Texas To Execute Jeffrey Wood Even Though He Didn't Kill Anyone

A man is about to be executed over a robbery that ended in a shopkeeper's death - even though he did not witness the shooting.

Jeffrey Wood, who is said to have the IQ of a child, is due to be given the lethal injection in Texas on 24 August.

He was sentenced under the state's so-called law of parties, under which anyone involved in a criminal plot that ends in death is equally responsible, regardless of their involvement or intent.

His crime goes back to January 1996 when he was the driver of a getaway car parked at a shop attached to a petrol station in the city of Kerrville.

His friend, Daniel Reneau, went inside to rob a safe. 

At the pair's trial, the court was told Reneau had intended the robbery to be without violence - but the shop assistant was shot in the head when he refused to comply.

A jail cell on death row in a Texas prison 

Wood, the court heard, had no idea Reneau was carrying a gun and rushed inside the shop when he heard the shot to see what had happened.

He then helped Reneau remove a video surveillance recorder before the pair fled with the safe and a cash box.

They were quickly identified and arrested the next day. Reneau was executed in 2002.

The defence lawyers representing Wood, who turns 43 on Friday, say he barely knew Reneau and could not have anticipated the shooting.

They are calling for a halt to the execution or at least a reprieve.

Wood's defence lawyer Kate Black said: "I have never seen an execution in the United States with this low of a level of culpability as Mr Wood has.

"I think that this case is a really strong example of the problem with the law of parties and I think that the (Texas) Court of Criminal Appeals will take that very seriously."

On a website set up to support Wood, his daughter Paige wrote: "Jeffery Wood only has one child and that is me!!!

"I have been deprived because of somebody else's crime. Should I continue to be punished?

"Please do not kill him... He did not kill anybody. He is a kind, gentle man and I need him! If you kill him... you are killing me!!!!!!!"

Several dozen church leaders have also written to Texas Governor Greg Abbott urging clemency.

Texas executes more people than any other state in the US.

Turkey: Three killed in bomb blasts near police station

A large explosion rocked an area near a police station in the eastern Turkish town of Elazig and several people were wounded, Turkish media reported, hours after a car bomb killed three people and wounded 40 elsewhere in the region.

Video footage obtained by the private Dogan news agency showed a large plume of smoke rising from the area of the blast, the cause of which was not clear.

Elaz?? Deputy Mayor Mahmut Varol said vehicles in front of the building had been burnt due to the detonation of a car bomb, although he did not provide any information on casualties.

"The first video coming from the scene shows that there are people injured, there are ambulances at the scene, taking the injured away," said Al Jazeera's Reza Sayah, reporting from Gaziantep on the Turkish-Syrian border.

"Based on the images, this was a powerful explosion. Much of the building is destroyed. We see smoke in the air and a lot of people surrounding the scene looking very distraught."

Only hours earlier, three people, including a child, were killed and more than 70 wounded in a car bomb attack in Turkey's eastern city of Van carried out by members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters, Turkish officials said.

The PKK attack targeted a police headquarters in the central Ipekyolu district of Van city, Van deputy governor Mehmet Parlak was quoted as saying by Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency on Thursday.

Speaking to Anadolu, ruling AK Party's provincial head Zahir Soganda said 71 people were injured.

"Among the 71 injured, three of them are in a serious condition and 17 are police officers," Soganda said, who added that a child and a police officer were among the dead.

Airlander 'Flying Bum' Takes To The Skies Over UK

The world's largest aircraft has taken to the skies over the UK for its successful maiden voyage.

Photographers and plane spotters waited patiently in baking heat for the first flight of the 302ft-long (92m) Airlander 10 since it was revamped by a British company.

Crowds cheered as the aircraft - nicknamed "the flying bum" because of its bulbous exterior - loomed overhead at Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire on Wednesday evening.

It performed one lap of the airfield - using engines that seemed much quieter than a plane or helicopter - before landing about half an hour later.

:: World's Largest Aircraft Set For UK Test Flight

Donna Seymour, 50, said: "It was beautiful. It's just so unusual.

"I think it's quite appropriate," she joked, when asked what she thought of the aircraft's nickname.

The Airlander 10 launches from Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire

Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAC) has made hundreds of changes since taking over development of the aircraft, which was conceived to be used in long-endurance surveillance for the US government before it fell foul of defence cuts.

