Real Hot Newz

Tri Fidget Hand Spinner EDC Focus ADHD Finger Desk Toy

2017-06-10T15:32:00.003-04:00

Hot selling toy for 2017 that's a hit with kids and adults.

It's called Fidget Hand Spinner and stores can't seems to keep them on the selves.

I have found a place where I was able to purchase some.

You can go here to purchase your own Fidget Hand Spinner.

Features:

Great For Fidgety Hands, ADD & ADHD Sufferers Helps Relieve Stress
Perfect size suitable for Adults and kids (4+ yrs old)
Easy To Carry,Small,Simple,Discrete and Fun,also effective for Focus and Deep Thought
Ceramic center bearing,SLA technology,laser industrial molding technology,resin materials.
Available in several colors
Great as a gift or stocking stuffer

Many people believe it will help them quit smoking, help with ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, insomnia, or meditation.

Van Damme LC-OFC Twin Interconnect Cable Review

2016-12-17T09:24:00.001-05:00

Van Damme LC-OFC HiFi Twin Interconnect Cable

A friend of mine named Mike had a pair of interconnect cables he wanted me to try out. Being the audio fanatic guy I am, I said why not.

The cables he wanted me to try were called Van Damme LC-OFC Twin Interconnect cables.

What does LC-OFC stand for you may ask? Linear Crystal Oxygen Free Copper. Supposedly, it's a very high grade of pure copper. After extrusion, the copper wire is re-heated, or annealed, which reduces impurities between the crystal boundaries as the copper crystal grows and leads to a longer grain length. A typical crystal (or grain) in a 1mm diameter LC-OFC conductor is 130 mm long.

With purity of the copper being so high, audio expert rate this cable up with XLO, Cardas, and Kimber Kable just to name a few. After doing some research on the Van Damme cable I found that it has:

Very natural sound
Very clear sound (this means LC-OFC has no phase distortion)
Signal built-up is rapid and transient characteristics are superior
Sound images are sharp and orientation of the sound is clear

The Interconnects I've been using for the past four years are the Canare L-4e6s Star Quad audio cable.
I love the sound the Canare cables gave and if the Van Damme LC-OFC Twin Interconnect cables came even close in sound, one has to wonder if it's time for a change.

The cables Mike had came terminated with Nakamichi gold plated RCA connectors (see picture below).

Nakamichi gold plated rca connectors

The Interconnect comes in a shotgun form (side by side) with the jacket color being Sapphire blue.

Applications:

High end domestic hi-fi cables
Professional critical monitoring

Conductor	0.63mm bare ultra pure linear crystal oxygen free copper
Insulation	Foam skin polyethylene
Capacitance	less than 97 pF/m
Screen	93% optical coverage LC-OFC braid
Jacket	PVC/Neoprene composite sapphire blue RAL 5003
Overall diameter	16.00 x 6.00mm
Weight	120 Kg/Km

How does the Van Damme sound? Breath taking would be an understatement. This cable really blows
my Canare L-4e6s out the water and then some! Wow, I couldn't believe the low end extension this cable gave in my HiFi system. Vocals sound more natural and for the first time, I had a very large sound stage. Sorry Canare, but these are the cables I will be using from here on out. Mike wouldn't let me have his pair but he did refer me to the same person on eBay he purchase his from.

The fact that you can get so much sound for little money compared to the competition, should make even the most doubtful person wanna give these a try. You're talking a savings of over 6x less than what you would spend buying the Cardas Golden Reference Interconnects. And to my ears, you're getting the same high quality sound without breaking the bank. Money I saved could be use to buy more audio gear for my system.

I purchased (2) 1 meter cables and they arrived about 2-3 days after ordering in a padded envelope with bubble wrap around the Nakamichi connectors. The beauty of having cables like this in a shotgun formation, when you look at the price, it's for both channels unlike a lot of Interconnects where you have to purchase two cables for stereo hookup.

Van Damme LC-OFC Twin Interconnect cables have just replaced my Canare L-4e6s Star Quad but I will still listen to them from time to time, but not in the near future.

I would highly recommend you give the Van Damme cables a listen and see what you been missing in your own sound system. I know I have!

Darren Wilson not charged in Michael Brown's death

2014-11-24T21:26:00.001-05:00

The grand jury in Ferguson, Mo have found officer Darren Wilson justified in the shooting death of Michael Brown on August 9, 2014.

There has been speculation that the verdict has been known even before the grand jury left for the weekend to go home.

Details of the grand jury’s deliberations have leaked out in recent weeks, angering the Brown family and protesters who saw it as a signal that no charges would be filed.

Prosecutor Bob McCulloch made the announcement at 8:21 pm CT.

Officer Wilson has been on paid leave since the shooting, and Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson said Thursday that the officer was unlikely to return to work regardless of the grand jury’s decision. That reversed an earlier declaration that the officer would be welcomed back if not indicted.

