President Barack Obama has led tributes to Robin Williams, who has been found dead, aged 63, in an apparent suicide.
Marin County Police in California said Robin Williams was pronounced dead at his home after officials responded to an emergency call around noon local time.
Robin Williams was famous for films such as Good Morning Vietnam and won an Oscar for his role in Good Will Hunting.
His publicist said he had been “battling severe depression”.
President Barack Obama has led tributes to Robin Williams, who has been found dead in an apparent suicide (photo Getty Images)
Barack Obama was one of many offering condolences to Robin Williams’ family saying: “Williams arrived in our lives as an alien – but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit.
“He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets.”
In the past Robin Williams had talked, and even joked, about his struggles with alcohol and drugs.
The actor had recently returned to a rehabilitation centre to “fine-tune” his sobriety, the Los Angeles Times reported in July.
The local Sheriff’s office said Robin Williams was found unconscious and not breathing at his home near Tiburon, north of San Francisco.
“At this time, the Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia, but a comprehensive investigation must be completed before a final determination is made,” police said in a statement.
South Africa’s Kruger National Park will evacuate hundreds of rhinos to save them from poachers.
The move, which is part of a plan to curb illegal hunts for rhino horn, was announced by the environment minister.
Kruger National Park authorities said they could relocate up to 500 rhinos, which can each weigh more than a tonne.
South Africa is home to more than 80% of Africa’s rhinos. Illegal poaching has risen sharply from 13 in 2007 to 1,004 in 2013.
Environment Minister Edna Molewa said the relocations from the Kruger National Park, coupled with the creation of “rhino strongholds”, could “allow the total rhino population size of South Africa to continue to grow”.
South Africa’s Kruger National Park will evacuate hundreds of rhinos to save them from poachers
“South Africa, with its large rhino populations, has borne the brunt of rhino poaching. We remain confident that our efforts in implementing the integrated strategic approach will build on our successful track record of conserving rhino,” she said.
The rhinos may be moved to other areas of lower poaching rates such as state-owned or private nature parks, areas within the Kruger Park closer to the Mozambique border, or even to neighboring countries, according to the minister.
The new initiative will be supported by the South African government’s Security Cluster to work on tougher penalties for those caught hunting rhinos illegally.
The famed Kruger National Park, which is of a similar size to Wales or Israel, is thought to be home to as few as 8,400 white rhinos.
Park authorities said Kruger was the biggest target for poaching in the region, with more rhinos killed there each year than anywhere else in South Africa.
Although international trade in rhino horn has been illegal since 1977, demand remains high in some Asian countries, where it is used both in traditional medicine and as a symbol of wealth.
The Mrs. Doubtfire sequel is now in doubt after Robin Williams was found dead at his Californian home in an apparent suicide.
Robin Williams, 63, suffered from a severe depression, according to recent reports.
Earlier this year Robin Williams had been meeting with screenwriter David Berenbaum about the sequel to his hit 1993 comedy – in which he played a man who masqueraded as an older female nanny in a bid to get close to his kids – and a second draft was reportedly underway.
Meanwhile, the project’s director Christopher Columbus hailed Robin Williams as a “genius” who he loved working with.
He said in a statement: “We have lost one of our most inspired and gifted comic minds, as well as one of this generation’s greatest actors. To watch Robin work, was a magical and special privilege.
The Mrs. Doubtfire sequel is now in doubt after Robin Williams was found dead at his Californian home in an apparent suicide
“His performances were unlike anything any of us had ever seen, they came from some spiritual and otherworldly place. He truly was one of the few people who deserved the title of <<genius>>.
“We were friends for 21 years. Our children grew up together, he inspired us to spend our lives in San Francisco and I loved him like a brother. The world was a better place with Robin in it. And his beautiful legacy will live on forever.”
Robin Williams had completed four other films before his death, however.
Over the Christmas period, Robin Williams can be seen again as Teddy Roosevelt in Night of the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, which finished production in May and will be released on December 19.
Robin Williams shot comedy Merry Friggin’ Christmas with Wendi McLendon-Covey, Lauren Graham and Oliver Platt and the Joe and Anthony Russo-directed picture will be in cinemas on November 7.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has topped the US and Canada box office, taking $65 million from August 8 to 10, according to studio estimates.
Paramount, the studio behind the action movie, immediately announced plans for a sequel, which will be released in 2016.
