Six climbers are presumed dead after they went missing on Mount Rainier in the north-western Washington.
Mount Rainier National Park spokeswoman Fawn Bauer said camping gear had been found and distress signals heard from the group’s avalanche beacons.
She said there was little chance for survival.
The group, from Seattle’s Alpine Ascents International, was last heard from on Wednesday.
There were two guides and four clients in the party, which began a five-day expedition last Monday.
Six climbers are presumed dead after they went missing on Mount Rainier
Fawn Bauer told Reuters the camping gear was found more than 3,000ft below the group’s last known position and the group may have been caught in an avalanche.
“We don’t believe there was a viable chance for survival,” she said.
The search effort has been suspended.
Fawn Bauer said: “It would expose our rangers to pretty extreme conditions, so we are not able to do any kind of ground searching of that area. And, in all honesty, we may never be able to get on the ground there.”
The last contact was via satellite phone on Wednesday at an elevation of 12,800ft.
At that time a rain system was sweeping through.
When the party failed to return on Friday a helicopter was dispatched.
Mount Rainier stands at 14,410ft and attracts thousands of climbers each year.
Chinese army general Wang Guanzhonghas accused Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe and US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel of having “provocative” speeches against China at an Asian security forum in Singapore.
He said Chuck Hagel and Shinzo Abe’s comments at this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue summit were “unacceptable”.
Chuck Hagel had earlier said China was “destabilizing” the South China Sea.
Meanwhile, PM Shinzo Abe had vowed to give greater support to South-East Asian countries.
The forum, which brings together the US and South-East Asian countries, comes amid growing tensions between China, Vietnam and the Philippines, with Japan-China ties also strained over disputed islands in the East China Sea.
General Wang Guanzhonghas accused Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe and US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel of having provocative speeches against China
Apparently deviating from his prepared speech, Wang Guanzhong accused PM Shinzo Abe and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel of coordinating and encouraging each other to attack China in their remarks.
He said it was “unimaginable” to receive such “unwanted criticisms against China”.
In a keynote address on Friday, Shinzo Abe outlined his vision for a more robust role in resolving territorial disputes in the region.
He also offered to provide coastal boats to neighboring countries wary of Beijing’s tactics.
Chinese officials responded at the time by saying Shinzo Abe was using the “myth” of a China threat to strengthen Japan’s security policy.
Chuck Hagel later weighed in, accusing China of threatening the region’s long-term progress by undertaking “destabilizing, unilateral actions asserting its claims in the South China Sea”.
He warned the US would “not look the other way” when nations ignored international rules.
Tensions have flared recently, with China declaring an air defense zone in the East China Sea and adopting a more confrontational stance over the disputed islands in the South China Sea, correspondents say.
They say that although some ASEAN members will be reluctant to antagonize China because of their economic and political ties, others are likely to welcome an increased role from Japan.
Beijing claims a U-shaped swathe of the South China Sea that covers areas other South-East Asian nations say are their territory.
FIF is facing new allegations of corruption over its controversial decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
The Sunday Times has obtained millions of secret documents – emails, letters and bank transfers – which it alleges are proof that the disgraced Qatari football official Mohamed Bin Hammam made payments totaling $5 million to football officials in return for their support for the Qatar bid.
Qatar 2022 and Mohamed Bin Hammam have always strenuously denied the former FIFA vice-president actively lobbied on their behalf in the run-up to the vote in December 2010.
But, according to emails obtained by the Sunday Times, it is now clear that Mohamed Bin Hammam, 65, was lobbying on Qatar’s behalf at least a year before the decision.
The documents also show how Mohamed Bin Hammam was making payments direct to football officials in Africa to allegedly buy their support for Qatar in the contest.
Qatar strongly denies any wrongdoing and insists that Mohamed Bin Hammam never had any official role supporting the bid and always acted independently from the Qatar 2022 campaign.
Mohamed Bin Hammam allegedly made payments totaling $5 million to football officials in return for their support for the Qatar bid
When approached by the Sunday Times to respond to their claims, Mohamed Bin Hammam’s son Hamad Al Abdulla declined to comment on his behalf.
