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George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin civil wedding ceremony held in Venice

Lisa.Felice
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George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin civil wedding ceremony held in Venice

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin’s marriage has been sealed with a civil ceremony in Venice on September 29.

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin went by boat to the city hall building where the brief procedure was conducted.

At the weekend, a host of famous guests including Matt Damon and Bill Murray attended a lavish wedding reception for the couple.

George Clooney’s publicist broke the news of their nuptials in a brief statement to the press on Saturday.

The couple emerged from the town hall some 10 minutes after their arrival and were whisked away in a water taxi, surrounded by other boats and watched by well-wishers.

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin’s marriage has been sealed with a civil ceremony in Venice
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin’s marriage has been sealed with a civil ceremony in Venice (photo AP)

George Clooney was dressed in a charcoal grey suit, while Amal Alamuddin wore a smart-casual white outfit and a wide-brimmed sunhat.

At city hall, George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin were officially married under Italian law by former mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni, a long-time friend of the film star.

Earlier in the day, he was seen getting ready for the ceremony at the Hotel Cipriani, where the wedding party have been staying.

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin were engaged in April.

The actor was previously married to Talia Balsam, who he divorced in 1993.

Lebanese-born British lawyer Amal Alamuddin has defended Julian Assange of WikiLeaks and former Ukrainian PM Yulia Tymoshenko among others.

Amal Alamuddin met George Clooney through her work.

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Microsoft launches Xbox One in China

Nancy Clayson
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Microsoft launches Xbox One in China

Microsoft has become the first major console maker to enter the Chinese market after launching Xbox One.

The first consoles were sold in Shanghai, priced at 4,299 yuan ($699). Sony and Nintendo are yet to launch their respective products.

In January, the Chinese government lifted a 14-year ban on consoles, made because of worries over content.

However, many popular titles, such as Call of Duty, will still be banned.

Only 10 games were available to buy on the Xbox One’s release – but Microsoft has said 70 titles are in the pipeline.

Beating its rivals to the market may give Microsoft a much-needed sales boost. Its console is currently being outsold by Sony’s PlayStation 4 in all major markets.

Microsoft has become the first major console maker to enter the Chinese market after launching Xbox One
Microsoft has become the first major console maker to enter the Chinese market after launching Xbox One (photo Reuters)

Sony has set up business partnerships to launch the PS4 in China, but a date has not yet been set.

Both companies will compete with a thriving black market in illegally imported consoles playing pirated versions of games.

They will also come up against mobile games, which are not banned in China and are extremely popular.

The Xbox One launch was originally set to happen last week but was delayed – Microsoft did not give a reason why.

The company is currently the focus of an anti-monopoly investigation relating to its Office software.

Its chief executive Satya Nadella visited China last week, and pledged to help the government with its investigation.

Getting games to market is likely to require negotiation with regulators, who favor educational games over those with violent themes.

But that could play well for Microsoft thanks to its recent acquisition of Minecraft – a block-building online game that is massively popular in the Western world, particularly with young children.

Microsoft bought Minecraft’s Swedish developer Mojang earlier this month for $2.5 billion.

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The Equalizer tops US box office with $35 million

Sonia Pantiss
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The Equalizer tops US box office with $35 million

The Equalizer has topped the North American box office on its opening weekend, taking $35 million, according to early estimates.

It marked a strong opening for the movie, in which Denzel Washington plays a former commando who finds himself in a battle with the Russian mafia.

The film has reunited Denzel Washington with director Antoine Fuqua, who also directed 2001’s Training Day.

The movie is based on the 1980s TV series, starring Edward Woodward.

Last week’s top movie, The Maze Runner, slid to second with $17.5 million.

Denzel Washington's latest film The Equalizer has debuted at the top of the North American box office
Denzel Washington’s latest film The Equalizer has debuted at the top of the North American box office

The animated movie The Boxtrolls opened in third, just behind The Maze Runner with $17.3 million.

The Boxtrolls has marked the animation studio Laika’s best opening yet – its previous films include the Oscar-nominated Coraline and Paranorman.

The movie was made using stop-motion technology, where each scene is set up with puppets placed on miniature sets.

This is Where I Leave You took $7 million, putting it into fourth place with Dolphin Tale 2 rounding out the top five.

North American box office Top five:

  1. The Equalizer – $35 million
  2. The Maze Runner – $17.5 million
  3. The Boxtrolls – $17.3 million
  4. This Is Where I Leave You – $7 million
  5. Dolphin Tale 2 – $4.8 million

Source: Rentrak

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Lady Gaga claims $1.4 million from plagiarism accuser Rebecca Francescatti

Lisa.Felice
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Lady Gaga claims $1.4 million from plagiarism accuser Rebecca Francescatti

Lady Gaga has filed a lawsuit to recoup legal costs from Rebecca Francescatti who accused the singer of copying her music.

