Katie Couric, who is set to wed fiancé John Molner this weekend, partied with 45 friends at a bachelorette party in NYC on June 18, Us Weekly reported.
The celebration began at around 6:30 p.m. at Le Midi near Union Square.
Katie Couric got engaged to John Molner in September 2013 (photo People)
Katie Couric, 57, enjoyed a large dinner with her fellow guests as they sampled a number of dishes and sipped on wine.
Her special night was organized by friend Wendy Walker, who helped make it extra memorable with some personal details. The ladies satisfied their sweet tooth with candy M&Ms made specifically with the future spouses faces on them.
John Molner, for his part, celebrated his own bachelor party with a bar crawl in NYC months earlier.
This will be the second marriage for Katie Couric, who got engaged to John Molner in September 2013 after nearly two years of dating.
Katie Couric’s first husband, Jay Monahan, died of colon cancer in 1998; the couple had daughters Ellie, 22, and Carrie, 17.
The worst performance at a World Cup by England, period. Eliminated just 8 days into the tournament and after only two games for the first time in the proud nation’s history.
It was never going to be easy. It wasn’t a great surprise that England were eliminated before the second round but the manner in which it happened left a bitter taste in the mouth.
Two defeats in which England had more possession of the ball, more shots on goal but allowed the opposition to score twice in each match with some of their only attempts on goal.
Manager Roy Hodgson has the backing of the English FA. Captain Steven Gerrard wants at least a week to decide over his England future. Wayne Rooney is “hurt”, apparently.
England was eliminated after just 8 days into the World Cup soccer tournament (photo Nike)
The two England performances against Uruguay and Italy were barely encouraging. While England weren’t exactly favourites for lifting the World Cup, they were still expected to get one win out of two games. The exciting football that the team played was a treat and a rarity it must be said. The Sunday League defending and the lack of opportunities created were a big reason for England to catch the plane home early.
Only 8 nations at the 2014 World Cup had a younger squad than England. That included having 34-year old Steven Gerrard and now 36-year old Frank Lampard.
England took the most under-21 players to the tournament of all 32 nations – 18-year old Luke Shaw, 19-year old Raheem Sterling and 20-year olds Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ross Barkley.
Liverpool’s Sterling has already started both of England’s games at this World Cup, whilst Everton’s Barkley has made substitute appearances in both. Arsenal’s Chamberlain was not fit for either of the two previous matches, but if all four of these players are given a start against Costa Rica, alongside some of the senior players – surely this can only be a positive thing for England’s future.
Manager Hodgson admitted in Thursday’s press conference that he wanted to give as many of his 23-man squad an appearance during the tournament. 15 members of the squad have already made an appearance.
Two goalkeepers; Fraser Forster (26) and Ben Foster (31) are joined by Phil Jones (22), Frank Lampard (36), James Milner (28), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (20), Luke Shaw (18) and Chris Smalling (24) as those yet to play.
There’s a handful of names in this squad you think could be very great in two or four years’ time at the next tournaments provided England qualify. But how many of these do you predict to be World Class players?
How many of these players are going to go on to become the next Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Sergio Agüero, Franck Ribéry or Arjen Robben?
Since the decline of Wayne Rooney, the retirements of David Beckham and Michael Owen and the aging Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard – England now desperately need to be on the lookout for developing World Class players in the very near future if they’re even to consider reaching the final four of a major tournament, let-alone winning it.
Compared to the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, England simply don’t have the strength in depth and until that is developed the manager can only do the best with the blunt tools he has been given.
According to the UN refugee agency, the number of people forced to flee their homes because of war or persecution exceeded 50 million in 2013, the first time since World War Two.
The overall figure of 51.2 million is six million higher than the year before, a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says.
Conflicts in Syria, central Africa and South Sudan fuelled the sharp increase.
Of particular concern are the estimated 6.3 million people who have been refugees for years, sometimes even decades.
People living in what the UN terms “protracted” refugee situations include more than 2.5 million Afghans. Afghanistan still accounts for the world’s largest number of refugees, and neighboring Pakistan is host to more refugees than any other country, with an estimated 1.6 million.