Although the vast majority of the officials did not have a vote, the Sunday Times alleges Mohamed Bin Hammam’s strategy was to win a groundswell of support for the Qatari bid which would then influence the four African FIFA executive committee members who were able to take part in the election.
The Sunday Times also alleges that it has documents which prove Mohamed Bin Hammam paid 305,000 Euros ($410,000) to cover the legal expenses of another former FIFA executive committee member from Oceania, Reynald Temarii.
Reynald Temarii, from Tahiti, was unable to vote in the contest as he had already been suspended by FIFA after he was caught out by a Sunday Times sting asking bogus American bid officials for money in return for his support.
But the paper now alleges that Mohamed Bin Hammam provided him with financial assistance to allow him to appeal against the FIFA suspension, delaying his removal from the executive committee and blocking his deputy David Chung from voting in the 2022 election.
The publication claims that had David Chung been allowed to vote he would have supported Qatar’s rivals Australia. Instead there was no representative from Oceania allowed to vote, a decision which may have influenced the outcome in Qatar’s favor.
The paper also makes fresh allegations about the relationship between Mohamed Bin Hammam and his disgraced FIFA ally Jack Warner, from Trinidad.
Although Jack Warner was forced to resign as a FIFA vice-president in 2011, after it was proved he helped Mohamed Bin Hammam bribe Caribbean football officials in return for their support in his bid to oust the long-standing FIFA president Sepp Blatter, the paper says it has evidence which shows more than $1.6 million was paid by Bin Hammam to Warner, including $450,000 in the period before the vote.
The new allegations will place FIFA under fresh pressure to re-run the vote for the 2022 World Cup, which was held in conjunction with the vote for the 2018 tournament.
FIFA’s chief investigator Michael Garcia is already conducting a long-running inquiry into allegations of corruption and wrongdoing during the 2018/22 decisions. He is due to meet senior officials from the Qatar 2022 organizing committee in Oman on Monday.
According to court documents, Jodi Arias has failed to convince Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens that she should be spared the death penalty for killing ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander.
Jodi Arias has failed to convince Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens that she should be spared the death penalty
The documents show that Judge Sherry Stephens dismissed claims by Jodi Arias’ attorneys that her defense was hurt when a member of the defense team was prevented from visiting Arizona jails.
There was no evidence that Jodi Arias “suffered any prejudice” from the incident, Sherry Stephens said in a ruling filed Friday, Reuters reported.
A woman who helps gather information to fight death sentences was barred for a week from the county jails in March after she was accused of smuggling out a drawing by Jodi Arias, Reuters said.
Jodi Arias, 33, was convicted in 2013 of killing 30-year-old Travis Alexander in June 2008. The same jury found her eligible for the death penalty but couldn’t agree on an actual sentence.
A new jury for the penalty phase will be picked September 8.
Jodi Arias contended that she killed Travis Alexander in self-defense and that the relationship was abusive.
Glee star Jenna Ushkowitz and her partner Michael Trevino have split after three years of dating.
Jenna Ushkowitz, 28, confirmed the breakup herself while attending the premiere of Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy’s HBO film The Normal Heart in Beverly Hills, California, on May 19. When a photographer asked if the pair were still an item, she replied: “No, we’re not together anymore.”
According to one insider, the relationship has been over for some time.
Jenna Ushkowitz and Michael Trevino have split after three years of dating
Jenna Ushkowitz signed autographs for fans during the interaction, and kept her head down.
“That’s okay, no worries,” she added, smiling, when the photographer apologized.
“We’re wonderful.”
Jenna Ushkowitz and Vampire Diaries star Michael Trevino, 29, made their first public appearance together at the 2011 SAG Awards. Last January, Jenna Ushkowitz posted a throwback picture of the pair on the SAG red carpet in honor of Michael Trevino’s birthday.
“Happy birthday to my best friend, the one who has taught me how to laugh and love more and more everyday,” she gushed.
Edson Cholbi Nascimento, usually known as Edinho and the son of the Brazilian football legend Pele, has been sentenced to 33 years in jail for laundering money raised from drug trafficking.
Edinho, 43, is a retired footballer who played goalkeeper for Pele’s old club, Santos, in the 1990s.
