Linda Louise Culkin, who engaged in a “persistent and malevolent” cyberstalking campaign against Kevin Spacey, has been sentenced to four years in prison.
Linda Louise Culkin, 55, threatened to cause physical harm to Kevin Spacey.
Last November, Linda Louise Culkin pleaded guilty to charges including posting threatening letters and sending false information regarding explosives.
Kevin Spacey, 55, said it was “difficult to measure the degree of terror” caused.
The actor was not present in the District Court in Boston but his victim impact statement was read out in court.
Kevin Spacey is best known for his Oscar-winning roles in The Usual Suspects and American Beauty (photo Facebook)
Responding, Linda Louise Culkin apologized for her actions: “I have some mental health issues.”
“I was overzealous. I cop to that. I fully apologize to him. I didn’t mean it to be so harsh,” she said.
Linda Louise Culkin was arrested in January 2012. Her apartment, in the town of Quincy, Massachusetts was reported to have images of Kevin Spacey with his eyes blacked out and numerous copies of a page entitled Killing Kevin Spacey.
The judge ordered her to pay Spacey $124,000 to compensate him for the bodyguards he hired during the two-year stretch when she harassed him.
Given the time already spent in prison following her arrest, Linda Louise Culkin has approximately 18 months left of her four-year sentence.
Chinese tennis player Li Na has announced her retirement at the age of 32, citing injury problems.
Li Na, who has taken both the French and Australian Open titles, made the widely expected announcement in a statement on social media.
After four knee surgeries, “my body is begging me to stop the pounding”, Li Na wrote.
The Chinese Tennis Association thanked her for the “shining moments” Li Na had given to the sport.
Li Na is one of China’s most high-profile athletes and a national hero.
She is well-known for her outspoken independence, her humor and her reluctance to embrace the state-run training system.
Li Na won the Australian Open in January to add to her 2011 French Open title, but the world number six has not played since losing in the third round at Wimbledon in June.
In a letter posted on Facebook, Li Na said that making the decision to retire had taken “several agonizing months”.
Li Na has announced her retirement from tennis at the age of 32, citing injury problems
“Representing China on the tennis court was an extraordinary privilege and a true honor,” she wrote.
“Having the unique opportunity to effectively bring more attention to the sport of tennis in China and all over Asia is something I will cherish forever.
“But in sport, just like in life, all great things must come to an end.”
On China’s microblog service Weibo, tens of thousands of Chinese fans inundated Li Na’s page with positive comments.
Many thanked her for representing the country and wished her well, often using an affectionate term for Li. “Good luck Sister Na!” and “Go Sister Na!” were among the more common comments.
“You once said that all you wanted to do is just play tennis, but in reality because of you, so many people have begun to understand what tennis is really about… I sincerely wish you the best. Thank you for guiding and encouraging us,” said one user.
“She never boasts of her patriotism, because all along she has been quietly doing things for this country that are greater than what you and I have ever done… she has refused to flatter others, but now she has expressed her deepest thoughts. I am deeply moved by her discipline and honesty,” said another user.
Don Charles Spirit, a grandfather from Florida, shot dead his daughter and her six children before taking his own life at a home in the town of Bell, police have said.
The children range in age from three months to 10 years old, said Gilchrist County Sheriff Robert Schultz.
Robert Schultz said a colleague responded to reports of a shooting on Thursday afternoon and on arrival made contact with Don Charles Spirit, 51, before he killed himself.
“I haven’t seen anything like this at all,” said Robert Schultz.
“This county, this community is going to be devastated from this. It is a small county, we are all family here.
Don Charles Spirit shot dead his daughter and her six children before taking his own life at a home in the town of Bell
“We’re asking for prayers for this community and the families involved.”
After Don Charles Spirit took his own life, police found the other seven bodies in the house, although there were other people there who were still alive.
Don Charles Spirit, who was known to police previously, was the only suspect, said Robert Schultz.
According to the Florida Department of Corrections, the grandfather was once behind bars for a gun charge, and was released in February 2006.
Bell is a town of about 350 people located 30 miles west of Gainesville.
Multiple shootings in the US have happened in schools, colleges, military institutions, shopping malls and homes.
It is likely to reopen a painful debate about gun ownership, but is unlikely to change deeply entrenched polarized views.
