Summarize this article:

No more waiting in lines: Snap is making Spectacles available to buy online in the U.S.

 The $130 glasses, which allow wearers to take circular videos and post them to their Snapchat accounts, are now available on Spectacles.com. Before, the glasses were sold through vending machines which popped up in major metro areas around the country, as well as a store in Manhattan.

 Because of the short supply, those lucky enough to snag a pair were able to resell the wearable devices for up to $5,000. CNBC reporters had to wait in line for a total of 18 hours to get ahold of the funky sunglasses. ||||| This is a set of web collections curated by Mark Graham using the Archive-IT service of the Internet Archive. They include web captures of the ISKME.org website as well as captures from sites hosted by IGC.org.These web captures are available to the general public.For more information about this collection please feel free to contact Mark via Send Mail ||||| Snap wants to prove to investors in its upcoming IPO that Spectacles can earn money for its business, not just be a brand stunt. So today, Snap begins selling its video-recording sunglasses Spectacles openly online for $129.99 in the U.S. at Spectacles.com. Previously it only dispensed them from Snapbot vending machines in surprise locations and its NYC pop-up store for the last three months.

 Snap has now closed that pop-up, and tells me “Snapbots will continue to land in surprising locations around the U.S. following a brief “nap” :) “. Buyers should expect to wait two to four weeks for their Spectacles to ship, and households are limited to 6 pairs. People can also now buy $49.99 charging cases and $9.99 charging cords from Snap, which will no longer be sold on Amazon.

 As for why Snap is expanding Spectacles beyond its buzzy limited release strategy, a spokesperson explains:

 “As Evan shared in his interview with the WSJ, when we launched, the idea was : ‘We’re going to take a slow approach to rolling them out,’ says Spiegel. ‘It’s about us figuring out if it fits into people’s lives and seeing how they like it.’ Response has been positive since November’s launch so we’re now happy to be able to make Spectacles more readily available — especially for those in the US who have not been able to make it to a Snapbot.”

 Despite that positive response, Snap admitted in its IPO filing that “The launch of Spectacles . . . has not generated significant revenue for us,” and notes “We expect to experience production and operating costs related to Spectacles that will exceed the related revenue in the near future.”

 There was that one charging case that melted… but in general, users have been quite pleased with the glasses that can record 10 to 30-seconds of video at a time. The circular, view-with-your-phone-in-any-orientation video format Snap pioneered also gives its Snapchat app something that its popular clone Instagram Stories can’t copy.

 Still, Spectacles proved that face-worn computers could be cool if launched by the right brand and kept out of the hands of the geeks at first. Instead of giving developers first access, which created a socially awkward stigma around Google Glass, Snap let its biggest fans chase its Snapbots around the country.

 Snap doesn’t necessarily need to make money directly from Spectacles if it can use them to get more people creating and watching Snaps. But showing it can earn real revenue from hardware could bolster confidence in its public offering. Now the question is what camera this “Camera Company” will release next. ||||| Back in November, Snap Inc. (formerly Snapchat) announced it would be selling camera-enabled sunglasses called Spectacles. The only catch: If you wanted a pair, you had to track down a roving vending machine that popped up in random places around the United States for short periods of time. New York City got a temporary Snap store (it is closed as of today), but long lines and high demand meant you might not be able to get your hands on a pair, even if you waited for hours. (Speaking from experience here.) Starting today, getting your hands on a pair of Spectacles is going to get a whole lot easier; Snap is now selling the glasses via its website.

 Spectacles come in three colors — teal, coral, and the ever-stylish black — and retail for $130. The company is currently only shipping in the United States, so if you’re a Snapchatter abroad, you are out of luck. (Though you could always try eBay. Following the vending machine release last fall, plenty of pairs popped up for resale online if you were willing to pay a significant markup. This will likely happen again now that Specs are more widely available.) The purchase limit is six pairs and glasses should ship in two to four weeks. Pop-up vending machines around the country will also remain a part of Snap’s distribution strategy, though they’ll be taking a short break, a Snap spokesperson confirmed.

 This announcement comes just weeks after Snap’s SEC filing was released in preparation for its initial public offering. According to the filing document, Snap lost $514.6 million last year. Which means Spiegel & Co. only have to sell approximately 4 million pairs of Spectacles to break even this year. |||||

– Snapchat found itself with a marketing sensation on its hands late last year when it began selling funky-looking sunglasses called Spectacles. The trick is they allow users to record quick videos and photos and send them directly to their Snapchat accounts, but the catch was they were available only through vending machines that would turn up in random locales or through a now-shuttered pop-up store in Manhattan, notes New York. Now, however, parent company Snap is selling them online at Spectacles.com for $129. Just how crazy did demand get? CNBC notes that the glasses were selling for up to $5,000 on secondary markets, adding that its own reporters stood in line for 18 hours to get them. (There's a limit of six per household for the new online purchases.) Snap has said the glasses haven't been big money-makers, but TechCrunch thinks the new move is designed to show prospective IPO investors that they could be. The vending machines will go on hiatus for awhile, but they're expected to resurface eventually.


Jean S. Harris, the private-school headmistress whose 1981 trial for the murder of a prominent Scarsdale, N.Y., physician galvanized a nation with its story of vengeance by a woman scorned, died on Sunday at an assisted-living center in New Haven. She was 89.

 Her death was confirmed by her son James.

 For more than a year — from her arrest on March 10, 1980, to her sentencing for second-degree murder on March 20, 1981 — Mrs. Harris’s case was front-page news.

 The trial provided the fascination of a love triangle involving the cultivated headmistress of an exclusive girls’ school, a wealthy cardiologist whose book, “The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet,” had been a best seller, and an attractive younger rival for his affection. If Mrs. Harris was to be believed, it was the story of an attempted suicide by a jilted woman that turned into the unintentional shooting of the man who had rejected her.

 But there was an underlying social debate that drew commentary from writers, sociologists and feminists and antifeminists alike. Mrs. Harris’s passionate defenders saw her plight as epitomizing the fragile position of an aging but fiercely independent woman who, because of limited options, was dependent on a man who mistreated her. Her detractors, who were just as ardent, suggested that such reasoning made it seem that it was the physician, Dr. Herman Tarnower, who was on trial.

 Mrs. Harris was sentenced to 15 years to life, and spent 12 of those years at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Westchester County, N.Y. But she managed to salvage that seemingly wasted period through a remarkable prison life. She counseled fellow female prisoners on how to take care of their children, and she set up a center where infants born to inmates can spend a year near their mothers. Then, after her release in 1993 following a grant of clemency by Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, she set up a foundation that raised millions of dollars for scholarships for children of women in prison in New York State.

 She also lectured about her often incongruous experiences with inmates.

 “They looked at me as a rich white woman, even though some of the call girls earned six times what I did as a headmistress,” she told an interviewer.

 At the center of the murder case was Jean Struven Harris, a slight, blue-eyed blonde, then 56, who was a product of comfortable suburban homes and a Smith College education. Headstrong, articulate and ambitious, she was the headmistress of the Madeira School, a boarding school for affluent girls on a sprawling wooded campus in Virginia.

 At 10:56 on the night of March 10, 1980, the White Plains police received a telephone call from Dr. Tarnower’s secluded glass-and-brick house on a 6.8-acre estate in Purchase, N.Y. Lying in an upstairs bedroom dying of four bullet wounds was Dr. Tarnower, the 69-year-old founder of the Scarsdale Medical Group, whose diet book had sold three million copies.

 When the police arrived at the driveway, they came across Mrs. Harris, wearing tan slacks and a mink jacket, driving away. She contended that she was going to look for a phone booth to call the police. But officers found a .32-caliber gun in the glove compartment, and a detective later testified that she told him: “I did it. ... I’ve been through so much hell with him. He slept with every woman he could.”

 Dr. Tarnower and Mrs. Harris, the divorced mother of two grown sons and 13 years his junior, had been lovers for 14 years. But in the years before the shooting, the doctor had begun appearing at dinner parties and taking vacations with his office assistant, Lynne Tryforos, a divorced woman who was then 37. For years Dr. Tarnower, a lifelong bachelor, had refused to marry Mrs. Harris. Now, as a wealthy man, he could dally with the even younger Mrs. Tryforos.

 In her eight days on the witness stand, Mrs. Harris was able to describe her betrayal with an arch wit that charmed the courtroom. She recalled how she once discovered a birthday greeting from Mrs. Tryforos to Dr. Tarnower in a small advertisement on the front page of The New York Times, and how she responded: “Herman, why don’t you use the Goodyear blimp next time? I think it’s available.” ||||| Jean Harris, the patrician girls' school headmistress who spent 12 years in prison for the 1980 killing of her longtime lover, "Scarsdale Diet" doctor Herman Tarnower, in a case that rallied feminists and inspired television movies, has died. She was 89.

 FILE - In this Feb. 9, 1981 file photo, Jean Harris, left, arrives at court in White Plains, New York Monday, Feb. 9, 1981. Harris, the patrician girls' school headmistress who spent 12 years in prison... (Associated Press)

 FILE - In this March 20, 1981 file photo, Jean Harris, handcuffed and carrying a book, leaves the Westchester County Jail enroute to the Westchester County Courthouse in Valhalla, N.Y. Harris, the patrician... (Associated Press)

 Harris died Sunday at an assisted-living facility in New Haven, her son, James Harris, said Friday.

 She had claimed the shooting of Tarnower, 69, was an accident. Convicted of murder in 1981, Harris suffered two heart attacks while serving her sentence in the Bedford Hills women's prison north of New York City. She was granted clemency by then-Gov. Mario Cuomo when she underwent heart bypass surgery in December 1992 and was released on parole three weeks later.

 She later founded Children of Bedford Inc., a nonprofit organization to provide scholarships and tutoring for children of female prison inmates.

