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Utah attorneys general John Swallow and Mark Shurtleff arrested on bribery charges

Diane A. Wade
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Utah attorneys general John Swallow and Mark Shurtleff arrested on bribery charges

Former attorneys general in Utah, John Swallow and Mark Shurtleff, have been arrested on bribery charges, authorities say.

John Swallow, 51, and Mark Shurtleff, 56, are accused of accepting cash or campaign contributions from people facing potential scrutiny by the attorney general’s office.

Both men are also accused of attempting to cover up the alleged schemes.

If convicted, they face more than 15 years in prison. Both men have publicly maintained their innocence.

“This is a sad day for Utah,” Utah Governor Gary Herbert wrote in a statement.

Mark Shurtleff and John Swallow are accused of accepting cash or campaign contributions from people facing potential scrutiny by the attorney general's office
Mark Shurtleff and John Swallow are accused of accepting cash or campaign contributions from people facing potential scrutiny by the attorney general’s office (photo Tribune)

“The entire situation, regardless of how the legal process plays out, is a black eye for our state.”

Mark Shurtleff and John Swallow were arrested at their homes on Tuesday morning, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill told reporters, adding the investigation was ongoing and more charges may be filed.

John Swallow currently faces 13 charges including felony bribery, and Mark Shurtleff faces 10 charges.

Both are accused of accepting more than $50,000, as well as using personal property including a luxury jet and houseboat owned by a businessman in trouble with regulators.

They also allegedly stayed at an expensive beach resort, and accepted meals, clothing and massages paid for by another man charged with fraud by the Utah attorney general’s office months ago.

Mark Shurtleff was dogged by allegations of corruption while in office, departing in 2013 when John Swallow, his chief deputy, took the helm.

John Swallow resigned later that same year, claiming the scrutiny was too much for his family.

Probes by the US Department of Justice, the state bar and Utah elections officials were launched, and an investigation conducted by Utah lawmakers found John Swallow destroyed or fabricated records while in office.

“I absolutely maintain my innocence. We refute the charges,” John Swallow told reporters on Tuesday as he left jail.

“This finally gives us the opportunity to start to respond back.”

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Typhoon Rammasun hits central Philippines

Nancy Clayson
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Typhoon Rammasun hits central Philippines

Typhoon Rammasun hit the central Philippines forcing thousands of people to evacuate.

The typhoon, also known as Glenda, struck the main island of Luzon with gusts of up to 115 mph.

Authorities said at least four people had been killed by the storm.

Officials said the eye of the storm passed south of the capital, Manila, but the severe weather brought it to a standstill.

Government offices and schools were shut on Wednesday while flights were cancelled.

Typhoon Rammasun hit the central Philippines forcing thousands of people to evacuate
Typhoon Rammasun hit the central Philippines forcing thousands of people to evacuate

More than 370,000 people, mostly in the eastern province of Albay which was the first to be hit by the typhoon, had been evacuated, the Philippine National Red Cross said.

Town halls had been converted into shelters and evacuees had also been taken to schools and gymnasiums.

Strong winds also bore down on homes in outlying slum areas along Manila Bay, where thousands of people live.

Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, said staff were trying to rescue people trapped by fallen debris in Batangas City.

“We have not received reports of major flooding in Manila because the typhoon did not bring rain but the winds were strong,” he said, adding that an increased awareness of storm surges and a willingness to follow government advice had also helped reduce casualties this time around.

The Philippines is hit by around 20 major storms a year. Typhoon Rammasun is the first to make landfall this year after the rainy season began in June.

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JPMorgan reports 8% fall in profits but Goldman Sachs income rises in Q2 2014

Clyde K. Valle
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JPMorgan reports 8% fall in profits but Goldman Sachs income rises in Q2 2014

JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs have seen mixed results from their investment businesses.

JPMorgan reported an 8% fall in Q2 2014 profits after declines in its securities trading business.

Net income in the three months to the end of June was $6 billion – a fall of $500 million compared with a year earlier.

However, Goldman Sachs saw a 5% profit rise after higher revenues from its investing and lending business.

JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs have seen mixed results from their investment businesses
JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs have seen mixed results from their investment businesses

The bank earned $1.95 billion in the three months to June 30, up from $1.86 billion in the same period a year earlier.

JPMorgan, the biggest US bank in terms of assets, saw net income from its corporate and investment business drop by $800 million to $2 billion, a fall of 31%.

A decline in bonds and currencies trading by big institutions hit revenue in the bank’s securities trading business.

Nevertheless, the bank said it had seen a “strong performance” in overall investment bank fees.

Its results beat market expectations and JPMorgan shares rose 3% to $57.96 in premarket trading on Tuesday.

JPMorgan’s mortgage business also declined in the quarter, with mortgage lending down 38% to $709m. Mortgage application volumes dropped 54% to $30.1 billion.

US mortgage lending volumes have slowed as mortgage rates have risen. Last week, the largest US mortgage lender, Wells Fargo, reported a 39% drop in mortgage revenue in the second quarter.

Goldman Sachs revenues from currency and commodity trading were down 10% to $2.22 billion, but the firm’s investment business was buoyed by mergers and acquisitions, and equity underwriting.