Scottish voters decisively rejected independence after voting to stay in the UK.
With 31 out of the country’s 32 council areas having declared after Thursday’s vote, the “No” side has an unassailable lead of 1,914,187 votes to 1,539,920.
Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond called for unity and the unionist parties to deliver on more powers.
UK’s PM David Cameron said he was delighted the UK would remain together and called for national unity.
The result became a mathematical certainty at 06:08, as the returning officer in Fife announced a comfortable “No” vote.
Shortly afterwards, Alex Salmond said he accepted the defeat and called for national unity.
He said the referendum and the high turnout had been a “triumph for the democratic process” and promised to keep his pledge in the Edinburgh Agreement which paved the way for the referendum to respect the result and work for the benefit of Scotland and the UK.
He told supporters: “The unionist parties made vows late in the campaign to devolve more powers to Scotland.
Scottish voters decisively rejected independence after voting to stay in the UK (photo Bloomberg)
“Scotland will expect these to be honored in rapid course – as a reminder, we have been promised a second reading of a Scotland Bill by March 27 next year.
“Not just the 1.6 million Scots who voted for independence will demand that timetable is followed but all Scots who participated in this referendum will demand that timetable is followed.”
Alex Salmond said he would shortly speak to the prime minister on the results.
He highlighted the “empowerment” of first-time voters, including 16 and 17-year-olds.
And the First Minister said: “Whatever else we can say about this referendum campaign, we have touched sections of the community who have never before been touched by politics, these sections of the community have touched us and touched the political process.
“I don’t think that will ever be allowed to go back to business as usual in politics again.”
In a rallying call to his supporters, Alex Salmond urged the “Yes” voters to reflect on how far they had come.
“I don’t think any of us, whenever we entered politics, would have thought such a thing to be either credible or possible,” he said.
“Over the last few weeks we have seen a scare and a fear of enormous proportions – not a scaremongering directed at the Scottish people but the scare and the fear at the heart of the Westminster establishment as they realize the mass movement of people that was going forward in Scotland.
“Today of all days as we bring Scotland together, let us not dwell on the distance we have fallen short, let us dwell on the distance we have travelled and have confidence the movement is abroad in Scotland that will take this nation forward and we shall go forward as one nation.”
This margin of victory for the Better Together campaign – 55% to 45% – was greater by about 3% than that anticipated by the final opinion polls. The winning total needed was 1,852,828.
Speaking in Downing Street, David Cameron said the result was decisive.
He said: “Now the debate has been settled for a generation, or as Alex Salmond has said: <<Perhaps for a lifetime>>.
“So their can be no disputes, no re-runs, we have heard the will of the Scottish people.”
David Cameron said the three main unionist parties at Westminster would now follow through with their pledge to deliver more powers to the Scottish Parliament.
A three-day lockdown has come into effect in Sierra Leone in a bid to stop the spread of the Ebola virus.
The aim of the move is to keep people confined to their homes while health workers isolate new cases and prevent Ebola from spreading further.
Critics say the lockdown will destroy trust between doctors and the public.
Sierra Leona is one of the countries worst hit by West Africa’s Ebola outbreak, which has killed more than 2,600 people.
The UN Security Council on Thursday declared the outbreak a “threat to international peace and security”.
The Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling on states to provide more resources to combat it.
A three-day lockdown has come into effect in Sierra Leone in a bid to stop the spread of the Ebola virus (photo Reuters)
The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has been strongly critical of the lockdown, arguing that ultimately it will help spread the disease.
MSF, whose staff is helping to tackle the outbreak, said in a statement this month that quarantines and lockdowns “end up driving people underground and jeopardizing the trust between people and health providers”.
“This leads to the concealment of potential cases and ends up spreading the disease further.”
But the authorities insist that the measure “will minimize the spread of the virus”, and that thousands of officials would be deployed to make sure residents stayed indoors.
Volunteers will go door-to-door to test people for the virus and take infected people to treatment centers.
The Ebola virus infects humans through close contact with infected animals, including chimpanzees, fruit bats and forest antelope.
It then spreads between humans by direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids or organs, or indirectly through contact with contaminated environments.
Guinean authorities searching for a team of health workers and journalists who went missing while trying to raise awareness of Ebola have found several bodies.
