Vester Lee Flanagan, the suspected gunman who shot dead a Virginia TV reporter and a cameraman during live report, has killed himself on the I-66 in Fauquier County, state police are quoted by WDBJ7 TV as saying.
WDBJ7 TV reporter Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27, both were killed and a woman interviewed at the time of the attack was wounded.
The woman, identified as Vicki Gardner, is reportedly out of emergency surgery.
“She is currently recovering and is in stable condition,” a spokesman for Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is reported by local news paper The Roanoke Times as saying.
Vicki Gardner was being interviewed about the 50th anniversary of the founding of Smith Mountain Lake, a resort area near the Bridgewater Plaza, when the attack took place.
Williams was reported to have joined the WDBJ news channel “as a multimedia journalist and general assignment reporter” in April 2012. He previously worked as a reporter at a number of local news stations in the southern US.
Vester Lee Flanagan, known professionally as Bryce Williams, was a former WDBJ7 staff member, police said.
The attack took place at a large shopping centre, Bridgewater Plaza, near Smith Mountain Lake.
Virginia’s WDBJ7 TV reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward have been shot dead during a live report in the town of Moneta.
Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, were killed during an interview, the TV station said.
A man, apparently a disgruntled former employee of WDBJ7 TV, uploaded a video of himself shooting the reporter at close range on social media.
Augusta County Sheriff’s Office has named the suspect as Vester Lee Flanagan.
Known professionally as Bryce Williams, Vester Lee Flanagan is a former WDBJ7 staff member and described by police as a “person of interest”. His Twitter and Facebook accounts have now been suspended.
During the live broadcast, shots and Alison Parker’s screams could be heard, and the camera fell to the ground.
State police have denied reports that a pursuit is under way.
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said in a statement: “We believe it was a disgruntled employee who fired at the TV crew. Not a case of terrorism. It is a criminal case.”
The attack took place at a large shopping centre, Bridgewater Plaza, near Smith Mountain Lake.
Alison Parker was starting a breakfast TV interview about tourism at the shopping centre when suddenly eight shots rang out, the camera spun and dropped to the ground, and her screams could be heard.
The footage then captures what appears to be a fleeting image of the gunman, who is wearing black trousers and a blue top – and holding a handgun.
The station said the woman who was being interviewed, Vicki Gardner of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, had survived the attack but was in hospital and required surgery.
“Alison and Adam died this morning at 06:45 shortly after the shots rang out. We do not know the motive or who the suspect or the killer is,” the station’s president and general manager, Jeffrey Marks, announced on air.
“I cannot tell you how much they were loved by the WDBJ7 team… our hearts are broken,” he said.
Jeffrey Marks added that the station’s building was in lockdown, under police protection.
“Police have advised us that as long as this person is on the loose, we should stay in the building. We have police protection,” he told the Associated Press news agency.
WDBJ7 anchor Chris Hurst revealed that he and Alison Parker had been in a relationship and had planned to marry.
“We didn’t share this publicly, but @AParkerWDBJ7 and I were very much in love. We just moved in together. I am numb,” he said on Twitter.
“We were together almost nine months. It was the best nine months of our lives. We wanted to get married. We just celebrated her 24th birthday.
“She was the most radiant woman I ever met. And for some reason she loved me back. She loved her family, her parents and her brother.”
Chris Hurst added that Alison Parker had worked on a regular basis with Adam Ward, and that he was heartbroken for his fiancée, a producer at the station.
9/11 survivor Marcy Borders, who is known as “Dust Lady” after being photographed covered in dust while fleeing the World Trade Center, has died of stomach cancer at the age of 42.
Marcy Borders’ death was announced by her family on Facebook.
The woman was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2014 at the age of 41.
The iconic 9/11 photo of Marcy Borders was taken by AFP photographer Stan Honda as the attacks on the Twin Towers unfolded.
Marcy Borders, who was 28 at the time of the attacks, was working on the 81st floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower when the first plane hit. She fled down the stairwell and emerged from the building as the South Tower fell, covering her in dust and debris.
Photo Jersey Journal
She said a stranger pulled her to safety in a nearby building, where Stan Honda took the now-famous photo.
Marcy Borders kept the clothes she was wearing – still covered in ash – in a plastic bag in her wardrobe, but as of 2011 had never looked at them, the Telegraph reported.
In the next 10 years following 9/11 attacks, Marcy Borders grappled with depression and substance abuse. She checked into a rehab center in 2011.
In an interview with the Jersey Journal in 2014, Marcy Borders speculated that her cancer was related to the attacks.
