccounted for. Many bodies were found under a 20cm deep layer of suffocating, muddy ash that dropped from a cloud of ash, debris and poisonous gas that rose 4km into the sky.

Rescuers found the victims in a state of "cardiac arrest" and not breathing. Many survivors were injured by flying rocks and suffered broken bones, or were burnt by hot ash which caused internal burns when inhaled.

The last significant eruption occurred in 1979 but Saturday's eruption happened without warning.

The mountain is popular with hikers in September as the autumn leaves make for a breath-taking landscape.

Woman Suicides in 1,000 Crocodile Pit: ... Sept 16, 2014.

A 65 year-old Thai woman has killed herself by jumping into a huge crocodile pit at the Samut Prakarn Crocodile farm and zoo in Thailand.

Witnesses said the woman had taken off her shoes before scaling a fence and jumping into the pit which contained over 1,000 crocodiles.

Rescuers had no hope of rescuing the woman's body from the mass of writhing reptiles. They identified her from a health insurance card found floating on the surface of the water.

Family members said later the woman had been suffering severe depression.

Barbarians At The Gate - War & Social Media : ... August 25, 2014.

Social Networks and Internet Media are being used to wage war as never before as brutal conflicts erupt around the globe.

'Islamic State' extremists are successfully using global Social Media Networks in world-wide recruitment and fund-raising campaigns.

Of greater concern is their increasing sophistication in using media to spread fear and terror to a global audience via their use of graphic, blood-chilling images of mass executions and beheadings as they wage their wars.

Global Intelligence think-tank Stratfor says... "Welcome to the mass media age... The wars of the 21st century will be different from those of the 20th... Technology, which the geeky billionaires of Silicon Valley and the Pacific Northwest claim has liberated us with new forms of self-expression, has also brought us back to the worst sorts of barbarism. We are back to a medieval world of theater, in which the audience is global."

Saudi Prince Ambushed in Paris: ... August 18, 2014.

The diplomatic convoy of a wealthy Saudi prince (dubbed the Arab World's Warren Buffet) has been attacked in a commando-style raid by 8 heavily armed assailants in Paris. Over 250,000 Euros (USD $350,000) in cash and "sensitive diplomatic documents" were seized in the heist. The prince's 10-vehicle convoy had left a posh hotel on the Champs Elysees and was on its way to a private airfield.

Prince Abdul Aziz (youngest and favourite son of the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia) usually travels with an entourage of around 50 bodyguards and servants. The prince reportedly once left a $114,000 tip at a restaurant on the Spanish island of Ibiza.

This robbery follows last year's daring heist from the luxurious French Riviera Carlton Hotel in Cannes, where thieves stole over $145 million in jewellery in less than a minute.

'COPS' Reality TV Camera-man Shot: ... August 28, 2014.

The camera-man for the 'COPS' reality TV show has been killed while filming a robbery in Omaha, Nebraska.

The 38 year-old was killed during a shoot-out in a Wendy's restaurant. Police returned fire after the robber fired a hand gun (which turned out to be an air-pistol firing plastic pellets). The robber was killed in the exchange.

Unfortunately, the camera-man was also shot and killed by friendly fire when a bullet penetrated a gap in his bullet-proof vest.

Tinder Romeo Charged over High-rise Death: ... August 15, 2014.

A New Zealand female has plunged to her death from the 14th floor balcony of a high-rise on Australia's Gold Coast. The attractive 26 year-old woman had flown in to attend a friend's wedding. A 28 year-old man she met online through Tinder has been charged with her murder.

Local media have dubbed the defendant "the Gold Coast love rat" following revelations of his boasts online of having slept with over 150 women. The "buffed Lothario... a tanned man with impossibly white teeth, his T-shirt stretched over a toned chest" (one of his online names was 'Superhero') also confessed to secretly filming women by attaching miniature spy cameras to his clothes as well as having motion sensing cameras installed in his apartment.