Paramount’s Megan Colligan said the movie’s success was due to two different groups – those who remembered the original 1980s and 90s franchise and children who watched the recent Nickelodeon cartoon series.
“It’s odd when you have 25 to 35-year-olds and then seven to 12-year-olds really excited about the same film,” Megan Colligan said.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has topped the US and Canada box office, taking $65 million
“The teen audience was actually the one that wasn’t as familiar with the property, so we put a lot of focus on teens.”
Guardians of the Galaxy dropped to second place, taking $41.5 million.
Into the Storm, starring Richard Armitage, took third place with $18 million.
Disney drama The Hundred-Foot Journey, starring Helen Mirren, was fourth with $11.1 million.
Michael Brown, the black teenager who was fatally shot by police in Missouri, had his hands raised when the officer approached him with his weapon drawn and fired repeatedly, according to two men who said they witnessed the shooting.
The FBI opened an investigation Monday into the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who police said was shot multiple times Saturday after being confronted by a white officer in Ferguson, a 21,000-resident suburb that’s nearly 70 percent black.
Authorities were vague about exactly what led the officer to open fire, except to say that the shooting was preceded by a scuffle of some kind. It was unclear whether Michael Brown or a man he was with was involved in the altercation.
Investigators have refused to publicly disclose the race of the officer, who is now on administrative leave.
Phillip Walker said he was on the porch of an apartment complex overlooking the scene when he heard a shot and saw a white officer with Michael Brown on the street.
Witnesses say Michael Brown had his hands raised when he was fatally shot by a police officer (photo AP)
Dorian Johnson offered a similar account when he told WALB-TV that he and Michael Brown were walking home from a convenience store when a police officer told them to get out of the street and onto the sidewalk. Dorian Johnson said they kept walking, which caused the officer to confront them from his car and again after getting out of his car.
He said the first time the officer fired, he and Michael Brown got scared and ran away.
“He shot again, and once my friend felt that shot, he turned around and put his hands in the air, and he started to get down,” Dorian Johnson said.
“But the officer still approached with his weapon drawn and fired several more shots.”
“We wasn’t causing harm to nobody,” Dorian Johnson said.
“We had no weapons on us at all.”
Phillip Walker acknowledged that he did not see a scuffle or the circumstances surrounding the first gunshot.
The St. Louis County Police Department refused to discuss Dorian Johnson’s remarks, citing the ongoing investigation. However, county Police Chief Jon Belmar previously said that an officer encountered Michael Brown and another man outside an apartment complex, and that one of the men pushed the officer into his squad car and they struggled over the officer’s weapon.
The FBI is looking into possible civil rights violations arising from the shooting, said Cheryl Mimura, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s St. Louis field office. She said the FBI would be investigating regardless of the public attention surrounding the matter.
Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement that the case deserves a thorough review.
Nearly three dozen people were arrested following a candlelight vigil Sunday night after crowds looted and burned stores, vandalized vehicles, assaulted and threatened reporters, and taunted officers who tried to block access to parts of the city.
ZMapp, the experimental drug given to Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol to fight the Ebola virus, seems to be working, according to health specialists.
The untested drug was developed by San Diego-based Mapp Biopharmaceuticals.
What we need to know about ZMapp:
1. ZMapp is made from tobacco leaves
ZMapp is made from the leaves of modified tobacco plants, specifically, the Nicotiana benthamiana plant, Bloomberg reported. The tobacco leaves, which typically do more harm than good in regard to human health, help combat the Ebola virus because of the compound that’s created from their modification. The combination of compounds in ZMapp includes a compound called MB-003 and another called ZMAb. MB-003 protected 100% of monkeys exposed to the Ebola virus immediately after exposure. ZMAb provided 100% survival to monkeys one day after exposure. That number decreased to 50% after two days, according to NBC News. Erica Ollmann Saphire, a professor of immunology at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, said that one of the antibodies in the serum helps alert the immune system to the presence of infected cells so they can be destroyed. The other two antibodies seem, “to neutralize the virus,” Prof. Erica Ollman Saphire told WebMD.
