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Japan Stock Market: Sony and Mistubishi Motors Shares Drop in April 25 Trade

Clyde K. Valle
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Japan Stock Market: Sony and Mistubishi Motors Shares Drop in April 25 Trade

Sony closed down 6% in April 25 trade after the company announced at the end of the last week that it would postpone its earnings release date to next month.

The delay was due to uncertainty over the supply chain from two earthquakes which recently hit southwest Japan. Sony was initially scheduled to release its earnings this week.

In the broader Japanese market the benchmark Nikkei 225 closed 0.8% down at 17,439.30 points.

Investors continued to selloff shares of Mitsubishi Motors, which closed down 4.8% on April 25.Mitsubishi fuel test 2016

Last week, Mitsubishi Motors shares plunged by more than 40% over three days, after the car maker admitted to rigging fuel efficiency tests.

The Japanese automaker is expected to announce annual results on April 27, but media reports have suggested it may skip its earnings forecast – which was originally scheduled for the same day.

Traders in Japan were also cautious ahead of an important Bank of Japan (BoJ) meeting where the lender might decide on more monetary easing.

Japan’s central bank will on April 28 decide on its interest rate which currently is negative as an attempt to spur growth.

In Korea, the Kospi index finished the day flat at 2,014.55 points.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng closed lower by 0.8% to 21,304.44, while the mainland’s Shanghai Composite also closed lower by 0.42% to 2,946.67.

Markets in Australia and New Zealand were closed on April 25 for the Anzac Day holiday.

There is a long list of companies reporting quarterly earnings this week.

In the US they include tech giants Apple and Facebook, online retailer Amazon, and Dunkin Donuts.

From the auto sector, Ford Motor is due to report its quarterly results.

Over in Asia, South Korea’s Hyundai as well as Japan’s Honda Motor and Mazda Motor update investors on their earnings.

Costa Rica: The Ultimate Guide

Nancy Clayson
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Costa Rica: The Ultimate Guide

Rising from the depths of the lush forests of Central America, Costa Rica is at the top of the list of any serious traveler. An amazing experience anyone can enjoy, this destination will be a holiday escape like no other. With endless sights, sounds and smells, appreciating the beauty of Costa Rica will come natural, but to get the best action, here are a couple of tips once you venture into this realm of wonder.

Costa Rica Guide

Planning Your Trip

When visiting Costa Rica one of the first things you need to do is plan ahead.

There are many awesome Costa Rica Tours you can choose from, depending on what kind of experience you’re looking for.

Do the necessary research in advance, so you know what to expect once you arrive. One of the deciding factors that might influence your visit is the weather. The difference between verano (dry season – December to April) and invierno (rainy season – May to November) is a real game changer for any trip to Costa Rica. Just to be on the safe side, your bag should always contain comfortable clothes, shoes with a warmer alternative, sunblock, and mosquito repellant. And to help you before and during your trip, load up on travel tools on your phone.

Costa Rica Guide

The Right Accommodations

Costa Rica is a tourist hot spot, so it’s no wonder that hotels won’t be hard to come by. Most of what you think of as classical hotels and resorts are situated in larger cities and towns such as San Jose, Cartago, Santa Cruz, Liberia and Limon. They provide tourists with both affordable and luxury accommodations to choose from. However, if you are travelling with family or friends for a longer period, and you want to balance out price and space for everyone, you should consider checking out property rentals in Costa Rica. Away from the towns in the more remote regions, you can seek out good accommodations, but services like Wi-Fi might be hard to get a hold of.

Costa Rica Guide

Moving Through Costa Rica

Getting around in Costa Rica is easy, since the exchange rate is great, and you can get amazing bus deals for as low as 3$ per person. Due to its relatively small size, all of Costa Rica can be easily accessed by road, although the environment defined the way they were built, so some trips may take longer than others. However, travelling in larger settlements on foot may prove to be challenging, as pedestrians don’t always have the right-of-way.

Costa Rica Guide

Health and Safety Tips

As a traveler, it is also good to know that Costa Rica has quality health standards, with excellent hospitals in all the major tourist destinations. It is also good to note that most of the taps in the country provide safe drinking water, so you can save up on the bottled stuff. While SIM prepaid cards are available throughout the country with great travel deals always on offer.

Costa Rica Guide

Flavors of Costa Rica

When in Costa Rica, always go for local food and ingredients. Owing to its tropical, rainforest location, the markets are an amazement of color and smell. Fruit and veg are available in enormous quantities, and if you have a chance try local varieties such as anona, grandilla, guava and rose-apples. As anywhere around the world, when searching for the best food in Costa Rica look towards the street vendors, and small tucked away dinners. Each region has its own twist on the classics, and apart from the Tamales and Empanadas, be sure to try the national dish Casado, Ceviche, Gallo Pinto, and Sopa de Mariscos.

Costa Rica Guide

Must-Sees

Hidden within the rainforests of Costa Rica, are of course, the reasons why this country should be at the top of your vacation list. For nature fanatics and especially bird watchers, one of the most beautiful forests of the world – the Monteverde Cloud Forest, is a must see. Closer to the water, Tamarindo’s world famous surf is a hot spot for water sport junkies, while Manuel Antonia National Park is an ideal family beach holiday vacation paradise. Finally, hidden among the inland volcanoes, is the surreal La Fortuna Waterfall, and the hike of a lifetime.

Costa Rica Guide

Original Costa Rica Tours

The appeal of Costa Rica is also highlighted through the unique travel tour offers. Exploring the depths of the rainforest and its wildlife, you might want to consider the Canopy Tour. High above the treetops, you will zip line, like a spider monkey, from one tree platform to the next, all the while witnessing some amazing vistas of endless forest. If you want to be more down to earth, but still seeking adventure, White Water Rafting will be your tour of choice. One of the most thrilling ways to encounter Costa Rica, you will zig-zag through the vast meandering river network, such as the Celeste River, going on a ride of a lifetime.

Costa Rica Guide

There you have it, the dos and don’ts of Costa Rica that will make the entire journey an amazing experience. Now, all that is left is to pack your bags, and make this paradise your next vacation destination. Vaya con Dios!

