16 Of The Most Amazing Abandoned Airports In The World

1. Nicosia International Airport, Cyprus

2. Johnston Atoll Airport, USA

Built on a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a couple of hundred miles from Hawaii, this airport was a US military base for majority of the 20th century and home to 400 men with an underground hospital. During WW2, Japanese submarines attacked the base. 

3. Ellinikon International Airport, Athens, Greece

Source: (Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)

Ellinikon is located just four miles outside of Athens, it was opened in 1938, but was quickly taken over by the Nazis who used it as Luftwaffe base during World War Two. The airport became the home of Olympic airlines, infact some of their decommissioned airliners including a 747 jumbo jet still sit there. The opening of the new Athens airport for the 2004 Olympics led to the end of the line for Ellinikon and it closed in 2001. Weirdly the grounds and facilities were used for part of the Olympics but they now sit unused.

4. Castellon-Costa Azahar Airport, Spain

Even though it was officially opened in March 2011, costing 150 million euros, there hasn’t been a single plane that has taken off from or landed at Castellon-Costa Azahar Airport. The statue shown in the photo is in honour of local politician Carlos Fabra, who was responsible for the airports construction near Valencia. He is now under investigation for tax evasion and corruption.

5. Don Quijote Airport, Spain 

Costing a whooping 1.1 billion euros, Don Quijote Airport was Spain’s first (and last) private international airport. Fifty minutes from Madrid on a high speed rail, the airport was created in the 90s. It went bankrupt and shut down in April 2012. 

6. Stapleton International Airport, USA

Between 1929 and 1995, Stapleton International Airport was the gateway to Denver, Colorado, however it was replaced by Denver International. In July 1997 a storm hit and caused damage to its structure causing it to be knocked down completely, only leaving behind one old control tower.

7. Berlin Templehof, Germany

Until the Pentagon was built in the USA, this German airport was the largest building in the world. Constructed in 1923, after playing a key factor in the Berlin Airlift for 85 years Berlin-Tempelhof closed to passengers in October 2008. Today the airfield is the largest public park in the city and the airport terminals host events all year round. 

8. Croydon Airport, England

Known as one of the three iconic pre-World War 2 airports in Europe, it is famous for being the first airport with traffic control. Famous figures including Amy Johnson and Winston Churchill have jetted off along its runway, which actually crossed a road! Today, the old Airport House still stands. 

9. Gaza International Airport, Gaza Strip

Opening in 1998, this airport served 700,000 passengers  year, however Israeli forces shelled its radar station and control tower forcing it to shut down in December 2001. The runway was bulldozed a few weeks later. 

10. Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, USA

Situated in the California Desert, this airfield was used to film the famous Independence Day blockbuster movie. This was shut down in 1999. 

11. Kai Tak International Airport, Hong Kong

Kai Tek International served as Hong Kong’s main airport for 73 years, but sadly closed in 1998 after traffic moved to the new Hong Kong International Airport. It was surrounded by beautiful scenery making the take-offs and landings extra special.

12. RAF Binbrook, England

RAF Binbrook, near Lincolnshire was used by bombers during the Second World War and didn’t stop aiding the Air Force until the 1980s.

13. Galeville, Shawangunk, USA

This small airfield in New York, which was built in World War Two, was used for a military academy as well as operating as a civilian airport. It is now part of the Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge.

14. Floyd Bennett Field, New York, USA

Replaced by Newark Airport in New Jersey, Floyd Bennett Field was previously one of NYC’s major airports. These days it is a public park.  

15.Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, USA

The only thing that remains at Robert Municiple Airport is the old control tower after it closed in 1999 due to being replaced by the Austin Bergstrom International Airport.

16. Chanute AFB, Ranoul, IL USA

Chanute AFB was opened in Rantoul, Illinois in 1917 to train pilots flying in World War I, the base would become a major training center for pilots and support personnel for 75 years. It started to close in 1993 and many of the buildings have remained empty and decaying since that day.

Retired officer claims he assisted Tupac in faking his death

David Myers, a retired police officer has claimed he assisted legendary rapper, Tupac Shakur fake his own death 19 years ago.

According to a report by Daily Mirror, Myers, who is allegedly bed ridden and in a critical condition in a non-specified hospital, alleged that he was paid the sum of $1.5m to authenticate the death of Tupac in the 1996 drive-by shooting that led to the rapper's death in Las Vegas.

“The world needs to know what I did. I’m ashamed that I let a price be put on my word and I cannot die without letting the world know,” Myers disclosed.

The ex-cop also alleged further that Suge Knight played a major role in making hoax claiming he was paid $50,000 for a body double’s corpse to be taken to the morgue.

Myers also maintained that over 30 people were reportedly paid to help fake the rapper's death – including other police officers, medics and multiple witnesses.

Nearly 4,700 migrants rescued off Libya coast

Nearly 4,700 migrants were rescued off the coast of Libya on Saturday as they tried to reach Europe but one woman was found dead, Italy's coastguard said.

