Pizza Hut is testing a lighter pizza, Skinny Slice, in a bid to freshen up its menu and regain its footing against competitors.
The tests of the Skinny Slice pies began this week at several dozen restaurants in Toledo, Ohio, and West Palm Beach, Florida. The pies simply use less of the same dough used for regular pies and are lighter on the toppings, said Doug Terfehr, a Pizza Hut spokesman.
Pizza Hut is testing Skinny Slice in a bid to freshen up its menu and regain its footing against competitors
Several fast-food and restaurant chains have turned to lighter offerings over the years as a way to update their images, with varying degrees of success. Burger King, for instance, recently said the majority of its U.S. restaurants would stop offering lower-calorie French fries less than a year after the so-called “Satisfries” were introduced.
The test by Pizza Hut comes as the chain fights to win back market share. Last year, Pizza Hut sales fell 2% at US locations open at least a year. Domino’s, by contrast, saw the figure rise 5.4% while Papa John’s saw sales rise 4% in North America.
Apple users have taken to social media to express their frustration over installing the company’s latest software update, iOS 8.
Many iPhone and iPad users have resorted to deleting photos, videos and other files in order to free up space for the new version of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 8, which requires up to 5.8GB of storage.
Apple has also removed apps for its new health software because of a bug.
One expert said Apple’s updates were often prone to “teething problems”.
Some vexed Apple users took to Twitter to express their annoyance.
Apple users have taken to social media to express their frustration over installing the latest update iOS 8 (photo Apple)
This is not the first time Apple users have had trouble with iOS updates.
In 2012, the iOS 6 update caused some users to lose their apps, and others lost photos and messages when updating to iOS 7 in 2013.
As well as requiring a lot of storage, the latest version, iOS 8, does not include apps that run with Apple’s new HealthKit service, which is designed to work with third-party wearable health devices.
The software was originally scheduled for release in iOS 8, but has been pulled while Apple works on fixing a bug.
Apple users can avoid the need to free up storage space for the latest update by upgrading their software via iTunes on a Mac or PC, instead of through the phone or tablet itself.
Additionally, much of the free space required by the update is made available again once the installation process has completed.
Pregnant Kate Middleton will no longer visit Malta this weekend on the advice of doctors, Kensington Palace has said.
The Duchess of Cambridge – who is pregnant with her second child and has been suffering from acute morning sickness – had been due to undertake her first official solo overseas visit.
Prince William will instead take the place of his wife, Kensington Palace has said.
“The decision not to travel was taken by the duke and duchess on the advice of the duchess’s doctors,” it added.
The royal couple made their decision on Wednesday night.
Kensington Palace said Kate Middleton “continues to suffer from the effects of Hyperemesis Gravidarum”, a sickness condition that can require supplementary hydration, medication and nutrients.
Pregnant Kate Middleton will no longer visit Malta this weekend on the advice of doctors
The trip would have seen the duchess mark the 50th anniversary of Malta’s independence.
In her place, Prince William will visit the national library to see letters from past British monarchs Henry VIII and George II, take part in Independence Day celebrations and a complete a number of walkabouts.
“The duke is honored to represent Her Majesty the Queen on the visit, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of Malta’s independence.
“The visit itinerary remains unchanged,” the palace added in the statement.
Prince William and Kate Middleton had been forced to announce their second pregnancy earlier this month before the duchess passed the significant 12-week milestone.
The announcement was made because she had been suffering from acute sickness – as she had with her first child Prince George, who was born in July 2013.
Hyperemesis Gravidarum affects 3.5 per 1,000 pregnancies, causes severe vomiting and can lead to dehydration, weight loss and a build-up of toxins in the blood or urine, called ketosis.
Kate Middleton has been receiving treatment from doctors at Kensington Palace.
Legendary country singer George Hamilton IV has died at a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 77.
George Hamilton IV passed away on September 17, just days after suffering a heart attack.
A statement posted on the singer’s official website reads: “Grand Ole Opry Legend George Hamilton IV The International Ambassador of Country Music passed away … at Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital with his family by his side. George IV suffered a serious heart attack on Saturday and had been in critical condition from that time. The Hamilton family greatly appreciates everyone’s prayers!”