The number of cancer cases linked to 9/11 attacks has grown in recent years.
As of May 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported more than 4,000 first responders, rescue workers and survivors who have been diagnosed with cancer linked to the attacks.
The CDC said skin cancer, prostate cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are among the most common illnesses among those individuals.
President Barack Obama apologized to Japan after WikiLeaks claimed Washington had spied on Japanese politicians, a government spokesman said.
Barack Obama held a telephone conversation with Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe on August 26, spokesman Yoshihide Suga said, adding that the pair agreed to work together on global economic issues in the wake of a stock market meltdown sparked by fears over China.
“President Obama said he was very sorry… as the case caused a big debate in Japan,” Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference, without confirming the spying claims.
He added that PM Shinzo Abe reiterated his “serious concern” over the case.
“Prime Minister Abe told [Barack Obama] that, if the Japanese people concerned were subject to these activities, it would risk jeopardizing trusting relations between allies,” Yoshihide Suga said.
In an earlier conversation with VP Joe Biden, Shinzo Abe voiced similar concerns if the spying claims were confirmed.
Last month, WikiLeaks said it had intercepts revealing years-long espionage by the US National Security Agency (NSA) on Japanese officials and major companies.
Tokyo’s response has been widely seen as muted compared to the anger expressed in France and Germany following similar NSA spying allegations.
Japan is one of Washington’s key allies in the Asia-Pacific region and they regularly consult on defense, economic and trade issues.
According to new reports, Los Angeles prosecutors are reviewing evidence and considering whether to file charges against Caitlyn Jenner over a traffic collision on a coastal highway that killed a woman earlier this year.
The case was presented on August 25 and is being reviewed by the agency’s Major Crimes Division, Los Angeles County district attorney’s spokesman Greg Risling said.
Photo Instagram
There’s no timetable for when prosecutors will decide whether they will file charges against Caitlyn Jenner.
Bruce Jenner, who became Caitlyn Jenner, was driving a sport utility vehicle February 7 when it slammed into two cars on Pacific Coast Highway, pushing a Lexus driven by 69-year-old Kim Howe into oncoming traffic.
China’s stocks have closed lower despite a fresh interest rate cut by the country’s central bank.
Shanghai Composite fell 1.27% to 2,927.29, after veering in and out of negative territory.
It had fallen about 16% this week, rocking global markets.
On August 25, China’s central bank cut its key lending rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.6% in a bid to calm stock markets after the past days’ turmoil.
The dramatic losses and volatility in China have shattered investor confidence and led to sharp falls in Asia and the US over the past days.
European markets were down by about 1% in morning trading on August 26, after rallying on the previous day.
The interest rate cut was the fifth by the People’s Bank of China since November 2014.
A rate cut will make it cheaper for banks to borrow from the central bank and will in turn make it easier for businesses and private people to borrow money from those banks.
Given China’s central role in world trade, a slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy would be likely to reverberate around the globe.
Japan’s Nikkei gains come after a painful week for the Tokyo index, which had shed more than 8% in the past two sessions.
South Korea’s Kospi index was also in positive territory, closing 2.6% higher at 1,894.29 points, while in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 finished 0.7% up at 5,172.80.
Overnight, European and US markets saw another session of volatile trading. Wall Street’s Dow Jones closed 1.3% down, marking the sixth consecutive day of falls for US stocks.
London’s FTSE 100 index closed up 3% as major markets in France and Germany both gained more than 4%.
Donald Trump attacked Univision anchor Jorge Ramos during a news conference in Iowa on August 25, and asked his security to remove the well-known news personality from the room.
Jorge Ramos stood up and began to ask Donald Trump about his immigration proposal, which includes ending automatic citizenship for infants born in the US to parents in the country illegally.
As Jorge Ramos began to speak, Donald Trump interrupted him, saying he hadn’t called on Ramos before repeatedly telling him to “sit down”.
Donald Trump pounced on the Univision anchor: “Sit down. You weren’t called sit down. Sit down.” Then saying: “Go back to Univision.”
Photo AP
As Jorge Ramos continued to speak, Donald Trump appeared to glance at his regular, traveling bodyguard and click his lips. The bodyguard then approached Jorge Ramos and escorted him out of the room.
As Donald Trump’s bodyguard approached Jorge Ramos, the anchor continued to speak, saying: “You cannot deport 11 million people.”
Jorge Ramos was referring to Donald Trump’s proposal to deport all people in the country illegally before allowing some of them to return.