Some of his posts included... "Banged two girls last night. First one was 4/10 not really worth mentioning, didn't look like her pics and I couldn't even finish. Needed a slump buster since I haven't had a new girl in over a week... Second chick looked way better in person. Got a BJ in my car and on the hood. Wettest girl I've ever .... Loud too." (Daily Telegraph August 16th)

Researchers are worried about a new wave of Internet promiscuity and its effect on younger generations (Tinder admits that up to 7% of its 10 million daily users are aged 13 to 17). So much for "Modern Love".

Deadly Ebola Virus Spreading: ... July 28, 2014.

Signs of panic and fear are spreading throughout west Africa as the death toll from the current Ebola outbreak climbs to over 700 (50 were health workers including 2 Americans). Ebola is one of the world's deadliest diseases proving fatal in 60-90% of cases. There is no known cure.

Locals armed with machetes and slingshots are denying health workers access in some areas blaming them for introducing and spreading the disease. Instead, frightened locals are turning to local witch-doctors who use spells, voodoo and fetishes. Frustrated medical teams complain "We're not stopping the epidemic."

Nigerian officials are in crisis mode after a sick virus-carrier flew into Lagos airport (Africa's largest city with over 21 million people).

A grave digger at a burial site said... "We're all scared here. There is no solution. Only God can save us."

10 Year-old Indian Girl Ordered To Be Raped: ... July 10, 2014.

A 10 year-old girl has been raped (by a 25 year-old man) on the orders of a village headman as the entire village looked on. The incident is the latest brutal reminder of the atrocious record of violence against females in India.

The 25 year-old man had complained to the headman that he'd been beaten up the night before by the young girl's father. It didn't seem to matter that he'd earned the beating for breaking into the young girl's home while drunk and trying to molest her mother.

It seems many villagers live in fear of the village headman.

Texan Kills 6 of Ex-Wife's Family: ... July 10, 2014.

A 33 year-old Texan man (with a history of domestic violence) went looking for his ex-wife at her sister's home.

Pretending to be a delivery man, he gained entry to the home and tied up his 15 year-old ex-niece. When the other 4 children finally returned home (2 boys aged 4 and 13, 2 girls aged 7 and 9) along with their father and mother they too were tied up.

He then shot them all 7 of them, execution-style, in the back of the head. Their killer then left intent on hunting down his ex-wife's parents to kill them as well.

Miraculously, the 15 year-old girl survived the head wound and managed to alert police who intercepted and arrested the crazed murderer.

Russian Missile Shoots Down Passenger Jet Killing 298: ... July 18, 2014.

Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 has been blown out of the sky by a surface-to-air missile as it flew over a war zone in eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on board, including 80 children, were killed.

Wreckage and bodies were strewn over a huge area leaving an apocalyptic scene of devastation and carnage. Witnesses said "bodies were raining out of the sky". One woman's body was cut to pieces when it crashed through the corrugated roof of a farmhouse; another brought down power lines causing a blackout. The drop from 33,000 feet would have taken about 4 minutes

The crash site could not be secured due to clashes in the area between Ukrainian military and pro-Russian rebels. Fears were immediately raised that the disaster site would not be preserved to allow a proper investigation into the disaster (which some were calling a "war crime").

Looting of valuables and credit cards appears to have been carried out at the crash site and wreckage trampled over, removed, and interfered with. Fighting in the area has continued and intensified.

Massive Croc Pulls Man From Boat: ... June 8, 2014.

A 4.7 meter crocodile has snatched a 62-year-old man from his boat as he was dangling a bucket over the side in northern Australia's Kakadu National Park.

The saltwater monster was later killed 1.5 km away by park rangers who found human remains inside.

The attack was witnessed by the man's wife, son, and daughter-in-law who were in the boat with him. The family was then forced to drive 2 hours for help as cellphones don't work in the remote area.

Park rangers say the ever present crocodiles aren't usually very active during the winter months (the Park had only just been re-opened for the dry season).

