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Star Wars: Episode VII cast revealed

Sonia Pantiss
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Star Wars: Episode VII cast revealed

Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill will feature in Star Wars: Episode VII, the latest film in the franchise.

Other actors confirmed are Andy Serkis and Max von Sydow, alongside relative newcomers John Boyega and Daisy Ridley.

Star Wars: Episode VII will start shooting at Pinewood Studios, near London, in May.

Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker will also return as C-3PO, Chewbacca and R2-D2 respectively.

Director JJ Abrams said: “We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again.

“We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud.”

A picture of the new cast, with R2-D2 in a wooden crate, was posted on the official Star Wars site on Tuesday.

Star Wars Episode VII cast revealed
Star Wars Episode VII cast revealed

The new recruits include:

  • Domhnall Gleeson
  • Daisy Ridley
  • John Boyega
  • Max von Sydow
  • Oscar Isaac.
  • Adam Driver – he has been widely reported to be playing Star Wars‘ main antagonist.
  • Andy Serkis

Open auditions for two roles in the new films were held in the UK and Ireland last November.

They were for a “street smart and strong” orphaned girl in her late teens and a “smart capable” man in his late teens or early 20s.

It has not been confirmed whether the new cast came from the auditions, but none of them are complete unknowns and all have previous experience on screen.

No announcement has been made about the specific parts each of the cast members will play.

Episode VII will be the fifth Star Wars movie to be shot in the UK.

Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and mark Hamill became household names thanks to their roles in the originals – with Ford as smuggler and rogue Han Solo, Fisher as Princess Leia and Hamill as farmhand-turned-Jedi Luke Skywalker.

Star Wars: Episode VII is due in cinemas on December 18, 2015.

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Severe storms threaten eastern US

Nancy Clayson
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Severe storms threaten eastern US

Severe weather is threatening the eastern states, after two days of powerful storms killed up to 34 people.

Alabama had flash flooding and tornadoes were reported in North Carolina on Tuesday.

Thunderstorms and severe weather are expected along the east coast on Wednesday as the storm shifts.

Tornadoes cut a broad track of death and destruction through the southern states on Sunday and Monday.

The storms flattened buildings, overturned cars, and left thousands of residents without power.

Severe weather is threatening the eastern states, after two days of powerful storms killed up to 34 people
Severe weather is threatening the eastern states, after two days of powerful storms killed up to 34 people

“Widespread thunderstorms are forecast across the central Gulf Coast region, with several severe [or] supercell storms possible,” the National Weather Service wrote in a morning forecast.

More than two million people are said to be at risk of tornadoes and high winds in parts of Alabama and Mississippi on Tuesday.

As the storm moves further east, parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina are expected to be under threat of severe weather, forecasters say.

Meanwhile, the search for survivors continues in the southern US states that were smashed by huge tornadoes on Monday and Tuesday.

In Mississippi, officials reported 12 dead, including nine near Louisville and three in separate traffic accidents.

Early on Tuesday, residents of Louisville crept from their shelters to find their homes demolished by a tornado that punched holes in the roof of a local hospital.

Giles Ward huddled in a bathroom with his wife and four other relatives as a tornado destroyed his brick house and overturned his son-in-law’s four-wheel-drive parked outside his home in Louisville.

“For about 30 seconds, it was unbelievable,” said Giles Ward, a Republican state senator.

“It’s about as awful as anything we’ve gone through.”

Three people were reported dead in Alabama, including a University of Alabama student who perished when he took shelter in a basement and a retaining wall collapsed on him.

As many as 16 people were killed on Sunday, including 14 in the towns surrounding Little Rock, Arkansas, with Mayflower and Vilonia bearing the brunt of the damage.

Many homes and businesses, including a new secondary school worth $14 million, were left in ruins in Vilonia after the storm.

President Barack Obama promised assistance to those affected by the storms, saying federal emergency officials would be on the ground to help.

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Clayton Lockett: Oklahoma death row inmate dies of heart attack after botched execution

Nancy Clayson
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Clayton Lockett: Oklahoma death row inmate dies of heart attack after botched execution

Oklahoma death row inmate Clayton Lockett died of a heart attack after his execution was halted because the lethal injection of three drugs failed to work properly.

Clayton Lockett, 38, experienced a vein failure which prevented the drug cocktail from being fully effective.

The execution was halted after 20 minutes, during which he writhed and shook uncontrollably, US media report.

The execution of fellow inmate Charles Warner, due to take place just two hours later, was postponed for 14 days.

A spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections told US media that Clayton Lockett had died of a heart attack following injection of three lethal drugs.

“We believe that a vein was blown and the drugs weren’t working as they were designed to. The director ordered a halt to the execution,” corrections department spokesman Jerry Massie said.

Prison officials pulled a curtain across the view of witnesses when it became apparent that something had gone wrong.

Clayton Lockett died of a heart attack after his execution was halted because the lethal injection of three drugs failed to work properly
Clayton Lockett died of a heart attack after his execution was halted because the lethal injection of three drugs failed to work properly

“He was conscious and blinking, licking his lips even after the process began. He then began to seize,” Associated Press news agency reporter Bailey Elise McBride tweeted from the scene.

“This was botched, and it was difficult to watch,” said David Autry, one of Clayton Lockett’s lawyers.

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said in a statement that she had ordered a full review of the state’s execution procedures.‏

Charles Warner, 46, had been scheduled to be put to death in the same room two hours later in a rare double execution.

Clayton Lockett was sentenced to death for the 1999 shooting of a 19-year-old woman. Charles Warner was convicted for the 1997 murder and rape of an 11-month-old girl.

The two men had unsuccessfully challenged an Oklahoma state law that blocks officials from revealing – even in court – the identities of the companies supplying the drugs used to sedate inmates, paralyze their respiratory systems and stop their hearts.

The state maintains the law is necessary to protect the suppliers from legal action and harassment.

Clayton Lockett and Charles Warner argued it was necessary for the men to learn the name of the suppliers in order to ensure the quality of the drugs that would be used to kill them and to be certain that they had been obtained legally.

In March a trial court ruled in their favor, but the state’s highest court reversed that decision last week, ruling that “the plaintiffs have no more right to the information they requested than if they were being executed in the electric chair”.

In recent years US states have had increasing problems in trying to obtain drugs used in executions, amid an embargo by European pharmaceutical companies.

Some have turned to untried combinations of drugs or have sought to obtain the drugs custom-made from compounding pharmacies.