As he was taken from the room, Jorge Ramos said about another proposal in Donald Trump’s plan: “You cannot build a 1,900-mile wall.”
Moments later, Donald Trump justified Jorge Ramos’ removal, saying: “He just stands up and starts screaming. Maybe he’s at fault also.”
When a reporter asked him about the exchange, Donald Trump said: “I don’t really know much about him… I didn’t escort him out. Whoever security is escorted him out.”
Donald Trump added: “Somebody just walked him out, I don’t know where he is, I don’t even mind if he comes back, frankly… He’s obviously a very emotional person.”
Ten minutes later Jorge Ramos was allowed back into the news conference. Donald Trump greeted him politely, though they quickly resumed their argument, interrupting each other during an extended back-and-forth.
Jorge Ramos began: “Your immigration plan, it is full of empty promises. You cannot deport 11 million people.
“You cannot deny citizenship to children born in this country. You cannot.”
Donald Trump cut him off: “Why do you say that? Excuse me, no, no. A lot of people think that’s not right, that an act of Congress can do that,” referring to citizenship by birth, a constitutional principle that grants citizenship to children born in the United States.
The Republican presidential frontrunner interrupted Jorge Ramos several times, continuing to make his argument: “Excuse me, no. No, no, some of the greatest legal scholars, and I know some of those television scholars agree with you.”
During the five-minute exchange, Jorge Ramos claimed that 40% of people in the country illegally enter through airports, not over the Mexican border.
“I don’t believe that. I don’t believe it,” Donald Trump responded.
A 2006 report by the Pew Hispanic Center found that as much as 45% of the people in the US illegally entered with legal visas but overstayed them.
Donald Trump said he did not believe that a majority of immigrants in the US illegally were criminals, or in the country to commit crimes.
“Most of them are good people,” he said. But he described recent cases where people had been killed by assailants later determined to be in the country illegally.
In the end, Donald Trump reminded Jorge Ramos that he was suing Univision, which dropped his Miss Universe pageant after he described immigrants in the US illegally as “criminals” and “rapists.”
“Do you know how many Latinos work for me? Do you know how many Hispanics work for me?” Donald Trump said.
“Thousands. They love me.”
Univision CEO Isaac Lee responded to the confrontation with a written comment: “We’d love for Mr. Trump to sit down for an in-depth interview with Jorge to talk about the specifics of his proposals.”
Donald Trump has renewed his feud with the Fox News host Megyn Kelly.
Republican presidential frontrunner said Megyn Kelly, who returned to her show on August 24 after a break, “must have had a terrible vacation” because “she’s really off her game”.
Fox News chief Roger Ailes has demanded an apology, describing Donald Trump’s verbal attack as “disturbing”.
It comes two weeks after controversy over Donald Trump’s remarks about Megyn Kelly following the first Republican debate.
In a CNN interview, Donald Trump said the Fox presenter “had blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever” to describe the way she questioned him during the debate over comments he had made about women.
Donald Trump was subsequently dropped as a speaker at a major conservative forum, and his comment was denounced by rival Republican candidates.
But it did not stop him from continuing his verbal attack of Megyn Kelly during her show on August 24, tweeting: “Kelly File was much better without Megyn Kelly. Her replacement while she was out on vacation was much better!”
Fox News chairman Roger Ailes, who had cleared the air with Donald Trump after the debate, reacted strongly to the “surprise and unprovoked attack” on his news host. In a statement read aloud on the channel, he said it was “as unacceptable as it is disturbing”.
Megyn Kelly “represents the very best of American journalism and all of us at Fox News Channel reject the crude and irresponsible attempts to suggest otherwise,” he added, demanding an apology.
Some of Megyn Kelly’s colleagues also came to her defense, including Bret Baier, her co-host for the debate, who tweeted “this needs to stop”.
Donald Trump seemed unfazed by the criticism, saying he disagreed with Roger Ailes’ statement and that he did not consider Megyn Kelly “a quality journalist”.
Donald Trump has taken the lead in the polls ahead of the 16 other Republican candidates, despite a string of controversial remarks since launching his campaign.
Adnan Syed’s lawyer, Justin Brown, has submitted new evidence that he says casts doubt on his client’s case.
Adnan Masud Syed, 35, who is the subject of the hit podcast Serial, is serving a life sentence for the murder of ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999.
Justin Brown says key mobile phone data used to convict Adnan Syed of killing his ex-girlfriend in 2000 was unreliable.
Adnan Syed’s defense team is trying to reopen the case based on some of the questions raised in the Serial podcast over whether Syed had received a fair trial.