White House 2016: Ted Cruz and John Kasich Join Forces against Donald Trump

Diane A. Wade
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White House 2016: Ted Cruz and John Kasich Join Forces against Donald Trump

Republican presidential hopefuls Ted Cruz and John Kasich have announced they will now co-ordinate strategies against rival Donald Trump.

Ted Cruz has said he will cut campaigning in the Oregon and New Mexico primaries to help John Kasich, while the latter will give Ted Cruz a “clear path” in Indiana.

Donald Trump responded to his rivals saying they were “totally desperate” and “mathematically dead”.

The New York businessman has a clear lead in delegates but may still fall short of the 1,237 needed to win outright.

If Donald Trump does not reach the target, the vote will go to a contested convention – where a different nominee may emerge through negotiations among party figures.

John Kasich and Ted Cruz announced their move in near-simultaneous statements.

Photo AP
Photo AP

Ted Cruz’s campaign manager, Jeff Roe, said: “Having Donald Trump at the top of the ticket in November would be a sure disaster for Republicans. Not only would Trump get blown out by [Hillary] Clinton or [Bernie] Sanders, but having him as our nominee would set the party back a generation.”

John Weaver, John Kasich’s strategist, said in a statement released on the candidate’s site: “Our goal is to have an open convention in Cleveland, where we are confident a candidate capable of uniting the party and winning in November will emerge as the nominee.”

Some Republican strategists have been urging this deal for weeks but analysts say it may now have come too late to stop Donald Trump.

In response, Donald Trump tweeted: “Wow, just announced that Lyin’ Ted and Kasich are going to collude in order to keep me from getting the Republican nomination. DESPERATION!

“Lyin’ Ted and Kasich are mathematically dead and totally desperate. Their donors & special interest groups are not happy with them. Sad!”

Donald Trump has frequently said the GOP nomination process is “rigged” to favor establishment figures against him.

However, the Republican frontrunner did last week promise to change his image, in a closed-door meeting with GOP leaders.

The Indiana primary is on May 3, Oregon is on May 17, with New Mexico on June 7.

However, before those comes voting in five north-eastern states where Donald Trump is heavily favored.

Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware all vote on April 26.

Campaigning in Maryland on April 24, Donald Trump said he was confident of avoiding a contested convention.

On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders spoke to a rally of 14,000 supporters in New Haven, Connecticut, on April 24, again accusing rival Hillary Clinton of earning money through “speeches behind closed doors on Wall Street”.

Hillary Clinton retains a clear lead in delegates and will hope the north-eastern state votes will effectively put an end to Bernie Sanders’ dogged campaign.

Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have traded increasingly hostile remarks in recent weeks.

However, Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said: “Regardless of the intensity of what’s played out here… we are going to be unified.”

Barack Obama Rejects North Korea Nuclear Proposal

Roy Siemens
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Barack Obama Rejects North Korea Nuclear Proposal

President Barack Obama has rejected North Korea’s proposal to halt nuclear tests if the US ceases its annual military exercises with South Korea.

On April 24, Barack Obama told reporters that the US did not take such a proposal seriously and that Pyongyang would “have to do better than that”.

North Korean foreign minister Ri Su-yong made the offer in a rare interview.

Annual military drills conducted by the US and South Korea routinely inflames tensions with North Korea.North Korea Musudan missile

Ri Su-yong’s comments came as North Korea said it fired a ballistic missile from a submarine off its eastern coast.

The UN condemned the test, which it called a “serious violation” of past resolutions aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

International sanctions have been stepped up in the wake of several controversial nuclear and missile tests by North Korea.

The latest allegedly took place last week, with North Korea claiming to have used “cold launch” technology to fire a missile from a submarine, where it is expelled using gas pressure.

North Korea also conducted its fourth nuclear test with a hydrogen bomb in January sparking worldwide condemnation, and claimed last month that it has developed nuclear warheads small enough to fit on ballistic missiles, though experts have disputed such claims.

Analysts believe that North Korea may be gearing up for a fifth nuclear test as a show of strength ahead of the Workers’ Party Congress, the first since 1980.

ISIS Fight: US to Send 250 More Troops to Syria

Roy Siemens
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ISIS Fight: US to Send 250 More Troops to Syria

The US will send 250 additional military personnel to Syria to support local militias in the fight against ISIS, officials have said.

The goal, they say, is to encourage more Sunni Arabs to join Kurdish fighters in north-eastern Syria.

The new deployment will bring to 300 the number of US forces in non-combat roles in Syria.

Most of the additional personnel will be special operation forces, the AP reports. The group will also include medical and logistical troops, it adds.

A formal announcement is expected from President Barack Obama during his visit to Hannover on April 25, where he will discuss Syria and other foreign policy issues with leaders of the UK, Germany, France and Italy.

Barack Obama has resisted calls to send US troops into Syria, where a five-year-old conflict has killed more than 250,000 people and displaced some 11 million others.Syrian rebels to succeed ISISisis

Of those, four million have fled abroad, including growing numbers who are making the dangerous journey to Europe.

The crisis has put pressure on leaders there, who are struggling to halt a massive influx of migrants and refugees.

Speaking alongside Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel on April 24 urged warring parties to set up safe zones in Syria where refugees would be protected within the country.

Angela Merkel expressed hope that such a plan might eventually be agreed at peace talks taking place in Geneva.

Barack Obama, however, said it would be “very difficult” for those zones to work without a large military commitment.

ISIS has lost parts of the territory it once controlled in Syria. Most recently, they were pushed back by Russian-backed Syrian forces from the strategic city of Palmyra.

The group has also had significant setbacks in Iraq, including the loss of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province.

The US has led a coalition against the militant group in both Syria and Iraq.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WHJYfgH7vI

Brazil Repatriates $125 Million of Dirty Money

Clyde K. Valle
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Brazil Repatriates $125 Million of Dirty Money

Brazil has recovered $125 million siphoned off to foreign bank accounts by corrupt officials, politicians and businessmen.