 Her trial for shooting Tarnower, the millionaire cardiologist famous for devising the Scarsdale Diet _ a weight-loss book and sensation of the 1970s named for the New York suburb where he practiced _ brought feminists rallying to her defense.

 They pictured her as a woman victimized by a male-dominated society, adrift because she was getting older and her lover of 14 years was brushing her off in favor of his younger office assistant. In addition, they said, she was in the thrall of antidepressant drugs Tarnower had prescribed for her.

 The case inspired two made-for-television movies, "The People vs. Jean Harris," which aired not long after her 1981 conviction, and "Mrs. Harris," which ran on HBO in 2006.

 Harris always maintained that she went armed to Tarnower's Westchester County estate in Purchase on March 10, 1980, to confront him over his womanizing and kill herself, but unintentionally shot him four times in a struggle over the gun. She later acknowledged at a parole hearing that she was "certainly guilty of something. I caused the man's death."

 A jury convicted her of murder, and she was sentenced to 15 years to life.

 Her lawyer had unsuccessfully gambled on an all-or-nothing strategy that eschewed an "extreme emotional disturbance" defense and did not allow the jury to consider a lesser charge such as manslaughter.

 Jurors said afterward it was Harris's own testimony that led them to convict her. They said they tried to re-enact her account of the struggle for the gun and did not find it credible.

 The defense maintained that jealousy was not a factor. But during cross-examination, the prosecutor introduced a letter written just prior to the shooting in which Harris referred to her rival as an "ignorant slut" and "a vicious, adulterous psychotic."

 "The fact was, Jean Harris was too much of a lady to admit that she was jealous of the office girl," the late author Shana Alexander wrote in her book about the case, "Very Much a Lady." "She would rather go to prison than acknowledge it. And she did."

 As an inmate, Harris criticized authority, chafing under what she saw as arbitrary, counterproductive rules. In books and articles she wrote and in interviews, she advocated reform, both for her own benefit and that of other imprisoned women.

 Housed in the prison's honor wing, she taught mothering skills to expectant inmates and worked in the Bedford Hills children's center.

 Born Jean Streuven on April 27, 1923, she grew up in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, attended private schools, graduated magna cum laude from Smith College and married industrialist James Harris.

 The couple lived in Grosse Pointe, Mich., and had two sons. Harris also got her first job there, teaching first grade.

 She and James Harris divorced in 1966. A few months later, the slender, blond, blue-eyed divorcee of 43 met Tarnower, 12 years her senior, at a party on Park Avenue in New York. They talked about marriage early in the relationship, but that never panned out, and Harris remained his lover.

 In 1977, she left a sales administration job in New York to become headmistress of the Madeira School for girls in the Washington suburb of McLean, Va., a position that also got her listed in the capital's social register.

 Weekends and vacations were spent with Tarnower, traveling or on his arm at social gatherings. She also earned a mention in the acknowledgments in his best-selling diet book, "The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet," for helping with research.

 But Tarnower's dalliances with other, younger women drove Harris to desperation, and, according to her account, she decided to drive from Virginia to his home and kill herself in his presence.

 She testified at her trial: "In Westchester, I always felt I was a woman in a pretty dress that went to dinner parties with Dr. Tarnower. In Washington, I was a woman in a pretty dress and a headmistress. I wasn't sure who I was, and it didn't seem to matter."

 The expensively dressed Harris came across as snobbish, arrogant and jealous of the younger woman who had replaced her as the principal object of Tarnower's attention.

 During the trial, it was assumed that Harris insisted on testifying about the fateful last meeting in Tarnower's bedroom. She later said she would not have taken the stand had her lawyer told her to "keep quiet." |||||

Write a summary.

– The woman whose killing of a famous diet doctor in 1980 became the stuff of made-for-TV movies—two, in fact—has died at 89, reports the New York Times and AP. Jean S. Harris spent a dozen years in prison for shooting her lover, Dr. Herman Tarnowner, creator of the wildly popular Scarsdale Diet of the 1970s. Harris, headmistress of a prestigious girls' school at the time, swore it was an accident and said she intended to kill herself, but was convicted of murder. She was granted clemency in 1993 and devoted herself to a foundation she created to help the children of female inmates. The Times and AP have similar takes on why Harris' case became the sensation it did: Times: Harris' "passionate defenders saw her plight as epitomizing the fragile position of an aging but fiercely independent woman who, because of limited options, was dependent on a man who mistreated her." AP: "They pictured her as a woman victimized by a male-dominated society, adrift because she was getting older and her lover of 14 years was brushing her off in favor of his younger office assistant. In addition, they said, she was in the thrall of antidepressant drugs Tarnower had prescribed for her."


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– General Mills is voluntarily recalling 10 million pounds of flour after 38 people across 20 states contracted E. coli, Food Safety News reports. The E. coli cases were reported between Dec. 21, 2015 and May 3, 2016. The recall includes Gold Medal, Signature Kitchens, and Gold Medal Wondra flour sold at Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Shaws, Jewel, United, Randalls, and Acme. According to Reuters, about half of those diagnosed with E. coli reported cooking with flour before becoming sickened. About half of those people said they'd used a General Mills brand of flour. It's possible some of those diagnosed with E. coli had eaten raw batter or dough, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. General Mills says it's recalling the flour "out of an abundance of caution." No E. coli has been found in any of its products or facilities. And the company hasn't had any consumers contact it directly about its products making them ill. “We felt it was important to not only recall the product and replace it for consumers if there was any doubt, but also to take this opportunity to remind our consumers how to safely handle flour,” the Star Tribune quotes the president of General Mills’ baking division as saying in a statement. Specifics of the recall can be found here.

UPDATE 9:43 p.m. EDT: The Food and Drug Administration posted the General Mills recall notice Tuesday evening. It includes product photos for easy location of label codes that identify the recalled products.

 General Mills Inc. has initiated a nationwide recall of three brands of flour, totaling about 10 million pounds, in response to a 20-state E. coli outbreak that has sickened 38 people.

 Although government officials have reportedly been investigating the outbreak, no state or federal agencies had released any information about it at the point Tuesday when the Minneapolis-based company announced the recall.

 “State and federal authorities have been researching 38 occurrences of illnesses across 20 states related to a specific type of E. coli O121, between Dec.21, 2015, and May 3, 2016,” according to a news release from General Mills.

 “While attempting to track the cause of the illness, CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) found that approximately half of the individuals reported making something homemade with flour at some point prior to becoming ill. Some reported using a General Mills brand of flour.”

 The recall includes six SKUs (stock keeping units or UPC codes) of Gold Medal branded flour, two SKU’s of Signature Kitchens branded flour and one SKU of Gold Medal Wondra branded flour.

 Retailers that received shipments of the recalled flour include Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel, Shaws, Vons, United, Randalls, and Acme.

 “To date, E. coli O121 has not been found in any General Mills flour products or in the flour manufacturing facility, and the company has not been contacted directly by any consumer reporting confirmed illnesses related to these products,” according to the news release.

 “As a leading provider of flour for 150 years, we felt it was important to not only recall the product and replace it for consumers if there was any doubt, but also to take this opportunity to remind our consumers how to safely handle flour,” Liz Nordlie, president of General Mills Baking division, said in the release.

 Some of the outbreak victims may have eaten raw dough or batter. Nordlie said in the news release and a separate blog posting that no one, especially young children, should ever eat raw dough or batter because of potential pathogens.

 “Consumers are reminded to not consume any raw products made with flour. Flour is an ingredient that comes from milling wheat, something grown outdoors that carries with it risks of bacteria which are rendered harmless by baking, frying or boiling,” according to the news release.

 “Consumers are reminded to wash their hands, work surfaces, and utensils thoroughly after contact with raw dough products or flour, and to never eat raw dough or batter.”

 The recalled flour can be identified by the following label information:

 13.5-ounce Gold Medal Wondra — Package UPC 000-16000-18980; Better if Used by Dates 25FEB2017 thru 30MAR2017

 2-pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour — Package UPC 000-16000-10710; Better if Used by Dates 25MAY2017KC thru 03JUN2017K

 5-pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour — Package UPC 000-16000-10610; Better if Used by Dates 25MAY2017KC, 27MAY2017KC thru 31MAY2017KC, 01JUN2017KC, 03JUN2017KC thru 05JUN2017KC, 11JUN2017KC thru 14JUN2017KC

 10-pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour — Package UPC 000-16000-10410; Better if Used by Dates 02JUN2017KC,03JUN2017KC

 10-pound Gold Medal All Purpose Flour Banded Pack — Package UPC 000-16000-10410; Better if Used by Dates 03JUN2017KC, 04JUN2017KC, 05JUN2017KC

 5-pound Gold Medal Unbleached Flour — Package UPC 000-16000-19610; Better if Used by Dates 25MAY2017KC, 27MAY2017KC, 03JUN2017KC, 04JUN2017KC

 5-pound Signature Kitchens All Purpose Flour Enriched Bleached — Package UPC 000-21130-53001; Better if Used by Dates BB MAY 28 2017

 5-pound Signature Kitchens Unbleached Flour All Purpose Enriched —Package UPC 000-21130-53022; Better if Used by Dates BB MAY 27 2017

 2-pound Gold Medal Self Rising Flour — Package UPC 000-16000-11710; Better if Used by Dates 23AUG2016KC

 General Mills has a web page and hotline for consumers: 800-230-8103.

 E. coli O121 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. Seniors, the very young, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

 “Any consumers concerned about an illness should contact a physician. Anyone diagnosed by a physician as having an illness related to E. coli O121 is also urged to contact state and local public health authorities,” according to the General Mills news release.

 (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)

 © Food Safety News ||||| General Mills, owner of the venerable Gold Medal brand, has recalled over 10 million pounds of flour after 38 people in 20 states got sick from a potentially deadly strain of E. coli that may have originated in the company’s products.