Clayton Lockett’s last moments:

  • 18:23 – Sedative administered
  • 18:33 – Doctor declares Clayton Lockett unconscious
  • 18:36 – Clayton Lockett is restless and a doctor discovers a ruptured vein
  • Curtain drawn
  • Execution halted
  • 19:06 – Clayton Lockett dies from a heart attack

All times local – Central Time

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Donald Sterling lifetime ban over racist remarks receives widespread praise

Clyde K. Valle
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Donald Sterling lifetime ban over racist remarks receives widespread praise

The NBA ban imposed on LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling over his racist remarks has received widespread praise.

Team coach Doc Rivers said the lifetime ban and fine for Donald Sterling was the “start of a healing process”.

Several civil rights organizations and stars of the game, past and present, have applauded the National Basketball Association for taking swift action.

Donald Sterling, 80, was recorded asking a woman – believed to be his presumed girlfriend V. Stiviano – not to associate in public with black people or bring them to Clippers games.

His remarks have earned him a lifetime ban from the NBA, whose commissioner Adam Silver urged the Board of Governors – the other team owners – to force Donald Sterling into selling.

Adam Silver told reporters that Donald Sterling’s “hateful opinions… simply have no place in the NBA”.

The ban imposed on LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling over racist remarks has received widespread praise
The ban imposed on LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling over racist remarks has received widespread praise

The NBA has also fined Donald Sterling $2.5 million, the maximum allowed, in a package of measures that have been described as the harshest punishment in the history of the NBA.

Doc Rivers said: “I thought Adam Silver today was fantastic.

“He made a decision that really was the right one, that had to be made. I don’t think this is something that we rejoice in or anything like that.”

The players were happy that there was a resolution, he said, adding: “I think we’re all in a better place because of this.”

In a joint statement, the National Urban League, the National Action Network, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation supported Adam Silver’s announcement.

That decision, the statement said, was “a bold, courageous and resolute message”.

Some sponsors had dumped Clippers as the race row deepened but following the ban, electronics company Samsung said it would resume advertising, starting with Tuesday evening’s play-off game against the Golden State Warriors.

Former players also commended the swift action.

“I believe that today stands as one of those great moments where sports, once again, transcends, where sports provides a place for fundamental change on how our country should think and act,” said Kevin Johnson, former NBA star and mayor of Sacramento, who has acted as an adviser to the NBA players’ union.

But others said they believed the punishment was too harsh, given the fact it was a private conversation.

The ban means Donald Sterling will be unable to participate in all team business or attend any NBA practices or games.

Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather has expressed an interest in buying the team, according to ESPN.

The row erupted on April 25, when celebrity news website TMZ published a 10-minute audio recording in which Donald Sterling criticized V. Stiviano for posting photographs of herself with black friends at Clippers games.

“It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you are associating with black people. Do you have to?” the man says.

The remarks caused an immediate uproar among basketball fans across the country, and drew condemnation from President Barack Obama.

The players staged a silent protest, going through a pre-match warm-up with shirts on inside-out to hide the team’s logo.

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Amanda Knox delivered the only mortal blow to Meredith Kercher, Italian court rules

Nancy Clayson
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Amanda Knox delivered the only mortal blow to Meredith Kercher, Italian court rules

Amanda Knox delivered the fatal knife blow to British student Meredith Kercher, the Italian judges who reinstated the guilty verdict against the American have ruled.

Explaining their ruling, the judges said Amanda Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, killed Meredith Kercher after a violent argument.

Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were originally convicted of the murder in 2007.

They were acquitted on appeal in 2011, but that ruling was overturned in January.

Amanda Knox, who is currently in the US, was sentenced to 28 years and six months. Her former boyfriend received 25 years.

Italian judges said Amanda Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend killed Meredith Kercher after a violent argument
Italian judges said Amanda Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend killed Meredith Kercher after a violent argument

Both had pleaded not guilty.

Explaining its reasoning on Tuesday, the appeals court in Florence said Meredith Kercher’s wounds indicated multiple aggressors.

The judges said they believe both Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito wielded knives, as another man, Rudy Guede, held the victim down and committed a s**ual assault.

But it was Amanda Knox who “delivered the only mortal blow”, striking Meredith Kercher with a kitchen knife, presiding judge Alessandro Nencini concluded.

The prosecution had originally argued that Meredith Kercher was killed in a s** game that spiraled out of control.

But in its explanation, the appeals court agreed with a later theory that she was killed after a violent quarrel.

It said Amanda Knox and Meredith Kercher had fought over money on the night of the killing.

In a statement on Tuesday, Amanda Knox said the court’s reasoning was “not supported by any credible evidence or logic”.

Both Amanda Knox and Rafafele Sollecito are expected to appeal against the latest decision.

The trial will now go back to Italy’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, which could uphold or overturn the verdict.

If it upholds it, officials are expected to begin the lengthy process to extradite Amanda Knox from the US, where she returned on her release from prison in 2011.

Meanwhile, Rudy Guede is already serving a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted of Meredith Kercher’s murder at an earlier trial.

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Iraq elections 2014: Heavy security at first poll since US troops withdrawal

Diane A. Wade
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Iraq elections 2014: Heavy security at first poll since US troops withdrawal

Iraq is voting in the first parliamentary elections since the withdrawal of US troops three years ago.

Polling began at 07:00 local time and closes at 18:00.

PM Nouri al-Maliki is hoping to win a third term in office amid a growing insurgency in the west of the country.

Iraq is experiencing its worst unrest since 2008, with 160 people killed in the past week alone.

Some 22 million Iraqis are registered to vote, with almost 50,000 polling stations open across the country.

Iraq is voting in the first parliamentary elections since the withdrawal of US troops three years ago
Iraq is voting in the first parliamentary elections since the withdrawal of US troops three years ago (photo Ali al-Saadi/AFP/Getty Images)

There is a heavy security presence in the capital, with military helicopters on patrol.

The government has temporarily closed the airport and the main roads in and out of the city in an attempt to reassure voters.

Some voters face multiple searches before being allowed into polling stations.

While it is difficult to predict the outcome of the poll, Nouri al-Maliki is still expected to be a pivotal figure in the coalition-building process which will follow the election.

After casting his vote in Baghdad’s heavily-fortified Green Zone, Nouri al-Maliki said: “Our victory is certain, but we are waiting to see the size of our victory.”

His State of Law alliance, a Shia coalition, has largely avoided the fragmentation seen by other political blocs since the last election.

The campaign has so far been a violent one, with 50 people killed on Monday when soldiers, police and overseas citizens cast their votes.

One bomb struck a Kurdish political rally in the town Khanaqin, killing 30 people and wounding at least 50 others.

On Friday, at least 31 people were killed as a series of blasts targeted a Shia election rally in Baghdad. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant – an al-Qaeda offshoot – said it had carried out the attacks.

More than 9,000 candidates are competing for 328 parliamentary seats. There will be no voting in parts of Sunni-dominated Anbar province, where security forces still battle Islamist and tribal militants for control of the provincial capital Ramadi and nearby Falluja.