He was first arrested in 2005 and has served a sentence for drug trafficking offences and links with a notorious drug dealer in the city of Santos.
He says he is a drug addict but denies the trafficking charges.
The ruling was issued by a judge in the nearby coastal city of Praia Grande, in Sao Paulo state.
Edinho has been sentenced to 33 years in jail for laundering money raised from drug trafficking.
Brazilian media have not been able to contact Edinho, but they say he is expected to appeal.
Edinho works as a goalkeeping coach at Santos.
Pele, or Edson Arantes do Nascimento, played all his professional career in Brazil for Santos.
Playing for Brazil, Pele won the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and was acclaimed as the greatest footballer of his generation.
He retired in 1974, but made a comeback a year later for New York Cosmos.
Edinho is Pele’s third son from his first marriage. He was five when the family moved to New York to play for Cosmos.
When he returned to Brazil he decided to pursue a career in professional football – as a goalkeeper, much to his father’s surprise.
He was Santos’ goalkeeper in 1995 when the team reached the Brazilian league final, losing the title to Botafogo.
His detention and alleged involvement with drug gangs took most people in Brazil by surprise.
Pele, now 73, went to visit his son several times in jail.
Edinho said that his father was his idol.
Four other people have also been convicted for many laundering, including a man accused of controlling much of the drug trafficking in the region – Ronaldo Duarte Barsotti, known as Naldinho.
Bryan Cranston teased Breaking Bad fans by suggesting that character Walter White may not be dead.
In an interview with CNN, when Bryan Cranston was asked whether we had seen the last of Walter White, he replied: “Hey, you never saw bags zip up or anything.”
Presenter Ashley Banfield asked: “Is he dead?”, to which Bryan Cranston replied: “I don’t know.”
Bryan Cranston teased Breaking Bad fans by suggesting that character Walter White may not be dead
In response to whether the character would appear anywhere else again, Bryan Cranston added: “Never say never.”
Bryan Cranston’s co-star Aaron Paul revealed a few weeks ago that he’d found it difficult to come to terms with no longer playing his character Jesse Pinkman.
“It took a minute,” he said.
“It was hard for me to say goodbye to Jesse. I love him.”
As previously confirmed, Aaron Paul said a forthcoming Breaking Bad spin-off – called Better Call Saul – would star Bob Odenkirk as lawyer Saul Goodman, who featured in the original show.
“It would be nice to play Jesse Pinkman again in his happier times,” he said.
Better Call Saul will be aired on Netflix in November 2014.
Lizzie Velasquez suffers from a rare medical condition that is so rare that only two other people are known to have it.
She has zero percent body fat and has never weighed more than 64 pounds.
Roman Arispe is Lizzie Velasquez’s best friend and college roommate (photo Lizzie Velasquez)
Although 25-year-old Lizzie Velasquez is not anorexic, she is unable to gain weight and is required to eat many small meals and snacks throughout the day. Her daily energy intake of about 5,000 calories compares with the US average of 3,770.
Roman Arispe is her best friend and college roommate. He met Lizzie Velasquez 8 years ago. He is a research analyst and lives in Texas.
Meriam Ibrahim, who was sentenced to death for having abandoned the Islamic faith, are to freed by Sudanese authorities, a foreign ministry official says.
The woman, who gave birth to a daughter in custody, will be freed in a few days.
Abdullahi Alzareg, an under-secretary at the foreign ministry, said Sudan guaranteed religious freedom and was committed to protecting the woman.
A Sudanese court annulled Meriam Ibrahim’s Christian marriage to Daniel Wani and sentenced her to 100 lashes for adultery because the union was not considered valid under Islamic law
Khartoum has been facing international condemnation over the death sentence.
Meriam Ibrahim, 27, was brought up as an Orthodox Christian, but a Sudanese judge ruled earlier this month that she should be regarded as Muslim because that had been her father’s faith.
She refused to renounce her Christianity and was sentenced to death by hanging for apostasy.
On Wednesday, Meriam Ibrahim gave birth to a daughter in her prison cell – the second child from her marriage in 2011 to Daniel Wani, a US citizen.
The court said Meriam Ibrahim would be allowed to nurse her baby for two years before the sentence was carried out.
