Turkey's riot icon: Woman in red dress

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reports from Turkey on what is known about the woman in this powerful photo from the riots.

Roy Costner IV, a former public school student from South Carolina, stunned the audience !

Roy Costner IV, a former public school student from South Carolina, stunned the audience at his high school graduation last weekend when he ripped up his previously-approved valedictorian speech, going on, instead, to speak about God — and then deliver the Lord’s prayer. 

 The act, which drew loud applause, was taken in opposition to the School District of Pickens County’s decision to axe prayers from graduation events, Christian News reports. Officials said that they had recently received complaints from atheist activists and church-state separatists, leading to the removal of invocations from all school events. But that didn’t stop Costner. 

 The Liberty High School ceremony is already making its way into national headlines, as the valedictorian’s actions and the subsequent cheers this past Saturday were caught on video. As he spoke, Costner went from merely mentioning “the Lord” to jumping right into the well-known prayer. “Those that we look up to, they have helped carve and mold us into the young adults that we are today. I’m so glad that both of my parents led me to the Lord at a young age,” he said. “And I think most of you will understand when I say –” And that’s when he commenced the popular invocation. “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name,” Costner continued. “Thy Kingdom come…” Throughout the entirety of the prayer, cheers and clapping raged.

 The school district, which, as stated, was already facing scrutiny over graduation prayers earlier this year, has no plans to punish the former student for his actions (after all, he’s no longer under their authority, so what retribution could he receive?). Watch video footage of the prayer, below (to see Costner rip up the speech, which is not included in the following footage, watch the WYFF-TV news report):

 

Several feared trapped in Philly building collapse

(CNN) -- As many as 10 people are believed to be trapped in the rubble of a building that collapsed Wednesday morning in Philadelphia, city Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said, according to CNN affiliate WPVI.

The building collapsed at the corner of 22nd and Market streets in Philadelphia's Center City area, WPVI reported. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been told it was an accident at a demolition site, and it has investigators on the way, representative Leni Fortson said.

A witness, Jordan McLaughlin, told CNN affiliate KYW, that a building "collapsed the wrong way and landed on a thrift shop" that had people inside. McLaughlin said he and others rushed to help people out of the rubble. He said he helped two people out, and saw up to five others escape within the first 10 minutes.

The fire department was called to the site at 10:43 a.m., Capt. Jeffrey Thompson told CNN. Thompson said it wasn't immediately clear whether it was an apartment building or an adjacent building scheduled for demolition.

Video from WPVI showed two people helping a third person, apparently hurt, away from the rubble. It also showed emergency personnel walking on and around rubble on an exposed area of a ground floor.