ZMapp, the experimental drug given to Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol to fight the Ebola virus, seems to be working
2. ZMapp had never before been tested in humans
The drug had never been tried before in humans with Ebola, but had shown promise in monkeys with the disease. Both Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol knew the drug had never been tested in humans before taking it. Their improving conditions have left researchers optimistic about the effectiveness of ZMapp. Thomas Geisbert, a professor of infectious disease at The University of Texas Galveston Medical Branch, told WebMD: “If we can prove that whatever the treatment was worked, that’s fantastic. That’s exciting. But I’m cautiously optimistic, because with this particular outbreak, almost 40 percent of patients survive without treatment. So we want to make sure that it wasn’t somebody that was going to survive anyway.”
3. ZMapp’s creation was a collaborative effort
ZMapp was the result of collaboration among Mapp Pharmaceuticals, San Diego-based LeafBio, Defyrus in Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, according to Times of San Diego.
Mapp Pharmaceuticals said in a statement: “ZMapp was first identified as a drug candidate in January 2014 and has not yet been evaluated for safety in humans. As such, very little of the drug is currently available. Mapp and its partners are cooperating with appropriate government agencies to increase production as quickly as possible.”
4. ZMapp’s use has raised ethical questions
The use of ZMapp has raised ethical questions regarding who has the right to experimental treatment, Bloomberg reported. Robert Garry, a virologist at Tulane University, told the publication: “There are a lot of Africans that are also dying. If we are going to do it for the Americans then we should certainly step up our game for the Africans.”
Liberia’s assistant health minister, Tolbert Nyenswah, told The Wall Street Journal health officials have become inundated with requests from the families of Ebola patients for ZMapp.
5. Mapp Biopharmaceuticals was part of a group awarded a $28 million grant to fight Ebola
Mapp Biopharmaceuticals was one of several companies and research to be selected for a five-year grant of up to $28 million awarded by the National Institutes of Health in order to fight Ebola, according to The Scripps Research Institute.
Robin Williams has been found dead in an apparent suicide at his California home, aged 63.
Marin County Police in California said he was pronounced dead at his home shortly after officials responded to an emergency call around noon local time.
“Robin Williams passed away this morning. He has been battling severe depression of late,” said the comedian’s spokeswoman Mara Buxbaum.
“This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.”
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.
In the past he had talked, and even joked, about his struggles with alcohol and drugs.
Robin Williams had recently returned to a rehabilitation centre to “fine-tune” his sobriety, the Los Angeles Times reported in July.
“At this time, the Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia, but a comprehensive investigation must be completed before a final determination is made,” police said in a statement.
In a statement, Robin Williams’ wife, Susan Schneider, said she was “utterly heartbroken”.
“On behalf of Robin’s family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin’s death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.”
Robin Williams has been found dead in an apparent suicide at his California home (photo Getty Images)
Robin Williams had three children from previous marriages: son Zachary, 31, daughter Zelda, 25, and son Cody, 22. He married Susan Schneider, his third wife, in 2011.
Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1951, Robin Williams joined the drama club in high school and was accepted into Juilliard School in New York, the prestigious American academy for the arts.
There, he was encouraged by a teacher to pursue comedy.
Robin Williams was first known for his zany portrayal of an alien in the 1970s TV show Mork and Mindy, a character first seen in the sitcom Happy Days.
He was a regular stand-up comedian while continuing to act in such films as Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, Mrs. Doubtfire and as the voice of the genie in Aladdin.
While many of his roles were in comedies, Robin Williams won the Oscar in 1998 for best supporting actor as a therapist in Good Will Hunting.
President Barack Obama was one of many offering condolences to his family when he said: “Williams arrived in our lives as an alien – but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit.
“He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets.”
On August 11, 2014, at approximately 11:55 AM, Marin County Communications received a 9-1-1 telephone call reporting a male adult had been located unconscious and not breathing inside his residence in unincorporated Tiburon, California.
The Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Tiburon Fire Department and Southern Marin Fire Protection District were dispatched to the incident with emergency personnel arriving on scene at 12:00 PM. The male subject, pronounced deceased at 12:02 PM has been identified as Robin McLaurin Williams, a 63 year old resident of unincorporated Tiburon, California.
An investigation into the cause, manner, and circumstances of the death is currently underway by the Investigations and Coroner Divisions of the Sheriff’s Office.
Preliminary information developed during the investigation indicates Mr. Williams was last seen alive at his residence, where he resides with his wife, at approximately 10:00 PM on August 10, 2014.
A forensic examination is currently scheduled for August 12, 2014 with subsequent toxicology testing to be conducted.
Liberia will receive ZMapp, an untested experimental Ebola drug, to treat infected patients, the government announces.
The move came after a request to the US from Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the government said.