George Hamilton IV began his music career while studying at the University of North Carolina, scoring a chart success with his song A Rose and A Baby Ruth in 1956. He went on to land a slew of hits and was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1960.
George Hamilton IV was named the International Ambassador of Country Music after becoming the first country singer to perform in the Soviet Union
He embraced folk music in the late 1960s, working with stars including Joni Mitchell, and in the early 1970s, he was named the International Ambassador of Country Music after becoming the first country singer to perform in the Soviet Union.
In the 1970s, George Hamilton IV also hosted a number of TV shows in the UK and Canada.
George Hamilton IV last performed at the Grand Ole Opry on September 6, just days before his death.
Melissa Rivers has released a new statement thanking fans for their support after her mother’s death.
Joan Rivers died in a New York hospital on September 4, a week after suffering cardiac arrest during a medical procedure. She was 81.
“As my son Cooper and I mourn the loss of my mother, we want to thank everyone for the beautiful cards and flowers conveying heartfelt messages and condolences, which continue to arrive from around the world and through social media,” Melissa Rivers posted to Joan Rivers’ official Facebook page on September 17.
Joan Rivers died in a New York hospital on September 4, a week after suffering cardiac arrest during a medical procedure (photo Facebook)
“My mother would have been overwhelmed by the scope and depth of the love that people have expressed for her. It is certainly helping to lift our spirits during this time.
“We are forever grateful for your kindness and support in continuing to honor my mother’s legacy, and for remembering the joy and laughter that she brought to so many.”
Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko begins a key visit to the US to seek further support to tackle what he describes as Russian aggression.
Petro Poroshenko will hold talks with President Barack Obama before addressing a joint session of Congress.
He is flying to the US from Canada, where he told lawmakers Ukraine had bid “the last farewell” to the USSR after signing an EU association deal.
Ukraine accuses Russia of supporting rebels in its east. Moscow denies this.
More than 3,000 people have died in fighting between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian rebels in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions since April.
A fragile cease-fire agreed on September 5 is holding, despite accusations of shelling by both sides.
The unrest in the east followed Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s southern Crimea peninsula in March.
Petro Poroshenko will hold talks with President Barack Obama before addressing a joint session of Congress (photo Reuters)
In Washington, Petro Poroshenko will also give a speech at the influential Atlantic Council think-tank.
During the state visit he is expected to push for closer political and economic ties between his former Soviet republic and the West, and seek further financial support for Ukraine’s struggling economy.
Petro Poroshenko has also been pressing for military assistance from the US to help defend Ukraine.
President Barack Obama – alongside with many other Western leaders – has condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine, but stressed that any military support would only include non-lethal equipment.
Both the US and the EU have recently imposed a new round of sanctions against Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis.
Addressing the Canadian parliament on September 17, Petro Poroshenko said Ukraine had “crossed the Rubicon” by ratifying a day earlier the association and free trade agreement with the EU.
“This was Ukraine’s last ‘farewell’ to the Soviet Union,” he said to loud cheering and applause from Canadian lawmakers.
The association agreement aims to bring Ukraine closer to the EU and away from Russia’s sphere of influence.
The deal lies at the root of Ukraine’s crisis. It was former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to sign it last November that triggered mass protests and his eventual fall from power.
Arizona Cardinals’ running back Jonathan Dwyer has been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, police have said.
Jonathan Dwyer, 25, facing charges of aggravated assault and preventing someone from calling 911, has been suspended from the team.
The charges are from two altercations at his home in July involving a woman and an 18-month-old child.
Jonathan Dwyer’s arrest comes after a recent spate of high profile assault incidents involving American football players.
Earlier this month Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was suspended indefinitely after a video emerged of him knocking out his then-fiancée.
After Ray Rice was suspended, Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson was indicted on child-abuse charges.
Critics have been calling on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to step down after Ray Rice initially received just a two-game ban for his assault.
Earlier this week the league announced it is hiring four women as advisers on domestic violence.
Arizona Cardinals’ running back Jonathan Dwyer has been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence (photo USA Today)
Across the country, outrage has been palpable.
Many fans have announced they are turning their backs on the NFL.
Fantasy leagues have been disbanded.
