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Chris Christie sued by New Jersey residents over bridge scandal

Diane A. Wade
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Chris Christie sued by New Jersey residents over bridge scandal

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is being sued by six residents over claims his office created gridlock on to the George Washington Bridge as part of a political vendetta.

The traffic mayhem was allegedly instigated in revenge against a mayor who declined to endorse Chris Christie.

Lawyer Rosemarie Arnold, who filed the lawsuit, said her clients were late for work and one had a panic attack.

State legislators plan to release on Friday nearly 1,000 pages relating to their probe of the incident.

Chris Christie, seen as a potential future Republican presidential candidate, has said he is “embarrassed and humiliated” by the incident and has denied any involvement, blaming “deceitful” staff.

He announced he had fired a top aide on Thursday after documents apparently showing her engineering the traffic problems became public a day earlier.

On September 9, two traffic lanes in the borough of Fort Lee on to the George Washington Bridge, which connects New Jersey to Manhattan, were shut for several days, causing gridlock.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is being sued by six residents over claims his office created gridlock on to the George Washington Bridge as part of a political vendetta
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is being sued by six residents over claims his office created gridlock on to the George Washington Bridge as part of a political vendetta

Emails and texts made public on Wednesday appear to link Bridget Anne Kelly, a top Chris Christie aide, to the move.

“Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,” Bridget Anne Kelly wrote on August 13 to David Wildstein, a political appointee to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls the bridge.

“Got it,” David Wildstein, who has since resigned, replied.

David Wildstein refused to testify on Thursday in a hearing investigating the matter.

The lawsuit filed, which seeks class-action status, calls for unspecified damages for those who were late to work because of the lane closures and lost pay.

The plaintiffs accuse Chris Christie, Bridget Anne Kelly, David Wildstein and the Port Authority of conspiring and committing “acts of official misconduct”, then covering it up with a “fictional traffic study”.

It claims the residents “suffered economic damages” as a result of the delays.

In a lengthy press conference on Thursday, Chris Christie said he was “heartbroken that someone who I permitted to be in that circle of trust for the last five years betrayed my trust”.

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Costa Concordia wreck to be removed in June

Nancy Clayson
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Costa Concordia wreck to be removed in June

Costa Concordia cruise ship wreck will be removed from the coast of north-west Italy in June, officials say.

The stricken liner will then be taken away to be scrapped.

Ports in Italy, Britain, France, Turkey and China are bidding for the lucrative contract to dismantle the ship, Italian officials said.

The Costa Concordia hit a reef near the island of Giglio in January 2012 and capsized, killing 32 people.

Captain Francesco Schettino is currently on trial for multiple charges of manslaughter and for abandoning ship.

Officials overseeing the Costa Concordia salvage operation set out their timetable at a news conference on Friday.

Costa Concordia cruise ship wreck will be removed from the coast of north-west Italy in June
Costa Concordia cruise ship wreck will be removed from the coast of north-west Italy in June

Project manager Franco Porcellacchia said that, from April, the team would start to fix at least 15 large tanks to the side of the ship. They will be filled with water, and then gradually emptied to give the ship enough buoyancy to float off the seabed.

Once afloat, the ship can then be towed away.

Franco Porcellacchia said if that does not work then the world’s largest semi-submergible ship, the Dockwise Vanguard, will be on standby and can literally carry the ship into port.

The winning contract for dismantling the Costa Concordia is due to be announced in March.

Italy’s environment minister Andrea Orlando said the preference was to keep the project in Italy, both to limit the environmental impact and to keep any economic benefits.

The 290m-long vessel was righted last September in one of the largest, most complex salvage operations ever that took 18 hours and followed months of stabilisation and preparation work by a team of 500 engineers and divers.

That operation allowed divers to retrieve the remains of one of the two people still missing in the disaster, believed to be an Italian passenger, Maria Grazia Trecarichi. An Indian waiter, Russel Rebello, is still unaccounted for.

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Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon marriage announced on Twitter

Lisa.Felice
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Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon marriage announced on Twitter

Bobbi Kristina Brown has announced her marriage to Nick Gordon on Twitter.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 20, shared the news by posting a photo of the couple’s wedding rings.

“@nickgordon! #HappilyMarried,” Whitney Houston’s daughter captioned the snapshot.

“SO #Inlove. If you didn’t get it the first time that is.”

The picture shows Bobbi Kristina Brown’s hand resting on top of Nick Gordon’s hand, with their weddings bands on display.

Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon first announced they were engaged in October 2012 during a sneak peek of their short-lived reality show, The Houstons: On Our Own.

However, they called off their engagement one month later.

Bobbi Kristina Brown revealed she is married to Nick Gordon
Bobbi Kristina Brown revealed she is married to Nick Gordon

Sources told Us Weekly at the time that Bobbi Kristina Brown’s family members didn’t approve of the relationship.

Prior to her February 2012 death, Whitney Houston informally adopted Nick Gordon when he was 12 years old; he lived with the family throughout his teens.

In July 2013, Bobbi Kristina Brown announced that their engagement was back on and clarified the nature of their relationship.

“Yes, me and Nick are engaged. I’m tired of hearing people say, <<Eww you’re engaged to your brother>> or <<If Whitney was still alive, would we be together or would she approve of this?>>” she wrote on Facebook.

“Let me clear up something, we aren’t even real brother and sister, nor is he my adoptive brother. My mom never adopted him. In fact, mommy was the one who even said that she knew that we were going to start dating.”

In addition to her marriage announcement, Bobbi Kristina Brown also hinted on Twitter Thursday that she’ll be sharing other news soon.

“BIGGGG things in store guys . . . I’m so excited!” Bobbi Kristina Brown wrote.

“We bouta change the world babbbbby! #bringEmOut! #Getready! xO!”

