The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has banned Maria Sharapova for two years for using prohibited drug meldonium.
Maria Sharapova was provisionally banned in March after testing positive for meldonium at January’s Australian Open.
Meldonium, a heart disease drug, which 29-year-old Russian says she has been taking since 2006 for health issues, became a banned substance on January 1, 2016.
The five-time Grand Slam winner said she “cannot accept” the “unfairly harsh” ban – and will appeal.
Photo Getty Images
Maria Sharapova will challenge the suspension, which is backdated to January 26, 2016, at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
In a statement, Maria Sharapova said the tribunal concluded her offence was “unintentional” and that she had not tried to use a “performance-enhancing substance”.
However, she claimed the ITF had asked the tribunal to impose a four-year ban, adding it “spent tremendous amounts of time and resources trying to prove I intentionally violated the anti-doping rules”.
The tribunal ruling said Maria Sharapova tested positive for meldonium in an out-of competition test on February 2, as well as in the aftermath of her Australian Open quarter-final defeat by Serena Williams on January 26. It treated both results as a single anti-doping violation.
The ITF will not appeal against the tribunal’s decision.
Nike, which suspended its relationship with Maria Sharapova in January, said it would “continue to partner” the Russian, based on the tribunal’s findings.
Maria Sharapova was Forbes‘ highest-paid female athlete for 11 consecutive years, until Serena Williams moved above her in 2016.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said in April that scientists were unsure how long meldonium stayed in the system, and suggested athletes who tested positive before March 1 could avoid bans, provided they had stopped taking it before January 1.
Maria Sharapova had already admitted she continued taking the substance past that date, saying she was unaware it had been added to the banned list as she knew it by another name – mildronate.
In reaching its verdict, the ITF recognized Maria Sharapova had not intentionally broken anti-doping rules, as she did not know that mildronate contained a banned substance from January 2016.
France has released a mobile phone app to alert the public in the event of a terrorist attack ahead of the Euro 2016 soccer tournament, which starts on June 10.
The app will alert geo-located users “in case of a suspected attack”, the French interior ministry said in a statement.
The government said the app was developed after November’s attacks in Paris, which killed 130 people.
Users will be able to sign up to receive alerts in up to eight different “geographical zones” in addition to their present location.
Alerts will offer a brief description of what has happened as well as advice on how to stay safe.
They will not cause the phone to vibrate or emit any sound in order to ensure that anyone hiding at the site of an attack does not alert the attackers, Metro News reported.
The government has stressed that users’ privacy will be protected.
Later versions of the app will also alert users to other types of emergencies beyond attacks, including floods and industrial accidents, officials said.
The app is available to download for phones running both iOS and Android operating systems.
Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has thanked her supporters for helping her reach a historic moment for women – the nomination for president.
“Tonight’s victory belongs to generations of women and men who struggled and sacrificed to make this moment possible,” Hillary Clinton told cheering crowds at a rally in New York.
“Thanks to you, we’ve reached a milestone.”
The former secretary of state hailed “the first time in our nation’s history that a woman will be a major party’s nominee”.
Earlier, Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary in New Jersey, cementing her hold on her party’s nomination.
Hillary Clinton went on to win South Dakota and New Mexico, while her rival Bernie Sanders found victory in the Montana and North Dakota caucuses.
Six states have been voting in primaries on June 7 but the race in California will count the most.
Bernie Sanders had been hoping for a win in that state but early results indicated a significant lead for Hillary Clinton.
Five bicyclists have been killed and another four injured in a hit-and-run incident in Kalamazoo City, Michigan, police say.
The cyclists were struck by a blue Chevrolet pickup truck that was seen being driven erratically only minutes earlier, police in Kalamazoo said.
The crash happened just before 7 p.m. on June 7, the 5500 block of North Westnedge Avenue, located between West F and West G avenues. Earlier reports indicated children were among the victims, but that is not the case, said Kalamazoo County prosecutor Jeff Getting during a nighttime briefing.
Photo WZZM
The driver of the truck, a 50-year-old man from Michigan, fled the scene and was arrested nearby soon afterwards.
A hospital spokesman said one of the injured cyclists was in a serious condition.
Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeffrey Getting told a news conference there had been a number of alerts about the pickup truck’s erratic driving, but that a police chase was not under way when it crashed.
The extent of victims’ injuries are unclear. Carolyn Wyllie, a spokeswoman at Bronson Methodist Hospital, told WZZM 13’s Alex Shabad hospital staff are assisting two people from the crash. Their conditions and identities are unknown.
Borgess Medical Center also is treating two patients — one person in critical condition, the other in fair condition, spokesman Lew Tysman said.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand has undergone heart surgery, the Thai Royal Household Bureau announced.
The 88-year-old king, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, has had a lengthy spell in hospital in Bangkok and has not been seen in public for months.
King Bhumibol is widely revered and seen as an arbiter in the country’s divided political arena.