A spokesman for Guinea’s government said the bodies included those of three journalists in the team.
They went missing after being attacked on Tuesday, September 16, in a village near the southern city of Nzerekore.
More than 2,600 people have now died from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
It is the world’s worst outbreak of the deadly disease, with officials warning that more than 20,000 people could ultimately be infected.
The three doctors and three journalists disappeared after being pelted with stones by residents when they arrived in the village of Wome – near where the Ebola outbreak was first recorded.
One of the journalists managed to escape and told reporters that she could hear the villagers looking for them while she was hiding.
A government delegation, led by the health minister, had been dispatched to the region but they were unable to reach the village by road because a main bridge had been blocked.
On Thursday night, government spokesman Albert Damantang Camara said eight bodies had been found, including those of three journalists.
Guinean authorities searching for a team of health workers and journalists who went missing while trying to raise awareness of Ebola have found several bodies (photo WHO)
He said they had been recovered from the septic tank of a primary school in the village, adding that the victims had been “killed in cold blood by the villagers”.
The reason for the killings is unclear, but correspondents say many people in the region distrust health officials and have refused to co-operate with authorities, fearing that a diagnosis means certain death.
Last month, riots erupted in the area of Guinea where the health team went missing after rumors that medics who were disinfecting a market were contaminating people.
Speaking on September 18, French President Francois Hollande said his country was setting up a military hospital in Guinea as part of his country’s efforts to support the West African nations affected by the outbreak.
Francois Hollande said the hospital was a sign that France’s contribution was not just financial, adding that it would be in “the forests of Guinea, in the heart of the outbreak”.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on September 18 that more than 700 new cases of Ebola have emerged in West Africa in just a week, showing that the outbreak was accelerating.
The WHO said there had been more than 5,300 cases in total and that half of those were recorded in the past three weeks.
The Ebola epidemic has struck Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria and Senegal.
A three-day lockdown is starting in Sierra Leone in a bid to stop the disease spreading.
As the polls have closed, counting is under way in the referendum to decide whether Scotland should stay in the UK or become an independent country.
Counting will be carried out through the night, with individual results announced for each of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas.
The final national result is expected after 06:30 BST on September 19.
A YouGov on-the-day poll published shortly after polls closed suggested “No” was on 54% and “Yes” on 46%.
The survey questioned 1,828 people after they voted, together with the postal votes of 800 people, although is not a traditional exit poll.
Turnout is widely predicted to top the 83.9% recorded in the 1950 general election – the highest in the UK since the introduction of universal suffrage in 1918.
Blair McDougall, director of the pro-Union Better Together campaign, said he believed a “No” vote would be revealed over the course of the night.
Counting is under way in the referendum to decide whether Scotland should stay in the UK or become an independent country
A “Yes” vote in the ballot would end the 307-year-old union between Scotland and the rest of the UK.
A record turnout is anticipated, with 4,283,392 people – 97% of the electorate – having registered to vote.
As soon as Scotland’s 2,608 polling places closed, work began to transport hundreds of ballot boxes to counting centers in each of Scotland’s 32 local authorities.
The bulk of the local results are expected to come between 03:00 and 05:00 BST on September 19.
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.
Once the results from all the local authority areas are known, chief counting officer Mary Pitcaithly will declare the result of the referendum at the Royal Highland Centre outside Edinburgh.
However, running totals – which can be made from the first declaration onwards – may indicate a result earlier in the morning.
Opinion polls released before the vote suggested the referendum was too close to call, although most had the “No” campaign – which backs staying in the UK – holding a slight lead.
For the first time, 16 and 17-year-olds all across Scotland were able vote.
Many councils have reported busy polling stations were busy throughout the day, with some seeing queues both ahead of the polls opening and throughout the morning.
The Islamic State (ISIS) group has released a new video showing British man John Cantlie believed to be held hostage by the jihadist militants.
Dressed in orange, John Cantlie, who in 2012 escaped an earlier kidnapping in Syria, asks why he and others have been abandoned by the US and UK governments.
ISIS has recently killed three hostages and, in a video showing the death of UK aid worker David Haines, threatened to kill British man Alan Henning next.
No ISIS militants are seen in the video, which is entitled Lend Me Your Ears and is addressed to the Western public.