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Elk River chemical spill leaves 300,000 people without water in West Virginia

Diane A. Wade
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Elk River chemical spill leaves 300,000 people without water in West Virginia

A chemical spill into the Elk River in West Virginia has led to a tap water ban for up to 300,000 people, shut down bars and restaurants and led to a run on bottled water in some stores as people looked to stock up.

The federal government joined Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin in declaring a disaster as the West Virginia National Guard arranged to dispense bottled drinking water to emergency services agencies in the counties hit by the chemical spill into the Elk River.

The advisory was expanded at night to nine counties and includes West Virginia American Water customers in Boone, Cabell, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Putnam and Roane counties.

It followed a notice from the West Virginia American Water Company that its water supply had become contaminated, sending a strange licorice-like smell wafting through the surrounding streets.

According to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, the symptoms include: severe burning in throat, severe eye irritation, non-stop vomiting, trouble breathing or severe skin irritation such as skin blistering.

Once word got out about the governor’s declaration, customers stripped store shelves in many areas of items such as bottled water, paper cups and bowls. As many as 50 customers had flooded a convenience store near the state Capitol in Charleston to purchase water.

Residents were told not to drink the tap water, bathe in it or cook with the water and only use it for flushing and fire emergencies. Boiling it will not remove the chemicals.

“Right now, our priorities are our hospitals, nursing homes, and schools,” Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said in a statement.

Elk River chemical spill leaves 300,000 people without water in West Virginia
Elk River chemical spill leaves 300,000 people without water in West Virginia

“I’ve been working with our National Guard and Office of Emergency Services in an effort to provide water and supplies through the county emergency services offices as quickly as possible.”

The odor from the spill – which has been likened to that of licorice or cough syrup – was especially pungent at the Charleston Marriott hotel just a stone’s throw from the Elk River, which runs into the Kanawha River in downtown Charleston. The Marriott shut off all water to rooms – but soon turned it back on so hotel guests could flush toilets. The hotel distributed 16.9-ounce bottles of spring water to each guest.

Schools will be closed Friday in some of the affected counties.

West Virginia American Water did not provide a timeline for the clean-up process, but the company’s external affairs manager Laura Jordan told Reuters that the spill originated with Freedom Industries, a Charleston company.

It occurred right above the intake of the Kanawha Valley water treatment plant in Charleston – the largest in West Virginia – and affects 100,000 homes and businesses, or 250,000 to 300,000 people, she said.

The leaked product is 4-methylcyclohexane methanol, which is used in the froth flotation process of coal washing and preparation.

Earlier, another West Virginia American Water spokesperson Jennifer Sayre urged residents not to panic and rush out to grocery stores to purchase bottled water, as local officials were working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to open water distribution centers.

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Molly Schuyler eats 72oz steak in 2 minutes and 44 seconds

Nancy Clayson
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Molly Schuyler eats 72oz steak in 2 minutes and 44 seconds

Molly Schuyler, a mother-of-four from Nebraska, has smashed the world record for speed eating by devouring a 72oz steak in 2 minutes and 44 seconds.

The 125-pound woman finished the mammoth meal in just 2 minutes and 44 seconds using her hands.

The video of Molly Schuyler’s world record has since gone viral.

Molly Schuyler has smashed the world record for speed eating by devouring a 72oz steak in 2 minutes and 44 seconds
Molly Schuyler has smashed the world record for speed eating by devouring a 72oz steak in 2 minutes and 44 seconds

The previous record used to belong to an eater who was described as a “body building huge man”.

He only managed to eat the meal in 6 minutes and 48 seconds.

Molly Schuyler, 34, even had room to eat some french fries washed down with a drink of water after she had demolished her steak dinner.

She has had a rather impressive start to 2014. Just a day before, she also smashed another world record by eating a 12lb sandwich and 1lb of French fries in just 54 minutes, which saw her awarded $600.

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15% of ‘buyer’s remorse’ cases are down to cost

Nancy Clayson
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15% of ‘buyer’s remorse’ cases are down to cost

We’ve all done it. Browsed on the internet and bought something on an impulse. Whether it’s clothes, shoes, jewelry, gifts or a bigger purchase like a car, it’s possible to impulse buy just about anything these days. Our choices are many and the accessibility of internet shopping means some people find they’re buying stuff they just can’t afford. And it’s affecting more people than you might think.

Buyer’s remorse huge in the UK

A whopping 82% of adults from the UK have regretted something they have bought – and 15% of those admit it’s because they couldn’t afford it in the first place. New research from UK debt advice and solutions provider Debt Advisory Centre, author of this article, shows that most UK adults have felt buyer’s remorse at one time or another. Reasons given for regretting that magical purchase include things like ‘didn’t really need it’ at the top of the list, followed by ‘didn’t fit’, ‘never used it’, ‘couldn’t afford it’ and ‘poor quality’.

What do you regret purchasing?
What do you regret purchasing?Flickr /  CC BY-NC

What do we regret purchasing?

Worryingly, purchases most regretted by people doing the survey are pets, at 42%. This was followed by 38% stating they regretted booking a holiday, 32% wishing they hadn’t been so generous with their gift-giving and 28% sadly wondering why they bought that particular car.

These results are not surprising, perhaps, given that most of them are long-term commitments with costs that are ongoing. Finding out that your cute puppy will set you back a significant sum each year just to feed – regardless of vet fees if they get sick and the sheer time and attention they need – seems to put many owners off.

On the flipside, although gifts and holidays tend to be bigger one-off purchases, often they’re bought without thought to your budget and so knock finances off course. It can seem worth it when you’re on the beach but coming back to a whole heap of debts could really spoil those memories.

What do people do with the things they don’t want?