The record figure recovered in 2015 is eight times more than what was repatriated over the previous decade, the Justice Ministry has reportedly said.

Officials say their policy of negotiating plea bargains with suspects has helped them recover assets.

Much of the money had been diverted from the state oil company Petrobras.Petrobras job cut 2016

Dozens of Brazilian executives and politicians have been arrested or are under investigation on suspicion of overcharging contracts with Petrobras as part of an inquiry known as Operation Car Wash.

According to authorities, part of the diverted money had been used to pay for bribes and electoral campaigns.

It is believed the scheme had cost Petrobras $2 billion.

By contrast, between 2005 and 2014, Brazilian officials managed to recover $15 million, local newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported.

From the amount repatriated in 2015, $95 million was linked to the Car Wash investigation.

The money had been diverted to Switzerland and returned to Brazil, the report said, adding that most of it was expected to be returned to Petrobras.

Papa Wemba Dies during Ivory Coast Show

Sonia Pantiss
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Papa Wemba Dies during Ivory Coast Show

Congolese music legend Papa Wemba has died during a show in Ivory Coast at the age of 66.

Footages from the show showed Papa Wemba collapsed on stage behind a group of dancers, before they rushed to his aid.

Papa Wemba’s pioneering blend of African, Cuban and Western sounds became one of Africa’s most popular music styles.

He also toured around the world, and recorded with British artist Peter Gabriel.

Papa Wemba fell ill in the early hours of Saturday morning. The cause of his death has not been established.

He died before he could be brought to hospital, a spokesman for the Ivosep morgue in Abidjan told Reuters.Papa Wemba dead at 66

Born in 1949, Papa Wemba, whose real name was Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, began his singing career in religious choirs.

He helped modernize Congolese rumba music, with the genre that emerged – soukous – influencing music across Africa.

Together with his bands Zaiko Langa Langa, Isifi and Viva La Musica, Pap Wemba racked up hit after hit, including L’Esclave and Le Voyageur.

Papa Wemba appeared in two feature films, Life Is Beautiful (1987) and Wild Games (1997).

He was also a style icon, the driving force behind the cultural movement the Sapeurs, whose young men spend vast amounts on designer clothes.

In 2004, Papa Wemba was convicted of people-smuggling in France and spent three months in prison.

The conviction related to a racket whereby illegal immigrants were taken to Europe posing as members of his band.

A Belgian court convicted the musician of the same crime in 2012, handing down a fine of €22,000 ($24,690) and suspended prison sentence of 15 months.

He was also once jailed in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) for allegedly having an affair with a general’s daughter.

Congolese President Joseph Kabila has expressed his condolences, and there are likely to be large events paying homage in the coming days.

Congolese Culture Minister Baudouin Banza Mukalay called Papa Wemba’s death a “great loss for the country and all of Africa”, AP reported.

Ecuador Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 646 as 130 Still Missing

Diane A. Wade
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Ecuador Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 646 as 130 Still Missing

Ecuador has declared 8 days of national mourning a week after the devastating earthquake that killed at least 646 people.

In a speech announcing the national mourning, Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa has said the number of fatalities has risen to 646 and another 130 people were still missing.

The 7.8 magnitude quake struck off the Ecuadorean coast on April 16, injuring thousands and destroying many towns.

It was the worst tragedy to hit the South American nation in decades.

“These have been sad days for the homeland. The country is in crisis,” Rafael Correa said on his weekly TV broadcast on April 23.Ecuador earthquake 2016

Rafael Correa praised the 27 countries who sent rescue teams over the past week and said that 113 people had been rescued alive from the rubble.

“This is an amazing figure, which made all this effort worthwhile,” he added.

The president also announced that “in the next few hours” he would sign a decree declaring eight days of national mourning.

“It has been a national tragedy, but we will recover,” he said.

More than 12,000 people were treated over the past week across the country for injuries caused by the earthquake, said Rafael Correa.

Foreign nationals from the Colombia, Cuba, the UK, Ireland, Canada, and the Dominican Republic have been confirmed among the dead.

Major international and aid organizations have sent help.

The cost of rebuilding could be up to $3 billion, President Rafael Correa said during a visit to the worst-affected region.

The World Bank has agreed to lend $150 million to help Ecuador cope with the financial costs of the quake.

The tragedy comes at a time when the oil-producing country is already reeling from the slump in global crude prices.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the Ecuador earthquake had struck at a fairly shallow depth of 12 miles, about 17 miles from Muisne in a sparsely populated area.

North Korea Will Suspend Nuclear Tests If US Ceases Exercises in South Korea

Roy Siemens
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North Korea Will Suspend Nuclear Tests If US Ceases Exercises in South Korea

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong has said his country will suspend its nuclear tests if the US stops its annual military exercises with South Korea.

Ri Su-yong also told the Associated Press that his country would not be cowed by international sanctions.

A US official has defended the drills as a sign of commitment to South Korea.

Meanwhile, Pyongyang said April 23 submarine-launched ballistic missile test was a “great success”.

“It fully confirmed and reinforced the reliability of the Korean-style underwater launching system and perfectly met all technical requirements for carrying out… underwater attack operation,” the North Korean news agency KCNA said.Ri Su-yong UN human rights council

The report added that the test gave North Korea “one more means for powerful nuclear attack”.

North Korea is banned from nuclear tests and activities that use ballistic missile technology under UN sanctions dating back to 2006.

Earlier, Ri Su-yong defended North Korea’s right to have a nuclear deterrent and said the US drove North Korea to develop such weapons as an act of self-defense.

The minister said that the suspension of the military drills could open the door to talks and reduced tensions.

“If we continue on this path of confrontation, this will lead to very catastrophic results, not only for the two countries but for the whole entire world as well,” he told AP.

“Stop the nuclear war exercises in the Korean Peninsula, then we should also cease our nuclear tests.”

It was a rare interview by a top North Korean official with a foreign media outlet. The conversation took place in North Korea’s diplomatic mission at the UN, AP said.