Chicago-based musician Rebecca Francescatti sued Lady Gaga in 2011 claiming her single Judas was lifted from a piece she had composed in 1999, named Juda.

Rebecca Francescatti sued Lady Gaga in 2011 claiming her single Judas was lifted from a piece she had composed in 1999
Rebecca Francescatti sued Lady Gaga in 2011 claiming her single Judas was lifted from a piece she had composed in 1999

In June, US District Judge Marvin E. Aspen dismissed the case and ruled the songs were not the same.

Lady Gaga, 28, has now filed documents requesting that Rebecca Francescatti reimburse the legal costs she incurred fighting the plagiarism claim.

According to TMZ, in the documents, the total legal bill comes to almost $1.4 million.

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Ashraf Ghani sworn in as Afghanistan’s president

Diane A. Wade
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Ashraf Ghani sworn in as Afghanistan’s president

Ashraf Ghani has been sworn in as Afghanistan’s president after six months of deadlock amid a bitter dispute over electoral fraud and a recount of votes.

Under a US-brokered unity deal Ashraf Ghani takes over the presidency and runner-up Abdullah Abdullah can nominate a figure with prime-ministerial powers.

The Taliban have described the deal as a “US-orchestrated sham” but Ashraf Ghani hailed it as a “big victory”.

Ashraf Ghani took an oath to abide by the constitution at the swearing-in ceremony attended by up to 100 dignitaries.

He has praised the country’s “first democratic transfer of power” and has also spoken warmly of his rival, and now partner in government, Abdullah Abdullah.

Abdullah Abdullah, who takes on the newly created role of chief executive, said the two leaders would work together “for a better future with trust and honesty”.

In a speech as the ceremony began, outgoing President Hamid Karzai, who has been leader since the US-led invasion in 2001, called for people to support the new government.

Ashraf Ghani has been sworn in as Afghanistan's president after six months of deadlock amid a bitter dispute over electoral fraud and a recount of votes
Ashraf Ghani has been sworn in as Afghanistan’s president after six months of deadlock amid a bitter dispute over electoral fraud and a recount of votes

The first thing the government is expected to do is to sign a deal that will see US troops remain in Afghanistan after the end of this year – a move opposed by Hamid Karzai.

Militants attacked a government compound in the eastern province of Paktia on September 29, officials say.

Meanwhile, a roadside bomb exploded on the airport road in Kabul. No one was hurt.

On September 28, the Taliban overran a strategic district in another eastern province, Ghazni, highlighting some of the many challenges facing Ashraf Ghani and his security forces.

Secretary of State John Kerry helped to broker a comprehensive audit of all eight million votes in the election earlier this year after the results were disputed.

The audit was completed this month but the final tallies and the official result have not been made public amid fears over unrest.

Afghanistan’s election commission confined itself to declaring Ashraf Ghani the winner in a statement earlier this month.

Both sides had accused the other of fraud following the election and months of uncertainty have damaged the economy and heightened insecurity.

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Lenin statue dismantled in Kharkiv

Diane A. Wade
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Lenin statue dismantled in Kharkiv

Ukrainian nationalists have torn down a statue of Lenin in the centre of Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, in a move supported by officials.

People cheered and leapt for joy as the statue came crashing down.

Pro-Russian demonstrators in the largely Russian-speaking city defended the statue in February, when President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted.

Kharkiv escaped the violent unrest which swept through east Ukraine’s other regions, Donetsk and Luhansk.

A fragile cease-fire has been in place for weeks between pro-Russian separatists in those two regions.

Ukrainian nationalists have torn down Lenin statue in the centre of Kharkiv
Ukrainian nationalists have torn down Lenin statue in the centre of Kharkiv

On Sunday night, when nationalist protesters had already gathered around the statue for a “Kharkiv is Ukraine” rally, the governor of Kharkiv region, Ihor Baluta, signed an order to dismantle the statue.

Some correspondents say the order was probably a last-minute face-saving move.

Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov wrote on Facebook that he had given orders for police to ensure only the safety of people, “not the idol”.

“Lenin? Let him fall…” he wrote.

“As long as people don’t get hurt. As long as this bloody communist idol does not take more victims with it when it goes.”

However, Ukrainian media reported that police had begun an investigation into “vandalism”.

One protester was reportedly injured in the head as Lenin statue was dismantled.

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Andrew Madoff was under investigation until he died

Nancy Clayson
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Andrew Madoff was under investigation until he died

Andrew Madoff, Bernard Madoff’s last surviving son, was under investigation for possible involvement in his father’s multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme until the day he died from cancer earlier this month.

Andrew Madoff had long maintained that he and his brother, Mark, who hanged himself in 2010, knew nothing of the massive fraud.

