Blast reported at Boston College chemistry lab

Student left the scene of the blast, fire department saysProfessor is talking to emergency workers about chemistry experiment

(CNN) -- Emergency workers are evaluating a Boston College student who was at the scene of a chemistry lab explosion Saturday morning, authorities said.

The Boston Fire Department arrived at the Merkert Chemistry Center at 10:47 a.m. A Twitter post from Boston Fire said the student left the basement lab after the blast, but was found off campus at an apartment. No other injuries were reported.

Meanwhile, the chemistry building was evacuated and authorities were talking to a professor about a chemistry experiment.

CNN

Deaths reported as Syria protests rage

Syrian boys stand behind a fence at the Turkish Red Crescent camp Friday, 30 kilometers from the Syrian border.At least five deaths are reported in SyriaFour people are killed in Lebanon during clashesAngelina Jolie is visiting refugees in southern TurkeySyria state TV reports "militants" open fire on security

(CNN) -- Mass protests unfolded in Syria on Friday, and related unrest reverberated across the Lebanese and Turkish borders in a volatile day that left at least nine people dead.

Rami Abdelrahman of the London-based Syria Observatory for Human Rights said four people died in Homs and one in Deir El Zour during demonstrations in Syria.

Fighting over the Syrian issue left at least four dead in Lebanon, and the number of Syrian refugees now in Turkey is approaching 10,000.

Protests swarmed several towns big and small across the country, including the Damascus area, Latakia, Homs and Hama, where thousands rallied, Abdelrahman said.

There were reports of detained demonstrators and the military deployment of tanks. There were reports of gunfire in Banias, a coastal city, Abdelrahman said.

The government's state-run TV said Syrian security personnel were injured by "militants" in the Damascus suburb of Al-Qaboun.

The Syrian government has consistently blamed the protest casualties on "armed gangs," and the TV report said the injuries occurred when the perpetrators opened fire in Al-Qaboun, just outside the capital.

Nearly 1,000 people in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli gathered Friday after prayers "in a demonstration in support for the Syrian people," the Lebanese National News Agency reported, and fighting ensued between Lebanese Alawites and Sunnis.

Clashes in Tripoli killed one soldier and three civilians and injured two soldiers and 10 civilians, the army said. The news agency said one of those killed was an official with the Democratic Arab Party, an Alawite entity.

The Lebanese prime minister, Najib Nikati, said the army dispatched reinforcements to Tripoli neighborhoods to impose law and order.

The Alawite faith is an offshoot of Shiite Islam that dominates Syrian leadership; President Bashar al-Assad is an Alawite. The majority of Syrians are Sunni Muslim.

There's been tension between the two groups in Lebanon. Alawites and Sunni/leftist militias fought at different junctures during the 1975-90 civil war until the Syrians established a presence there.

The majority of the Sunnis in Tripoli loathe the Syrian regime, but the Alawites in northern Lebanon thrived during the Syrian presence. Tensions have increased between the groups during the most recent Syrian crisis.

And as international powers urge Syria to initiate serious reforms and stop its bloody crackdown against demonstrators, Rami Makhlouf, the powerful head of the Syriatel phone company and part of the regime's inner circle, has announced that he plans to quit his business and go into charity work.

Makhlouf, who is the cousin and confidant of al-Assad's, is widely unpopular among protesters and is a symbol among many citizens of the regime.

His move, announced Thursday, is seen by some observers as an effort to placate anti-government sentiment. Abdelrahman said he thinks Makhlouf's decision came as a result of this week's talks between Turkey and Syria to find a solution to the crisis and stem the Syrian refugee flow to Turkey.

"The people are aggravated by his control over the economy," Abdelrahman said.

Makhlouf's name reverberated at one of Friday's mass demonstrations. A crowd chanted "No to Makhlouf, no to Assad; we just want Syria free," according to an Arabic-language news network.

Mass protests with specific themes have been held every Friday for weeks after Muslim prayers.

Opposition leaders Friday planned demonstrations dubbed "Friday of Saleh al-Ali," referring to a prominent Alawite who commanded one of the first rebellions against the French mandate of Syria in the early 20th century.

Some opposition activists said they hope the name prompts the powerful minority ruling class, which is composed primarily of Alawites, to join the demonstrations demanding the fall of the al-Assad regime.

They also say the name sends the message that their demands are not directed against Alawites but against the regime.