 The Golden Valley-based packaged food giant Tuesday announced the voluntary recall of some lots of Gold Medal — the nation’s bestselling retail flour — as well as flour sold under the Wondra and Signature Kitchens brands. Signature Kitchens is a store brand sold at several major U.S. grocery chains including Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel, Vons and Acme.

 The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Tuesday there have been 10 hospitalizations associated with an outbreak linked to flour. No deaths have been reported.

 The Minnesota Department of Health confirmed that three of the 38 victims lived in the Twin Cities area. All three — two adults and a child — have recovered, and none was hospitalized, said spokesman Doug Schultz.

 The flour flap is the second significant recall for General Mills in less than a year.

 The company in October recalled 1.8 million boxes of gluten-free Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios after discovering the cereal inadvertently contained gluten, a wheat protein that’s an allergen to some. In that case, oat flour was offloaded from a train car into a truck that had previously hauled wheat but had not been properly cleaned. The truck was owned by an independent contractor.

 Flour recall The recall: Over 10 million pounds of General Mills flour The reason: Possible contamination with E. Coli O121 bacteria Brands recalled: Gold Medal, Wondra and Signature Kitchens, a private label at several grocery chains. To see if your flour is recalled, go to: generalmills.com/flour.

 E. coli O121 — a less common strain of the E. coli bacteria — can cause bloody diarrhea, cramps and dehydration. Seniors, very young children and people with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to such an illness.

 State and federal health authorities have been investigating a flour-related outbreak of E. coli O121 from Dec. 21 to May 3, General Mills said in a statement. The Minnesota health department said the cases here occurred in January and March. The CDC has not released information on other states involved in the outbreak.

 “It must have been substantial contamination for the outbreak to basically go nationwide,” said Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer who specializes in food safety and suing food companies.

 Marler noted that Mills made its recall even though the CDC has yet to detail the outbreak on its website. “I think what General Mills has done here is that they are getting ahead of an obvious problem, which is a positive thing.”

 The CDC found that about half of the 38 sickened people reported making homemade food with flour before becoming ill, according to General Mills. Some reported using a General Mills brand of flour, and some also might have consumed raw dough or batter.

 General Mills said it has not found E. coli O121 in any of its products or at its flour facilities, nor has it received any illness reports directly from consumers. The flour involved in the recall was mostly produced at General Mills’ plant in Kansas City, Mo.

 E. coli outbreaks are most common in meat and produce, and they are ultimately traced back to bacteria in the guts of animals.

 “E. coli is typically an indicator of fecal contamination,” said Mike Doyle, director of the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety. Vegetables and fruit are often contaminated with E. coli, as well as salmonella, through tainted water. The same could happen to wheat — grist for flour — even though it’s processed.

 E. coli outbreaks from flour-related products aren’t common, but a handful have occurred in recent years. The most well-known was a 2009 outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 linked to Nestlé’s Toll House cookie dough. It sickened over 70 people in 30 states, including six in Minnesota. Nestlé issued a big recall due to the outbreak.

 The CDC reported that many victims ate raw Toll House cookie dough, a practice frowned upon by food safety experts.

 Just as cooking meat properly kills E. coli bacteria, fully cooked baked goods should pose less of a threat.

 Also, General Mills says that in order to kill bacteria such as E. coli, it heat-treats flour used in its Pillsbury refrigerated dough products. However, raw flour sold as an ingredient for baking is not heat-treated, because the process “would impact its performance such as rising properties,” the company said in a statement.

 General Mills said it made the recall out of an “abundance of caution.”

 Liz Nordlie, president of General Mills’ baking division, said in a statement: “As a leading provider of flour for 150 years, we felt it was important to not only recall the product and replace it for consumers if there was any doubt, but also to take this opportunity to remind our consumers how to safely handle flour.”

 The company advises consumers never to eat raw dough or batter.

 Specific product recall information can be found at generalmills.com/flour. Consumers with additional questions can contact the company at 1-800-230-8103. ||||| (Reuters) - General Mills Inc (GIS.N) on Tuesday issued a voluntary recall of about 10 million pounds of flour, saying it was working with health officials to investigate an outbreak of E. coli that had sickened 38 people in 20 U.S. states.

 The General Mills logo is seen on a box of Cheerios cereal in Evanston, Illinois, June 26, 2012. REUTERS/Jim Young

 The bacteria strain behind the outbreak has not been found in any of General Mills’ Gold Medal, Wondra and Signature Kitchens flour or their manufacturing plant, the company said. Consumers have not contacted it directly to report any illnesses, the Minneapolis-based company added.

 “Out of an abundance of caution, a voluntary recall is being made,” General Mills said.

 U.S. and state health authorities are probing an outbreak of E. coli O121 from Dec. 21 to May 3, General Mills said. The potentially deadly strain can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration, mostly among the elderly, very young children and people with weak immune systems.

 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that about half of the 38 sickened people reported cooking with flour before becoming ill, General Mills said. About half of this group reported using a General Mills brand, a company spokesman said in a phone interview.

 Additional recall information can be found at www.generalmills.com/flour.

 Kashi Co, owned by General Mills’ rival Kellogg Co (K.N), also announced a recall of one variety each of its granola and granola bars on Tuesday.

 Kashi said the bars contained ingredients made from sunflower seeds distributed by SunOpta (SOY.TO) that had the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

 The bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

 SunOpta this month recalled some of its sunflower kernel products produced at its Crookston, Minnesota facility between Feb. 1 and Feb. 19, citing the potential to be contaminated with listeria. |||||


Here is a news article: Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period. ||||| Ancient Tomb In Spain Destroyed And Replaced With A Picnic Table

 Updated at 1:45 p.m. ET

 The accidental destruction of an ancient tomb in northwest Spain was best summed up by an archaeologist in one perfect, if unintended, pun: "monumental error."

 Workers in the town of Cristovo de Cea in the Galicia region mistook what is believed to be a 6,000-year-old Neolithic tomb for a broken stone picnic table and "repaired it."

 Lauren Frayer reported from Spain for NPR's newscast:

 "An ancient tomb in northwest Spain had heritage status — and thus was supposed to be protected and clearly marked as an artifact. But somehow the local town council wasn't aware. So when parks and rec workers saw the granite slabs — they thought they were part of a park bench that needed repair. They poured concrete into the ancient burial chamber, and topped it with a brand new picnic table. An environmental group realized the error and complained. The tomb is believed to be more than 6,000 years old, from the area's ancient Celtic settlers."

 An investigation into how the tomb came to be destroyed is underway, according to The Local, but it appears to be an open and shut case: Officials simply weren't aware the site existed — not even the town's mayor, José Luis Valladores.

 "No one told me, neither Heritage nor the environmental group," he told the Spanish Huffington Post. "The site wasn't even marked, and the logical thing would have been for them to get in contact with the local council so that we could have taken measures to protect the site," he added.

 Juan Barceló, the archaeologist who called the mistake a monumental error, said he "was horrified when he heard [the] news," and speculated that the breakdown in communication between builders and the local authorities was probably due to the summer holidays.

 He also told The Local that mistakes like this are not the norm.

 "This is not representative of Spain, where monuments over 100 years old are all preserved by law," Barceló said. "All authorities, national, state and local work effectively preserving our heritage. But sometimes accidents happen. I am sure that such disasters happen in many other countries, but have not been published."

 It turns out Barceló is partly right. Other countries have destroyed ancient remains, but usually it's done knowingly.

 In 2007, as The New York Times reports, "a work crew in the ancient capital city of Nanjing unearthed and destroyed the burial sites of 10 noblemen from six dynasties."

 Just last year, according to archaeologists, an ancient Native American burial ground and village in California was discovered and then razed in order to make way for multimillion-dollar homes.

 However, the mistaken destruction of ancient relics isn't completely unheard of.

 In 2013, NPR's Scott Neuman wrote about workers destroying a 2,300-year-old Mayan pyramid in Belize to use the rubble for road repair. They were apparently unaware that the pyramid was a Mayan ruin.

 And then there are times when even the best intentions to preserve ancient relics go horribly awry, like this story from NPR's Eyder Peralta about a painter's attempt to restore a fresco. |||||
A summary of this is?

– Usually municipal workers taking the initiative to replace a broken picnic table would be heralded as a minor civic victory. However, that's less the case when the "broken picnic table" was actually a 6,000-year-old tomb under government protection. NPR reports the tomb is believed to have been built by Neolithic Celtic settlers in what is now the town of San Cristovo de Cea in Spain. After removing the granite slabs they thought had been parts of a bench, workers poured concrete into the burial chamber and topped it off with a picnic table. A Spanish archaeologist tells the Local he was "horrified" by the "monumental error" after an environmental group discovered what had happened in June. Town officials say they weren't aware the tomb was even there, despite it being listed as a heritage site. "No one told me," the mayor tells El Huffington Post. "The site wasn't even marked." But a regional government department is investigating the situation and tells the Local "the town council was well aware of its existence." According to NPR, this kind of thing isn't unheard of. Two years ago, workers in Belize accidentally ruined a 2,300-year-old Mayan pyramid because they needed rubble to fix a road. But more often these ancient sites are destroyed on purpose. Last year, for example, developers dismantled a Native American burial ground in California to make room for some million-dollar homes. (This kid knows a thing or two about accidentally destroying precious things.)


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Influential fantasy fiction writer Ursula K. Le Guin died Monday at the age of 88, and her death has driven an outpouring of remembrances and odes to her work, particularly from fellow writers.

 Le Guin authored more than 20 novels in her lifetime, as well as a dozen books of poetry, more than 100 short stories, seven collections of essays, 13 books for children, and five volumes of translation. Her work has been translated into more than 40 languages and has sold millions of copies around the world, and her writing is noted for its feminist sensibilities and providing “high literature” in the fantasy genre. Le Guin won multiple Hugo and Nebula awards, prizes awarded specifically for science fiction and fantasy writing, as well as the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters at the National Book Awards.