Thailand is preparing to celebrate 70 years of his reign on June 8.
The king was treated for narrowing of the arteries with “satisfactory results”, the palace said in a statement.
Doctors performed a procedure known as balloon surgery to widen the arteries on June 7 after tests had shown insufficient blood in the heart muscles, the statement said.
In the past month, King Bhumibol has also been treated for a buildup of fluid surrounding the brain and a swollen lung.
An X-ray on June 4 showed less fluid around the brain, the statement said.
King Bhumibol’s health is closely watched in Thailand as he is seen as a unifying symbol and pillar of stability in a society that has suffered increased political divisions and violence.
Turmeric is one of the most effective natural supplements that you can find today. Various studies have shown that Turmeric and Curcumin indeed have many benefits to the body and mind. The best turmeric curcumin offers us a natural, safe and effective anti-inflammatory agent to help ward off and treat diseases. Some of the amazing and proven health benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin include:
Naturally anti-inflammatory
Inflammation is the process that helps the body fight and remove foreign bodies such as infection as well as repairing the damage after. Inflammation prevents pathogens such as bacteria and fungus from taking over the body. Short-term inflammation is beneficial but long term or chronic inflammation can be a problem. Sometimes the inflammation may also be inappropriately deployed against the body tissue. A product that can fight chronic inflammation is important in preventing and treating diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease and other degenerative conditions. Curcumin is a strong anti-inflammatory that targets multiple steps in the inflammatory pathway making it as effective as some anti-inflammatory drugs.
Antioxidant capacity
Oxidative damages are believed to be part of the aging process and the damage caused by many diseases. Free radicals and highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons react with important organic substances. Antioxidants, protect the body against free radicals. Curcumin is a potent antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals because of its chemical structure. It also boosts the activities of your body’s antioxidant enzymes dramatically increasing your antioxidant capacity.
Prevention and treatment of Cancer
The commonalities among the different forms of cancer are the uncontrolled cell growth. Research as shown that Curcumin is a beneficial supplement in cancer treatment as it affects cancer growth and development. The supplement can reduce the growth of new blood vessels in tumors, the metastasis and the death of cancerous cells. High-done Curcumin with an absorption enhancer can help treat cancer in humans although this is yet to be tested properly. However, it can prevent cancer from occurring in the first place.
Delaying Aging and fighting chronic diseases
There is obvious benefit in longevity since Curcumin helps prevent cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and heart disease among others. Curcumin is a very important and popular anti-aging supplement. Curcumin does more than just prevent disease. It helps manage oxidation and inflammation, which all play a role in the aging process. Remember to get supplements that contain Bioperine, which enhances Curcumin absorption.
If you’re lucky enough to have a motorcycle, you’re probably riding it around constantly, enjoying its economic and convenient value to the fullest. However, like all vehicles you have to park it on the street. This can be problematic depending on your area’s busyness and crime.
Accidents can and will happen, even when your prized motorcycle is stationary and out of the way. So what happens if your bike gets hit by another car while parked?
Let’s take a look below.
Do You Know Who Did It?
If you didn’t actually see someone strike your bike, then they are being a good Samaritan by telling you, or a good Samaritan happened to be in the right place to capture the hit-and-run driver’s info. While people shouldn’t strive to be hit and run drivers, according to USA Today, it happens more often than any insurance company or motorcycle owner is willing to admit. Assuming that either you saw it or someone saw it and let you know (a witness), you have the ability to make them pay for it. Any specifics like vehicle type and color, and ideally, a license plate number will be your best bet in getting the at-fault party to pay for damages.
Photo Flickr
What is the State Law?
If another driver is able to claim that your bike was parked too far out in the street, or if they can say that both parties were equally negligent (say your kickstand wasn’t secure or you were parked on a hill), then you have to be careful. According to the Insurance Information Institute, insurance liability differs from state to state, and if you are even partially negligent or you happen to reside in a no-fault state, then under certain accidents and claims you might not be able to have the other driver pay (or pay fully) for their damages.
It’s important to know your state’s law, and also what you’re covered for when you actually obtain quotes. Your policy can always step in but you will need to compare motorcycle insurance quotes from a handful of different providers to truly know what you’re getting coverage-wise.
Can You Prove It?
As terrible and pessimistic as it is to say, can you prove that someone actually knocked over your bike? You obviously have the best of intentions, but what if someone made a claim against you that had no backing? Would you really want to be liable for any claim or remark that someone made about you even if they didn’t have any proof? The road goes both ways in this scenario in that if you can’t prove someone else hit your bike and knocked it over, then you may have a hard time getting their policy to pay.
Comprehensive Coverage?
You’ll obviously want to sort things out as quickly as possible if your bike is hit while parked, but rest assured you’ll be covered with a comprehensive package. Comprehensive coverage for motorcycles is the same as if a car was damaged during a hit and run; someone else is at fault, so they should pay. If fault cannot be determined (or you can’t prove it), then you’ll still be covered from a comprehensive point of view.