Demonstrators began protests three months ago in the southern city of Daraa and immediately were greeted by a tough government response. Anti-government sentiment caught fire, and protests spread across the country, leaving more than 1,100 dead and thousands more incarcerated.

Many Syrians fleeing the violence continued to pour across the Turkish border.

Actress Angelina Jolie, who is a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. refugee agency, went to southern Turkey on Friday to visit the refugees, a trip aimed at shining a spotlight on the plight of civilians in the country. She was headed to a camp in Altinozu.

Turkey's state-run Anatolian Agency reported Jolie's arrival at the Hatay airport. Officials greeted her amid tight security, and provincial officials arranged vans for her transportation to the Altinozu refugee camp.

"Toys unloaded from the plane were loaded to one of the vans in her convoy," the report said.

Refugees there are housed in warehouses at an old tobacco factory, and they staged a demonstration at the camp. They held up signs that said "Our military is killing its own people, please make it stop" and "U.N., help us please," and people chanted "stop killing children" and other anti-regime slogans.

The number of Syrian refugees in Turkey now stands at 9,693, according to a provincial Turkish official. Many of them escaped a security crackdown in and around the town of Jisr al-Shugur, and many took refuge in Syrian locations near the border.

Gunshots rang out near the border, according to Mohammed, an activist and resident of Jisr al-Shugur based along the border, and people think the Syrian army might be a few miles away.

CNN's Nada Husseini, Arwa Damon and Saad Abedine contributed to this report.

CNN

Heat-related deaths reported in 3 states

A flag seller in New York's Spanish Harlem uses a fan in his shop Wednesday as temperatures reach record-breaking highs.NEW: Autopsy is performed on a Milwaukee nursing home patientTwo deaths are reported in Maryland and two in Tennessee, health officials sayAll of the reported deaths were of people 60 or older with underlying health issuesThe heat that has plagued the South for nearly two weeks spreads northSee local coverage from CNN affiliate WISN in Milwaukee.

(CNN) -- Five possible heat-related deaths, all involving people 60 years or older and having pre-existing medical conditions, have been reported by health officials in three states, underscoring the danger posed to those most vulnerable in the searing heat wave that has gripped much of the eastern United States for nearly two weeks.

Medical examiners said a 69-year-old nursing home patient was left outdoors in his wheelchair, unchecked, for more than three hours Tuesday during record heat in Milwaukee, CNN affiliate WISN reported.

Martin Belkin, a patient at Sunrise Care Center, asked to be wheeled outside at 2:45 p.m. and was found unresponsive at 6 p.m. by workers at the facility. His temperature, taken nearly two hours after he was discovered, was 101.4, according to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office.

Milwaukee had a record high temperature of 97 degrees Tuesday, and a heat advisory had been issued the day before, warning of extreme heat between noon and 8 p.m. Tuesday, WISN reported. The station reported Belkin also suffered from a number of medical conditions and had been in the hospital in recent months.

An autopsy has been performed, and a ruling on cause of death is pending further toxicology testing, which may take several weeks, said Karen Domagalski of the medical examiner's office.

Two deaths also were reported in Maryland and two in Tennessee.

In Maryland, two senior residents, ages 65 or older, have died in the past 10 days from excess heat exposure, according to the state's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Both of the affected residents, a Cecil County man and an Anne Arundel County woman, had underlying medical conditions, the health agency said.

Two deaths related to the heat were reported in Shelby County, Tennessee, county health department spokeswoman Heather Reynolds said. A 75-year-old woman was found dead in her home Monday, and a 60-year-old man who fell from his wheelchair in Tipton County was taken to a hospital in Shelby County, where he died Tuesday,

The woman had a working air conditioner that wasn't turned on, and none of her windows were open, Reynolds said. She had only a fan on. The Shelby County chief medical officer said the woman had a number of medical conditions, including hypertension, but heat was listed as a contributing factor.

The Tipton County man was an amputee who had diabetes and was overweight. He was apparently in his wheelchair on a ramp to his van when he fell. Neighbors passing by alerted emergency services, and he was taken to Tipton County Hospital before being brought to Shelby County.

"When hot weather claims the lives of our residents, we are reminded how important it is to take precautions against heat exposure," Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley said in a statement issued by the state health department. "We need to remember to check on our families, friends and neighbors and especially those who are most vulnerable."

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Much of the Southeast has endured blistering heat, with little rain relief, since the last week of May, CNN Meteorologist Rob Marciano said, and the rising mercury now is spreading as far north as Minneapolis. Heat indices, which include humidity levels to show how the temperature feels, were in the upper 80s and low 90s well before noon in cities such as Washington, Atlanta, New York and Detroit.