 Her passing has left an immense hole in the world of fantasy fiction and many prominent authors of the genre (and beyond) are responding to her death with sadness and messages that recount how much her work inspired them. Stephen King called Le Guin “a literary icon” and wished her “godspeed into the galaxy.” Best-selling author N.K. Jemisin said Le Guin is “one of the reasons [she’s] a writer now.”

 Beloved writer Neil Gaiman, who presented Le Guin with the National Book Foundation’s lifetime achievement award, also shared how deeply affected he was by the news, writing, “I just learned that Ursula K. Le Guin has died. Her words are always with us. Some of them are written on my soul. I miss her as a glorious funny prickly person, & I miss her as the deepest and smartest of the writers, too.”

 Read below for a sampling of reactions to the author’s death.

 Usula K. LeGuin, one of the greats, has passed. Not just a science fiction writer; a literary icon. Godspeed into the galaxy. — Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 23, 2018

 This is heartbreaking. I always hoped for the chance to meet her. She's one of the reasons I'm a writer now. — N. K. Jemisin (@nkjemisin) January 23, 2018

 And altho I didn't realize it at the time, folks pointed out to me that the Broken Earth saga is basically "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" writ large. Her influence is all of my work, popping out in ways I don't even notice 'til much later. — N. K. Jemisin (@nkjemisin) January 23, 2018

 I just learned that Ursula K. Le Guin has died. Her words are always with us. Some of them are written on my soul. I miss her as a glorious funny prickly person, & I miss her as the deepest and smartest of the writers, too. Still honoured I got to do this: https://t.co/U4mma5pJMw — Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) January 23, 2018

 We are incredibly saddened by the passing of the visionary writer Ursula K. Le Guin, whose art has influenced writers across the globe. https://t.co/amt3i9a0pZ — National Book (@nationalbook) January 23, 2018

 “People who deny the existence of dragons are often eaten by dragons. From within.” Rest in peace, Ursula. — Penguin Random House (@penguinrandom) January 23, 2018

 Ursula Le Guin has died. She is a master storytelling. She is fierce and frighteningly smart and does not tolerate fools. Her EARTHSEA books are a revelation. — Shannon Hale (@haleshannon) January 23, 2018

 I'm sitting in an airport crying. Ursula Le Guin. You have taken my words with you. — Mary Robinette Kowal (@MaryRobinette) January 23, 2018

 Sad to hear of the passing of Ursula K. Le Guin, one of the most brilliant American novelists and thinkers. https://t.co/tD6L4SZvoG — Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) January 23, 2018

 Ursula Le Guin has been a hero of mine for 20 years. She's done so much, and she will continue to do good even though she's gone. She recorded a podcast recently and I want everyone who can to listen to it. I haven't stopped thinking about it for weeks. https://t.co/K8GbRLWenR — Hank Green (@hankgreen) January 23, 2018

 Hail and farewell Ursula Le Guin. https://t.co/5qEcU1D9Xe — Hari Kunzru (@harikunzru) January 23, 2018

 Le Guin is one of those writers who hit me in fundamental ways early. I've said many times I wouldn't be the same writer – by which I mean, person – without The Tombs of Atuan. She's an enormous talent and a huge, huge loss. — Kieron Gillen (@kierongillen) January 23, 2018

 “It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.” –Ursula K. LeGuin Legendary author Ursula K. LeGun has died, age 88. Her stories will live forever. pic.twitter.com/c7bGtV1Hka — B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy (@BNSciFi) January 23, 2018

 I'll have more to say about Ursula Le Guin's passing, probably tomorrow. But for now, "God damn it" will suffice. — John Scalzi (@scalzi) January 23, 2018

 One of the first white science fiction writers to depict a racially diverse universe with black and brown main characters, Ursula Le Guin has died. https://t.co/x1rj1aY25C — Karen Sands-O'Connor (@ksandsoconnor) January 23, 2018

 Oh, no. Rest In Power, Ursula Le Guin. https://t.co/AGt5CRVNzP — Jaclyn Friedman❄ (@jaclynf) January 23, 2018

 Sad, sad news. Ursula Le Guin passed away. One of our greats.https://t.co/0wDZVDqF7Z — Rabih Alameddine (@rabihalameddine) January 23, 2018

 There is a dragon’s hoard of treasure stored in her books. Read them. https://t.co/0iTrHo08KA — Benjamin Percy (@Benjamin_Percy) January 23, 2018

 Thank you, Ms. Le Guin. — Kelly Sue Demonic (@kellysue) January 23, 2018

 Rest in peace, Ursula K. LeGuin. The best of us don't go away having left behind only a body of work, but a body of people who have been inspired by our work. — Sam Sykes (@SamSykesSwears) January 23, 2018

 So sorry to learn of the passing of Ursula K. LeGuin, one of the great writers of our time and a lifelong favorite of mine. The worlds, species and societies she created and explored will live forever. https://t.co/39vXpzG7Mo pic.twitter.com/19BYuoQYO6 — David Grinspoon (@DrFunkySpoon) January 23, 2018 ||||| She often found herself making this argument. Finding herself among a cohort that included Gene Wolfe and Philip K. Dick, Le Guin explained to The Times in 1985 that “we were expressing serious concerns through the metaphors of science fiction and fantasy, as Tolkien did.” She added, “In the days of flowerdom we were going to make the future better. Instead of a cold, sterile futuristic place full of 'Star Wars,' there was a feeling for a while of making the world more livable, more human. My kind of science-fiction writer fit right into this.” |||||

– Author Ursula K. Le Guin, known best for her "Earthsea" series of fantasy novels, has died at age 88. Le Guin died Monday, her agent confirmed to NPR. Le Guin "brought literary depth and a tough-minded feminist sensibility to science fiction and fantasy," the New York Times wrote in its obituary of the author, whose books have been translated into some 40 languages and sold millions worldwide. In an early exploration of gender identity, one of Le Guin's most popular works, The Left Hand of Darkness, takes place on a planet where inhabitants are neither male nor female. The novel was among some 20 of the often femininist-leaning books Le Guin authored over the course of her career. According to EW.com, Le Guin also penned short stories, poetry compilations, and children's books. She was the recipient of a National Book Award, a Hugo, and a Nebula Award. Born in 1929 and raised in Berkeley, Calif., Le Guin was the daughter of anthropologists. She would carry on the academic tradition after undergraduate studies at Radcliffe College, when the LA Times notes she pursued graduate studies in French and Italian literature at Columbia University. Le Guin, née Kroeber, left Columbia after being awarded a Fulbright to study in France, where she would meet her future husband. The two would go on to settle in Portland, Ore. "The family of Ursula K. Le Guin is deeply saddened to announce her peaceful death yesterday afternoon," reads a message on the writer's official Twitter account, which had been active up until this month. Le Guin is survived by her husband, Charles Le Guin, their two daughters, and their son. The family did not confirm a cause of death, but said Le Guin had been ill for the last several months.


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– He's out of the hospital and expected to be OK, but one of the two police officers shot last night in Ferguson still has a bullet lodged behind his ear. The 32-year-old got shot below his right eye, and the bullet ended up just below his right ear, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The other officer, 41, got hit in the right shoulder, and the bullet exited out his back. He's out of the hospital, too. Police haven't made any arrests in the shootings, but they took three people in for questioning this morning. "We're lucky by God's grace that we didn't lose those two officers last night," said St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar. "We could have buried two police officers next week because of this." Belmar called the attack an "ambush," and Eric Holder used the same word along with some stronger ones, reports CBS News. “This was not someone trying to bring healing to Ferguson," the attorney general said today. "This was a damn punk, a punk, who was trying to sow discord.” Protests are expected to resume tonight, and the Missouri Highway Patrol and St. Louis County Police will take the reins from the Ferguson department, whose chief resigned yesterday. Police think the bullets came from a pistol fired from across the street from the department. In amateur video, two shots are heard, followed by a man screaming in pain, reports AP. The voice of an unidentified person is heard saying, "Acknowledgement nine months ago would have kept that from happening."

Attorney General Eric Holder harshly condemned the "damn punk" responsible for shooting of two police officers in Ferguson, Missouri early Thursday morning, saying the incident "turned my stomach."

 "What happened last night was a pure ambush," Holder said. "This was not someone trying to bring healing to Ferguson, this was a damn punk who was trying to sow discord."

 "I want to be very clear here: I unequivocally condemn these repugnant attacks," Holder said. "All of us in the law enforcement family and all Americans across the country are praying for the safe recovery" of the two officers who were shot.

 In an earlier statement, Holder said the shooting threatens "the very reforms that nonviolent protesters in Ferguson and around the country have been working towards for the past several months."

 The two officers were shot during a protest that came just hours after Ferguson's police chief, Thomas Jackson, resigned in the wake of a Justice Department report that found widespread patterns of racial bias in the Ferguson police force. Neither of the two officers was a member of the Ferguson force, though - one was a St. Louis County police officer, and another was from a nearby department in Webster Groves. They both remain in serious condition at a local hospital.

 A manhunt is currently underway to find those responsible for the shooting.

 Ferguson has been rocked by protests since a white police officer shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old, last August. The city's police force is almost entirely white, while a majority of its residents are black. Brown's death helped spark a national debate about racism in the criminal justice system - a debate that intensified after the officer who killed him, Darren Wilson, was acquitted.

 An attorney for Brown's family, Benjamin Crump, told CNN Thursday that the family condemned the shooting, and he urged viewers not to let the incident obscure the protesters' message.

 "Violence is never the solution," Crump said. "There may be a few people who are misguided or confused but in large part the majority of the protesters and the majority of Americans want justice."

 The shooting is the latest in a series of incidents targeting police officers in the wake of the Brown case, a fact Holder acknowledged in his statement, noting "the killing of an officer in Philadelphia last week while he was buying a game for his son" and "the tragic loss of a Deputy U.S. Marshal in the line of duty in Louisiana earlier this week."

