Sorm Chasers

A Canadian storm chaser following the tornados in the United States Midwest says Canada needs to do more to alert residents of extreme weather, especially after witnessing devastation that could have been even worse, in Joplin, Missouri.

“Had there not been warnings, we could be talking about thousands, or ten’s of thousands that could've been killed,” Greg Johnson said from his hotel room in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

In the end over 100 people were killed, but the alarm system in place in the United States alerted people 20 minutes before the tornado hit. For many people, five minutes warning is enough to find shelter.

“It makes a world of difference,” Johnson said. “The Joplin tornado went right through the heart of the city.”

In addition to loud alarms that sound when there’s a warning, text messages are sent out and the media instantly breaks into local and national programming.

Meanwhile, in Canada, Environment Canada only alerts residents through media releases and weather radio.

“The problem is if you're not paying attention to the media, or you're not paying attention to the internet, you're not going to get those watches or warnings,” Johnson explained.

There are ten interlocking radar sites on the Prairies, including one near Bethune, Sask., which pick up severe weather patterns long before they hit. It gives residents their first alert a storm is brewing.

“We will issue out a watch, usually about two or three hours in advance,” Gregg Walters, Environment Canada’s Warning Preparedness Meteorologist for Saskatchewan said. “When you have a watch for your area, you should actually probably pay closer attention to any sort of weather reports.”

Johnson believes more can be done before this summer, which he says could be a busy one for extreme weather.

“There is forecasting that says ‘You know what? Canada, look out. We've got a busy July coming up’,” Johnson explained.

With the hopes no “Joplins” happen in Saskatchewan.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day

In this undated photo, the honor guard of the Freeman H. Sharp American Legion Post fires off a salute at Memorial Day ceremonies. Pioneer file photo.

Local veterans’ groups have public events planned for Memorial Day, May 30, the date set aside to honor those Americans who lost their lives in time of war and those veterans who have passed on.

The Freeman H. Sharp American Legion Post will present Memorial Day services at 9 a.m. at the Colorado River Indian Tribes’ Cemetery and at 10:30 a.m. at the Parker Cemetery. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7061 will also be participating.

Following the services, VFW Post 7061 will host several events at the post, which is located at 516 Hopi Ave. Starting at approximately 10:45 a.m., the post will hold a flag-raising ceremony, a 26-gun salute, a POW-MIA balloon launch, and a flag retirement ceremony.

These events will be followed by a barbecue with a live band and karaoke. The requested donation for the barbecue is $5 per plate.

The American Legion and VFW posts in Bouse will hold a joint Memorial Day service at 11 a.m. at the VFW Post located on the south end of the community on State Route 72.

American Legion Post 466 in Big River, Calif., will be holding a Memorial Day ceremony at 9 a.m. at the Vidal Cemetery. This will be followed by a community potluck at the post, which is located at 150126 Del Rey Drive.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 769 in Quartzsite will hold a Memorial Day service at 9 a.m. at the Hi Jolly Cemetery. This will be followed by a community potluck at the post, which is located on South Palo Verde Road off Main Street (B-10).

Liger

Two liger cubs - a cross between a male lion and a female tiger - are being nursed by a dog at a zoo in Weihai, eastern China.
Four cubs were born at the Xixiakou Wildlife Zoo earlier this month but only two survived.
The mother stopped feeding the cubs after a few days so the dog, which had recently had its own puppies, was enlisted to help.
Ligers are extremely rare and are thought to only be born in captivity.

Zoo spokesman Cong Wen said it was not clear why the tiger had stopped feeding her cubs, the Associated Press reports.
But she said that after some initial problems, the pair were feeding well from their canine stepmother.
Although they are a different species, tigers and lions are able to breed together.
Ligers are the largest known cat, usually growing much larger than either parent.

Peacock

Republican businessman Barrow Peacock of Shreveport today announced he would be a candidate for the District 37 seat in the Louisiana state Senate.
The seat is being vacated by state Sen. B.L. "Buddy Shaw," who announced in January he will not run for re-election.
Just after Shaw's announcement, state Rep. Jane Smith (R-Dist. 8, Bossier), who is being term-limited out of the state House of Representatives at the end of her present term, announced on Jan. 18 her intentions to run for the District 37 seat.
District 37 is split between Shreveport and Bossier, with Shreveport having 53% of the vote to Bossier's 47%. The district saw few changes in this year's reapportionment other than a 4% drop in minority voters (from 24% to 29%).
Peacock, 41, is a partner in BHB Properties, a Shreveport investment and real estate firm. He holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and B. A. in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University. A licensed Certified Internal Auditor, Peacock is a Louisiana Notary Public, and holds a Louisiana real estate license.