Andrew Madoff was under investigation for possible involvement in his father's Ponzi scheme until the day he died
Andrew Madoff was under investigation for possible involvement in his father’s Ponzi scheme until the day he died (photo The New York Times)

However, two federal law enforcement officials said investigators never believed the brothers were unaware of the fraud and both were under investigation until their deaths. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case.

Andrew Madoff left behind a $16 million estate. A court-appointed trustee is taking aim at that the sons’ money, filing a lawsuit this summer accusing them of using money from their father’s scheme as their “personal cookie jar”.

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Chelsea Clinton shares baby Charlotte’s first photo

Lisa.Felice
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Chelsea Clinton shares baby Charlotte’s first photo

Chelsea Clinton shared the first picture of her newborn daughter Charlotte just one day after giving birth.

Chelsea Clinton, 34, tweeted on September 27: “At 7:03 PM on September 26th, we finally met Charlotte.”

“We’re in love.”

The former first daughter looked overjoyed at the hospital as she and her husband Marc Mezvinsky stared down at their daughter. Charlotte was wrapped in a blanket for her debut and wore a pink cap.

Chelsea Clinton tweeted that she was in “awe and gratitude” after meeting her baby girl for the first time.

Chelsea Clinton shared the first picture of her newborn daughter Charlotte
Chelsea Clinton shared the first picture of her newborn daughter Charlotte (photo Twitter)

Grandparents Bill and Hillary Clinton felt the same way.

“Charlotte, your grandmother @HillaryClinton and I couldn’ be happier!” President Bill Clinton tweeted.

Bill and Hillary Clinton also released a statement on their excitement: “We are blessed, grateful, and so happy to be the grandparents of a beautiful girl.”

“We are thrilled to be with our daughter and her husband as they welcome their daughter into the world. Chelsea is well and glowing. Marc is bursting with pride. Charlotte’s life is off to a good start.”

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US-led coalition airstrikes hit four ISIS-held oil refineries in Syria

Roy Siemens
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US-led coalition airstrikes hit four ISIS-held oil refineries in Syria

The US and Arab allies’ airstrikes have hit four makeshift oil refineries under Islamic State (ISIS) control in Syria, as well as a command centre.

Early indications were that the attacks by US, Saudi and UAE planes were successful, US Central Command said.

Explosions at a refinery at Tel Abyad, near the Turkish border, lit up the night sky, an eyewitness watching from across the frontier said.

Meanwhile further fighting was reported in the besieged border town of Kobane.

There was no repetition on Sunday of coalition airstrikes on ISIS positions in the area, where Syrian Kurd fighters have been holding out against the militants.

The ISIS advance in the area sent about 140,000 civilians fleeing towards Turkey.

US-led coalition aircraft have targeted four makeshift oil refineries under ISIS control in Syria
US-led coalition aircraft have targeted four makeshift oil refineries under ISIS control in Syria

An initial wave of coalition air attacks on Thursday, the third day of the air campaign against ISIS in Syria, targeted 12 refineries.

According to the Pentagon, small-scale mobile refineries used by IS in Syria generate up to $2 million per day in revenue for the militants.

The US-led coalition of about 40 countries, including Arab states, has vowed to destroy IS, which controls large parts of north-eastern Syria and northern Iraq.

The group’s brutal tactics, including mass killings, beheadings and abductions of members of religious and ethnic minorities, triggered the international intervention.

Al-Nusra Front, a fellow Islamist militant group in Syria, has denounced the air strikes as “a war against Islam” and called on jihadists around the world to target Western and Arab countries involved.

“Although we continue to assess the outcome of these attacks, initial indications are that they were successful,” US Central Command said after Sunday’s strikes.

Blasts at the Tel Abyad refinery around 02:30 local time sent flames soaring 200ft into the sky, Turkish businessman Mehmet Ozer, who lives in the nearby Turkish town of Akcakale, told AP news agency.

They continued for two hours, rocking the building from which he was watching, Mehmet Ozer said.

Both the refinery and the local ISIS headquarters were bombed, Turkey’s Dogan news agency said.

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Robin Williams’ life celebrated at private tribute ceremony in San Francisco

Sonia Pantiss
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Robin Williams’ life celebrated at private tribute ceremony in San Francisco

Late actor Robin Williams has been celebrated at a private tribute ceremony attended by his family and friends.

The ceremony took place on September 27 at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, according to Hollywood Reporter.

Hundreds of guests attended, including Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg, and Robin Williams’ wife and children.

Robin Williams, 63, killed himself at his home in California last month. He had been treated for depression.

The life of Robin Williams has been celebrated at a private tribute ceremony attended by family and friends
The life of Robin Williams has been celebrated at a private tribute ceremony attended by family and friends (photo Reuters)

At the ceremony, there was music and video tributes.

Stevie Wonder performed, accompanied by the Glide Ensemble and Change Band from the Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco.