An unnamed US official quoted by AP defended the drills in South Korea as demonstrating Washington’s commitment to its alliance with Seoul.

The US has insisted North Korea give up its nuclear weapons program first before any negotiations and has ignored similar proposals in the past, according to the agency.

Ri Su-yong also said sanctions would not sway his country: “If they believe they can actually frustrate us with sanctions, they are totally mistaken.

“The more pressure you put on to something, the more emotionally you react to stand up against it. And this is important for the American policymakers to be aware of.”

The interview came hours after North Korea said it launched a ballistic missile from a submarine, a type of missile hard to detect.

Solar Impulse Pacific Crossing: Solar-Powered Plane Lands in Silicon Valley

James J. Williams
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Solar Impulse Pacific Crossing: Solar-Powered Plane Lands in Silicon Valley

Solar Impulse has landed in California after a three-day flight over the Pacific Ocean.

High winds delayed the solar-powered plane’s landing at Moffett Airfield, Mountain View, as pilot Bertrand Piccard flew in a holding pattern off the coast.

Solar Impulse left Hawaii on April 21, after eight months of repairs following battery damage on a flight from Japan.

This is the ninth leg of Solar Impulse’s attempt to fly round the world.

Solar Impulse started its journey last March in Abu Dhabi. The trip has involved two different pilots flying separate legs.

The plane gets all its energy from the sun, and has 17,000 photovoltaic cells on its top surfaces.

These power Solar Impulse’s propellers during the day but also charge batteries that the vehicle’s motors can then call on during the night.

The distance on this leg was 2,200 nautical miles.

Starting in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in March, Solar Impulse crossed Oman, India, Myanmar, and China.Solar Impulse 2 solo flight record

The plane then flew to Japan, before undertaking a 8,924km passage to Hawaii. That five-day, five-night crossing set a record for the longest ever non-stop solo plane journey.

However, Solar Impulse’s batteries overheated during the trip, forcing the project to stop on the Pacific archipelago while repairs were conducted.

A further 20 million euros ($23 million) had to be raised from supporters during the winter to keep the project going for another year.

Bertrand Piccard shares flying duties with his business partner, Andre Borschberg.

It was Andre Borschberg who flew into Kalaeloa in July 2015, and he will take the controls on the next leg across the US mainland.

Bertrand Piccard and Ande Borschberg’s intention is to reach New York by the start of June, to begin preparations for an Atlantic crossing.

Assuming this is completed successfully, it should then be a relatively straightforward run back to the “finish line” in Abu Dhabi.

Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg have been working on the Solar Impulse project for more than a decade.

Prince Funeral: Iconic Musician Cremated in Private Ceremony

Sonia Pantiss
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Prince Funeral: Iconic Musician Cremated in Private Ceremony

Prince’s publicist Anna Meacham has confirmed the singer was cremated with a small, private service for family, friends and musicians.

The cause of his death is still unknown and the results of April 22 autopsy could take at least four weeks.

Prince Nelson Rogers, 57, was found dead in a lift on his Paisley Park estate, near Minneapolis, on April 21, where fans are still paying tributes.

According to officials, there was no sign of trauma on the body and no indication the death was suicide.

Anna Meacham said Prince’s “final storage” would be kept private.

Photo Instagram
Photo Instagram

“A few hours ago, Prince was celebrated by a small group of his most beloved: family, friends and his musicians, in a private, beautiful ceremony to say a loving goodbye,” she said.

Among the people who attended the ceremony were percussionist Sheila E, bassist Larry Graham and Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson.

Prince was a Jehovah’s Witness which requires funerals to take place within a week of a person’s death.

His innovative music spanned rock, funk and jazz. He was at his peak in the 1980s with albums like Dirty Mind, 1999 and Sign O’ The Times. He sold more than 100 million records.

Prince was last seen at about 20:00 on April 20 and was found unconscious by some of his staff at about 09:30 the next morning.

He had been rushed to hospital in Illinois six days earlier, while flying home from a concert in Atlanta, Georgia, but was treated and released a few hours later.

Quoting unnamed sources, TMZ reported that Prince was treated in Illinois for an overdose of Percocet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxgUF3oJCXI

Fiat Chrysler Recalls 1.1 Million Cars Worldwide

Clyde K. Valle
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Fiat Chrysler Recalls 1.1 Million Cars Worldwide

Fiat Chrysler has announced it is recalling more than 1.1 million cars worldwide over fears they may roll away after drivers get out.

There have been as many as 41 injuries because drivers mistakenly believed they had put the automatic cars in “park”.

The recall covers cars and SUVs whose gearshifts could be confusing to drivers.Fiat Chrysler recall 2015

More than 850,000 vehicles in North America are affected, along with just over 250,000 elsewhere.

The affected models include 2012 to 2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans and 2014/15 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs.

Fiat Chrysler said it would update the vehicles to automatically prevent them from moving, even if the driver fails to put the vehicle in park. The company did not say when the fix would become available to owners.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in February it had reports of 314 complaints, including 121 crashes after vehicles rolled away. Some hit buildings, drivers or other cars and many incidents occurred soon after the vehicles were bought.

Injury reports included three complaints of a fractured pelvis, and four others requiring some form of hospitalization.

An NHTSA spokesman said the agency would monitor the recall to ensure it took place as quickly as possible.

Fiat Chrysler said it began equipping the Charger and 300 with a new gearshift design for the 2015 model, while the Grand Cherokee was updated for the following year.

North Korea Test Fires Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile

Roy Siemens
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North Korea Test Fires Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile

According to South Korean sources, North Korea appears to have fired a ballistic missile from a submarine off its eastern coast.

It is not clear whether the test was authentic, and if it was, whether it will be considered a success by North Korea.

A successful test would be significant because submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) are hard to detect.

The latest test comes as North Korea gears up for a rare and significant party congress next month.

North Korea is banned from nuclear tests and activities that use ballistic missile technology under UN sanctions dating back to 2006.

A South Korea defense ministry spokesman said: “North Korea launched a projectile which was believed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile around 6:30 pm in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) near the north-eastern port of Sinpo.”