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Donald Sterling banned for life over racist remarks

Clyde K. Valle
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Donald Sterling banned for life over racist remarks

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has been banned from the National Basketball Association for life after a recording emerged of him making racist remarks.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Donald Sterling would be forced to sell his interest in the basketball team.

The NBA will also fine Donald Sterling $2.5 million, the maximum allowed.

Donald Sterling, 80, was recorded asking a woman, believed to be his girlfriend V. Stiviano, not to associate in public with black people nor bring them to games.

He later said the recording “does not reflect his views”.

In a news conference on Tuesday, Adam Silver told reporters that Donald Sterling’s “hateful opinions… simply have no place in the NBA”.

“That they came from an NBA owner only heightens the damage,” he said.

In a 10-minute audio recording, Donald Sterling can be heard criticizing V. Stiviano for posting online photographs of herself with black friends at Clippers games
In a 10-minute audio recording, Donald Sterling can be heard criticizing V. Stiviano for posting online photographs of herself with black friends at Clippers games

“I am personally distraught that the views expressed by Mr. Sterling came from within an institution that has historically taken a leadership role in matters of race relations.”

Adam Silver said Donald Sterling would be banned from participating in all team business, as well as attending any NBA practices or games.

The fine will be donated to organizations focused on combating racism, he said.

Adam Silver said he would urge the NBA’s board of governors to force Donald Sterling to sell his stake in the team, which he purchased in 1981.

“Commissioner Silver showed great leadership in banning” Sterling, Earvin Magic Johnson tweeted following the announcement.

The row erupted on Friday when celebrity news website TMZ published a 10-minute audio recording in which a man can be heard criticizing a woman, believed to be V. Stiviano, for posting online photographs of herself with black friends at Clippers games.

On Tuesday, Adam Silver said Donald Sterling had acknowledged it was his voice on the recording. It was not clear how or when the conversation was recorded.

The remarks caused an immediate uproar in Los Angeles and among basketball fans across the country.

The Clippers are competing in the first round of the NBA playoffs, drawing extra scrutiny to Donald Sterling’s remarks.

On Sunday, before a game against the Golden State Warriors, the Clippers staged a silent protest, going through a pre-match warm-up with shirts on inside-out to hide the team’s logo.

The players also wore black wristbands or armbands and all wore black socks with their normal jerseys.

Donald Sterling did not attend the game.

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Gerhard Schroeder hugs Vladimir Putin at his birthday party in St. Petersburg

Diane A. Wade
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Gerhard Schroeder hugs Vladimir Putin at his birthday party in St. Petersburg

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has been photographed hugging Russian President Vladimir Putin while celebrating his birthday in St. Petersburg, despite the imposition of more Western sanctions on Russia.

Gerhard Schroeder has long had close ties to Vladimir Putin and runs a pipeline venture bringing Russian gas to Germany.

Their embrace was photographed as Gerhard Schroeder celebrated his 70th birthday.

Gerhard Schroeder held his Russian party as NATO states accused Russia of helping pro-Putin militias in eastern Ukraine.

Gerhard Schroeder has long had close ties to Vladimir Putin and runs a pipeline venture bringing Russian gas to Germany
Gerhard Schroeder has long had close ties to Vladimir Putin and runs a pipeline venture bringing Russian gas to Germany

Russia’s state monopoly Gazprom pumps gas to Germany via the Nordstream pipeline under the Baltic Sea, and Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller was reportedly among Gerhard Schroeder’s guests at the Yusupov Palace in St Petersburg.

Three German officers are among seven military observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) currently held captive by pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine. The German government has demanded their release.

The OSCE sent in unarmed observers after the rebels seized Ukrainian official buildings.

German media commentators criticized Gerhard Schroeder on Tuesday for his closeness to Vladimir Putin.

Vladimir Putin speaks fluent German, having served as a KGB secret service officer in communist East Germany during the Cold War.

Gerhard Schroeder was chancellor from 1998 to 2005. He used to lead the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who are now in coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU).

Roland Nelles of Spiegel Online said the former chancellor “apparently forgets that one must still act responsibly for one’s country as a former government leader”.

“It would help if the ex-chancellor could use his influence to bring some sense to his friend Putin. Perhaps he is doing that too, but unfortunately you don’t get any sense of that whatsoever. Pity,” he wrote.

In Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung another commentator, Thomas Holl, said “the pictures of a laughing Schroeder, being hugged and cuddled by his friend Vladimir in the former tsarist palace, while German army soldiers are held hostage by fanatical Putin admirers, look macabre”.

A senior German government official quoted by Reuters news agency said Gerhard Schroeder “does not represent the German government” and he “left active politics some time ago”.

Libya’s parliament stormed by gunmen amid voting on new prime minister

Roy Siemens
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Libya’s parliament stormed by gunmen amid voting on new prime minister

Libya’s parliament has been stormed by gunmen, forcing lawmakers to abandon a vote on a new prime minister, officials say.

Correspondents say lawmakers left the building after hearing gunshots.

The attempted vote followed the resignation of Abdullah al-Thinni, who stepped down as prime minister earlier this month after he and his family were targeted by militiamen.

Libya's national congress has been stormed on dozens of occasions by gunmen over the past year and a half
Libya’s national congress has been stormed on dozens of occasions by gunmen over the past year and a half (photo EPA)

Libya has been plagued by instability since armed groups toppled Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011.

Earlier reports that several people had been wounded in the attack on Tuesday are unconfirmed.

It is unclear who was behind the disturbance.

Libya’s national congress has been stormed on dozens of occasions by gunmen over the past year and a half.

Congress members were deadlocked over the latest appointment of a new prime minister when the latest attack broke out.

They had already held one round of voting and selected two out of seven candidates.

The second round of voting has been postponed. Local media say it is now scheduled to take place on May 4.

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Kenya legalizes polygamy

Diane A. Wade
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Kenya legalizes polygamy

President Uhuru Kenyatta has signed into law a bill legalizing polygamy in Kenya.

The new bill brings civil law, where a man was only allowed one wife, into line with customary law, where some cultures allow multiple partners.

Controversy surrounded an amendment to the bill, supported by many male lawmakers, allowing men to take more wives without consulting existing spouses.

Traditionally, first wives are supposed to give prior approval.

Last month, female lawmakers walked out of parliament in disgust after their male counterparts voted through the amendment.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has signed into law a bill legalizing polygamy in Kenya
President Uhuru Kenyatta has signed into law a bill legalizing polygamy in Kenya

They argued that a decision to take on another wife would affect the whole family, including the financial position of other spouses.

The bill was also opposed by Christian leaders who urged the president not to sign it into law, saying it undermined Christian principles of marriage and family.