Goldman Sachs saw net revenue in its investing and lending division jump 46% to $2.07 billion, including net gains of $1.25 billion from investments in equities.

BRICS countries agree to create $100 billion development bank and emergency reserve fund

Clyde K. Valle
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BRICS countries agree to create $100 billion development bank and emergency reserve fund

The BRICS countries have signed a deal to create a new $100 billion development bank and emergency reserve fund.

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa make the BRICS group.

The capital for the bank will be split equally among the five participating countries.

The bank will have a headquarters in Shanghai, China and the first president for the bank will come from India.

Brazil’s president Dilma Rouseff has announced the creation of the bank at this year’s BRICS summit meeting in Fortaleza, Brazil on Tuesday.

The BRICS countries have signed a deal to create a new $100 billion development bank and emergency reserve fund
The BRICS countries have signed a deal to create a new $100 billion development bank and emergency reserve fund

At first, the bank will start off with $50 billion in initial capital.

The emergency reserve fund – which was announced as a “Contingency Reserve Arrangement” – will also have $100 billion, and will help developing nations avoid “short-term liquidity pressures, promote further BRICS cooperation, strengthen the global financial safety net and complement existing international arrangements”.

The creation of the BRICS bank will almost surely create competition for both the World Bank and other similar regional funds.

BRICS nations have criticized the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for not giving developing nations enough voting rights.

One of the goals for the BRICS bank – whose creation has been discussed for some time – would be to increase the amount of money loaned to developing countries to help with infrastructure projects.

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Mia Moo Fund presents Jim Dillard Boat Giveaway to raise cleft lip awareness

Sonia Pantiss
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Mia Moo Fund presents Jim Dillard Boat Giveaway to raise cleft lip awareness

The Mia Moo Fund is presenting the Jim Dillard Boat Giveaway, an amazing opportunity to generate awareness about cleft lip and palate.

According to the foundation website, the prize is Jim Dillard’s 2014 Basscat Puma FTD with a Yamaha 250 SHO Outboard, Minn Kota Fortrex 112 Trolling Motor, 12’ Minn Kota Talon, and Hummingbird Electronics. It is a top of the line boat that is sure to please any fisherman, hobbyist or anything in-between, the website wrote.

The Mia Moo Fund is presenting the Jim Dillard Boat Giveaway, an amazing opportunity to generate awareness about cleft lip and palate
The Mia Moo Fund is presenting the Jim Dillard Boat Giveaway, an amazing opportunity to generate awareness about cleft lip and palate (photo Mia Moo Fund)

Duck Dynasty‘s Missy Robertson wrote on her Facebook page: „Jim Dillard, a professional fisherman and friend, has decided to raffle off his boat and donate the proceeds to the Mia Moo Fund! Thanks, Jim! So many cleft kids and families need our help.

„Win this boat from professional fisherman Jim Dillard and help the Mia Moo Fund in the process. See miamoo.org for more details and purchase your raffle tickets for only $20 today. http://www.miamoo.org/fundraisers/win-the-jim-dillard-boat.html”

The Mia Moo Fund organization began in 2014 after Mia Robertson, daughter of Duck Dynasty’s Jase and Missy Robertson, completed surgery for her cleft palate.

Keep in mind that you do not have to be a Duck Dynasty member to be a generous person who gives to an important cause. If you have an old boat that you no longer use, you can donate it to a worthy cause and help raise money for various associations around the country.
All you have to do is contact an organization that accepts boat donations and they will get you started. You should also contact the charity if you have any questions about boat donation. As an added bonus, you will receive a tax deduction in exchange for your generosity.

Willie, Korie, Si, and Alan Robertson at Columbus North Gym on August 23

Sonia Pantiss
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Willie, Korie, Si, and Alan Robertson at Columbus North Gym on August 23

A Night with A&E’s Duck Dynasty: Willie, Korie, Si, and Alan

Duck Dynasty’s Willie and Korie Robertson will talk about their family, their business and how their Faith has laid the foundation in these areas at Columbus North Gym, Indiana, on August 23.

Willie and Korie Robertson will talk about their family and their business at Columbus North Gym on August 23
Willie and Korie Robertson will talk about their family and their business at Columbus North Gym on August 23

Willie, Korie, Alan and Uncle Si will answer audience questions and comments.

Location: Columbus North Gym, 1400 25th Street, Columbus, IN 47201

Price: Great seats are available starting at $25.  Prices are from $25 – $55

How to purchase tickets: By phone to Blank Slate Ticket Office 812-343-9762, on line at www.blankslatepro.org, or locally at Midwest Computer Solutions in Columbus IN

Date: August 23, 2014, 7:00 PM. Doors open at 6:00 PM.

Unlocking The Truth: School metal band signs record deal with Sony Music

Sonia Pantiss
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Unlocking The Truth: School metal band signs record deal with Sony Music

New York’s school heavy metal band Unlocking The Truth featuring one 12-year-old and two 13-year-olds have signed a record deal with Sony Music.

From Brooklyn, Unlocking The Truth have already appeared at major festivals and opened for Guns N’ Roses.