In this age of easy internet access, it’s a viable option to list items that are not wanted and sell them at an online shop like eBay or etsy. However, it turns out that over half of respondents (57%) just kept their purchases, even though they no longer wanted them.

As long as receipts are kept and no damage has been done, it’s also possible to get a refund from the stockist – something that really should be looked into if money is tight.

Amanda Knox to become a fugitive if re-convicted for murder

Nancy Clayson
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Amanda Knox to become a fugitive if re-convicted for murder

Amanda Knox is prepared to become “a fugitive” from justice if an Italian court upholds her original conviction for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

One of the last hearings in Amanda Knox’s retrial was held Thursday in Florence.

Amanda Knox, 26, confirmed from her home town of Seattle, where she is studying at Washington University, that she would fight any extradition request from Italy if the appeals court in Florence finds her guilty of the murder and assault of Meredith Kercher in Perugia in 2007.

Italy could apply for her to be extradited but her lawyers in the US are expected to resist that on the basis of double jeopardy – the principle that a defendant cannot be tried twice for the same crime.

Amanda Knox is prepared to become “a fugitive” from justice if an Italian court upholds her original conviction
Amanda Knox is prepared to become “a fugitive” from justice if an Italian court upholds her original conviction

The appeals court is expected to hand down its verdict on Jan. 30 after hearing the case since September.

Asked what she would do if the court overturned her 2011 acquittal for the murder of the Leeds University student, Amanda Knox said: “In that case I will be … how does one say … a fugitive.”

Amanda Knox told Italian newspaper La Repubblica that she remained optimistic the court would find her and her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 29, not guilty.

Prosecutors have asked for Amanda Knox to be sent to jail for 30 years – four years more than her original conviction in 2009.

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US unemployment rate falls to five-year low of 6.7% in December 2013

Clyde K. Valle
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US unemployment rate falls to five-year low of 6.7% in December 2013

The US jobless rate fell to a five-year low of 6.7% in December as companies created 74,000 new jobs, latest figures show.

However, the number of jobs created was the lowest for three years and was well under half the number expected by analysts.

The US had bad weather in December, which may have stalled hiring plans.

The fall in the rate, now at its lowest since October 2008, in part reflects people leaving the labor force.

The government counts people as unemployed only if they say they are actively searching for work.

The US jobless rate fell to a five-year low in December 2013
The US jobless rate fell to a five-year low in December 2013

The leisure, manufacturing and services sectors added jobs in December, but construction cut 16,000 jobs, the biggest drop in the industry in 20 months.

In the four months before December, the average number of jobs created in the US was 214,000 a month.

Other figures on employment have suggested a healthy jobs market, and the Labor Department said 38,000 more jobs in November were created than the 203,000 previously reported.

Overall, the US economy is picking up steam, with recent figures for consumer spending, trade and factory output all strong.

This year, economists expect the US economy to grow by 3%, well up on the 1.7% last year.

The improving picture led the Federal Reserve to start to taper its massive monetary stimulus program from $85 billion a month to $75 billion.

If the Fed remains confident about the direction of the economy, it may trim this back further at its next meeting at the end of this month.

The meeting will be the last one chaired by Ben Bernanke, who will leave the post after eight years. He will be replaced by Janet Yellen on February 1st.

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Francois Hollande’s women: Julie Gayet, Valerie Trierweiler and Segolene Royal

Nancy Clayson
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Francois Hollande’s women: Julie Gayet, Valerie Trierweiler and Segolene Royal

French President Francois Hollande hits out at Closer magazine’s claims that he is having an affair with 41-year-old actress Julie Gayet.

But who are the women in the president’s life?

Valerie Trierweiler

Valerie Trierweiler, 48, is Francois Hollande’s official partner.

She is a journalist who writes for Paris Match magazine and has presented discussion programs on French television.

Valerie Trierweiler moved in with Francois Hollande after his official separation from Segolene Royal in 2007, and was divorced from her own husband, with whom she has three children.

When Francois Hollande was elected president in 2012, Valerie Trierweiler moved into the Elysee palace with him and accompanies him on official trips. She incurred Francois Hollande’s wrath in June 2012 after taking to Twitter in to back an opponent of Segolene Royal in parliamentary elections.

Segolene Royal

Segolene Royal, 60, herself a prominent French politician, has four children, now adults, with Francois Hollande, 59.

Francois Hollande and Segolene Royal met at a university party and were once French politics’ power couple, both harboring ambitions to be president of France.

Although they never married, they were together for about three decades, officially splitting up shortly after the 2007 presidential election.

Segolene Royal was the Socialist candidate in that vote – the first woman in France to be nominated by a major party – but lost to Nicolas Sarkozy.

Francois Hollande has not denied a report that he is having a relationship with actress Julie Gayet
Francois Hollande has not denied a report that he is having a relationship with actress Julie Gayet

Julie Gayet

President Francois Hollande has hit out at what he describes as an invasion of privacy, but has not denied a report that he is having a relationship with actress Julie Gayet, a mother of two. Julie Gayet, 41, is fairly well known in France, if not internationally, and once appeared in one of Francois Hollande’s election campaign television adverts, describing him as “a humble man,” who “really listens”.

Rumors of Francois Hollande and Julie Gayet alleged relationship have been circulating on the internet for many months. Julie Gayet filed a complaint with prosecutors in Paris in March 2013 against various bloggers and websites that were reporting on the rumors.

She played a leading role in Quai d’Orsay, a 2013 satirical film centered on the French foreign ministry. Her filmography also includes the titles Shall We Kiss? and My Best Friend among dozens of others.

Julie Gayet is the daughter of a wealthy surgeon and married the Argentine-born film director and scriptwriter Santiago Amigorena in 2003.

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Central Africa Republic’s interim President Michel Djotodia resigns

Roy Siemens
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Central Africa Republic’s interim President Michel Djotodia resigns

Central Africa Republic’s interim President Michel Djotodia has resigned.