 In December, two New York City cops were killed by a man who said he was seeking revenge for Brown's death and the death of another unarmed man, Staten Island resident Eric Garner, at the hands of a police officer last July.

 St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar suggested on Thursday that the lingering tensions in Ferguson were to blame for the early morning shooting.

 "I have said all along that we cannot sustain this forever without problems," he said, according to Reuters.

 "These police officers were standing there and they were shot, just because they were officers," he said.

 In his condemnation of the shootings, Holder recalled the words of his brother, who is a retired law enforcement officer. "He always tells me that cops have the right to come home at night," the attorney general said. "And that's exactly right. These are people who protect us, keep us safe." ||||| UPDATED at 2:55 p.m. with highway patrol, St. Louis County police taking over protest security in Ferguson beginning tonight; rewards being offered.

 FERGUSON • The Missouri Highway Patrol and St. Louis County Police will take over Ferguson protest security Thursday night after two police officers were shot outside the police department there early Thursday morning.

 Ferguson police will continue to handle routine policing services in the city, St. Louis County Police said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

 The two officers shot early Thursday are expected to survive, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said. They were treated at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and released Thursday, though one still had a bullet lodged behind his ear.

 Belmar called the shooting as protests outside the department dwindled an "ambush" on police. At least three shots were fired at police just after midnight as police faced protesters who had gathered outside the police station, police said.

 On Thursday morning, officers swarmed a home in Ferguson in their search for those responsible for the shooting of the two police officers.

 Tactical officers surrounded a brick bungalow on Dade Avenue near Tiffin Avenue. The home is about four blocks west of the police department. Officers went in with dogs about 9:30 a.m. A neighbor said he saw police bring two men out of the home. The woman who neighbors say rents the home was also brought out in handcuffs.

 Police said they were questioning the three but they were not under arrest. They declined to provide further details.

 Martez Little, 25, of north St. Louis County, said he was in a car Wednesday night near the Ferguson police station with the woman taken into custody Thursday. Little said they witnessed the shooting.

 "Bullets were flying past us," Little said. "We heard them whistling by and saw two officers drop to their knees."

 Immediately after the shooting, Little said he put his hands up and showed police his waistband to make sure they knew he was not armed.

 "The shots were coming off a hill but we didn't see nobody shooting," he said.

 He said he went to the protest because he still has questions about the shooting of Michael Brown, but called the shooting of the officers wrong.

 OFFICERS RELEASED AFTER TREATMENT

 Belmar discussed the shootings Thursday morning at the St. Louis County Police Commissioners board room. He said one officer injured in the shooting was with his department. The other is a Webster Groves Police officer. Both were treated at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, but have been released.

 The Webster Groves officer was shot just below his right eye and that the bullet was lodged just below the officer's right ear, Belmar said. That officer is 32 and has been on the force for five years.

 The bullet that hit the county officer in the right shoulder exited from the right side of his back, Belmar said. That officer is 41 and has been in law enforcement for 14 years.

 Belmar said he believes the shots came from a handgun, not a rifle, based on the injuries and the sound of the shots.

 The chief said no suspects have been identified in the shootings but that detectives recovered shell casings near the scene. He said it was not clear if those shell casings were from the shooting. He said some witnesses have been "forthright" in helping police with the investigation.

 "We're lucky by God's grace that we didn't lose those two officers last night," Belmar said. "We could have buried two police officers next week because of this."

 The officers had been standing in a line of about 25 officers when the shots were fired. The gunfire came from the area of a parking lot about 125 yards away and were "parallel to the ground," Belmar said, leading him to believe the officers were targeted.

 "When you listen to the audio (in video from the scene), you can actually hear those shots singing," Belmar said.

 The chief said that 60-70 protesters had come to the Ferguson Police Department earlier in the night, some of them blocking roads and sidewalks. The protests prompted police departments to send officers, some in riot gear. At least three arrests were made during the protests before the shots were fired. That came later in the night as the protest began to dwindle.

 Belmar said he felt police have been fortunate since protests erupted in Ferguson in August after the police shooting of Michael Brown in that officers patrolling those protests have not been injured.

 "I think it's a miracle that we haven't had any instances such as this over the summer and fall," Belmar said Thursday.

 The chief said one of the biggest challenges facing police on the protest lines is discerning peaceful protesters from troublemakers.

 "This is another layer that makes it very difficult for our officers out there," he said.

 Attorney General Eric Holder issued a statement Thursday offering the Justice Department's "full range of investigative resources." He noted that "Such senseless acts of violence threaten the very reforms that nonviolent protesters in Ferguson and around the country have been working towards for the past several months."

 Speaking later Thursday, Holder described the shooting as the actions of a "damn punk" who was "trying to sow discord."

 LEADERS REACT, REWARDS OFFERED

 CrimeStoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the shooting. They asked anyone with information to call 1-866-371-8477. Tipsters can remain anonymous, and tips can also be submitted online at www.stlrcs.org or texted along with "STL" to 274637.

 U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, and U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, added a $3,000 reward for information in the shooting.

 “I completely condemn the cowardly ambush of the brave officers who were wounded last night in Ferguson,” Clay said in a joint statement with Cleaver. “I ask everyone to join me in prayers for their swift recovery and for healing in our community. The path of violence does not lead to justice.”

 Added Cleaver in the statement: “What happened in Ferguson last night was a terrible tragedy, and we cannot stand idly by as others transgress. We encourage anyone who has information to come forward.”

 Other politicians responded with messages about the shootings Thursday.

 "Violence against police is unacceptable," President Barack Obama tweeted from the @WhiteHouse account. "Our prayers are with the officers in MO. Path to justice is one all of us must travel together."

 U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said he had been notified of the shooting overnight, and that he had talked with both Belmar and with Department of Justice officials about the shootings Thursday morning.

 He said the shooting showed the dangers confronted by police, and Blunt used that point to assert that police had not overreacted initially after the Aug. 9 shooting. Blunt said claims that there had been police "militarization" in Ferguson were "totally fact free."

 "The police are trying to get home to their families alive," Blunt said. "They have a hard job to do."

 And U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., called the shootings "a criminal act that jeopardized the lives of police officers and protesters both. I hope the officers have a full recovery and pray for them and their families. It's time for healing and reform, and acts of violence have no place in this process."

 Gov. Jay Nixon also released a statement. "My thoughts and prayers go out to these brave officers and their families," the statement said in part. "Each day, our law enforcement officers risk their lives to protect the public and the fact that these officers appear to have been intentionally targeted is deeply troubling."

 He said the Missouri Highway Patrol has been in contact with St. Louis County Police and troopers stand ready to help.

 "It is imperative that anyone with information about the shooting immediately come forward so that those who perpetrated these senseless crimes can be apprehended and brought to justice,” Nixon said in the statement.

 Ferguson Councilwoman Kim Tihen, woke to the news that two officers had been shot.

 "I'm concerned about escalating violence, especially against our officers," she said. "They've endured so much stress already."

 Tihen, who spent four years as a Ferguson police officer, now works as a detective in another municipality. She represents the First Ward in Ferguson, which is on the northeast side of town. She has been on the council about three years.

 "We want peace in our community," she said.

 With all of the big changes at the top, namely the resignations of the police chief and city manager, Tihen said she wonders what would satisfy the protesters.

 "I'm not sure what more they want," she said. "I would like to ask them come to us, tell us what we can do to continue to heal the community."

 "We are willing to work with them, the protesters in general," she said.

 SPECIAL REPORT: Post-Dispatch special report on Ferguson

 TIMELINE: The events as they unfolded

 PROTESTS DWINDLE, THEN SHOTS RING OUT

 The gunfire was captured on video by some of those at the scene.

 After the shots were fired, the scene turned chaotic. Some protesters dropped to the ground. Others fled the scene.

 Several members of the media, including a Post-Dispatch reporter and photographer, were near the officers who were shot.

 Media and police ran behind two brick walls and officers pulled out their weapons. Then a line of police cars from more than a dozen departments arrived.

 Police closed South Florissant Road in front of the police station and cordoned a section of the area off with crime scene tape.

 Belmar said the shots were fired from across Florissant Road, northwest of the police department. Witnesses said the shots appeared to come from the direction of a block of homes on Tiffin Avenue that intersects South Florissant Road, where the police department is located.

 Bradley Rayford, a freelance journalist who has been reporting from Ferguson since the unrest began there last summer, said he saw three or four muzzle flashes from the crest of Tiffin Avenue, a residential neighborhood with large century-old homes atop a hill that overlooks the police station."

 He was in front of the police line on South Florissant at the time. He said he couldn't tell if the shots were being fired from a vehicle.

 At 2:30 a.m. a contingent of about 25 officers ascended the hill and began scouring the front yard of a home directly behind a tire business, their flashlights sweeping in arcs as they searched for evidence.

 The gunfire rang out as the protests seemed to be dwindling.

 About 25 protesters remained at the scene about two hours after the shooting. Police wouldn't let them leave until they gave statements.

 The protesters seemed to be two camps. The first were there to make a point that they weren't satisfied with the resignations of City Manager John Shaw and Police Chief Thomas Jackson. They were chanting in unison.

 The other one was volatile, angry, hurling profanities at the police, media and other protesters. Some skirmishes broke out among the factions.

 At least two people were taken into custody, but those arrests occurred before the gunfire erupted.

 Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-8477.

 Live updates: Tweets from reporters in Ferguson

 Gallery: Images from the protests and the shooting aftermath

 Video: Eyewitness reporter describes shootings

 Video: Chief Jon Belmar discusses the shootings

 Susan Weich, Christine Byers, Paul Hampel, Kim Bell and Joel Currier, all of the Post-Dispatch, contributed to this story.

