Written By Unknown on Kamis, 04 Desember 2014 | 23.31
By Sky News US Team
Django Unchained actress Misty Upham died of blunt-force injuries to her head and torso, officials have said.
The King County medical examiner's office says her manner of death on 5 October is still undetermined.
The 32-year-old Native American actress died in the Seattle suburb of Auburn on the same day her family told police she was suicidal.
Rescuers attempt to reach the body. Pic: City of Auburn
Friends and family searching for Upham found her body in a ravine.
Police say they believe the trauma was caused by a fall and there is no hint of foul play, but it is still unclear exactly what happened.
Her father, Charles Upham, has said he does not believe she committed suicide.
The actress had moved to Seattle to care for him after he suffered a stroke.
He told a radio station his daughter had stopped taking medication for anxiety and bipolar disorder shortly before she went missing.
As well as playing the role of Minnie in Django, Upham's credits include the role of Lila Littlewolf in Frozen River and Johnna Monevata in August: Osage County.
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A protest at Boston University this week
By Sky News US Team
In the wake of the killings of black people by white police officers, protesters have taken not just to the streets of America but also to Twitter - and there is a new hashtag trending.
#CrimingWhileWhite is trending among tweeters who describe incidents where they say they were not charged for an offence, because they are white.
There is no telling whether the examples of white privilege are real or made up, and at least some appeared to be jokes as the hashtag started gaining traction.
Racial tensions flared up in the wake of Michael Brown's shooting death
Some users complained that the posts sounded like bragging about white privilege, while others praised what they saw as a genuine attempt to expose inequality.
"Was pulled over for speeding. Cop started yelling at me and I yelled back. I drove away with just a ticket, and my life," wrote user @LemusCheryl.
1/8
Gallery: Protests After Chokehold Jury Decision
Activists demand justice for the death of Eric Garner, staging a 'die-in' during rush hour at Grand Central Terminal
About 40 people took part in the 'die-in' protest. The demonstrations began after a grand jury cleared a police officer in the chokehold death of Mr Garner
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Many chanted 'I can't breathe', the last words spoken by Mr Garner
]]>
Protesters block traffic in New York after the verdict
]]>
Some held signs recalling the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri
]]>
Another one, @holycowboy, recounted: "Kicked/resisted campus police, acted like the patrol car was a limo & told them to drive me to a party. Got a warning."
"Got pulled over for a brake light out. Underage and drinking and blew over the limit. Cop let me walk to my friend's apt," said @skalakattack
"Stopped for speeding, cop asked me what he should do. I said he should write me a ticket. He let me off with a warning," @rpcunnin wrote.
The hashtag has been trending alongside #CantBreathe - the chant that rang out in the streets of New York after a grand jury cleared a police officer who used a chokehold on a man during an arrest, killing him.
The death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man who was selling illegal cigarettes and resisted arrest, was seen by protesters as a case of racial profiling and police brutality.
Last week, a grand jury decision not to indict the police officer who shot to death Michael Brown in Missouri sparked days of unrest.
#BlackLivesMatter and #HandsUpDontShoot have also been used by people protesting against alleged police brutality at the expense of black men.
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CrimingWhileWhite: Twitter Exposes Race Bias
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A protest at Boston University this week
By Sky News US Team
In the wake of the killings of black people by white police officers, protesters have taken not just to the streets of America but also to Twitter - and there is a new hashtag trending.
#CrimingWhileWhite is trending among tweeters who describe incidents where they say they were not charged for an offence, because they are white.
There is no telling whether the examples of white privilege are real or made up, and at least some appeared to be jokes as the hashtag started gaining traction.
Racial tensions flared up in the wake of Michael Brown's shooting death
Some users complained that the posts sounded like bragging about white privilege, while others praised what they saw as a genuine attempt to expose inequality.
"Was pulled over for speeding. Cop started yelling at me and I yelled back. I drove away with just a ticket, and my life," wrote user @LemusCheryl.
1/8
Gallery: Protests After Chokehold Jury Decision
Activists demand justice for the death of Eric Garner, staging a 'die-in' during rush hour at Grand Central Terminal
About 40 people took part in the 'die-in' protest. The demonstrations began after a grand jury cleared a police officer in the chokehold death of Mr Garner
]]>
Many chanted 'I can't breathe', the last words spoken by Mr Garner
]]>
Protesters block traffic in New York after the verdict
]]>
Some held signs recalling the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri
]]>
Another one, @holycowboy, recounted: "Kicked/resisted campus police, acted like the patrol car was a limo & told them to drive me to a party. Got a warning."