The only thing that you’ll be on the hook for in a worst-case scenario is your deductible, and you might even be able to get that back if you can prove fault is on the other party.
While you might get upset with the legal system of some states, and possibly even lose faith in other motorists on the road, you can at least be at ease when it comes to the protection and maintenance of your motorcycle. As long as you have quality coverage then you know you’ll be covered in any incident. Paying anything, even a few hundred dollars toward your deductible in an incident you didn’t cause, is annoying, but it’s small change compared to not having adequate coverage and having to pay big dollars should the hit-and-run driver get away scot-free.
Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has reached the required number of delegates for her nomination, an AP tally suggests.
The count puts Hillary Clinton on 2,383 – the number needed to make her the presumptive nominee.
Hillary Clinton will become the first female nominee for a major US political party.
However, rival Bernie Sanders said Hillary Clinton had not won as she was dependent on superdelegates who could not vote until July’s party convention.
Hillary Clinton reached the threshold with a big win in Puerto Rico and a burst of last-minute support from superdelegates, AP reported.
Superdelegates are party insiders who can pledge their support for a candidate ahead of the convention but do not formally vote for them until the convention itself.
At an appearance in Long Beach, California, shortly after the news broke, Hillary Clinton said: “We are on the brink of a historic and unprecedented moment but we still have work to do.
“We have six elections tomorrow and we’re going to fight hard for every single vote, especially right here in California.”
Voters will go to the polls for Democratic primaries on June 7 in California, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and New Jersey.
The nominee for either party is not officially named until the parties’ respective conventions.
Bernie Sanders has vowed to stay in the race until the convention, and his campaign team said the Vermont senator would attempt to win back superdelegates who have pledged their support to Hillary Clinton.
His spokesman Michael Briggs said it was too early to call the Democratic contest.
“It is unfortunate that the media, in a rush to judgement, are ignoring the Democratic National Committee’s clear statement that it is wrong to count the votes of superdelegates before they actually vote at the convention this summer,” Michael Briggs said.
“Our job from now until the convention is to convince those superdelegates that Bernie is by far the strongest candidate against Donald Trump.”
Hillary Clinton, a former secretary of state, New York senator and First Lady, leads Bernie Sanders by three million votes, 291 pledged delegates and 523 superdelegates, according to AP’s count.
She has won 29 caucuses and primaries to his 21 victories – and an estimated 2.9 million more voters have backed her during the nominating process.
That gives Hillary Clinton a significantly greater lead over Bernie Sanders than Barack Obama had over her in 2008 – he led by 131 pledged delegates and 105 superdelegates at the point he clinched the nomination.
Veteran US photojournalist David Gilkey and his Afghan translator Zabihullah Tamanna have been killed in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.
David Gilkey of National Public Radio (NPR) and Zabihullah Tamanna were travelling with the Afghan army when they came under fire and their vehicle was hit by a shell, NPR said.
The attack also killed the driver of the vehicle, an Afghan soldier.
Two other NPR employees travelling with David Gilkey and Zabihullah Tamanna were unharmed, the radio network said in a statement.
The vehicle David Gilkey, 50, and Zabihullah Tamanna, 38, were travelling in was struck by shellfire near the town of Marjah, NPR said.
Photo Facebook
Zabihullah Tamanna was a photographer and journalist in Afghanistan, as well as a translator.
Michael Oreskes, senior vice president at NPR, paid tribute to the photographer.
He said: “David has been covering war and conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. He was devoted to helping the public see these wars and the people caught up in them. He died pursuing that commitment.
“As a man and as a photojournalist, David brought out the humanity of all those around him. He let us see the world and each other through his eyes.”
David Gilkey is the first US journalist outside the military to be killed in the conflict in Afghanistan.
He received a series of awards during his career, including a 2007 national Emmy for a video series about US Marines from Michigan serving in Iraq.
In 2011, David Gilkey was named still photographer of the year by the White House Photographers’ Association, one of nine first-place awards he received from the body.
His work on an investigation into veteran medical care and his coverage of the Ebola crisis helped secure awards for NPR.
In 2015, David Gilkey received the Edward R. Murrow Award for his coverage of international breaking news, military conflicts and natural disasters.
A recent study has suggested that men with larger waistlines could be at higher risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer.
Research on 140,000 men from eight European countries found that a 4in larger waist circumference could increase the chances of getting the cancer by 13%.
Men were most at risk when their waist was bigger than 37in, the University of Oxford study found.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men.
Weight loss could be a potential factor in regaining erectile function by losing 5 to 10 percent of the body weight
The study, which was presented at the European Obesity Summit in Gothenburg, Sweden, looked at the association between body measurements in men in their 50s and prostate cancer risk over 14 years.
In that time, there were about 7,000 cases of prostate cancer, of which 934 were fatal.
The researchers found that men with a higher body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference had an increased risk of high grade prostate cancer, an aggressive form of the disease.