"For too long Louisiana has taxed too much and spent too much. Louisiana hasn't grown, the government has," Peacock said.
He supports term limits, will oppose new taxes, supports limiting the size of government, seeks to promote conservative values in Louisiana, would oppose any attempt to bring back the Stelly Tax, and would work to create a "Job Friendly" Louisiana.
Peacock serves as an elected member of the Louisiana State Republican Central Committee.
In addition,  he serves on the Board of Directors of Christus Schumpert Health Foundation, the Board of Directors of Louisiana Association for the Blind, and the Board of Directors of the Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana, on which he serves also as Finance Chairman. He is a member of the National Rifle Association, the Shreveport Rotary Club, a holder of a Louisiana Concealed Handgun permit, and serves as an Auxiliary
Deputy Sheriff in Caddo Parish.
He is married to the former Melanie Fuller and they are the parents of three sons. They are members of First Methodist Church in Shreveport.
The election is scheduled for October 22.

Casey Anthony Trial

"It is time to tell the story of a little girl named Caylee," said prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick, beginning her opening statement in the murder trial of the young girl's mother Tuesday.
Casey Anthony is accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in 2008 and lying about it to investigators.
The trial, which comes after nearly three years of legal twists, turns and delays, has garnered interest outside of Orlando and even Florida.
At 5 a.m., more than 30 potential spectators were lined up to get tickets to get inside the courtroom, according to In Session producer Nancy Leung. In an hour, that number had swelled to more than 50 -- with a full three hours to go before court began.
One woman said she took time off from her job in Chicago and bought a last-minute ticket to be at the trial. Another woman planned her vacation around opening statements, and a third, from England, happened to be in town for a wedding and decided to come.
The first 50 people in line received tickets to get inside. Also in the courtroom were Casey Anthony's parents, George and Cindy Anthony.
Anthony, now 25, wore a loose-fitting white tunic for the first day of her trial. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She chatted with her defense attorneys before court was called to order, as boxes of evidence were carried into the courtroom, but appeared somewhat anxious and subdued.
As she began her opening statement, Burdick described Caylee as a little girl who was much loved by her grandparents and lived an idyllic existence at their home, with their swimming pool and her Winnie-the-Pooh-decorated bedroom.
Anthony, who was 19 when her daughter was born, "appeared to all outward observers to be what her parents thought she was -- a loving mother working hard to provide support for her daughter," Burdick said. "But as the evidence in this case and the investigation into the background of Casey Anthony will show, that was an illusion." Anthony's parents thought she had returned to her job at Universal Studios after maternity leave, Burdick said, and indeed she dressed daily in work clothes and had a Universal Studios ID, but went "who knows where."
Caylee visited her great-grandfather on June 15, 2008 -- Father's Day -- and a photograph was taken of the two together, Burdick said.
"The next time a photograph was taken of Caylee Anthony is on December 11 of 2008," when her skeletal remains were found about a quarter-mile from where Anthony and her daughter lived with her parents, Burdick said. As the prosecutor spoke, Anthony frowned, shook her head and wiped tears off her cheeks.
"The story of this case is not about Casey Anthony. It is about what happened between the photograph taken on Father's Day, June 15, 2008, and the photograph taken on December 11 of 2008. What happened to Caylee Marie Anthony? You will hear, during the testimony in this case, that no one had any idea anything had befallen Caylee Marie Anthony until July 15 of 2008 (when she was reported missing). How can that be? What happened between June 16 and July 15? Where was Caylee Marie?"
In addition to capital murder, Anthony faces six other charges, including aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child and providing false information to authorities. If she is convicted by jurors -- seven women, five men and five alternates -- she could face the death penalty.
The jury was seated Friday after the process was moved to Clearwater, Florida, in Pinellas County out of concerns that an impartial jury could not be seated in Orlando, in Orange County, because of the intense media attention the case has generated.
Anthony has pleaded not guilty, and denies harming her daughter or having anything to do with her disappearance. One of her defense attorneys, Jose Baez, has said that once all the facts are known, it will become clear his client is innocent.
Burdick took jurors through each day of the month Caylee was missing before authorities were alerted, detailing Anthony's whereabouts according to cell phone records and her explanations to those, including her parents, who asked where Caylee was.
Those who asked were told Caylee was at the beach, in the care of babysitters -- "Zanny," "Juliet" and "Annabelle" -- while Anthony was at an out-of-town conference or even that Caylee had accompanied her to Tampa and Jacksonville. "Where is Caylee Marie Anthony?" Burdick ended the account of each day by asking.
Burdick discussed Anthony's participation in a "hot body" contest at a local club, where she was photographed partying. All the while, Burdick said, Anthony continued to tell her parents lies regarding the child's whereabouts, as well as her own.
"Casey Anthony's story grows," Burdick said. "There is no Zanny. There is no Juliet. There is no Annabelle." During the time Caylee was missing, Burdick said, Anthony spent most of the time staying with her then-boyfriend, Tony Lazzaro.
Both the prosecution and the defense face hurdles, said In Session correspondent Jean Casarez, who has followed the case from the beginning.
The cause of Caylee's death was homicide by undetermined means, meaning there is no cause of death, she said.
"One of the elements in the statute for murder is that the defendant caused the death," Casarez said. "This is a circumstantial case, so prosecutors will build their building blocks toward that answer, but they don't have a definitive cause of death, and that can be a problem. I have seen cases where there are acquittals because the prosecution does not have a cause of death."
Duct tape was still stuck to the lower facial region of the child's body, authorities have said.
"(Caylee's) killer prepared some substance in advance that would render her physically unable to resist," prosecutor Jeff Ashton said at a December 2009 hearing, "administered the substance, awaited its effect and then methodically applied three pieces of duct tape to completely cut off the flow of air through her mouth or her nose and let nature take its course."