“The tone of that bill, if it becomes law, would be demeaning to women since it does not respect the principle of equality of spouses in the institution of marriage,” Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki, from the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), was quoted by Kenya’s Standard newspaper as saying.

The marriage legislation has been under discussion for several years and some initial proposals were scrapped at committee stages.

It has abolished the practice of unofficial traditional marriages which were never registered and could be ended without any legal divorce proceedings.

But plans to ban the payment of bride prices were dropped – although a person must be 18 to marry and this now applies to all cultures.

Lawmakers did reject the committee amendment which said a woman should only be entitled to 30% of matrimonial property after death or divorce.

The law now allows for equal property and inheritance rights – previously a woman had to prove her contribution to the couple’s wealth.

It also stipulates that a wife is entitled to an equal share of whatever the couple acquired during their marriage but in the case of multiple partners it is going to be difficult to determine what each spouse is entitled to if one of them divorces or their husband dies.

There had also been a proposal to recognize co-habiting couples, known in Kenya as “come-we-stay” relationships, after six months, but this too was dropped.

It would have allowed a woman to seek maintenance for herself and any children of the union, had the man left.

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Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Turkey seeks Fethullah Gulen’s deportation from US

Diane A. Wade
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Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Turkey seeks Fethullah Gulen’s deportation from US

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that Turkey will start extradition proceedings against US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Fethullah Gulen – a former ally of the Turkish prime minister – has been accused by Recep Tayyip Erdogan of using his supporters to try to topple him.

The cleric denies mounting a campaign against him.

Turkey’s government has faced a string of corruption scandals and rights groups accuse it of authoritarianism.

Speaking at parliament after meeting with deputies from his Justice and Development Party (AKP) party on Tuesday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed the extradition process “will begin”, reports say.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that Turkey will start extradition proceedings against US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that Turkey will start extradition proceedings against US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen

PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan was speaking hours after an interview with PBS, in which he said he hoped the US would deport Fethullah Gulen and send him back to Turkey.

It was his first interview with foreign media since his party claimed victory in local elections last month.

In the interview, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he hoped Washington, as a “model partner”, would deliver on the issue.

“At least they should deport him,” he added.

Fethullah Gulen, 74, has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1997.

He has many supporters in the police and judiciary, and has denounced moves to shut down an investigation into corruption allegations leveled against several of the prime minister’s allies.

Fethullah Gulen’s teachings have inspired the Hizmet (“Service”) movement, which is believed to have millions of followers spread across over 150 countries.

Hizmet promotes a tolerant form of Islam, emphasizing education, altruism and hard work.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the movement of being behind a series of wiretaps and social media leaks allegedly exposing major corruption of figures with ties to the government.

Thousands of alleged Hizmet sympathizers in the police and judiciary have since been demoted or reassigned to other jobs.

Over the past year, Turkey has been convulsed by mass protests against Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ten-year rule and the corruption allegations.

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Ukraine: Pro-Russian activists seize Luhansk government building

Roy Siemens
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Ukraine: Pro-Russian activists seize Luhansk government building

Pro-Russian separatists have stormed the regional administration’s headquarters in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk.

A few dozen men, some reportedly armed with metal bars, smashed windows and doors to break into the building.

Activists shouting “Referendum Russia” later flew a Russian flag over it.

Earlier, Russia criticized sanctions imposed by the US and EU on individuals and companies over their alleged actions aimed at destabilizing Ukraine.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the US had “essentially lowered an <<Iron Curtain>>” by targeting Russia’s high-tech sector.

The EU, he added, had proved that it was “under Washington’s thumb”.

Pro-Russian separatists have stormed the regional administration's headquarters in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk
Pro-Russian separatists have stormed the regional administration’s headquarters in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk (photo AFP)

Russia’s Deputy PM Dmitry Rogozin meanwhile warned that if the sanctions affected its rocket-building sector, US astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) might be “exposed”.

Sergei Ryabkov also stressed that Russia had no intention of invading eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russia activists have seized government buildings in more than a dozen towns and cities.

Until now, only the local office of the State Security Service (SBU) in Luhansk, a city of 465,000 people less than 20 miles from the Russian border, had been targeted.

But on Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of people gathered outside the headquarters of the regional government to demand a referendum on granting greater autonomy to the east.

A group of men armed with sticks and metal bars broke into the building, whose entrances were not protected by police. They then pulled down the Ukrainian flag flying from the roof and replaced it with a Russian one, and opened the main entrance to the crowd.

Inside the building’s courtyard, they found security personnel in riot gear massed in a defensive position. There was a stand-off, but no violence.

“The regional leadership does not control its police force,” Stanislav Rechynsky, an aide to the interior minister in Kiev, told Reuters news agency.

“The local police did nothing.”

Stanislav Rechynsky added that the government had information to suggest that the separatists would now seize the local television centre.

Eastern Ukraine, which has a large Russian-speaking population, was a stronghold for former President Viktor Yanukovych before he was overthrown by protesters in February.

The interim government has rejected the pro-Russian activists’ demands for greater autonomy, fearing they could lead to the break-up of the country or more regions being annexed by Russia, as happened with Crimea last month.

Pro-Russian activists continue to detain some 40 people, including seven military observers linked to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) seized last week.

The self-styled “mayor” of the town of Sloviansk, where the observers are being held, has said he will discuss their release only if the EU drops sanctions against separatist leaders.

On Tuesday, the EU published a fresh list of 15 individuals facing travel banks and asset freezes.

It included General Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, and Lt. Gen. Igor Sergun, identified as the head of the Russian military intelligence agency, the GRU.

Russian Deputy PM Dmitry Kozak and pro-Russian separatist leaders in Crimea and in Luhansk and Donetsk were also named.

On Monday, the US announced sanctions against seven individuals and 17 companies it said were linked to President Vladimir Putin’s “inner circle”.

The US and EU first imposed visa bans and asset freezes on a number of senior Russian officials and companies after Crimea was annexed.

US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said the sanctions had so far caused “a quite substantial deterioration in Russia’s already weak economy”.

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Heartbleed bug turned cyber criminals from attackers into victims

Nancy Clayson
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Heartbleed bug turned cyber criminals from attackers into victims

The Heartbleed bug has turned cyber criminals from attackers into victims as researchers use it to grab material from chatrooms where they trade data.

Discovered in early April, Heartbleed lets attackers steal data from computers using vulnerable versions of some widely used security programs.

Now it has given anti-malware researchers access to forums that would otherwise be very hard to penetrate.

The news comes as others warn that the bug will be a threat for many years.

The Heartbleed vulnerability was found in software, called Open SSL, which is supposed to make it much harder to steal data. Instead, exploiting the bug makes a server hand over small chunks of the data it has just handled – in many cases login details or other sensitive information.