Ducklings Cause Highway Deaths: ... June 25, 2014.

A 25 year-old woman stopped her car on the inside lane of a highway south of Montreal, Canada to gather up a brace of ducklings. Their mother was nowhere in sight and the woman thought to take them home.

Unfortunately a motorcycle smashed into the rear of her vehicle killing the 50 year-old driver and his 16 year-old daughter (her mother was following on another motorcycle and witnessed the tragedy). Police believe the motorcycle was travelling 20-30 km/hr over the speed limit at the time.

Charges have been laid against the woman which carry sentences up to 25 years.

Luxury Mansion Topples Off Limestone Cliff: ... June 14, 2014.

An $800,000 luxury mansion overlooking Lake Whitney (60 miles south of Fort Worth, Texas) has crumbled off the edge of a 75 foot limestone cliff.

The unfortunate owners bought the prestigious home 2 years ago after a geologist's report said the land was stable.

A crack in the ground opened up February 2014 and rapidly travelled and worsened. Insurance doesn't usually cover "earth movement".

The home was eventually set alight by firefighters to prevent it posing a hazard and falling apart piece by piece. Adjoining house owners are now wondering how this will affect their own homes and the resale values of this "high-dollar" area.

800 Babies Bodies Found in Irish Septic Tank: ... June 4, 2014.

A mass grave has been uncovered in Ireland's Galway County near a former home for unwed mothers.

The site was adjacent to the former Saint Mary's Mother and Baby Home which operated from 1925 to 1961 (run by Bon Secours nuns).

The 800 babies' bodies showed signs of malnutrition and disease. The institution had a capacity to house 243 but records indicate up to 333 residents (66 mothers and 271 babies) were at one time crammed into the building.

The site will be exhumed to look for more bodies. Meanwhile, the bodies of the 800 babies will be moved to consecrated ground for proper burial. Theresa Kelly, from the Children's Home Graveyard Committee, wants to "make sure those children's identities are acknowledged. They had names, they were human beings, not animals."

Deadly Bullfight... Bulls 3, Matadors 0: ... May 23, 2014.

A bullfight in Madrid, Spain was cancelled (for the first time in 35 years) after all 3 matadors were injured within the first hour.

The first matador was on his knees when the door of the bull-pen swung open releasing the first bull of the evening. The angry 532 kilogram beast charged the matador trampling him and opened up a foot-long gash to his thigh which severed the femoral vein. The gaping wound later required two hours of surgery and over 3 pints of transfused blood.

Minutes later the second matador was gored and tossed by the second bull of the evening (normally there are 6 bulls on the program). The massive animal went on to gore the third and final matador who was also severely injured when the bull's horns ripped into his hip and thigh.

Spain's Congress granted bullfighting "cultural heritage status" last year to protect the "sport" from increasing bans around the world.

Mafia Link to Monaco Heiress Murder? ... May 9, 2014.

77 year-old billionaire Monaco heiress Helene Pastor has died from wounds after being shot in nearby Nice, France. Her 64 year-old chauffeur was also killed in the attack.

Both victims were shot in the head and chest by shotgun blasts through their vehicle's window as they were driving away from L'Archet hospital. The heiress had been visiting her son (who is recovering from a stroke) who is a business associate of Leonardo DiCaprio.

The suspected Italian Mafia "hit" may be related to attempts to muscle in on Monaco's property market (up to one third of which is said to be controlled by the heiress's family).

Young Indian Girls Gang-raped & Hanged: ... May 29, 2014.

Violence against females in India continues with the gang-rape and hanging murder of two teenage girls (aged 14 and 15) in northern Uttar Pradesh state.

The girls belonged to the lowest Dalit class (previously called the "untouchables") and had gone out into the fields to the toilet because their homes didn't have one. Most of the 7 attackers were thought to in their late teens including at least two police officers.

After much criticism the Indian government finally acted last year by making gang-rape punishable by death.