Michel Djotodia made the announcement at a regional summit in Chad aimed at ending violence that has engulfed the country.

CAR’s entire transitional assembly is attending the meeting in Chad organised by regional leaders.

Michel Djotodia, CAR’s first Muslim leader, had been resisting pressure to go.

His seizure of power last year has led to 20% of the population fleeing their homes amid fighting between Christian and Muslim militias.

The UN has warned of an impending humanitarian disaster.

Since December and the arrival of more regional peacekeepers and French troops, 1,000 people have died in sectarian clashes.

Michel Djotodia is CAR's first Muslim leader
Michel Djotodia is CAR’s first Muslim leader

Many villages are deserted and in the last month the number of those who have fled their homes has doubled – including almost half of those living in the capital city, Bangui.

Michel Djotodia’s resignation was made in a statement by the 10-nation Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

CAR PM Nicolas Tiengaye, with whom he had a fractious relationship, has also resigned, the AFP news agency reports.

Earlier ECCAS Secretary-General Ahmat Allami said members of CAR’s National Transitional Council (CNT) had been flown in at short notice to decide the leadership of their nation.

The lawmakers met regional leaders while Michel Djotodia held separate talks with allies from his former Seleka rebel alliance, AFP reported.

Under a deal brokered by regional powers last year, the CNT was charged with choosing a transitional leader to take CAR to elections due at the end of 2014. It formally elected Michel Djotodia to his position as interim president last April.

Earlier on Friday, thousands of people in Bangui took to the streets demanding the resignation of Michel Djotodia, a former Soviet-trained civil servant.

Seleka seized power last March overthrowing the then-President Francois Bozize, from CAR’s majority Christian population.

Although Michel Djotodia officially disbanded the Seleka rebels, he has proved unable to keep them in check.

Their actions have prompted Christians to form vigilante groups, sparking a deadly cycle of revenge attacks.

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Scarlett Johansson sets up home in Paris following engagement to Romain Dauriac

Lisa.Felice
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Scarlett Johansson sets up home in Paris following engagement to Romain Dauriac

Scarlett Johansson got engaged to French journalist Romain Dauriac and now she decided to set up her home in Paris.

Scarlett Johansson, 29, confirmed plans to walk down the aisle for a second time in September and she has since left New York to settle down in Romain Dauriac’s homeland.

The actress, who has yet to learn French, says: “I decided to take the plunge and move to Paris and it’s great, I love it. Of course, some of the stardust twinkle’s worn off a little bit now and … all the things you thought were charming before are just … I don’t wanna say, I’ve just offended an entire nation of people, like usual, but … it’s the little things.”

Scarlett Johansson continued: “Like, when I first got there I thought that … the whole kind of rude, Parisian thing was just (not true). I was like, ‘People aren’t rude, they’re wonderful!’ That was before I was a mainstay there and then people decided that once I wasn’t going away, they could just be rude to me!”

Scarlett Johansson confirmed plans to walk down the aisle for a second time in September
Scarlett Johansson confirmed plans to walk down the aisle for a second time in September

She reveals the most “frustrating” thing is just walking down the street, because people refuse to move out of the way.

She told David Letterman: “I like to walk around. … As I was saying, people are ruder now … but it’s frustrating. … I’m from New York … and I just assume, because you’re from New York, it’s like a wonderful dance in this street, you kind of avoid (each other) and it’s a choreography, walking down the street. And then when I got there (to Paris), I assumed it’s a kind of Provincial town, where people don’t know how to walk … and the fact that they’re just bodychecking me, they’re just confused.”

This will be Scarlett Johansson’s second marriage. She exchanged vows with Ryan Reynolds in 2008, but it lasted less than three years. Ryan Reynolds is now married to actress Blake Lively.

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Game of Thrones Season 4 to premiere on April 6

Sonia Pantiss
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Game of Thrones Season 4 to premiere on April 6

Game of Thrones Season 4 will premiere at 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 6, with the two half-hour comedies following after.

The fourth season premiere will be followed by the third season of Veep and the premiere of the new Mike Judge series Silicon Valley.

Game of Thrones Season 4 will premiere on April 6
Game of Thrones Season 4 will premiere on April 6

HBO will also premiere the first trailer for Games of Thrones Season 4 on Sunday, before the premiere of True Detective the new series starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as detectives trying to solve murders in rural Louisiana.

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2014 Sochi Winter Games: Indian athletes to compete under Olympic flag

Clyde K. Valle
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2014 Sochi Winter Games: Indian athletes to compete under Olympic flag

Indian athletes participating at next month’s Winter Games in Sochi will compete under the Olympic flag, not their national flag.

The three Indians who qualified for the Sochi Games will compete as “independent” athletes, rather than represent their country, after India’s Olympic body failed to schedule elections before the start of the Olympics on February 7.

The Indian Olympic Association was suspended by the IOC in December 2012 for electing tainted officials, notably secretary-general Lalit Bhanot, who spent more than 10 months in jail on corruption charges related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

The IOC said last month it would lift the suspension once new elections are held. The Indians have set their general assembly for February 9, two days after the opening of the Sochi Olympics.

“Following the executive board decision in December, the IOC is considering all necessary arrangements for the Indian athletes who have qualified for the Sochi Games to take part as Independent Olympic Participants under the Olympic flag,” the IOC said in a statement on Thursday.

Indian athletes participating at next month's Winter Games in Sochi will compete under the Olympic flag
Indian athletes participating at next month’s Winter Games in Sochi will compete under the Olympic flag

The trio includes Shiva Kesavan, a 32-year-old luger who will be appearing in his fifth Winter Games.

Shiva Kesavan told Indian media that not being able to compete under the national flag was “shameful and pathetic”.