"Got pulled over for a brake light out. Underage and drinking and blew over the limit. Cop let me walk to my friend's apt," said @skalakattack
"Stopped for speeding, cop asked me what he should do. I said he should write me a ticket. He let me off with a warning," @rpcunnin wrote.
The hashtag has been trending alongside #CantBreathe - the chant that rang out in the streets of New York after a grand jury cleared a police officer who used a chokehold on a man during an arrest, killing him.
The death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man who was selling illegal cigarettes and resisted arrest, was seen by protesters as a case of racial profiling and police brutality.
Last week, a grand jury decision not to indict the police officer who shot to death Michael Brown in Missouri sparked days of unrest.
#BlackLivesMatter and #HandsUpDontShoot have also been used by people protesting against alleged police brutality at the expense of black men.
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Two men have been charged in connection with the murders of two British tourists on an island resort in Thailand.
Saw Lin and Win Saw Htun, both 21-year-old bar workers from Burma, are accused of killing Hannah Witheridge and David Miller in September.
Mr Miller, 24, from Jersey, and 23-year-old Ms Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, were found dead on a beach on the island of Koh Tao.
The two suspects were paraded in front of the media
Post-mortem examination results showed both died from blows to the head, Ms Witheridge had been raped and Mr Miller had also drowned.
A garden hoe with Ms Witheridge's blood on it was found near the bodies and investigators say Mr Miller had been attacked with a blunt object.
Video:Parents Visit Thai Murder Suspects
Thai police were following several lines of inquiry, including "sexual jealousy" and an argument in a bar.
At one point, a cash reward of £4,000 was offered for information.
The two suspects were charged with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to rape, as well as robbery, by a public prosecutor at the Provincial Court on the island of Ko Samui.
Neither man appeared in court to hear the charges - they will be able to enter a plea at the next hearing, a police spokesman said.
Video:Oct 3: Thai Murder Suspects Paraded
Local police claim they have admitted the killings, but there has been international concern about the way the case has been handled by the Thai authorities.
The two men were paraded in front of cameras after apparently making confessions.
But they later withdrew them, saying they had been tortured during their interrogation - claims denied by the police.
Concerns have also been raised that the pair have been framed.
Video:Charges Over Thailand Beach Murders
In October a petition signed by more than 100,000 people was handed in at 10 Downing Street demanding a new, independent investigation.
British detectives have flown to Thailand to assist officers there with the case.
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Video:Protesters Take To New York Streets
By Sky News US Team
Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of New York after a grand jury cleared a police officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man.
Many of the protesters chanted "I can't breathe" - the last words spoken by Mr Garner on July 17.
Protests throughout Manhattan were mostly peaceful but disrupted traffic into the early hours of Thursday.
Protests held up traffic at several Manhattan locations but were peaceful
Some 83 people were arrested, mainly for disorderly conduct.
At Grand Central Terminal, about 40 people lay on the floor in a "die-in" protest as the evening rush hour got under way.
1/8
Gallery: Protests After Chokehold Jury Decision
Activists demand justice for the death of Eric Garner, staging a 'die-in' during rush hour at Grand Central Terminal
About 40 people took part in the 'die-in' protest. The demonstrations began after a grand jury cleared a police officer in the chokehold death of Mr Garner
]]>
Many chanted 'I can't breathe', the last words spoken by Mr Garner
]]>
Protesters block traffic in New York after the verdict
]]>
Some held signs recalling the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri
]]>
In Times Square, a crowd of at least 200 people chanted: "No indictment is denial. We want a public trial."
Some 400 protesters marched through midtown Manhattan, tying up traffic and heading from Times Square to Rockefeller Center, where the annual tree-lighting ceremony was held on Wednesday night.
Police presence was heavy as hundreds of protesters stood behind rows of barricades, but the annual tradition was uninterrupted.
Officer Daniel Pantaleo was captured on video using the banned hold on Mr Garner, who was resisting arrest in Staten Island on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes.
Video:Fatal Chokehold Caught On Camera
The grand jury decision follows a similar ruling in Missouri not to indict a white police officer for shooting dead unarmed black teenager Michael Brown. That ruling led to sometimes violent protests in Ferguson and across the country.
"We should hope for justice and be surprised every time it doesn't happen," said a protester in New York, Meredith Reitman, a 40-year-old white woman from Queens.