Photo KCNA
Photo KCNA

“We are keeping close tabs on the North Korean military and maintaining a full defence posture,” he said.

North Korea has yet to report the test in its own official media. The secretive state has claimed to have carried out similar tests before but some doubt those claims.

The US says photographs supposedly showing one launch in December were manipulated and others think North Korea has fired missiles from submerged platforms, but not submarines.

Regarding this latest test, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile travelled about 19 miles, whereas a typical SLBM can travel at least 186 miles.

North Korea has so far conducted four nuclear tests – the first one in October 2006 and the latest in January this year.

The UN Security Council responded to the latter by imposing its strongest sanctions to date over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

In March 2016, North Korea said it had developed nuclear warheads small enough to fit on ballistic missiles, although experts cast doubt on the claims.

Analysts believe North Korea may be gearing up for a fifth test as a show of strength ahead of the North Korean Workers’ Party Congress, the first since 1980.

Bangladesh Killings: Prof. Rezaul Karim Siddique Hacked to Death in Rajshahi

Roy Siemens
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Bangladesh Killings: Prof. Rezaul Karim Siddique Hacked to Death in Rajshahi

Bangladeshi university professor Rezaul Karim Siddique has been hacked to death, in an attack police say is similar to a number of killings of secular bloggers and atheist activists in the past months.

AFM Rezaul Karim Siddique, 58, was a professor of English at Rajshahi University in the western Bangladesh.

The professor was attacked with machetes by unidentified assailants while on his way to the university from his home.

In 2015, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes.

Photo AFP
Photo AFP

Deputy police commissioner Nahidul Islam told AFP news agency that AFM Rezaul Karim Siddique had been involved in cultural programs, and had set up a school at Bagmara, a former bastion of outlawed Islamist group Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

Members of JMB were arrested over an assault on an Italian Catholic priest in 2015.

Earlier this month a Bangladeshi law student who had expressed secular views online died when he was hacked with machetes and then shot in the capital, Dhaka.

The four bloggers killed in 2015 had all appeared on a list of 84 “atheist bloggers” drawn up by Islamic groups in 2013 and widely circulated.

There have also been attacks on members of religious minorities including Shia, Sufi and Ahmadi Muslims, Christians and Hindus. Two foreigners, an Italian aid worker and a Japanese man, were also shot dead in 2015, in seemingly random attacks.

ISIS has said it carried out many of the attacks – but this has not been independently verified.

Bangladesh is officially secular but critics say the government has failed to properly address the attacks.

Ohio Shootings: At Least Eight Dead in Execution-Style Killings in Pike County

Nancy Clayson
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Ohio Shootings: At Least Eight Dead in Execution-Style Killings in Pike County

At least eight members of a family, seven adults and one teenager, died in “execution-style” killings in four separate homes in rural Ohio.

They were all shot in the head and police are still searching for the attacker, or attackers.

More than a dozen officials from multiple agencies were sent to crime scenes in Piketon, south of Columbus.

A pastor at the scene said the violence may have been the result of a “domestic situation”.

According to Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader, all of the victims are members of a family called Rhoden.

Photo foxnews.com
Photo foxnews.com

They were all found in homes along Union Hill Road in Pike County. The Pike County Sheriff said there are four active crime scenes spanning about 30 miles.

Some of the victims appeared to have been shot as they slept, police said, including a mother in bed with her four-day-old baby close by.

Three children, including the infant, survived the shootings. The boy who was killed was 16 years old.

“There is a strong possibility that any individual involved in this is armed and incredibly dangerous,” Sheriff Charles Reader said.

Police have not determined a motive or officially identified the dead. They say none of the deaths appeared to be self-inflicted and they believe those responsible are still at large.

Ohio Governor and Republican presidential hopeful John Kasich has promised that those responsible will be found.

“We’ll find them, we’ll catch them and they’ll be brought to justice,” John Kasich said, while campaigning in Connecticut.

Sheriff Charles Reader said he would “suspect the family was being targeted”. He said he had met about 100 relatives of the victims at a church and they were being offered protection.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said it was “hard to believe” someone could kill a mother with her baby sleeping nearby.

Authorities are urging Pike residents to come forward with any information they might have.

EU-Turkey Refugee Deal: Angela Merkel and EU Delegates to Visit Syrian Border

Roy Siemens
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EU-Turkey Refugee Deal: Angela Merkel and EU Delegates to Visit Syrian Border

Top EU delegates and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are due to visit the Turkish-Syrian border to promote a controversial month-old refugee deal.

The visit comes amid questions over the legality of the EU-Turkey pact, which deports back to Turkey refugees who do not qualify for asylum in Greece.

However, human rights groups say Turkey is not a safe place to return people.

Turkish officials have warned the deal could collapse if demands for visa-free EU travel for its citizens are not met.

The agreement says Turkey must meet 72 conditions by May 4 to earn the visa waiver, but diplomats say only half of those points have been met so far.Angela Merkel on migrant crisis

Angela Merkel is expected to visit a refugee camp in the southern city of Gaziantep, near the Syrian border, where she will meet Turkey’s PM Ahmet Davutoglu.

The German chancellor will travel with the European Council President, Donald Tusk, and the EU Commission Vice-President, Frans Timmermans.

Angela Merkel has faced opposition in Germany for her migration policies and has defended the deal with Turkey despite opposition from some European partners.

Her trip comes as she faces additional pressure for agreeing to the prosecution of German comedian Jan Boehmermann accused of insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Advocates of freedom of speech in both Turkey and Germany have called on Angela Merkel to send out a strong message on the issue during her visit.

The goal of the EU-Turkey deal is to deter refugees, mainly Syrians and Iraqis, from making the crossing between Turkey and Greece.

Under the agreement, refugees who have arrived illegally in Greece since March 20 are expected to be sent back to Turkey if they do not apply for asylum or if their claim is rejected.

For each Syrian migrant returned to Turkey, the EU is due to take in another Syrian who has made a legitimate request.

The scheme has reduced sharply the number of arrivals, from more than 56,000 in February to around 7,800 over the past 30 days, according to the European Commission.