The Heartbleed bug has turned cyber criminals from attackers into victims as researchers use it to grab material from chatrooms where they trade data
The Heartbleed bug has turned cyber criminals from attackers into victims as researchers use it to grab material from chatrooms where they trade data

French anti-malware researcher Steven K said: “The potential of this vulnerability affecting black-hat services (where hackers use their skills for criminal ends) is just enormous.”

Heartbleed had put many such forums in a “critical” position, he said, leaving them vulnerable to attack using tools that exploit the bug.

Steven K said he was using specially written tools to target some closed forums called Darkode and Damagelab.

“Darkode was vulnerable, and this forum is a really hard target,” he said.

“Not many people have the ability to monitor this forum, but Heartbleed exposed everything.”

Charlie Svensson, a computer security researcher at Sentor, which tests company’s security systems, said: “This work just goes to show how serious Heartbleed is. You can get the keys to the kingdom, all thanks to a nice little heartbeat query.”

Individuals who repeat the work of security researchers such as Steven K could leave themselves open to criminal charges for malicious hacking.

The widespread publicity about Heartbleed had led operators of many websites to update vulnerable software and urge users to change passwords.

Many so-called smart devices, such as home routers, CCTV cameras, baby monitors and home-management gadgets that control heating and power, were now known to be vulnerable to Heartbleed-based attacks.

A survey by tech news site Wired found that smart thermostats, cloud-based data services, printers, firewalls and video-conferencing systems were all vulnerable.

Other reports suggest the makers of some industrial control systems are also now producing patches for their software to limit the potential for attack.

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Yahoo unveils its first two original TV series

Nancy Clayson
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0
Yahoo unveils its first two original TV series

Yahoo will show two original TV series on its website and mobile app.

The move makes Yahoo the latest technology company to join the fast-growing market for digital video content.

Companies such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and Microsoft have been looking to compete with traditional TV programming to attract viewers to their platforms.

Some have even been signing deals with internet service providers to stream videos faster and more smoothly.

On Monday, Netflix announced a deal with Verizon – one of the biggest internet service providers in the US – which will see Netflix servers connected directly to Verizon’s network, resulting in faster speeds.

“We have reached an interconnect arrangement with Verizon that we hope will improve performance for our joint customers over the coming months,” Joris Evers, spokesman for Netflix, said in a statement.

Yahoo will show two original TV series on its website and mobile app
Yahoo will show two original TV series on its website and mobile app

Yahoo had agreed a similar deal with Comcast earlier this year.

The company said its first two original series will be comedies titled: Other Space and Sin City Saints.

It said it has got 500 million streams on Yahoo Screen in the US since it launched its comedy lineup on the website seven months ago.

“We are continuing to build our library with universally loved comedy such as Saturday Night Live and Comedy Central,” Kathy Savitt, chief marketing officer on Yahoo, said in a statement.

Yahoo said its two original series will also be available to viewers on Apple TV and Roku.

However, the company is likely to face growing competition.

Earlier this month, Amazon agreed a deal with HBO that will allow US customers of its streaming service, Amazon Prime, to watch HBO’s TV shows, including The Sopranos.

It is the first time HBO programming has been licensed to an online-only subscription streaming service.

Amazon Instant Video has also announced a series called The After – a post-apocalyptic drama by X-files creator Chris Carter – among other commissions.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is expected to launch two sci-fi series – Halo and Humans – on its Xbox Live service over the coming months.

Sony is developing Powers, a series about detectives investigating people with superhuman abilities, for the PlayStation Network.

Judge R Gary Klausner: No substantial similarity between Matrix trilogy and The Immortals

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Judge R Gary Klausner: No substantial similarity between Matrix trilogy and The Immortals

The legal claim alleging the Matrix trilogy was based on The Immortals screenplay has been rejected by a judge in California.

Judge R Gary Klausner ruled there was “no substantial similarity” between the Matrix trilogy and The Immortals, a screenplay Thomas Althouse claimed he submitted to the studio in 1993.

In his complaint, Thomas Althouse listed 118 alleged similarities between the works.

The legal claim alleging the Matrix trilogy was based on The Immortals screenplay has been rejected
The legal claim alleging the Matrix trilogy was based on The Immortals screenplay has been rejected

But the judge ruled they were “too general for copyright protection… or are commonly used, unoriginal ideas”.

Released in 1999, The Matrix tells of a computer hacker, played by Keanu Reeves, who discovers the world he lives in is a computer simulation created by machines.

Directed by Andy and Larry (now Lana) Wachowski, the film was followed by two sequels – The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions – which were shot back-to-back and released in 2003.

Thomas Althouse alleged their plots were inspired by his screenplay, in which a CIA agent tries to stop a cryogenically reanimated Adolf Hitler destroying non-immortals in the year 2235.

Yet Judge R Gary Klausner ruled “the only similarity in plot [was] that both stories portray a protagonist attempting to prevent a dominant group from oppressing and annihilating a subservient group”.

“The basic premises of The Matrix Trilogy and The Immortals are so different that it would be unreasonable to find their plots substantially similar,” his ruling continued.

“Examining the protectable details in the two works, no jury could reasonably conclude that The Immortals has substantially similar expressions of ideas to The Matrix Trilogy.”

Since making the Matrix films, the Wachowski siblings have co-directed films including Speed Racer, Cloud Atlas and Jupiter Ascending – due to be released this summer.

Paul Simon and Edie Brickell in court over domestic dispute

Lisa.Felice
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0
Paul Simon and Edie Brickell in court over domestic dispute

Paul Simon and Edie Brickell appeared in court holding hands after being arrested over a domestic dispute.

Paul Simon told a Superior Court judge in Norwalk, Connecticut, he had a rare argument with his wife on Saturday night at their home.

Edie Brickell and Paul Simon, who have been married for 22 years, held hands and said they did not feel threatened by each other.

“We’re fine. We love each other. We’re fine. We had an argument. It’s over,” Paul Simon said as he left the courthouse.

“We’re going to go back home today. We’re going to watch our son play baseball,” he added.

“Neither one of us has any fear or any reason to feel threatened.”

The arrest came on Saturday night after a caller from the singers’ home phoned the emergency services and hung up, police chief Leon Krolikowski said at a news conference on Monday.

Paul Simon and Edie Brickell holding hands at court hearing in Norwalk
Paul Simon and Edie Brickell holding hands at court hearing in Norwalk

Officers who responded found minor injuries and believed it was a case of domestic violence, he continued. He did not confirm who was injured.

“There was aggressiveness on both sides,” he said.

“They’re both victims and they have children involved and we’re trying to be very cautious of that.”