For example, men with a waist size of 37in had a 13% higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer than men with a waist of 33in.
Scientists also observed a higher risk of dying from prostate cancer with increased BMI and increased waist circumference.
According to specialists, bowel cancer patients may avoid the need for colostomy bags if they are first treated by having an expandable tube inserted at the site of their blockage.
The new approach, presented at this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago – the worlds’ biggest cancer conference – showed that the tube, or stent, cut the risk of complications from surgery.
Experts said colostomy bags, to collect faeces, often frightened patients.
Globally, nearly 1.4 million cases of bowel cancer are diagnosed each year.
This unplanned surgery has a much higher risk of complications compared with routine surgery.
The patient is often in worse health, the swelling caused by the blockage can mean keyhole surgery is not possible so more invasive surgery is needed and there may not be a colorectal specialist surgeon on hand.
The death rate goes up from 2% for planned surgery to 12% in emergency bowel cancer surgery.
After removing the tumor and surrounding bowel, surgeons are also less likely to be able to re-plumb the bowels.
One part of the colon is often hugely distended and the other collapsing in on itself. If it cannot be put back together properly, the risk of needing a colostomy bag soars.
A trial on 250 patients was organized by Cancer Research UK. Half were treated with conventional surgery, but the others had a novel procedure to unblock the bowels.
Surgeons used an endoscope to find the precise location of the blockage and then positioned a stent at the site of obstruction.
When inserted, the tube is just 3mm in diameter. But over 48 hours it expands in response to body heat until it reaches 2.5cm in diameter, creating a new clear passageway through the intestines.
The tumor is then removed once the bowels have healed and the patient has recovered from the blockage.
There was no difference in survival rates between the procedures, but the difference in the need for a colostomy bag was stark.
In the emergency patients, 69% needed a bag to rid their bodies of faeces.
In those treated with the stent, the figure was 45%, according to data presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting.
Prof. James Hill, who led the trial at Central Manchester University Hospitals, said: “Traditionally doctors have worried that unblocking the bowel in this way could increase the chance of cancer spreading, but our early results don’t show this.
“We’re also pleased to see that this could be a way of reducing the risk of patients needing a colostomy bag after their surgery, which is a huge improvement to patients’ day-to-day lives.
“These are early results and we’ll need to follow up our work for three years in full to find out if this technique affects survival and end-of-life care for bowel cancer patients.”
German authorities have ordered the suspension of the sell-out Rock am Ring music festival on its third and final day after lightning hurt at least 80 fans.
Planned for June 3 – 5, Rock am Ring 2016 featured the likes of Panic! At The Disco, Bring Me The Horizon, the 1975, Of Mice & Men, Architects, August Burns Red, Bullet For My Valentine, Disturbed and Deftones.
Lightning struck Friday night (June 3) at the festival grounds, which is an old airfield in western Germany.
Performances were suspended on June 4 during continued thunderstorms, forcing many of the 92,000 fans at the open-air event to shelter in cars and tents.
Festival organizers were forced to cancel it after local authorities revoked its license early on Sunday morning, June 5.
They said on Facebook: “Dear Fans, because of inclement weather we fear further lightning with the potential risk of injuries. Due to instructions of the Mendig authorities we were ordered to suspend the festival for the moment being. Please stay in your tents or for your own protection go to your cars. We will inform you hourly of any new development.”
Critics on Facebook have accused organizers of not cancelling the event quickly enough.
Fans at Rock am Ring – held at the airport in the town of Mendig, about 62 miles west of Frankfurt – were told to clear the festival grounds by noon on Sunday.
At least eight people were seriously injured by the lightning strike early on Saturday morning.
Central Europe has been hit by severe storms and rain over the past few weeks, leading to 11 deaths in Germany.
Apparently, Germany, France and Belgium have recently been hit with severe storms and flooding.
However, 2016 is not the first year this has happened: 33 fans were injured after lightning struck Rock am Ring 2015.
The festival website has repeatedly warned fans of the possibility of strong rainfall and thunderstorms.
The organizers of Rock am Ring, now in its 31st year, initially said on June 4 that this year’s event would continue. It was due to have finished on June 5.
Switzerland is holding a referendum on a guaranteed basic income for every citizen, becoming the first country to hold such a vote.
The proposal calls for adults to be paid an unconditional income of 2,500 Swiss francs ($2,555) a month, whether they work or not.
Supporters of the idea say 21st Century work is increasingly automated, with fewer jobs available for workers.
However, polls suggest that only about one quarter of Swiss voters back the idea.
Under the terms of the basic income, workers who already earn more than SFr 2,500 would not get any additional money.
There is little support among Swiss politicians for the idea and not a single parliamentary party has come out in favor.
They say that disconnecting the link between work done and money earned would be bad for society.
Che Wagner, from the campaign group Basic Income Switzerland, says it wouldn’t be money for nothing.