Serial, which was released in weekly installments at the end of 2014, became a global hit, breaking records as the fastest podcast to reach 5 million downloads on iTunes.
In the 2000 trial, prosecutors weighed heavily on mobile phone records that allegedly placed Adnan Syed at a park in Baltimore where Hae Min Lee’s body was buried.
Adnan Syed, who was 17 at the time, has always maintained his innocence.
However, a motion filed in court on August 24 by Justin Brown said a newly recovered mobile phone document showed “the cell tower evidence was misleading and should have never been admitted at trial”.
In it, Justin Brown says mobile phone carrier AT&T had issued a warning about the accuracy of mobile tower data, which he argues would have made the phone records inadmissible as evidence.
“Outgoing calls only are reliable for location status. Any incoming calls will NOT be considered reliable information for location,” reads a note on a cover sheet from AT&T for Adnan Syed’s phone records.
Justin Brown says prosecutors presented incoming calls as evidence to determine Adnan Syed’s location.
It “is an extremely important piece of evidence, and we are bringing it to the court’s attention as quickly as possible,” Justin Brown told The Baltimore Sun.
Adnan Syed’s lawyer is also seeking to reopen court proceedings to allow testimony from a key witness who may be able to provide Syed with an alibi in the case.
Asia McClain, a friend of Adnan Syed’s who was not heard in the original trial, claims to have seen him in a library at the time of the suspected killing.
The fact that Adnan Syed’s first lawyer, Cristina Gutierrez, failed to submit this evidence in the original trial was one of the arguments used to win him the right to appeal in February.
Adnan Syed’s lawyer has since filed a motion for appeal, though the court in Maryland has yet to respond.
If you are looking to hire a financial security advisor like Robert Yancovitch, you should look at the process like hiring an employee. What’s the first thing you do to weed out potential candidates from those who simply don’t fit the bill? You look at their resume. Here’s what the resume of a financial security advisor worth hiring should look like. Even if you don’t see the person’s actual resume, these are the same types of things you should look and listen for when you interview a potential financial security advisor.
Objective
Under this headline, the financial security advisor should have key phrases such as “To help each client reach his financial goals through educated and experienced financial planning advice.” Steer clear of resumes that promise grand things such as “guaranteed financial success” or “no-fail advice.”
Education
Look for a financial security advisor whose resume includes a university degree in a related field as well as professional certification in financial planning. Find out which professional designations he has (is he a Certified financial security advisor?) Earning a professional designation is an indication that the financial security advisor has passed rigorous standardized tests that exhibits his ability to understand and apply the principles of his field.
A CMA designation is recognized around the world as an advanced-level credential earned by those in the financial business who have demonstrated professional expertise in areas such as financial planning, analysis, decision-making, and control as well as professional ethics. These are the hallmarks of a competent and knowledgeable financial security advisor.
Experience
Find out what kind of professional experience the financial security advisor has. Do they have any specializations? How long have they worked in the industry? Do they have experience in dealing with clients like you? Getting a clear picture of the level of experience a financial security advisor has will give you a good indication as to whether he is a good fit for you.
Employment history
Before hiring a financial security advisor such as Robert Yancovitch, find out about his employment, both past and present. Has he always worked for large corporations (and is he tied to a corporation now?) Has he always worked in an independent practice? Does he have partners or associates? This will give you good insight into the type of practice the financial security advisor works in, and whether you will be in a small fish in big pond, or whether your needs will get a higher level of personal attention.
Interpersonal skills
This is a very important section to which you should pay close attention. Look for words like patience, honesty, dedication, good communication skills, easily reachable, commitment to making clients feel comfortable and involved, etc. These skills are just as important as the financial security advisor’s education and professional experience. You do not want to work with an FO who makes you feel rushed, neglected, uncomfortable or who talks over your head with industry lingo and terms that you don’t understand, without taking the time to explain. When it comes to your money and investments, it’s important that you feel involved and that you understand what is going on.
Contact information
Ensure that the financial security advisor will be easily reachable. If you have questions or directives you’d like to give regarding your investments, you don’t want to have to put on your private detective’s hat to track down your financial security advisor.
According to a French prosecutor, the Thalys train attack on August 21 was premeditated and well prepared.
Moroccan Ayoub El-Khazzani, 25, was carrying 270 bullets for his assault rifle and a bottle of petrol, prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters on August 25.
The suspect’s phone showed that he had watched a jihadist video shortly before launching the attack, Francois Molins added.