Even the league’s own television outlets, such as Fox, CBS and ESPN, have been sharply critical.
One of the counts against Jonathan Dwyer was “aggravated assault causing a fracture” against the 27-year-old woman.
Another count was for aggravated assault against a minor, said Phoenix Police Sergeant Trent Crump.
Sergeant Trent Crump said police were called to Dwyer’s home on July 21 after neighbors reported a row.
They discussed the incident with the woman, but did not talk to Jonathan Dwyer, who was hiding in the home, said Sergeant Trent Crump.
The second physical altercation happened at Jonathan Dwyer’s home the following day.
After the woman was assaulted, Jonathan Dwyer took a shoe and threw it at the couple’s 18-month-old child, said the police officer.
The victim and the child have subsequent “fled the state” because of safety concerns, he added.
The Cardinals reacted to the arrest by announcing that Jonathan Dwyer has been suspended for this week’s games against the 49ers.
“We became aware of these allegations this afternoon when notified by Phoenix police and are cooperating fully,” the team said in a statement.
“Given the serious nature of the allegations we have taken the immediate step to deactivate Jonathan from all team activities. We will continue to closely monitor this as it develops and evaluate additional information as it becomes available.”
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has been diagnosed with malignant liposarcoma, a “fairly aggressive” rare cancer, doctors treating him have said.
Rob Ford, 45, has a malignant liposarcoma in his abdomen and will begin chemotherapy within 48 hours.
“I’m optimistic about treatment,” said Dr. Zane Cohen, who is overseeing Rob Ford’s care team.
Rob Ford withdrew from his re-election campaign last week after being diagnosed with the abdominal tumor.
The controversial mayor, who admitted to smoking crack cocaine while in office, maintains a strong support base despite calls for him to resign.
Liposarcoma is a rare cancer of the soft tissue which accounts for only 1% of all cancers, Dr. Zane Cohen said at a news conference at Mount Sinai hospital in Toronto.
Rob Ford has a malignant liposarcoma in his abdomen and will begin chemotherapy within 48 hours (photo The Canadian Press)
Rob Ford has a 12cm by 12cm sized tumor in his abdomen and another smaller 2cm tumor in his left buttock, which are believed to have grown within the last three years.
“It’s a rare tumor, a very difficult tumor,” said Dr. Zane Cohen.
He also said this type of cancer had proved to be more sensitive to chemotherapy than other tumors.
Rob Ford will begin a three-day course of chemotherapy at Mount Sinai hospital within the next 48 hours, Dr. Zane Cohen said.
This will be followed by a break of 18 days, and then another course.
Rob Ford will then be scanned to see how his tumor has reacted to the treatment before doctors decide whether to administer more chemotherapy or follow up with radiotherapy or surgery.
He was admitted to hospital last week after months of abdominal pain.
The discovery of a tumor prompted him to withdraw his candidacy from the mayoral election on October 27.
Rob Ford’s brother and political confidant, Toronto Councillor Doug Ford, has replaced him on the ballot.
At the same time, Rob Ford’s name was added to the ballot papers to run for councilor in his old constituency of Ward 2 in Toronto’s Etobicoke North area, signaling his desire to remain a political force in the city.
The Scottish independence referendum will take place on Thursday, 18 September, 2014.
Who can vote?
Most people over the age of 16 who live in Scotland will be entitled to vote. As with other UK elections, to get a vote you will need to register in advance. Unlike other UK elections, 16 and 17 year olds will be able to vote in the referendum.
What will the question be?
The referendum question will be: “Should Scotland be an independent country?” and voters will choose yes or no. Whichever option has the most votes will win the referendum, regardless of how many people turn out to vote.
The Scottish independence referendum will take place on 18 September, 2014
What’s the process?
Constitutional arrangements are the responsibility of the UK Parliament. However, powers have been transferred to allow the Scottish Parliament to legislate for the referendum. This happened in the Referendum Agreement, which was signed by UK’s PM David Cameron and Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond on October 15 2012. As a result of this, the legislation that will allow the referendum to happen is currently making its way through the Scottish Parliament.
Why is this happening now?
This is happening now because the Scottish National Party, who campaign for Scotland to be independent, won a majority at the last Scottish Parliament election.