Wilson shot Brown during a confrontation on Canfield Drive in Ferguson, blocks from the apartment of the teenager’s grandmother. The panel of grand jurors convened in mid-August, days after the shooting, and spent weeks considering the case.

Ferguson Grand Jury Reaches Decision

2014-11-24T14:17:00.000-05:00

The grand jury in Ferguson has reached a decision on whether to indict officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown.

Reports are coming in that a press conference is planned for later today.

There are no indication of whether Wilson, 28, will face state charges in the August shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

If Wilson is not charged, government officials are bracing for protests in the St. Louis area and nationwide. They have discussed emergency plans in the event of a violent reaction, while protest and community leaders have mapped out their response in the hopes of avoiding the unrest that exploded after Brown was killed.

Stay tuned for more information as it become available.

Protesters arrested awaiting Ferguson grand jury decision

2014-11-21T10:53:00.001-05:00

About a dozen protesters gathered again outside the police station in Ferguson in frigid conditions, sometimes blocking vehicles as they waved placards and chanted "Whose streets? Our streets!" and "Killer cops have got to go!"

Police dressed in riot gear arrested at least two demonstrators for a second night running as tensions simmer ahead of a grand jury decision in the case of a white officer who shot dead an unarmed black teenager in August.

Officers in helmets and shields were deployed after a commander told protesters not to block traffic. Brief scuffles broke out and at least one woman and a man were handcuffed and taken away.

The Aug. 9 killing of Michael Brown triggered weeks of sometimes violent protests demanding officer Darren Wilson be indicted. Businesses and schools in Ferguson are bracing for renewed unrest, especially if the grand jury decides not to bring charges against Wilson.

Activists across the United States said they would stage their own rallies at federal courthouses nationwide regardless of the grand jury's decision. They say they will call for federal charges to be brought against Wilson if he does not face state charges.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency and called in 400 National Guard troops to back up police. Critics have called that a heavy-handed response, saying the majority of demonstrations have been peaceful.

Nelson Mandela dies at the age of 95

2013-12-05T18:18:00.000-05:00

Former South African President Nelson Mandela has died at age 95 of complications from a recurring lung infection.

Born Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela in Transkei, South Africa, on July 18, 1918, he was one of the world's most revered statesmen and revolutionaries who led the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.

His political career started in 1944 when he joined the African National Congress (ANC), and he participated in the resistance against the then government¹s apartheid policy in 1948. In June 1961, the ANC executive approved his idea of using violent tactics and encouraged members who wished to involve themselves in Mandela's campaign. Shortly after, he founded Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the ANC, and was named its leader.

In 1962, he was arrested and convicted of sabotage and other charges, and was sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment. In 1963, Mandela was brought to stand trial along with many fellow members of Umkhonto we Sizwe for conspiring against the government and plotting to overthrow it by the use of violence.

On June 12, 1964, eight of the accused, including Mandela, were sentenced to life imprisonment.

His statement from the dock at the opening of the defense trial became extremely popular. He closed his statement with: "During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to the struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."

Mandela served 27 years in prison, spending many of those years at Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town. While in jail, his reputation grew and he became widely known across the world as the most significant black leader in South Africa.

In February 1985, President P.W. Botha offered Mandela his freedom on condition that he unconditionally reject violence as a political weapon, but Mandela rejected the proposal. He made his sentiment known through a letter he released via his daughter.

"What freedom am I being offered while the organization of the people remains banned? Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts," he wrote. In 1988, Mandela was moved to Victor Verster Prison and would remain there until his release.

George Zimmerman charged with assault, battery

2013-11-18T18:30:00.000-05:00

George Zimmerman was charged Monday with felony aggravated assault after allegedly pointing a shotgun at his girlfriend, according to Dennis Lemma, chief deputy with the Seminole County, Florida, Sheriff's Office.

He also was charged with two misdemeanors -- domestic violence battery and criminal mischief -- in connection with the same incident, Lemma said.

Zimmerman is being held in jail without bail and will make his first appearance in front of a judge Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Schiebe told dispatchers that Zimmerman broke a table and pointed the long-barreled shotgun at her. When she called for help, Zimmerman pushed her out the door and pushed small furniture in front of the door.

The aggravated assault charge, for allegedly pointing the gun at Schiebe, is a felony, Lemma said. The battery charge is for the alleged pushing and the mischief charge is for allegedly breaking the table, he said.

The sheriff's office is seeking a search warrant to look for two guns they believe are inside the home, he said.

His attorney in the murder trial, Mark O'Mara, no longer represents him.

Senate reaches deal to end shutdown

2013-10-16T13:14:00.000-04:00

Senate leaders announced on Wednesday that they have reached a deal to end the government shutdown and avoid a possible U.S. default.

Republican leaders convened the Senate's full GOP caucus in the morning, and Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire said on her way in that the announcement would be coming.