“In Switzerland over 50% of total work that is done is unpaid. It’s care work, it’s at home, it’s in different communities, so that work would be more valued with a basic income.”
Luzi Stamm, who’s a member of parliament for the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, opposes the idea: “Theoretically, if Switzerland were an island, the answer is yes. But with open borders, it’s a total impossibility, especially for Switzerland, with a high living standard.
“If you would offer every individual a Swiss amount of money, you would have billions of people who would try to move into Switzerland.”
The idea is also under consideration elsewhere. In Finland, the government is considering a trial to give basic income to about 8,000 people from low-income groups.
In the Dutch city of Utrecht is also developing a pilot project which will begin in January 2017.
The basic income is one of five issues on the Swiss ballot on June 5, with people also voting on funds for public services and the simplification of the application procedures for asylum-seekers.
Cuba will not return to the Organization of American States (OAS), says President Raul Castro in a show of solidarity with Venezuela.
OAS Secretary General Luis Almargo has called for sanctions against Venezuela.
At a summit of Caribbean countries in Havana, President Raul Castro called the OAS “an instrument of imperialist domination”.
Meanwhile, former Spanish PM Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has met jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez.
It was Leopoldo Lopez’s first visit from anyone other than family members or lawyers since the 45-year-old was sentenced to 14 years in prison last year after being found guilty of inciting violence.
Leopoldo Lopez’s supporters insist he is innocent and say he was jailed on trumped-up, politically-motivated charges.
The meeting at Ramo Verde military prison outside Caracas lasted about 90 minutes, according to Adriana Lopez, the opposition leader’s sister.
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is trying to negotiate between the opposition and the government in Venezuela’s worsening political crisis.
Cuba was expelled from the OAS in 1962 but following a recent thaw in relations with the US it was suggested that the island might return.
However, Raul Castro appeared to rule out the possibility, offering “our most firm solidarity to our brothers the Venezuelan people, to the legitimate government of President Nicolas Maduro”.
President Nicolas Maduro is locked in a dispute with the OAS over opposition demands in Venezuela for a recall referendum.
Luis Almargo said earlier this week that “the institutional crisis in Venezuela demands immediate changes in the actions of the executive branch”.
He has called an emergency meeting of the OAS at which member states will decide whether to invoke the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which could lead to Venezuela’s suspension from the OAS.
Muhammad Ali died of “septic shock due to unspecified natural causes”, his family has announced.
The boxing legend, formerly known as Cassius Clay, died on June 3 at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. He was 74.
Muhammad Ali had been suffering from a respiratory illness, a condition that was complicated by Parkinson’s disease.
A public funeral will be held for the boxer on June 9 in his hometown of Louisville in Kentucky.
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali has been taken to hospital after falling unconscious at home just days after his frail appearance at a funeral for Joe Frazier
The family spokesman, Bob Gunnell said: “He was a citizen of the world and would want people from all walks of life to be able to attend his funeral.”
Former President Bill Clinton is among those who will give a eulogy at the service, and was one of many prominent global figures who paid tribute to Ali on June 4, saying he lived a life “full of religious and political convictions that led him to make tough choices and live with the consequences”.
The legendary Brazilian footballer, Pele, said the sporting universe had suffered a huge loss.
President Barack Obama said: “Muhammad Ali shook up the world. And the world is better for it.”
Soon after retiring, rumors began to circulate about the state of Muhammad Ali’s health. His speech had become slurred, he shuffled and he was often drowsy.
Parkinson’s syndrome was eventually diagnosed but Muhammad Ali continued to make public appearances, receiving warm welcomes wherever he traveled.
One of the world’s best-known sportsmen, boxing legend Muhammad Ali, has died at the age of 74, a family spokesman has confirmed.
The former world heavyweight boxing champion died at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, after being admitted on June 2.
Muhammad Ali was suffering from a respiratory illness, a condition that was complicated by Parkinson’s disease.
The funeral will take place in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, his family said in a statement.
Born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Muhammad Ali shot to fame by winning light-heavyweight gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
Nicknamed “The Greatest”, he beat Sonny Liston in 1964 to win his first world title and became the first boxer to capture a world heavyweight title on three separate occasions.
Muhammad Ali eventually retired in 1981, having won 56 of his 61 fights.
Crowned “Sportsman of the Century” by Sports Illustrated, Muhammad Ali was noted for his pre- and post-fight talk and bold fight predictions just as much as his boxing skills inside the ring.
He was also a civil rights campaigner and poet who transcended the bounds of sport, race and nationality.
Asked how he would like to be remembered, Muhammad Ali once said: “As a man who never sold out his people. But if that’s too much, then just a good boxer. I won’t even mind if you don’t mention how pretty I was.”
Muhammad Ali turned professional immediately after the Rome Olympics and rose through the heavyweight ranks, delighting crowds with his showboating, shuffling feet and lightning reflexes.
British champion Henry Cooper came close to stopping Cassius Clay, as he was still known, when they met in a non-title bout in London in 1963.