 Story is developing. Check back for details. |||||


FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2016 file photo, Joshua Vallum is photographed in the George County Regional Correctional Facility in Lucedale, Miss. A federal judge on Monday, May 15, 2017, sentenced Vallum... (Associated Press)

 FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2016 file photo, Joshua Vallum is photographed in the George County Regional Correctional Facility in Lucedale, Miss. A federal judge on Monday, May 15, 2017, sentenced Vallum... (Associated Press)

 GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi man received a 49-year prison sentence Monday for the first-ever conviction on federal hate crime charges arising from the killing of a transgender woman.

 In a case watched by the LGBT community nationwide, U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. sentenced Joshua Vallum in the 2015 killing of 17-year-old Mercedes Williamson. It was the first case prosecuted under the federal Hate Crimes Prevention Act involving a victim targeted because of gender identity.

 Prosecutors said Vallum shocked 17-year-old Mercedes Williamson with a stun gun, stabbed her and beat her to death in 2015 to keep fellow Latin Kings gang members from discovering the two were having sex. Gang rules barred homosexual activity and declared it punishable by death.

 Guirola could have sentenced Vallum to life in prison, but heeded a lesser sentence suggested in a plea agreement between defense attorneys and prosecutors, citing Vallum's neglected childhood and other issues. Both the judge and defense lawyers said Vallum's history of abuse as a child had to be considered.

 "The taking of a human life because a person has a particular gender identity is particularly heinous and cannot be tolerated in an enlightened society," Guirola said in court in Gulfport.

 Vallum pleaded guilty to the federal charges in December. He previously pleaded guilty to a state murder charge that led to a separate sentence of life without parole.

 On Monday, Vallum begged forgiveness from Williamson's family and friends, though none of them were present — only a few reporters, the judge and Vallum's father and stepmother.

 "Every day, I live with the guilt and regret of my actions," Vallum said. "If I could bring back Mercedes by giving up my life, I would gladly do so."

 The case, watched nationally amid concerns transgender women are particularly vulnerable to violence, drew comment from U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

 "Today's sentencing reflects the importance of holding individuals accountable when they commit violent acts against transgender individuals," Sessions said in a statement. "The Justice Department will continue its efforts to vindicate the rights of those individuals who are affected by bias motivated crimes."

 LGBT advocates applauded federal officials' first use of the 2009 hate crimes law to prosecute an offense against a transgender person.

 Demoya Gordon, attorney for the Transgender Rights Project of Lambda Legal, called the prosecution "significant" but noted it began under President Barack Obama's administration and added "the cake was already baked" on Vallum's sentencing when Donald Trump became president.

 Gordon said her group remains concerned how Trump policies will affect transgender people. She cited the Trump administration's reversal of guidelines that transgender students nationwide should be able to use school bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity — among other steps.

 "These actions invite increased discrimination and continued animus against transgender people," Gordon said.

 Federal prosecutor Julia Gegenheimer had said at Vallum's plea hearing in December that he began planning to kill Williamson after a friend called him in May 2015 to say he'd discovered Williamson's identity.

 Vallum lured Williamson into a car in Alabama and drove her 50 miles (80 kilometers) to his family home near Lucedale, Mississippi, prosecutors said. They added he shocked her with a stun gun and stabbed her with a pocketknife. When Williamson tried to run, they said, Vallum chased her and bashed her head with a hammer.

 Public defenders submitted a sealed brief Monday to Guirola outlining Vallum's troubles.

 "Mr. Vallum lived through a childhood that was characterized by abandonment and neglect," said public defender Ellen Allred. "It's difficult to image how a mother could lock a two- or three-year-old child in a room for house on end while adults did drugs."

 Allred said Vallum first tried to kill himself when he was 7 or 8.

 "We can't go back and change Mr. Vallum's childhood, just like Mr. Vallum can't go back and undo what he did to Mercedes," Allred said.

 Vallum initially told sheriff's deputies and later told The Sun Herald newspaper that he found out that Williamson had a penis on May 30, 2015 — moments before he killed her. He said he "blacked out" and doesn't remember the crime, a variation of what's known as a "gay panic" or "trans panic" defense.

 He declined to speak with The Associated Press in a March letter, citing advice from his lawyers, and didn't address the issue Monday. However, Vallum has never contested testimony and evidence that he long knew Williamson was transgender.

 A witness in state court had testified previously that Vallum and Williamson had sex multiple times while the witness was a roommate with Williamson. Williamson had transitioned from male to female before dropping out of high school in Alabama, leaving her parents' home and drifting from place to place.

 ___

 Follow Jeff Amy at: http://twitter.com/jeffamy . Read his work at https://www.apnews.com/search/Jeff_Amy . ||||| Story highlights Joshua Vallum pleaded guilty to killing his ex-girlfriend

 Justice Department: He killed because she was transgender

 (CNN) A Mississippi man was sentenced to 49 years in prison Monday and fined $20,000 for killing his ex-girlfriend because she was transgender, the US Justice Department said.

 Joshua Vallum, 29, of Lucedale is the first person prosecuted for a federal hate crime in which the victim was targeted for being transgender, the Justice Department said in a news release.

 Vallum knew Mercedes Williamson was a transgender teenage girl when they began dating, but kept her gender identity secret, prosecutors said.

 They broke up in 2014 but Vallum decided to kill her in May 2015 because a friend had discovered she was transgender, the Justice Department said.

 Merecedes Williamson

 Vallum, a member of the Almighty Latin Kings and Queens Nation crime gang, feared reprisals from gang members if they found out about the relationship, the Justice Department said.

 Read More |||||
What is a one-paragraph summary of the above article?

– A Mississippi man received a 49-year prison sentence Monday for the first-ever conviction on federal hate crime charges arising from the killing of a transgender woman, the AP reports. In a case watched by the LGBT community nationwide, US District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. sentenced Joshua Vallum, 29, in the 2015 killing of 17-year-old Mercedes Williamson. It was the first case prosecuted under the federal Hate Crimes Prevention Act involving a victim targeted because of gender identity. Prosecutors said Vallum shocked Williamson with a stun gun, stabbed her, and beat her to death to keep fellow Latin Kings gang members from discovering the two were having sex. Gang rules barred homosexual activity and declared it punishable by death. The couple had broken up in 2014 but a friend had recently discovered Williamson was transgender, per CNN. Guirola could have sentenced Vallum to life in prison, but heeded a lesser sentence suggested in a plea agreement between defense attorneys and prosecutors, citing Vallum's neglected childhood and other issues. Both the judge and defense lawyers said Vallum's history of abuse as a child had to be considered. Vallum pleaded guilty to the federal charges in December. He previously pleaded guilty to a state murder charge that led to a separate sentence of life without parole. On Monday, Vallum begged forgiveness from Williamson's family and friends, though none of them were present—only a few reporters, the judge, and Vallum's father and stepmother. "Every day, I live with the guilt and regret of my actions," Vallum said. "If I could bring back Mercedes by giving up my life, I would gladly do so."


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Does the world have Kenny G to thank for the Starbucks Frappuccino blended drink?

 Maybe.

 The Grammy award-winning musician recently spoke to Bloomberg about how he met Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and became one of Starbucks’ early investors.

 “My uncle – my dad’s brother – was, I think, the very first guy that gave Howard Schultz money to get Starbucks growing,” Kenny G told Bloomberg. “And my uncle called me and said, ‘I know you’ve been selling some CDs. Meet this guy Howard Schultz. Give him some money for his company Starbucks.’”

 As Kenny G – and the rest of the world – later found out, investing in Starbucks did not disappoint.

 The saxophonist, whose latest album "Brazilian Nights" was released on Tuesday, also named the Frappuccino his Starbucks drink of choice and took partial credit for its addition to the menu.

 “At the beginning, Starbucks didn’t have anything but coffee, and there was another company, Coffee Bean, that had … something called blended,” Kenny G said. “And I would always call Howard and say, ‘Howard, there’s this thing that they do there that’s like a milkshake or whatever.’ And so I think that part of the reason that they did Frappuccinos was people like me giving them that kind of feedback. So I’d like to think that I’m partially responsible for that.”

 Getty Images

 "Kenny has been a dear friend of Starbucks since the beginning of the company and we are very appreciative of everyone, including Kenny, who've been a part of the success of Frappuccino," a Starbucks spokesperson told ABC News.

 While Kenny G may have spoken to Schultz about adding an iced blended drink, two Starbucks partners first began developing the idea in 1993 when they saw an opportunity for the cold beverages in Southern California, the Starbucks spokesperson said. By spring of 1995, the first Frappuccino blended beverages, Coffee and Mocha, were available nationally.

 In addition to the Frappuccino, Kenny G also said he had a role in Starbucks selling music, since his Christmas album, "Miracles," was the first record that Starbucks sold in 1994.

 "That was the experiment to see if they could sell music at the counter, and it worked really well," said Kenny G.

 The moral of the story? Always take Kenny G's advice. ||||| Espresso Roast 1lb Bag - Whole Bean

 We built our business on this signature blend. To create our Espresso Roast Blend, we roast four select origin coffees to perfection, then combine them to create the perfect base for our espresso drinks. Our Espresso Roast Blend is expressive and subtle enough to be enjoyed as a straight shot, yet assertive enough for the perfect latte. Special Note: Our 12 oz ground is prepared for the traditional coffee maker and not Espresso Machines. Please select Whole Bean and grind as needed if you are preparing Espresso. ||||| Frappuccino Type Blended coffee drink Manufacturer Starbucks Country of origin United States Region of origin Massachusetts[1] Introduced 1995 Color Various, generally brown or white Related products Iced coffee, milkshake

 Frappuccino is a trademarked brand of the Starbucks Corporation for a line of iced, blended coffee drinks. It consists of coffee or crème base, blended with ice and other various ingredients, usually topped with whipped cream and sauces. Frappuccinos are also sold as bottled coffee beverages in grocery stores, convenience stores and from vending machines.