Exact details of the Senate plan were not known. Nor was it clear how the Senate and House would proceed in considering the measure.

Legislators dropped hints on their way home on Tuesday that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and his Republican counterpart, Mitch McConnell, would quickly finalize an agreement in the works all week.

Casey Anthony Not Guilty Of Murder

2011-07-05T15:25:00.004-04:00

A Florida jury ruled Casey Anthony not guilty of murder in the high-profile case that gripped a nation for three years.

Anthony was acquitted of the more serious charges, but was convicted of providing false information to investigators.

Anthony's 2-year-old daughter Caylee died in 2008. The toddler was last seen in June of that year, but her mother waited a month to report her missing, and Caylee's remains weren't found until December 2008.

"I want to start off by saying that while we're happy for Casey, there are no winners in this case," defense attorney Jose Baez said afterward. "I really have mixed feelings about this whole situation."

Baez added that the vitriol directed at Anthony was unjust.

"You cannot convict someone until they've had their day in court," he said.

Defense attorneys argued that Caylee accidentally drowned in her grandparents' swimming pool and that the family panicked and tried to cover up the tragedy. The defense also tried to paint a picture of a dysfunctional family that had its share of trauma and dealt poorly with it.

Prosecutors tried to argue that Anthony suffocated the toddler, drove around with her dead body in the trunk of the car and dumped her in a wooded area. The prosecution described Anthony as a party girl who wanted to rid herself of parental responsibility.

Anthony could have faced the death penalty had she been convicted. Instead, she'll be sentenced on Thursday for the charged for which she was convicted.

Rod Blagojevich found guilty at retrial

2011-06-27T15:54:00.005-04:00

A jury has convicted Rod Blagojevich of nearly all the corruption charges against him, including trying to sell or trade President Barack Obama's old Senate seat.

Jurors delivered their verdicts Monday after deliberating nine days.

Blagojevich had faced 20 charges, including the Senate seat allegation and that he schemed to shake down executives for campaign donations. He was convicted on all charges regarding the Senate seat.

He testified for seven days, denying wrongdoing. Prosecutors said he lied and the proof was on FBI wiretaps. Those included a widely parodied clip in which Blagojevich calls the Senate opportunity "f------ golden."

Jurors in his first trial deadlocked on all but one charge, convicting Blagojevich of lying to the FBI.

Blagojevich already faces up to five years for the lying conviction.

Watch UFC 129 Live Stream

2011-04-30T20:48:00.007-04:00

On April 30, 2011, at 9pm EST/6PT, you can watch UFC 129 live stream free without any delays.

UFC 129 will be on PPV live from Toronto, Ontario.

Fight card:

Welterweight Championship bout: Georges St-Pierre vs Jake Shields
Featherweight Championship bout: José Aldo vs Mark Hominick
Light Heavyweight bout: Vladimir Matyushenko vs Jason Brilz
Light Heavyweight bout: Randy Couture vs Lyoto Machida
Lightweight bout: Mark Bocek vs Ben Henderson

UFC 129 St-Pierre vs Shields is a must see event, so make sure you get here early if you want to watch live in HD online free.

Aretha Franklin Has Pancreatic Cancer

2010-12-09T16:05:00.004-05:00

Aretha Franklin, America's "Queen of Soul," is fighting the very deadly pancreatic cancer. She has reportedly undergone surgery and is recovering at home.

While sources close to the singer have not commented much on her condition, it's no secret that pancreatic cancer does not have a strong survival rate. Last year actor Patrick Swayze died of the disease only a year and a half after diagnosis.

Pancreatic cancer is among the most deadly forms of cancer, in large part because it is so difficult to diagnose. "There is no standard screening for pancreatic cancer," Dr. Jason Klapman, endoscopic oncologist at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, told AOL Health Thursday afternoon. "By the time it's diagnosed, it's advanced."

It's a relatively rare cancer, affecting only about 40,000 people a year. And only about 25 percent of cases, says Klapman, are operable. Of patients who undergo surgery, 20 to 25 percent have a five-year survival rate. For the rest, life expectancy can be as little as a few months.

Overall, the one-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 20 percent, while the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is just 4 percent, according to the American Cancer Society. Comparatively, cancers of the breast, prostate, thyroid and skin, all have upwards of a 90 percent survival rate, depending on when the cancer is caught.

Common symptoms of pancreatic cancer include jaundice, change in the color of stool and urine, severe abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, attacks of pancreatitis, or sudden onset of diabetes. But those symptoms only begin to appear once the cancer is quite advanced. "It's a silent disease," Klapman says.