The news came as medical ethics specialists met in Geneva to explore the use of such new treatments.
The World Health Organization (WHO), which is hosting the meeting, says some 1,013 have died from Ebola in West Africa.
US government officials said their role had been to put Liberian officials in contact with ZMapp maker Mapp Biopharmaceutical.
The pharmaceutical company said its supply of the drug was exhausted after its supplies were sent to West Africa, AFP news agency reported.
Liberia will receive an untested experimental drug, Zmapp, to treat people infected with Ebola
The drug was “provided at no cost in all cases,” the company added.
ZMapp has been used in the US on two aid workers who have shown signs of improvement, and a Roman Catholic priest, infected with Ebola in Liberia, who is currently being treated in a hospital in Madrid.
However, the drug has only been tested on monkeys and has not been yet evaluatd for safety in humans.
The WHO will announce the outcome of its emergency meeting on the role of experimental drugs on Tuesday.
Earlier, Ivory Coast announced it had banned all passenger flights from the three countries hit the worst by the spread of Ebola: Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
It is the second country, after Saudi Arabia, to impose such a ban in a bid to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
There is no cure for Ebola, which has infected at least 1,779 people since the outbreak was first reported in Guinea in February.
Ebola’s initial flu-like symptoms can lead to external haemorrhaging from areas like eyes and gums, and internal bleeding which can lead to organ failure. Patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment.
Meanwhile, China has sent medical supplies worth 30 million yuan ($4.9 million) to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to help fight against the disease.
Separately, the Chinese ambassador to Sierra Leone said on Monday that eight Chinese medical workers who had been treating Ebola patients had been placed in quarantine for the past two weeks in the capital.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, confirmed a 10th case of Ebola on August 11.
Kieran Sorkin, a nine-year-old boy from Hertfordshire, UK, who was born without ears, has had a pair created from his ribs.
Kieran Sorkin had the surgery at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital.
His condition is known as microtia.
Kieran Sorkin was born deaf with small lobes where his ears should be. He can already hear, thanks to previous surgery to implant a hearing aid.
“I want people to stop asking me questions,” he said.
“I’d like just to look like my friends.
“I’d also like to be able to wear sunglasses and earphones.”
Kieran Sorkin was born deaf with small lobes where his ears should be (photo YJ News)
Kieran’s mother, Louise Sorkin said: “He’s a very sociable boy and has longed for this operation for years.
“I don’t want children bullying him because he’s different. I just want him to be accepted like everyone else.”
On the morning of the operation, consultant plastic surgeon Neil Bulstrode stencils the shape of Louise Sorkin’s ears.
He said: “When a patient has one ear we can match the new ear to that. Fortunately Kieran’s mum has very pretty ears so that should work well.”
The surgical team remove cartilage from six of his ribs. It is cut, shaped and sewn.
These frameworks are inserted in pockets in the skin and then using suction, they take on the shape of an ear on both sides.
Great Ormond Street Hospital does about 40 of these operations each year, although most of those are to create one missing ear.
The surgery is cosmetic, not to improve hearing. Dr. Neil Bulstrode said it brings huge psychological benefits.
Last year, US scientists implanted a human-like ear, grown from cow and sheep cells, onto a rat.
However, such research is still at its early stages, and for the foreseeable future children needing new ears will benefit from the same procedure used at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Three days after surgery, Kieran Sorkin was given a mirror to look at his new ears.
Kieran Sorkin will need a second operation in six months to make his ears stand out from the scalp more, but he’s already delighted with the result.
Brazilian companies Cutrale and Safra have made a $611 million bid for American banana group Chiquita.
Juice maker Cutrale and conglomerate Safra have offered $13 a share, a 29% premium to Chiquita’s closing share price on Friday.
Chiquita shares jumped 31% in New York after the bid was announced.
Brazilian companies Cutrale and Safra have made a $611 million bid for American banana group Chiquita
The offer rivals the proposed merger between Chiquita and Irish fruit company Fyffes, announced in March. Shares in Fyffes fell 15% in London.
The merger would create the world’s largest banana company worth $1 billion.
However, the two Brazilian companies said their offer “is clearly more favorable to the Chiquita shareholders than the proposed merger with Fyffes”.
According to the United Nations, the global banana market is currently controlled by four companies, Chiquita, Dole Food Company, Fresh Del Monte and Fyffes.
