Colorado wildfires worsen, 32,000 flee homes

Smoke billows from a wildfire burning near Colorado Springs, Colorado

(Reuters) - A wildfire raging near some of Colorado's most popular tourist sites worsened on Tuesday, forcing 32,000 people from their homes, prompting evacuations from the U.S. Air Force Academy and swallowing numerous houses at the edge of Colorado Springs.

From the vantage point of a command post about 10 miles from the path of advancing flames, the entire community of Mountain Shadows, a northwest subdivision, appeared to be enveloped in an orange glow after dark.

"This is a fire of epic proportions," Colorado Springs Fire Chief Rich Brown said as ash drifted down on the city and the thick smell of smoke permeated the air.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper flew into the city Tuesday night by helicopter to meet with fire commanders and tour the fire zone first-hand. He noted that the blaze was one of at least a dozen wildfires burning throughout the state.

"This is the worst fire season in the history of Colorado," he said during an impromptu news conference, adding that from the air he saw many homes destroyed in a glowing landscape that looked "surreal."

The Waldo Canyon Fire, which has roared through at least 6,200 acres of dry timber since Saturday, has grabbed attention for days because of its proximity to landmarks like the famed mountaintop of Pikes Peak and the Air Force Academy. Continue Reading...

Police officer shot dead at jazz concert in Denver park

DENVER -- A Denver police officer trying to break up a confrontation was shot and killed Sunday at a city park where hundreds of families had gathered for a free weekly jazz concert before gunfire erupted and sent hundreds fleeing.

The officer, who was shot in the head, was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead, police spokesman Sonny Jackson said. The Denver Post reported that one person has been taken into custody but added they had not been confirmed as a suspect.

NBC News station KUSA reported that officers were seen searching a dumpster near a lake on Sunday night.

According to the newspaper, the slain officer was a single mother who was originally from Detroit. She was a seven-year veteran of the police force, the Post reported. Read More..,

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Czech Republic Vs. Portugal: Predicting Euro 2012 quarter-finals no easy task

At this moment, eight is enough at Euro 2012. Unless, of course, you are one of the eight who must have had enough after being sent home following the opening round of the tournament.

Russia and the Netherlands, in particular, ran away with their tails between their legs. Neither of the host countries, Poland or Ukraine, saw their hard work trudge them into the quarter-finals. Sweden looked unfortunately too old. Denmark doesn't have enough star power. Croatia complained about the referee to no avail and the happy hoard that was Ireland lost every game and won every heart.

Cristiano Ronaldo wants to win the Euro 2012 Cup

If we are honest, all the qualifiers save one should have been predicted - even that group of death that did in the Netherlands. Greece was the shock because the Russians got complacent and, quite probably, started to believe their press after cracking four past the Czech Republic in their opening game.

Now it's time to use knowledge gained so far to make new predictions, not an easy task considering more parity of performance has been on show than I've ever seen.

Cristiano Ronaldo during the practice session

In addition, teams have been winning with two distinct styles of play - deep defence or dominant possession. Quite a conundrum.

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/soccer/Predicting+Euro+2012+quarter+finals+easy+task/6814731/story.html 

Upcoming Quater finals Matches:

GERMANY vs. GREECE (Friday)
SPAIN vs. FRANCE (Saturday)

ENGLAND vs. ITALY (Sunday)

Watch on NEO Prime & Neo Sports at every night 11.30 pm

World Leaders Weigh Stimulus Vs. Austerity at G-20

With major European economies on the brink of collapse, leaders concluding an annual Group of 20 meeting sought Tuesday to reassure the world that they would find a way to put out the debt-fueled economic wildfire that has threatened banks, wiped out jobs and toppled governments across the continent.

But the presidents and prime ministers gathered in this seaside resort seemed content to delay any major decisions for a while longer, releasing only a general statement that stopped short of committing any nations to greater spending unless conditions worsen and urging fiscal responsibility.

For months, governments and economists have weighed two different paths to ease the financial crisis: spending more to try to stimulate growth or slashing budgets. European leaders headed home without announcing any significant agreements, and they aimed to meet again later this month in Brussels, with a goal of adopting a more detailed plan. Read More...

US, Russia continue Syria discussions

Islamabad: The US and Russia are continuing discussions on a post-Assad transition strategy despite some disagreements on approaches to the settlement of a political crisis in Syria, according to the US State Department.

US Deputy State Secretary Robert Burns met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday on the sidelines of the Hearts of Asia ministerial meeting in Kabul to discuss a wide range of issues, including the situation in Syria.

"It was a constructive conversation. I won't say there aren't still gaps. There are still gaps, but it was a constructive conversation. And we're continuing to talk to the Russians about this [crisis in Syria]," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said at a news briefing on Thursday. 

Russia has twice -- along with China -- vetoed UN resolutions against Damascus over what it calls a pro-rebel bias, but has, however, fully backed UN-Arab envoy Kofi Annan's six-point plan.

Annan's plan calls for withdrawal of heavy weaponry from urban areas and a ceasefire to end 15-months of spiralling violence there.

According to UN estimates, over 10,000 people have been killed in Syria since the beginning of a popular uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011.

Jaswant Singh for Vice President? Not that I know of, says Sharad Yadav



Jaswant Singh calls on Mulayam SIngh Yadav

 New Delhi: The opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) convenor Sharad Yadav has said the BJP-led NDA has not zeroed on names for the posts of President and Vice President so far.

"People meet each other. We have not decided for any name in any meeting of NDA. Only Jaswant Singh can tell whom did he meet and why did he meet. It is normal. We keep meeting," he said when asked whether NDA could propose Mr Singh's name for Vice President's post.

BJP's Jaswant Singh had yesterday met Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav triggering speculation that he was seeking Samajwadi support for the Vice President's office.

Sharad Yadav, who is also the President Janata Dal-United (JDU), also dismissed reports that his party has indicated its preference for Vice President Hamid Ansari as the next President Read More...