According to Klapman, only 10 pecent of patients with pancreatic cancer have a family history of the disease, though people with two or more first-degree relatives who have had pancreatic cancer are considered at very high risk. Other risk factors include having at least three relatives on the same side of one's family with the disease and being a carrier of the BRAC2 gene mutation that is also a risk factor for breast cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is diagnosed using a CT Scan to check for a mass in the pancreas and then using biopsy to confirm. "The best treatment for the disease is surgery," Klapman says, but it's not always possible if the cancer has metastasized. In those cases, doctors try to fight the cancer with radiation and chemotherapy.

It is difficult to trace specific causes of pancreatic cancer, though it can be associated with smoking, drinking, and obesity. Thus, the best preventive advice one can follow is to eat right, don't smoke, and avoid heavy consumption of alcohol.

As for Franklin, no one knows what her prognosis is at this point, but she has canceled all scheduled performances through May 2011.

Kendra Exposed Video Download

2010-05-28T13:15:00.006-04:00

Looking to watch the Kendra Wilkinson exposed video? You come to the right place.

Get the Kendra exposed video download by clicking on the link above. The video is very high quality and you shouldn't have a problem viewing the video.

Erykah Badu Window Seat Video Uncut

2010-03-30T05:52:00.002-04:00

If you haven't heard by now, then you need to watch Erykah Badu's Window Seat video uncut (x-rated version).

Here's the link to watch Erykah Badu Window Seat video uncut.

Ms. Badu gets completely naked in the video, which was shot in Dallas, Texas on March 17, 2010.

This is a must see video as Erykah Badu said it was done in one take with no crew. Just her and the camera guy.

Watch Erykah Badu Window Seat video uncut.

Killer Whale Kills Trainer at Seaworld

2010-02-24T16:42:00.008-05:00

A trainer at SeaWorld Orlando died Wednesday after a killer whale attacked her in front of a horrified audience.

Orange County Fire Rescue spokesman John Mulhall said paramedics were called to the Shamu Stadium at the theme park resort where they found a worker who could not be revived.

Park guest Victoria Biniak told WKMG-TV that the trainer had just finished explaining to the audience the show they were about to see.

The whale "took off really fast in the tank, and then he came back, shot up in the air, grabbed the trainer by the waist and started thrashing around, and one of her shoes flew off," Biniak told the station.

"He was thrashing her around pretty good," she said. "It was violent."

The guests were asked to leave and the park was closed.

There have been several previous attacks on whale trainers at SeaWorld parks.

In Nov. 2006, trainer Kenneth Peters, 39, was bitten and held underwater several times by a 7,000-pound killer whale during a show at SeaWorld's San Diego park. He escaped with a broken foot. The 17-foot-long orca who attacked him was the dominant female of SeaWorld San Diego's seven killer whales. She had attacked Peters two other times, in 1993 and 1999.

In 2004, another whale at the company's San Antonio park tried to hit one of the trainers and attempted to bite him. He also escaped.

In December, a whale drowned a trainer at a Spanish zoo.

At the Orlando SeaWorld, the body of a naked man was found scratched, bruised and draped over a 5-ton orca named Tilikum in July 1999. Daniel Dukes, 27, reportedly made his way past security at SeaWorld, remaining in the park after it had closed. Wearing only his underwear, Dukes either jumped, fell or was pulled into the frigid water of Tilikum's huge tank.

An autopsy ruled that he died of hypothermia in the 50-degree water. But they also said it appeared Tilikum bit the man and tore off his swimming trunks, likely believing he was a toy to play with.

Dukes' parents filed a lawsuit against the park later that year but ended up withdrawing it.

NHRA Fan Killed at Arizona Nationals

2010-02-22T10:27:00.006-05:00

An adult female spectator was killed at the Firebird International Raceway after a crash during one of the NHRA races. Her name has not yet been released.

You can watch the video of the crash below:

Antron Brown Crash Video

Antron Brown was driving his dragster, when the left rear wheel came off forcing him to crash. The crash is not what caused the woman's death. The dragster went spinning wildly out of control, as he had no way to control the vehicle.

The unidentified woman was standing in the pit area, when a tire came off a car and struck her. She was taken to the hospital, but died shortly after arriving.

The accident left Brown uninjured.

“We’re racers and we race and I’m ok,” Brown said in a statement. “It all happened so quickly and I want to thank the NHRA Safety Safari for being there so quickly to help get me out of the car and also the track medical team for tending to me so quickly.”

NHRA officials are investigating the crash.

Watch UFC 110 Live Stream Free

2010-02-20T21:19:00.003-05:00

Are you ready to watch UFC 110 live stream free?

I hope so, cause UFC 110 free live stream will start at 10pm EST on Saturday, February 20, 2010.

UFC 110 fight card:

Pay-Per-View Bouts
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Cain Velasquez
Wanderlei SIlva vs. Michael Bisping
Joe Stevenson vs. George Sotiropoulos
Keith Jardine vs. Ryan Bader
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Ben Rothwell

Preliminary Bouts
Elvis Sinosic vs. Chris Haseman
Stephan Bonnar vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
Chris Lytle vs. Brian Foster
CB Dollaway vs. Goran Reljic
Igor Pokrajac vs. James Te Huna

Watch UFC 110 online free by following the link on this page.

