What's your favorite hobby? (John Hamilton) Sometimes a hobby can turn into a side business, as it did for skydiver Sydney Owen. While working at a public relations agency, she took up skydiving on the weekends, and then started handling marketing for the skydiving company. Now, she runs her own marketing business on the side.
Chau Van was kept on the Oakland Police Department's Most Wanted list for months, despite the fact that he wasn't actually wanted for any crime, a lawsuit contends. According to the Oakland Tribune, 37-year-old Van was named one of Oakland's four most-wanted criminals for "nearly beating a man to death with a baseball bat in [...]
New companies are coming up with ways to make smartphones into devices to monitor the foot traffic in stores or keep track of Alzheimer's patients with the kind of technology used in house arrests. With the right incentives, people might even choose to be watched. Read more...
Last night, we took a look at how House Speaker John Boehner's significant gamble on the sequester has paid off so far. This morning, Politico's Glenn Thrust and Carrie Budoff Brown write the opposite angle - that President Barack Obama's consistent doomsday warnings of the pain of the sequester have made it seem like he's "crying wolf."
WASHINGTON (AP) - Seeking to reassure anxious Israelis and their American supporters, Vice President Joe Biden vowed Monday that the United States won't back down from its pledge to use military action to thwart Iran's nuclear program should all other options fail. "President Barack Obama is not bluffing," he said.
A woman holds a picture of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez and the country's national flag during an event commemorating the violent street protests of 1989 known as the "Caracazo," in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. / AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos
CARACAS, Venezuela Venezuela's vice president said Thursday that President Hugo Chavez is fighting for his life while he continues to undergo treatment more than two months after his latest cancer surgery.
Vice President Nicolas Maduro said on television that Chavez "is battling there for his health, for his life, and we're accompanying him."
The vice president has used similar phrasing in the past, saying on Dec. 20 that Chavez "is fighting a great battle ... for his life, for his health."
Chavez hasn't spoken publicly since before his latest cancer operation in Cuba on Dec. 11. He returned to Venezuela on Feb. 18, and the government says he has been undergoing more treatment at a military hospital in Caracas.
Maduro also called for Venezuelans to keep praying for Chavez and to remain loyal to the president. He said Chavez's health had suffered because he had dedicated himself "body and soul" to his work as president.
Chavez himself has previously acknowledged that he was neglecting his health in recent years, often staying up late and drinking dozens of cups of coffee a day.
The president has undergone surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments since June 2011, when he first announced his cancer diagnosis. He hasn't specified the type of cancer or the exact location in his pelvic region where his tumors have been removed.
video by Newsy
The ex-wife of the so-called 'cannibal cop' told the court how she discovered her husband's fantasies about killing and eating her.
Gooooooooo America! Some countries might be all, "Pooh pooh, I dew nut allow my cheezbeurgueur quotient to rise abeuve 5% beceuze I am tew beezay eating verrrry small miniateure cheeckens and plump oleeves straight frem de vine!" (That's my "other country" accent. I'm really good at it.)
19 February 2013 Last updated at 00:12 ET HelpPlease turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.
Hours after her sister sat behind President Obama during his speech in Chicago on Friday, 18-year-old Janay McFarlane was killed by a gunshot wound to the head. If this sounds familiar, it's because it is; not three weeks ago, 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton was killed by stray gunfire in Chicago, just days after performing at Obama's second inauguration.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy has died after a shootout in the Big Bear area with a suspect believed to be Chris Dorner. It is believed that the man remains barricaded in a cabin that was engulfed by flames.
Authorities say the situation began at about 12:20 p.m. when deputies responded to the 1200 block of Club View Drive for a report of a stolen vehicle by a man matching Dorner's description. Deputies immediately began a search of the area.
The vehicle was located at Highway 38 and Glass Road a short time later. The suspect fled into the forest on foot and barricaded himself inside a cabin. There was an exchange of gunfire between law enforcement and the suspect, leaving two San Bernardino sheriff's deputies wounded. One deputy died of his injuries at the hospital. The second deputy was in surgery and was expected to survive, an official said.
A fire has erupted at the cabin where the suspect is believed to be holed up, but it was unclear how the blaze started. Once the fire started, a single gunshot was heard from inside the cabin, then more gunfire was heard, which may have been ammunition exploding due to the fire.
"We have reason to believe that it is him," San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Cynthia Bachman said.