$40m NFL Star a Triple Murderer? ... May 16, 2014.

NFL fans were shocked when Boston's New England Patriots star player Aaron Hernandez was charged with murdering a 27 year-old man in 2013.

Hernandez signed a $40 million contract (for 5 years) just weeks after the alleged incident.

To make matters worse, police have now charged him with two additional murders one year earlier. It is alleged the two victims were "ambushed and executed" in their car after meeting the NFL star one evening in a "chance encounter" at a night club.

Google Glassholes Be Careful: ... February 26, 2014.

Google's release of internet-connected spectacles (at around $1,500 each) seems to be causing a few problems.

Police had warned that "glassholes" may be targeted by muggers as well as privacy campaigners suffering "tech rage".

One wearer reported having her Google glasses snatched from her face and smashed on the ground during an anti-Google demonstration in San Francisco. A wearer was also accosted in a bar by patrons who thought they might be being filmed; while another was robbed by stun-gun wielding robbers in Venice L.A.... and others have been evicted from cinemas for suspected movie-piracy issues.

Other concerns raised are privacy issues in places like lavatories, and the risk of robbers gaining access to the wearer's private details, PIN numbers, etc.

Over 300 Drown in Ferry Disaster: ... April 16, 2014.

A South Korean ferry carrying 476 people has capsized leaving over 300 passengers dead or missing.

Among the victims were 339 young high school students and their teachers on an excursion.

The captain and 15 crew have been arrested for abandoning their ship and passengers. The South Korean Prime Minister has resigned over his government's handling of the disaster, while a principal at the high school has hung himself.

It is believed the ferry was heavily overloaded (perhaps 3 times over the safe limit), and that recent modifications to increase passenger capacity by 150 may have raised the ferry's centre of gravity also contributing to the tragedy. Checks of a sister ship have revealed life rafts and emergency equipment that didn't function, and cargo-tie-down-equipment that was either absent or didn't work.

Tragic School Bus Horror Smash Inferno: ... April 11, 2014.

A FedEx tractor-trailer has veered across a grassy freeway median strip and collided with an oncoming charter-bus filled with high school students. Both vehicles were obliterated by a series of explosions and a horrific fireball.

The drivers of both vehicles perished in the inferno as did 5 teenage students and 3 adult chaperones (2 were recently engaged in Paris). Dozens were injured. One of the teenage victims is survived by her twin who was travelling on a different bus.

The crash occurred about 150 miles north-east of San Francisco. The students were on their way to visit Humbolt university in a remote redwood area in far northern California. Many of the 44 students onboard were first generation college students from low income families.

51/2-inch Stiletto Shoe Killer found Guilty : ... April 8, 2014.

A Houston jury has found a 45 year-old woman guilty of stabbing her 59 year-old boyfriend to death with her 14cm (51/2-inch) stilettos. The victim, a university professor, was stabbed at least 25 times in the neck and face by the stilettos of her blue suede high-heel shoes.

Ana Trujillo claimed to have been sexually and physically abused by various men in the past, and that she was defending herself. The prosecution presented witnesses who detailed her criminal history and violent tendencies when drunk.

Snake-Worship Pastor Dies from Bite: ... February 17, 2014.

Kentucky pastor James Coots, who appeared in the reality TV show Snake Salvation, has died after being bitten by a rattle-snake during a service.

Coots had been bitten 9 times on earlier occasions but, being "a true believer", had always refused medical treatment and been lucky enough to survive.

His was one of around 100 snake-worshipping churches across Appalachia which cite a passage from the Bible that says "In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

Mudslide Engulfs Washington Town: ... March 25, 2014.

Oso, a small town north of Seattle, has been obliterated after being buried under a massive wall of mud which roared down from a rain-saturated mountain slope.The land-slide occurred in an area of loose glacial soil.

Rescuers found themselves sinking up to their armpits in quicksand-like mud as they scrambled to find survivors. At least 21 are confirmed dead with about 30 people missing.