You will be able to watch UFC 110 online in HD format!

Michael Jackson's doctor charged with involuntary manslaughter.

2010-02-08T17:15:00.004-05:00

Michael Jackson's doctor has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of the pop star.

Dr. Conrad Murray, a Houston cardiologist who was with Jackson when he died June 25, entered his plea Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court just hours after he was charged.

He could face up to four years in prison if convicted.

Murray appeared in court in a gray suit as Jackson's father Joe, mother Katherine, and siblings LaToya, Jermaine, Tito, Jackie and Randy sat behind prosecutors.

Jackson hired Murray to be his personal physician as he prepared for a strenuous series of comeback performances.

Officials say the singer died in Los Angeles after Murray administered the powerful general anesthetic propofol and two other sedatives to get the chronic insomniac to sleep.

Watch Superbowl Online

2010-02-07T12:11:00.004-05:00

Watch Superbowl 44 online right here starting at 6pm EST.

I hope you are ready to watch Superbowl 44 online in HD with no delays.

This year's Superbowl will be a battle of defense! Let's see who can stop each other from scoring to come home with the big prize.

Superbowl 44 start time is 6:25 pm EST

Don't miss your chance to watch Super Bowl 2010 live stream in HD!

UFC 109 Live Stream: Watch UFC 109 Online

2010-02-06T07:48:00.004-05:00

UFC 109 live stream will start at 10pm EST on February 6, 2010.

Make sure you get here early if you want to watch UFC 109 online for free.

UFC 109 fight card:

Randy Couture vs Mark Coleman
Nate Marquardt vs Chael Sonnen
Mike Swick vs Paulo Thiago
Demian Maia vs Dan Miller
Matt Serra vs Frank Trigg
Mac Danzig vs Justin Buchholz

Watch UFC 109 live stream in HD!

WWE Royal Rumble 2010 Live Stream

2010-01-31T14:21:00.003-05:00

Watch WWE Royal Rumble 2010 live stream for free on January 31.

Don't miss your chance to watch this wrestling PPV event that's taking place at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

WWE Royal Rumble 2010 matches:

30-Man Royal Rumble Match
World Heavyweight Champion Undertaker vs Rey Mysterio
WWE Champion Sheamus vs Randy Orton
ECW Champion Christian vs Ezekiel Jackson
Women's Champion Michelle McCool vs Mickie James

Start time is 8pm EST

The main feature of the pay-per-view is the 30-person Battle Royal type match in which two wrestlers in the ring start the match. The other wrestlers receive staggered entrances of one minute, 90 seconds or two minutes. Elimination is by being thrown over the top rope and having both feet touch the floor and the last wrestler to remain in the ring is declared the winner.

Watch WWE Royal Rumble 2010 online free.

Did Venus Williams Wear Underwear?

2010-01-20T15:21:00.006-05:00

Did Venus Williams have on any underwear at the Australian Open yesterday?

At first glance you might say she didn't. But after seeing pictures of her outfit close up, you can see she is actually wearing underwear.

They appear to be skin colored underwear. Venus Williams had a lot of people searching for photos of her at the Australian Open.

I have posted several picture for people to see she did in fact have on underwear.

TNA Genesis 2010 Live Stream

2010-01-14T02:18:00.003-05:00

Make sure you don't miss TNA Genesis 2010 live stream on Sunday, January 17.

TNA Genesis 2010 marks the return of Hulk Hogan to pay-per-view.

Start time is 8pm EST.

Watch TNA Genesis 2010 online free in HD.

Over 100K Feared Dead After Haiti Earthquake

2010-01-13T17:15:00.010-05:00

Haitians piled bodies along the devastated streets of their capital Wednesday after a powerful earthquake flattened the president's palace, the cathedral, hospitals, schools, the main prison and whole neighborhoods. Officials feared thousands — perhaps more than 100,000 — may have perished but there was no firm count.

Death was everywhere in Port-au-Prince. Bodies of tiny children were piled next to schools. Corpses of women lay on the street with stunned expressions frozen on their faces as flies began to gather. Bodies of men were covered with plastic tarps or cotton sheets.

President Rene Preval said he believes thousands were killed in Tuesday afternoon's magnitude-7.0 quake, and the scope of the destruction prompted other officials to give even higher estimates. Leading Sen. Youri Latortue told The Associated Press that 500,000 could be dead, although he acknowledged that nobody really knows.

"Parliament has collapsed. The tax office has collapsed. Schools have collapsed. Hospitals have collapsed," Preval told the Miami Herald. "There are a lot of schools that have a lot of dead people in them."

Even the main prison in the capital fell down, "and there are reports of escaped inmates," U.N. humanitarian spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs said in Geneva.