Chris Dorner manhunt: See a timeline of key events
Numerous law enforcement officers are on scene. All vehicles on highways 38, 330 and 18 were searched in connection to the Dorner search, but the roads have since reopened with the exception of Highway 38, which is open only to residents.
"If he's watching this, the message for himself is, enough is enough, it's time to turn yourself in, it's time to stop the bloodshed," said LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith. "Let this incident be over."
It is also believed Dorner committed a residential burglary of a cabin and had two people tied up in the cabin. One was able to get away and make a call. Police say the women did not require medical attention and were not hospitalized.
The area is in the Big Bear region where a search for Dorner has been under way since his pickup truck was found there Thursday. Authorities earlier said the search in Big Bear will continue until Dorner is caught, or it has been determined that he is no longer on the mountain. Big Bear Lake-area residents with surveillance cameras on their property were asked to check if they captured footage of the suspect.
Ex-LAPD Officer Chris Dorner manifesto: Read it now
A federal law enforcement source confirmed to ABC News that surveillance video of a man buying scuba gear at a Sport Chalet in Torrance on Feb. 1 was Dorner. The video was obtained by TMZ on Monday. Investigators are also looking into reports that Dorner checked into a Manhattan Beach hotel and wrote his manifesto there.
The LAPD said at a news conference Tuesday morning that it is looking into more than 1,000 tips from the public. Authorities raided a hotel in Tijuana, Mexico, on Monday night, hoping to capture Dorner, but he was not found.
"We had information early on that he had indications of going to Mexico, and so preparations were made to follow up on those leads," said LAPD Lt. Andy Neiman.
See a map detailing the chain of events in the Chris Dorner case
In an affidavit, the U.S. Marshals Service says not only does it believe Dorner might have fled, but he may have had help. Security was extremely tight at the border, causing huge traffic backups. There have been no confirmed sightings of Dorner crossing the border or of him inside Mexico. The affidavit mentioned a possible associate of Dorner's whose family member had property in Arrowbear Lake.
As the search for Dorner expands, the reward for information leading to an arrest is growing. Last weekend, the Los Angeles Police Department made history by announcing its biggest reward ever -- $1 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the former LAPD officer and Navy serviceman. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a motion to add $100,000 to the reward. The County Board of Supervisors and the Riverside City Council are also considering an additional $100,000 each, and the Riverside County supervisors are also hoping to add another $100,000, which would bring the total to an unprecedented $1.4 million. That's the largest bounty in Southern California's history.
Though Dorner is still on the run and hasn't set foot in front of a judge, he has been officially charged with murder. The Riverside County District Attorney's Office filed criminal charges against the fugitive for the murder of Riverside Officer Michael Crain and three counts of attempted murder of another Riverside officer and two LAPD officers. The charges would make 33-year-old Dorner eligible for the death penalty.
The separate shootings on the Riverside officers and LAPD officers happened early Thursday after Dorner became the target of a manhunt. Dorner was identified as the prime suspect in the killings of Monica Quan, a former LAPD captain's daughter, and her fiancé, Keith Lawrence, in Irvine the previous weekend.
Dorner is believed to have posted an online manifesto last week declaring war against the LAPD for wrongly firing him. His rant posted on Facebook identified his targets in his revenge plan. The LAPD has since gone to extreme measures to protect the dozens of families and law enforcement officers mentioned in the suspect's lengthy manifesto.
Authorities emphasize that Dorner is armed and considered extremely dangerous. If seen, do not attempt to contact him. Call 911.
Anyone with tips on Dorner is asked to contact the LAPD at (213) 486-6860 or (800) 222-8477. Tips can also ben sent via email to dornertf@lapd.lacity.org.
(Copyright ©2013 KABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict shocked the world on Monday by saying he no longer had the mental and physical strength to cope with his ministry, in an announcement that left his aides "incredulous" and will make him the first pontiff to step down since the Middle Ages.
The German-born Pope, 85, hailed as a hero by conservative Roman Catholics and viewed with suspicion by liberals, told cardinals in Latin that his strength had deteriorated recently. He will step down on February 28 and the Vatican expects a new Pope to be chosen by the end of March.
Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the Pope had not decided to resign because of "difficulties in the papacy" and the move had been a surprise, indicating that even his inner circle was unaware that he was about to quit.
The Pope does not fear schism in the Church after his resignation, the spokesman said.
The Pope's leadership of 1.2 billion Catholics has been beset by child sexual abuse crises that tarnished the Church, one address in which he upset Muslims and a scandal over the leaking of his private papers by his personal butler.
The pope told the cardinals that in order to govern "...both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.