“It is a sad and embarrassing situation that Indian sport has been put in,” he said.

“People around the world know about the failure of our systems and about corruption and bad governance in sports.”

Under pressure from the IOC, the Indian body amended its constitution last month to ban corruption-tainted officials from running for election. Had India not complied, it would have become the first country expelled from the Olympics since South Africa was kicked out more than 40 years ago.

The IOC has made provisions for athletes to compete under the Olympic flag at previous games.

Athletes from the former Netherlands Antilles and marathon runner Guor Marial of South Sudan competed as independents at the 2012 London Olympics. Athletes from East Timor marched under the Olympic flag at the 2000 Sydney Games.

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Nicole Kidman features Jimmy Choo Spring/Summer 2014

Lisa.Felice
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Nicole Kidman features Jimmy Choo Spring/Summer 2014

Nicole Kidman features Jimmy Choo’s just-released Spring/Summer 2014 campaign.

The actress said in a post on the Jimmy Choo website: “It was fun to shoot new and surprising perspectives, it felt a little bit daring dangerous.”

Nicole Kidman features Jimmy Choo's just-released Spring/Summer 2014 campaign
Nicole Kidman features Jimmy Choo’s just-released Spring/Summer 2014 campaign

“I loved the minimal styling and how the shoes and bags became like a sensual second skin to me.”

In the shot, Nicole Kidman appears posing with Jimmy Choo’s neon Charlize clutch, which retails for $2,195.

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Argentina: Lightning strike kills three people on Villa Gesell beach

Nancy Clayson
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Argentina: Lightning strike kills three people on Villa Gesell beach

Three people have been killed and more than 20 injured following a lightning strike on Villa Gesell beach, Argentina.

Reports from Villa Gesell, south-east of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, say the victims had been sheltering from a storm on the beach when the lightning struck.

Eyewitnesses spoke of a “terrible noise” and said some people were thrown in the air by the powerful bolt.

Lightning strike killed three people on Villa Gesell beach in Argentina
Lightning strike killed three people on Villa Gesell beach in Argentina

Many of the injured have suffered burns, two of them seriously.

“Most are out of danger, but there are two adult women in intensive care,” said Juan Chamorro, the head of a local hospital.

Those who died were aged 17, 19 and 21.

The beach town of Villa Gesell is located about 200 miles from Buenos Aires.

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Porsche, Audi and Bentley post record sales in 2013

Clyde K. Valle
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Porsche, Audi and Bentley post record sales in 2013

Porsche, Audi and Bentley – Volkswagen’s luxury brands – have posted record sales in 2013 helped by new model launches and a recovery in the global car market.

Porsche’s deliveries jumped 15%, Audi’s 8.3% and Bentley posted a growth of 19% in 2013, from a year earlier.

Demand for luxury cars has been growing in emerging markets such as China and India amid rising income levels.

Carmakers have also benefited from a recovery in demand from the US, one of the biggest markets for luxury cars.

Audi’s sales jumped 13.5% in the US during the period, from a year ago, while Porsche saw a growth of 21%. Bentley deliveries in the US rose 28%.

China was the other major growth market for the firm, with both Audi and Porsche posting nearly 20% growth.

However, Bentley’s sales in China declined 3% from a year ago.

Porsche, Audi and Bentley have posted record sales in 2013 helped by new model launches and a recovery in the global car market
Porsche, Audi and Bentley have posted record sales in 2013 helped by new model launches and a recovery in the global car market

VW has set its sights on becoming the world’s biggest carmaker by 2018.

The latest figures are likely to provide a big boost to VW’s ambitions.

Overall, Audi sold 1.57 million cars and sport-utility vehicles globally last year, Porsche sold 162,145 vehicles and Bentley’s sales totaled 10,120 units.

“We set an important milestone for Audi in the past year: We achieved our intermediate strategic goal of 1.5 million deliveries two years earlier than planned, and in fact comfortably exceeded it,” Rupert Stadler, chairman of Audi, said in a statement.

“This means that in the past four years alone, Audi has attracted more than 600,000 new customers.”

The numbers by Volkswagen come at a time when the global car market has been recovering from the slump seen in the years after the global financial crisis.

Data released on Thursday showed that car sales in China – the world’s biggest car market – rose 14% in 2013, from a year ago. That compares to an annual growth rate of less than 5% seen in the previous two year.

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers 21.98 million vehicles were sold in China last year.

Analysts also expect 2013 to be the best year for US auto market since 2007, with total annual sales expected to reach nearly 15.6 million units.

If that figure is met, it would mark a strong recovery from 2009 when sales fell to 10.4 million during the depths of the recession.

Francois Hollande and Julie Gayet affair: President considers suing Closer magazine

Diane A. Wade
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Francois Hollande and Julie Gayet affair: President considers suing Closer magazine

France’s President Francois Hollande is considering suing Closer magazine after it claimed he was having an affair with actress Julie Gayet.

Francois Hollande told AFP the report was an “attack on the right to privacy”.

The latest edition of the weekly tabloid Closer features seven pages of revelations and photos about Francois Hollande’s alleged affair with Julie Gayet.

Julie Gayet, 41, is an established television and cinema actress who has appeared in more than 50 films.

Rumors of their alleged relationship have been circulating on the internet for many months.

Last March, Julie Gayet filed a complaint with prosecutors in Paris against various bloggers and websites that were reporting on the rumors.

Julie Gayet’s lawyer at the time said there was no basis to the claims.

President Francois Hollande is considering suing Closer magazine after it claimed he was having an affair with actress Julie Gayet
President Francois Hollande is considering suing Closer magazine after it claimed he was having an affair with actress Julie Gayet

Francois Hollande, 59, told the AFP that he “like every other citizen has a right” to privacy.

