Man Discovered with 72 Cocaine Capsules in Stomach
According to Fox News, an Irish national was stopped in the Sao Paolo's Congonhas airport and arrested for drug trafficking last week. The 20-year-old, only identified as P.B.B., was arrested and examined after police noticed his nervous behavior going through the airport. Upon using medical imaging, Brazilian authorities discovered 72 cocaine capsules throughout the man's gastrointestinal tract. The Irish man was prevented from boarding a flight to Lisbon that was en route to Brussels. In total, the amount of cocaine in the man's system measured out to about a kilogram. The estimated worth is roughly around $200,000. According to the Irish Dependent, the suspect has been charged with international drug trafficking and can expect up to 15 years in prison. The Irish paper reports that more than 70,000 people a day "are estimated to pass through San Paolo international airport and approximately five a day are arrested for smuggling." The airport has connections to 53 different countries and is known as a main exit point for drug mules smuggling drugs into other countries.
Reno Air Crash Kills Nine
According to BBC News, an air show in Reno, Nevada went horribly wrong when an airplane crashed into a stand of onlookers Friday, killing seven people at the scene while two more died at the hospital. Dozens more were injured alongside the dead. The article reports that organizers believe "a mechanical fault was probably to blame." However, an official investigation, carried out by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), is being conducted to determine the exact reason. The plane that crashed was a vintage World War II-era P-51 mustang. The plane crashed about 4:30 p.m. local time on Friday during the National Championship Air Races. According to Mark Rosenker, the former chairman of the NTSB, "Nothing will be off the table when this investigation begins," he said to CBS News. He also added that the video footage and communications between the control tower would be examined as well. BBC reports that the Mustang was named "The Galloping Ghost," flown by famed air pilot, 74-year-old Jimmy Leeward.
Vegan Couple Found Guilty of Starving Baby
According to Fox News, a vegan couple located in Atlanta, Ga. was convicted of a life sentence by Georgia's top court after their six-week-old boy died of malnourishment. Upon investigation, authorities found the boy was fed mostly soy milk and apple juice. The first-time parents rushed the child to the hospital when he began having trouble breathing, and he was then pronounced dead by doctors upon arrival "after failing to resuscitate him." The Supreme Court's ruling was unanimous, and the jury found them "guilty of malice murder, felony murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children." According to the report, Defense Attorneys countered that the first-time parents "did the best they could while adhering to the lifestyle of vegans, who typically use no animal products." The parents apparently did not realize the boy was in trouble until they raced him to the hospital. Both individuals filed an appeal to the court system; however presiding Judge George Carely rejected both, saying the parents were "guilty of crimes for which they were convicted."
Deficit Reduction Battle in Washington Rages On
CNN reported last week that the deficit reduction battle is continuing in Washington, and now Republicans and Democrats cannot even agree on what type of battle to classify the conflict as. The article states, that according to Republicans, President Barrack Obama and Democrats are "waging class warfare by proposing tax reforms that would make wealthy Americans pay more than they do now." Class warfare is classified as picking one area of the economy and taxing those individuals more because they are not from another area, this according to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). Since the disagreement, the result has been a "rehash of the same arguments that have dominated the national debate of the past two years on how to cut the federal deficit and national debt." Obama has come up with a plan of his own since then. His proposed plan lays out a new tax rate for "Americans earning more than $1 million a year." This plan will ensure that these Americans will pay at least the same percentage of their earnings in taxes as middle-income Americans. Along with a proposed $447 billion job bill, the president hopes to stimulate economic growth.
A New Gold Rush in the West
According to an article on CNN.com, a new gold rush has emerged in the West. Soaring gold prices has given people a reason to search through small streams in hopes of finding small flakes of gold in the sediment. Bob Gustafon, a retiree, explained, "If you get in a good area and find some pieces you can find an ounce fairly fast." The article reports that just one ounce of gold can equal up to as much as $1,800. Chris Brawn, a fifth generation miner who teaches amateur prospectors how to mine for gold and sells gear for the activity, told CNN "he has seen a sharp increase in clients as the price of gold skyrocketed." Environmentalists have raised some concern about the new rush, saying the prospectors damage the natural surroundings where they hunt for gold. Brawn rejects these accusations, saying miners often pull trash from the rivers and end up leaving them cleaner than when they found them. Prospecting has even become a family outing, explains Brawn, as families bring their kids outdoors for fun while trying to earn a little extra income.