Ayoub El-Khazzani was overpowered by passengers on the Thalys train. No-one died.
Three Americans and one Briton who tackled the gunman were awarded medals for their bravery.
“Ayoub El-Khazzani had watched YouTube audio files whilst already on the Thalys train in which an individual called on the faithful to fight and take up arms in the name of the Prophet [Muhammad],” Francois Molins told a news conference.
Francois Molins said a formal terrorism investigation had been opened, adding that other European authorities had passed on information about the suspect’s travels and links to radical Islam.
Heinz tomato ketchup must be sold as “tomato seasoning” in Israel, the health ministry has ruled.
Rival ketchup maker Osem, the top selling brand in Israel, had said the Heinz product did not have sufficient tomato content to be called ketchup.
In January 2015, Osem said it had Heinz ketchup tested and found it contained 21% tomato concentrate.
Israel requires ketchup to have 41% tomato concentrate.
Osem controls about two thirds of the market for Israeli ketchup, leaving Heinz in a distant second place in terms of sales.
Heinz’s Israeli distributor is reported to be seeking a change in regulations.
Commenting on its product for sale in Israel, a Heinz Europe spokesman said: “The word ketchup is indicated in English on the front of the bottle while recognizing that the Israeli standard for ketchup has yet to be brought in line with US and European accepted international standards, the back label of our ketchup sold in Israel reflects current local requirements for ingredient labeling and the Hebrew name for the product.”
The company added: “The original, quality recipe for Heinz Tomato Ketchup sold in Israel and the standard for ketchup around the world remains unchanged.”
Heinz ketchup was first created in 1876.
According to Haaretz, Heinz’s distributor is currently petitioning to change the Health Ministry’s standards in order to allow the product to qualify as ketchup once more.
Israelis have long complained that local monopolies distort the economy, and especially the food market, leading to high prices on products like cottage cheese and Milky brand pudding.
In an effort to calm stock markets after two days of turmoil, China’s central bank has cut its main interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.6% to boost growth in the country’s economy.
It is the fifth interest rate cut since November and will take effect on August 26.
The People’s Bank of China’s move has boosted global share prices further, with Wall Street’s Dow Jones index opening more than 1.7% higher after the move.
In mid-afternoon European trading, London’s FTSE 100 was up almost 3%, while Germany’s Dax and the Paris Cac were ahead nearly 5%.
Other European markets, including Lisbon, Madrid, Moscow and Milan, were all sharply higher.
The People’s Bank said that the interest rate cut was to reduce “the social cost of financing to promote and support the sustainable and healthy developments of the real economy”.
The Chinese central bank also acted to increase the flow of money in the economy by cutting the amount of cash banks must keep in reserve, effectively freeing them to lend more cash.
Its move was broadly welcomed by economists.
A research note from JP Morgan stated: “China’s decision to cut… will be regarded by many investors as overdue. The litmus test will come overnight, however, and the efficacy of the… cut in boosting the domestic stock market.”
The Chinese authorities have taken a number of steps to help stem stock market losses since the market began a series of heavy falls in June.
Earlier, China’s falling stock market had hit markets around the globe on August 24, and – although Asian markets were again hit overnight – European stocks had already opened in a more optimistic mood on August 25.
The main Shanghai Composite index closed Tuesday’s session down 7.6% at 2,964.97 points. Japan also saw more sharp falls, sending Tokyo’s Nikkei index down 4%.
The global sell-off has been driven by fears that China’s slowing growth means less business for everyone else.
China’s booming economy of the last 30 years has seen the country suck in supplies of raw materials for manufacturing and, increasingly, manufactured and luxury goods from other countries.
The Walking Dead spin-off series, Fear the Walking Dead, has had the biggest premiere in US cable TV history.
AMC’s 90-minute series opener of Fear the Walking Dead delivered a record-breaking 10.1 million viewers, the network said.
Set in Los Angeles, the prequel focuses on a group of characters in the early days of the zombie apocalypse.
Fear the Walking Dead Season 1 will run for six episodes and will return for a second season of 15 episodes in 2016.
Sunday’s opening episode beat The Walking Dead‘s premiere viewing figures of 5.35 million in 2010.
The first episode of Fear the Walking Dead delivered 6.3 million adults in the 18-to-49 demographic which is favored by advertisers. The previous record in the same demographic was AMC’s Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul – 4.4 million – earlier this year.
The Walking Dead has been a huge hit for AMC. Season 6 is due to begin in October.
Fourteen people have been arrested in a Spanish and Moroccan joint operation targeting suspected recruiters for the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) group.