In a statement issued personally rather than by his office, Francois Hollande said he was “looking into possible action, including legal action” against Closer magazine.

However, Francois Hollande does not deny the allegation of an affair.

Closer‘s print edition came out on Friday and shows pictures it claims support the rumors that the president routinely spends the night with Julie Gayet at a flat not far from the Elysee Palace.

The pictures show Francois Hollande and Julie Gayet arriving separately. Francois Hollande, wearing a helmet, is on a motorbike driven by a chauffeur.

The magazine claims Francois Hollande’s bodyguard arrives the following morning to deliver croissants.

Francois Hollande lives with his partner Valerie Trierweiler, a journalist for whom he left fellow Socialist politician Segolene Royal, the mother of his four children.

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Pope Francis invites old friend to take a ride on Popemobile

Nancy Clayson
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Pope Francis invites old friend to take a ride on Popemobile

He did it again! Pope Francis has broken again with protocol after inviting an old friend, Father Fabian Baez, to join him on his Popemobile at the Vatican.

Father Fabian Baez was among well-wishers and pilgrims in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday as part of Pope Francis’ first general audience of the year.

Pope Francis invited Father Fabian Baez to join him on his Popemobile at the Vatican
Pope Francis invited Father Fabian Baez to join him on his Popemobile at the Vatican

Pope Francis told security guards to fetch his friend at which point Father Fabian Baez ran to embrace the pope before joining him in the open-top vehicle.

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Devyani Khobragade indicted and asked to leave US

Diane A. Wade
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Devyani Khobragade indicted and asked to leave US

Indian deputy consul general in New York, Devyani Khobragade, whose arrest in the US sparked protests from India has been formally indicted by a grand jury.

However, prosecutors said that Devyani Khobragade, 39, had also been granted immunity and that US officials had asked her to leave the country.

Prosecutors initially said Devyani Khobragade had already left but were later told by her lawyer that she was still in the US.

Devyani Khobragade was detained on charges of visa fraud and of underpaying her housekeeper in New York last month.

India had demanded a US apology for her “humiliation”, which included a strip-search.

A spokesman for the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said in a statement that they “had been advised by the State Department that, pursuant to their request, Devyani Khobragade was to have left the United States this afternoon”.

Devyani Khobragade was detained on charges of visa fraud and of underpaying her housekeeper in New York
Devyani Khobragade was detained on charges of visa fraud and of underpaying her housekeeper in New York

However, later in the day “Ms Khobragade’s lawyer advised that she has not, in fact, departed the US”.

Daniel Arshack, Devyani Khobragade’s lawyer, later confirmed this, saying that she was “at home with her children”.

Devyani Khobragade had been handcuffed and searched after a complaint from the maid, Sangeeta Richard.

She denied all the charges and in turn accused Sangeeta Richard of theft and attempted blackmail.

Delhi ordered a series of diplomatic reprisal measures against the US, and relations between the two countries have been strained over the case.

Security barricades around the American embassy in Delhi were removed and a visiting US delegation was snubbed by senior Indian politicians and officials.

On Wednesday, the US embassy in Delhi was ordered to stop “commercial activities on its premises”. India also said that embassy cars could be penalized for traffic offences.

The US embassy in Delhi has been told to shut down a club within its premises which includes a pool, restaurant and tennis court, NDTV news channel said.

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2014 Brit Awards Nominations

Sonia Pantiss
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2014 Brit Awards Nominations

Bastille and Disclosure lead the nominations at the 2014 Brit Awards to be held at London’s O2 arena on February 19.

Both acts have four nominations, followed closely by pop star Ellie Goulding and dance collective Rudimental, who have three each.

Two-time Brit winner David Bowie is up for best British male and best album, while Arctic Monkeys also get two nods.

The Sheffield band will open the awards ceremony on February 19.

Other bands scheduled to perform at the show include Bastille, Bruno Mars, up for best international male, and Rudimental.

The dance act, whose three nominations include British group, have spent the last year investing in their own live show and are “excited” to perform at the awards.

Katy Perry, who competes in the international female category after last year’s global hit Roar, will also take to the stage on the night.

New artists feature strongly on this year’s long list, with London Grammar, John Newman, Lorde, Drake and Haim all receiving their first nominations.

London four-piece Bastille, who met at university in Leeds, are up for best single, best British group, breakthrough artist and best album for their debut Bad Blood.

Featuring the catchy, triumphant hit singles Pompeii and Things We Lost In The Fire, it went straight to the top of the UK charts in March and ended up the year’s 11th best-selling album.

Disclosure, who are nominated in the same four categories, are brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence from Surrey.

Combining soul melodies with deep house and UK garage, their album, Settle, featured guest vocals from fellow Brit nominees Sam Smith and London Grammar, and was a number one in June.

Bastille and Disclosure lead the nominations at the 2014 Brit Awards
Bastille and Disclosure lead the nominations at the 2014 Brit Awards

Ellie Goulding is nominated twice in the best single category, for the dance-pop anthem Burn and her collaboration with DJ Calvin Harris, I Need Your Love.

Also up for female solo artist – where her competition includes Birdy, Jessie J, Laura Marling and Laura Mvula – an “overwhelmed” Ellie Goulding announced at the nominations launch that she too would be performing live at the ceremony.

David Bowie is a strong contender for best British male, after emerging from a 10-year hiatus and rumored health problems last year.

David Bowie, who celebrated his 67th birthday on Wednesday, is old enough to be the grandfather of his fellow nominees: Jake Bugg, Tom Odell, John Newman and Mercury Prize winner James Blake.

He is also up for best British album – deemed the night’s main award – for The Next Day, where he must see off Bastille, Disclosure, Arctic Monkeys, for their lascivious fifth album AM, and Rudimental, for the euphoric club record Home.