However, the International Organization of Migration said unofficial data for arrivals in Greece in recent days suggested the numbers were picking up again.

The promised relocation to EU countries seems to be slow as nations are reluctant to take in more refugees – 103 Syrians have been resettled from Turkey to Europe, the commission said.

In March 2016, EU border agency Frontex requested 1,550 extra staff to help oversee the deal, but so far only 340 police officers and experts have been sent.

Rights organizations have attacked the scheme, with Amnesty International saying that Turkey has illegally returned Syrians to their country, a charge Ankara denies.

The EU has pledged up to $6.8 billion in aid to Turkey over the next four years.

Ankara, however, expects more, including visa liberalization, a point which faces opposition of some EU members.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier this month: “If the European Union does not take the steps it needs to take, if it does not fulfill its pledges, then Turkey won’t implement this agreement.”

Turkey already hosts some 2.7 million Syrian refugees, at a cost of over $10 billion, the government says.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kNc40X8urU

Prince Autopsy Result: No Reason to Believe Singer’s Death Was Suicide

Sonia Pantiss
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Prince Autopsy Result: No Reason to Believe Singer’s Death Was Suicide

According to Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson, there is “no reason to believe” that Prince’s death was suicide.

The sheriff of the Minnesota county where the iconic musician had his home made the statement after a post-mortem examination.

There was no sign of trauma on the body, Sheriff Jim Olson said, suggesting Prince had died alone.

Prince Nelson Rogers, 57, was found dead in a lift on his Paisley Park estate on April 21.

Fans have been wearing purple, the color associated with the musician who sold more than 100 million records.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Prince’s innovative music spanned rock, funk and jazz. He was at his peak in the 1980s with albums like Dirty Mind, 1999 and Sign O’ The Times.

Sheriff Jim Olson warned that full results from the post-mortem could take several weeks, and the incident was still under investigation.

He said it was not unusual for there to be no one in the residence except Prince.

Prince was last seen at about 20:00 on April 20 and was found unconscious by some of his staff at about 09:30 the next morning.

He had been rushed to hospital in Illinois six days earlier, while flying home from a concert in Georgia, but was treated and released a few hours later.

Quoting unnamed sources, TMZ reports that Prince was treated in Illinois for an overdose of the painkiller drug Percocet.

Declining to give details of the preliminary findings, medical examiner spokesperson Martha Weaver said a full set of tests would be done on the body, involving tissue and blood samples.

Earlier, she announced that the body would be released to the family on April 22.

Sheriff Jim Olson confirmed police were in contact with Prince’s family.

“We have no reason to believe at this point that this was a suicide,” he said, then added, “but again, this is early on in the investigation and we’re continuing to investigate.”

The sheriff spoke of Prince as a good member of the community and said he had been a “friend to [his staff] as well as being an employer”.

Fans have set up impromptu memorials in Prince’s home town Minneapolis and in New York.

Prince had spoken about struggling with childhood epilepsy, the Associated Press reports, and friends say he had hip trouble.

His former percussionist, Sheila E, told the news agency Prince had suffered the effects of years of jumping off risers and speakers on stage while wearing high heels.

Prince’s latest album, HITnRUN Phase Two, was released in 2015 and he had been touring as recently as last week.

Dieselgate: VW Sets Emissions Scandal Provisions to €16.2 Billion

Clyde K. Valle
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Dieselgate: VW Sets Emissions Scandal Provisions to €16.2 Billion

Volkswagen has announced it set aside more than double provisions for the diesel emissions scandal to €16.2 billion.

In 2015, VW told shareholders that €6.7 billion had been set aside for potential costs or recalls.

The increased sum included the cost of fixing cars that violate air pollution standards, buying back vehicles and legal costs.

The move comes as German carmakers agreed to recall 630,000 diesel vehicles to tweak engine software.

German transport minister Alexander Dobrindt said Mercedes Benz, Opel and Porsche as well as VW and Audi would adjust settings that increased levels of emissions such as nitrogen dioxide in some diesel cars.

Shares in Daimler fell 4.6% in Frankfurt after the Mercedes owner said it had begun an internal investigation into its diesel emissions testing at the request of the US Justice Department.VW buy back deal US

Daimler said net profit for Q1 of 2016 fell by a third to €1.4 billion, held back by costs associated with the launch of the new E-Class range. The bigger-than-expected decline came despite a 2% rise in revenue to €35 billion as sales rose 7% to 683,885 vehicles.

VW CEO Matthias Muller said he could not put a figure on the total cost of the emissions scandal until a final deal was reached with US authorities.

Nor could the company release preliminary findings from an investigation it commissioned from law firm Jones Day until reaching an agreement, it said.

VW still faced the DoJ fines as part of an expected civil settlement, as well as possible criminal charges.

On April 21, a US court disclosed details of a deal between VW and the DoJ for more than 500,000 American owners of its diesel cars affected by the emissions cheating.

The deal will involve buybacks and “substantial” compensation for owners of mostly two-liter vehicles.

The increased emissions provision pushed VW to an annual pre-tax loss of €1.3 billion, compared with a profit of €14.7 billion the previous year.

VW expected group sales to fall by up to 5% in 2016.

Chief financial officer Frank Witter said: “We are again operating in an exceedingly challenging environment in which global demand for new vehicles is declining, exchange rates and interest rates remain highly volatile and competition in many of our markets is intensifying.”

VW shares closed down 1.7% in Frankfurt on April 22 and are more than 40% lower than at this time last year.

Paris Climate Deal: Record 171 Countries Sign New International Treaty at UN

James J. Williams
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Paris Climate Deal: Record 171 Countries Sign New International Treaty at UN

Some 171 countries signed the Paris climate deal at United Nations headquarters on April 22 – a record number for a new international treaty.

About 15 nations, mainly small island states, had already ratified the agreement.

However, dozens of other countries were required to take this second step before the pact came into force.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “Paris will shape the lives of all future generations a profound way – it is their future that is at stake.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ban Ki-moon said the planet was experiencing record temperatures: “We are in a race against time I urge all countries to join the agreement at the national level.”