 History [ edit ]

 Frappuccino is a portmanteau of "frappe", the New England name for a milkshake with ice cream, and cappuccino, an espresso coffee with frothed milk. The word was coined and trademarked in Boston, Massachusetts.[1][2] In the Boston area, a "frappe" (pronounced "frap" and spelled without the accent) is a thick milkshake with ice cream,[2] derived from the French word frappé.[3]

 The original Frappuccino drink was developed, named, trademarked and sold by George Howell's Eastern Massachusetts coffee shop chain, The Coffee Connection and created by then employee, Andrew Frank.[2] When Starbucks purchased The Coffee Connection in 1994, they also gained the rights to use, make, market, and sell the Frappuccino drink.[2] The drink, with a different recipe, was introduced under the Starbucks name in 1995 and as of 2012, Starbucks had annual Frappuccino sales of over $2 billion.[2]

 The recipe is derived from a fusion of various cold drinks, including the coffee frap (similar to iced coffee)[dubious – discuss] and the frappe (blended ice cream, syrup, and milk), with the Italian cappuccino.[1][4][5][6] The recipe today consists of brewed coffee, ice, and other additives such as milk, sugar, flavored syrups, and whipped cream.[7]

 Versions [ edit ]

 Currently available [ edit ]

 The following is a list of the typical versions available of each type of Frappuccino.

 Decaffeinated [ edit ]

 Upon consumer request, Starbucks baristas can create Frappuccinos with decaffeinated shots of espresso, rather than using caffeinated Frappuccino Roast instant coffee.[citation needed][8]

 Crème [ edit ]

 A coffee-free base was created to make a drink called a Frappuccino Blended Crème. Menu examples include the Mocha Crème, Caramel Crème, Vanilla Bean Crème, and Serious Strawberry Frappuccino. Any syrup or sauce can be used to make a custom Frappuccino Blended Crème. Crème Frappuccinos contain very little or no caffeine.

 Non-dairy alternatives [ edit ]

 Frappuccinos made with soy milk became available in stores in the United States and Canada in 2010.[9] In January 2011 Starbucks introduced this option to Australian stores, and the option has since been made available in other countries. Starbucks has since also introduced coconut and almond milk options.

 Juice blends [ edit ]

 In the summer of 2006, Starbucks introduced the Frappuccino Juice Blend, which were described as being "real fruit juices combined with Tazo Tea, blended with ice". Juice Blends were gradually discontinued throughout 2007 and 2008 and are no longer offered by Starbucks.[10]

 Modifications [ edit ]

 Frappuccinos may include additional ingredients, which can include espresso shots, flavored syrups, chocolate chips, and flavored powders. Consumers may also customize the consistency of Frappuccinos by ordering light or extra ice. Any Frappuccino can have additional syrups, shots of espresso, or various other modifications at a possible surcharge.

 Former [ edit ]

 Bottled "Frappuccino" [ edit ]

 A bottled Frappuccino is sold in retail stores and vending machines. The U.S. 9.5-oz. bottled version was originally manufactured in 1996 by PepsiCo in Springfield, Missouri, but has since then expanded and is also being produced in Ventura, California; Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; and Cabool, Missouri. The Springfield plant produces 186 million glass bottles of Frappuccino annually.[11] In Europe this product is made by Arla Foods in Denmark. While bearing the Frappuccino trademark, these bottled versions bear no discernible resemblance to the product made in Starbucks stores; they are simply coffee, milk, sweetener, and sometimes, flavoring,[12] which can be confusing for customers.

 Criticism [ edit ]

 Frappucino's have been criticised for their high sugar content.[13]

 North American Coffee Partnership [ edit ]

 In 1994, PepsiCo and Starbucks formed an entity called the North American Coffee Partnership. The joint venture was created so that ready-to-drink products using the Starbucks name could be distributed using Pepsi's global network. The Frappuccino was the joint venture's first product.[11] Since 1996, the NACP has expanded to include a diverse portfolio of Starbucks branded coffee and energy drinks. The NACP has approximately 97% market share in RTD (ready-to-drink) coffee and has grown to more than a $1.5 billion retail business.[14]

 See also [ edit ] ||||| Breaking: America's number one smooth jazz musician Kenny G claims to have invented the Starbucks Frappuccino. According to a new interview on Bloomberg, Kenny G (aka Kenneth Bruce Gorelick) — who also enjoys Blue Moon beer and listening to his own Christmas albums — had a hand in creating the Starbucks Frappuccino.

 According to several sources, Kenny G's uncle was the first investor in Starbucks. Kenny's uncle encouraged him to be among the company's first investors after introducing him to CEO Howard Schultz way back in the early 1990s. Kenny on Bloomberg:

 At the beginning, Starbucks didn't have anything but coffee. And there was another company, Coffee Bean, that had something called "blended" that was a sweet drink, and people were lined up around the block. And I would always call Howard and say, "Howard, there's this thing that they do there that's like a milkshake or whatever." And so I think that part of the reason that they did Frappuccino was people like me giving them that kind of feedback. So I'd like to think that I was partially responsible for that.

 According to Wikipedia, the Frappuccino "was developed, named, trademarked and sold by George Howell's Eastern Massachusetts coffee shop chain, The Coffee Connection. When Starbucks purchased The Coffee Connection in 1994, they also gained the rights to use, make, market, and sell the Frappuccino beverage." ||||| These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.The goal is to fix all broken links on the web . Crawls of supported "No More 404" sites. |||||

– There's another reason for you to love Kenny G. Not only does he provide the world with smooth saxophone jazz, he also helped provide the world with the Starbucks Frappuccino, at least according to the musician himself. He was an early Starbucks investor, he explained this week in an interview with Bloomberg, and he noticed that "Starbucks didn’t have anything but coffee" while another coffee chain, Coffee Bean, "had something called 'blended' that was a sweet drink, and people were lined up around the block. I would always call [Starbucks CEO] Howard [Schultz] and say, 'Howard, there’s this thing that they do there that's like a milkshake or whatever.' ... So I'd like to think that I was partially responsible" for the drink. And, of course, now, the Frappuccino is his favorite Starbucks beverage, he says. And, though Eater cites Wikipedia in pointing out that Starbucks may actually have bought the rights to the Frappuccino when the chain bought another chain, the Coffee Connection, in 1994, a Starbucks rep tells ABC News, "Kenny has been a dear friend of Starbucks since the beginning of the company and we are very appreciative of everyone, including Kenny, who've been a part of the success of Frappuccino." (The rep also says two Starbucks partners began working on what would be the Frappuccino in 1993; it launched nationally two years later.) As for how he became a Starbucks investor, Kenny said his uncle—possibly Schultz's first investor, per Kenny—suggested he invest and also try to sell his CDs there. And in 1994, one of his albums became the first CD Starbucks ever sold. "That was the experiment, to see if they could sell music at the counter, and it worked really well." (Here's what a Starbucks does to the neighborhood.)


Write an article based on this summary:

– Taylor Swift had the internet buzzing about what she might be up to after her social media accounts recently went dark and then came back to life with snakes (lots of snakes). And on Wednesday, she revealed the answer: She's releasing another album, Reputation, due out Nov. 10. The first single will be released Thursday, E! reports. Reputation will be Swift's sixth studio album and her first release in three years. As for the title, it probably has to do with those aforementioned snakes; BuzzFeed delves into how the snake emoji, as used by her critics, has become inextricably intertwined with Taylor—and why she might now be attempting to "reclaim" it.

Swift's camp claimed credit for the song after the two split (the song was rumored to also have been the source of the breakup). This caused the pop producer to go on a Twitter rant against her — invoking the name of Swift rival Katy Perry, and accusing Swift of trying to "tear" him down. People who sided with Harris started spamming Swift's Instagram comments with the snake emoji. (Harris has since revealed regret for his tweets.) ||||| After plenty of teasing and quite a bit of waiting, Taylor Swift has finally given fans the gift they've been wanting for three years...That's right, ladies, gents and Swifties all around the world, #TS6 is here!

 The singer revealed on Wednesday she will this year release her sixth studio album, Reputation, her first major record in three years. Reputation is set for release on Nov. 10, according to her Instagram. She also revealed that the first single from the record will be released Thursday night.

 She also revealed its cover art. It features a black and white photo of Taylor dressed casually in a loose-fitting shirt and sporting wet hair, dark lipstick and a chain choker while standing amid a backdrop of fake newspaper headlines and articles, all containing repeats of two words, "Taylor Swift."

 It comes hours after the singer released the third in a series of three videos making up a larger one of a slithering snake—an animal her critics have often associated with her over the years, and days after she purged all of her social media accounts. ||||| Swift's camp claimed credit for the song after the two split (the song was rumored to also have been the source of the breakup). This caused the pop producer to go on a Twitter rant against her — invoking the name of Swift rival Katy Perry, and accusing Swift of trying to "tear" him down. People who sided with Harris started spamming Swift's Instagram comments with the snake emoji. (Harris has since revealed regret for his tweets.) |||||


Article:
The medical report said Mr McKinnon, who is known to suffer Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism, also has a “fixed-psychological conviction he will kill himself in preference to being extradited”.

 The emergency study by consultant psychiatrist Professor Jeremy Turk of St George's Hospital, London, said that suicide was now an “almost certain inevitability”.

 Details of the report emerged following a decision by Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, not to block the extradition on medical grounds, as disclosed by The Daily Telegraph on Thursday.

 Mr McKinnon’s distraught mother said the Government, and Mr Johnson, "should hang their heads in shame" over the extradition to face hacking charges.

 Extracts of Prof Turk's report, disclosed in the Daily Mail, show that he recorded in September that Mr McKinnon, 43, suffered from a "'very serious Major Depressive Disorder.... aggravated and complicated by anxiety and panic attacks with multiple psychosomatic symptoms on a background of his having Asperger's syndrome".

 But following the failure of Mr McKinnon's bid to have his case heard at the Supreme Court, he concluded that he was now "at an even higher risk of self harm and suicide", something he said was a "real probability".