One arrest was made close to Madrid, the others in various Moroccan cities.
Those arrested are suspected of involvement in a network to send fighters to areas of Syria and Iraq under ISIS control.
On August 21, a Moroccan who had lived in Spain was arrested following a foiled attack on a high-speed French train.
Ayoub El-Khazzani, 25, originally from Tetouan in northern Morocco, arrived in Spain in 2007 and lived there for seven years, in Madrid and Algeciras, before moving to France.
He is suspected of having had contact with radical Islamists and had been put on a list marked as “potentially dangerous” by Spanish authorities. They flagged this up to French counterparts in February 2014.
Spanish counter-terrorism sources quoted on August 24 by the Spanish Cadena Ser radio network said that some 800 people with a radical Islamist profile were in Europe and ready to strike, having returned from Syria and Iraq.
The latest Spanish arrest took place in San Martin de la Vega, close to Madrid, and the others were in the Moroccan cities of Fez, Casablanca, Nador, al-Hoceima and Driouech.
The Spanish interior ministry said the operation was ongoing, without giving specific details.
In June, Spain raised the terrorism threat level from three to four out of a possible five, increasing the number of armed police at sensitive sites across the country.
Level four means the intelligence services believe there is a high risk of a terror attack happening.
Both Spain and Morocco have arrested dozens of suspected radical Islamists in recent years.
Last year we had the pleasure of getting our hands on another flagship from Nubia, the slim and stylish Z7, which boasted a 5.5-inch display featuring 1440 x 2560 rezolution with the beautiful Nubia UI 2.0, a 13MP main camera with 2160p@30fps video recording, Bluetooth 4.0, and active noise cancellation with dedicated microphone. The phablet came equipped with 3GB RAM and powered by the Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 chipset, quad-core 2.5GHz Krait 400 processor and the Adreno 330 GPU, while running Amdroid 4.4.2 KitKat.
Although the phone has no card slot, you get plenty of capacity on the built-in 32GB for storing high-resolution photos, high-quality videos, selfies taken with the 5MP frontal camera, documents, and others. Additional specs include dual SIM with dual standby, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot, Glonass, DTS sound, HTML5, and a 3000mAh Li-Ion battery.
Photo Source: gearbest.com
The ZTE Nubia Z7 phablet is a popular model this year, along with the newly released and more advanced model from ZTE, the Nubia My PRAGUE. This time is about an elegant-looking phablet coming with silver or gold accents that you can match with any business outfit. It’s attractive, makes you stand out and packs high-end feaures like 4G, 3GB RAM, dual SIM, an AMOLED display with 16M colors, a 5.2-inch screen of 1080 x 1920 pixels, the Nubia UI 3.0 user interface, Android 5.0.2 Lollipop operating system, 32GB internal storage, up to 128GB external storage, a 13MP camera with full HD video recording at 30fps, an 8MP secondary camera, Bluetooth 4.0, Glonass, HTML5, and active noise cancellation for crystal-clear phone calls.
Photo Source: gearbest.com
Compared to the previously described model, the Nubia My Prague has a smaller capacity, 2200mAh, Li-Ion battery. As for the hardware part, the phablet comes equipped with a Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 chipset, Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A53 processors and Adreno 405 GPU.
If you’re in doubt and don’t know which one to pick, I can tell you the Z7 is cheaper, being available at around $300, while the My Prague has a price of $360. The good news is that you can get your hands on a new ZTE Nubia My PRAGUE with a $40 discount if you use the coupon code PRAGUE at Gearbest.com.
China stock market has plunged for a second day after worries over the country’s slowing growth triggered a global sell-off.
The Shanghai Composite, China’s main stock exchange, fell 7.6% on August 25 – after losing 8.5% on what state media have called China’s “Black Monday” on August 24.
It was the worst fall since 2007 and caused sharp drops in markets in the US and Europe.
Tokyo’s Nikkei index had a volatile day, closing 4% lower.
The Shanghai index ended the day 245 points lower at 2,964.97.
After decades of rapid growth, China is slowing down, and investors globally are worried that firms and countries which rely on high demand from China – the world’s second largest economy and the second largest importer of both goods and commercial services – will be affected.
Chinese shares had experienced a year-long rally – mainly fuelled by investors borrowing money to buy shares – which came to an end in June.
The government then intervened in financial markets, to try to maintain momentum in the economy.
Two weeks ago China’s central bank devalued the currency, the yuan – this raised fresh concerns that China’s economy could be in worse shape than previously thought.