“Today we are signing a new covenant for the future.”Paris Climate Change Agreement 2016

As the world marked the 46th Earth Day, UN climate chief Christiana Figueres explained what now needed to happened.

“Most countries, though not all, need to take the signed document and go back home and go to ratification procedures that in most countries requires parliamentary discussion and decision.”

Even though the US and China represent around 38% of global emissions, getting to the 55% figure will not be that easy.

The EU, which represents just under 10% of global CO2, will take a considerable amount of time as each of the 28 members has to ratify it themselves.

That is unlikely to begin until the EU can agree how much of the carbon cutting each country will have to undertake.

Small island states were upset with this approach.

President Barack Obama is also keen to see the new agreement take effect before he leaves office next January. A little known clause in the treaty means it would take four years if a new leader, less committed to climate action, wanted to take the US out of the agreement.

Other countries are also aware of this and are watching the US election process very closely.

China said it would “finalize domestic procedures” to ratify the Paris Agreement before the G20 summit in China in September.

There is obvious delight here in New York at the record turnout of countries and leaders to sign the agreement. However, some attendees are cautioning that this is merely the first rung on a very difficult ladder.

Prince Cause of Death: Autopsy Carried Out in Minnesota

Sonia Pantiss
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Prince Cause of Death: Autopsy Carried Out in Minnesota

The autopsy of Prince’s body has begun in Minnesota at 9AM on April 22.

The legendary musician died suddenly at his home in Minnesota on April 21 at the aged of 57.

Prince Nelson Rogers was found collapsed in a lift at the premises outside Minneapolis, which doubled as his music studio. According to a transcript of a 9.43am emergency call released on April 22, an unidentified male caller said he was dead and replied: “Yes, it’s Prince” when asked if he was with the person. Prince was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.07AM on April 21.

Photo Instagram
Photo Instagram

No details were released as medical examiner’s office said it could take days to determine cause of death and weeks to receive results of toxicology test.

A wave of tributes has swept around the world for Prince who sold more than 100 million records.

Fans gathered across America to dance and sing along to the musician’s hits.

Illuminated buildings from Las Vegas to Melbourne, Australia, turned purple – the color with which he was associated since the release of his album Purple Rain.

Prince’s innovative music spanned rock, funk and jazz, and he was at his peak in the 1980s with albums like Purple Rain, 1999 and Sign O’ The Times.

The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office in Minnesota said an examination would be conducted on April 22 but warned it could be days or weeks before any findings were released.

Energy Efficient Solutions for your Eco-friendly Office

Nancy Clayson
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Energy Efficient Solutions for your Eco-friendly Office

In 2016, we will witness many businesses becoming eco-friendly and turning their offices green. There are a couple of reasons why you should decide to do the same. First of all, you would aid in preserving the nature and making the world a better place. Besides this, you would be able to use your eco-credentials as a selling point with customers who are concerned about the environment and want to do business with companies who share their feelings. Making your office eco-friendly is not easy, and if you decide to do so, make sure you take a look at the following solutions.

Eco-Friendly Office

Use Less Paper

An easy change you can make in your office in order to make it more eco-friendly is trying to cut on your paper usage. You can do this by switching to a Cloud-based software. There are many Cloud apps like eSlip that allow you to create, track and send receipts and invoices electronically, without having to use paper. Other apps like Soon allow employees to share any files back and forth on their devices without having to print anything. Make sure you use apps like this and you will never have the need to print anything in your office.

Be Careful about Lighting

How you light up your office affects your mood but it also heavily affects environment. LED lights are favorite among people who are concerned for the nature. When using LED light bulbs you can reduce your energy consumption by 80-90%. Not to mention that these can last around 100,000 hours. All of this makes them much better and greener solution than a standard bulb. Standard turn only 5-10% of its consumed energy into light while the rest simply goes out as heat. You should also make sure that you use as much natural light as you can. Keep your blinds open during the whole day and consider installing additional window or two.

Eco-Friendly OfficeCarefully Design Your Office

The way you design your office may also have a huge impact on the environment. First of all you have to make sure you use most out of the windows in your office. Do not place anything in front of the window that can block natural light. Also, be sure to choose efficient doors and windows that will not allow heat to come in during the summer and retain it in the office during the winter. This way you will spend less energy trying to cool or heat the place. You should also be careful when choosing furniture. You should try to get furniture from an eco-friendly manufacturer. Turn to JP Office WorkStations if you want to get office furniture from a business that shares your concerns about the environment.

Eliminate All the Energy Vampires

When you are not using PC, phone chargers or other devices you should make sure they are unplugged. All of these devices are commonly referred to as energy vampires – appliances that draw energy simply by being plugged in. What you can do is install a timer on the appliances in your office so you can turn them off in the evening or during the weekends when you are not there. When trying to preserve the nature, all the energy you manage to save counts, so doing this does help a lot and you should encourage your employees and colleagues to do the same.

Eco-Friendly Office

 

When it comes to preserving the nature, any effort you make counts and aids in making the world a better place. Make sure you take all of these things in consideration if you want to make your office green.

Parechovirus Can Cause Developmental Delays and Brain Damage in Babies

Kathryn R. Bown
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Parechovirus Can Cause Developmental Delays and Brain Damage in Babies

According to a study by the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID), parechovirus can cause developmental delays and brain damage in babies.

More than 100 babies were hospitalized with parechovirus in 2013 and 2014.

One year later, doctors found that many of these babies had developmental problems.

No specific treatment or vaccine is currently available.

According to ASID, babies infected with the virus suffered from symptoms such as seizures, irritability and muscle twitches.

“This is a new virus and we know very little about it. This study is helping improve our understanding of some of the long-term consequences of infection in children and the results are concerning,” said ASID president Prof. Cheryl Jones in a statement.

Photo ABC News
Photo ABC News

Parechovirus was identified in Europe just over a decade ago.

However, Australia recently recorded one of the world’s largest outbreaks, starting in Sydney in late 2013.