Deadly Ebola Virus Spreading: ... March 25, 2014.

A new outbreak of deadly Ebola Virus in African Guinea has killed at least 78 people. The first outbreak occurred in the Congo in 1976 and now appears to have spread to West Africa (possibly carried by fruit-eating bats). The WHO estimates the virus has caused over 1,600 deaths to date.

The most deadly strain of the virus (Zaire), which has no cure and is up to 90 percent fatal, causes haemorrhagic fever, vomiting, internal and external bleeding from the gums, nose, eyes and ears, shock and finally death. Transmission occurs via contact with infected animals or humans, blood, sweat, faeces and sexual contact.

Guinea, one of the poorest nations on earth, has banned the sale and consumption of bats, rats, and monkeys. Mourners at funerals are being warned not to touch a dead person's body (as is the custom).

Neighbouring Sierra Leone and Liberia have closed their borders with Guinea but several cases and suspected deaths have already been reported in those countries.

Terrorists Run Amok in Train Station : ... March 2, 2014.

Up to 10 terrorists dressed in black and carrying long knives and machetes have attacked a crowd queuing to buy tickets at Kunming train station in south-western China's Yunnan province, killing 33 and injuring 143 people.

Police shot dead 5 of the terrorists and captured 4 others.

The horrific attack was blamed on Uighur separatists, an Islamic minority in western Xinjiang province. In 2009 Uighur mobs rampaged through the streets of Urumqi, Xinjiang's capital, hacking 200 people to death.

Vicious "Knockout" Game Spreads around World: ... January 2, 2014.

Australians call it the "King-Hit", others the "Sucker-Punch"... a one-punch, unprovoked attack on an unsuspecting by-stander who doesn't see it coming and is caught totally unawares.

90 Australians have been killed since 2,000 either by a deadly blow to the head or when they smashed their heads as they fell to the concrete unconscious. Most instances are booze or drug-fuelled bashings. In a desperate effort to stop this dangerous trend authorities are seeking to change laws by renaming these attacks a "Coward-Punch" and imposing stiffer jail sentences.

This deadly form of violence has now hit the streets of New York where the latest gang craze is to sneak up on passers-by and knock them out.

Looks like it's now no longer enough to mind your own business when walking the streets... you'd better also watch your back.

Deadly Volcano Eruption in Indonesia: ... February 2, 2014.

A dark, searing cloud of deadly gases spewing from a volatile volcano on Indonesia's Mount Sinabung has blanketed the surrounding country-side killing at least 16 people, including 4 school children.

It is expected more charred bodies will be discovered in an area that is home to over 30,000 people. The region lies on the seismically active arc of volcanoes and fault line called the "Pacific Ring of Fire".

Amorous Couple Gassed in Car: ... February 3, 2014.

A Pennsylvania coroner has ruled a couple (both aged 40) found dead in a car died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Police believe they were having sex as the female was only partially clad. The car still had the ignition turned on but had run out of fuel, as had a kerosene heater which was also turned on. The incident occurred in a garage that was rented out to the brother of the deceased.

Drug paraphernalia and marijuana were also found in the car.

Nepal Air Crash Claims 18 Lives : ... February 16, 2014.

A de Havilland Twin Otter aircraft has crashed in a remote mountainous region near the city of Pokhara, Nepal.

Snow and poor visibility due to fog are thought to have contributed to the tragedy. 15 passengers (one a Danish tourist) and 3 crew perished in the crash.

Unexploded WW II Bomb Detonates: ... January 3, 2014.

A suspected unexploded World War II bomb has destroyed an excavator killing its driver near Cologne, Germany and damaging cars and nearby buildings.

70 years after WW II unexploded bombs are still regularly uncovered on German building sites. In 2011 a 4,000 pound British "air mine" and 2 smaller bombs were exploded after 45,000 had to be evacuated in Koblenz.

Man Shot for Texting in Cinema: ... January 14, 2014.

