TV1 News

Guilty Verdict – Crippled Sub – Wildfires

- GUILTY VERDICT: A Jury found Travis Burns guilty of the murder of Joanne McCarthy today after deliberating for over 23 hours. Mr Burns begins a life term for murder. Mrs McCarthy was bludgeoned to death over 2 years ago in her own home. His sentence could come to more than the minimum 10 year life sentence under tough new home invasion laws. Burns has already signed the documents for an appeal against the verdict. Mr Burns will be sentenced after September 18, when new home invasion laws will be in place.

- CRIPPLED SUB: The fate of 117 Russian sailor trapped under 400 feet of icy Arctic sea remains in the balance. Their submarine collided with an unknown object, speculated to be another sub by some experts, and is now stuck on the sea bed. The sub is one of the few built in the last decade, in an aging fleet. The Russian Navy says the sub is not carrying nuclear missiles, and the nuclear reactors which power the ship are not dangerous. The crew can only communicate by banging on the ships hull. US experts say the crew only have a 50/50 chance of survival. The Russian fleet is continuing to deteriorate, and experts say Russian President Vladimir Putin has some tough decisions to make if Russia is to continue to be a world superpower.

- WILDFIRES: The wildfires which are sweeping through the United States have spread into Canada. The worst area is still the border between Idaho and Montana. 69 New Zealand and Australian firefighters are in the United States to assist the effort to control the blaze. Before reaching their designated areas, the firefighters were caught in a traffic jam caused by the fires. The firefighters say wildlife, including bears, snakes and elks, present danger in addition to the fires.

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