Miley Cyrus has introduced fans her new pet, a piglet named Bubba Sue.
Sharing a host of pictures of the tiny little piggy via Instagram on Sunday, August 10, 21-year-old Miley Cyrus wrote: “Newest member to the fam #bubbasue.”
Miley Cyrus has introduced fans her new pet, a piglet named Bubba Sue (photo Instagram)
“Happiest mommy ever.”
Bubba Sue is actually the second pig in Miley Cyrus’ life, although it’s the first she’s time she’s ever had one living and travelling with her.
In 2012, animal rights charity PETA sponsored a pet pig in honor of Miley Cyrus’ 20th birthday.
“PETA knew that sponsoring a rescued pig was the perfect birthday present for a young woman who spends so much time encouraging others to help animals,” a spokeswoman for the charity said at the time.
Bobbi Kristina Brown marked on August 9 what would have been her late mother Whitney Houston’s 51st birthday.
Bobbi Kristina Brown marked on August 9 what would have been her late mother Whitney Houston’s 51st birthday (photo Twitter)
Bobbi Kristina Brown tweeted along with a photo of a small cake: “#HappyBirthdaymommy ! #HappyBirthdayWhitney ! #AllAugustAllWhitney #iloveyou ! @nickdgordon @mwhitaker10 #Family.”
In addition to the birthday cake, it looks like Bobbi Kristina Brown wants to continue honoring her mother throughout the month.
“GoodmorningAll ! Having a wonderful #AllAugustAllWhitney #WhitneyBirthdayWeekend ! I love you my lady 🙂 #WhitneyWeekend @nickdgordon,” Bobbi Kristina Brown tweeted on August 10.
Beyonce has instagramed a picture of herself wearing a “Carter” jersey in honor of her husband, Jay-Z (aka Shawn Corey Carter), amid rumors of an imminent divorce.
Beyonce has instagramed a picture of herself wearing a “Carter” jersey in honor of her husband, Jay-Z (photo Instagram)
Beyonce, 32, accessorized the look with a thick chain necklace and matching bangles. She donned low pigtail braids and showed off her toned legs by wearing no pants.
According to Us Weekly, Beyonce and Jay Z, 44, avoided each other toward the end of their final On the Run tour date. Their tour wrapped in San Francisco on August 6.
The Kremlin announced it was working with the Red Cross on sending a humanitarian aid convoy to Ukraine and EU Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso has told President Vladimir Putin not to carry out unilateral military action in the region under any pretext.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has accused Russia of using humanitarian grounds as a pretext for military intervention in eastern Ukraine.
At least 1,500 people have died since Ukraine’s new government sent in troops to put down an insurrection by pro-Russia separatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in mid-April.
The fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom have fled to Russia.
Russia is accused of using humanitarian grounds as a pretext for military intervention in eastern Ukraine
Ukrainian forces have now encircled Donetsk, a city of one million people before the unrest began, and residents are struggling without power or reliable sources of food.
In a statement after Vladimir Putin’s conversation with Jose Manuel Barroso, the Kremlin said: “It was noted that the Russian side, in cooperation with representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, will send to Ukraine a humanitarian convoy.”
It did not say when the aid convoy would leave. The Red Cross acknowledged last week that it had received an offer from the Russian foreign minister about organizing aid convoys to the affected areas in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian government in Kiev and Western powers fear that a Russian humanitarian mission in the east could be used as a pretext to bring Russian military forces across the border.
In a telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin on Monday, Jose Manuel Barroso “warned against any unilateral military actions in Ukraine, under any pretext, including humanitarian,” an EU commission statement said.
Jose Manuel Barroso made a separate telephone call to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to discuss the situation in Luhansk, it added.
Iraqi President Fuad Masum has asked the deputy speaker of parliament, Haider al-Abadi, to form a new government.
Haider al-Abadi had previously been nominated prime minister by Shia parties, instead of the incumbent Nouri al-Maliki.
However, Nouri al-Maliki’s allies rejected Haidr al-Abadi’s nomination, saying he had no legitimacy. Nouri al-Maliki has made it clear he wants to stand for a third term.
Meanwhile the jihadist insurgency in the north of Iraq continues to cause international concern.
Fighters from the Islamic State (IS) group have made substantial gains in northern Iraq in recent months, forcing tens of thousands of people from religious minorities to flee their homes.
The US has begun supplying weapons to the Kurdish Peshmergas who are fighting the militants, senior US officials have told the Associated Press.