The number of people forced to flee their homes because of war or persecution exceeded 50 million in 2013, the first time since World War Two (photo UNHCR)
Around the world, thousands of refugees from almost forgotten crises have spent the best part of their lives in camps. Along Thailand’s border with Burma, 120,000 people from Burma’s Karen minority have lived in refugee camps for more than 20 years.
Refugees should not be forcibly returned, the UN says, and should not go back unless it is safe to do so, and they have homes to return to. For many – among them the more than 300,000 mainly Somali refugees in Kenya’s Dadaab camp – that is a very distant prospect.
Some camps, the UN refugee agency admits, have become virtually permanent, with their own schools, hospitals, and businesses. But they are not, and can never be, home.
The world’s refugees are far outnumbered by the internally displaced (IDP) – people who have been forced to flee their homes, but remain inside their own countries.
In Syria alone there are thought to be 6.5 million displaced people. The conflict has uprooted many families not once but several times. Their access to food, water, shelter and medical care is often extremely limited, and because they remain inside a conflict zone, it is hard for aid agencies to reach them.
Worldwide, the UN estimates there are now 33.3 million internally displaced people.
Large numbers of refugees and IDPs fleeing to new areas inevitably put a strain on resources, and can even destabilize a host country.
Throughout the Syrian crisis, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey have kept their borders open. Lebanon now hosts more than a million Syrian refugees, meaning a quarter of its total population is Syrian. The pressure on housing, education and health is causing tensions in a country which itself has a recent history of conflict.
The UN is concerned that the burden of caring for refugees is increasingly falling on the countries with the least resources. Developing countries are host to 86% of the world’s refugees, with wealthy countries caring for just 14%.
Despite the fears in Europe about growing numbers of asylum seekers and immigrants, that gap is growing. Ten years ago wealthy countries hosted 30% of refugees, and developing countries 70%.
Kim Han-sik, the head of the company that operated the South Korean ferry that capsized, killing hundreds, goes on trial today.
Chonghaejin Marine’s president Kim Han-sik, 73, and four employees are charged with negligence over claims that the company routinely overloaded the ferry.
A separate trial of the Sewol ferry captain and 14 other crew members started last week. They face various charges related to their failure to help passengers.
At least 292 people, mostly school students, died in the Sewol ferry tragedy.
Chonghaejin Marine’s president Kim Han-sik and four employees are charged with negligence over claims that the company routinely overloaded the Sewol ferry (photo Yonhap)
The Sewol ferry disaster has caused an outpouring of public anger in South Korea and there have been calls for severe punishment for the crew.
The case has received feverish media coverage, with commentators suggesting the defendants will struggle to get a fair trial.
The ferry company’s owner, Yoo Byung-eun, is still on the run. He has been the target of a nationwide manhunt since he refused to respond to an official summons last month.
Meanwhile, diving teams are still trying to find 12 people still regarded as missing from the ferry.
The latest underwater search failed to find new bodies from the sunken vessel.
Separately, Choo Kyo-Young, head teacher at the school many of the students attended, has been suspended “in connection with the disaster”.
No further explanation was given.
The school’s deputy head teacher, who was rescued from the ferry, killed himself after the disaster.
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Some parents had initially criticized the school for going ahead with the trip despite poor weather conditions.
Harley-Davidson has revealed its first electric motorcycle.
The bike will not go on general sale, instead the iconic manufacturer will select customers from the US to ride it and provide feedback.
Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle (photo Harley-Davidson)
Dubbed Project LiveWire – the motorcycle will travel down the US’s Route 66 visiting more than 30 Harley-Davidson dealerships between now and the end of the year.
Fans had a mixed reaction to the bike.
“Project LiveWire is more like the first electric guitar – not an electric car,” said Mark-Hans Richer, senior vice president at Harley-Davidson Motor Company.
“It’s an expression of individuality and iconic style that just happens to be electric. Project LiveWire is a bold statement for us as a company and a brand.”
In a teaser video released by Harley-Davidson a motorcycle is seen driving down Route 66 almost without noise.
Ten people are confirmed dead and several others are missing after torrential rain and heavy floods hit eastern Bulgaria, officials say.