A 43 year old Florida man has been shot dead in an up-market, 25-people cinema theatre because he and his wife were texting and talking loudly.

A confrontation occurred between the man and the 71-year-old retired Tampa Police captain sitting behind them with his wife.

An argument broke out during the opening scenes of the movie (Mark Wahlberg's "Lone Survivor") with voices being raised and pop-corn thrown. The angry retiree drew a pistol and shot the man.

Man Throws 3 Year-old off 52nd Floor & Jumps: ... December 23, 2013.

A man has thrown his 3 year-old son off the roof of a 52 storey Manhattan apartment building before jumping to his own death.

The 35-year-old man was in a custody dispute wife his wife and was supposed to hand the boy over to his mother. The toddler was wearing Christmas pyjamas.

In March a woman plunged out of an eight storey in Harlem to her death while clutching her 10 month baby son (who miraculously survived).

Another Indian Girl Gang-Raped & Burnt: ... January 2, 2014.

A 16-year-old girl was gang-raped by six men after being lured from her home to an empty house near Calcutta airport last October.

The teenager's parents found her semi-conscious in a field and took her to the police station the following day. The rapists caught up with the girl again after she left the police station and gang-raped her a second time after overpowering her father.

The victim suffered ongoing harassment and threats over subsequent weeks while police investigated and questioned the suspects. Finally, two of the rapists attacked her and burnt her to death on Christmas eve. The 6 rapists were eventually arrested.

2 Australian Surfers Killed by Sharks: ... November 23 & 30, 2013.

A 29 year old Australian surfer was killed in a early morning shark attack off Gracetown, Western Australia. The father of two reportedly lost his left arm and part of his right leg in the attack. A witness told how the 10' Great White "shark bit him and held him for about a minute... He was dead before the shark let go".

Tragically, just one week later, an 19 year old body-boarder lost both legs when attacked near Coffs Harbour, NSW on Australia's east coast. The young man suffered severe blood loss and died on the beach. Authorities suspect it was a tiger shark.

Police Chopper Crashes Through Pub Roof: ... December 21, 2013.

Horrified witnesses told how a police helicopter "dropped like a stone" onto a pub in Glasgow, Scotland on Friday night and hit a crowd of over 130 people watching a band play.

The pub was plunged into darkness as the chopper crashed through the roof, engulfing the revellers in a cloud of dust and showering them with twisted metal and falling masonry.

All 3 police officers on board the Eurocopter EC135 were killed as were at least 7 of the pub's patrons. Over 30 others were hospitalised.

Authorities suspect a mechanical problem was the cause as the pilot was "as experienced as you could possibly get", having spent 20 years flying with the RAF in both Gulf wars, the Falkland Islands, Bosnia, Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Iraq.

'Fast and Furious' Star's Fiery Crash: ... December 1, 2013.

Tragically, the life of Hollywood star Paul Walker came to an end when the Porsche Carrera GT in which he was a passenger hit a light pole and exploded into flames.

The high performance red sports car (capable of 240 mph) was being driven by his car-dealer friend and financial advisor, and co-owner in an auto-racing team.

The actor had been attending a fund raiser at his friend's dealership to raise money for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan which had recently devastated the Philippines. The funds were being raised for 'Reach Out Worldwide', a charity founded by Paul Walker in 2010 for the victims of natural disasters.

The actor will star in a soon-to-be-released movie about Hurricane Katrina entitled "Hours".

2 Dead in Tiger Moth Joy-Ride Tragedy: ... December 16, 2013.

A 73 year old Tiger Moth bi-plane has plunged into the sea off Australia's premier tourist mecca The Gold Coast in a joy-ride tragedy.

The 26 year old experienced British pilot and his 21 year old female French national passenger were killed instantly when the predominantly wood and fabric aircraft disintegrated on impact.

An onboard camera was later recovered and showed that the left wing had sheared off at the beginning of an aerial acrobatic manoeuvre at 3,500'.