Mr Garner's mother, Gwen Carr, said the decision was "breaking my heart, just pulling me apart".
"I don't know what video they were looking at. Evidently it wasn't the same one that the rest of the world was looking at," she added.
Video:'Who's Going To Play Santa Claus?'
"How can we put our trust in the justice system when they fail us like this?"
Officer Pantaleo, 29, said he did not intend to perform a chokehold - which was banned by the Police Department in 1993 - but was performing a takedown.
He said in a statement it was "never my intention to harm anyone and I feel very bad about the death of Mr Garner", sending his condolences to the family.
But Mr Garner's 43-year-old widow said she did not accept the apology.
Video:Al Sharpton On 'National Crisis'
"He's still working, he's still getting a paycheck, he's still feeding his kids and my husband is six feet under and I'm looking for a way to feed my kids now," said Esaw Garner.
"Who's going to play Santa Claus for my grandkids this year? Who's going to do that now?"
Barack Obama said the grand jury decision emphasised the need to strengthen trust and accountability between the community and law enforcement.
"When anybody in this country is not being treated equally under the law, that's a problem. And it's my job as president to help solve it," the US President said.
Video:Riots And Racial Tension: A History
The US Justice Department will conduct a federal investigation into Mr Garner's death.
Rights campaigner Reverend Al Sharpton called on the federal government to intervene in police cases, and denounced what he said was "police brutality".
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Chokehold Ruling Touches Off New York Protests
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:Protesters Take To New York Streets
By Sky News US Team
Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of New York after a grand jury cleared a police officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man.
Many of the protesters chanted "I can't breathe" - the last words spoken by Mr Garner on July 17.
Protests throughout Manhattan were mostly peaceful but disrupted traffic into the early hours of Thursday.
Protests held up traffic at several Manhattan locations but were peaceful
Some 83 people were arrested, mainly for disorderly conduct.
At Grand Central Terminal, about 40 people lay on the floor in a "die-in" protest as the evening rush hour got under way.
1/8
Gallery: Protests After Chokehold Jury Decision
Activists demand justice for the death of Eric Garner, staging a 'die-in' during rush hour at Grand Central Terminal
About 40 people took part in the 'die-in' protest. The demonstrations began after a grand jury cleared a police officer in the chokehold death of Mr Garner
]]>
Many chanted 'I can't breathe', the last words spoken by Mr Garner
]]>
Protesters block traffic in New York after the verdict
]]>
Some held signs recalling the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri
]]>
In Times Square, a crowd of at least 200 people chanted: "No indictment is denial. We want a public trial."
Some 400 protesters marched through midtown Manhattan, tying up traffic and heading from Times Square to Rockefeller Center, where the annual tree-lighting ceremony was held on Wednesday night.
Police presence was heavy as hundreds of protesters stood behind rows of barricades, but the annual tradition was uninterrupted.
Officer Daniel Pantaleo was captured on video using the banned hold on Mr Garner, who was resisting arrest in Staten Island on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes.
Video:Fatal Chokehold Caught On Camera
The grand jury decision follows a similar ruling in Missouri not to indict a white police officer for shooting dead unarmed black teenager Michael Brown. That ruling led to sometimes violent protests in Ferguson and across the country.
"We should hope for justice and be surprised every time it doesn't happen," said a protester in New York, Meredith Reitman, a 40-year-old white woman from Queens.
Mr Garner's mother, Gwen Carr, said the decision was "breaking my heart, just pulling me apart".
"I don't know what video they were looking at. Evidently it wasn't the same one that the rest of the world was looking at," she added.
Video:'Who's Going To Play Santa Claus?'
"How can we put our trust in the justice system when they fail us like this?"
Officer Pantaleo, 29, said he did not intend to perform a chokehold - which was banned by the Police Department in 1993 - but was performing a takedown.
He said in a statement it was "never my intention to harm anyone and I feel very bad about the death of Mr Garner", sending his condolences to the family.
But Mr Garner's 43-year-old widow said she did not accept the apology.
Video:Al Sharpton On 'National Crisis'
"He's still working, he's still getting a paycheck, he's still feeding his kids and my husband is six feet under and I'm looking for a way to feed my kids now," said Esaw Garner.
"Who's going to play Santa Claus for my grandkids this year? Who's going to do that now?"
Barack Obama said the grand jury decision emphasised the need to strengthen trust and accountability between the community and law enforcement.
"When anybody in this country is not being treated equally under the law, that's a problem. And it's my job as president to help solve it," the US President said.