Floodwaters in the Black Sea port city of Varna surged up to 3.2ft.
Ten people are confirmed dead and several others are missing after torrential rain and heavy floods hit eastern Bulgaria (photo AP)
Many residents had to be rescued as cars were swept away. Hundreds have been left without electricity or food.
There have been hailstorms and heavy rain in several parts of Bulgaria in recent days. Forecasts say the extreme weather is set to continue.
Forecasters said that the equivalent of a month’s worth of rain fell in the regions of Varna and Burgas over the last 24 hours.
“The tragedy is enormous. I am here on a street in the suburb of Aspruhovo. The street is not here, the houses are not here, there are cars on top of each other,” Varna mayor Ivan Portnih was quoted by Reuters as saying.
Fire-fighters in the town of Kilifarevo in central Bulgaria rescued 11 people from the tops of their houses, police said.
Last month nearby Serbia and Bosnia were hit by the worst flooding since modern records began.
Gerry Goffin, Carole King’s ex-husband who penned dozens of hits, has died aged 75 in Los Angeles.
He wrote dozens of hits over two decades, including The Loco-Motion, Will You Love Me Tomorrow and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.
Songwriter Gerry Goffin was inducted, along with Carole King, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
Songwriter Gerry Goffin was inducted, along with Carole King, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990
In a statement, Carole King said Gerry Goffin was her “first love” and had a “profound impact” on her life.
“His words expressed what so many people were feeling but didn’t know how to say.”
Born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn in 1939, Gerry Goffin married Carole King when he was 20 and she was 17. They had their first hit, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, sung by the Shirelles, shortly afterwards.
After their divorce in 1968, Gerry Goffin continued writing songs, including a hit for Whitney Houston, Saving All My Love for You, in 1985.
Gerry Goffin is survived by his wife, Michelle, and five children.
Google and Microsoft will add a “kill-switch” feature to their smartphones using Android and Windows operating systems.
The feature is a method of making a handset completely useless if it is stolen, rendering a theft pointless.
Authorities have been urging tech companies to take steps to help curb phone theft and argued that a kill-switch feature can help resolve the problem.
Kill-switch feature is a method of making a handset completely useless if it is stolen, rendering a theft pointless
Apple and Samsung, two of biggest phone makers offer a similar feature on some of their devices.
The move by Google and Microsoft means that kill switch will now be a part of the three most popular phone operating systems in the world.
Smartphone theft has become a big problem across the world.
According to a report by US authorities:
Some 3.1 million mobile devices were stolen in the US in 2013, nearly double the number of devices stolen in 2012
One in three Europeans experienced the theft or loss of a mobile device in 2013
In South Korea mobile device theft increased five-fold between 2009 and 2012
In Colombia criminals stole over one million devices in 2013
In attempt to tackle the issue, policymakers have launched an initiative called Secure our Smartphones.
A part of it, they have urged tech companies to take steps to make it less attractive for robbers to steal mobile devices.
“An activated kill switch converts an easy-to-sell, high-value multimedia device into a jumble of plastic and glass, drastically reducing its street value,” the report by New York Attorney General said.
Authorities claim that Apple’s feature – dubbed Activation Lock – which it introduced on all iPhones running the iOS 7 operating system in September last year, has helped reduce theft substantially.
According to a report by the New York State Attorney General, in the first five months of 2014 the theft of Apple devices fell by 17% in New York City.
Meanwhile iPhone robberies fell 24% in London and 38% in San Francisco in the six months after Apple introduced the feature, compared to the previous six months.
“During the same period, thefts of other popular mobile devices increased,” the report says.
Honey Boo Boo’s mom, June Shannon, has become a scent consultant for aromatherapy business JewelScent.
June Shannon has become a scent consultant for aromatherapy business JewelScent (photo Facebook)
Mama June wrote on Alana’s Facebook page: „If u like jewelscent we r having our huge it’s 25% off your entire order and they have a new body scrub out too just look us up at www.jewelscent.com/honeybooboomamajune thanks to all who has supported us all our earning goes to charity and u get a ring in every thing u buy which is awesome …side note the new season starts on June 19th 9/8cst we can’t wait and we r excited.”