Reports suggest the trio could make $1.7 million for up to six albums.

Unlocking The Truth is made up of guitarist Malcolm Brickhouse, 13, bassist Alec Atkins, 13, and 12-year-old drummer Jarad Dawkins.

Unlocking The Truth have already appeared at major festivals and opened for Guns N' Roses
Unlocking The Truth have already appeared at major festivals and opened for Guns N’ Roses

The teenagers create their own lyrics and music while still going to school in Brooklyn.

Discovered in New York’s Washington Square Park by Eric Clapton’s drummer, Steve Jordan, in 2012, the boys say they’ve since had gigs all over the US.

One of their biggest breaks came in August last year where they won the first round of the AfroPunk Battle of the Bands, going on to perform at the AfroPunk Festival.

This year they performed at Coachella Music and Arts Festival, opened for rock veterans Guns N’ Roses in Las Vegas and are due to play ahead of Queens of the Stone Age.

On their website, Unlocking the Truth say they were inspired by Metallica, Slipknot, Disturbed, Living Colour, Chelsea Grin, Motionless in White, Escape the Fate, ”and many other great bands”.

On the news of their deal Jarad Dawkins’ mother, Tabatha Dawkins said: ”It’s so exciting. We’re jumping over the moon.

“What started out as play dates went to Times Square and now this. It’s been one great thing after another.”

Unlocking The Truth say they just want to be the best metal band in the world.

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Tupac Shakur Broadway musical to close after less than two months

Sonia Pantiss
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Tupac Shakur Broadway musical to close after less than two months

Broadway musical Holler If Ya Hear Me, featuring songs by late rapper Tupac Shakur, is to close after less than two months.

The curtains will fall for the final time on Sunday at the Palace Theatre after just 38 performances.

Producer Eric L. Gold cited “the financial burdens of Broadway” as the reason.

The jukebox show features Tupac Shakur’s hits but does not tell the story of the rapper, who died after being shot in 1996 aged 25.

Broadway musical Holler If Ya Hear Me features songs by late rapper Tupac Shakur
Broadway musical Holler If Ya Hear Me features songs by late rapper Tupac Shakur

Last week, it managed to pull in only $155,000 from a possible $917,000, which is less than 17%.

Directed by Kenny Leon, who won a Tony Award for his recent revival of A Raisin In the Sun, Holler If Ya Hear Me is billed as a non-biographical story about friendship, family, revenge, change and hope.

The musical received mixed reviews from critics.

Variety called it a “generic gangland saga” that was “predictable” with “clumsy characterizations”, although praised its “soaring performances”.

Featuring Tupac Shakur tracks such as California Love, Me Against the World and Keep Ya Head Up, the musical is the first time hip hop classics have been performed on the Broadway stage.

Tupac Shakur’s mother, Afeni Shakur, is a producer of the show.

Rapper Tupac Shakur died following a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, thought to be the result of gangland conflict.

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Gaza: Israel resumes air strikes as truce bid fails

Roy Siemens
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Gaza: Israel resumes air strikes as truce bid fails

Israel has restarted air strikes on Hamas-controlled Gaza, after its brief truce was met with continuing rocket fire.

Israel had earlier accepted an Egyptian ceasefire proposal and halted operations on Tuesday morning.

But the armed wing of Hamas rejected the initiative as a “surrender”.

Palestinian officials say at least 192 people have been killed by Israeli air strikes launched eight days ago to stop militants firing rockets into Israel.

At least four Israelis have been seriously injured since the violence flared, but none have been killed.

The Israel Defense Forces said militants had fired 76 rockets into Israel on Tuesday.

Israel has restarted air strikes on Hamas-controlled Gaza, after its brief truce was met with continuing rocket fire
Israel has restarted air strikes on Hamas-controlled Gaza, after its brief truce was met with continuing rocket fire (photo AP)

It said that after resuming its air strikes, 30 targets had been attacked in Gaza, including 20 concealed rocket launchers, tunnels, a weapon storage facility and operational infrastructure used by a senior militant.

Under the terms of the Egyptian initiative, the ceasefire should have been followed by a series of meetings in Cairo with high-level delegations from the two sides.

There has been no definitive response to the initiative from Hamas.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said he could not “condemn strongly enough” Hamas’ actions in continuing to fire rockets.

Israel’s security cabinet, convened by PM Benjamin Netanyahu, had approved the truce on Tuesday morning, minutes before the proposed time for it to come into effect – at 09:00.

“We agreed to the Egyptian proposal in order to give an opportunity for the demilitarization of the [Gaza] Strip – from missiles, from rockets and from tunnels – through diplomatic means,” Benjamin Netanyahu had said.

But he had then added: “If Hamas does not accept the ceasefire proposal, as would now seem to be the case, Israel would have all international legitimacy to broaden the military operation to achieve the required quiet.”

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Afghanistan: Paktika market car bomb attack kills at least 89

Roy Siemens
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Afghanistan: Paktika market car bomb attack kills at least 89

A car bomb attack at a busy market in eastern Afghanistan’s Paktika province has killed at least 89 people and injured dozens others, local officials say.

Officials say the attacker drove a 4×4 vehicle into the market in Orgun district and detonated the explosives.