Other attendees included close friends, one-time co-stars and directors including Bette Midler, Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, George Lucas, Danny De Vito, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Gus Van Sant, Jeff Bridges and Eddie Izzard.

Following the tribute, guests went to the nearby Westin St Francis Hotel for a reception.

After Robin Williams’ death, his publicist said he had been “battling severe depression”, and his wife said he had been in the early stages of degenerative neurological disorder Parkinson’s disease.

Robin Williams was famous for such films as Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society and won an Oscar for his role in Good Will Hunting.

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin step out in Venice after wedding ceremony

Lisa.Felice
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George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin step out in Venice after wedding ceremony

George Clooney and his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, have stepped out in Venice one day after the couple married in the Italian city.

George Clooney, 53, married Amal Alamuddin, 36, in a private ceremony in Venice.

Hollywood stars such as Matt Damon and Bill Murray were among the guests at Saturday’s reception.

George Clooney, 53, married Amal Alamuddin, 36, in a private ceremony in Venice
George Clooney, 53, married Amal Alamuddin, 36, in a private ceremony in Venice

On September 28, George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin took to Venice’s canals waving to the cheering crowds.

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin got engaged in April 2014.

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Hong Kong protesters launch Occupy Central

Diane A. Wade
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Hong Kong protesters launch Occupy Central

Occupy Central protesters have issued demands for the Chinese government to scrap rules outlining the election of the next chief executive in 2017.

The protest group also wants the resumption of public consultation on democratic reforms.

Thousands of protesters are camped outside government headquarters in central Hong Kong.

Occupy Central leader Benny Tai announced the launch of the campaign to the cheers of supporters on September 27.

A statement said that Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung had “failed to deliver on political reform”.

“We demand CY Leung deliver a new report on political reform to the central government, which must adequately reflect the demands of Hong Kong people for democracy,” it said.

“If CY Leung does not respond, we will escalate our actions.”

The movement had originally planned to paralyze the central business district on September 24, but organizers brought forward the start of the protest and changed the location in an apparent bid to harness momentum from student protests outside the government complex.

Student activists had stormed into a courtyard of the complex late on September 26 and scuffled with police using pepper spray.

Occupy Central protesters have issued demands for the Chinese government to scrap rules outlining the election of the next chief executive in 2017
Occupy Central protesters have issued demands for the Chinese government to scrap rules outlining the election of the next chief executive in 2017

Police said they made scores of arrests including prominent student activist leader Joshua Wong.

However, some students expressed unease that their protest was apparently being taken over by Occupy Central.

The protests at government headquarters followed a week-long strike by thousands of students.

Unrest began when the Chinese government announced that candidates for the 2017 chief executive election would first have to be approved by a nominating committee.

Activists have argued that this does not amount to true democracy.

Many of those who spent the night on the streets wore plastic raincoats and goggles in case police deployed more pepper spray.

Riot police stood nearby.

“The courage of the students and members of the public in their spontaneous decision to stay has touched many Hong Kong people,” Occupy Central said in a statement.

“Yet the government has remained unmoved. As the wheel of time has reached this point, we have decided to arise and act.”

At least 34 people have been injured since the protests began, including four police officers and 11 government staff and guards, authorities said.

One police officer suffered a gash after being poked by one of the umbrellas protesters are using to deflect pepper spray.

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Mariam Ibrahim: Sudan apostasy woman to campaign against religious persecution

Diane A. Wade
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Mariam Ibrahim: Sudan apostasy woman to campaign against religious persecution

Mariam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag, the Sudanese woman who escaped a death sentence imposed for renouncing her Christian faith, says she wants to campaign for others who face religious persecution.

In a recent interview taken by the BBC TV in the US, where Mariam Ibrahim is seeking asylum, she said she hopes to return to Sudan one day.

She earlier received an award from a US Christian foundation.

Mariam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag wants to campaign for others who face religious persecution
Mariam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag wants to campaign for others who face religious persecution (photo EPA)

Mariam Ibrahim’s sentencing – by a Sudanese court that did not recognise her Christian faith – sparked outrage this year.

Born to a Muslim father, Mariam Ibrahim was raised a Christian by her mother and married a Christian man.

Under Sudan’s version of Islamic law, however, her father’s religion meant that she too was still technically a Muslim. A court found her guilty of apostasy, or renouncing one’s faith.

Sentenced to hang, Mariam Ibrahim gave birth to her daughter while shackled in prison. Under intense international pressure, her conviction was quashed and she was freed in June.

On September 27, Mariam Ibrahim received an award from a gathering of evangelical Christian conservatives in Washington, who see her treatment in Sudan as an assault on their values.

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Police officer shot in Ferguson

Nancy Clayson
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Police officer shot in Ferguson

A police officer has been shot in Ferguson, Missouri, but his condition is unclear, St Louis police say.