Paul Simon and Edie Brickell were each given a misdemeanor summons. One of them – again unspecified – agreed to leave and go to another location.

The singers’ lawyer, Alan Cramer, dismissed the severity of the argument, calling it a “one on a scale of one to 10”.

“They are here together, they get along fine with each other,” Alan Cramer told reporters before the court hearing.

“If it were Joe Blow we wouldn’t be here. You certainly wouldn’t be here. These people have had a wonderful life together and they’ve never had these types of problems.”

Paul Simon, 72, first found fame as one half of folk duo Simon and Garfunkel, while Edie Brickell, 48, was the lead singer of Edie Brickell & New Bohemians.

Earlier this year, Edie Brickell won a Grammy award with comedian Steve Martin for best American roots song, Love Has Come For You.

According to local media, the couple have lived in the Connecticut town with their three children for a number of years.

Paul Simon and Edie Brickell have been asked to return to court on May 16.

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Syria: Mortar attack kills 12 people in central Damascus

Roy Siemens
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0
Syria: Mortar attack kills 12 people in central Damascus

At least 12 people have been killed and dozens more wounded in a mortar attack on a technical institute in central Damascus, Syrian state media say.

Four mortar shells struck the mainly Shia Shaghour neighborhood of the city, police told the Sana news agency.

Two of the shells hit the Badr al-Din al-Hussein technical institute.

The attack comes a day after President Bashar al-Assad registered to stand for re-election defying calls to step down as a way of ending Syria’s civil war.

Four mortar shells struck the mainly Shia Shaghour neighborhood of Damascus
Four mortar shells struck the mainly Shia Shaghour neighborhood of Damascus

Bashar al-Assad’s forces have pushed back rebels from many of their strongholds around the capital, but residents say they have responded by increasing the number of rocket and mortar attacks in the centre of the city.

“Twelve citizens were killed and 50 others wounded by terrorists who targeted the Shaghour neighborhood,” Sana reported.

The word “terrorists” is used by the Syrian authorities to describe all those seeking to depose President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has also reported the mortar attack, saying that the number of fatalities is expected to rise.

It says that the Badr al-Din al-Hussein technical institute is an Islamic law studies centre, with students as young as 14.

More than 150,000 people are believed to have been killed in the three-year civil war.

Millions of people have fled their homes as fighting shows no sign of easing. The UN says that almost 3.5 million civilians are being denied vital aid, including medicine and medical care.

A group of prominent lawyers and academics has urged the UN in an open letter to deliver aid into Syria with or without the government’s consent.

The letter, signed by 35 legal experts, says permission for aid is being arbitrarily withheld.

A UN resolution adopted in February called for all sides in the conflict to allow unrestricted humanitarian access.

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2016 Rio Olympics preparations branded as worst ever

Clyde K. Valle
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0
2016 Rio Olympics preparations branded as worst ever

International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice-President John Coates has branded the preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics as the “worst” ever seen.

John Coates said the IOC has taken “unprecedented” action by placing experts in the local organizing committee to ensure the Games go ahead.

“The situation is critical on the ground,” the Australian said.

The news comes as Brazil faces a race to be ready in time for the FIFA World Cup 2014, which starts in 44 days.

John Coates, who has been involved in the Olympics for nearly 40 years, has made six trips to Rio as part of the commission responsible for overseeing the preparations.

IOC Vice-President John Coates has branded the preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics as the worst ever seen
IOC Vice-President John Coates has branded the preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics as the worst ever seen

He added that one of the experts embedded in the local committee was a construction project manager.

“The IOC has adopted a more hands-on role,” he said.

“It is unprecedented for the IOC but there is no Plan B. We are going to Rio.”

John Coates said that, in his opinion, this was “a worse situation” than in 2004, when there were concerns about preparations for the Athens Games.

“It’s the worst that I’ve experienced,” he added.

“We have become very concerned. They are not ready in many, many ways. We have to make it happen and that is the IOC approach. You can’t walk away from this.”

Preparations for the 2004 Athens Games were marred by delayed in construction and service delivery, but the venues and infrastructure was ultimately delivered in time.

John Coates said that construction has not even started on some venues in Rio, which will host South America’s first Olympics, while infrastructure is significantly delayed and the city has “social issues that need to be addressed”.

He added that Rio organizers have the same number of staff – 600 – as London did at the same stage in their preparations for 2012, but did not have the necessary experience.

John Coates, who was involved in the organization of the Sydney 2000 Games as head of the Australian Olympic Committee said it was proving difficult for the IOC to get the answers they needed.

“No-one is able to give answers at the moment,” he said.

“Can they use the car parks in the village for recovery centers? What will be the time to take from this venue to this venue?

“All of those things, they’re being fobbed off.”

John Coates also claimed that only two people were working in Rio’s test event department with tournaments scheduled to start this year.

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BP reports $3.2 billion profits for 2014 Q1

Clyde K. Valle
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BP reports $3.2 billion profits for 2014 Q1

BP has reported profits of $3.22 billion for 2014 Q1.

The figure is a fall of 23% on the $4.22 billion for the same period in 2013, but that quarter included a $12.5 billion gain from BP’s sale of its stake in Russian venture TNK-BP.

The oil giant’s latest profit figure, which strips out the effect of oil price movements, was ahead of forecasts.

BP has reported profits of $3.22 billion for 2014 Q1
BP has reported profits of $3.22 billion for 2014 Q1

BP also said it would increase its dividend by 8%.

It said it would pay 9.75 cents a share – the second dividend increase in six months.

BP said its first quarter results had been affected by write-offs in its exploration activity, as well as lower production, which it said would edge lower in the second quarter.

On Monday, BP said it would not sever its ties with Russian company Rosneft, in which it owns a 20% stake, despite Rosneft’s chief executive being the target of another round of US sanctions.

Igor Sechin is on a list of individuals thought to be in Vladimir Putin’s “inner circle”, whose assets will be blocked in the US, following Russia’s intervention in Crimea and Ukraine.

But BP said it would continue to work with Rosneft, despite the sanctions, which prevent US companies from engaging with those named.

Igor Sechin has also said sanctions imposed on him will not affect Rosneft.

Sewol ferry: President Park Geun-hye apologizes over disaster

Diane A. Wade
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Sewol ferry: President Park Geun-hye apologizes over disaster

South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye has presented apologies to the families of Sewol ferry disaster’s victims in a televised statement.

Park Geun-hye said that the government had failed to prevent the disaster and bungled its emergency response.

Her apology comes amid ongoing work to retrieve bodies from the sunken hull.

The Sewol ferry sank with 476 people aboard – most of them high school students and teachers – off South Korea on April 16. A total of 174 were rescued.

The remainders have been confirmed dead or missing presumed drowned.