Video:Riots And Racial Tension: A History
The US Justice Department will conduct a federal investigation into Mr Garner's death.
Rights campaigner Reverend Al Sharpton called on the federal government to intervene in police cases, and denounced what he said was "police brutality".
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Al Qaeda has threatened to murder a British-born American citizen it captured in Yemen over a year ago.
Photojournalist Luke Somers, who was born in England but has lived in the US for most of his life, was captured by the Islamic extremist group in Sana'a in September 2013.
The Arabian Peninsula wing of the group (AQAP) has released a video with a message saying it will kill the hostage if its demands are not met.
The video has been obtained but not released by US security monitoring organisation SITE Intelligence Group.
The three-minute video first shows Nasser bin Ali al Ansi, a local al Qaeda official, speaking about alleged American crimes against the Muslim world and saying the US is "aware" of the militants' demands.
Speaking in Arabic, Mr Ansi says the US has three days to meet the demands or "otherwise, the American hostage held by us will meet his inevitable fate".
Later in the video, Mr Somers says: "My name is Luke Somers. I'm 33 years old. I was born in England, but I carry American citizenship and have lived in America for most of my life.
"It's now been well over a year since I've been kidnapped in Sana'a. Basically, I'm looking for any help that can get me out of this situation. I'm certain that my life is in danger.
"So as I sit here now, I ask if anything can be done, please let it be done. Thank you very much."
AQAP is considered the most dangerous affiliate of al Qaeda by Washington.
Last week, a Yemeni government website said in a statement the group had moved a number of hostages including an American journalist, as well as a Briton and a South African, days before a joint US-Yemeni raid in southeastern Hadramawt province to free one of them.
It is not clear whether Mr Somers is the journalist or the Briton the statement was referring to.
He was in Sana'a to work as a photojournalist for the Yemen Times.
Yemen is an ally of the US in the fight against al Qaeda, with drones operating against the group over its territory.
Sydney Police have defended their officers against accusations of brutality after a video went viral showing a woman being held down and struck with batons as she was arrested.
The woman was one of four people held for the alleged assault of a taxi driver and female police officer at 1.45am on Wednesday morning.
A bystander recorded the video on a mobile phone. In it, voices can be heard shouting: "She's not resisting arrest."
The woman being arrested is model Claire Helen who encouraged people to share the video on social media.
Police say one member of her group had punched the taxi driver over an argument about the fare. The taxi driver then flagged down a passing police car and an altercation with the officer began.
Superintendent Michael Fitzgerald says the video only tells part the story and CCTV shows Ms Helen punching a female officer in the mouth before the arrest.
He added: "Police are not punching bags. Neither are taxi drivers."
Ms Helen and the three men who were also arrested have been granted bail and will appear in court on 6 January.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country's "enemies of the past" are seeking to carve up the state, just like Yugoslavia.
In his annual State of the Nation speech Mr Putin criticised sanctions imposed by the West, saying they are an attempt to undermine Russia.
He said: "There is no doubt they would have loved to see the Yugoslavia scenario of collapse and dismemberment for us - with all the tragic consequences it would have for the peoples of Russia. This has not happened. We did not allow it."
The president pledged not to sever ties with Europe but added: "We are ready to meet any challenge of the times and win."
Mr Putin has faced fierce criticism from the international community over Russia's role in the crisis in Ukraine.
1/6
Gallery: Gun Battle In Chechnya Capital
A media building known as the Press House burns as militants attack in the Chechen capital Grozny
At least six gunmen and three policemen were killed in gun battles in which the building was stormed
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The unmanned test of Orion will rehearse the riskiest parts of the mission
By Thomas Moore, Science And Health Correspondent
The launch of a US spaceship designed to take astronauts to an asteroid and then Mars has been postponed because of high winds.
The unmanned version of NASA's Orion capsule is now due to blast off for its debut flight at 12.05pm UK time on Friday.
The launch team were forced to call off their attempt at Cape Canaveral in Florida on Thursday because of wind gusts and a sticky rocket valve.
A Delta IV Heavy rocket will power the capsule to a height of 3,600 miles, 15 times higher than the space station, before turning round to re-enter the atmosphere at 20,000mph.
Mark Geyer, program manager of Orion, said: "Really, we're going to test the riskiest parts of the mission.