What happens if there is a Yes vote?
If a majority of those who vote want Scotland to be independent then Scotland would become an independent country after a process of negotiations. Following the negotiations Scotland would leave the United Kingdom and become a new and separate state.
What happens if there is a No vote?
If a majority of those who vote want to stay part of the UK, Scotland would remain a part of the United Kingdom, with its own devolved Parliament. The UK and Scottish governments would continue to make the changes to the powers of the Scottish Parliament and Scottish government that were agreed by the 2 parliaments in the Scotland Act 2012.
Voting in the Scottish independence referendum is under way.
People are voting on whether Scotland should stay in the UK or become an independent nation.
Voters will answer “Yes” or “No” to the referendum question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”
With 4,285,323 people – 97% of the electorate – registered to vote, a historically high turnout is expected.
Votes will be cast at 2,608 polling places across the country until 22:00 on Thursday, September 18. The result is expected early on Friday morning.
Ballot papers will be counted in each of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas.
These will include votes cast from the 789,024 postal vote applications, which was the largest volume of registration for postal votes ever in Scotland.
After votes have been tallied, the counting officer in each area will communicate the result to the chief counting officer Mary Pitcaithly in Edinburgh.
With her approval they will then make a declaration of the result.
People are voting on whether Scotland should stay in the UK or become an independent nation
Once the results from all 32 local authority areas are known, Mary Pitcaithly will declare the result of the referendum at the Royal Highland Centre outside Edinburgh.
Mary Pitcaithly has said she will announce the result at “breakfast time” on Friday.
The result is most likely to be between 06:30 and 07:30, according to Elections Scotland.
That is because the final Scottish declarations in the 2010 UK parliamentary elections and the 2011 Scottish parliamentary elections declaration were made at those times respectively.
However, running totals – which can be made from the first declaration onwards – may indicate a result earlier in the morning.
The bulk of these are expected to come in between 03:00 and 06:00.
Because of the expected high turnout, counting officers have put measures in place to reduce the risk of queuing at polling stations.
The remote nature of some Scottish regions also means bad weather could delay the receipt of ballot boxes at counting centers, in turn delaying the national result.
Helicopters and boats are being used to transport ballot boxes to counts in areas such as Argyll and Bute.
Elections Scotland said recounts will only be allowed at a local level on the basis of concerns about process, not the closeness of a result.
President Barack Obama’s plan to train and arm the moderate Syrian opposition fighting on Islamic State (ISIS) has been approved by the US House of Representatives.
The vote passed by a large majority in the Republican-controlled House and is expected to be adopted in the Senate.
The endorsement came after President Barack Obama repeated that he would not be committing American combat troops to ground operations in Iraq.
The US has undertaken 174 air strikes against ISIS in Iraq since mid-August.
The jihadist group controls large areas of Syria and northern Iraq.
In the most recent air strikes on September 16 and 17, US forces destroyed two ISIS armed vehicles north-west of Irbil and several units south-west of Baghdad, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
Barack Obama’s new strategy plans similar attacks in Syria and calls on a coalition of 40 countries to confront the militant group.
President Barack Obama repeated that he would not be committing American combat troops to ground operations in Iraq
This vote was expected to pass easily. Republicans, who control the House, generally support Barack Obama’s strategy to defeat and degrade Islamic State.
But the more hawkish among them feel the plan falls short. They argue that the president should consider sending US combat troops to Syria and Iraq – something he has said he is not prepared to do.
Some lawmakers from both parties feel skeptical that the Syrian rebels are up to the job.
At a Senate committee hearing, they pressed Secretary of State John Kerry for assurances that the Syrian fighters would be properly vetted so that, in future, American weapons don’t fall into the wrong hands.
On September 17, the House of Representatives approved his $500 million request by 273 votes to 156 to help arm and train moderate rebels in Syria.
The provision has been added to spending legislation aimed at extending federal government operations beyond the end of September.
Earlier, Barack Obama said he would not commit “to fighting another ground war in Iraq”, while visiting a military base in Florida.
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin’s highly-anticipated wedding in Venice, Italy, will be paid by Amal’s family, Us Weekly reported.