The head of the U.N. peacekeeping mission was missing and the Roman Catholic archbishop of Port-au-Prince was dead.

"The cathedral, the archbishop's office, all the big churches, the seminaries have been reduced to rubble," Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the apostolic envoy to Haiti, told the Vatican news agency FIDES.

The parking lot of the Hotel Villa Creole was a triage center. People sat with injuries and growing infections by the side of rubble-strewn roads, hoping that doctors and aid would come.

The international Red Cross said a third of Haiti's 9 million people may need emergency aid and that it would take a day or two for a clear picture of the damage to emerge.

At first light Wednesday, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter evacuated four critically injured U.S. Embassy staff to the hospital on the U.S. Naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the military has been detaining suspected terrorists.

President Barack Obama promised an all-out rescue and humanitarian effort, adding that the U.S. commitment to its hemispheric neighbor will be unwavering.

"We have to be there for them in their hour of need," Obama said.

A small contingent of U.S. ground troops could be on their way soon, although it was unclear whether they would be used for security operations or humanitarian efforts. Gen. Douglas Fraser, commander of the U.S. Southern Command, said roughly 2,000 Marines as part of an expeditionary unit might be deployed aboard a large-deck amphibious ship. Fraser said the ship could provide medical help.

Other nations — from Iceland to Venezuela — said they would start sending in aid workers and rescue teams. Cuba said its existing field hospitals in Haiti had already treated hundreds of victims. The United Nations said Port-au-Prince's main airport was "fully operational" and open to relief flights.

The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson, is under way and expected to arrive off the coast of Haiti Thursday. Additional U.S. Navy ships are under way to Haiti, a statement from the Southern Command said.

Aftershocks continued to rattle the capital of 2 million people as women covered in dust clawed out of debris, wailing. Stunned people wandered the streets holding hands. Thousands gathered in public squares to sing hymns.

U.N. humanitarian chief John Holmes said it was possible that the death toll "will be in the thousands."

"Initial reports suggest a high number of casualties and, of course, widespread damage but I don't have any figure that I can give you with any reliability of what the number of casualties will be," Holmes said.

People pulled bodies from collapsed homes, covering them with sheets by the side of the road. Passers-by lifted the sheets to see if loved ones were underneath. Outside a crumbled building, the bodies of five children and three adults lay in a pile.

The prominent died along with the poor: the body of Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot, 63, was found in the ruins of his office, said the Rev. Pierre Le Beller of the Saint Jacques Missionary Center in Landivisiau, France. He told The Associated Press by telephone that fellow missionaries in Haiti had told him they found Miot's body.

Preval told the Herald that Haiti's Senate president was among those trapped alive inside the Parliament building. Much of the National Palace pancaked on itself.

The international Red Cross and other aid groups announced plans for major relief operations in the Western Hemisphere's poorest country.

Many will have to help their own staff as well as stricken Haitians. Taiwan said its embassy was destroyed and the ambassador hospitalized. Spain said its embassy was badly damaged and France said its embassy also suffered damage.

Tens of thousands of people lost their homes as buildings that were flimsy and dangerous even under normal conditions collapsed. Nobody offered an estimate of the dead, but the numbers were clearly enormous.

"The hospitals cannot handle all these victims," said Dr. Louis-Gerard Gilles.

American Red Cross spokesman Eric Porterfield said that the agency has already exhausted the small amount of medical equipment and medical supplies it had in Haiti and is sending more supplies, though it was not clear when they would arrive.

Medical experts say disasters such as an earthquake generally do not lead to new outbreaks of infectious diseases, but they do tend to worsen existing health problems.

Haiti's quake refugees likely will face an increased risk of dengue fever, malaria and measles — problems that plagued the impoverished country before, said Kimberley Shoaf, associate director of the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters.

Some of the biggest immediate health threats include respiratory disease from inhaling dust from collapsed buildings and diarrhea from drinking contaminated water.

With hospitals and clinics severely damaged, Haiti will also face risks of secondary infections. People seeking medical attention for broken bones and other injuries may not be able to get the help they need and may develop complications.

Dead bodies piled on the streets typically don't pose a public health risk. But for a country wracked by violence, seeing the dead will exact a psychological toll.

An American aid worker was trapped for about 10 hours under the rubble of her mission house before she was rescued by her husband, who told CBS' "Early Show" that he drove 100 miles (160 kilometers) to Port-au-Prince to find her. Frank Thorp said he dug for more than an hour to free his wife, Jillian, and a co-worker, from under about a foot of concrete.

An estimated 40,000-45,000 Americans live in Haiti, and the U.S. Embassy had no confirmed reports of deaths among its citizens. All but one American employed by the embassy have been accounted for, State Department officials said.

Even relatively wealthy neighborhoods were devastated.