Authorities have said that the amount of decomposition would seem to indicate Caylee died shortly after she went missing.
Prosecutors allege that after killing her daughter, Anthony stashed the body in the trunk of her Pontiac Sunfire before disposing of it. A cadaver dog has alerted to the scent of human decomposition in the trunk, and testing showed the presence of chloroform. Orange County Superior Court Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. ruled last month jurors can hear the chloroform testimony. In addition, investigators have said they found Internet searches of websites mentioning chloroform on Anthony's computer.
Burdick also discussed the odor in Anthony's car in opening statements Tuesday, her explanation that there was a dead animal caught in the frame and her claim that it had problems and had run out of gas. A week later, it was towed to a wrecker yard, where it stayed until July 15.
Anthony's high-powered defense team, fighting to save her life, will likely try to cast doubt on prosecutors' scientific evidence. At pretrial hearings, they have argued that evidence regarding a potential odor of decomposition in the trunk, chloroform and other evidence is not reliable enough for jurors to consider.
Perry has also ruled jurors can hear testimony about a stain in the car's trunk, as well as the decompositional odor. In March, Baez contended that having jurors look at the stain might have a "prejudicial effect," alleging it could have been caused by a wet bag of garbage or gasoline cans. The stain was negative for DNA, as well as for the presence of blood or other bodily fluids, he said. "There is absolutely no proof whatsoever that this is a biological stain," Baez said.
The car and the evidence regarding it poses a huge hurdle for the defense, but perhaps their biggest hurdle is the fact that Caylee had been missing for 31 days before authorities were aware of it, and her mother failed to report it, Casarez said.
In addition, some have alleged that Anthony didn't behave like the worried mother of a missing child during the search for Caylee. She went to nightclubs and sent hundreds of text messages to friends, according to cell phone and text transcripts and investigative reports released by police. Those records show she rarely mentioned her missing daughter.
"She doesn't report her child missing but she actively parties," Casarez said. Perry has allowed pictures of Anthony taken at nightclubs, both before and after Caylee went missing, to be presented at trial. Why before? "Probably (for prosecutors) to show that this was her lifestyle before and after her child was missing, and it's not a reaction to not knowing how to deal with Caylee suddenly out of her life," said Casarez.
Another potential defense hurdle: During the time Caylee was missing, Anthony also got a tattoo on her shoulder reading "Bella Vita" -- Italian for "beautiful life," Casarez said.
Early in the jury selection process, defense attorneys hinted that mitigating circumstances including "a history of sexual abuse" may have explained Anthony's behavior in the days after her daughter disappeared and her failure to alert authorities sooner. Anthony herself told police she had been trying to find her daughter on her own.
Defense attorney Ann Finnell raised a host of potential mitigating circumstances to gauge what would-be jurors might consider if they had to decide whether to sentence Anthony to death. Those circumstances included a "lack of maturity," "lack of impulse control" and "a history of sexual abuse."
Anthony alleged her father and brother sexually abused her in a letter from jail last year. In an interview with NBC News afterward, her father, George Anthony, denied the claims and criticized Baez's judgment in questioning him about the allegations.
Finnell asked potential members of the jury pool whether the assertion her client came from a "dysfunctional family" might factor into their penalty decision.

Missouri State

The tornado that raked Joplin, Missouri, on Sunday was the deadliest single twister in the United States since 1953, putting 2011 on pace for a possible record year for tornado fatalities, weather experts said on Monday.
Here are facts and figures about the Joplin tornado and its place in the weather record, based on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service:
* The Joplin tornado of May 22 was the deadliest U.S. tornado since 1953, with 116 people confirmed dead as of Monday, tying fatalities in a major tornado that hit Flint, Michigan in 1953.
* This is the eighth-deadliest tornado year on record in the United States, with 481 people killed. This year is now on pace for the full year to set a record for tornado fatalities, according to U.S. records.
* April was a record month for the number of U.S. tornadoes, with 875; the previous monthly record was 267, set in 1974, but this was before the advent of technologies like Doppler radar, mobile electronics and the Internet, which all ease tornado tracking and reporting.

* There was an average of 24 minutes between the time a tornado warning was issued for Joplin and the time the tornado hit. This compares to a national average of 14 minutes. Outlooks for severe weather were issued three days in advance.
* The Joplin tornado was an EF-4 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Winds reached 190-198 miles an hour. An EF-4 tornado is capable of causing extreme damage, with well-constructed and whole frame houses leveled; cars and other large objects thrown and small missiles generated. An EF-5 tornado is capable of total destruction.

