Around the world: Thirty hurt as plane flying to LA hits heavy turbulence

Thirty people were injured, one critically, after a United Airlines jet heading for Los Angeles hit heavy turbulence and was diverted to Denver early today.

The flight originated at Dulles International Airport near Washington DC, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

It landed safely at Denver International Airport, Colorado, at around 7.45pm local time (2.45am BST), and was met by medical crews.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said 26 passengers and four crew members were injured. One person was critically injured.

Denver Health Medical Centre spokeswoman Dee Martinez said 21 people had been transported to five hospitals. Most of them had moderate injuries to the head, neck or back. United Airlines spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said Flight 967 was carrying 255 passengers and 10 crew members.

The turbulence was "just a huge up and down", said passenger Kaoma Bechaz, a 19-year-old Australian in the US to visit her boyfriend.

She said that the head of the woman sitting next to her hit the side of the cabin, leaving a crack above the window, and a girl across the aisle flew into the air and hit the ceiling.

Two killed in power station bomb attack

RUSSIA: Assailants launched an attack on a hydroelectric station in southern Russia today, killing two workers and setting off bombs.

The attack took place in the volatile Caucasus region.

AUSTRIA: Vienna's archdiocese has ruled that a confessional box cannot be turned into a sauna.

The box was up for auction on eBay, described as ideal for conversion into a one-person sauna.

Prosecutors could have a hard time proving their case against ex-media mogul Conrad Black after he leaves jail on bail pending an appeal of his conviction for defrauding investors, legal experts say.

Ex-Daily Telegraph boss Black could be freed from a Florida jail today.

FRENCH football stars Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema were charged with soliciting an underage prostitute - the latest blow for the team after a poor World Cup.

The scandal includes claims Ribery flew the underage escort girl to visit him as a birthday present.

David Warren, the Australian scientist who invented the "black box" flight data recorder, has died.

Dr Warren, 85, came up with the idea for the cockpit voice recorder after investigating the crash of the world's first commercial jet airliner in 1953.

A STUDY of breast cancer drug Avastin failed to show meaningful benefits for patients, US health advisers said.

A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel of experts voted unanimously 3-0 that the risks and side-effects of Avastin outweighed its benefits when used alongside a chemotherapy drug.

The FDA had originally approved Avastin for breast cancer patients in 2008 based on a trial.