In it John Cantlie says other European governments have negotiated for the release of their hostages but says the US and UK have done things differently.
“After two disastrous and hugely unpopular wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, why is it that our governments appear so keen to get involved in yet another unwinnable conflict?” he says.
He also says this is the first of several of what he calls programs in which he will explain the philosophy of ISIS.
From comments on the tape, it is clear it was made this year, but not precisely when.
The video featuring John Cantlie has been released nearly a week after footage depicting the death of David Haines, the first British hostage to be killed
The video featuring John Cantlie has been released nearly a week after footage depicting the death of David Haines, the first British hostage to be killed.
It was in that video that the life of Alan Henning, 47, from Salford, was threatened.
Alan Henning was a volunteer on an aid convoy in December 2013 when he was seized just after crossing into Syria.
Earlier, British Muslim leaders called for his immediate release, saying anyone undertaking a humanitarian act should be held in the highest esteem.
The video of David Haines’s death followed the killings of US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff – which were also shown in videos – in August and earlier this month respectively.
On September 16, IS released a separate video, which was described by analysts as a video response to US air strikes.
The slickly produced, Hollywood-style trailer for a film entitled Flames of War refers to US President Barack Obama’s insistence that US combat troops would not be returning to fight in Iraq.
In an apparent taunt, it depicts wounded US troops, masked executioners standing over kneeling captives, and declares at the conclusion: “Fighting has just begun.”
Oracle’s CEO Larry Ellison is stepping down, the technology giant announced on September 18.
Mark Hurd and Safra Catz have been named as successors, with both being given the chief executive title.
Larry Ellison, who is estimated to be the world’s fifth wealthiest man, will stay on as executive chairman and chief technology officer.
He co-founded what would become Oracle with Bob Miner and Ed Oates in 1977.
Larry Ellison co-founded what would become Oracle with Bob Miner and Ed Oates in 1977 (photo Forbes)
In a statement, Oracle board president Michael Boskin said: “Larry has made it very clear that he wants to keep working full time and focus his energy on product engineering, technology development and strategy.
“Safra and Mark are exceptional executives who have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to lead, manage and grow the company. The Directors are thrilled that the best senior executive team in the industry will continue to move the company forward into a bright future.”
Safra Catz will run the manufacturing, legal and finance operations of Oracle whereas Mark Hurd will be in charge of the sales, service and business units.
The software and hardware engineering teams will continue to report to Larry Ellison.
“The three of us have been working well together for the last several years, and we plan to continue working together for the foreseeable future,” said Larry Ellison.
Shares in Oracle dipped 3% in trading after markets had closed, before recovering slightly.
Joan Rivers wrote the intro for a new book about Jewish food just few months before she died.
She began with some old family stories and some old Jewish jokes.
Joan Rivers, who died on September 4 at age 81, is the opening act for Eating Delancey: A Celebration of Jewish Food.
The book, set to be published in December by powerHouse Books, is a tribute to knishes, bagels, pickles and other staples of the Jewish immigrant community of Manhattan’s Lower East Side.It features memories from Don Rickles, Isaac Mizrahi and Itzhak Perlman, among others.
When the publishers were putting together a wish list for the book, they quickly thought of Joan Rivers, a legend among friends and family for her savory, sardonic Passover gatherings.
Joan Rivers wrote the intro of the Jewish food book just few months before she died
powerHouse press liaison Abbe Aronson, also a contributor to the book, says she spoke to Joan Rivers in April. The conversation was supposed to last just a few minutes, but ran for nearly an hour. They ended up with so much material that powerHouse decided to use it for the introduction.
Joan Rivers dropped all the right names: kasha varnishkes, eggele (or eyerlekh, which is Yiddish for “little eggs,” she noted) and gribenes. She worried that her grandson, Cooper, “looks at Jewish food and doesn’t really get it”.
And she contemplated the menu for an imagined last meal, starting with “a good piece of gefilte fish with some fantastic freshly grated horseradish on it.”
“I’m not happy at a Chinese restaurant. I want kreplach! Jewish food makes Italian food seem like Lean Cuisine,” Joan Rivers said.
“The amazing thing is, believe it or not, I only had so-so Jewish food in Israel. Maybe it’s because my hostess’ daughter was a vegan.”
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.