The market was full of people doing their shopping for the Muslim festival Ramadan at the time of the attack.

No group has claimed the attack, but Taliban insurgents said they had not carried it out.

“We clearly announce that it was not done by the Mujahedeen of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.

Eyewitnesses and medical staff said local hospitals were overrun with casualties after one of the deadliest attacks in months in Afghanistan.

The eastern province of Paktika shares a border with Pakistan’s restive and volatile tribal areas.

At least 89 people have been killed and dozens injured in a suicide attack at a busy market in eastern Afghanistan's Paktika province
At least 89 people have been killed and dozens injured in a suicide attack at a busy market in eastern Afghanistan’s Paktika province (photo Reuters)

Orgun is one of Paktika’s safest areas, though members of the Haqqani militant network are thought to have a presence there.

A spokesman for Afghanistan’s defense ministry said that most of the 89 bodies recovered from the rubble were women and children.

Some 42 injured people have been taken to hospital.

Most of those killed were shopkeepers and people doing their Ramadan shopping.

One man who witnessed the attack said the blast was huge and destroyed dozens of cars and shops.

Eyewitnesses say police and security forces pursued the attacker before he entered the market.

One doctor at Orgun hospital, said it had become overcrowded with casualties.

“We have got children, men and women injured and dead,” he said.

The attack occurred hours after two men working for the media team of outgoing President Hamid Karzai were killed by a roadside bomb in Kabul.

The Taliban said it had carried out the attack, which targeted a vehicle carrying employees of the presidential palace to work.

It comes days after Afghanistan’s two presidential candidates reached a deal to resolve a dispute over the results of last month’s presidential election.

The contenders, Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani, agreed to accept the outcome of a vote audit after earlier allegations of voter fraud.

The dispute had revived fears for Afghanistan’s stability after the withdrawal of US-led forces later this year.

Moscow metro crash death toll rises to 19

Diane A. Wade
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Moscow metro crash death toll rises to 19

The death toll of this morning’s Moscow metro crash has risen to 19, the Russian emergency ministry has announced.

Scores were injured, some seriously, when a packed commuter train braked abruptly between stations in the west of the city in the morning rush hour.

Some of those hurt were carried out of the tunnel on stretchers, with the most serious cases airlifted to hospital.

The cause of the crash – one of the worst incidents ever on the metro – is reported to be a power surge.

The train derailed between Slaviansky Boulevard and Park Pobedy (Victory Park) stations in the west on the city.

The death toll of this morning's Moscow metro crash has risen to 19
The death toll of this morning’s Moscow metro crash has risen to 19

Some 50 people were in a serious condition, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported, quoting a health official.

“The train slowed down abruptly, the lights went off, and then there was a spark of fire and smoke. We were blocked in,” one passenger told Russian TV.

Another, quoted by Reuters news agency, said: “We were trapped and only got out by some miracle. I thought it was the end. Many people were hurt, mostly in the front carriage because the cars ran into each other.”

A number of bodies were recovered from the wrecked carriages but some remained underground, officials said.

More than 1,100 people were evacuated.

The packed commuter train was travelling from the north-west of Moscow to the city centre at the time of the crash.

The tunnel where crash happened was built about 10 years ago.

Critics accuse the authorities of spending too much on extending the metro system, and not enough on maintenance.

Park Pobedy is the deepest metro station in Moscow, 84m (275ft) deep, which is making the rescue particularly hard.

No foreigners were among the injured, the Interfax news agency said.

Militant attacks on Russia’s railways and transport networks have killed dozens of people in the past, but the emergencies ministry said there was no suspicion of such a cause in this case.

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Oscar Pistorius in nightclub row with Jared Mortimer

Clyde K. Valle
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Oscar Pistorius in nightclub row with Jared Mortimer

Oscar Pistorius was involved in an argument at a nightclub at the weekend, his spokesperson has said.

The South African athlete had an altercation with businessman Jared Mortimer who said he was drunk, The Star newspaper says.

Oscar Pistorius’ spokesperson said the argument took place after Jared Mortimer started to “aggressively interrogate” him about his murder trial.

Reeva Steenkamp was killed at Oscar Pistorius’ home in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, on February 14, 2013.

Jared Mortimer said he got involved in a row with Oscar Pistorius at the nightclub in Johannesburg’s upmarket suburb of Sandton, after the athlete insulted his friends and South African President Jacob Zuma’s family, The Star reports.

Oscar Pistorius had an altercation with businessman Jared Mortimer at a Johannesburg nightclub
Oscar Pistorius had an altercation with businessman Jared Mortimer at a Johannesburg nightclub (photo AP)

“I took that personally because I am very good friends with a member of the Zuma family,” Jared Mortimer is quoted as saying.

Jared Mortimer said the Olympic sprinter was intoxicated and started to poke him in the chest while they were talking.

The businessman said he then pushed Oscar Pistorius away from him and the athlete fell over a chair.

The club’s bouncers helped Oscar Pistorius up, but were asked to remove him after he “had a confrontation with another man”, Jared Mortimer is quoted as saying.

Anneliese Burgess, a spokeswoman for Oscar Pistorius’ family, disputed Jared Mortimer’s version of events.