The officer was shot in the arm, according to local broadcaster KSDK, but the circumstances are not known.

Ferguson, a suburb of St Louis, has suffered outbreaks of violence since the shooting dead of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown on August 9.

Michael Brown, 18, was shot dead by white Police Officer Darren Wilson, leading to protests.

St Louis County Police spokesman Brian Schellman told AP news agency that an officer had been shot but he had no further information.

The officer was shot in the arm, according to local broadcaster KSDK, but the circumstances are not known
The officer was shot in the arm, according to local broadcaster KSDK, but the circumstances are not known (photo KSDK)

There have been violent clashes between police and demonstrators since the shooting of Michael Brown.

Last week, police in Ferguson said they would not tolerate further violence after protesters looted shops and harassed officers.

Also last week, a street memorial where Michael Brown was shot was burned down in suspicious circumstances.

Police said the cause of the blaze was under investigation, and local residents suspected arson.

A St Louis grand jury has yet to decide whether or not to charge Darren Wilson with Michael Brown’s shooting.

It is unclear when they will make a decision. A separate investigation by the US justice department is continuing.

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Mount Ontake volcano eruption kills at least 30 hikers

Diane A. Wade
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Mount Ontake volcano eruption kills at least 30 hikers

Japanese rescue teams have recovered thirty bodies from the peak of Mount Ontake, after Saturday’s sudden volcanic eruption.

The hikers were not breathing and their hearts had stopped, reports said. Final confirmation of death in Japan always comes via a medical examination.

About 250 people were trapped on the slopes, but most have got down safely.

The volcano, about 125 miles west of Tokyo, erupted suddenly on September 27, spewing ash and rocks.

Japanese rescue teams have recovered thirty bodies from the peak of Mount Ontake, after Saturday's sudden volcanic eruption
Japanese rescue teams have recovered thirty bodies from the peak of Mount Ontake, after Saturday’s sudden volcanic eruption (photo Reuters)

Ordinarily it is a popular place to see autumn foliage.

As the search effort intensified earlier on September 28, officials said they were searching for 30 feared missing or buried by ash.

Military helicopters plucked seven people off the mountainside earlier on Sunday, the Associated Press reports, and workers on foot were also helping others make their way down.

Japan is one of the world’s most seismically active nations but there have been no fatalities from volcanic eruptions since 1991, when 43 people died at Mount Unzen in the south-west.

It’s not clear why there was no warning of Saturday’s eruption.

Japan monitors its volcanoes closely and any that show signs of activity are immediately closed to hikers – but this time that did not happen.

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Cy Tokmakjian: Canadian executive sentenced to 15 years in jail in Cuba

Diane A. Wade
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Cy Tokmakjian: Canadian executive sentenced to 15 years in jail in Cuba

Cy Tokmakjian, the president of a Canadian transport company, has been sentenced by a Cuban court to 15 years in jail for bribery.

Cy Tokmakjian, 74, was detained in Cuba in 2011 as part an anti-corruption operation. He denies the charges.

The Tokmakjian Group said the court had seized its assets in Cuba, worth about $100 million.

The company said the ruling was worrying development for potential investors on the Communist-run island.

“Lack of due process doesn’t begin to describe the travesty of justice that is being suffered by foreign businessmen in Cuba,” the company said in a statement.

Cy Tokmakjian was detained in Cuba in 2011 as part an anti-corruption operation
Cy Tokmakjian was detained in Cuba in 2011 as part an anti-corruption operation

Two other executives from the Tokmakjian Group – fellow Canadian citizens Claudio Vetere and Marco Puche – were sentenced to eight and 12 years in prison.

The Ontario-based company used to sell transportation, mining and construction equipment to Cuba.

There has been no comment on the case from the Cuban authorities.

Its offices in Havana were seized in 2011 when President Raul Castro launched a major drive against corruption in the Caribbean nation.

Canadian lawmaker Peter Kent visited Cy Tokmakjian in jail last year.

“The trial was, from almost any measure, extraordinarily unfair and rigged,” Peter Kent told the Financial Post newspaper.

The Tokmakjian Group was the sole representative of South Korean company Hyundai in Cuba, which has been making efforts to replace its ageing car and bus fleet.

The company has launched claims worth more than $200 million against Cuba through the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris and Canada’s Ontario Superior Court.

Dr Dre tops Forbes list as highest paid hip-hop artist with $620 million

Sonia Pantiss
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Dr Dre tops Forbes list as highest paid hip-hop artist with $620 million

Dr Dre has topped Forbes list as the highest paid hip-hop artist, ousting Sean “Diddy” Combs from the top spot.

Dr Dre’s $620 million earnings in the last 12 months are the highest of any musician ever evaluated by Forbes magazine.

His total eclipses the mere $60 million earned by Jay-Z, 44, and Diddy, 44, who tied in second place with earnings from drinks, clothing and television deals.