A cheaper currency lowers the price of China’s exports, making them more attractive to global companies.
Elsewhere in Asia and Australia on August 25, markets beat expectations, opening lower but then returning back to positive territory: Korea’s KOSPI gained almost 1% and Australia’s S&P ASX/200 ended the day 2.7% higher.
The dollar remained weak at 119.15 yen, up from a seven month low of 118.51 yen in New York on August 24.
Commodity prices also recovered after Monday’s falls, although oil remains under pressure because of a global oversupply.
Overnight, the Europe and the US saw dramatic falls, but are expected to show some signs of recovery when they open on August 25.
Wall Street’s Dow Jones fell 6%, but then almost recovered its losses before closing 3.6% lower.
London’s FTSE 100 index closed down 4.6% as major markets in France and Germany were down by 5.5% and 4.96% respectively.
Guatemala’s ex-VP Roxana Baldetti has appeared in court accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes in a scandal that has rocked the government.
According to prosecutors, Roxana Baldetti took a 50% cut of illegal payments channeled to officials helping businesses evade customs duties.
Roxana Baldetti was arrested last week over the scheme and denies wrongdoing.
Photo AFP
Addressing the nation on August 23, Otto Perez Molina rejected any link to the scandal and said his conscience was clear.
Eight members of his government have resigned over the allegations and nearly 30 people detained.
In court, Roxana Baldetti – who resigned in May – spoke to confirm her identity, taking notes as prosecutors played some of the wiretapped conversations that led to her detention.
The bribery scam has become known as “La Linea”, or “The Line”, after the hotline businesses allegedly rang to clear their imports through customs at cut-price rates.
Presidential elections are being held in early September, but electoral law bars Otto Perez Molina from standing for another term.
President Otto Perez Molina has faced calls to stand down from across Guatemalan society and investigators are seeking to end his immunity from prosecution.
According to new reports, Giuliana Rancic says her former Fashion Police co-host Kelly Osbourne is “pathetic”.
Giuliana Rancic, 41, “doesn’t understand” why Kelly Osbourne recently branded her “a liar” and wants her to find “someone else to obsess over”, People magazine’s website reports.
Photo Instagram
Kelly Osbourne, 30, declared earlier this week that she and Giuliana Rancic would never be friends again: “I will never admit to liking Giuliana because I don’t. I don’t think she’s a good person and I think she’s a liar.”
Giuliana Rancic and Kelly Osbourne fell out in March after Giuliana came under fire for “offensive” comments she made about Zendaya Coleman on Fashion Police and Kelly opted to quit the show after distancing herself from the scandal on Twitter.
However, Giuliana Rancic believes Kelly Osbourne is merely trying to “divert attention” from herself after she was slammed for making an offensive comment about the Latino community on The View earlier this month, People.com reports.
Ben Higgins has been named as the next Bachelor for Season 20, ABC has announced.
The network made the announcement during Monday’s live episode of After Paradise, the Bachelor in Paradise after-show, when Ben Higgins showed up to the taping.
Photo ABC
Ben Higgins, a 26-year-old software salesman from Denver, came in third place on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season of The Bachelorette, which aired this summer.
“I’m excited,” Ben Higgins told host After Paradise host Chris Harrison.
“Everything leading up to this has just been incredible and I’m just ready to get started,” he added.
The Bachelor Season 20 will premiere in January 2016.
IndyCar driver Justin Wilson died of a head injury at the age of 37.
He died in hospital on Monday, August 24.
Justin Wilson was in coma after a piece of debris struck him at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, August 23.
IndyCar announced his death at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Justin Wilson, a British driver who lived outside Denver in Longmont, Colorado, was hit in the head during Sunday’s race by piece of debris that had broken off another car. His car veered into an interior wall at the track, and he was swiftly taken by helicopter to a hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
His younger brother, Stefan Wilson, also an IndyCar driver, tweeted: “Can’t even begin to describe the loss I feel right now. He was my Brother, my best friend, my role model and mentor. He was a champion!”
Stefan Wilson said his brother’s organs would be donated.
Justin Wilson won seven times over 12 seasons in open-wheel racing and finished as high as fifth in the Indianapolis 500.
An acclaimed sports car racer, Justin Wilson won the prestigious 24 Hours of Daytona with Michael Shank Racing, and he competed in 20 Formula One races in 2003 before moving to the U.S. to join Champ Car.
He finished third in the Champ Car standings in 2005, and was runner-up in both 2006 and 2007. To support his career, his management team in 2003 created a program that allowed fans to invest in the driver. Hundreds of people bought shares in Justin Wilson, who was dyslexic and a strong supporter of foundations related to the disorder.