Oscar Pistorius, 27, was in the VIP section of the club when he was approached by a man who had since been identified as Jared Mortimer, she said.

“The individual, according to my client, started to aggressively interrogate him on matters relating to the trial,” said Anneliese Burgess.

She added that Oscar Pistorius “regrets the decision to go to a public space and thereby inviting unwelcome attention”.

On Sunday, hours after the incident, Oscar Pistorius tweeted for the first time since the death of Reeva Steenkamp.

He tweeted a Bible verse, a collage of pictures of his humanitarian work, and an extract from Viktor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning.

Oscar Pistorius’s murder trial was adjourned last week for closing arguments on August 7.

Gaza conflict: Israel accepts Egyptian truce proposal

Roy Siemens
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Gaza conflict: Israel accepts Egyptian truce proposal

Egypt launched an initiative on Monday to halt Israel-Palestinian conflict.

On Tuesday, Israel has accepted the truce proposal for the conflict with Gaza.

Hamas, which controls Gaza, has not formally responded. But its armed wing has rejected the plan as a “surrender”.

Under the terms, the ceasefire should begin immediately, followed by a series of meetings in Cairo with high-level delegations from both sides.

Palestinian officials say at least 192 people have been killed by Israeli air strikes launched eight days ago to stop militants firing rockets into Israel.

There have been no Israeli air strikes into Gaza since the 09:00 truce, but at least one rocket has been fired from Gaza into Israel.

Egypt launched an initiative to halt Israel-Palestinian conflict
Egypt launched an initiative to halt Israel-Palestinian conflict

Israel’s security cabinet, convened by PM Benjamin Netanyahu, voted to approve the truce on Tuesday morning, minutes before the proposed time for it to come into effect.

Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the IDF, Israel’s military, said: “In accordance with the government directives, the IDF now holds fire. We remain alert and preserve high preparedness levels, both defensive and offensive. If the Hamas terror organization will fire at Israel, we shall respond.”

For now, Hamas sources are saying its attacks will “increase in ferocity and intensity” unless Israel releases prisoners and co-operates with Egypt to lift economic restrictions on Gaza.

That is not encouraging but does not mean that a deal will not ultimately be done – just that it will not be easy, our correspondent says.

Meanwhile the casualty figures continue to mount.

Three people were killed in Khan Younis, south of Gaza, on Tuesday morning, shortly before Israel accepted the proposed truce.

Of the 192 now reported dead by the Palestinian health authority, the UN estimates that over three-quarters were civilians.

An estimated 1,400 Palestinians have been injured.

Israel disputes the Palestinian casualty figures, saying they were based on Hamas sources and were not objective.

At least four Israelis have been seriously injured since the violence flared, but no-one has been killed.

Israeli sources said at least three rockets landed in and around the southern Israeli city of Eilat overnight.

Reports suggest they may have been fired from the Sinai peninsula in Egypt rather than from Gaza.

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Australia: Black Saturday bushfires survivors win record payout

Diane A. Wade
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Australia: Black Saturday bushfires survivors win record payout

Victims of one of the worst bushfires in Australia have won a payout of almost A$500 million ($470 million), in the country’s largest class action settlement.

Some 10,000 plaintiffs sued a power company for negligence over the fire.

The case centered on the most deadly blaze on Black Saturday, on February 7, 2009, when wildfires swept across several areas in the state of Victoria.

This fire, in the Kilmore East area north of Melbourne, killed 119 people and destroyed more than 1,000 homes.

The 2009 Black Saturday fires resulted in Australia's highest ever loss of life from a bushfire
The 2009 Black Saturday fires resulted in Australia’s highest ever loss of life from a bushfire

A 2009 Royal Commission found that the fire began when an electricity line failed between two poles. Contact between the live conductor and a cable stay supporting the pole caused arcing that ignited vegetation, the report said.

The plaintiffs accused SP AusNet of failing to adequately maintain its power lines.

They also sued Utility Services Corporation Ltd, the line maintenance contractor, and the Department of Sustainability and Environment for inadequate prevention measures.

The group was awarded a settlement of A$497.4 million ($467 million), of which SP AusNet will pay A$378.6 million.

The settlement represented “a measure of justice and some real compensation to help ease the financial burden of their suffering,” lawyer for the plaintiffs Andrew Watson said.

SP AusNet said the settlement came without an admission of liability by the company.

“SP AusNet’s position has been, and continues to be, that the conductor which broke and which initiated the fire was damaged by lightning, compromising its fail-safety design in a manner which was undetectable at the time,” it said in a statement.

“It is a tragedy that the conductor eventually failed on one of the worst days imaginable.”

A total of 173 people died in the Black Saturday fires.

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Moscow Metro crash kills three people and injures over 80

Diane A. Wade
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Moscow Metro crash kills three people and injures over 80

At least three people have been killed and over 80 injured as a train derailed on the Moscow Metro on the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya dark blue Metro line on Tuesday morning.

A statement from the metro said only that a train derailed on the network’s blue line, without providing any details, the AFP news agency reported.

