
US trucker guilty of 2018 synagogue massacre
A truck driver was convicted on Friday of massacring 11 Jewish worshippers five years ago in the deadliest anti-Semitic...
2023-06-17 04:56

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

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

Biden urges tougher gun restrictions, one year after Uvalde, Texas, school massacre
President Joe Biden has called for new gun-buying restrictions at a summit in Connecticut to mark the first anniversary of a gun safety law signed after the Uvalde, Texas, school massacre
2023-06-17 04:21

Conor McGregor under investigation by Miami police after video reveals him leading sexual assault accuser to bathroom
In the video, the accused follows Conor McGregor and disappears behind a door, while his security team can be observed blocking the entrance
2023-06-17 03:58

Swiss cyclist Gino Mäder dies after falling down a ravine in the Tour de Suisse
Swiss cyclist Gino Mäder has died one day after crashing and falling down a ravine during a descent at the Tour de Suisse
2023-06-17 03:56

Railroad industry sues to block new locomotive pollution rules in California
The railroad industry has sued to block new environmental rules in California
2023-06-17 03:56

Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg dead at 92
Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower who leaked the "Pentagon Papers" about the Vietnam War, died on Friday, his family...
2023-06-17 03:27

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