ASID said over 100 babies were hospitalized in Sydney alone during this outbreak, with 70% of these children suffering from neurological infection.

The new study successfully followed up on 46 out of 79 of the infants, with half of them showing some developmental issues at 12 months.

Nearly 20% of the children had developed significant neurological problems.

“This clearly illustrates just how vitally important it is that we follow up young infants with brain infections from this virus and remain on alert for emerging infectious diseases,” Prof. Cheryl Jones said.

“It also highlights our need to develop an adequate response.

“There is currently no vaccination and no treatment for this virus. And whilst we are not anticipating a global epidemic we can certainly be confident that we will have further outbreaks in Australia.”

Parechovirus is spread by contact with bodily fluids such as airborne droplets of saliva, in the same way as the common cold.

Donald Trump Is Projecting a New Image

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Is Projecting a New Image

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has promised to change his image, in a closed-door meeting with GOP leaders.

Donald Trump, who leads the Republican race to be presidential nominee, delivered his message via aides, the Associated Press news agency reports.

The New York businessman’s success in primary elections so far has set off alarm bells among those in the party anxious that his tone and policies will turn off voters.

Five states go to the polls on April 26 to pick their presidential candidates.

Donald Trump has a clear lead in the number of delegates but may fall short of the 1,237 threshold required to win the nomination without a contested convention – where the nominee is chosen through negotiations among party figures.Donald Trump foreign policy advisory team

In a recording of April 21 meeting obtained by Associated Press, Donald Trump’s senior aides told Republican leaders that he has been “projecting an image” so far and “the part that he’s been playing is now evolving”.

In it, Donald Trump’s newly hired senior aide, Paul Manafort, told the Republican National Committee (RNC) members that the presidential hopeful has a campaigning personality and a private one.

“When he’s out on the stage, when he’s talking about the kinds of things he’s talking about on the stump, he’s projecting an image that’s for that purpose,” Paul Manafort said.

Donald Trump knows he needs to moderate his personality, Paul Manafort told the meeting. “The negatives [unfavorable ratings in polls] will come down. The image is going to change.”

His standing among female voters is particularly low, after a series of controversial remarks about women, abortion and rival Ted Cruz’s wife.

According to analysts, Donald Trump’s decisive win in the New York primary this week seemed to signal a new, softer side in his victory speech.

Meanwhile, he told a rally in Pennsylvania on April 21: “At some point, I’m going to be so presidential that you people will be so bored.”

On one of the key social issues currently engulfing the GOP, transgender rights, Donald Trump took a stance out of step with his key rival Ted Cruz on April 21, when he said transgender people should be allowed to use a toilet assigned to a gender of their choosing.

Ted Cruz criticized this as politically correct but former candidate Ben Carson praised Donald Trump for “trying to moderate”.

Donald Trump has accused the RNC of conspiring against him and of rigging the way delegates are awarded in a way that is unfavorable to him.

Venezuela Introduces Power Cuts to Save Energy

Diane A. Wade
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Venezuela Introduces Power Cuts to Save Energy

Venezuela will cut power for four hours a day from next week to deal with a worsening energy crisis.

The power cuts will last for 40 days as the country struggles under a severe drought limiting hydroelectric output.

It is the latest setback to Venezuela’s economy which has been hit by a sharp fall in the price of its main export, oil.

Venezuela’s main brewer, Polar, also says it will stop production because it has no dollars to buy grain abroad.

Polar, which produces 80% of Venezuela’s beer, says 10,000 workers will be affected by the stoppage.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

Announcing the restrictions on April 21, Energy Minister Luis Motta Dominguez said the hours of suspension would be published on a daily basis in newspapers and on ministerial websites. He added that the cuts would not happen between 20:00 and midday.

Venezuela’s energy crisis has been deepening all this year, in February, shopping malls were told to reduce their opening hours and generate their own energy.

President Nicolas Maduro has accused Venezuela’s business elite of colluding with the US to wreck the economy.

He has accused Polar President Lorenzo Mendoza of being allied to the opposition which now dominates the Venezuelan parliament against him.

Many businessmen and opposition politicians blame the energy crisis and shortages of basic goods on government economic mismanagement.

They say tough currency controls introduced in 2003 by the late president, Hugo Chavez have only made this worse.

The country’s economy is in dire straits, suffering from spiraling inflation, shortages of some basic goods and dwindling revenue from oil.

Venezuela’s almost exclusive relies on oil, the price of which has fallen sharply.

Prince Dead: Iconic Musician Dies at the Age of 57

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Prince Dead: Iconic Musician Dies at the Age of 57

Prince has died at his Paisley Park home in Minnesota at the age of 57.

Police were called to a medical emergency at the music icon’s estate on April 21 in the morning. An investigation is now under way.

On April 15, 2016, Prince’s private plane was forced to land in Illinois so he could seek medical treatment for flu-like symptoms. He had performed in a concert one day earlier in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Carver County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed Prince’s death on Twitter, writing: “Prince Rogers Nelson (57) found dead at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, MN. We are investigating the circumstances of his death.”

The police department had previously withheld his identity until the next of kin was notified.

Prince became a global superstar in the 1980s, with albums such as 1999, Purple Rain and Sign O’ the Times.

The hugely popular, acclaimed and influential musician’s innovative music spanned rock, funk, and jazz, and selling more than 100 million records during his career.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

A spokeswoman for the musician said: “It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died.

“There are no further details as to the cause of death at this time.”

Born on June 7, 1958, Prince was a prolific writer and performer from a young age – reportedly writing his first song when he was seven.

A singer, songwriter, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, Prince recorded more than 30 albums. His best known hits include Let’s Go Crazy and When Doves Cry.

Prince also wrote music for several artists, with Sinead O’Connor’s version of Nothing Compares 2U becoming a worldwide smash in 1990.

In 1984, the musician won an Oscar for the score to Purple Rain, a movie he also starred in.

Throughout his career Prince had a reputation for secrecy and eccentricity, once changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol.

In 2004, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which said he “rewrote the rulebook”.

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