In fact, Dr Dre’s takings are more than the combined income of all the other 24 names on the list.

Dr Dre has topped Forbes list as the highest paid hip-hop artist
Dr Dre has topped Forbes list as the highest paid hip-hop artist

Much of the 49-year-old’s earnings this year came thanks to the $3 billion sale to Apple of the Beats high-end headphone company he founded with music executive Jimmy Iovine and other financial ventures, including cognac and vodka brands.

Drake came in fourth with $33 million which will keep him happy, having told Forbes “if I’m not on your list, I’d be gravely disappointed” in 2013.

Seattle duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s $32 million takes the last slot in the top five, edging out Kanye West’s $30 million.

Birdman’s $24 million, Lil Wayne’s $23 million and the $22 million wealth of Pharrell Williams place them above Eminem who earned an estimated $18 million to complete the top 10.

Nicki Minaj is the only female on the list having taken an estimated $14 million despite her departure from American Idol and lack of tour dates.

To form the list, Forbes considered income from touring, record sales, publishing, merchandise sales, endorsements and other ventures.

Chicago air traffic control fire set by employee Brian Howard

Nancy Clayson
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Chicago air traffic control fire set by employee Brian Howard

The fire in Aurora air traffic control facility that grounded all flights in and out of Chicago’s two major airports was set by an employee, officials say.

Brian Howard, 36, has been charged with one count of destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities in connection with the fire in the building’s basement.

The man was found with burns and self-inflicted wounds. Investigators say Brian Howard used petrol to light the blaze.

By Friday afternoon flights in and out of O’Hare and Midway airports were slowly resuming.

More than 850 flights were cancelled in Chicago alone and many already in the air were redirected.

In a statement, the FBI said Brian Howard was charged on September but remained in hospital recovering from his injuries. No court date has been scheduled.

“We believe he set the fire and he used some kind of accelerant,” Aurora Police Chief Greg Thomas said in a news conference on September 26.

The fire in Aurora air traffic control facility grounded all flights in and out of Chicago's two major airports
The fire in Aurora air traffic control facility grounded all flights in and out of Chicago’s two major airports

The building was damaged by the fire and the water used to extinguish the blaze.

Officials said they did not yet have a possible motive for the act but said Brian Howard was a contractor for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and was authorized to be in the building. He had no ties to terrorism.

The fire broke out just before 06:00 local time on Friday morning in the Aurora, Illinois, air traffic control building, 40 miles west of Chicago.

Air traffic control officials said the radio frequencies with which they worked went dead and the control system was immediately shifted to a back-up system, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Workers used the back-up system until they were forced to evacuate.

“The [radio] frequency failed,” an unnamed controller told the newspaper.

“Depending on how bad the fire was, it could be a real mess getting things back to normal.”

One man was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene but no-one else was injured.

FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Cory said management of the region’s airspace was transferred to another facility as the Aurora centre was evacuated.

By Friday afternoon, flights already on their way to Chicago were allowed to continue but landed at a slower pace.

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Vitalii Sediuk explains Kim Kardashian prank

Lisa.Felice
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Vitalii Sediuk explains Kim Kardashian prank

Ukrainian journalist Vitalii Sediuk, who nearly shoved Kim Kardashian to the ground outside the Balmain fashion show in Paris earlier this week, has spoken up about the incident.

Vitalii Sediuk, 25, told The Hollywood Reporter: “I had a feeling that Kim would show up there because she is friends with the designer of Balmain.”

“I basically came there just for them. I knew they were going to be the biggest guest of the night.”

“If it was Kanye West, I would have done it like I did it with Bradley Cooper and Leonardo DiCaprio,” the prankster added.

Vitalii Sediuk nearly shoved Kim Kardashian to the ground outside the Balmain fashion show in Paris
Vitalii Sediuk nearly shoved Kim Kardashian to the ground outside the Balmain fashion show in Paris (photo Instagram)

“But with Kim Kardashian, I was very cautious because I know she is a woman – so I kind of hugged her legs. I already had a bad experience with America Ferrara. It’s different with men.”

In May, Vitalii Sediuk tried to crawl under America Ferrera’s dress as she posed with her How to Train Your Dragon 2 cast at the Cannes Film festival.

Vitalii Sediuk admits the stunts don’t bring him any income, but he does like the attention.

“I like the show business world. But it’s obviously not my intention to offend someone. It looks like I’m a monster, but I’m a normal guy. Well, what I’m doing isn’t normal – but I don’t have bad intentions,” he told the publication.

“I’m already banned in America. I could be banned in the European Union next. I hope I will not be.” 

Vitalii Sediuk also noted that no police were on hand at the time during his interaction with Kim Kardashian.

“Maybe they were looking for that. Because those pictures look like you are a God coming from the cross amid millions of fans and photographers,” he said.