At least three people have been killed and over 80 injured in Moscow Metro crash
At least three people have been killed and over 80 injured in Moscow Metro crash (photo RIA Novosti)

There is no word as to the cause of the crash, in the west of the city.

The Moscow metro is one of the oldest and most extensive underground railway systems in the world.

Some of the most seriously injured passengers were taken to hospital by helicopter, Russian TV said.

The train derailed in a tunnel between stations.

News of the derailment was preceded by reports of smoke detected on the dark blue line of the Moscow Metro. Later, Moscow’s emergencies agency denied reports of smoke and said a sudden failure in the electricity supply to a conductor rail could have caused the accident.

Live giant African snails seized at Los Angeles airport

Nancy Clayson
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Live giant African snails seized at Los Angeles airport

Customs agents have seized 67 live giant African snails at Los Angeles International Airport.

The snails, which are prohibited in the US, were found by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspectors.

They arrived from Nigeria and were intended for a person in California, said Lee Harty, a spokeswoman for the customs agency.

The mollusks are among the largest land snails in the world and can grow up to 8 inches long, said officials.

Customs agents have seized 67 live giant African snails at Los Angeles International Airport
Customs agents have seized 67 live giant African snails at Los Angeles International Airport (photo AP)

The US Department of Agriculture put the snails in an incinerator after they were inspected, said Lee Harty, because they can carry parasites that are harmful to humans, including one that can lead to meningitis.

They are also potentially damaging to nature, said Maveeda Mirza, the CBP program manager for agriculture.

“These snails are seriously harmful to local plants because they will eat any kind of crop they can get to,” said Maveeda Mirza, who added that investigations were continuing into why one person would want so many.

“We’re investigating what happened, but it doesn’t seem like there was smuggling involved,” she said.

This is the first time that they have confiscated such a large quantity, Maveeda Mirza added, although there have been cases of much smaller numbers being found to be accidentally in people’s luggage.

Germany issues stamp celebrating World Cup win

Nancy Clayson
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Germany issues stamp celebrating World Cup win

Germany has issued a stamp celebrating its soccer team’s victory at the 2014 World Cup championship.

Five million were printed before the final match was even held.

The stamp was ordered by Germany’s finance ministry which holds a large stake in Deutsche Post.

Germany has issued a stamp celebrating its soccer team's victory at the 2014 World Cup championship
Germany has issued a stamp celebrating its soccer team’s victory at the 2014 World Cup championship

Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he had “dared to hope very early on” that the national team would win.

If Germany had lost to Argentina on Sunday the 0.60 euro stamps would have had to be pulped.

The stamp will go on sale on Thursday, July 17, after the first commemorative copies are presented to the coach, players and team staff.

Graphic designer Lutz Menze told German news agency DPA that the image does not show individual footballers in order to honor the whole team.

He said that producing a stamp usually takes six months but he had been contacted by the government after the tournament had already started.

It was Germany’s fourth World Cup title after 1954, 1974 and 1990.

WTO: US violated global trade rules by imposing tariffs on products from China and India

Clyde K. Valle
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WTO: US violated global trade rules by imposing tariffs on products from China and India

The United States violated global trade rules when it imposed tariffs on products from China and India, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has found.

In response to a 2012 complaint, the WTO said the US improperly imposed tariffs on Chinese steel and solar panels.

The WTO said the US improperly imposed tariffs on Chinese steel and solar panels
The WTO said the US improperly imposed tariffs on Chinese steel and solar panels

In a separate ruling, it said the US must change the way it imposes tariffs on India steel products.

The US is embroiled in several trade spats with China and India.

“China urges the United States to respect the WTO rulings and correct its wrongdoings of abusively using trade remedy measures, and to ensure an environment of fair competition for Chinese enterprises,” said China’s foreign trade ministry in a statement.

However, the WTO did not agree with all of the complaints filed by India and China.

The US – which has argued it imposed the tariffs to combat artificially low prices on products from India and China’s state-subsidized industries – has the right to appeal the ruling.

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Citigroup agrees to pay $7 billion to settle sub-prime mortgage case

Clyde K. Valle
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Citigroup agrees to pay $7 billion to settle sub-prime mortgage case

Citigroup has agreed to pay $7 billion to US authorities to settle an investigation into risky sub-prime mortgages.

Citigroup will pay $4 billion to the Department of Justice and $2.5 billion for “consumer relief”.

Consumer relief includes investment in affordable homes and mortgage relief.

Following the decision, the bank reported a stronger than predicted quarterly profit, and saw its share price rise by 3.62% to $48.70.

Second-quarter earnings fell by 96% to $181 million, but that was after a $3.8 billion charge related to the settlement.

Citigroup has agreed to pay $7 billion to US authorities to settle an investigation into risky sub-prime mortgages
Citigroup has agreed to pay $7 billion to US authorities to settle an investigation into risky sub-prime mortgages

The settlement stems from the sale of securities made up of sub-prime mortgages, which were at the centre of the 2008 financial crisis.

Citigroup is the second major bank to pay a settlement since President Barack Obama launched an investigation into housing loans.

JPMorgan Chase paid $13 billion last year to settle government investigations.

The Citigroup fines are said to have surprised stock analysts and people inside the bank, who had hoped to settle for less.