An AP videographer saw a wrecked hospital where people screamed for help in Petionville, a hillside district that is home to many diplomats and wealthy Haitians as well as the poor.

At a destroyed four-story apartment building, a girl of about 16 stood atop a car, trying to see inside while several men pulled at a foot sticking from rubble. She said her family was inside.

"A school near here collapsed totally," Petionville resident Ken Michel said after surveying the damage. "We don't know if there were any children inside." He said many seemingly sturdy homes nearby were split apart.

The U.N.'s 9,000 peacekeepers in Haiti, many of whom are from Brazil, were distracted from aid efforts by their own tragedy: Many spent the night hunting for survivors in the ruins of their headquarters.

U.N. peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy said that at least 14 U.N. personnel were killed and 150 were still unaccounted for, including mission chief Hedi Annabi. Fifty-six others were injured, and seven of them were medically evacuated from the country.

Le Roy said the fatalities include 13 peacekeepers — 10 Brazilians and three Jordanians — and a Haitian civilian working for the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the country.

U.N. peacekeeping forces in Port-au-Prince are securing the airport, the port, main buildings and patrolling the streets, Le Roy said.

Brazil's army said at least 11 of its peacekeepers were killed, while Jordan's official news agency said three of its peacekeepers were killed. A state newspaper in China said eight Chinese peacekeepers were known dead and 10 were missing — though officials later said the information was not confirmed.

The quake struck at 4:53 p.m., and was centered 10 miles (15 kilometers) west of Port-au-Prince at a depth of only 5 miles (8 kilometers), the U.S. Geological Survey said. USGS geophysicist Kristin Marano called it the strongest earthquake since 1770 in what is now Haiti.

Video obtained by the AP showed a huge dust cloud rising over Port-au-Prince shortly after the quake as buildings collapsed.

Most Haitians are desperately poor, and after years of political instability the country has no real construction standards. In November 2008, following the collapse of a school in Petionville, the mayor of Port-au-Prince estimated about 60 percent of buildings were shoddily built and unsafe normally.

The quake was felt in the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, and in eastern Cuba, but no major damage was reported in either place.

With electricity out in many places and phone service erratic, it was nearly impossible for Haitian or foreign officials to get full details of the devastation.

"Everybody is just totally, totally freaked out and shaken," said Henry Bahn, a U.S. Department of Agriculture official in Port-au-Prince. "The sky is just gray with dust."

Edwidge Danticat, an award-winning Haitian-American author was unable to contact relatives in Haiti. She sat with family and friends at her home in Miami, looking for news on the Internet and watching TV news reports.

"You want to go there, but you just have to wait," she said. "Life is already so fragile in Haiti, and to have this on such a massive scale, it's unimaginable how the country will be able to recover from this."

Major Earthquake hits Haiti

2010-01-13T04:13:00.007-05:00

A powerful earthquake struck Haiti's capital on Tuesday with withering force, toppling everything from simple shacks to the ornate National Palace and the headquarters of U.N. peacekeepers. The dead and injured lay in the streets even as strong aftershocks rippled through the impoverished Caribbean country.

Associated Press journalists based in Port-au-Prince said the damage from the quake — the most powerful to hit Haiti in more than 200 years — is staggering even in a country accustomed to tragedy and disaster.

Women covered in dust crawled from the rubble wailing as others wandered through the streets holding hands. Thousands gathered in public squares late into the night, singing hymns. Many gravely injured people still sat in the streets early Wednesday, pleading for doctors. With almost no emergency services to speak of, the survivors had few other options.

Thousands of buildings were damaged and destroyed throughout the city, and for hours after the quake the air was filled with a choking dust from the debris of fallen buildings.

The scope of the disaster remained unclear, and even a rough estimate of the number of casualties was impossible. But it was clear from a tour of the capital that tens of thousands of people had lost their homes and that many had perished. Many buildings in Haiti are flimsy and dangerous even under normal conditions.

"The hospitals cannot handle all these victims," said Louis-Gerard Gilles, a doctor and former senator, as he helped survivors. "Haiti needs to pray. We all need to pray together."

An Associated Press videographer saw a wrecked hospital where people screamed for help in Petionville, a hillside Port-au-Prince district that is home to many diplomats and wealthy Haitians as well as many poor people.

At a collapsed four-story apartment building, a girl of about 16 stood atop a car, trying to peer inside as several men pulled at a foot sticking out in an attempt to extricate the body. She said her family was inside.

U.N. peacekeepers, most of whom are from Brazil, were trying to rescue survivors from their collapsed five-story headquarters, but U.N. peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy said late Tuesday that "as we speak no one has been rescued."

"We know there will be casualties but we cannot give figures for the time being," he said.

Many U.N. personnel were missing, he said, including mission chief Hedi Annabi, who was in the building when the quake struck. Some 9,000 peacekeepers have been in Haiti since a 2004 rebellion ousted the president.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said its embassy was destroyed and the ambassador hospitalized for undisclosed injuries.