President Park Geun-hye visited the memorial of Sewol ferry disaster
President Park Geun-hye visited the memorial of Sewol ferry disaster

Officials have retrieved almost 200 bodies and divers are continuing to search for those still unaccounted for.

“I don’t know how to apologize for the failure to prevent this accident, and for the insufficient first response,” Park Geun-hye said in the statement.

“I am sorry to the people and heavy-hearted that many precious lives were lost.”

Park Geun-hye’s apology comes amid mounting public anger and criticism over the disaster. Most of those on board were on a trip from Danwon high school in Ansan, south of Seoul.

She had earlier paid her respects at a memorial altar set up near the school. Local media reports said she was heckled by angry family members.

Attention has focused on why so few people were evacuated from the stricken vessel, and on the possibly negligence of the captain and crew.

On Sunday, South Korean PM Chung Hong-won offered his resignation over the disaster.

In her statement, Park Geun-hye said she would create a new government agency to handle large-scale accidents, Yonhap news agency reported.

The national safety ministry would also be placed under the prime minister’s office, the agency said.

It is not yet clear what caused the incident but investigations are focusing on whether modifications made to the vessel made it more unstable.

The Sewol ferry was also reported to be carrying cargo more than three times its approved amount.

All 15 crew members involved in the navigation of the ferry are now in custody, facing criminal negligence charges.

New pictures emerged on Monday that showed ferry captain Lee Joon-seok, 69, wearing a sweater and underpants, being rescued from the tilting vessel.

He was not at the helm when the ship got into trouble – instead the vessel was being steered by a third mate.

Another focus of the investigation is why passengers were told to remain in their cabins as the ship listed.

Divers have found many bodies of passengers, wearing life jackets, in cabins and public areas inside the ship.

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North Korea begins live-fire drill near disputed Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeong islands

Roy Siemens
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0
North Korea begins live-fire drill near disputed Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeong islands

North Korea is holding a live-fire drill near the disputed inter-Korean western maritime border, South Korean officials say.

It is the second time in a month that Pyongyang has carried out such exercises.

South Korea’s defense ministry said it was notified early on Tuesday that drills would take place near two islands west of the Korean peninsula.

North Korea is holding a live-fire drill near the disputed inter-Korean western maritime border
North Korea is holding a live-fire drill near the disputed inter-Korean western maritime border

A South Korean spokesman said its military was “fully prepared”.

Firing began around 14:00, Reuters news agency quoted a military official as saying, and so far, no rounds had fallen south of the border.

That was the trigger last month for the South Koreans to return fire.

The area has long been a flashpoint between the two Koreas. The UN drew the western border after the Korean War, but North Korea has never recognized it.

A similar North Korean exercise at the end of March resulted in the two sides exchanging hundreds of rounds of artillery fire.

“The North notified us there would be live-fire drills today north of the [border] near Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeong islands,” a defense ministry spokesman told AFP news agency.

Both islands are hotspots. In November 2010, North Korea fired shells at Yeonpyeong, killing two marines and two civilians, in what it said was a response to South Korean military exercises.

Earlier that year, a South Korean warship sank near Baengnyeong island with the loss of 46 lives.

Seoul says Pyongyang torpedoed the vessel but North Korea denies any role in the incident.

This latest move from North Korea comes as satellite images suggest Pyongyang could be preparing to carry out a nuclear test.

South Korea’s military said it had recently detected “a lot of activity” at the North’s Punggye-ri test site.

The test, if it went ahead, would be Pyongyang’s fourth, after tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

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Alabama and Mississippi tornadoes kill at least 13 people

Nancy Clayson
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Alabama and Mississippi tornadoes kill at least 13 people

New tornadoes struck the southern US for a second night, raising the death toll above 20.

Six deaths were reported in Alabama and seven in Mississippi after tornadoes struck on Monday evening, although not all these fatalities were confirmed.

Several tornadoes flattened buildings, overturned vehicles and brought down utility lines on a second consecutive night of devastation.

At least 16 people died in Arkansas, Iowa and Oklahoma on Sunday night.

In Limestone county, Alabama, two deaths were confirmed by the coroner’s office and four deaths were reported, although unconfirmed, elsewhere in the county.

In Mississippi, a woman died when driving her car during the storm in Verona, south of Tupelo. Officials said seven people were killed in total across the state but coroners had yet to confirm that number.

The mayor of Tupelo, Jason Shelton, told CNN the damage from the storms was widespread and “devastating”. A 21:00 local time curfew was in place on Monday.

Many homes and businesses, including a new secondary school worth $14 million, were left in ruins in Vilonia after the storm
Many homes and businesses, including a new secondary school worth $14 million, were left in ruins in Vilonia after the storm (photo AP)

Power went out in much of the city as lines went down and trees were torn up by the storm, the US National Weather Service reported.

Giles Ward huddled in a bathroom with his wife and four other relatives as a tornado destroyed his brick house and overturned his son-in-law’s four-wheel-drive parked outside his home in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi.

Meanwhile, emergency crews are continuing to search through rubble for survivors of the severe storms which struck one day earlier.

Of the 16 people who died on Sunday night, 14 of them were in the suburbs of Little Rock, Arkansas. A preliminary death toll there was 16 but it was later amended.

But the number may yet rise as crews search the wreckage of destroyed buildings.

“We’re trying to make sure everyone is accounted for,” Brandon Morris, spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, told the Associated Press news agency.

Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe said the storm “may be one of the strongest we have seen”.

President Barack Obama, on a trip to the Philippines, offered his deepest condolences to those affected on Sunday and said federal emergency officials would be on the ground to help.

“Your country will be there to help you recover and rebuild, as long as it takes,” he said.

Mayflower and Vilonia, two small towns in Faulkner County, appear to have borne the brunt of the damage on Sunday.

The Arkansas tornado touched down about 10 miles west of the city of Little Rock and left a 40-mile path of destruction.

It is said to have passed through several northern suburbs – including Mayflower where a witness described a twister half a mile wide crossing Interstate 40 on Sunday evening, the National Weather Service said.

Congressman Tim Griffin told Reuters news agency an “entire neighborhood of 50 homes or so” in Faulkner County had been destroyed, with many “completely gone except the foundation”.

Many homes and businesses, including a new secondary school worth $14 million, were left in ruins in Vilonia after the storm.

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AstraZeneca shares rise by 14% after Pfizer confirmed takeover bid

Clyde K. Valle
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0
AstraZeneca shares rise by 14% after Pfizer confirmed takeover bid

AstraZeneca’s shares rose by more than 14% on Monday, after pharmaceutical giant Pfizer confirmed its interest in a takeover bid.

Pfizer said it had contacted AstraZeneca over a multi-billion dollar bid for the UK-based drug maker.