"For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter."
He also referred to "today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith."
The last Pope to resign willingly was Celestine V in 1294 after reigning for only five months, his resignation was known as "the great refusal" and was condemned by the poet Dante in the "Divine Comedy". Gregory XII reluctantly abdicated in 1415 to end a dispute with a rival claimant to the papacy.
"NO OUTSIDE PRESSURE," JUST ADVANCING AGE
Before he was elected Pope, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was known by such critical epithets as "God's rottweiler" because of his stern stand on theological issues.
But after several years into his new job Benedict showed that he not only did not bite but barely even barked.
In recent months, the pope has looked increasingly frail in public, sometimes being helped to walk by those around him.
Lombardi ruled out depression or uncertainty as being behind the resignation, saying the move was not due to any specific illness, just advancing age.
The Pope had shown "great courage, determination" aware of the "great problems the church faces today", he said, adding the timing may have reflected the Pope's desire to avoid the exhausting rush of Easter engagements.
There was no outside pressure and Benedict took his "personal decision" in the last few months, he added.
Israel's Chief Rabbi praised Benedict's inter-faith outreach and wished him good health. The Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Anglican Church, said he had learned of the Pope's decision with a heavy heart but complete understanding.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the Pope's decision must be respected if he feels he is too weak to carry out his duties. British Prime Minister David Cameron said: "He will be missed as a spiritual leader to millions."
The pontiff would step down from 2 p.m. ET on February 28, leaving the office vacant until a successor was chosen to Benedict who succeeded John Paul, one of history's most popular pontiffs, the spokesman said.
Elected to the papacy on April 19, 2005 when he was 78 - 20 years older than John Paul was when he was elected - Benedict ruled over a slower-paced, more cerebral and less impulsive Vatican.
MEEK DEMEANOUR, STEELY INTELLECT
But while conservatives cheered him for trying to reaffirm traditional Catholic identity, his critics accused him of turning back the clock on reforms by nearly half a century and hurting dialogue with Muslims, Jews and other Christians.
Under the German's meek demeanor lay a steely intellect ready to dissect theological works for their dogmatic purity and debate fiercely against dissenters.
After appearing uncomfortable in the limelight at the start, he began feeling at home with his new job and showed that he intended to be Pope in his way.
Despite great reverence for his charismatic, globe-trotting predecessor -- whom he put on the fast track to sainthood and whom he beatified in 2011 -- aides said he was determined not to change his quiet manner to imitate John Paul's style.
A quiet, professorial type who relaxed by playing the piano, he managed to show the world the gentle side of the man who was the Vatican's chief doctrinal enforcer for nearly a quarter of a century.
The first German pope for some 1,000 years and the second non-Italian in a row, he traveled regularly, making about four foreign trips a year, but never managed to draw the oceanic crowds of his predecessor.
The child abuse scandals hounded most of his papacy. He ordered an official inquiry into abuse in Ireland, which led to the resignation of several bishops.
STRING OF SCANDALS
Scandal from a source much closer to home hit in 2012 when the pontiff's butler, responsible for dressing him and bringing him meals, was found to be the source of leaked documents alleging corruption in the Vatican's business dealings, causing an international furor.
He confronted his own country's past when he visited the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz.
Calling himself "a son of Germany", he prayed and asked why God was silent when 1.5 million victims, most of them Jews, died there during World War Two.
Ratzinger served in the Hitler Youth during World War Two when membership was compulsory. He was never a member of the Nazi party and his family opposed Adolf Hitler's regime.
But his trip to Germany also prompted the first major crisis of his pontificate. In a university lecture he quoted a 14th century Byzantine emperor as saying Islam had only brought evil to the world and that it was spread by the sword.
After protests that included attacks on churches in the Middle East and the killing of a nun in Somalia, the Pope later said he regretted any misunderstanding the speech caused.
In a move that was widely seen as conciliatory, in late 2006 he made a historic trip to predominantly Muslim Turkey and prayed in Istanbul's Blue Mosque with a Turkish Mufti.
But months later, former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami met the Pope and said wounds between Christians and Muslims were still "very deep" as a result of the Regensburg speech.
(Writing by Peter Millership; editing by Janet McBride and Ralph Boulton)
WASHINGTON - Obama administration lawyers have asserted that it would be lawful to kill a United States citizen if "an informed, high-level official" of the government decided that the target was a ranking figure in Al Qaeda who posed "an imminent threat of violent attack against the United States" and if his capture was not feasible, according to a 16-page document made public on Monday.