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Season 4 premieres today, June 19, on TLC 9/8 CST.
The US will send 300 military advisers to Iraq to help fight Islamist-led insurgents, President Barack Obama has announced.
Barack Obama said the US was prepared for “targeted and precise military action, if and when… the situation on the ground requires it”, but added that US troops would not fight in Iraq.
He went on to insist there was “no military solution” and urged the Shia-led Iraqi government to be “inclusive”.
Barack Obama said that US troops would not fight in Iraq
Iraq has asked the US for air strikes against the Sunni militants.
The gunmen – spearheaded by the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) – have made major territorial gains in the past 10 days.
Barack Obama said it was not the US’s place to choose Iraq’s leaders.
His statement came after a day in which fighting continued for control of the country’s biggest oil refinery.
Officials insisted security forces were “in full control” of the Baiji refinery, about 130 miles north of the capital Baghdad. But militants led by ISIS have surrounded the facility.
For several days, production has been halted at Baiji refinery, which supplies much of the country’s domestic fuel.
Michael Jace has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife, April Jace, in a Los Angeles court.
Michael Jace’s bail was set at $2 million and he was ordered to stay away from his two children if he is released.
Prosecutors say he shot April Jace, 40, multiple times at their family home on May 19, while the couple’s young children were present.
Michael Jace has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife, April Jace, in a Los Angeles court
Michael Jace, 51, called 911 to report the shooting, according to police, and was at the house when they arrived.
He played Detective Julien Lowe in FX series The Shield.
On Wednesday, his lawyer, Jason Sias, said his client might seek a reduction of his bail at a future hearing. He is due in court next on August 1st.
Jason Sias said the actor would not contest the order keeping him away from his children.
“Mr. Jace is just concerned about his children,” he said after the hearing.
April Jace worked at Biola University and had three sons, including two boys under the age of 10 with Michael Jace. They were unharmed and are now living with relatives.
Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko has said he will sign a controversial association agreement with the EU on June 27.
Petro Poroshenko’s elected pro-Russian predecessor, Viktor Yanukovych, was overthrown in February after refusing to sign the deal at the last moment.
Heavy fighting has erupted between troops and pro-Russian rebels in Donetsk region despite talk of a truce.
President Petro Poroshenko has said he will sign a controversial association agreement with the EU on June 27
Meanwhile, NATO says Russia has moved troops back to the Ukrainian border.
Petro Poroshenko was elected president in May on a pro-EU platform after six months of political turmoil.
Since Viktor Yanukovych fled Kiev, Russia has annexed part of Ukraine’s territory, Crimea, and has also been accused of stoking the rebellion in the east.
According to a UN estimate reported this week, at least 356 people, including 257 civilians, have been killed in eastern Ukraine since May 7.
Political parts of the association agreement were signed in March by Ukraine’s interim government.
Petro Poroshenko made the announcement as he was replacing three senior officials in Kiev.
Harrison Ford broke his left leg in the injury he suffered while shooting Star Wars: Episode VII, the actor’s publicist has confirmed.
It was previously believed Harrison Ford, 71, had broken an ankle in an incident involving a door at Pinewood Studios on June 12.
Harrison Ford broke his left leg in the injury he suffered while shooting Star Wars
“His surgery was successful and he will begin rehab shortly,” continued Ina Treciokas in a statement.
“He’s doing well and looks forward to returning to work.”
Harrison Ford, who is reprising his role as Han Solo in Star Wars: Episode VII, was airlifted to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford after the accident.
It is believed he was injured while filming a scene involving a door on the Millennium Falcon, Han Solo’s beloved spaceship.
Last week a spokesman for the Lucasfilm production company said Harrison Ford had “sustained an ankle injury” and shooting would continue while he recuperated.
Six cases of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus have been confirmed in Cuba, health authorities say.
Cuba is the latest Caribbean nation to confirm cases of the virus, which resembles dengue fever and can cause high fever, skin rash and joint pain.
According to the Pan American Health Organization, there had been 4,600 confirmed and 166,000 suspected cases in the Caribbean as of mid-June.