The Beast

US SECRET Service agents protecting US president Barack Obama were left red-faced yesterday when one of the vehicles in the presidential cavalcade got stuck on a ramp exiting the underground car park of the US embassy in Ballsbridge, Dublin.
It was initially thought Mr Obama and the US first lady Michelle Obama were in the bomb-proof Cadillac limousine, known as “the Beast”. The White House later said the couple were not in the vehicle at the time it became wedged.
The incident occured at about 1.30pm when the cavalcade was leaving the embassy on Elgin Road after Mr Obama called to meet with staff there. When the car drove up the ramp a loud bang and scraping could be heard. The underside of the vehicle became jammed on the concrete where the top of the steep ramp meets the level pavement. The car was unable to move, resulting in US security agents on foot swarming around the vehicle.
A US security agent alighted from the passenger front seat of the car and another from the back. They quickly signalled to their colleagues to drive a car and minibus across the entrance, thus blocking the view from the street.
The other cars lower down the ramp and still in the underground car park reversed and exited the car park via an alternative exit.

The Obamas could be seen moments later in another bomb and bullet-proof limousine Cadillac driving away, having left the car park via the alternative exit. They were then taken to a helicopter to begin their journey to Moneygall. One onlooker said he saw US security personnel taking the presidential crest and the Irish and US flags from the trapped vehicle.
The decision to leave Dublin last night rather than this morning meant the massive US, Garda and Defence Forces security operation put in place to guard the Obamas overnight was not needed.
The US Secret Service had reportedly taken control of the Merrion Hotel in the centre of Dublin in anticipation of the Obamas staying there.

Mariam Pitchai Death

Tamil Nadu minister Mariam Pitchai was today killed in a road accident near here and chief minister J Jayalalithaa ordered a probe saying people and her partymen suspect there was "some mystery" about it.
Pitchai, in-charge of environment, pollution control and minorities welfare portfolios, died on the spot when his car collided with a lorry at Tiruvelankurichi, about 40 km from Tiruchirappalli, police said.
He was sworn-in on May 16 following the AIADMK-led front's landslide victory in the assembly polls.
The lorry had sped away, police said, adding only after apprehending the driver complete details of the accident can be known.
The 60-year-old minister was proceeding to Chennai after garlanding the statue of community leader Perumpidugu Mutharayar when the mishap occurred, which left five others including his driver injured, police said.
Speaking to reporters here after paying homage to the minister by placing a wreathe on his body, Jayalalithaa said "the public and her partymen suspect that there is some mystery about the accident. Police have registered a case and it will be transferred to the CB-CID," she said.
She said if anybody was found guilty they would be tried as per the law.

The minister's car driver told the police that the lorry with Kerala registration had "deliberately" swerved towards the minister's car and hit the spot where Pitchai was sitting, and he suspected that it was not an accident.
Jayalalithaa who arrived by a special flight from Chennai offered condolence to the minister's wife Fathima Beevi and other family members.
All the shops in the city remained closed and most of the buses did not ply in the city.

Bryan Stow

While many Dublin and Pleasanton residents know Mr. Pickle sandwich shops by that dancing pickle guy who hangs out on street corners enticing hungry diners into their restaurants — there's apparently a kind heart inside that giant green costume.
The McKenna family, which lives in Pleasanton and owns the two local stores, is donating 25 percent of their gross dinnertime proceeds over a two-week period to help Bryan Stow, the Giants fan in critical condition following a beating after a Giants-Dodger game in Los Angeles in March.
"My family and I have strong feelings for the well-being of Bryan, and we want to do what we can to help," says a letter posted in the Pleasanton store. "You should be able to go to a sporting event as a fan and not be attacked because of who you root for."
The fundraiser is set to take place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. June 1 to June 14. Patrons can also drop off checks.
Los Angeles police on May 20 arrested a 31-year-old man suspected in the beating, which took place following an Opening Day game outside Dodger Stadium March 31.
Giovanni Ramirez, of Los Angeles,  was booked on $1 million bail and faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon. He and another  suspect are believed to be responsible for severely beating Stow, a 42-year-old Santa Clara County paramedic.
Stow was recently moved to San Francisco General Hospital after spending more than a month in  a Los Angeles hospital.

On March 31, the night of the attack, Stow and some friends, all clad in Giants clothing, were walking near Dodger Stadium's parking lot when a pair of men clad in Dodgers apparel approached him from behind, according to Los Angeles police. Police said the men taunted Stow for being a Giants fan, and then hit him from behind, causing him to fall to the ground.  He was kicked and punched repeatedly by the suspects, according to police.
He was put in a medically induced coma after part of his skull was surgically removed to prevent brain damage from swelling caused by the attack. Police are still searching for the second suspect.

NPC

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of its premier performance, Northland Pioneer College will be presenting the musical "Grease," Nov. 10-12 and 17-19. Auditions will be Tuesday, Aug. 16, and Wednesday, Aug. 17, with call-back sessions Thursday, Aug. 18, from 6:30-10 p.m., in the Performing Arts Center on the Snowflake/Taylor - Silver Creek Campus.
"There are roles for nine men and eight women, plus chorus members," said Dr. Michael Solomonson, who will be directing the NPC production. The audition process will consist of a vocal, dance and acting component. "Those interested in auditioning for ‘Grease' should prepare 16 bars to sing from a Broadway-style show tune and bring a copy of the music for the provided accompanist." Individuals should dress in clothing allowing free physical movement for the dance audition. "We'll also be doing cold readings from the script for the acting audition," added Solomonson.
Auditions will be occurring the week before the fall semester officially begins. Those cast in the show must enroll in Play Production I or II (SPT 200 or 201), that earn students three credits.