If David Bowie wins either award, he will receive his first Brit statuette since being honored with the outstanding contribution award 18 years ago.

For the second year running, there will be no outstanding contribution award in 2014.

However, the best British video category is being resurrected for the first time since 2002, when it was won by So Solid Crew’s 21 Seconds.

Nominations for the prize have yet to be announced, but the winner will be decided on the night by fans using social media.

That makes One Direction, whose fanbase are particularly ardent, the likely winners. Harry, Zayn, Louis, Liam and Niall are also expected to lift the “global success award”, which recognizes overseas record sales.

With nominations for best British group and best single, the boyband could be the night’s big winners.

Some major artists have been overlooked – including Vampire Weekend, Robbie Williams, Kanye West and Beyonce, whose self-titled album arrived slightly too late for the eligibility period.

Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus were also missing – perhaps a reaction to the controversy over their sexually-charged music videos.

The trophies, designed by Philip Treacy, will be handed out at London’s O2 arena on February 19, with comedian James Corden presiding over the ceremony for the third and final time.

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Meryl Streep criticizes Walt Disney for being a gender bigot with anti-Semitic views

Sonia Pantiss
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Meryl Streep criticizes Walt Disney for being a gender bigot with anti-Semitic views

Meryl Streep criticized Walt Disney for being a “gender bigot” who was a member of an anti-Semitic lobbying organization while honoring Emma Thompson at a dinner for the National Board of Review on Tuesday night.

Meryl Streep showed she is far from a cozy establishment figure as she carefully trod a line between praising Emma Thompson and attacking Walt Disney.

The film Emma Thompson was being celebrated for, Saving Mr. Banks, is based around Walt Disney’s persuading of PL Travers to allow him to adapt Mary Poppins.

Meryl Streep criticized Walt Disney for being a gender bigot who was a member of an anti-Semitic lobbying organization
Meryl Streep criticized Walt Disney for being a gender bigot who was a member of an anti-Semitic lobbying organization

According to Variety magazine, Meryl Streep called Emma Thompson “a beautiful artist” who is “practically a saint”, and read out a self-penned poem to the actor, before launching into her criticisms of Walt Disney. She quoted a letter he wrote to a female animator that read: “Women do not do any of the creative work in connection with preparing the cartoons for the screen, as that task is performed entirely by young men.”

Meryl Streep also noted that Walt Disney’s colleague Walter Kimball said that his boss “didn’t trust women or cats”.

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Eddie Irvine sentenced to six months in prison over Milan nightclub brawl

Clyde K. Valle
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Eddie Irvine sentenced to six months in prison over Milan nightclub brawl

Retired F1 driver Eddie Irvine has been sentenced to six months in prison by an Italian court after a brawl with a man in a Milan nightclub.

It is not yet clear if Eddie Irvine, who is from North Ireland, will actually have to serve time in jail.

Eddie Irvine and Gabriele Moratti, the son of a former Milan mayor, were found guilty of “mutual injury”.

They had blamed each other for the dispute that took place in the VIP section of the club in December 2008.

Eddie Irvine has been sentenced to six months in prison by an Italian court after a brawl with a man in a Milan nightclub
Eddie Irvine has been sentenced to six months in prison by an Italian court after a brawl with a man in a Milan nightclub

Both Eddie Irvine, 48, and Gabriele Moratti had accused the other of using a glass during the brawl in Milan’s Hollywood nightclub.

The Reuters news agency reported Gabriele Moratti’s lawyer, Vincenzo Saponara, as saying the sentence was likely to be suspended and that neither man would go to jail.

Vicenzo Saponara denied Italian media reports the two had fought over a woman.

The lawyer said: “Obviously it’s easy for newspapers to say they fought because of jealousy over a woman, that they were two men who were rivals for her.

“It’s a nice story. But in reality that’s not the case.”

Eddie Irvine drove for Jordan, Ferrari and Jaguar over a nine-year career in motor racing’s most prestigious sport.

Dieudonne M’bala M’bala’s show banned in France

Sonia Pantiss
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Dieudonne M’bala M’bala’s show banned in France

France’s highest court has reinstated a ban on controversial Dieudonne M’bala M’bala’s show just before it was due to open.

Interior Minister Manuel Valls appealed to the Council of State to intervene minutes after a judge in the city of Nantes overturned the ban.

Dieudonne M’bala M’bala has seven convictions for anti-Semitic hate speech.

He has already arrived at the theatre in Nantes, where more than 5,000 people were due to see the show.

Police have deployed outside the venue as a precaution. The verdict was greeted with boos and chants of Dieudonne M’bala M’bala’s name by those who had gathered to see the show.

On his Facebook page, Dieudonne M’bala M’bala appealed to those gathered outside Nantes’ Zenith theatre to return peacefully to their homes, saying he had been denied permission to address them.

The comic said that on Friday he would post a new video on his YouTube channel.

The judge in Nantes had earlier said he did not regard the show, entitled The Wall, as having “an attack on human dignity as its main object”.

But the Council of State upheld the ban on Thursday’s performance, the first on a scheduled tour, despite a challenge by the comic’s lawyers saying his freedom of expression had been breached.

France’s highest court has reinstated a ban on controversial Dieudonne M'bala M'bala’s show just before it was due to open
France’s highest court has reinstated a ban on controversial Dieudonne M’bala M’bala’s show just before it was due to open

The council cited the risk to public order in its reinstatement of the ban.

The president of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lauder, had called on France to “confront this preacher of hate head on”.

The government can be satisfied that a man they regard as a dangerous anti-Semite has been kept from the public arena.

Dieudonne M’bala M’bala’s supporters will say it is just more evidence of how he and his ideas are silenced by the system, he adds.