Henry Cooper floored Cassius Clay with a left hook, but Clay picked himself up off the canvas and won the fight in the next round when a severe cut around Cooper’s left eye forced the Englishman to retire.
In February 1964, Cassius Clay stunned the boxing world by winning his first world heavyweight title at the age of 22.
He predicted he would beat Sonny Liston, who had never lost, but few believed he could do it.
Yet, after six stunning rounds, Sonny Liston quit on his stool, unable to cope with his brash, young opponent.
At the time of his first fight with Sonny Liston, Cassius Clay was already involved with the Nation of Islam, a religious movement whose stated goals were to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African Americans in the US.
In contrast to the inclusive approach favored by civil rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, the Nation of Islam called for separate black development and was treated by suspicion by the American public.
Muhammad Ali eventually converted to Islam, ditching what he perceived was his “slave name” and becoming Cassius X and then Muhammad Ali.
In 1967, Muhammad Ali took the momentous decision of opposing the US war in Vietnam, a move that was widely criticized by his fellow Americans.
Muhammad Ali refused to be drafted into the US military and was subsequently stripped of his world title and boxing license. He would not fight again for nearly four years.
After his conviction for refusing the draft was overturned in 1971, Muhammad Ali returned to the ring and fought in three of the most iconic contests in boxing history, helping restore his reputation with the public.
Muhammad Ali was handed his first professional defeat by Joe Frazier in the “Fight of the Century” in New York on March 8, 1971, only to regain his title with an eighth-round knockout of George Foreman in the “Rumble in the Jungle” in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) on October 30, 1974.
He fought Joe Frazier for a third and final time in the Philippines on October 1, 1975, coming out on top in the “Thrilla in Manila” when Frazier failed to emerge for the 15th and final round.
Six defenses of his title followed before Muhammad Ali lost on points to Leon Spinks in February 1978, although he regained the world title by the end of the year, avenging his defeat at the hands of the 1976 Olympic light-heavyweight champion.
Muhammad Ali’s career ended with one-sided defeats by Larry Holmes in 1980 and Trevor Berbick in 1981, many thinking he should have retired long before.
He fought a total of 61 times as a professional, losing five times and winning 37 bouts by knockout.
Soon after retiring, rumors began to circulate about the state of Muhammad Ali’s health. His speech had become slurred, he shuffled and he was often drowsy.
Parkinson’s Syndrome was eventually diagnosed but Muhammad Ali continued to make public appearances, receiving warm welcomes wherever he travelled.
Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic cauldron at the 1996 Games in Atlanta and carried the Olympic flag at the opening ceremony for the 2012 Games in London.
Medical examiners have found that Prince died from an accidental overdose of the painkiller fentanyl.
The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office’s report comes more than a month after Prince was found slumped in a lift at his home.
Detectives have already questioned a doctor who saw Prince twice in the weeks before he died.
Prescription painkillers were Prince’s possession following his death at the age of 57, officials told media last month.
A police warrant has also revealed that Dr. Michael Schulenberg prescribed medication to Prince on April 20 – the day before he died.
The warrant does not say what was prescribed or whether Prince took the drugs.
Photo Getty Images
According to the autopsy report, Prince self-administered fentanyl, an opioid many times more powerful than heroin.
In March 2015, the US Drug and Enforcement Administration warned the drug, which it said was often laced in heroin, was a “threat to health and public safety”.
The agency said even small doses of fentanyl could be lethal and that “incidents” and overdoses related to the drug were “occurring at an alarming rate”.
Prince was found unresponsive in a lift at his Paisley Park Studios on the morning of April 21, local officials said. First responders tried to revive him with CPR but he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
The singer is believed to have suffered from knee and hip pain from years of performing, the Associated Press news agency reports, citing a friend.
Artists from around the world and Prince’s numerous fans later paid tributes to the star.
Prince was cremated in a private ceremony on April 24. His family is understood to be planning to stage a public memorial in August.
The River Seine has raised 20ft (6m) above its normal level as record floodwaters hit the French capital.
The world-famous Louvre and Orsay museums have been shut so staff can move priceless artworks to safety.
The number of dead in the floods has now risen to at least 14 – 10 in southern Germany and two each in France and Romania.
More downpours are forecast for the weekend across a band of central Europe from France to Ukraine.
Several towns in southern Germany have been devastated. Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands and Poland have also been affected.
Thousands of people have been forced from their homes.
Photo Getty Images
France’s President Francois Hollande said the weather was a serious climate phenomenon and a global challenge.
Francois Hollande is to declare a state of natural disaster in the worst-hit areas, which will free up emergency funds.
In Paris, emergency barriers have been put up along the Seine, a number of bridges have been closed and tourists boats have been banned from sailing on the river.
The Seine has not reached present levels in Paris since 1982, according to the environment ministry.
The river previously reached 6.18m in 1982, 7.1m in 1955 and 8.62m in 1910.