Six cases of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus have been confirmed in Cuba
There is currently no vaccine or treatment for chikungunya.
The Cuban health ministry said those affected had recently travelled to Haiti or the Dominican Republic, where thousands of people have reported suffering from the severe headaches, high fever and intense joint pain symptomatic for the virus.
Officials said they would “strengthen surveillance and control measures of travelers arriving from countries at risk of the disease, mainly in the Caribbean”.
The virus has long been present in Africa and Asia but it was only detected in the Caribbean in December.
On Wednesday, the Central American nation of El Salvador put seven municipalities on alert after its first cases were confirmed.
The virus is also spreading quickly in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and there have been confirmed cases in most of the Caribbean island states.
German caver Johann Westhauser has been brought to the surface after being trapped 3,300ft underground for 12 days.
Johann Westhauser, 52, is reported to be conscious but the extent of his head and chest injuries is still unclear.
Two doctors accompanied him to the surface and after initial checks he was airlifted to hospital.
Johann Westhauser was badly hurt in a rock fall on June 8 while exploring Germany’s deepest cave, near the Austrian border.
A medical team and helicopters were waiting as he left the cave at 11:44 local time.
Johann Westhauser was badly hurt in a rock fall on June 8 while exploring Germany’s deepest cave
Mountain rescue service chief Klemens Reindl, who supervised the operation, said 728 people from five countries had taken part.
The precarious rescue was beset with difficulties because of the deep shafts and narrow passages in the cave.
It involved rest periods in five bivouac stops, followed by a major final hoist up a 600ft vertical shaft near the entrance to the cave.
A motorized winch could not be used because of the potential risks to Johann Westhauser, and he had to be hauled up manually on a fiberglass stretcher.
The injured man was one of the explorers who in 1995 originally discovered the cave, which they named Riesending (“Giant thing”) because of its depth and size.
He had been on a trip during the Whitsun holiday when he suffered severe head and chest injuries at least 3,300ft underground.
Johann Westhauser works at the Institute for Applied Physics at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, but it is not known if he went into the complex (as he had done many times before) as part of his research or as a hobby.
Iraq forces are battling Sunni militants for control of the country’s biggest oil refinery.
A military spokesman said troops had repelled repeated attacks by the militants, led by the jihadist Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).
Forty assailants were killed overnight and on Wednesday, he added, denying the facility was close to being overrun.
But some workers said the militants had seized most of it and that troops were concentrated around the control room.
It comes as President Barak Obama considers a formal request from Iraq’s government for air strikes against the militants, who have seized several northern cities and towns since last week.
ISIS-led militants launched an assault on the Baiji refinery, about 130 miles north of the capital Baghdad, early on Wednesday.
Workers trapped inside said the attackers had breached the perimeter and destroyed one of its fuel tanks. Some said they had taken control of most of the facility. Video footage showed smoke billowing from the refinery and the black flag used by ISIS flying from a building.
ISIS-led militants launched an assault on the Baiji refinery, about 130 miles north of the capital Baghdad
However, officials insisted that troops had resisted the advance.
Nearly all the 15,000 workers at the refinery and 100 foreign experts left on Tuesday when the plant was shut down in anticipation of the attack.
On Thursday morning, the remaining 250 to 300 workers were evacuated under an agreement brokered by local tribal leaders, one of the workers told the Reuters news agency.
The battle over Baiji, which supplies much of the country’s domestic fuel, has sparked fears that Iraqis will soon experience long lines at petrol pumps and electricity shortages.
On Wednesday there were fierce clashes in the Baquba, about 37 miles north of Baghdad, as jihadists again tried to enter the city centre and seize its prison.
Shia militiamen have been sent to assist in the defense of the capital of Diyala province, which has effectively become a frontline, and the nearby city of Samarra, site of a major Shia shrine.
PM Nouri al-Maliki has tried to assure Iraqis that the momentum is shifting.
The Iraqi government is awaiting President Barack Obama’s decision on air strikes.
On Wednesday, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, warned that the US military still lacked sufficient intelligence to take action. He told a congressional hearing that pilots would have difficulty knowing who they were attacking from the air.