Amal Alamuddin’s parents also had a say in when the wedding would take place. Like George Clooney, Ramzi and Baria Alamuddin were anxious to have the nuptials this fall. An insider told Us Weekly shortly after the couple’s engagement that the Lebanon-born beauty’s mom and dad were “old-fashioned when it comes to these things”.
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin’s highly-anticipated wedding will take place in Venice
Amal Alamuddin’s mother, Baria, is an editor at Lebanese newspaper Al Hayat. She’s previously interviewed foreign leaders on TV, including Bill Clinton and Tony Blair. Amal Alamuddin’s father, Ramzi, is a retired business professor who taught at the Beirut branch campus of American University.
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin are currently putting the final touches on their upcoming September 27 wedding in Venice.
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has been involved in a car crash on September 17, but is not hurt, the royal palace says.
The king was being driven to an airport in Stockholm when the collision took place, palace spokeswoman Annika Sonnerberg said.
The car was badly damaged but King Carl Gustaf was uninjured and continued his journey in another car, local media said. There have been no reports of other injuries.
The role of king in Sweden is purely ceremonial.
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has been involved in a car crash in Stockholm, but is not hurt
Margaretha Thorgren, a press officer at the royal palace, told local media that King Carl Gustaf was “doing well” under the circumstances.
Photos published in local media showed damage to the front of the car, a dark blue Mercedes, with one air bag deployed.
King Carl Gustaf, 68, has now continued his journey to northern Sweden, where he is on a planned visit, palace officials say.
The king ascended the throne in 1973. He is best known abroad for presenting the annual Nobel Prizes.
Constitutional changes in 1974 deprived the king of all but ceremonial duties, such as opening parliament and representing Sweden at the diplomatic level.
The US troops their fighting Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Iraq will not have a combat mission, President Barack Obama has told an audience on September 17.
Barack Obama said he would not commit “to fighting another ground war in Iraq”.
The president said the US had the “unique abilities” to respond to ISIS, including air support for Iraqi and Kurdish fighters on the ground.
The US has already undertaken 162 air strikes against IS in Iraq since mid-August.
Barack Obama’s new strategy allows similar attacks in Syria, and calls on a coalition of 40 countries to confront the militant group.
The president’s reassurance to soldiers at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, came a day after a top US general suggested he would recommend US ground troops in the fight against ISIS if the international campaign of air strikes failed.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Martin Dempsey confirmed that under the current plan, US military advisers would help the Iraqi army to plan attacks against ISIS, also known as ISIL.
President Barack Obama has told an audience of US troops their comrades fighting ISIS militants in Iraq will not have a combat mission
The jihadist group controls large areas of Syria and northern Iraq. It has between 20,000 and 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, according to CIA estimates.
Barack Obama arrived overnight in Tampa, Florida, where Central Command (CENTCOM) – responsible for the Middle East and Central Asia – is based.
After briefings with top military officials, Barack Obama told an assembly of troops that “the American forces that have been deployed to Iraq do not and will not have a combat mission”.
The US would see that the group was eventually defeated, Barack Obama said: “If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.”
“We cannot do for the Iraqis what they must do for themselves,” he said, adding other countries would help with both air support and training.
“After a decade of massive ground deployments it is more effective to use our unique capabilities in support of our partners on the ground so they can secure their own countries’ futures,” Barack Obama said.
Barack Obama highlighted partner countries like France and the UK, which were already flying reconnaissance flights in Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, which has agreed to host a US-led training program for Syrian rebel groups fighting ISIS.
“Our armed forces are unparalleled and unique,” Barack Obama said.
“So when we’ve got a big problem somewhere around the world, it falls on our shoulders.”
Meanwhile, Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi rejected as “out of the question” the possibility that foreign ground troops would be allowed to fight in his country.
In an interview with Good Day NY, Jenny McCarthy explained why she really left ABC’s The View.
Jenny McCarthy, 41, said she is no longer on it: “Because they wanted to make sure the table was diverse. So they consider when Rosie was coming back it was too liberal and they wanted a conservative and they wanted a Latina, so they got Rosie Perez and their Elisabeth if you will, so that way it was a balanced table with more diversity.”