Tens of thousands of people, mainly from Africa and the Middle East, have tried to cross the Mediterranean this year, often dangerously packed into small vessels unsuitable for the voyage.

The coastguard said in a statement it had coordinated 20 rescue operations involving numerous vessels which picked up 4,343 migrants from rubber boats and barges. In one of the inflatable boats a woman's body was found, the coastguard said, without specifying the possible cause of death.

Another 335 people were picked up as part of a rescue mission coordinated by Greece and were being directed to a port in Italy to disembark.

The rescues were carried out by vessels from the Italian coastguard and navy, humanitarian agency Doctors Without Borders, the Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a merchant boat, a Croatian vessel under the European Union's Triton rescue mission and naval ships from Germany and Britain under the EU's EUNAVFOR Med mission.

Europe is struggling to cope with a record influx of refugees as people flee war in countries such as Syria, and the Mediterranean has become the world's most deadly crossing point for migrants.

Mourinho: Same old Arsenal, always moaning

Jose Mourinho insists Arsenal have no room for complaint after they were reduced to nine men in a toxic 2-0 derby defeat against Chelsea.

Diego Costa's antics provoked Gabriel into losing his temper, and the Brazil international centre-half was sent off shortly before half-time while Santi Cazorla was dismissed late on for a second bookable offence.

Mourinho said: "Where is the controversy? For me, no controversy. The game is about many different aspects, technical, tactical, emotional, physical. Normally the best team wins - we were the best team.

"We were dominant; we were controlled. Obviously let's not be hypocritical and deny but playing with one man more is easier.

"I think I played against Arsenal 15/16 times and only once they didn't moan. Maybe it was because they won that game. All the other matches, they have reasons for that.

"I played my first derby in September 2000 - to win a derby, emotional control. I've played derbies in Spain, Portugal, England, Italy and I always say the same words. You always need emotional control."

Mourinho, who avoided losing three consecutive league games for the first time in his career with a victory against the Gunners, sees his Chelsea side move just three points off Arsenal, who sit in fourth place.

Egyptian billionaire offers to buy island for refugees

An Egyptian billionaire's offer to buy an island for refugees is closer to becoming reality.

Naguib Sawiris, one of the region's wealthiest men, said he has identified two privately owned Greek islands that would be well-suited for the project. "We have corresponded with their owners and expressed our interest to go into negotiation with them," Sawiris said in a statement.

His idea to create a safe haven for the refugees was first branded as ridiculous by some, but Sawiris said he has received "tons of expressions of interest" from potential donors.

"I'll make a small port or marina for the boats to land there. I'll employ the people to build their own homes, their schools, a hospital, a university, a hotel," he said, adding he could employ between 100,000 and 200,000 refugees.

Naguib Sawiris

Sawiris, the chief executive of telecom group Orascom TMT, said he would name the place "Aylan Island," in the memory of the Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi, who drowned earlier this month trying to reach Europe with his family.

Photos of his lifeless body washing ashore in Turkey sparked a wave of solidarity and outrage over how Europe has been handling the refugee crisis. "It's the picture of Aylan that woke me up," Sawiris told CNN. "I said -- I cannot just sit like that and just do nothing, and pretend it's not my problem."

He is hoping to get more donations towards the project by setting up a joint stock company with $100 million initial capital. "Anyone who will donate will get share in the company, thus becoming a partner in the island and in the project," he said. "This way, any money put in will not be completely lost, as the asset (the island) will remain," he added.

Sawiris said he is now seeking the Greek government's permission to go ahead with the project. Greek authorities said they have yet to receive a formal request.

Sawiris said he was also approached by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the world's leading body helping refugees, in order to discuss other ways of possible cooperation.

Sawiris is one of Egypt's best known businessmen, with a net worth of around $3 billion, and also founder of a political party. He comes from a family of entrepreneurs; his brother Nassef is chairman of Orascom Construction Industries, one of Egypt's most valuable publicly traded companies.

Europe is struggling to cope with the number of people trying to escape war and poverty. The number of Syrians seeking safety in Europe has more than doubled in the past year.

CNN's Chris Liakos contributed to this article.

These beautiful idols of Hindu elephant god are making their way to homes all across India today

Every year, during the months of August and September, India gears up to welcome the elephant god.

The Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesh, who is considered the symbol of prosperity, good fortune, wisdom and health. He is also known by 108 other names.

Typically, families bring home an idol of Lord Ganesh—the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati—for two to 21 days. The festival, which starts today (Sept. 17) this year, ends with the immersion of these idols in water bodies.

Massive Ganesh’s sculptures are also installed in pandals (canopies) with extravagant decorations. These pandals are open to public and are a common sight in Maharashtra.

In Mumbai, several Ganpatis are decorated with real gold jewellery worth millions of rupees, and Bollywood stars often visit the famous pandals, sometimes with first prints of their upcoming films. A devotee may have to wait for 24 to 48 hours before they can offer prayers at these famous pandals.

