
After expulsion and reinstatement, Tennessee Reps. Pearson, Jones advance past Democratic primaries
Tennessee Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones have advanced past an election hurdle after the two young Black lawmakers were expelled earlier this year for their gun control protest on the House floor, then reinstated by local officials days afterward
2023-06-17 04:58

Drugmakers want to stop Medicare from negotiating prices. Here's what you should know
In less than three months, the federal government is set to announce the initial 10 drugs subject to first-ever price negotiations in Medicare. Pharmaceutical companies and their supporters want to stop that from happening.
2023-06-17 04:54

Pete Davidson charged with reckless driving for crashing into Beverly Hills house after losing control
At the time of the collision, Pete Davidson's girlfriend, Chase Sui, was also in the vehicle
2023-06-17 04:46

A famous castle, attempted sex assault and a deadly shove: What happened to the American women thrown off a German cliff?
The fairytale backdrop of a historic castle in Germany became the site of a horrific attack when two US women were thrown over the edge of a steep gorge — allegedly by an American man. Eva Liu, 21 and Lisa Chang, 22, met their attacker while hiking a trail near the famous Neuschwanstein Castle on Wednesday (14 June). According to Bavarian police, the suspect steered the victims to a secluded trail with the intention of sexually assaulting them. When they fought back, the man pushed them down a steep slope and fled the scene. Emergency services eventually found the women and transported them to the hospital, but Liu died as a result of the serious injuries she sustained as she plunged 164 feet. German authorities have not officially released the names of the victims but officials at the University of Illinois, where the victims graduated last month, confirmed their identities. A 30-year-old American man is now in custody and has been charged with murder, attempted murder and sexual offences. Here’s what we know so far: What happened? On Wednesday afternoon, the two American women were on a hiking trail east of the Marienbrücke Bridge, an attraction just an hour’s drive from Munich that is popular among visitors for its sweeping views of the Neuschwanstein Castle. They met a man and joined him along the trail just moments before the tragedy unfolded. “The man then steered the two under a pretext to a trail that was difficult to see, which leads to a viewpoint,” Bavarian police said in a statement. “According to the current state of knowledge, an attempted sexual offence to the detriment of the 21-year-old must be assumed.” Once out of sight, the 30-year-old assailant reportedly tried to attack the women, going after Liu first, prompting Ms Chang to try and defend her friend, police said. “The younger of the two women was attacked by the suspect,” police spokesman Holger Stabik told the AP. “The older one tried to rush to her aid, was then choked by the suspect and subsequently pushed down a slope.” After that, the man made an attempted sexual offence on Liu and pushed her over the ledge as well. She fell nearly 164ft and landed next to her friend. How were they rescued? The two women were rescued by the Füssen mountain rescue service. It is unclear, however, how much time passed between the attack and their rescue, or who alerted emergency services of the assault. Due to the harsh terrain around the gorge, specially trained members of the Alpine Task Force were involved in the attempted rescue of both women. Ms Chang remained conscious and was taken to a hospital, while Liu was airlifted to a different hospital in serious condition. Liu succumbed to her injuries on Thursday night. Witness Eric Abneri, a recent business graduate from the University of Pittsburgh who witnessed the incident, said he and friends arrived at the scenic overlook as a helicopter arrived and they saw rescuers lower themselves down to the victims. “I’m honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this. It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff,” he said. Mr Abneri described it as “a very, very difficult rescue because of those cliffs and because the helicopter came mere feet above the tree line at the top of the hill.” “They did an unbelievable job,” he said. Who are the victims? Officials haven’t officially released the names of those involved in the incident, but DailyMail.com first reported the victims were recent University of Illinois graduates Eva Liu and Lisa Chang. A university spokesperson confirmed in a statement to The Independent. “Both had just graduated in May and should have been able to celebrate such an important accomplishment without the fear of such a tragic outcome,” the office of the university chancellor said. “Our thoughts are with Ms. Chang as she recovers and with both of their families as they grieve.” Just weeks before the tragedy, Liu was awarded a computer science degree, while Ms Chang received a bachelor’s in computer engineering. Liu had landed a role as a software engineer at Microsoft after finishing an internship with the company during her last semester, she wrote in a LinkedIn post. Ms Chang, who has bruises and a laceration to the head, is still recovering at the hospital. “We cannot say when she will be released,” local prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told radio programme Bayerischer Rundfunk. Suspect arrested after massive search The suspect was caught after a massive police operation involving 25 emergency vehicles, K-9 units and a helicopter search on Wednesday afternoon. The American suspect is in a German correctional facility, as officials investigate the attack as a potential sexual offence, murder, and attempted murder. “The allegation is not yet established,” prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told DW. Kempten criminal police are leading the investigation, and are asking those with knowledge of the incident to get in contact with them. German prosecutors will not consider extradition for the man, according to the German outlet Rheinische Post. However, if he is convicted, a later transfer for the execution of the sentence is possible, a spokesperson for the local public prosecutor’s office said. Kempten authorities have asked witnesses who may have footage or pictures of the moments leading up to the attack and the incident itself to forward them to the department. Police have already reviewed more than a dozen videos but believe there is more material that will be submitted in the following days. “We hope that this will further clarify the situation before and after the crime,” a police spokesman said. Investigators are now trying to reconstruct the timeline of the crime. They are searching for evidence in the specific trails where the attack is believed to have happened, but the Marienbrücke Bridge and the majority of its surroundings have been reopened to the public. Who is the alleged attacker? Bavarian police said the attacker was a 30-year-old US national, DW reports. The man appeared before a judge at the Kempten District Court, but did not comment on a motive behind the attack. It is unclear how long he had been in Germany, but he has been described by local authorities as a tourist. Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed, bearded man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap. What is the Neuschwanstein Castle? Neuschwanstein castle, nestled near the Austrian border, was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, with construction beginning in 1869. The towering estate is one of Germany‘s most popular tourist attractions and is said to have been the inspiration for various Disney castles. According to the Rheinische Post, almost one and a half million tourists visit the attraction every year. The Bavarian Palace Administration reports that on average, 6,000 visit the castle every day during the summer. Read More German castle attack — latest: Neuschwanstein shoving suspect arrested after US tourist killed and friend hurt American woman dead after man ‘throws two tourists off bridge’ at German fairytale castle
2023-06-17 04:26