Iraq’s deputy speaker of parliament, Haider al-Abadi, has been asked by President Fuad Masum to form a new government (photo Facebook)
Iraq’s security forces are also supporting the Kurdish fighters, and have already delivered three plane-loads of ammunition.
In Baghdad, Iraqi President Fuad Masum said in a TV address that he hoped Haider al-Abadi would succeed in forming a government that would “protect the Iraqi people”.
“The country is now in your hands,” Fuad Masum told Haider al-Abadi, according to the French news agency AFP.
Analysts say the announcement is a public snub for Nouri al-Maliki, whose State of Law coalition won the most seats in April’s elections.
Now he has lost support from some of his own Shias – with the Shia National Alliance reported to have given Haider al-Abadi 130 votes, compared with just 40 votes for Nouri al-Maliki.
Nouri al-Maliki has been prime minister since 2006, but even though his coalition won the elections in April, parliament has still not agreed to give him a third term. He has also lost the backing of the US.
His popularity has suffered from the growing Islamist insurgency in the north – and even before that his support from Sunnis and Kurds was dwindling.
The White House said Vice-President Joe Biden called President Fuad Masum to discuss the nomination of Haider al-Abadi, and promised US support for the formation of a new government.
Haider al-Abadi’s nomination was welcomed outside Iraq. The presidents of France and Turkey called for him to form a government of national unity, while the UN urged Iraqi militias to keep out of politics.
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan sparked controversy after dancing on stage with a woman officer at a police gala in West Bengal state.
Opposition politicians criticized the performance, saying that allowing the officer to dance in uniform undermined respect for the police.
West Bengal’s leader Mamata Banerjee, who attended the event, was also targeted for allowing it to take place.
Shah Rukh Khan sparked controversy after dancing on stage with a woman officer at a police gala in West Bengal state
The dance took place at an annual state police cultural extravaganza on Saturday. Shah Rukh Khan, one of India’s most popular movie stars, was recently declared brand ambassador for West Bengal by Mamata Banerjee.
The president of the opposition Congress Party in the state, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, accused Mamata Banerjee of defying India’s constitution by allowing the officer to dance in uniform.
“The constitution doesn’t allow any person to dance like that in uniform. It’s a shame that the sanctity of police uniform was allowed to be violated. By allowing the officer to dance like that, she [Mamata Banerjee] violated the constitution of India,” he is quoted as saying.
Media reports also quoted the former city Police Commissioner Nirupam Som as saying: “During my tenure, I would not have allowed any officer to dance like that.”
However, some commentators on social media dismissed the tone of the row as “humorless”.
Racing driver Kevin Ward Jr. has died after being struck by the car of three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart during a local sprint race in New York.
Tony Stewart and Kevin Ward Jr., 20, had collided on the previous lap of the dirt track race on Saturday.
Kevin Ward climbed out of his car and was on the track confronting Tony Stewart when he was struck by his countryman’s car.
“There aren’t words to describe the sadness I feel about the accident,” said Tony Stewart, 43, in a statement.
“It’s a very emotional time for all involved. My thoughts and prayers are with Kevin’s family, friends and everyone affected by this tragedy.”
Tony Stewart is the co-owner of NASCAR team Stewart-Haas Racing, having become driver-owner in 2008.
He cancelled plans to compete in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen.
Kevin Ward Jr. has died after being struck by the car of three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart
“We were talking through the night, and we gave Tony some time to sleep on it,” said team manager Greg Zipadelli.
“He feels strongly that this is the right thing to do. We at Stewart-Haas Racing strongly support it and agree with it.”
Tony Stewart, who frequently competes at local sprint car events, was questioned by police and released.
Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said Tony Stewart was “fully co-operative” and appeared “very upset”.
He added: “This is being investigated as an on-track crash and I don’t want to infer that there are criminal charges pending.
“When the investigation is completed, we will sit down with the district attorney and review it.
“But I want to make it very clear – there are no criminal charges pending at this time.”
Philip Povero asked people who have video of the crash to provide copies for investigators to review.
Stewart-Haas Racing said in a statement: “A tragic accident took place last night during a sprint car race in which Tony Stewart was participating.
“Tony was unhurt, but a fellow competitor lost his life. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
“We’re still attempting to sort through all the details and we appreciate your understanding during this difficult time.”