According to the US Attorney General Eric Holder, “under the terms of this settlement, the bank has admitted to its misdeeds in great detail”.

Eric Holder said the settlement “does not absolve Citigroup or its employees from facing any possible criminal charges in the future”.

Citigroup’s chief executive, Michael L. Corbat, said that the decision was the right one for shareholders.

“We believe that this settlement is in the best interests of our shareholders, and allows us to move forward and to focus on the future, not the past,” he said.

Investors welcomed the decision, as Citigroup’s share price rose in New York trading.

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Sotheby’s to auction art on eBay

Sonia Pantiss
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Sotheby’s to auction art on eBay

Sotheby’s and eBay will create a web platform to allow viewers to bid on and buy art.

According to Sotheby’s chief operating officer Bruno Vinciguerra, the international art auction house hoped to reach “the broadest possible audience around the world” with the move.

Sotheby’s said the number of lots purchased online increased 36% in 2013.

Online art sales are expected to reach $13 billion by 2020.

Sotheby's and eBay will create a web platform to allow viewers to bid on and buy art
Sotheby’s and eBay will create a web platform to allow viewers to bid on and buy art (photo Getty Images)

In April, John James Audubon’s elephant-folio The Birds of America sold for $3.5 million online via a live auction at Sotheby’s – a record for the company.

The venture will start with live auctions streamed from Sotheby’s New York headquarters, which will allow “real-time bidding from anywhere around the world”.

Sotheby’s will offer 18 categories to start, focusing jewelry, watches, prints, wine, photographs and 20th century design – categories the company says have been particularly appealing to online buyers.

The move comes just ahead of eBay’s earnings, which are set to be released on Wednesday, and as more and more start-ups, such as Artsy, Artspace and Paddle8 allow consumers to buy art on the web.

In 2013, Amazon announced it would sell works by artists such as Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol on its website.

Sotheby’s and eBay declined to give a firm start date for the service.

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Ukrainian military plane shot down near Russian border

Roy Siemens
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Ukrainian military plane shot down near Russian border

A Ukrainian military plane has been shot down in the east, amid fighting with pro-Russian separatist rebels, Ukrainian officials say.

They say the An-26 plane was hit at an altitude of 21,325ft.

The plane was targeted with “a more powerful missile” than a shoulder-carried missile, “probably fired” from Russia. The crew survived.

Russia has made no comment. Separately, NATO reported a Russian troop build-up near the Ukraine border.

The Ukrainian military plane has been shot down in the east, amid fighting with pro-Russian separatist rebels
The Ukrainian military plane has been shot down in the east, amid fighting with pro-Russian separatist rebels

Russia denies supporting and arming the separatists, and has invited officials from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe to monitor its border with Ukraine.

A statement on Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko’s website said the An-26 was taking part in an “anti-terror operation” in the region.

The statement quoted Ukrainian Defense Minister Valeriy Heletei as saying that a search-and-rescue operation was now under way.

Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for Ukraine’s security and defense council, was later quoted by Ukrainian media as saying that eight people were on board the plane.

Rebel forces earlier said they had targeted the aircraft in the Luhansk region.

This comes as the Ukrainian air force said it had delivered “five powerful air strikes” on targets in the region in a bid to end a rebel blockade of a strategic airport there.

Several targets were hit near the airport in the rebel-held city of Luhansk, a military spokesman said.

Ukraine’s military later said the airport had been “unblocked” and the army had retaken several villages.

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Ladies in White: More than 90 women protesters detained in Cuba

Diane A. Wade
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Ladies in White: More than 90 women protesters detained in Cuba

Cuban opposition activist group “Ladies in White” says dozens of its members were detained during a protest march.

The women, who were freed after several hours, were marking the deaths of 37 people who drowned while fleeing the island 20 years ago.

The government has always denied the group’s allegation that the authorities deliberately sunk a tugboat in 1994.

For 10 years, Ladies in White members have defied a protest ban on the Communist island by marching every week, dressed in white.

Ladies in White members were detained during a protest march in Cuba
Ladies in White members were detained during a protest march in Cuba (photo AFP)

The group says its members were rounded-up by police on Sunday, as they tried to divert from their normal protest route in the capital, Havana.

More than 90 of them were bundled into buses off the city’s smart 5th Avenue as they headed towards the seafront, they say.

The women were planning to lay flowers in memory of the adults and children who died when the tugboat they had hijacked sank as it was pursued by the Cuban authorities in Caribbean waters.

Dissident groups allege the vessel was rammed and flooded with water cannon, but the government has always maintained the sinking was an accident.

The women are routinely detained and their protests broken up, but these days their march attracts minimal public interest.

However, the group’s members say their protests have produced results, with all 75 political prisoners they have campaigned for now free.

The Cuban authorities say the “Ladies in White” are in the pay of the US and form part of Washington’s “decades-old effort to undermine Cuba’s socialist revolution”.

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Missing Nigeria girls: Malala Yousafzai meets President Goodluck Jonathan

Roy Siemens
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Missing Nigeria girls: Malala Yousafzai meets President Goodluck Jonathan

Malala Yousafzai has met Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan to press for more action to free at least 200 girls held by Boko Haram Islamist militants.

Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau has reiterated in a new video message that he is prepared to negotiate a prisoner swap for them.

He also expressed support for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-declared caliph of a new Middle Eastern state.

Boko Haram sparked a global outcry when it abducted the girls three months ago.

Goodluck Jonathan’s government has faced strong criticism for not doing enough to curb violence by Boko Haram, especially in the wake of the kidnappings.

Malala Yousafzai has met Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan to press for more action to free at least 200 girls held by Boko Haram Islamist militants
Malala Yousafzai has met Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan to press for more action to free at least 200 girls held by Boko Haram Islamist militants

Pakistani rights activist Malala Yousafzai, 17, met Goodluck Jonathan in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, and urged him to meet the families of the kidnapped girls.

She also met relatives of the girls on Sunday, and expressed solidarity with them.

President Goodluck Jonathan has not spoken to the relatives, exactly three months after the abductions.

The military has also failed to debrief some of the girls who managed to escape from captivity, he says.

In a statement after his meeting with Malala Yousafzai, President Goodluck Jonathan said he would meet with the parents before they left Abuja “to personally comfort them and reassure them” that the government was doing “all within its powers to rescue their daughters”.

The notion that the government has not been doing enough to find and rescue the girls was “very wrong and misplaced”, the statement said.

“Terror is relatively new here and dealing with it has its challenges. The great challenge in rescuing the Chibok girls is the need to ensure that they are rescued alive,” Goodluck Jonathan said.

After meeting the parents, Malala Yousafzai said she understood their suffering.

“It’s quite difficult for a parent to know that their daughter is in great danger. My birthday wish this year is… bring back our girls now, and alive.”

Two years ago, Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by Pakistani Taliban militants for campaigning for girls’ education.

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Bowe Bergdahl to return to active military duty after reintegration process

Roy Siemens
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Bowe Bergdahl to return to active military duty after reintegration process

Sgt Bowe Bergdahl will return to active military duty at the end of his reintegration process, the US Army has said.

Bowe Bergdahl, who was held captive for five years by the Taliban, will take a headquarters job on a Texas base.

The soldier was released in May in a swap for five Taliban commanders, a move some US politicians decried.

The army is investigating the circumstances of his capture, including whether he intended to desert.

Sgt Bowe Bergdahl will return to active military duty at the end of his reintegration process
Sgt Bowe Bergdahl will return to active military duty at the end of his reintegration process

Two soldiers will reportedly be assigned to assist Bowe Bergdahl, and he will live in military barracks, US media reported.

He will take a job with US Army North at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, the army said.

Bowe Bergdahl has yet to speak publicly regarding his ordeal since his release on 31 May.

The move to release five Taliban leaders from Guantanamo Bay after Sgt Bowe Bergdahl was transferred to US special forces sparked a heated political row in the US.

The US opened an investigation into his disappearance in 2009 but said investigators would not interview him until he finished the reintegration process.

The US military has concluded Bowe Bergdahl walked away from his base without authorization before his capture but has stopped short of accusing him of desertion.

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Nadine Gordimer dies in Johannesburg aged 90

Sonia Pantiss
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Nadine Gordimer dies in Johannesburg aged 90

Nobel Prize-winning writer Nadine Gordimer has died in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the age of 90.

Nadine Gordimer, who was one of the literary world’s most powerful voices against apartheid – died at her home after a short illness, her family said.

She wrote more than 30 books, including the novels My Son’s Story, Burger’s Daughter and July’s People.

Nadine Gordimer jointly won 1974’s Booker Prize for The Conservationist and was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1991.

The Nobel committee said at the time it was honoring Nadine Gordimer for her “magnificent epic writing” which had been “of very great benefit to humanity”.

Nadine Gordimer was one of the literary world's most powerful voices against apartheid
Nadine Gordimer was one of the literary world’s most powerful voices against apartheid (photo Getty Images)

Writing from an early age, the author published her first story – Come Again Tomorrow – in a Johannesburg magazine at just 15.

Her works comprised both novels and short stories where the consequences of apartheid, exile and alienation were the major themes.

Nadine Gordimer’s family said she “cared most deeply about South Africa, its culture, its people, and its ongoing struggle to realize its new democracy”.

Committed to fighting apartheid, Nadine Gordimer was a leading member of the African National Congress and fought for the release of Nelson Mandela. They went on to become firm friends.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation paid tribute to Nadine Gordimer, saying it was “deeply saddened at the loss of South Africa’s grande dame of literature”.

“We have lost a great writer, a patriot and strong voice for equality and democracy in the world,” it added.

A number of Nadine Gordimer’s books were banned by the South African government under the apartheid regime including 1966’s The Late Bourgeois World and 1979’s Burger’s Daughter.

Her last novel, No Time Like the Present, published in 2012, follows veterans of the battle against apartheid as they deal with the issues facing modern South Africa.

She was also critical of South African President Jacob Zuma, expressing her opposition to a proposed law which would limit the publication of information deemed sensitive by the government.

Nadine Gordimer’s family said a private memorial service would be announced at a later date.She is survived by three children.

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