Indian artisans spend months sculpting these idols, which are generally made of clay and then decorated with paint.

Quartz brings you a collection of photos, starting from a couple of months before the festival till the day of Ganesh Chaturthi:

An artisan works on an idol of Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, at a workshop in Mumbai, on July 2.(Reuters/Danish Siddiqui)

Commuters walk through an alley as an unfinished idol of Ganesh is kept outside a studio in Kolkata, on Sept. 13.(AP Photo/ Bikas Das)

An artisan gives finishing touches to the idols of Ganesh in Allahabad, on Sept. 8.(AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

An artisan prepares an idol of Ganesh in Ahmadabad, on July 9.(AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

A boy sits next to his father as he gives final touches to the idols of Lord Ganesh in New Delhi, on Sept. 9.(AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

An artisan paints idols of Lord Ganesh in Allahabad, on Sept. 8.(AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A street vendor decorates idols of Ganesh displayed for sale ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, on Aug.17.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

An artisan gives final touches to the idols of Ganesh in New Delhi, on Sept. 9.(AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

An artist paints idols of Ganesh being prepared ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, on Aug.17.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

An artist paints idols of elephant headed Ganesh being prepared ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, on Aug.17.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

An elderly Muslim man walks past idols of Ganesh displayed on a footpath for sale ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Bengaluru, on Aug. 3.(AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

An idol of elephant-headed Ganesh being carried for sale ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Ahmadabad, on Sept. 15.(AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Devotees carry an idol of Hindu elephant god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, while it is carried to a place of worship in Ahmedabad, on Sept. 16.(Reuters/Amit Dave)

Devotees carry an idol of Ganesh from a workshop to a worship venue ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, on Sept. 13.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

Devotees participate in a procession with large statues of Ganesh in Mumbai, on Aug. 30.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Calif Wildfire claimed an additional 250 homes

(MIDDLETOWN, Calif.) — A Sierra Nevada fire claimed an additional 250 homes, bringing the total to 503, California fire officials said Saturday after making new assessments.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Mike Mohler said the increased count comes as firefighters make progress and damage inspection teams have access to affected areas.

Cal Fire had reported 252 homes destroyed as of Friday night by the fire burning in Amador and Calaveras counties. Two deaths have been reported.

The fire is 65 percent contained.

A separate blaze in Lake County, about 170 miles northwest, has killed three people, destroyed nearly 600 homes and burned hundreds of other structures.

Heat was descending again on the two deadly and destructive Northern California wildfires after a few days of fair and favorable conditions, and it brought with it fears the blazes could come back to life and major gains could be undone.

“We’re looking at predicted weather of 100 degrees for the next couple of days, and at least mid-90s throughout the weekend,” Scott Mclean, a battalion chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said Friday.

That makes it essential that the smoldering remains of the two giant blazes be dealt with as quickly and thoroughly as possible, Mclean said.

“You’ve got some high temps, high winds that could stir up those ash piles and those ember piles,” he said. “We have to do that mop-up to be sure this fire goes to bed.”

By Saturday morning the blaze in Lake County had charred 116 square miles and was 48 percent contained.

The two killed by the Amador and Calaveras county fire — 66-year-old Mark McCloud and 82-year-old Owen Goldsmith — died after rejecting orders from authorities to evacuate, Cal Fire spokeswoman Lynnette Round said.

It wasn’t clear if the three dead in Lake County had received evacuation notices, but two of them declined requests by friends and family to leave.

The body of 72-year-old Barbara McWilliams, who used a walker, was found in her home in Anderson Springs. Her caregiver, Jennifer Hittson, said there were no evacuation orders when she left McWilliams’ home on the afternoon of Sept. 12, and no indication the fire was that serious.

She asked McWilliams if she wanted to leave, but the retired teacher declined, saying the fire didn’t seem bad.

Elsewhere in Anderson Springs, the body of former newspaper reporter Leonard Neft, 69, was found near his burnt car after what may have been an attempt to escape, his daughter Joslyn Neft said Friday. His wife had asked him to leave earlier Saturday, but he said the fire looked far away.

The body of Bruce Beven Burns, 65, was found in a building on the grounds of his brother’s recycling business, where Burns also lived. It’s unknown why he stayed.

A number of survivors of the fire said they never got an official evacuation notice when the danger was at its peak a week ago.

High school math teacher Bill Davis watched from his home as smoke mounted. From a previous fire in late July, he knew to expect a recorded call on his cellphone or look for someone coming through the neighborhood with a bullhorn yelling for people to evacuate.

“None of that happened,” he said. His house in Lake County burned after he finally rounded up his cats and left.

Authorities defended their warnings and rescue attempts, saying they did all they could to reach people in the remote area of homes, many prized for their privacy.

“You may get that notice, or you may not, depending on how fast that fire is moving,” Round said. If you can see the fire, you need to be going.”

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Associated Press Writers Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles and Olga Rodriquez in San Francisco contributed to this report.