 Mr Johnson, who was shown the report, said that he felt the information he had seen was “not materially different from that placed before the High Court earlier this year” when Mr McKinnon lost his earlier legal challenge.

 He added: “It is clear from the proceedings to date that Mr McKinnon will not, if convicted, serve any of his sentence in a supermax prison.

 "Should Mr McKinnon be extradited, charged and convicted in the US and seek repatriation to the UK to serve a custodial sentence, the Government will of course progress his application at the very earliest opportunity.”

 The family, who were informed of Mr Johnson's decision on Thursday, are now set to apply for a judicial review in a bid to stop his extradition.

 The decision was almost universally criticised by opposition MPs, campaigners.

 Mrs Sharp said: "To force a peaceful, vulnerable, misguided UFO fanatic like Gary thousands of miles away from his much-needed support network is barbaric.

 "This is a cruel and miserable decision.

 "If the severity of Gary's medical condition isn't sufficient to prevent his extradition, I can't imagine what is. God help others facing a similar fate. I'm so upset and angry."

 She added: "Where are the 'very real safeguards' that the Government consistently hid behind when forcing this appalling Act through Parliament.

 "The only people who won't get extradited are terrorists facing the death sentence, the very people the Act was meant to be about.

 "What bitter irony."

 Mrs Sharp said her legal team would now apply for a judicial review, but if that was not granted then her son could be extradited before Christmas.

 "What a heartless and cowardly decision this is," she said.

 Mrs Sharp wept as she told how she broke the news to Mr McKinnon.

 She said: “He was very, very bad. He was very quiet – and I am more worried when he is quiet. I have got concerns for Gary. Alan Johnson has made the wrong decision. It is just awful.”

 Mr McKinnon's lawyer, Karen Todner, said: "It's a devastating blow but we are not going to give up.

 "We are certainly coming to the end of the road.

 "We're just hoping at some point someone sees sense and steps in.

 "All the legal team do know is we cannot give up because in some ways it's like dealing with a Death Row case, and we genuinely believe that Gary's life is at stake here."

 Another of his legal team said: “It is a miserable decision that we fundamentally disagree with – he could be gone by Christmas. We are considering all our legal avenues. What does it take for someone not to be extradited?”

 She added that she planned to issue judicial review proceedings next week, but added: "We are normally allowed three months to issue but the Home Secretary has only allowed us seven days."

 Keith Vaz MP, the chairman of the home affairs select committee which has pressed Mr Johnson directly not to extradite Mr McKinnon, said: “I am very disappointed at this decision. This is the wrong decision for the wrong reasons."

 Last month Mr Johnson threw a lifeline to Mr McKinnon, who suffers from a form of autism, with a promise to examine new medical evidence “very carefully” before deciding on his extradition last month.

 However in an emailed letter to Mrs Sharp, Mr Johnson is understood to have said that a decision to block the extradition of Mr McKinnon was not in his control.

 During an earlier legal battle in the summer, judges warned Mr McKinnon, who is accused of hacking into networks at the Pentagon and Nasa from his flat in north London, might kill himself if he was extradited.

 The legal process, which had been paused while Mr Johnson considered the medical evidence, will now start again, with legal sources suggesting Mr McKinnon could be extradited by Christmas.

 Mr McKinnon’s lawyers can either seek a fresh emergency judicial review of Mr Johnson’s decision at the High Court within the next seven days or appeal to the European Court of Human Rights within the next 14 days.

 David Burrowes, the Conservatives’ shadow justice minister and Mr McKinnon’s local MP, said: “It is extremely disappointing that the repeated calls for compassion and justice for Gary have been ignored by the Home Secretary.

 "Despite substantial medical grounds giving Alan Johnson the opportunity to stop the extradition, he has washed his hands of Gary.

 "The decision flies in the face of the medical evidence, which showed the serious risks to his health and life if extradition was to be granted.”

 Mr Vaz added: "The unanimous view of the Home Affairs Select Committee was that the Home Secretary has the power to intervene.

 "His [Alan Johnson's] decision has important constitutional implications if he is not prepared to use his discretion even though he is allowed to so no matter how narrow the scope.”

 Mark Lever, chief executive of the National Autistic Society which has been campaigning on behalf of Mr McKinnon, said: "We are bitterly disappointed by the Home Secretary’s decision and feel hugely sympathetic towards Gary and his family who have now been living under extreme stress for a prolonged period of time.

 "People with Asperger syndrome are often much more vulnerable than appearances would suggest and can be highly susceptible to additional mental health problems.

 "On the strength of recently submitted medical evidence and the support of the Home Affairs committee, we had hoped that Mr Johnson would listen to these concerns.

 "The National Autistic Society will continue to support Gary and his family during this incredibly difficult time and as the case continues.”

 Mr McKinnon, 43, from Wood Green, North London, has insisted that his hacking of Pentagon computers was nothing more than him searching for reports of UFO sightings.

 He is being extradited under a treaty which has been criticised because, while British prosecutors must provide details of the evidence against an American citizen, US prosecutors need only explain the charges to take a Briton to America.

 Mr Johnson said: "I have carefully considered the representations in the case of Gary McKinnon.

 "I am clear that the information is not materially different from that placed before the High Court earlier this year and does not demonstrate that sending Mr McKinnon to the United States would breach his human rights.

 "As the courts have affirmed, I have no general discretion. If Mr McKinnon's human rights would be breached, I must stop the extradition. If they would not be breached, the extradition must go ahead."

 He added: "Earlier this year the High Court upheld the extradition request for Mr McKinnon. This was after all proceedings under the Extradition Act 2003 had been completed.

 "The High Court dismissed a further challenge by Mr McKinnon that extradition to the USA would be in breach of his human rights.

 "Throughout this process there have been a number of assurances. Firstly due to legitimate concerns over Mr McKinnon's health, we have sought and received assurances from the United States authorities that his needs will be met. These were before the High Court in July.

 "It is also clear from the proceedings to date that Mr McKinnon will not, if convicted, serve any of his sentence in a supermax prison. Finally, should Mr McKinnon be extradited, charged and convicted in the US and seek repatriation to the UK to serve a custodial sentence, the Government will of course progress his application at the very earliest opportunity.

 "I know there is a concern on all sides to see a conclusion to these proceedings. It is now open to Mr McKinnon's lawyer to consider their legal options. As a consequence I do not propose to comment any further." ||||| Gary McKinnon and his family were told yesterday that Alan Johnson is to allow the extradition to go ahead after refusing to block it on medical grounds.

 Mr McKinnon, who has Asperger's syndrome, is accused by the US authorities of breaking into military and Nasa computers. He has admitted hacking but maintains he was looking only for evidence of UFOs.

 He was told in a letter from the Home Secretary that the extradition would now "proceed forthwith" after finding that there was "nothing incompatible" between extradition and Mr McKinnon's human rights.

 The family said last night that Mr McKinnon, who could be sentenced to up to 60 years in prison in the US, was "at risk of suicide" after being told there will be no 11th hour reprieve. His mother, Janis Sharp, was "extremely worried" about her son's mental state and said the Government and Mr Johnson should "hang their heads in shame" for caving in to American pressure.

 She said: "This is a cruel and miserable decision. To force a peaceful, vulnerable, misguided UFO fanatic like Gary thousands of miles away from his much-needed support network is barbaric. If the severity of Gary's medical condition isn't sufficient to prevent his extradition, I can't imagine what is."

 She added: "This government is terrified of speaking up to America, and now they are allowing vulnerable people to be pursued for non-violent crime when they should be going after terrorists. Why are they doing this?"

 Karen Todner, the hacker's solicitor, said there was still hope. "It's a devastating blow but we are not going to give up. We are going to issue judicial review proceedings. We normally have three months to do this but have now been given seven days to issue."

 In July Mr McKinnon went to the High Court in an attempt to get the extradition order overturned but was told being sent for trial in the US was "a lawful and proportionate response" to his actions. A month ago he was refused permission to take his case to the Supreme Court when judges decided he had "no real prospect" of success.

 The case has highlighted concerns about the Extradition Act 2003 which critics maintain erodes the rights of individuals in Britain without a similar concession being given in the US. They argue that Britons can be extradited without any assessment of the evidence against them and on cases so weak that they would never reach court at home.

 The US authorities only have to produce an arrest warrant to show that the person is wanted. In contrast, if British prosecutors want to extradite someone from the US they have to demonstrate likely guilt.

 The Home Secretary has been given assurances by the US authorities that Mr McKinnon's medical needs will be met. Mr Johnson said he had considered carefully the case but rejected it. "I am clear that the information is not materially different from that placed before the High Court earlier this year and does not demonstrate that sending Mr McKinnon to the United States would breach his human rights," he said.

 "It is also clear from the proceedings to date that Mr McKinnon will not, if convicted, serve any of his sentence in a supermax prison. Finally, should Mr McKinnon be extradited, charged and convicted in the US and seek repatriation to the UK to serve a custodial sentence, the Government will of course progress his application at the very earliest opportunity."

 Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, described the extradition treaty as unfair and Mr Johnson's decision as "shameful".

 Mr McKinnon is said by the US authorities to have been responsible for "the biggest military hack of all time". He is said to have caused $700,000 worth of damage and forced the US Army's entire network to be shut down for 24 hours. |||||Summary:

– A British man who hacked his way into Pentagon computers looking for information on UFOs has lost his final appeal against extradition. Gary McKinnon, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, is now expected to be sent to the US for trial within weeks, the Independent reports. The 43-year-old Londoner could face up to 60 years in jail if found guilty of what US authorities call the biggest military hack in history. Opposition lawmakers and McKinnon's supporters slammed the decision to reject the appeal, citing medical reports that said deportation was likely to make him suicidal. "To force a peaceful, vulnerable, misguided UFO fanatic like Gary thousands of miles away from his much-needed support network is barbaric," his mother told the Telegraph. "This is a cruel and miserable decision."