A couple of cold fronts "will flirt with the western Great Lakes, so places like Chicago, maybe New York City, will see some brief cooling, but everything south of the Mason-Dixon Line (will experience) heat indices over 90 as well," Marciano said.

Dangerous heat is expected through Thursday, and possibly into Friday, in the large Eastern cities, he said, "so take care of your neighbors, certainly the elderly ones, and those who may not be able to handle this heat."

"Air quality is an issue, too," Marciano said. "Also, ozone builds up in big cities like Atlanta, so we're at a Code Orange today. Not only for Atlanta, but I think tomorrow over 80 cities will be in unhealthy categories."

The Maryland health department issued tips for recognizing symptoms of heatstroke and heat exhaustion, and for dealing with the searing summer weather:

• Heatstroke is a serious illness characterized by a body temperature greater then 105 degrees. Symptoms may include dry red skin, convulsions, disorientation, delirium and coma. The onset of heatstroke can be rapid: A person can go from feeling well to a seriously ill condition within minutes. Treatment of heatstroke involves the rapid lowering of body temperature using a cool bath or wet towels. A heatstroke victim should be kept in a cool area; emergency medical care should be obtained by dialing 911.

• Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heatstroke that may develop because of a combination of several days with high temperatures and dehydration. Signs of heat exhaustion include extreme weakness, muscle cramps, nausea or headache. Victims may also vomit or faint. Heat exhaustion is treated with plenty of liquids and rest in a cool, shaded area. Those on a low-sodium diet or with health problems should contact a doctor.

• In hot weather, it's important to drink plenty of fluids such as water and fruit juice to prevent dehydration, and be aware that alcohol can impair the body's sweat mechanism, as can fairly common medications such as antihistamines and diuretics. Other tips include wearing loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothes, a hat and sunglasses; avoiding direct sunlight as much as possible; taking it easy outdoors; and seeking air-conditioned areas such as a shopping mall or public library if you don't have air conditioning at home.

CNN's Vivian Kuo, Kara Devlin and Devon Sayers contributed to this report.

CNN

Fresh battles reported in Sanaa

NEW: New fighting reported near the home of the leader of a tribal revoltNEW: Protesters fired on in Change Square, witnesses report NEW: The headquarters of Yemen's national airline has been set ablaze, witnesses sayNEW: A government spokesman says victory is near; tribal official dismisses the claim

(CNN) -- Government troops fought fresh battles with opposition fighters in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, early Friday as the country's embattled president tried to put down a tribal revolt.

Troops backed by tanks were nearing the home of tribal leader Sadeq Al-Ahmar, whose followers have been battling troops loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh for nearly two weeks, witnesses reported. The nearby headquarters of Yemen's national airline was ablaze, with surrounding houses catching fire as well, witnesses said.

Government spokesman Abdu Ganadi told CNN said Saleh's forces "are near victory." But Abdulqawi Al-Qaisi, a spokesman for Al-Ahmar, said "All government claims of victory are fabricated, and our forces are still on the ground."

And in Change Square, where tens of thousands of anti-government protesters have made camp, witnesses said gunmen on surrounding streets were firing into the crowd, while snipers were visible on nearby rooftops.

"It's very tense inside Change Square now, because there is a fear that government forces might attempt to come into Change Square and take it over at any time," one of the protesters, who asked to remain anonymous due to security concerns, told CNN. A nearby resident said the fighting had subsided after midnight, however.

"We're still hearing bombs and gunfire, but not as much as we were just an hour ago," the resident said.

The fighting erupted May 23, after Saleh balked at a deal negotiated by Persian Gulf states that would have eased him from office in 30 days. The intensity of the fighting in the capital, where most of Yemen's security forces and army units are based, has increased fears that the country is on the verge of civil war.

Saleh has ruled Yemen since 1978, and the nation has been a key U.S. ally in the battle against the al Qaeda terrorist network. But Yemen was caught up in the wave of protests that swept the Arab world after the January ouster of Tunisia's longtime strongman, leaving Saleh battling both peaceful and violent resistance movements.

The impoverished, arid and mountainous nation has a weak central government and contains vast stretches where tribal law reigns supreme. A fresh group of about 1,000 armed tribesmen were seen entering Sanaa early Thursday, Sanaa resident Nageeb Mujaili said.