In an interview with Good Day NY, Jenny McCarthy explained why she really left ABC’s The View
She said that she has no hard feelings though and has a new gig lined up as she will be hosting her own radio show for SiriusXM Radio starting in October.
Jenny McCarthy teased that the show will have no limits by saying: “The freedom to say what you want is wonderful.”
At least 13 people have been killed after gunmen have attacked a teacher training college in the Nigerian city of Kano, officials said.
Students were seen fleeing from the city’s Federal College of Education and at least one explosion was heard.
Another 34 people were injured.
It is not clear who was responsible, although suspicion will fall on militant Islamist group Boko Haram, which has been waging an insurgency in Nigeria since 2009.
In July 2014, Kano suffered a spate of five attacks in four days, one of which also targeted a college and killed six people.
In July 2014, Kano suffered a spate of five attacks in four days, one of which also targeted a college and killed six people (photo Reuters)
In May 2013, Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan imposed a state of emergency in the northern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, vowing to crush the insurgency.
However, the militants have stepped up attacks, killing more than 2,000 civilians this year, according to New York-based Human Rights Watch.
Boko Haram’s name translates as “Western education is forbidden”, and it has carried out several attacks on schools and colleges, seeing them as a symbol of Western culture.
In April, Boko Haram raided a boarding school in Chibok town in the northern state of Borno, and is holding more than 200 girls that its gunmen abducted during that attack.
An angry mob in Ukraine threw politician Vitaly Zhuravsky into a rubbish bin.
Vitaly Zhuravsky can been seen being jostled by the group in Kiev before being picked up and dropped in the metal container.
The mob is then seen throwing a tire and some liquid on top of him, pushing him back down roughly when he tries to get up.
Vitaly Zhuravsky is a former member of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych’s Party of the Regions
“Boys, let me kick him at least once,” a woman at the scene can be heard saying.
Vitaly Zhuravsky is a former member of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych’s Party of the Regions and was criticized in January for writing a bill aimed at suppressing anti-government protesters.
It is believed the mob was angered when Vitaly Zhuravsky and other politicians granted an amnesty to pro-Russia rebels.
About one million civil servants will be screened in Ukraine to root out corrupt practices from the past, PM Arseniy Yatseniuk has announced.
Ukraine’s parliament passed the lustration law on September 16, allowing the removal of government officials from their posts.
All those who worked under ousted President Viktor Yanukovych and also former senior Communist and KGB members will be affected.
Ukraine has had months of unrest since Viktor Yanukovych was ousted in February 2014.
Government troops had been fighting pro-Russia separatists in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions for months, until a truce was signed on September 5.
Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of sending its troops and heavy weaponry to help the rebels – a claim denied by the Kremlin.
“About one million civil servants of different kinds will come under this law, including the whole cabinet of ministers, the interior ministry, the intelligence services, the prosecutor’s office,” Arseniy Yatseniuk said in a televised cabinet meeting.
Ukraine’s parliament passed the lustration law on September 16, allowing the removal of government officials from their posts (photo Reuters)
Correspondents say the issues of vetting and corruption are emotional subjects for many in Ukraine, who want to cleanse the government of Viktor Yanukovych’s influence.
The law on “lustration” – the cleansing of the ranks of power – was approved under huge pressure from activists, who took part in mass protests against Viktor Yanukovych.
The bill was finally passed after several failed attempts when speaker Okexandr Turchynov warned lawmakers he would not allow them to leave parliament without a successful result.
Outside the building, Vitaly Zhuravsky, who belongs to a party described as pro-Russian, was thrown by angry crowds into a rubbish bin.
The bill was approved on the same day as a new law granting self-rule to parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
It was part of the truce agreed between separatists and the Ukrainian government, although rebel leaders say they will continue to demand independence, and some Ukrainian lawmakers have described the move as “capitulation”.
At least 3,000 people have been killed in the conflict and more than 310,000 internally displaced in Ukraine, the UN says.
Also on September 16, the Ukrainian and European parliaments voted to ratify a major EU-Ukraine association agreement that aims to bring the ex-Soviet republic closer to the EU.
Sistema shares plunged at the Moscow Exchange after Russian billionaire Vladimir Yevtushenkov has been placed under house arrest on suspicion of money-laundering.