“Maybe they’re interested in that.”

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George Clooney marries Amal Alamuddin in Venice ceremony

Lisa.Felice
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George Clooney marries Amal Alamuddin in Venice ceremony

George Clooney has married Amal Alamuddin in Venice, in one of the most eagerly anticipated showbiz event of the year.

A host of fellow stars descended on Venice’s canals for the union between George Clooney, 53, and Amal Alamuddin, 36.

The ceremony was celebrated in a hotel overlooking the famous Grand Canal.

George Clooney’s agent Stan Rosenfield broke the news to journalists.

George Clooney has married Amal Alamuddin in Venice
George Clooney has married Amal Alamuddin in Venice

Stan Rosenfield announced the news in a single sentence in what, according to AP news agency, is expected to be the only communication on the marriage.

George Clooney and his friends had sipped champagne before gliding up the Grand Canal on Saturday evening to the luxury Aman Hotel, waving to hundreds of well-wishers.

Guests include Cindy Crawford, Bill Murray, Matt Damon and the U2 singer Bono.

George Clooney’s boat was momentarily blocked by a passing cruise liner and then by a water bus, giving time for dozens of boats carrying photographers to catch up, AP writes.

A police boat swerved in vain to try to keep the paparazzi away.

Human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin was last seen publicly on September 26 riding in a water taxi down the Grand Canal with George Clooney’s arm resting around her.

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin were engaged in April 2014.

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Che Guevara and Hugo Chavez perfumes banned in Cuba

Lisa.Felice
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0
Che Guevara and Hugo Chavez perfumes banned in Cuba

The Cuban government has said it will take disciplinary action against state-owned pharmaceutical company Labiofam that created perfumes named Ernesto Che Guevara and Hugo Chavez.

In a statement in the official Granma newspaper, the government described the project as “a serious error”.

“The symbols of the Revolution are and will always be sacred,” the statement read.

The colognes – Ernesto and Hugo – were unveiled on September 25 by state laboratory Labiofam in the capital, Havana.

Labiofam said Ernesto, the cologne named after the Argentine-born revolutionary who help Fidel Castro take over in Cuba in 1959, would be a woodsy and refreshing citric scent with notes of talcum powder.

Ernesto and Hugo perfumes were unveiled on September 25 by state laboratory Labiofam in Havana
Ernesto and Hugo perfumes were unveiled on September 25 by state laboratory Labiofam in Havana

Hugo, named after the late Venezuelan president, would offer a softer, fruitier fragrance with hints of mango and papaya.

“They will be very attractive colognes, but the names also mean a lot to us,” said Isabel Gonzalez, vice-president for research and development for Labiofam during the launch.

However, the project was mocked in the social networks and criticised by supporters of the Cuban Revolution, who considered it disrespectful.

Labiofam had been in the process of developing stylized bottles and labels for the products before putting them on sale in Cuba and overseas.

“We didn’t want to create propaganda, but rather pay homage to them and help their names endure,” said on September 25 Cuban biochemist Mario Valdes, who led the scent design team.

Labiofam said it had obtained the agreement of the families of Che Guevara and Hugo Chavez to use their names in the colognes. But that has now been denied by the Cuban government.

“The details of this irresponsible action were discussed in detail on Friday with the company’s director and the employees who presented the products, which were still being developed,” read the statement of the Executive Committee of the Ministers’ Council, headed by Cuban President Raul Castro.

“The appropriate measures will be taken to deal with this serious error.

“Such initiatives will never be accepted either by our people or by the Revolutionary Government.”

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Ebola outbreak: Liberia’s Deputy Health Minister Bernice Dahn under quarantine

Kathryn R. Bown
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Ebola outbreak: Liberia’s Deputy Health Minister Bernice Dahn under quarantine

Liberian chief medical officer Bernice Dahn has put herself under quarantine for 21 days, after one of her assistants died from the deadly Ebola virus.

Deputy Health Minister Bernice Dahn said she had no symptoms but wanted to take every precaution.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says more than 3,000 people have died from Ebola in West Africa.

Liberia has been the worst hit by the disease, accounting for 1,830 deaths – 150 in the last two days alone.

Health workers have been particularly vulnerable to the virus, which is spread by the infected bodily fluids of patients.

Liberian chief medical officer Bernice Dahn has put herself under Ebola quarantine for 21 days
Liberian chief medical officer Bernice Dahn has put herself under Ebola quarantine for 21 days

Health organizations recommend isolating people for at least 21 days, which is the maximum incubation period for the virus.

Bernice Dahn said she had not come into contact with any other infected people, apart from the office assistant who died this week, but wanted to take every precaution.

She has also instructed her staff to stay at home for the same time period.

The WHO highlighted the risk of infection for health workers trying to stem the outbreak in its latest report released on September 26.