The National Palace crumbled into itself, but Haiti's ambassador to Mexico Robert Manuel said President Rene Preval and his wife survived the earthquake. He had no details.

The 7.0-magnitude quake struck at 4:53 p.m. Tuesday, centered 10 miles (15 kilometers) west of Port-au-Prince at a depth of 5 miles (8 kilometers), the U.S. Geological Survey said. USGS geophysicist Kristin Marano called it the strongest earthquake since 1770 in what is now Haiti. In 1946, a magnitude-8.1 quake struck the Dominican Republic and also shook Haiti, producing a tsunami that killed 1,790 people.

The temblor appeared to have occurred along a strike-slip fault, where one side of a vertical fault slips horizontally past the other, said earthquake expert Tom Jordan at the University of Southern California. The quake's size and proximity to populated Port-au-Prince likely caused widespread casualties and structural damage, he said.

"It's going to be a real killer," he said. "Whenever something like this happens, you just hope for the best."

Most of Haiti's 9 million people are desperately poor, and after years of political instability the country has no real construction standards. In November 2008, following the collapse of a school in Petionville, the mayor of Port-au-Prince estimated about 60 percent of the buildings were shoddily built and unsafe in normal circumstances.

Tuesday's quake was felt in the Dominican Republic, which shares a border with Haiti on the island of Hispaniola, and some panicked residents in the capital of Santo Domingo fled from their shaking homes. But no major damage was reported there. In eastern Cuba, houses shook but there were also no reports of significant damage.

"We felt it very strongly and I would say for a long time. We had time to evacuate," said Monsignor Dionisio Garcia, archbishop of Santiago.

The damage in Haiti, however, was clearly vast.

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said in Washington that U.S. Embassy personnel were "literally in the dark" after power failed.

"They reported structures down. They reported a lot of walls down. They did see a number of bodies in the street and on the sidewalk that had been hit by debris. So clearly, there's going to be serious loss of life in this," he said.

The Diocese of Norwich, Connecticut, said at least two Americans working at its Haitian aid mission were believed trapped in rubble.

With phone service erratic, much of the early communication came from social media such as Twitter. Richard Morse, a well-known musician who manages the famed Olafson Hotel, kept up a stream of dispatches on the aftershocks and damage reports. The news, based mostly on second-hand reports and photos, was disturbing, with people screaming in fear and roads blocked with debris. Belair, a slum even in the best of times, was said to be "a broken mess."

"Everybody is just totally, totally freaked out and shaken," said Henry Bahn, a U.S. Department of Agriculture official visiting Port-au-Prince. "The sky is just gray with dust.

Bahn said there were rocks strewn about and he saw a ravine where several homes had stood: "It's just full of collapsed walls and rubble and barbed wire."

In the community of Thomassin, just outside Port-au-Prince, Alain Denis said neighbors told him the only road to the capital had been cut and phones were all dead so it was hard to determine the extent of the damage.

"At this point, everything is a rumor," he said. "It's dark. It's nighttime."

Jocelyn Valcin, a resident of Boynton Beach, Florida, who flew in to Miami International Airport from Port-au-Prince on Tuesday evening, said he was at the airport when the earthquake hit.

"The whole building was cracked down," Valcin said. "The whole outside deteriorated."

Former President Bill Clinton, the U.N.'s special envoy for Haiti, issued a statement saying his office would do whatever he could to help the nation recover and rebuild.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti," he said.

The United States was sending disaster rescue teams and President Barack Obama said the U.S. stood ready to help Haiti. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said from Honolulu that the U.S. was offering full assistance — civilian and military.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said his government planned to send a military aircraft carrying canned foods, medicine and drinking water and also would dispatch a team of 50 rescue workers.

Mexico, which suffered a devastating earthquake in 1985 that killed some 10,000 people, was sending a team including doctors, search and rescue dogs and infrastructure damage experts, said Salvador Beltran, the undersecretary of foreign relations for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Haitian musician Wyclef Jean urged his fans to donate to earthquake relief efforts: "We must think ahead for the aftershock, the people will need food, medicine, shelter, etc.," Jean said on his Web site.

Eva DeHart at the humanitarian organization For Haiti With Love in Palm Harbor, Florida, said colleagues at the group's base in Cap Haitien reported that northern town was spared damage. But she said damage to government buildings in the capital would make coordinating aid difficult.

In Miami's Little Haiti neighborhood, dozens of people gathered at the Veye-Yo community center, where a pastor led them in prayer. Members embraced each other as they tried to contact relatives back home.

Tony Jeanthenor said he had succeeded in reaching a family friend in Haiti who told of hearing people cry out for help from under debris.

"The level of anxiety is high," Jeanthenor said. "Haiti has been through trauma since 2004, from coup d'etat to hurricanes, now earthquakes."