1/5
Gallery: New Spacecraft To Debut This Week
NASA prepares to test flight new spacecraft Orion. Pic: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Orion will eventually carry people beyond Earth's orbit
]]>
This illustration by NASA shows the launch
]]>
The flight will end with a splash in the Pacific. Here is a drill carried out this year
]]>
Rocket boosters for Orion's first flight, scheduled for Thursday at Cape Canaveral
]]>
"Ascent, entry, plus the navigation and guidance - all those things are going to be tested."
Orion has been rigged with 1,200 sensors that will monitor the craft on its four-and-a-half hour flight.
It will pass through the Earth's radiation belt, a test for shields that should protect future astronauts in deep space.
The capsule's performance will also be carefully assessed as it plunges through the atmosphere, heating up to 2,200C, before deploying 11 parachutes and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
"We want to discover things that are beyond our modelling capability and beyond our expertise so we learn and fix it," said Mr Geyer.
Astronauts have not ventured beyond Earth's orbit since the Apollo moon missions of the 1970s.
NASA aims to have finessed the capsule in time for human exploration of an asteroid in the 2020s. A mission to Mars is expected to follow in the 2030s.
Bob Cabana, director of Kennedy Space Centre, said: "To be able to even think about going to an asteroid and to be able to think about this kind of exploration, that's very exciting."
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Test Run For Orion Flight To Mars Postponed
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
The unmanned test of Orion will rehearse the riskiest parts of the mission
By Thomas Moore, Science And Health Correspondent
The launch of a US spaceship designed to take astronauts to an asteroid and then Mars has been postponed because of high winds.
The unmanned version of NASA's Orion capsule is now due to blast off for its debut flight at 12.05pm UK time on Friday.
The launch team were forced to call off their attempt at Cape Canaveral in Florida on Thursday because of wind gusts and a sticky rocket valve.
A Delta IV Heavy rocket will power the capsule to a height of 3,600 miles, 15 times higher than the space station, before turning round to re-enter the atmosphere at 20,000mph.
Mark Geyer, program manager of Orion, said: "Really, we're going to test the riskiest parts of the mission.
1/5
Gallery: New Spacecraft To Debut This Week
NASA prepares to test flight new spacecraft Orion. Pic: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Orion will eventually carry people beyond Earth's orbit
]]>
This illustration by NASA shows the launch
]]>
The flight will end with a splash in the Pacific. Here is a drill carried out this year
]]>
Rocket boosters for Orion's first flight, scheduled for Thursday at Cape Canaveral
]]>
"Ascent, entry, plus the navigation and guidance - all those things are going to be tested."
Orion has been rigged with 1,200 sensors that will monitor the craft on its four-and-a-half hour flight.
It will pass through the Earth's radiation belt, a test for shields that should protect future astronauts in deep space.
The capsule's performance will also be carefully assessed as it plunges through the atmosphere, heating up to 2,200C, before deploying 11 parachutes and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
"We want to discover things that are beyond our modelling capability and beyond our expertise so we learn and fix it," said Mr Geyer.
Astronauts have not ventured beyond Earth's orbit since the Apollo moon missions of the 1970s.
NASA aims to have finessed the capsule in time for human exploration of an asteroid in the 2020s. A mission to Mars is expected to follow in the 2030s.
Bob Cabana, director of Kennedy Space Centre, said: "To be able to even think about going to an asteroid and to be able to think about this kind of exploration, that's very exciting."
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We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:26 Massive Asteroid Strikes Heard
One hundred leading scientists, astronomers, former astronauts and celebrities have called for more to be done to prevent a devastating asteroid strike.
TV physicist Professor Brian Cox is backing the campaign, as is Queen guitarist Brian May, who has a doctorate in astrophysics.
He said: "The more we learn about asteroid impacts, the clearer it becomes that the human race has been living on borrowed time."
The group has called for a rapid increase in the discovery and tracking of near-Earth asteroids so that 100,000 can be discovered each year.
There are believed to be millions of asteroids in the Solar System but only around 10,000 have been found to date.
1/13
Gallery: In Pics: Russia Meteor Strike
Police at a hole in Lake Chebarkul, said to be a point of impact of one meteorite.
Fragments thought to be meteorites next to a ruler.
]]>
Shards of glass are removed from the frame of a broken window.
]]>
People are now working to repair shops and homes.
]]>
Smashed windows and debris inside a sports hall.
]]>
The group wants June 30th next year to be declared Asteroid Day to promote efforts to prevent an impact.
It was on that date in 1908 that around 800 square miles of forest in Tunguska, Siberia, was destroyed by an asteroid strike.