If successful, the deal would be the biggest ever takeover of a UK firm by a foreign company.

Pfizer said it approached AstraZeneca on Saturday, after an initial offer in January, worth $95 billion, was rebuffed.

AstraZeneca’s shares rose by more than 14 percent on Monday, after pharmaceutical giant Pfizer confirmed its interest in a takeover bid
AstraZeneca’s shares rose by more than 14 percent on Monday, after pharmaceutical giant Pfizer confirmed its interest in a takeover bid (photo Getty Images)

AstraZeneca said the original offer “significantly undervalued” the firm, which employs more than 51,000 staff.

However, AstraZeneca said it was “confident” its strategy would create “significant value” for shareholders on its own.

“The Board remains confident in the ongoing execution of AstraZeneca’s strategy as an independent company,” it added.

Pfizer said in a statement that AstraZeneca’s refusal to engage meant it was currently “considering its options”.

AstraZeneca manufactures drugs in 16 countries focusing on treatments for diabetes, cancer and asthma as well as antibiotics.

Recently the company posted a drop in first quarter profits – and laid off thousands of staff in an effort to reduce its costs to compensate for a fall in sales – due to patent losses on blockbuster medicines.

In April, AstraZeneca posted a drop in first quarter profits after its earnings were by hit by patents expiring on some of its older medicines.

Pfizer said the deal was “a highly compelling opportunity” for AstraZeneca’s shareholders.

It said if the takeover went through, the combined company would have management in both the US and the UK, but would list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange.

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8 tips to remove cellulite

Kathryn R. Bown
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8 tips to remove cellulite

Adjusting your lifestyle with these few simple tips can help you on your way to a smoother-looking body.

  1. Eat more berries

A healthy diet plays an important role in keeping the signs of cellulite at bay. Toxins tend to accumulate under our skin reducing skin elasticity and restricting blood circulation in the capillaries. According to many studies, berries – especially blueberries – are the richest in antioxidants which are important toxin-fighting compounds. Blueberries also contain polyphenols, which appear to help keep the body from forming fat tissue.  In a study conducted at the Texas Women’s College, subjects who had more polyphenols produced less fatty tissue than those in the control group.

  1. Eat more liver-supporting foods

    A healthy diet plays an important role in keeping the signs of cellulite at bay
    A healthy diet plays an important role in keeping the signs of cellulite at bay

Cellulite can form when toxins are built up within the body and therefore harden the septa (net-like fibrous connective tissue. When the septa are pushed downwards, the fat cells are squeezed into small bulges that translate into the “orange peel” effect). “The best way of reducing the amount of toxins in your body is to eat more liver-supporting foods,” explains Dr. Carina Norris, registered nutritionist and author of You Are What You Eat . “The best examples of these foods are artichoke, lemon juice, milk thistle and dandelion root tea.”

  1. Drink green tea

Although green tea has not yet been specifically tested as a treatment for cellulite it has received a lot of recognition as being a possible treatment for obesity. Whilst losing fat won’t completely solve cellulite, it’s been shown to help, according to research conducted at the Laboratoires Arkopharma in France. Try sipping on 2-3 cups a day of the green stuff to get the most benefits.

  1. Use spices and herbs

Spices and herbs contain anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and other ingredients that typically support connective tissue health and discourage fat cell expansion – perfect for your figure. The best spice to add to your diet is chilli, “can boost your metabolism by up to 25% for three hours after you eat them”, explains Dr. Carina Norris.  Just be careful not to eat too many if you have a sensitive digestive system.

  1. Supplement your diet with gotu kola

Gotu kola extract has been specifically researched for its benefits in reducing cellulite, and it is one of the few herbs that has been successful in garnering good results. Gotu kola extract improves elasticity and thickens the skin, helping minimise the appearance of bumpy cellulite. In a study described by Dr. Tatjana Pavicic, the Head of Dermatology at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany, gotu kola extract given orally at a dose of 60 mg for 90 days was effective in the treatment of cellulite. Gotu kola extract can be found at health food stores. Speak to your doctor before taking any supplements.

  1. Eat more lean protein

Your skin and blood vessels are made of protein – if there isn’t enough protein those tissues will suffer. “Most women simply do not eat enough protein to maintain optimum skin and blood vessel health,” explains Dr. Carina Norris. “The best sources of lean protein include chicken (without the skin), lean cuts of beef, pork and eggs. Vegans can opt for pulses such as lentils, peas, beans and chick peas”, she adds.

  1. Cut saturated fats

As well as putting a strain on vein and artery walls, leading to circulatory problems, saturated fat is very calorie-dense (or fattening). Eating too many calories leads to cells becoming bigger. Cell walls struggle to keep their shape and cellulite forms. “Grill or steam food instead of frying it, and increase your salmon consumption, it contains fatty acids such as omega 3 and 6 as these help reduce cells sticking together,” suggests Dr. Carina Norris.

  1. Use coffee as skin scrub

A build-up of toxins in the body can affect the dermis and contribute to cellulite formation, which is why drinking coffee is not advised if you’re trying to combat cellulite, but java does have its uses in the fight against dimply thighs.  In a study by the University of Tennessee, researchers found that adding caffeine to anti-inflammatory creams significantly increased their effectiveness, so try using coffee as a skin scrub – Grab a handful of wet coffee granules to vigorously massage into dimpled skin twice a week.

Steven Spielberg to direct The BFG

Sonia Pantiss
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Steven Spielberg to direct The BFG

Steven Spielberg will direct a new film of The BFG, Roald Dahl’s much-loved children’s book about a “Big Friendly Giant”.

Steven Spielberg will begin shooting in early 2015.

First published in 1982, the book tells of an orphaned girl named Sophie who is befriended one night by a kindly giant.

Roald Dahl considered The BFG one of his favorite books
Roald Dahl considered The BFG one of his favorite books

According to the Roald Dahl Literary Estate, the film will be released in 2016 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the author’s birth.

“We are delighted that Steven Spielberg will bring his inventive genius to directing the story of The BFG,” it said in a statement.

Steven Spielberg will work from a screenplay by Melissa Mathison, who previously wrote the Oscar-nominated script for his 1982 hit E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

“The BFG has enchanted families and their children for more than three decades,” said Steven Spielberg in a statement posted on the Roald Dahl website.

“We are honored that the Roald Dahl estate has entrusted us with this classic story.”

Frank Marshall will produce the film, while Michael Siegel and John Madden will serve as its executive producers.

Steven Spielberg, 67, has not directed a film since 2012’s historical epic Lincoln.

He is also producing a Cold War thriller with Tom Hanks that he may also direct.

Roald Dahl, who died in 1990 at the age of 74, considered The BFG one of his favorite books.

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