HAV chief executive officer Stephen McGlennan said the team had been waiting for low winds for the launch but added the airship could "operate very happily" in 80 knots of wind.

He said: "Think of a big helicopter, a really giant helicopter. This can do the same thing that a helicopter can do - that's to say, provide air transportation for people and goods without the need for a runway - but this thing can take more over longer distances, it's cheaper and it's greener.

"It's a great British innovation. It's a combination of an aircraft that has parts of normal fixed wing aircraft, it's got helicopter, it's got airship."

Mr McGlennan said the aircraft was "very simple" to manoeuvre and people had been practising to fly it on simulators for at least five years.

It uses helium to become airborne and can travel at a speed of 92mph.

Wednesday's flight marks the beginning of 200 hours of test flights for the 143ft-wide (44m) and 85ft-high (26m) craft, which will be able to stay airborne for about five days during manned flights.

HAV claims it could be used for a variety of functions such as surveillance, communications, delivering aid and even passenger travel.

It is also hoped the Airlander 50 will eventually be developed, which would be able to transport 50 tonnes of freight.

TV Presenter Charlie Webster Seriously Ill In Rio Hospital

Television sports presenter Charlie Webster is seriously ill in a Rio hospital after contracting an infection.

The former Sky Sports News presenter fell ill after completing a 3,000-mile charity cycle from London.

She was admitted to hospital on 6 August after watching the Olympic opening ceremony, having arrived in Rio a few days earlier.

Initially doctors thought she was dehydrated following the gruelling six-week Ride to Rio challenge.

However, her condition deteriorated after developing a severe complication from a bacterial infection.

Webster just a day after being taken to hospital. Pic: @CharlieCW

The 33-year-old tweeted the day after being admitted to hospital: "6 weeks on the road ends in this. Very rough day, severe dehydration & infection - 2 drips & antibiotics #Rio."

Just two days later she wrote: "I'm getting there ... awful few days with serious infection #Rio."

Webster made no more posts and a statement on her Facebook and Twitter profiles on 11 August revealed how her condition had worsened.

It said: "Charlie has updated you all throughout her cycle and we know her silence was causing concern.

"On Saturday, 6th August, Charlie became unwell and was admitted to hospital in Rio de Janeiro.

"What was initially thought as dehydration, caused by her riding to Rio, has since been diagnosed as a severe complication caused by a bacterial infection.

"Charlie is receiving great care and we will update when we can."

The Ride to Rio campaign wished Webster a speedy recovery, describing her as a "tough lady".

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing support to a British woman who is in hospital in Rio."

TV Presenter Charlie Webster Seriously Ill In Rio Hospital

Television sports presenter Charlie Webster is seriously ill in a Rio hospital after contracting an infection.

The former Sky Sports News presenter fell ill after completing a 3,000-mile charity cycle from London.

She was admitted to hospital on 6 August after watching the Olympic opening ceremony, having arrived in Rio a few days earlier.

Initially doctors thought she was dehydrated following the gruelling six-week Ride to Rio challenge.

However, her condition deteriorated after developing a severe complication from a bacterial infection.

Webster just a day after being taken to hospital. Pic: @CharlieCW

The 33-year-old tweeted the day after being admitted to hospital: "6 weeks on the road ends in this. Very rough day, severe dehydration & infection - 2 drips & antibiotics #Rio."

Just two days later she wrote: "I'm getting there ... awful few days with serious infection #Rio."

Webster made no more posts and a statement on her Facebook and Twitter profiles on 11 August revealed how her condition had worsened.

It said: "Charlie has updated you all throughout her cycle and we know her silence was causing concern.

"On Saturday, 6th August, Charlie became unwell and was admitted to hospital in Rio de Janeiro.

"What was initially thought as dehydration, caused by her riding to Rio, has since been diagnosed as a severe complication caused by a bacterial infection.

"Charlie is receiving great care and we will update when we can."

The Ride to Rio campaign wished Webster a speedy recovery, describing her as a "tough lady".

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing support to a British woman who is in hospital in Rio."

University Gender Gap Reaches Record High

The gender gap between female and male students attending university is at a record level and "needs addressing", according to the head of the university admissions body. 

Women currently outnumber men in almost two-thirds of degree subjects in the UK, and females are now 35% more likely to go to university than their male counterparts, widening the gender gap to a record level.