Asked if the intervention might come too late, Gen Dempsey said: “There is very little that could have been done to overcome the degree to which the government of Iraq has failed its people. That is what has caused this problem.”
ISIS has exploited deep resentment among Iraq’s minority Sunni Arabs, who have long accused Nouri al-Maliki of discriminating against them and monopolizing power.
Facebook was inaccessible for at least 1.3 billion users for around 15 minutes this morning.
People trying to log on to the site were faced with a message saying: “Something went wrong. We’re working to get it fixed as soon as we can.”
Facebook was inaccessible for at least 1.3 billion users for around 15 minutes
The short shutdown drew attention across the web with many taking to Twitter to ask what all the fuss was about.
Facebook apologized for the problem but did not say what caused it.
“Earlier this morning, we experienced an issue that prevented people from posting to Facebook for a brief period of time. We resolved the issue quickly, and we are now back to 100%. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
It is not yet clear how many countries were affected.
Felipe VI has been proclaimed king of Spain after the abdication of his father, King Juan Carlos, in a ceremony in parliament.
Earlier, King Felipe VI received the royal sash from his father, Juan Carlos, at the Zarzuela Palace near Madrid.
He acceded to the throne at the stroke of midnight after Juan Carlos formally abdicated on Wednesday.
Correspondents say the ceremonies have been kept low key, at a time when many in Spain are suffering economic hardship.
The ceremony takes the form of a proclamation rather than a coronation. It is the first royal transition in Spain since democracy was restored in the 1970s.
Felipe VI has been proclaimed king of Spain after the abdication of his father, King Juan Carlos
King Felipe VI, 46, swore an oath promising to uphold the constitution.
Congress President Jesus Posada then proclaimed him king, declaring: “Long live Spain! Long live the king!”
In a speech to parliament, King Felipe thanked his parents and said he had “great hope” for the future of Spain.
“You will find in me a loyal head of state who is ready listen and understand, warn and advise as well as to defend the public interest at all times,” he said.
“The monarch wants to be close to citizens… ensuring it can preserve its prestige and dignity.”
“Now more than ever, citizens of Spain are rightly demanding fundamental ethical principles should govern our public life. The king should not only be a reference but who serves all citizens of Spain.”
No foreign leaders or royal families have been invited to the event.
King Felipe and his wife Letizia will later be driven through Madrid’s streets before appearing on the front balcony of the Royal Palace.
Correspondents say the new king faces a series of tough challenges if he is to restore the reputation of the monarchy.
Although King Juan Carlos won plaudits for his role in restoring democracy, his image suffered when he went on a luxurious African elephant-hunting safari in the midst of a recession.
His reputation suffered further damage because of tax fraud allegations made against his daughter, Infanta Cristina, who is reported not to have been invited to the succession party.
At the same time many Spaniards are demanding a referendum on whether to have a monarchy at all.
A demonstration is scheduled to take place in central Madrid on Thursday, the same day as the enthronement, despite a ban imposed by authorities.
According to Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, President Barack Obama has told Congressional leaders he does not need lawmakers’ approval for any action in Iraq.
Senator Mitch McConnell was speaking after a meeting between President Barack Obama and senior members of Congress.
Iraq has asked for US air strikes against advancing jihadist militants, who have seized key cities and towns.
However, correspondents say any decision on military support from Washington could hinge on political changes in Iraq.
Vice-President Joe Biden discussed possible “additional measures” that could help “roll back the terrorists’ advances” with Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki on Wednesday, but also the need for national unity.
The Obama administration has shown signs of frustration with Nouri al-Maliki – a Shia Muslim who has long been accused of discriminating against the Sunni Arab minority community and monopolizing power.
President Barack Obama has told Congressional leaders he does not need lawmakers’ approval for any action in Iraq
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told a congressional hearing: “This current government in Iraq has never fulfilled the commitments it made to bring a unity government together with the Sunnis, the Kurds, and the Shia.”
Barack Obama met Congressional leaders at the White House on Wednesday to discuss the US response to recent advances by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).
Speaking afterwards, Senator Mitch McConnell said the president had “indicated he didn’t feel he had any need for authority from us for steps that he might take”.
