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"Absolute tragedy": 9-year-old girl shot dead in her own home

<p>A nine-year-old has been shot and killed during a tragic home invasion in England's northern city of Liverpool.</p> <p><span style="color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; background-color: #ffffff;">Olivia Pratt-Korbel was caught in the crossfire </span><span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">when a gunman fired three shots at a man who forced his way into her home as he sought refuge from the attacker, police said.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; background-color: #ffffff;">The Merseyside Police department said the young girl died shortly after the shooting in </span><span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Alder Hey Children's Hospital.</span></p> <p class="" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.625rem; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5rem; color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff;"> The girl's mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was shot in the wrist as she tried to close her front door on the gunman, who wasn't known to the family.</p> <p class="" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.625rem; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5rem; color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff;">"This is a shocking and appalling attack which will reverberate around our communities, and I want to take this opportunity again to appeal to anybody who knows who was responsible for this attack to please come forward and give us those names,'' Merseyside Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said at a news conference.</p> <p class="" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.625rem; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5rem; color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff;">"They will have vital information that can help us. The killing of a nine-year-old child is an absolute tragedy and crosses every single boundary, and I would urge them to do the right thing so we can put this person behind bars," she added.</p> <p class="" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.625rem; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5rem; color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff;">"We need to find all who are responsible for this — not just the gunman. We need to find who supplied the weapon and who arranged this terrible incident."</p> <p class="" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.625rem; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5rem; color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff;">Police said the incident began when an armed man fired at two other men on the street outside the Korbel home.</p> <p class="" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.625rem; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5rem; color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff;">When Cheryl went to investigate the noise, one of the targets forced their way into the home. </p> <p class="" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.625rem; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5rem; color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff;">The gunman gave chase, firing indiscriminately into the home as Korbel tried to bar the door.</p> <p class="" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.625rem; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5rem; color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff;">The man who entered the home suffered gunshot wounds to his upper body, as friends picked him up and took him to the hospital as Olivia lay dying.</p> <p class="" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.625rem; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5rem; color: #111617; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff;"><em>Image credits: Merseyside Police</em></p>

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Teen charged with stabbing murder of 12-year-old girl

<p><em>Image: Merseyside Police</em></p> <p>A teenager in Liverpool in the North of England has been charged with the murder of a 12-year-old girl.</p> <p>Ava White was in the city with friends on Thursday evening for the local Christmas lights switch-on ceremony when she suffered “catastrophic injuries” in an assault, Merseyside Police say.</p> <p>A 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with murder and possession of a bladed article.</p> <p>He has been remanded in custody to appear in court. Three other boys aged between 13 and 15, who were also arrested, have been conditionally bailed as inquiries continue.</p> <p>Ava, who was described as “popular” and “bright”, was involved in a “verbal argument” which escalated into an “assault on her with a knife”, police say.</p> <p>The offenders fled and Ava was taken to hospital after paramedics arrived but died a short time later.</p> <p>On Friday, flowers were laid along a local street in tribute to the Notre Dame Catholic College pupil, as forensics officers and police searched the scene.</p> <p>A balloon was left by 17-year-old Lacey, who did not want to give her surname, who said her younger sister had been close friends with Ava.</p> <p>She said: “She was just a bubbly character, so loving and caring.</p> <p>“She came out with her friends to enjoy herself and I think it’s just wrong that this has happened.”</p> <p>Head teacher Peter Duffy said: “She was an incredibly popular girl with a fantastic group of friends.”</p> <p>Assistant Chief Constable Ngaire Waine said the incident was “sad for the city” but “even sadder” for Ava’s family.</p> <p>On Saturday, police issued an image of a van that may have been occupied by key witnesses to the killing.</p>

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Phenomenal timelapse video of flight from Malaga to Liverpool

<p>This amazing timelapse video shows why you should always choose the window seat.</p> <p>IT manager and keen photographer Garry Finch was travelling back to Liverpool, England from Malaga, Spain when he decided to capture the journey on his iPhone.</p> <p>He managed to condense the three-hour flight into a two-minute video, posted to YouTube.</p> <p>"We had nonstop sunshine in Spain so coming back to some rain was a bit depressing," Finch told the <em>Liverpool Echo</em>.</p> <p>Have you ever been to Liverpool or Malaga? What did you think of the footage?</p> <p>Let us know in the comments.</p> <p><em>Video credit: YouTube / Garry Finch</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/07/the-real-reason-your-luggage-is-lost-in-transit/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The real reason your luggage is lost in transit</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/06/5-tips-to-get-through-airport-security-quickly/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>5 tips to get through airport security quickly</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/06/10-tips-to-save-your-holiday-from-jet-lag/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">10 tips to save your holiday from jet lag</span></em></strong></a></p>

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