The Moscow Exchange temporarily restricted trading in Vladimir Yevtushenkov’s Sistema group as shares in the oil and telecom group fell 37%.
The head of a top business group has questioned the reason behind the arrest of Vladimir Yevtushenkov, 65.
President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman denied any political motive.
Vladimir Yevtushenkov has an estimated fortune of $4.4 billion (3.4 billion euros), according to Forbes magazine.
His AFK Sistema group owns Russia’s biggest mobile operator MTS as well as oil company Bashneft.
Russian billionaire Vladimir Yevtushenkov has been placed under house arrest on suspicion of money-laundering (photo Forbes)
Bashneft shares also fell by more than 20% on September and trading was temporarily restricted.
Russia’s Federal Investigative Committee said he had been accused of money laundering that involved the illegal acquisition of oil assets in the BashTek group in the Russian republic of Bashkortostan. In 2009, Sistema bought six BashTek companies, which were then taken over by Bashneft.
If found guilty Vladimir Yevtushenkov could face up to 10 years in jail, reports say. Sistema said in a statement that the acquisition of BashTek was “legal and transparent”.
The arrest was immediately compared by Alexander Shokhin, head of Russia’s Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, with the detention of another billionaire, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, in 2003.
The former owner of oil giant Yukos spent 10 years in jail before being pardoned and leaving Russia last December.
“Without doubt this looks very like Yukos 2.0, because the charges apply to the head of a company that paid $2.5 billion for assets and is now accused of stealing shares and money-laundering,” Alexander Shokhin told Ria Novosti.
Yukos was at one point Russia’s biggest oil company but its assets were eventually broken up, many of them bought by Rosneft, now the world’s largest oil producer.
Rosneft was earlier this year reported to be keen to buy Bashneft.
The state-run oil and gas company is controlled by Igor Sechin, who for years has been a close ally of President Vladimir Putin.
Igor Sechin has been targeted by US sanctions in response to the crisis in Ukraine.
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, in an interview with Russian business daily Vedomosti, said the Sistema chairman’s arrest involved “purely commercial interests” rather than political motives. It also showed that President Vladimir Putin had lost control and was not aware of what was happening, he said.
Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov said it was “absolutely untrue and absurd to try to paint this story with any political colors”, RIA Novosti reported.
According to new scientific research, Richard III was most likely to have been killed by two blows to the head and one to his pelvis.
The English king was killed at the Battle of Bosworth on August 22, 1485.
Forensic teams at the University of Leicester have now revealed Richard III suffered 11 injuries before his death, three of which may have been fatal.
Modern techniques were used on his 500-year-old skeleton to determine his injuries and the medieval weapons used.
His remains were found under a car park in Leicester in 2012.
The results of forensic analysis, published in The Lancet, have now shown he sustained nine wounds to the skull and two to the postcranial skeleton.
Researchers said three of these “had the potential to cause death quickly”.
Forensic teams at the University of Leicester have now revealed Richard III suffered 11 injuries before his death, three of which may have been fatal
Sarah Hainsworth, study author and professor of materials engineering, said: “Richard’s injuries represent a sustained attack or an attack by several assailants with weapons from the later medieval period.
“Wounds to the skull suggest he was not wearing a helmet, and the absence of defensive wounds on his arms and hands indicate he was still armored at the time of his death.”
Investigators said they believed the postcranial injuries, including one to the pelvis, might have been inflicted after Richard’s death, as his armor would have protected him had he been alive.
Guy Rutty, from the East Midlands pathology unit, said the two fatal injuries to the skull were likely to have been caused by a sword, a staff weapon such as halberd or bill, or the tip of an edged weapon.
He said: “Richard’s head injuries are consistent with some near-contemporary accounts of the battle, which suggest Richard abandoned his horse after it became stuck in a mire and was killed while fighting his enemies.”
King Richard’s skeleton is due to be reinterred at Leicester Cathedral in March.
Richard III was born in 1452 at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire. His coronation took place in Westminster Abbey in 1483.
He had one of the shortest reigns in British history – 26 months.
Richard III was the last English king to die in battle, killed at Bosworth in 1485.
Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling welcomed a baby girl on September 12, Us Weekly reported.
Eva Mendes, 40, and Ryan Gosling, 33, confirmed they were expecting a baby together when actress was already seven months pregnant.
Earlier this year, Eva Mendes laughed off pregnancy rumors during an appearance on The Ellen Show.
“It’s so ridiculous,” she said back in February 2014.
Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling welcomed a baby girl on September 12
“It all started because I didn’t want to go through the scanners at the airport. You know those X-ray scanners, which are really creepy? … And not only that, but there’s a radiation aspect to it, so I always opt out.”
Eva Mendes kept a low profile during her pregnancy, making her last red carpet appearance at a Violet Grey dinner honoring the late Elizabeth Taylor in L.A. on February 26. After news broke, she went to considerable lengths to cover up her baby bump with several pieces of clothing and a large bag while leaving a parking structure in L.A. on June 10.
Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling first began dating in 2011 after costarring in The Place Beyond the Pines.
The Minnesota Vikings’ owners announced in a statement to the media that they are following the recommendation of the NFL and placing Adrian Peterson on the exempt / commissioner’s permission list, which bars him from all team activities.
The statement said:
This has been an ongoing and deliberate process since last Friday’s news. In conversations with the NFL over the last two days, the Vikings advised the League of the team’s decision to revisit the situation regarding Adrian Peterson. In response, the League informed the team of the option to place Adrian on the Exempt/Commissioner’s Permission list, which will require that Adrian remain away from all team activities while allowing him to take care of his personal situation until the legal proceedings are resolved. After giving the situation additional thought, we have decided this is the appropriate course of action for the organization and for Adrian.
We are always focused on trying to make the right decision as an organization. We embrace our role – and the responsibilities that go with it — as a leader in the community, as a business partner and as an organization that can build bridges with our fans and positively impact this great region. We appreciate and value the input we have received from our fans, our partners and the community.
The Minnesota Vikings’ owners placed Adrian Peterson on the exempt list, which bars him from all team activities (photo Wikipedia)
While we were trying to make a balanced decision yesterday, after further reflection we have concluded that this resolution is best for the Vikings and for Adrian. We want to be clear: we have a strong stance regarding the protection and welfare of children, and we want to be sure we get this right. At the same time we want to express our support for Adrian and acknowledge his seven-plus years of outstanding commitment to this organization and this community. Adrian emphasized his desire to avoid further distraction to his teammates and coaches while focusing on his current situation; this resolution accomplishes these objectives as well.
We will support Adrian during this legal and personal process, but we firmly believe and realize this is the right decision. We hope that all of our fans can respect the process that we have gone through to reach this final decision.
“This is the best possible outcome given the circumstances,” Adrian Peterson’s agent, Ben Dogra, told The Associated Press.
“Adrian understands the gravity of the situation and this enables him to take care of his personal situation. We fully support Adrian and he looks forward to watching his teammates and coaches being successful during his absence.”
Shortly after the announcement, Adrian Peterson for the second time in a week responded by tweeting a biblical verse.
Adrian Peterson was charged on September 12 with causing injury to a child age 14 or younger. He allegedly hit one of his sons with a wooden switch while disciplining the boy on or around May 18.
Khloe Kardashian took a selfie and admitted to recently gaining weight as she went to the gym.
The 30-year-old reality star wrote on Instagram on September 15: “Monday with @gunnarfitness!!! I am determined to get my pre-hamptons, pre- sympathy kourtney pregnancy weight off. Nothing good comes easy. Why do I blame Kourt though?!? Lol.”
Khloe isn’t the only Kardashian looking to lose weight.
Khloe Kardashian took a selfie and admitted to recently gaining weight as she went to the gym (photo Instagram)
Her little brother, Rob Kardashian, 27, addressed his now fuller figure in May, which shocked fans when he was photographed at the airport on the way to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s wedding.
Rob Kardashian tweeted on May 20:“First, I don’t believe in rehab or therapy or anything of that sort and second I’m a grown man and will work on myself when I choose.
“I’m aware that I’m fat that def aint a surprise to me lol and my only therapy will be in the gym anyways had to say somethingggggggggg.”