Trial for father of Highland Park mass shooting suspect to begin in fall
The trial for the father of the man accused of killing seven people and wounding dozens more at the Highland Park, Illinois, 2022 Fourth of July parade is scheduled to begin in fall, a judge decided Friday.
2023-06-17 04:23

US FDA advises COVID vaccine makers to develop shots aimed at XBB.1.5 variant
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Friday it has advised manufacturers that are updating their
2023-06-17 04:21

Paramedic who found US couple dead in Mexico hotel says he felt ‘dizzy’ upon entering room
Paramedics in Baja California Sur who responded to the report of an American couple deceased in their hotel room said they felt symptoms consistent with carbon monoxide poisoning when they entered the room. Fernando Valencia and his partner were called to the Hotel Rancho Pescadero in El Pescadero around 9pm on Tuesday (13 June) after receiving reports that two Americans were unconscious. Upon arriving, Mr Valencia said he and his partner felt “dizzy” when they entered the room where they found 28-year-old Abby Lutz and 41-year-old John Heathco dead. “We went out of the room as soon as possible … I was afraid for my partner because my first thought in my mind was ‘are we going to die?’” Mr Valencia told Good Morning America. Lutz and Heathco were on a vacation in Mexico when they began to experience what Lutz’s family said are symptoms consistent with food poisoning. The two went to the hospital to seek treatment and by Monday (12 June) were feeling better. Between the time that Lutz texted her father on Monday and Tuesday evening, the couple died of “intoxication” by an unknown substance, according to the Baja California Sur attorney general’s office. Lutz’s family said they were told the couple’s deaths were due to “improper venting of the resort” with the possibility that it could be carbon monoxide poisoning. Mr Valencia called walking into the room “one of the worst experiences” of his life. He was especially worried for his and his partner’s health because he was working with his sister. The Baja California Sur attorney general’s office said in a statement that Lutz and Heathco had been dead between 10 and 11 hours by the time paramedics arrived. There were no signs of physical violence. In a statement provided to The Independent, Henar Gil, the general manager of Rancho Pescadero – a Hyatt property – said: “We are truly heartbroken by this terrible tragedy. Our hearts are with the impacted families and loved ones during this unimaginable loss.” “Local authorities are still actively investigating the situation, and the safety and security of our guests and colleagues remains a top priority, as always. We can confirm there was no evidence of violence related to this situation, and we are not aware of any threat to guests’ safety or wellbeing,” Ms Gil said. She added “We are working to care for those who have been impacted and we are working closely with authorities as they conduct their investigation to understand the cause of death. Further inquiries should be directed to local authorities.” US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said they are “closely monitoring the investigation” into Lutz and Heathco’s deaths in a news conference on Thursday (15 June). “We stand ready to provide any consular – any appropriate consular assistance,” Mr Miller added. Read More An American couple were found dead at a luxury hotel in Mexico. Family fear they were poisoned Two Americans found dead in luxurious Baja California Sur hotel as family suspects carbon monoxide poisoning Thousands of dead fish wash up in Texas after overheated water chokes them of oxygen
2023-06-17 03:58

Pentagon leak suspect Teixeira to appear in court on Wednesday
The U.S. Air National Guardsman accused of leaking top-secret military intelligence records online will appear in a federal
2023-06-17 03:55

Daniel Ellsberg, Pentagon Papers leaker and anti-war activist, dies at 92
Daniel Ellsberg, a former military analyst and anti-war activist whose disclosure of the so-called Pentagon Papers revealed systemic US government deception about the Vietnam War, has died, his family announced in a statement. He was 92.
2023-06-17 03:26

Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked Pentagon Papers exposing Vietnam War secrets, dies at 92
Daniel Ellsberg, the government analyst and whistleblower who leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1971, has died at 92
2023-06-17 03:22

African leaders urge de-escalation after missile attack on Kyiv
A delegation of African leaders met President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday and told Russia and Ukraine to de-escalate and negotiate, hours after sheltering...
2023-06-17 02:58

US tourist killed in attack near historic Germany castle was recent University of Illinois graduate
The two American women who were attacked while they hiked a trail near a famous castle in Germany had recently graduated from the University of Illinois. Eva Liu, 21, and Kelsey Chang, 22, had travelled to Germany following their May graduation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, DailyMail.com first reported. A university spokesperson confirmed in a statement to The Independent that Ms Chang and Ms Liu were the victims shoved down into a ravine near the historic Neuschwanstein Castle in the German state Bavaria on Wednesday. Ms Liu died as a result of injuries she sustained during the 164ft fall, while Ms Chang remains in hospital. “ Both had just graduated in May and should have been able to celebrate such an important accomplishment without the fear of such a tragic outcome,” the office of the university chancellor said. “Our thoughts are with Ms. Chang as she recovers and with both of their families as they grieve.” A 30-year-old American man has been arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder and sexual offences. This is a developing story ... check again for updates.
2023-06-17 02:46