‘Grand Tour’ host injured in crash
GENEVA - Richard Hammond, a presenter of Amazon’s car-themed TV show “The Grand Tour,” escaped serious injury Saturday in a fiery crash while filming in Switzerland.
Program-makers said Hammond was airlifted to a hospital with a fractured knee. The Rimac Concept One electric supercar was reduced to a twisted, blackened mess after it crashed and caught fire.
The program said in a statement that Hammond crashed after completing a climb during a demonstration run at the Hemberg hill race in the east of the alpine country.
“Richard was conscious and talking, and climbed out of the car himself before the vehicle burst into flames,” it said.
Migrants rescued at sea: Two migrants died in the Mediterranean Sea on Saturday during a rescue operation that saved more than 1,058 others who were attempting the dangerous crossing to Europe. Laura Lanuza, spokeswoman for Spanish aid group Proactiva Open Arms, said that while two migrants perished in international waters off the Libyan coast, the Spanish aid group and five other humanitarian organizations saved 1,058 migrants after intercepting several smugglers’ boats. Lanuza said that in addition to the deaths, another two migrants were in critical condition.
Amnesty International official arrested: A Turkish court has formally arrested Amnesty International’s chairman in the country pending trial on charges of membership in a terror organization, Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency said Saturday. The rights group called it a “mockery of justice.” Taner Kilic was arrested in the western province of Izmir along with five other attorneys who are accused of using ByLock, an encrypted mobile messaging application. Kilic was detained on Tuesday and arrested late Friday. ByLock is allegedly used by the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey blames for orchestrating last summer’s coup attempt and leading a terror organization. Gulen denies all allegations. Kilic has denied downloading or using the application and Amnesty said there was no substantiated evidence to support the claim.
Gadhafi’s son released: Seif al-Islam, the son and one-time heir apparent of late Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, has been released after more than five years in detention, his captors said on Saturday. A statement by his captors, the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Battalion, said Seif al-Islam was released on Friday, but gave no details on his whereabouts. Battalion officials reached by The Associated Press at Zintan, a town south of the capital Tripoli where it is based, confirmed his release. They said his release was decided as part of a recent pardon issued by the Libyan parliament based in the country’s eastern region. The parliament in the city of Tobruk is part of one of three rival administrations in Libya, evidence of the chaos that has prevailed in the country since Gadhafi’s ouster and death. Gadhafi’s son was captured by the battalion’s fighters late in 2011, the year when a popular uprising toppled Gadhafi after more than 40 years in power. Gadhafi was later killed. The uprising later plunged the oil-rich North African nation into a ruinous civil war in which Seif al-Islam led Gadhafi’s loyalist forces against the rebels.
Disneyland guests cry foul: Disneyland visitors got more adventure than they bargained for when
a flock of geese let go in flight, fouling the guests. Anaheim, Calif., police and fire officials said 17 people, including six children, were hit by bird droppings just before 9 p.m. Friday. A hazardous materials team was sent to Main Street near the Sleeping Beauty Castle after a report that feces
had been thrown on people. It was quickly determined the real culprit was a flock of geese flying overhead. Authorities said the smeared visitors were taken to a private restroom to clean up and were given clean clothes.