The report said 375 workers are known to have been infected, and that 211 have so far died from the virus in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

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Jayaram Jayalalitha sentenced to four years in jail on corruption charges

Diane A. Wade
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Jayaram Jayalalitha sentenced to four years in jail on corruption charges

India’s top politician Jayaram Jayalalitha has been sentenced to jail for four years on corruption charges in a case that has lasted for 18 years.

Jayaram Jayalalitha, the chief minister of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, was found guilty of amassing wealth of more than $10 million which was unaccounted for.

She has to pay a 1 billion rupee ($16 million) fine and resign as chief minister.

A former actress, Jayaram Jayalalitha’s life has been marked by a series of high and lows.

Known by her followers as Amma or Mother, Jayaram Jayalalitha inspires intense loyalty, even adoration, but she has been associated with a lavish lifestyle
Known by her followers as Amma or Mother, Jayaram Jayalalitha inspires intense loyalty, even adoration, but she has been associated with a lavish lifestyle

The verdict was delivered by a special court in Bangalore amid tight security.

Along with three others, Jayaram Jayalalitha was sentenced to an immediate jail term, and was due to be sent to Parappana Agrahara prison in Bangalore.

Jayaram Jayalalitha complained of chest pains and giddiness after the verdict was delivered, the Times of India reported, and was sent to the prison hospital for assessment.

The corruption case focused on Jayaram Jayalalitha’s personal wealth and was brought by a rival political party,

Jayaram Jayalalitha has always argued that the case was politically motivated.

Known by her followers as Amma or Mother, Jayaram Jayalalitha inspires intense loyalty, even adoration, but she has been associated with a lavish lifestyle.

Be Lucky: The Who unveils first song since 2006

Sonia Pantiss
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Be Lucky: The Who unveils first song since 2006

The Who has unveiled Be Lucky – its first song since 2006 – to mark its 50th anniversary.

Be Lucky includes lyrical references to Australian rockers AC/DC and French electro band Daft Punk and will be included in a double album featuring the group’s greatest hits.

The band will donate royalties from the new track to teenage cancer sufferers.

One of the most influential rock bands of the 20th Century, their hits include My Generation and I Can See for Miles.

Earlier this year, surviving members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend announced they would play a tour, which starts in the UK in November, to mark their 50 years in the industry.

Roger Daltrey described the tour as “the beginning of the long goodbye”.

The new track Be Lucky features the lyrics “You wanna climb without a safety line/ AC/DC’s gonna be fine,” and a similar refrain, “You want to climb without a safety line/ Daft Punk will tell you that it’s gonna be fine.”

The Who is one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th Century
The Who is one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th Century (photo MTV)

Daft Punk’s single Get Lucky was one of the biggest hits of 2013.

Recorded at British Grove and Yellow Fish Studios, the Who track features long-time collaborators Zak Starkey on drums and Pino Palladino on bass.

In a statement on their website, The Who said: “In keeping with their ongoing support for Teenage Cancer charities, the band have donated their royalties from the song to Teen Cancer America.”

Roger Daltrey was instrumental in founding the Teenage Cancer Trust gigs at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 2000.

In 2011, Teen Cancer America was founded by Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend in the US.

In April, Roger Daltrey was presented with the outstanding contribution prize at the Music Week awards for his work with the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The Who was formed by singer Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle in London in 1964 and were joined by drummer Keith Moon before recording their first single.

Keith Moon died of a drug overdose in 1978 and John Entwistle died of a drug-induced heart attack in 2002.

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Billy Connolly details Robin Williams’ last phone call

Lisa.Felice
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0
Billy Connolly details Robin Williams’ last phone call

In a recent interview, Scottish comedian Billy Connolly said he thinks Robin Williams tried to say goodbye during their last phone call before committing suicide last month.

Billy Connolly told The Telegraph that he and the late actor frequently told one another that they loved each other during phone conversations, and last one was no exception.

“I never stopped it and he never stopped telling me. As a matter of fact, I thought afterwards he tried to say goodbye to me, because he got very luvvie towards the end. It’s fanciful but that’s what I told myself,” Billy Connolly said.

Billy Connolly said he thinks Robin Williams tried to say goodbye during their last phone call before committing suicide
Billy Connolly said he thinks Robin Williams tried to say goodbye during their last phone call before committing suicide

“On the last phone call he said, <<I love you like a brother>> and I said, <<I know you do>> and he said, <<Are you sure you know?>> and I said, <<Yes>>. Robin worried about everything.”

Robin Williams was found dead in his California home on August 11. A coroner determined his death was “a suicide due to asphyxia.”

Although his representative stated Robin Williams had “been battling severe depression of late”, Billy Connolly remembered his friend as a “happy comedian”.

“He was not always depressed,” Billy Connolly clarified.

“He was a complicated man, but a beautiful person. He was a joy.”

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