"We asked them why they were going to Sanaa armed," said Mujaili. "And they said to support their leader, Sheikh Sadeq Al-Ahmar."

Yemeni state television reported that government forces had beaten back tribal fighters from areas of the capital near the Ministry of Tourism building on Thursday, and Sanaa residents reported hearing explosions near the presidential palace, a government source said.

"The reason the street fighting in Sanaa has gotten a lot more intense in the past several hours is because special forces are now involved," said the source, who asked not to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the news media.

"The special forces of the Republican Guard, the elite units, got involved on Wednesday. They're being used because the government wants to minimize collateral damage and the special forces have particular training in clearing fighters from buildings."

A security official at Sanaa International Airport said inbound and outbound flights were halted due because of security concerns over clashes near the airport. But the official, who is not authorized to speak to the media, said that the airport itself is not closed.

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Twitter buys TweetDeck for reported 40M to 50M (AP)

NEW YORK – Twitter has bought TweetDeck, a London-based startup that helps people read, write and organize the short messages posted on the online network — and will keep the service going.

Twitter is not giving financial terms, though published reports have pegged the price at around $40 million to $50 million. The San Francisco company said in a blog post Wednesday that the TweetDeck team of 15 has joined Twitter. TweetDeck will continue to be based in London and its users, many of whom are Twitter's so-called "power-users," will continue to be able to use the application.

Founded in 2008, TweetDeck lets Twitter users organize the brands, celebrities, news feeds and people they "follow" on the short messaging platform. Users can also monitor their Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media accounts.

Analysts said the deal makes sense. TweetDeck has "some great technology" and a lot of loyal users, said Wedbush Morgan's Lou Kerner. It's not just the quantity, though, but the quality of those users that matters. Twitter's most elite, most frequent contributors are on TweetDeck, said Debra Aho Williamson, principal analyst at research firm eMarketer. These include celebrities as well as companies.

"Twitter needed to make sure that its strongest, most loyal, most dedicated users are staying in the fold," she said. "And seeing things that Twitter wanted them to see, such as ads."

TweetDeck users don't typically see Twitter's ads, but with the acquisition this will likely change.

In a blog post, TweetDeck said its focus will continue to be "providing high-quality tools and services for the Twitter-centric power-user."

"The mainstream Twitter user-base is well catered for by twitter.com and the official mobile clients," TweetDeck founder and CEO Iain Dodsworth said in a blog post. "And by becoming part of the official platform, TweetDeck will now fill that role for brands, influencers, the highly active and anyone that just needs `more power.'"

Twitter, meanwhile, said it will "continue to invest in the TweetDeck that users know and love," though it didn't give more specific plans.

Buying smaller companies for the people who work there and then dismantling the actual product is common in the tech world, where talent is scarce and valuable. But it seems that Twitter values TweetDeck for its product too, not just its people.

"TweetDeck provides brands, publishers, marketers and others with a powerful platform to track all the real-time conversations they care about," wrote Twitter's CEO, Dick Costolo, in its blog post.

With the acquisition, Twitter now has 505 employees. EMarketer estimates that the company earned $45 million in worldwide advertising revenue in 2010. This year, that's expected to grow to $150 million.

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Protests erupt in Syria; 8 reported dead

Syrian soldiers prepare to hand over an elderly Syrian woman who was caught trying to cross the border into northern Lebanon.NEW: Clashes are reported in Homs; at least 7 deadAbout 1,400 people have crossed into Lebanon over the past week, the U.N. saysClashes have been reported for days in embattled Tal KalakhWitnesses report a security presence remains around the Syrian town

(CNN) -- Anti-government demonstrations broke out in Syria on Friday after weekly Muslim prayers, with activists reporting at least eight deaths amid clashes between security forces and protesters.

A human rights activist told CNN that at least seven people died when security forces fired at crowds in the industrial city of Homs in western Syria.

For the past two months, Syria has been torn by street protests against political repression and a fierce security crackdown against demonstrators. The government's tough and violent actions toward marchers and its thousands of mass arrests have drawn widespread criticism.

Demonstrations have erupted after Friday prayers in Syrian cities for weeks.

The United States has imposed sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other senior officials, and on Thursday, President Barack Obama singled out Syria for criticism during his speech on the Middle East.

The witness in Homs described thick black smoke hanging over the city as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets demanding al-Assad's ouster.

According to the rights activist, the demonstrators gathered from several neighborhoods around Homs.