For additional audition information, contact Dr. Michael Solomonson, (928) 536-6217, (800) 266-7845 ext. 6217, or e-mail michael.solomonson@npc.edu.

Liger

An African lion and a Manchurian tiger gave birth to liger cubs at a wildlife reserve in eastern China earlier this month.
One male and one female survived, while two other cubs who were not born healthy died, Colorado’s Channel 9 News reported.

A liger is a cross between a male lion and a female tiger, which means it has parents of the same genus but different species. Ligers were popularized by the 2004 movie Napoleon Dynamite, whose main character Napoleon said a ligerwas “bred for its skills in magic.”
According to Chinese state television, there are only about 20 ligers alive today.
Zhou Xiaoguang, a feeder for the liger cubs, told Channel 9 that the cubs had been “struggling to survive” since their birth on May 13 but were “back to normal now.”

Tim Pawlenty

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels’ Saturday night decision to not seek the Republican nomination for president set the stage in dramatic fashion for former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty official candidacy announcement today.
But the question remains: Will Republicans come to embrace the low-key conservative Pawlenty or will the quest for fresh blood in the race begin anew?
Pawlenty is best positioned to take advantage of Daniels’ surprise decision to not run, citing family concerns. Pawlenty has the fiscal bona fides, Midwestern roots and the campaign organization in place to woo the many influential Republicans who had been gearing up to back Daniels.
But so far, he doesn’t have the sizzle.
“I think people feel like right now that we don’t need nice, we need authoritative,” a Republican strategist and veteran of the winning 2000 and 2004 campaigns of George W. Bush told Power Play. “That’s what I’m waiting to hear.”
The dominant question in the Republican world remains whether any candidate can emerge to block former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s path to the nomination. Romney has deep pockets and has kept a potent campaign organization in place for four years. But conservatives have deep misgivings about his mandatory health insurance plan in the Bay State as well as his position shifts on social issues over the years.
Many in the establishment press continue to look to Romney’s doppelganger, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman – a moderate Mormon backed by a massive fortune and high-powered campaign operatives. But Huntsman so far has been a dud with the Republican electorate. But by hitting the trail in New Hampshire, a must-win state for Romney, and preaching the need for a more sophisticated dialogue, he seems to be doing his best to steal base voters from the presumptive frontrunner.
While the Mormon family feud plays out (Huntsman even mocked Romney’s infamous line about enjoying “varmint” hunting), the rest of the party is wondering whether Pawlenty is enough.
Some are rooting for Texas Gov. Rick Perry to take the plunge, while others are reading Arizona real estate listings for signs that Sarah Barracuda is making ready for a campaign in the lower 48. When Rep. Paul Ryan left open a potential candidacy in some future year, his words were instantly parsed for signs of a 2012 run. Reports that the massive Obama dirt-digging machine was snooping into New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s past caused some to wonder whether he was about to dive in. And what about Rudy? Giuliani has been cracking the door wider and wider to a 2012 run.

While Newt Gingrich’s campaign is unlikely to recover from his disastrous debut, the rest of the second tier is still looking for a way to break into the big leagues. Tea Party Conservatives continue to swoon for pizza magnate Herman Cainwhile Ron Paul’s libertarian legions are betting that this year is the time when their man goes from being influential to being viable. Rick Santorum avoided Gingrich-style mistakes after a gaffe about John McCain and torture. He’s keeping his head down and building his grassroots. Those considerations, though, will still have to wait until Rep. Michele Bachmann gets into the race. She will soak up a lot of support on the right and Cain, Paul and Santorum may lose their place in line when she makes her decision, likely in the next week.
But the concern is growing in every precinct of the GOP that the hour is getting late. Daniels’ lengthy fan dance delayed the sorting process, but many Republicans now believe the time has come to get serious and start advancing rather than sifting through the universe of all the people who might yet run.
That’s why today is such a big day for Pawlenty. There is a void in the field, a deepening sense of Republican anxiety about the calendar and lots of campaign cash up for grabs. If Pawlenty can deliver on the tough talk he previewed in his announcement video, he has a shot to start locking up supporters.

Iceland Volcano Eruption

According to the latest forecasts from the Met Office a thick cloud is likely to cover much of Scotland by tomorrow morning.
At its densest the cloud is likely to exceed the top threshold set by the aviation industry for aircraft safety.
This could lead to flights being cancelled from Sottish airports throughout the day.
"It depends how thick the cloud is and how big it is," said a spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority.
"If it is so big that it makes it impossible to get in or out of an airport, then flights will be cancelled. But if we are talking about small thick pockets, then it should be possible to fly around them.
"It won't be until late tonight that we have a real idea what the impact will be and passengers should contact their airlines to keep up to date."
Scotlands major airports – Glasgow, Prestwick, Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh – handle about 50,000 passengers a day.
NATS, the air traffic control organisation, confirmed that it was anticipating disruption at three small airports: Barra, Benbecula and Tiree
With winds blowing from the west, the cloud is expected to drift towards the North Sea by the middle of the week.
However the unsettled weather predicted over the next few days makes forecasting the passage of further volcanic ash difficult.
South westerly winds would mean that Britain would escape further disruption, but if they continue to blow from the north west another cloud could drift across at least part of the country.
"We can’t rule out disruption," said Andrew Haines, the Civil Aviation Authority's chief executive.
"But the new arrangements that have been put in place since last year’s ash cloud mean the aviation sector is better prepared and will help to reduce any disruption in the event that volcanic ash affects UK airspace.”