Rail operator SNCF has closed a line that runs alongside the Seine in central Paris.
More than 5,000 people have been evacuated from towns in central France since the weekend and 19,000 homes are without power, the AFP news agency reports.
The French Open tennis tournament, meanwhile, could be forced to extend into a third week.
Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has called Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump “dangerously incoherent”.
Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump was unfit to be president and his election would be a “historic mistake”.
Donald Trump hit back, saying Hillary Clinton “no longer has credibility – too much failure in office”.
Outside Donald Trump’s rally in San Jose, California, anti-Trump protesters clashed with his supporters in one of the worst such confrontations so far.
Several of the billionaire’s supporters were punched, one was pelted with eggs and others were spat at, reports said.
In a boost for Donald Trump, House Speaker Republican Paul Ryan has endorsed Donald Trump’s candidacy.
Paul Ryan had previously refused to back Donald Trump and his support is the latest sign Republicans are unifying around their nominee.
He wrote in a column in his hometown Gazette newspaper in Wisconsin: “We have more common ground than disagreement.”
Paul Ryan also attacked Hillary Clinton saying: “A Clinton White House would mean four more years of liberal cronyism.”
In her speech Hillary Clinton, who is fighting Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination, rejected Donald Trump’s foreign policy points, and called him thin-skinned, irrational and unprepared.
Hillary Clinton defended the Iran nuclear deal and said a Trump presidency could start overseas wars and ruin the US economy.
“This isn’t reality television, this is actual reality,” she said.
Hillary Clinton also said someone like Donald Trump could not be in charge of the country’s nuclear codes and that his proposals were vague and often nonsensical.
She said his anti-Muslim rhetoric and talk of American isolationism bolstered ISIS and argued against his disdain for Mexico and Mexican immigrants coming into the country.
Questioning Donald Trump’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Hillary Clinton said: “I’ll leave it to a psychiatrist to explain his affection for tyrants.”
Bernie Sanders has vowed to keep fighting for the nomination until the party’s convention in July, despite Hillary Clinton’s strong delegate lead.
They always say you never know where the end is going to come from. A common example is telling you that you might get by a bus tomorrow. It’s true that there are all kinds of accidental deaths. However, that doesn’t mean that you have no influence on the risk of them. Rather, you have plenty. Below, we’ll be looking at the four most common causes of accidental deaths and what you can do to fight against them.
By far the largest cause of accidental deaths in many countries, including the US. It’s also one that has the most factors you can influence to avoid getting in those situations. Driving more carefully and taking better care of how you maintain your car will eliminate a lot of risks as well. But the most common factor is driving under the influence. The best DUI attorney can help you get out of legal trouble, but you need to think more about the risk to your health and the health of those around you.
Poisoning
Often ranked second or third in a country’s most common risks of accidental death. There are a lot of different poisoning hazards that we can be more aware of. For example, getting carbon monoxide detectors not just for our homes but also the insides of our cars. Fighting the perils of drug use and accidental overdoses, which are also classed as poisoning. There are many more innocuous risks inside our homes, as well. These come in detergents and cleaners and the like. These prove a great risk to accidental child poisoning, so make sure they’re well out of reach.
This is the form of accidental death that often competes with poisoning in terms of reaching second place. In truth, there are a lot of circumstances in which we have no control over whether we might slip, trip or fall. However, some of the most common environments to do that include the workplace, which we can influence. We can do this by making sure our employers have prepared comprehensive health and safety measures. This includes keeping high traffic pathways clear of any obstructions, Also keeping the floor free of any slipping hazards such as wet spots.
Fires
One of the most common causes of accidental deaths in your own home. House fires are significantly dangerous and common enough that we all need a plan to deal with them. The average house fire can rage out of control in a matter of minutes if not handled properly. Not only do you need the means to deal with them, such as a home fire extinguisher. You also need a plan of escape for each and every one of the rooms. Fire not only burns, but have the potential to be fatal in how it traps you in your own home, after all.
We might not really have any control over how we go. However, with the kind of knowledge above in mind, we can at least have an impact on the ways we don’t go.
A state of natural disaster is to be declared in France’s areas worst hit by flooding in recent days, President Francois Hollande says.
The measure frees up funds, with some towns in central France suffering their severest floods in decades.
In the French capital, the Seine continues to rise, prompting the closure of a metro line running through the city centre.
Heavy rains across Europe have left at least 10 people dead, most of them in Germany.
More downpours are forecast right through the weekend across a band of central Europe from France to Ukraine, with as much as 2in of rain falling in some parts in just a few hours.
After a day of respite on June 1 in central France, the region is braced for a further rise in already exceptionally high river levels.
The Loiret department, south of Paris, is on red alert, with seven others one level lower.
Nearly 10,000 homes are without electricity.
France’s PM Manuel Valls visited the stricken town of Nemours on June 1.