A similar impact now could wipe out an entire city.
Brian May said: "We are currently aware of less than 1% of objects comparable to the one that impacted at Tunguska, and nobody knows when the next big one will hit. It takes just one."
Musician Peter Gabriel and tweeting astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield are also among those backing the campaign.
So is Jim Lovell who, in 1970, commanded the failed lunar mission Apollo 13.
Video:Police Capture M42 Meteor On Video
Astronomer Royal Lord Martin Rees is another supporter. He said: "The ancients were correct in their belief that the heavens and the motion of astronomical bodies affect life on Earth - just not in the way they imagined. Sometimes those heavenly bodies run into Earth. This is why we must make it our mission to find asteroids before they find us."
In February 2013 a meteor exploded in the skies above Chelyabinsk in Russia.
Although nobody was killed it did cause widespread damage.
Many scientists also believe that an asteroid or comet impact wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.
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Experts Demand Action To Prevent Asteroid Strike
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:26 Massive Asteroid Strikes Heard
One hundred leading scientists, astronomers, former astronauts and celebrities have called for more to be done to prevent a devastating asteroid strike.
TV physicist Professor Brian Cox is backing the campaign, as is Queen guitarist Brian May, who has a doctorate in astrophysics.
He said: "The more we learn about asteroid impacts, the clearer it becomes that the human race has been living on borrowed time."
The group has called for a rapid increase in the discovery and tracking of near-Earth asteroids so that 100,000 can be discovered each year.
There are believed to be millions of asteroids in the Solar System but only around 10,000 have been found to date.
1/13
Gallery: In Pics: Russia Meteor Strike
Police at a hole in Lake Chebarkul, said to be a point of impact of one meteorite.
Fragments thought to be meteorites next to a ruler.
]]>
Shards of glass are removed from the frame of a broken window.
]]>
People are now working to repair shops and homes.
]]>
Smashed windows and debris inside a sports hall.
]]>
The group wants June 30th next year to be declared Asteroid Day to promote efforts to prevent an impact.
It was on that date in 1908 that around 800 square miles of forest in Tunguska, Siberia, was destroyed by an asteroid strike.
A similar impact now could wipe out an entire city.
Brian May said: "We are currently aware of less than 1% of objects comparable to the one that impacted at Tunguska, and nobody knows when the next big one will hit. It takes just one."
Musician Peter Gabriel and tweeting astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield are also among those backing the campaign.
So is Jim Lovell who, in 1970, commanded the failed lunar mission Apollo 13.
Video:Police Capture M42 Meteor On Video
Astronomer Royal Lord Martin Rees is another supporter. He said: "The ancients were correct in their belief that the heavens and the motion of astronomical bodies affect life on Earth - just not in the way they imagined. Sometimes those heavenly bodies run into Earth. This is why we must make it our mission to find asteroids before they find us."
In February 2013 a meteor exploded in the skies above Chelyabinsk in Russia.
Although nobody was killed it did cause widespread damage.
Many scientists also believe that an asteroid or comet impact wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.
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A local woman has been arrested over the fatal stabbing of an American teacher in the toilets of an upmarket shopping mall in Abu Dhabi, officials have said.
The unnamed suspect also planted a bomb outside the house of a US doctor, although the device was defused, the United Arab Emirates interior minister told state media.
Ibolya Ryan was the mother of 11-year-old twins
Police said the teacher was stabbed to death by an attacker wearing the full black veil commonly worn by women throughout the Gulf Arab region.
The victim has been identified as 37-year-old Ibolya Ryan of Colorado by Footprints Recruiting, the teacher recruitment company that had found the job for her.
Video:CCTV Clip Of Veiled Murder Suspect
Police earlier said the victim had 11-year-old twins and that they were being kept in protective custody until their father, who is the victim's ex-husband, arrived in the country.
A blood-stained butcher's knife was found at the scene of her death, the Interior Ministry confirmed on its website.
Possible motives behind the murder remain unclear.
When asked if it was a terrorist attack, a spokesman for Abu Dhabi Police said the killing was under investigation and he "cannot say yes or no now".
Interior Minister Saif Bin Zayed said: "We are witnessing an unprecedented heinous crime in the UAE."
Footprints Recruiting said: "We await the results of the ongoing police investigation before making conclusions about why this senseless tragedy occurred.
"We are confident that the UAE in general and Abu Dhabi in particular remains a safe environment in which to live and work."