Correspondents say the White House has so far avoided the thorny question as to whether it needs Congressional authority for any military action in Iraq.
Experts say Barack Obama has several options, including citing the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) against al-Qaeda and its associated forces passed by Congress in 2001; the 2002 AUMF that led to the invasion of Iraq; and his own powers as commander-in-chief.
Last year, President Barack Obamaabandoned plans for punitive military strikes in Syria following a deadly chemical weapons attack once it became clear that Congress would not give its backing.
Administration officials say the president may be able to act unilaterally in Iraq because its government has requested US air strikes against ISIS, which seized the second city of Mosul last week and is advancing southwards towards Baghdad.
ISIS and their Sunni Arab allies are reported to be advancing in Diyala and Salahuddin provinces after they overran Iraq’s second city, Mosul, last week.
They have also launched an assault on Iraq’s biggest oil refinery at Baiji, north of Baghdad.
The administration has not officially responded to Iraq’s request for air support in its response to the offensive.
Three activists of China’s anti-corruption group – New Citizens’ Movement – have been given lengthy jail terms for urging officials to disclose wealth.
Wei Zhongping and Liu Ping, associated with the New Citizens’ Movement, were given six-and-a-half years in jail. A third activist, Li Sihua, received a shorter sentence.
Rights group Amnesty International said the charges were “preposterous”.
China’s leaders are running a crackdown on corruption, but refuse to tolerate grassroots groups with similar aims.
The three activists were detained after taking photographs with banners urging officials to disclose their assets.
They were put on trial in a high-security court in Xinyu, Jiangxi province, late last year.
The detainment of anti-corruption activists has been a recurrent human rights issue in China
At the time, defense lawyers complained of serious procedural problems and said they were not confident of the outcome.
The three were convicted of the broad charge of “creating a disturbance”.
Liu Ping and Wei Zhongping were convicted of other charges, which Amnesty said included “gathering a crowd to disrupt order in a public place” and “using an evil cult to undermine law enforcement”.
“The charges against these activists were preposterous from the very beginning,” said Amnesty’s William Nee.
Amnesty International described them as “prisoners of conscience” and called for their immediate release.
Chinese President Xi Jinping launched an anti-corruption drive when he took over in 2012.
But he has also overseen the broadest crackdown on grassroots activism that China has seen in recent years.
Several activists in the New Citizens’ Movement, which calls for more democracy and government transparency, have been detained.
In July last year, prominent lawyer Xu Zhiyong, one of the founders of the movement, was detained on suspicion of having “gathered crowds to disrupt public order”.
Xu Zhiyong was eventually jailed for four years in January.
Jazzman Horace Silver has died at the age of 85, National Public Radio (NPR) said on Wednesday.
NPR said Horace Silver’s son Gregory had called it directly with the news of his death.
One of the most highly regarded pianists and composers in jazz, Horace Silver was one of the pioneers of a rhythmic jazz style known as hard bop.
Horace Silver began his career as a tenor saxophonist in clubs in Connecticut. But after he moved to New York in the 1950s, he switched to piano and began performing at the Blue Note Jazz Club.
Many of his compositions became jazz standards, including Sister Sadie, The Preacher and Filthy McNasty.
Horace Silver was one of the pioneers of a rhythmic jazz style known as hard bop
His family came from Cape Verde, and Horace Silver was influenced by the folk music from the Portuguese-speaking islands off of Africa.
One of his earliest musical influence was his father, who played multiple instruments, including the violin, guitar and mandolin, according to NPR.
Horace Silver’s first album is regarded as a milestone in the development of hard bop – a style Silver continued to explore during his 25-year relationship with Blue Note records.
He also performed with many jazz greats such as Lester Young, Miles Davis and Art Blakey.
His bands have consistently been a training ground for great soloists, and his sidemen have included a host of subsequently famous names.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s he experimented with larger groups and a different style, but from midway through the 1980s he returned to hard bop, and in the 1990s created some worthy successors to the many classic albums he made during his 28 years at Blue Note.
Horace Silver’s piano style has been described as “involving sharply defined, bluesy right hand phrasing, over a grumbling left-hand bass unlike the style of any other player”.
