Star Trek alum knighted by Queen

Patrick Stewart, better known as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: Next Generation or Charles Xavier in recent X-Men films, was knighted as part of Queen Elizabeth IIís New Years honors list.

ìThis is an honor that embraces those actors, directors and creative teams who have in these recent years helped fill my life with inspiration, companionship and sheer fun,” Stewart told The Huffington Post.

Others to receive knighthood include Eric Reich, a Nazi Europe refugee that organized last yearís 70th anniversary of the ìKindertransport” which brought 10,000 children to Britain during wartime.

Suspicious plane diverted to Ireland

On Wednesday, Irish police arrested a 44-year-old Dutch man who claimed to have planted a bomb on an Arkefly aircraft, diverting the pilot to land in Ireland.

The pilot landed in Shannon Airport in western Ireland, telling air controllers the man was verbally threatening the other passengers and shouting bomb threats. Police searched the aircraft but found nothing suspicious.

The flight had planned to carry its 224 passengers and 11 crew members to Aruba.