Last year's eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano crippled aviation throughout Europe, with an estimated 100,000 flights cancelled across Europe, hitting the travel plans of around 8 million passengers.
The damage caused by the latest eruption of the Grímsvötn volcano, 250 miles from the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik, is not expected to wreak the same havoc.
Not only is the ash of a different consistency and less likely to cause damage to aircraft, but aviation rules have been changed to allow airlines to continue to fly if they believe it is safe to do so.
Most leading airlines are understood to have applied to the Civil Aviation for permission to fly through ash of moderate density, following discussions with engine and aircraft manufacturers.
A BA spokesman said: "At present all our flights are operating normally. We are keeping the situation under observation."
Thomson Airways confirmed it had also put a "safety case" to the CAA to enable its operations to continue.

Joplin Missouri

At least 89 people have died in a monster tornado that left a path of destruction nearly a mile (1 km) wide through the heart of Joplin, Missouri, and directly hit the small Midwestern city’s main hospital, local officials said on Monday.
U.S. weather officials said the tornado that hit at dinnertime on Sunday may have been the single deadliest in the country since 1953.
Rescue crews from throughout the region worked all night and into Monday morning in the town of about 50,000 people, searching for anyone still alive in the rubble.
An unknown number of people were injured and officials said they expected to find more bodies as they dig through collapsed homes and businesses.
The tornado blew the roof off St. John’s hospital where about 180 patients cowered, and some 2,000 homes and other buildings were destroyed. It flattened whole neighborhoods, splintered trees, flipped cars and trucks upside down and into each other.
A number of bodies were found along the city’s “restaurant row,” and a local nursing home took a direct hit, Newton County Coroner Mark Bridges said.
“It is a significant tragedy,” said Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. “We’re working on all cylinders. We’ve got to get an active and complete search ... to make sure if there is anyone still alive in the rubble that we get them out.”
The city’s residents were given about 20 minutes notice when 25 warning sirens sounded throughout the southwest Missouri town around 6 p.m. CDT, said Jasper County Emergency Management Director Keith Stammers.
But the governor said many people likely were unable to get to shelter in time. “The bottom line was the storm was so loud you probably couldn’t hear the sirens going off.” He declared a state of emergency and called out the Missouri National Guard to help.
“The loss of life is incredible,” said Joplin Mayor Mike Woolston. “We’re still trying to find people. The outlook is pretty bleak.”
Two refrigerated trucks were brought in to serve as a make-shift morgue at a local university and more were being brought in to handle the additional bodies expected, the coroner said.

Joplin City Councilwoman Melodee Colbert-Kean, who serves as vice mayor, said the town was in a state of “chaos.”
“It is just utter devastation anywhere you look to the south and the east -- businesses, apartment complexes, houses, cars, trees, schools, you name it, it is leveled, leveled,” she said.
President Barack Obama called the governor Sunday evening to “extend his condolences” to the families of Joplin. White House spokesman Nicholas Shapiro said Federal Emergency Management Agency head Craig Fugate was on his way to Joplin to help with recovery.
The tornado in Joplin was the latest in a string of powerful twisters that has wreaked death and devastation in recent weeks.
Twisters killed more than 300 people and did more than $2 billion in damages to the U.S. South last month, killing more than 200 in Alabama alone.
On Saturday night, a tornado ripped through Reading, Kansas, killing one and damaging 200 homes and businesses. Another person was killed in a tornado in Minneapolis on Sunday.

Terrorists Attack At PNS Mehran Base In Karachi: Up Dates

Militants attacked a Pakistani naval aviation base, PNS Mehran, on Sunday night, killing at least four people and wounding five others, officials sources as saying.

At least two terrorists were arrested while they were trying to flee after launching attack and had gunfight with armed forces.

Senior police official Tahir Naveed said attackers remained inside the Mehran base and kept fighting with base personnel for over two hours.

An intelligence official said four people had been killed and five wounded.

The situation has been brought under control as rangers and army troops started pulling back to barracks. Ambulances have been allowed to enter into Mehran base.

Witnesses confirmed they heard sounds of gunshots and saw smoke rising from the base for no less than 2 hours.

Officials said between 15 and 20 attackers broke into the base, and had attacked three hangars housing aircraft.

Eyewitnesses informed officials sources that two blasts were heard at about 10:35pm.

Four killed persons were foreigners, media reports claimed.

Some injured including the security head of Mehran Base have been admitted to PNS Shifa, a naval hospital, for medical attainment, officials sources said.