Justin Wilson, a native of Sheffield, England, entered this season without a full-time ride. He latched on with Andretti Autosport and was in the sixth of seven scheduled races with the team. The agreement began as a two-race deal for events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and then was increased to the final five races of the year.
The IndyCar season concludes on August 30 in Sonoma, California.
Justin Wilson leaves behind a wife, Julia, and two daughters, 7 and 5. The family asked for donations to a trust fund for his daughters in lieu of flowers.
North Korea and South Korea have reached an agreement to defuse tension after recent confrontations.
Seoul has agreed to halt cross-border propaganda broadcasts as part of the deal.
South Korea started the broadcasts after a landmine injured two of its soldiers on the border earlier this month.
Its lead negotiator said the move came after North Korea agreed to express “regret” over the incident.
The agreement came after marathon talks that began after an exchange of fire at the border on August 20.
The negotiations in the abandoned “truce village” of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) were said to have ended at 00:55 local time on Tuesday, August 25.
A joint statement said South Korea would stop the loudspeaker broadcasts at midday on August 25 and North Korea would end its “semi-state of war”.
Both countries have also agreed to work towards a resumption of reunions for families separated by the 1950-1953 Korean War.
National security adviser Kim Kwan-jin, who led the negotiations for South Korea, said there would be follow-up talks to discuss a range of issues on improving ties
However, he said it was not the right time to push for a summit between the leaders of the two countries.
South Korea resumed the propaganda broadcasts after an 11-year hiatus earlier this month in apparent retaliation for the landmine incident on August 4 – although North Korea denied having planted the mines.
It also denied shelling South Korea last week – an incident that prompted artillery fire from the South.
Pyongyang ordered its troops to be “on a war footing” on August 21 while Seoul warned that it would “retaliate harshly” to any acts of aggression. About 4,000 residents were also evacuated from border areas in South Korea.
In 2004, the two Koreas reached an agreement to dismantle their propaganda loudspeakers at the border.
A universal flu vaccine comes closer after promising trials in animals, scientists have announced.
According to researchers, the vaccine would give life-long protection against any type of flu.
Two separate teams have found success with an approach that homes in on a stable part of the flu virus.
That should remove the problem with current flu vaccines which must be given anew each year because they focus on the mutating part of the virus.
The proof-of-concept work is published in Science journal and Nature Medicine.
The US studies are now needed in humans to confirm that the method will work in man.
In the meantime, experts say people should continue to receive an annual flu jab because vaccination is still the best way to protect yourself against infection.
Conventional flu jabs target molecules on the surface of the flu virus, but these are constantly changing.
It is the stems that scientists are now focusing on as a target for a universal flu jab.
V Festival celebrated its 20th edition over the weekend by championing British talent, organizers say.
The festival first took place in 1996 at Hylands Park, Chelmsford, and Weston Park, Staffordshire, when Pulp and Paul Weller headlined.
This year saw Kasabian and Calvin Harris play the main stage.
Festival director Simon Moran said: “We wanted to champion British talent at this year’s festival and with the likes of Calvin and Kasabian leading the way we don’t think it’ll disappoint.”
Simon Moran added the event had achieved an “incredible” amount during its two decades.
“When we started out in ’96, we were two stages and one tent, with the northern site only hosting one day of acts,” he said.
“Since then we’ve hosted some of the most iconic acts from around the world.”
The idea for V Festival reportedly came from Pulp front man Jarvis Cocker, who suggested holding an event at two outdoor locations on the same weekend and swapping bands.
Headline acts over the years have included Blur in 1997, Oasis in 2005, and The Killers in 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2014.
V festival organizers said they expected a total of 250,000 people to attend both sites over the weekend.
Straight Outta Compton has remained at the top of the US box office for a second weekend after making its debut last week.
The NWA biopic, produced by Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, took an estimated $26.8 million, bringing its running total to over $111.5 million.
The movie’s continued success comes in the wake of Dr. Dre saying he was sorry in a recent interview to women he has “hurt”.
A number of women have claimed the record producer and rapper was violent towards them in the past.
In other box office news, it was a second week at No 2 for Tom Cruise with Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, which took $11.7 million in its fourth week of release.
Low-budget horror sequel Sinister 2 was the highest new entry, with an estimated $10.6 million.
Hitman: Agent 47, an adaptation of the popular video game, could only manage $8.2 million, while action comedy American Ultra, starring Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg, only took $5.5 million.