UCAS, which operates the application process for universities in the UK, says its figures show over 90,000 more women than men in the UK applied for a university course this year.

The number of male applicants went down for the first time since 2012, its figures show.

"I think this is an issue that needs addressing," said UCAS chief executive Mary Curnock Cook. 

"If it was the other way round there would be an absolute outcry - if young women were being disadvantaged in education - and I think it needs a whole system effort to find out the reasons and look at some of the solutions that are needed."

At the Royal Veterinary College in London, 75% of students are women. It's trying to recruit more men.

"It would appear that certainly females are more focussed on their future, more interested in what they can do to make sure their future is secure, and are more interested in planning for their future than, perhaps, similarly aged boys," says veterinary professor David Church.

Student Amir Tayob has decided not to go to university. Instead he is opting for a five-year training course with a financial company.

"When you're 17-18, the thought of making your own money is quite enticing but for me that wasn't my whole aim in life," he said.

"I want to be good at something, excel at something, not just be rich."

Women still face a pay gap after they graduate

But Charis Benefo hopes to take the more traditional route and study law at university.

"Being working class the opportunities are not really there," said Charis. 

"There's not much money so the fact that I can work hard, get a degree, hopefully get a really good job and put my mum in a place where we don't have to suffer so much any more.

"There are loads of opportunities opening up for women. We have a female Prime Minister. There's the example of Michelle Obama.

"The world is more modern, there are more opportunities. Maybe that's why women feel they can go to university now."

But after women graduate, there is still a pay gap to close.

According to women's rights charity, the Fawcett Society, the pay gap for female graduates when they enter the workforce is £3,000, growing to 23% after 10 years in the labour market.

"They're going into lower paid professions," said chief executive Sam Smethers. 

"They're not seeing the transparency in the workplace.

"They can't negotiate themselves a better pay deal if they don't know what their colleagues are earning and ... we haven't got flexibility in the workplace, so if women need to take time out for caring it's impacting on them."

Ms Smethers added: "They're taking the hit and as a result their pay doesn't recover."

University Gender Gap Reaches Record High

The gender gap between female and male students attending university is at a record level and "needs addressing", according to the head of the university admissions body. 

Women currently outnumber men in almost two-thirds of degree subjects in the UK, and females are now 35% more likely to go to university than their male counterparts, widening the gender gap to a record level.

UCAS, which operates the application process for universities in the UK, says its figures show over 90,000 more women than men in the UK applied for a university course this year.

The number of male applicants went down for the first time since 2012, its figures show.

"I think this is an issue that needs addressing," said UCAS chief executive Mary Curnock Cook. 

"If it was the other way round there would be an absolute outcry - if young women were being disadvantaged in education - and I think it needs a whole system effort to find out the reasons and look at some of the solutions that are needed."

At the Royal Veterinary College in London, 75% of students are women. It's trying to recruit more men.

"It would appear that certainly females are more focussed on their future, more interested in what they can do to make sure their future is secure, and are more interested in planning for their future than, perhaps, similarly aged boys," says veterinary professor David Church.

Student Amir Tayob has decided not to go to university. Instead he is opting for a five-year training course with a financial company.

"When you're 17-18, the thought of making your own money is quite enticing but for me that wasn't my whole aim in life," he said.

"I want to be good at something, excel at something, not just be rich."

Women still face a pay gap after they graduate

But Charis Benefo hopes to take the more traditional route and study law at university.

"Being working class the opportunities are not really there," said Charis. 

"There's not much money so the fact that I can work hard, get a degree, hopefully get a really good job and put my mum in a place where we don't have to suffer so much any more.

"There are loads of opportunities opening up for women. We have a female Prime Minister. There's the example of Michelle Obama.

"The world is more modern, there are more opportunities. Maybe that's why women feel they can go to university now."

But after women graduate, there is still a pay gap to close.

According to women's rights charity, the Fawcett Society, the pay gap for female graduates when they enter the workforce is £3,000, growing to 23% after 10 years in the labour market.

"They're going into lower paid professions," said chief executive Sam Smethers. 

"They're not seeing the transparency in the workplace.

"They can't negotiate themselves a better pay deal if they don't know what their colleagues are earning and ... we haven't got flexibility in the workplace, so if women need to take time out for caring it's impacting on them."

Ms Smethers added: "They're taking the hit and as a result their pay doesn't recover."