Terrorists remained present in PNS Mehran where exchange of firing between terrorists and law enforcement agencies continued for more than two hours.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani telephoned chiefs of armed forces, discussing the critical situation which had taken place at one of the sensitive places in the city.

Police, rangers and other law enforcement agencies’ commandos rushed and cordoned off the area shortly after the attack.

Rescue teams including Edhi and Chhipa welfare ambulances have converged to crime scene.

Officials requested people to take alternative routes as rush on the roads are hindering rescue activities.

Later, more than 100 fresh army commandos managed to make way into base where gunfight was underway, officials sources.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik directed law enforcement agencies to reach where terrorists were present.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani telephoned Rehman Malik, directing him to take appropriate measures immediately.

Sindh government declared emergency in all hospitals.

Terrorists Attack At PNS Mehran Base In Karachi

Terrorists Attack At PNS Mehran Base

Two powerful explosions and firing were heard near the Pakistan Air force (PAF) Museum.

Eyewitnesses informed SAMAA that two blasts were heard at about 10:35pm.

Four foreigners have been killed while another five wounded in terrorists’ attack, sources said.

Some injured have been admitted to PNS Shifa, a naval hospital, for medical attainment.

Sources said that 10 to 15 terrorists have attacked Pakistan’s naval forces. Terrorists are still present in PNS Mehran where exchange of firing between terrorists and law enforcement agencies is underway.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has telephoned chief of armed forces, discussing the critical situation took place at one of the sensitive place of the city.

Police, rangers and other law enforcement agencies rushed and cordoned off the area soon after the blasts and firing.

Rescue teams including Edhi and Chhipa ambulances have entered PAF Faisal Base.

Ahmed requested people to take alternative routes as rush on the roads have disturbed rescue teams to reach on the spot.

More than 100 fresh army commandos have entered the base where gunfight is underway.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik directed law enforcement agencies to reach where terrorists are present.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has telephoned Rehman Malik, directing him to take appropriate measures immediately.

Iceland Volcano

Authorities shut Iceland’s airspace on Sunday after the country’s most active volcano began spewing ash cloud 20 km into the sky, raising fears of a repeat of last year’s flights chaos.
While experts said the impact of the Grimsvoetn eruption should not be as far-reaching as the 2010 crisis, ash deposits were being sprinkled over the capital Reykjavik some 400 km (250 miles) to the west.
Residents living near Grimsvoetn said the skies had turned black in an eerie echo of the impact of last year’s eruption of the smaller Eyjafjoell volcano, which led to the biggest global airspace shutdown since World War II.
“It’s just black outside, and you can hardly tell it is supposed to be bright daylight,” Bjorgvin Hardarsson, a farmer in the nearby village of Kirkjubaejarklaustur said.
Grimsvoetn, Iceland’s most active volcano located at the heart of its biggest glacier Vatnajoekull, began erupting late Saturday.
Ash soon covered nearby villages and farms and by Sunday morning invisible deposits had reached the capital, prompting Iceland’s airport authority, Isavia, to announce the main airport Keflavik was shutting.
The airspace closure “affects pretty much all of Iceland right now... flights to and from Iceland are shutting down,” Isavia spokeswoman Hjordis Gudmundsdottir said, adding that flight routes to the north of the North Atlantic island nation might also be affected.
Gudmundsdottir said the closure would remain until at least 6:00pm (1800 GMT).
However, she stressed, the fact that winds were blowing the ash to the north were far better than last year’s eruption of Eyjafjoell, when a massive cloud of ash was blown to the south and southeast over mainland Europe.
Elin Jonasdottir, an aviation expert at the Icelandic Meteorologist Office, said that while the eruption had lost some of its initial intensity, it was too soon to predict how long the danger would last.

“The latest update is that the eruption is still going strong. The plume is now at an altitude of about 10 km,” she said.
Jonasdottir said although the current altitude was only half of its height on Saturday, the plume usually hits a peak after an eruption begins and so it was not an indication that it was tapering off.
“The plume is reaching above the tropopause (the atmospheric boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere) where most of weather happens, so there is still a danger that the ash can travel.”

Scottish Newspapers

Imogen Thomas 

The editor of a Scottish newspaper that has identified a premier league footballer alleged to have had an affair with model Imogen Thomas (pictured) said today he "absolutely did not take the decision lightly".

But speaking to Journalism.co.uk this afternoon he said he was "absolutely confident of his position" when the newspaper was sent to print.

"The legal position is absolutely clear, we don't publish in England and we are not covered by the superinjunction."

Neither the image, editorial or article were published online in order to prevent the newspaper being accused of distributing outside of Scotland.

The newspaper – which along with its editor is not named here for legal reasons – devoted the front page of today's edition to a large picture of the footballer's face with a black band across his eyes with the word "censored" in it.

The black band does little to mask the player's identity however.

Below the picture on the newspaper's front page is the text: "Everyone knows that this is the footballer accused of using the courts to keep allegations of a sexual affair secret. But we weren't supposed to tell you that ..."

The player is named in a news article inside the paper and the wider issue of injunctions is addressed in an editorial.