Nemours Mayor Valerie Lacroute said 3,000 people had been evacuated from the town center.
The town’s Loing river, a tributary of the Seine, now has levels not seen since the devastating floods of 1910.
“The center of town is totally under water. All the businesses have been destroyed,” said Mayor Valerie Lacroute.
Six weeks’ worth of rain has fallen in three days in the Loiret department.
Soccer star Lionel Messi is due to give evidence in a Spanish court on tax fraud charges.
The Argentina and Barcelona professional player and his father Jorge Messi, who manages his financial affairs, are accused of defrauding Spain of more than €4 million ($4.5 million) between 2007 and 2009.
Spain’s authorities allege that the two used tax havens in Belize and Uruguay to conceal earnings from image rights.
The tax agency is demanding heavy fines and prison sentences. Both men deny any wrongdoing.
Lionel Messi is to face trial for alleged tax evasion
The trial began on June 1, and June 3 is expected to be the final day. A verdict is not expected until next week.
Evidence is being considered regarding income related to Lionel Messi’s image rights, including contracts with Banco Sabadell, Danone, Adidas, Pepsi-Cola, Procter and Gamble, and the Kuwait Food Company.
Lionel Messi’s lawyers had argued that the player had “never devoted a minute of his life to reading, studying or analyzing” the contracts.
However, the high court in Barcelona ruled in June 2015 that the football star should not be granted immunity for not knowing what was happening with his finances, which were being managed in part by his father.
Lionel Messi and his father made a voluntary €5 million ($5.6 million) “corrective payment” – equal to the alleged unpaid tax plus interest – in August 2013.
Donald Trump has reacted angrily after the PGA Tour golf tournament was moved from one of his courses to Mexico.
The PGA Tour said it could not find sponsors to hold the 2017 World Golf Championship at Donald Trump’s Doral course in Miami.
The presumptive Republican nominee said the PGA had “put profit ahead of thousands of American jobs”.
On the campaign trail, Donald Trump has portrayed Mexico as undermining the US economy.
PGA Tour commissioner Timothy Finchem said Donald Trump’s current profile had made it “difficult” to attract sponsors.
He said: “It’s fundamentally a sponsorship issue.”
Photo Getty Images
Luxury car maker Cadillac has reportedly not renewed its sponsorship deal.
“Donald Trump is a brand, a big brand, and when you’re asking a company to invest millions of dollars in branding a tournament and they’re going to share that brand with the host, it’s a difficult decision,” Timothy Finchem said.
However, he insisted the decision to move the event to Mexico City from Florida, where it has been held for the past 55 years, was not political.
“From a golf standpoint we have no issues with Donald Trump. From a political standpoint we are neutral. PGA Tour has never been involved or cares to be involved in presidential politics,” Timothy Finchem added.
The PGA Tour has signed a new seven-year sponsorship deal with Grupo Salinas, and the first WGC-Mexico Championship will held in March 2017.
Donald Trump said the decision marked a “sad day for Miami, the US and the game of golf”.
“This decision only further embodies the very reason I am running for president of the United States,” he said.
The venue for the event has not been officially confirmed, but media reports say it will take place at the Club de Golf Chapultapec outside Mexico City.
“I hope they have kidnapping insurance,” Donald Trump told Fox News.
Timothy Finchem said that a member of his staff had already confirmed that this was in place.
“I haven’t inquired about the detail,” he said.
“But I made the point that maybe that’s something we don’t want to advertise.”
French investigators have confirmed that signals have been detected from one of the black boxes of the EgyptAir flight MS804 that crashed in the Mediterranean Sea last month.
Investigators were picked up by the French vessel Laplace as it was searching the Mediterranean Sea.
There were 66 people on board when the Airbus A320 crashed on May 19 while flying from Paris to Cairo.
The plane vanished from Greek and Egyptian radar screens, apparently without having sent a distress call.
Photo Wikipedia
Remi Jouty of France’s Bureau of Investigations and Analysis said: “The signal from a beacon from a flight recorder has been detected.”
A priority search area has been established, he added.
The French navy is awaiting the arrival of a second vessel that is equipped to take pictures and retrieve objects from the sea.
Egyptian investigators first reported that the French vessels had picked up signals from the wreckage search area, saying they were “assumed” to be from one of the devices.
Officials from Egypt said last week signals from the plane’s emergency beacon had been detected but later said they were received on the day of the crash and were not new.
What caused the crash remains a mystery. Finding the black boxes is crucial to piecing together what happened in the plane’s final moments.
Black boxes emit signals for 30 days after a crash, giving search teams an ever-narrowing window to locate them before their batteries run out.
Debris from the plane has been recovered from the sea, some 180 miles north of the Egyptian port city of Alexandria.
However, the bulk of the plane and the bodies of passengers are thought to be deep under the sea.
Those on board MS804 included 30 Egyptians, 15 French citizens, two Canadians, two Iraqis and citizens from Algeria, Belgium, Britain, Chad, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.