The demonstrators chanted slogans calling for the release of political detainees and demanded freedom, equality, and fundamental reforms, the activist said. As the crowd grew, security forces fired shots in the air and tried to disperse the gathering.

When demonstrators refused to leave, security forces fired at the throngs, killing at least seven people and wounding others, the rights activist said.

Despite the eruption of violence, demonstrators remained in the streets and chanted for the downfall of the regime.

At least one person was killed in Sanamen, a town outside the turbulent southern city of Daraa, another activist said, but there was no detail on the events in that town.

Meanwhile, the U.N. refugee agency said Friday that people have been crossing into Lebanon from a turbulent Syrian region where violence has erupted recently.

About 1,400 people have entered the Wadi Khaled and Tall Biri regions of Lebanon over the past week from the Syrian town of Tal Kalakh, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said.

The number is "in addition to those that have crossed since late April. Local authorities estimate that around 4,000 Syrians have crossed to Lebanon," the agency said in a written statement.

"Many of those who have crossed the border recently have come without any belongings; having fled what they say was heavy military bombardment of Tal Kalakh and surrounding areas," it said.

"Most have found shelter with relatives or host families, and some are residing temporarily in a school in Tall Biri."

Clashes between citizens and security forces have been reported for days in embattled Tal Kalakh, and witnesses there are reporting a strong security presence despite claims from the government of a troop pullout.

In his broadcast address on Thursday, Obama said Syrians have displayed "courage in demanding a transition to democracy" but the regime "has chosen the path of murder and the mass arrests of its citizens."

"President Assad now has a choice: He can lead that transition, or get out of the way," he said. "The Syrian government must stop shooting demonstrators and allow peaceful protests; release political prisoners and stop unjust arrests; allow human rights monitors to have access to cities like Daraa; and start a serious dialogue to advance a democratic transition. Otherwise, President Assad and his regime will continue to be challenged from within and isolated abroad."

The demonstrations began in and around the southern city of Daraa in the middle of March and have spread to other cities such as Homs, Banias, Douma, and Latakia.

Most recently, there has been unrest in Tal Kalakh near the Lebanese border. A few dozen people have been killed there recently, human rights activists said.

The Syrian state-run news agency on Thursday quoted a military source as saying that army units started withdrawing from the town "after accomplishing their mission of ending the state of security disorder caused by outlawed armed groups."

"Life in the city is gradually going back to normal," the source is cited as saying.

But CNN spoke to one activist who said that "army tanks pulled out of Tal Kalakh but continue to maintain their siege of the city." Another witness said the military remains in the city center and in the suburbs and security forces are making arrests.

As for the Syrian refugees filtering into Lebanon, that country's prime minister, Saad Hariri, asked the government's High Relief Committee last week to supervise and coordinate the work with the refugees. The U.N. refugee agency has helped distribute mattresses, blankets and food.

"The proactive role taken by the Lebanese authorities to ensure that new arrivals are assisted is encouraging," the U.N. agency said.

"Most of the people who have crossed the border in recent weeks are women and children," it said. "In addition to their immediate need for food, shelter and medical help, they also need psycho-social support. The latter is being addressed by the Ministry of Social Affairs."

The agency said it has "established a field presence in the north, working closely with the ministry to assess and provide needed protection interventions."

CNN's Arwa Damon, Nada Husseini, Salma Abdelaziz, Hamdi Alkhshali, and Joe Sterling contributed to this report

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Nigeria Newspapers Reported Violence At The Day Of 2011 Elections

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Counting of votes is continuing after the end of Election in Nigeria. Ruling party of this country is losing the game in counting of vote. Today on Sunday, it was stated in Lagos that millions of people had come for polling of parliamentary seats. Though fewer cases of violence and delay in poll were reported but people still in a large number came out for voting of elections. Early indications of election votes’ counting have shown a decline for the ruling party of country. So the legislative grip of Nigeria’s ruling party is in danger after 2011 elections.
A deadly bomb blast happened at the day of polling in Africa’s most populous country. This bomb blast sent a bad impression to outer world about credibility of these elections. Nigeria has remained under rule of dictators for a very long period of time. The improvement period of Nigeria started only after democracy arrived in this country. Earlier in 1990s, the Murtala Mohammad International Airport of Lagos was considered as the most dangerous airport to land by the leading airliners of world. Since Nigeria was under the rule of martial, the policies of army were not based on gaining trust of public. Even the multinational oil companies charged Nigerian public with their conspiracies.

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