French media who have sent reporters to previous performances of The Wall say it contained a string of derogatory references to Jews.

Speaking on Thursday from Brittany, Manuel Valls said that “peddlers of hate stop at nothing and show boundless creativity”.

“Faced with this creativity of hate, should we do nothing? Certainly not. The status quo is not a solution,” he said.

The French government made a concerted effort to stop the tour after Dieudonne M’bala M’bala was recorded making remarks about Jewish journalist Patrick Cohen.

“When I hear him talking, I say to myself: Patrick Cohen, hmm… the gas chambers… what a shame,” he was recorded as saying.

He has also been accused of deriding Holocaust survivors and victims in his material.

On Monday, Manuel Valls said he had advised city mayors and police prefects that Dieudonne M’bala M’bala’s show could be banned if it was deemed to present a threat to public order.

However, Dieudonne M’bala M’bala’s lawyer said banning the show would be a clear breach of the principle of free expression, and that contrary to government claims, there was no evidence that his performances were a threat to public order.

The comic remains booked to play at a series of French venues until June, although the cities of Bordeaux and Marseille have cancelled his performances and in light of the latest ruling, it is not clear whether the rest of the tour can go ahead.

Dieudonne M’bala M’bala denies his trademark quenelle gesture is an inverted Nazi salute, instead describing it as an anti-establishment sign.

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Mark Duggan’s aunt calls for calm after inquest decision

Diane A. Wade
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Mark Duggan’s aunt calls for calm after inquest decision

Mark Duggan’s aunt, Carole Duggan, has said the family will fight the inquest decision of lawful killing “through the courts” and has called for calm.

On Wednesday, a jury concluded Mark Duggan was lawfully killed when he was shot dead by police in August 2011.

Met Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe thanked Mark Duggan’s family for “expressing their desire to pursue their case peacefully”.

Mark Duggan’s death in Tottenham, north London, sparked widespread disorder.

The killing of Mark Duggan, 29, was followed by protests which descended into looting and rioting in the capital and spread to other cities in England.

Earlier, his aunt Carole Duggan said: “No demonstrations, no more violence, we will have to fight this and go through the struggle peacefully to get justice.”

Following the conclusion of the inquest, the family reacted with anger to the jury’s decision that officers had acted within the law.

Carole Duggan has called for the Independent Police Complaints Commission to review the case.

Carole Duggan has said the family will fight the inquest decision of lawful killing through the courts and has called for calm
Carole Duggan has said the family will fight the inquest decision of lawful killing through the courts and has called for calm

British PM David Cameron welcomed Carole Duggan’s message of restraint, but stressed the outcome of the inquest had to be respected.

He said: “These issues raise very strong emotions but I hope people can react calmly and recognize that we have proper judicial processes in this country and they are the ones that must be followed.

“I very much respect Mark Duggan’s aunt for saying pursue the case in the courts and not the street.”

David Cameron did admit more work was needed to improve race relations.

“There’s still racial prejudice in our country, there’s still discrimination,” he said.

“But I think what you can see is governments…trying to break down these barriers and end discrimination and make sure people are valued for the passion in their heart and the thoughts their head, rather than the color of their skin.”

Meanwhile it has emerged the names of the ten jurors who delivered the verdict are to remain confidential.

The seven women and three men, who come from the north London boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Enfield, Harrow and Haringey, have been offered counseling which is routine in cases deemed to be of a sensitive nature.

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Mark Duggan shooting prompts camera move

Diane A. Wade
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Mark Duggan shooting prompts camera move

A London police official has announced that firearms officers are to wear video cameras in an attempt to be “more open” following the death of Mark Duggan in 2011.

Bernard Hogan-Howe admitted the force must “do more to build trust” after an inquest jury found Mark Duggan, 29, was lawfully killed.

Mark Duggan was shot dead by police in August 2011 in Tottenham, north London.

Bernard Hogan- Howe will meet community leaders in Haringey to discuss how “confidence” in the Met can be improved.

The family of Mark Duggan reacted with anger after the jury concluded by a majority of 8 to 2 that he was lawfully killed by officers.

Mark Duggan, whose death sparked protests that descended into rioting and looting across London and spread to other parts of England, was shot when police stopped a taxi he was travelling in.

Following the conclusion of the four-month inquest at the Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday, his aunt Carole Duggan said he had been “executed”.

Bernard Hogan-Howe said: “I want to express my sympathy to Mark Duggan’s family. They’ve lost a son and brother and their friends have lost a friend.

“That’s a terrible event for everybody and they’ve had to wait a long time for this verdict.

Mark Duggan was shot dead by police in August 2011 in Tottenham
Mark Duggan was shot dead by police in August 2011 in Tottenham

“I hope that everybody’s able to accept the verdict of the jury. It’s a jury of ordinary Londoners who have come to a verdict which we all have to accept.

“I do acknowledge that we need to do more to build trust with the people of London and there are things that we need to learn from this event.

“First of all, I want our officers to be able to be more open when it comes to the investigations that follow these events.

“In pursuance of that we’re going to ask them to wear video cameras, so that we can record this type of incident, and I’m going to meet many people from across London, leaders from the Haringey community, to see what we need to do to work together to improve the confidence in the Met for those members of society who may feel that this has damaged their confidence in any way.”

The jury of seven women and three men was asked to answer five questions over Mark Duggan’s death.

The panel concluded Mark Duggan did not have a gun when he was shot by officers who surrounded a minicab he was travelling in.

But the jury said it was more likely than not that Mark Duggan had thrown a gun from the vehicle just before he was killed. The weapon was found about 20ft away from the scene.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is currently conducting an investigation into Mark Duggan’s death.

Deborah Coles, from the charity Inquest, said Mark Duggan’s family were considering whether to apply for the decision to be judicially reviewed.

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