The track, which hosted the local dirt-track event at Canandaigua Motorsports Park, located 30 miles south-east of Rochester in upstate New York, cancelled the remainder of the race within five minutes of the incident.
Rioting over the killing of Michael Brown – an unarmed black teenager – by a police officer has erupted in Missouri, police say.
People looted shops, vandalized cars and stores, and set a building alight on Sunday as police tried to block off access to several areas of St Louis.
Police say Michael Brown, 18, was shot on Saturday afternoon in Ferguson, a mainly black suburb of the city.
He was shot several times after a struggle in a police car, they said.
The rioting erupted late on Sunday after thousands of people attended a candlelight vigil for Michael Brown.
Rioting over the killing of Michael Brown by a police officer has erupted in Missouri
County Police Chief Jon Belmar said the shooting occurred after the officer encountered two men, including Michael Brown, on a street in Ferguson, the Associated Press news agency reports.
Jon Belmar said one of the men pushed the officer back into his squad car and a struggle began.
At least one shot was fired from the officer’s gun inside the police car, Jon Belmar said.
Authorities say they are still trying to clarify exactly what happened inside the vehicle.
The officer involved has been with the Ferguson police department for six years, and has been placed on paid administrative leave, Jon Belmar said.
Mayor James Knowles said he understood that people “want to vent their frustrations. We understand they want to speak out”, but he added: “We’re going to obviously try to urge calm.”
Michael Brown’s mother, Lesley McSpadden, said her son had graduated from high school and planned to go to a local college.
The killing has drawn comparisons by some civil rights leaders with the 2012 killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by a Florida neighborhood watch organizer who was acquitted of murder charges.
Steven Seagal has played a concert in Crimea on a stage adorned with the flag of pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.
The actor and his blues band took to the stage at a bikers’ show in the city of Sevastopol, where Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is based.
Fans waved Russian flags as Steven Seagal sang and played his guitar.
The US and EU have imposed sanctions on Russia over its annexation of Crimea in March.
Steven Seagal has played a concert in Crimea on a stage adorned with the flag of pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine
Russia is also alleged to have provided weapons and support to the rebels in eastern Ukraine.
Steven Seagal said he had travelled to Crimea because music unites people, Russia’s RIA-Novosti news agency reported.
The black, blue and red flag of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) hung in the corner of the stage.
Steven Seagal’s pro-Russian views saw him dropped from the line-up of an Estonian blues festival earlier this summer.
The bikers’ show in Sevastopol was organized by a motorcycle group of Russian nationalists known as the Night Wolves.
RIA Novosti reported Steven Seagal was handed a shirt with Vladimir Putin’s face on it, which he held aloft as he thanked the crowd.
Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters last year the Russian president and Steven Seagal had been friends “for a long time” and regularly meet.
The US has begun directly providing weapons to Kurdish forces who have started to make gains against Islamic State (IS) militants in northern Iraq, senior officials say.
Previously, the US had insisted on only selling arms to the Iraqi government in Baghdad, but the Kurdish peshmerga fighters had been losing ground to IS militants in recent weeks.
The US officials wouldn’t say which agency is providing the arms or what weapons are being sent, but one official said it isn’t the Pentagon. The CIA has historically done similar quiet arming operations.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the operation publicly.
The move to directly aid the Kurds underscores the level of US concern about the IS militants’ gains in the north, and reflects the persistent administration view that the Iraqis must take the necessary steps to solve their own security problems.
The US has begun directly providing weapons to Kurdish forces in northern Iraq
At the same time, the administration is watching carefully as a political crisis brews in Baghdad, and Secretary of State John Kerry warned Iraq’s PM Nouri al-Maliki to maintain calm among the upheaval.
“We believe that the government formation process is critical in terms of sustaining the stability and calm in Iraq,” John Kerry said.
“And our hope is that Mr. Maliki will not stir those waters.”
Speaking in Australia on Monday, John Kerry said there should be no use of force by political factions as Iraq struggles form a government. He said the people of Iraq have made clear their desire for change and that the country’s new president is acting appropriately despite claims of malfeasance by Nouri al-Maliki.
Nouri al-Maliki is resisting calls to step down and says he’ll file a complaint against the president for not naming him prime minister.
John Kerry noted that Nouri al-Maliki’s Shia bloc has put forward three other candidates for the prime minister job and says the US stands with the new president, Fouad Massoum.