Asked what led to the decision over today's front page, editorial and article, the editor said:

"We were doing a big package in the newspaper on the ridiculous situation that newspapers currently face, in that they can't publish information that everyone can access within seconds, and it seemed that this was a way to highlight that.

"Let me be clear, we are not interested in at all in the allegations or the truth of the allegations.

"What we are interested in is the situation that newspapers are currently prevented from publishing information that everyone can access within seconds.

"Who doesn't know the name of that person? And how long would it be before they found out?"

The player identified by the newspaper has been named repeatedly on Twitter over the last few days.

On Wednesday a premier league footballer – named in court documents only as "CTB" – launched legal proceedings against Twitter and "persons unknown", understood to be Twitter users responsible for an account on the site that purported to name several celebrities that had allegedly taken out superinjunctions or anonymised injunctions.

The claim follows a high court hearing on Monday, in which Thomas and News Group Newspapers, which publishes the Sun and the News of the World, tried and failed to have the right to anonymity of a "CTB" overturned.

Mr Justice Eady, who issued a temporary injunction in the case in March, ruled against the newspaper, arguing in a written statement that there was "no suggestion of any legitimate public interest in publishing such material".

Volcano Iceland

The warning is based on latest 5-day weather forecasts, but must be treated with caution because of the forecast period and the presence of different air currents from those prevailing at the time of last year's ash crisis, weather officials said.
European authorities said on Sunday no disruption was expected to European or transatlantic airspace over the next 24 hours from the eruption of Iceland's most active volcano on Saturday.
The warning comes nearly a year after one volcano erupted in Iceland and caused havoc for air passengers.
Grimsvoetn, Iceland’s most active volcano at the heart of its biggest glacier, began erupting late on Saturday, sending a plume of smoke and ash 12miles high.
So much ash was blasted into the sky that it blocked out the sun and covered nearby villages and farms.
By yesterday, the ash had reached the capital Reykjavik, nearly 250m to the west, and all the country’s airspace was closing down.
In April last year, 34 countries shut their airspace after the Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted due to fears that fine ash particles could cause jet engines to stop.
It was the largest such closure since the Second World War and millions of passengers were affected.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated that the global airline industry lost £130million a day during the disruption.
Experts and aviation authorities said the impact of the Grimsvoetn eruption should not be as severe and was likely to mainly affect Iceland.
Gunnar Gudmundsson, of Iceland's Meteorological Office, said: “I don’t expect this will have the same effect as Eyjafjoell volcano because the ash is not as fine.”
However, they acknowledged that changing weather patterns could sweep the ash into areas where it would affect other countries.
Einar Kjartansson, a geophysicist at Iceland’s Met Office, warned: “If the eruption lasts for a long time we could be seeing similar effects as seen with Eyjafjallajökull last year.”
He added that “most of the traffic at least to the south of Iceland will probably not be affected” but said: “We don't know what will happen after that.”
The forecast is for winds to clear the ash from Reykjavik and dissipate the problem over the coming days.

Bjorgvin Hardarsson, a farmer in the village of Kirkjubaejarklaustur, close to the latest eruption, described the ash, saying: “It’s just black outside, and you can hardly tell it is supposed to be bright daylight.”
Eurocontrol, the European air safety organisation, said no impact was expected on European airspace outside Iceland or on transatlantic flights for at least 24 hours.
Grimsvoetn, which has erupted nine times between 1922 and 2004, is located in an enormous caldera - a collapsed volcanic crater – five miles in diameter near the centre of the Vatnajoekull icefield.
When it last erupted in November 2004, volcanic ash fell as far away as mainland Europe and caused minor disruptions in flights to and from Iceland.
A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority said: “It’s early days and we’re keeping an eye on the situation but at the moment the weather patterns are looking pretty favourable.
“It’s the kind of situation that can change very quickly but we’d be very unlucky to be affected again as the winds normally would take this kind of problem away from us.
“The only problem passengers are likely to have is if you’re going to Iceland.”

Sachin Pilot

Sachin Pilot

Pilot was taken into preventive custody by the police at Lal Chowk outside the Bhatta-Parsaul villages - the epicentre of the land agitation in Uttar Pradesh.

He was released a short while later.

The minister had earlier visited the Dasna jail in Ghaziabad where he met some jailed farmers.

Pilot accused the state government of large-scale land-grabbing and demanded a "thorough probe" into the alleged atrocities on the villagers.

"We would like a thorough probe to be conducted. They were treated badly for sure, and many people have said this before. But you know that if you go into any village and speak to a woman about rape with a camera to her face, it will be tough to get the truth. We would like this matter to be thoroughly investigated, and the people who have conducted a skewed investigation be subject to strict investigation also", Pilot said just before he was arrested.

Pilot's visit to the area comes just a day after the National Commission of Women (NCW) demanded a CBI probe into the alleged acts of violence on women by the police in the twin villages. (Read: NCW demands CBI probe into alleged police atrocities)

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has announced financial compensation for farmers and their families who were injured during the recent violence in these villages. (Read: PM announces compensation for Bhatta-Parsaul victims)

Those seriously injured would be handed out Rs 50,000 while Rs 10,000 will be given to those who sustained minor injuries.