Nouri al-Maliki has accused Fouad Massoum of violating the constitution because he has not yet named a prime minister from the country’s largest parliamentary faction, missing a Sunday deadline.
Kings of Leon have postponed a New York concert after drummer Nathan Followill was injured in an accident on the band’s tour bus.
Kings of Leon were en route to their hotel after a show in Boston when a pedestrian jumped in front of the vehicle, the group said in a statement.
Kings of Leon have postponed a New York concert after drummer Nathan Followill was injured in an accident on the band’s tour bus (photo Getty Images)
The bus had to “stop short” and Nathan Followill suffered broken ribs.
Refunds were offered for fans who had tickets to Sunday’s show in Saratoga Springs, New York.
The band’s statement said Nathan Followill was being treated for his injuries but “was doing well”.
Kings of Leon are next due to perform on Tuesday on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on the NBC network, followed by another concert in Wentaugh, New York, at the Jones Beach Theatre on Wednesday.
The band’s North American leg of their Mechanical Bull Tour is due to head south in October with dates in Mexico and Brazil.
Kings of Leon that formed in 1999 in Nashville, Tennessee, is made up of brothers, Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill and their cousin, Cameron Followill.
Twenty four people have been rescued by firefighters after getting stuck at the top of a Six Flags roller coaster in Maryland.
Firefighters were called to the Six Flags theme park after a fault occurred on the Joker’s Jinx (photo AP/Prince George’s County Fire Dept., Marc Bashoor)
AP/Prince George’s County Fire Dept., Marc Bashoor
Firefighters were called to the Six Flags theme park after a fault occurred on the Joker’s Jinx.
The ride ground to a halt leaving the passengers stranded 46ft up in the air at the Six Flags adventure park.
The riders were finally rescued after five hours.
No injuries have been reported but park workers sheltered the riders with umbrellas to give them some relief from the blistering sun.
World number one Rory McIlroy has won this year’s PGA Championship in near darkness at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
Rory McIlroy has become the first UK player to win back-to-back majors.
Three players were still in contention at the final hole, with heavy rain having earlier led to a two-hour delay.
Rory McIlroy has won this year’s PGA Championship in near darkness at Valhalla Golf Club
Rory McIlroy, 25, had earlier seen his overnight one-shot lead wiped out on the front nine and was three shots behind the leaders at one point before taking control after the turn.
A three-under 68 on the final day saw off Phil Mickelson, with Rickie Fowler and Henrik Stenson a shot further adrift.
Rory McIlroy later credited the “best golf of his life” with producing a summer beyond his “wildest dreams”.
His resurgence on the back nine capped an enthralling final day and saw him become the third youngest player of the modern era – after Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus – to win four of golf’s biggest prizes.
Rory McIlroy also becomes the first man to win back-to-back majors since Ireland’s Padraig Harrington in 2008.
A 72-hour ceasefire has come into effect between Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza, after a day of intense diplomacy.
It is hoped the latest truce, which came into effect at 21:00 GMT, will help negotiators agree a longer peace.
Egypt brokered a similar truce last week, but fighting resumed after the three-day window ended.
About 2,000 people have died in the conflict, which began on July 8 when Israel launched an operation to deter militant attacks from Gaza.
Israeli media were reporting warning sirens for rocket attacks right up to the new ceasefire deadline at midnight local time. Israeli air strikes also continued through Sunday evening.
A 72-hour ceasefire has come into effect between Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza, after a day of intense diplomacy
However, an hour into the ceasefire there were no reports of attacks from either side.
After tense talks that both sides had threatened to abandon, the surprise announcement of the truce came late on Sunday.
Izzat al-Reshiq, a Hamas negotiator in Cairo, told Reuters news agency: “In light of Israel’s acceptance of the truce and their return without pre-conditions, we will inform the Egyptian brothers of our positive response.”
In a statement, Egypt’s foreign ministry urged both sides to resume indirect negotiations and “work towards a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire agreement”.
Correspondents say Israel is likely to continue to push for Gaza to be demilitarized, and Hamas will continue to demand the blockade of Gaza to be lifted.
However, an unidentified Hamas negotiator said their demands were likely to be “more modest” this time.
Since the last 72-hour truce ended on Friday, there has been regular exchange of fire.
Israeli air strikes have killed at least 20 Palestinians. Two Israelis were injured by mortars.
On the Israeli side, where dozens of communities have been evacuated, residents will also be able to return home.