The court had earlier annulled Meriam Ibrahim’s Christian marriage and sentenced her to 100 lashes for adultery because the union was not considered valid under Islamic law.
Sudan has a majority Muslim population and Islamic law has been in force there since the ’80s.
Riot police in Turkey have used tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Istanbul and Ankara on the first anniversary of Gezi Park protests.
According to local reports, 25,000 police have been deployed at Istanbul’s Taksim Square, the epicenter of the 2013 rallies.
PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier urged youths to not join Saturday’s protests.
Protests against plans to redevelop Gezi Park in Istanbul turned into mass rallies against PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan last year after a heavy-handed police response.
Riot police in Turkey have used tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Istanbul and Ankara on the first anniversary of Gezi Park protests (photo AP)
A number of people were killed in the unrest, with thousands more injured.
Clashes broke out in Istanbul on Saturday after protesters marched on Taksim Square despite a government ban on gatherings in force there.
Riot police, water cannon and armored vehicles were deployed to block access to the square and nearby Gezi Park. A number of demonstrators have also reportedly been arrested.
Security forces also fired tear gas at demonstrators in central Ankara.
Earlier on Saturday, Istanbul officers kicked and detained a CNN reporter during a live broadcast from Taksim Square.
Ivan Watson said in a Twitter post that he and his film crew were “released after half an hour”.
The main organizers behind last year’s Gezi Park protests – Taksim Solidarity – had called for a demonstration to mark the one-year anniversary.
Rallies were also expected to take place in several other Turkish cities, including Izmir and Antakya.
US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who has been held by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly five years, has been freed in deal that includes the release of five Afghan detainees, US officials say.
The 28-year-old soldier was handed over to US forces in good health, the officials said.
The five Afghan detainees have been released from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
They were handed over to Qatar, which mediated the transfer.
Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl has been held by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly five years
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was the only US soldier being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Officials said he was in good condition and able to walk. He is expected to be transferred to Bagram Air Field, the main US base in Afghanistan, and then on to the United States.
President Barack Obama said in a statement that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s recovery “is a reminder of America’s unwavering commitment to leave no man or woman in uniform behind on the battlefield”.
Officials said the Taliban had handed him over on Saturday evening, local time, in eastern Afghanistan. Several dozen US special forces were involved in the exchange, they said, which took place near the Pakistani border.
Once aboard the US helicopter, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl wrote the letters SF – meaning special operations forces – followed by a question mark on a paper plate and showed them to the pilots, who replied: “Yes, we’ve been looking for you for a long time.”
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, had been held since June 30, 2009.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl would be given “all the support he needs to help him recover from this ordeal, and we are grateful that he will soon be reunited with his family”.
He thanked the emir of Qatar for his role in enabling the transfer to take place.
On the five Guantanamo detainees, Chuck Hagel said: “The United States has co-ordinated closely with Qatar to ensure that security measures are in place and the national security of the United States will not be compromised.”
Golfer Phil Mickelson and Las Vegas gambler William Walters are being investigated by the FBI over a possible insider trading involving billionaire investor Carl Icahn.
The inquiry is reportedly examining whether Phil Mickelson and William Walters may have traded shares illegally, based on information provided by Carl Icahn.
Phil Mickelson’s lawyers say he is not the target of an investigation.
Carl Icahn, 78, denies giving insider information. William Walters has not yet commented.
Phil Mickelson, 43, has won five major championships and is one of the US’s highest-paid sportsmen.
Phil Mickelson has won five major championships and is one of the US’s highest-paid sportsmen
The FBI, along with the Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors in Manhattan, are said to be looking into trading in two different stocks.
The investigation, which began three years ago, is focusing on trades in cleaning products company Clorox.
Carl Icahn, a billionaire investor and prominent activist, was mounting a takeover bid for Clorox around the time that Phil Mickelson and William Walters placed their trades, the New York Times reports.
“We do not know of any investigation,” Carl Icahn told Reuters news agency, saying he was proud of his 50-year “unblemished record”.
Investigators are also reportedly looking into trades that Phil Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion, and William Walters made relating to Dean Foods, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The New York Times quotes sources saying federal authorities are looking into trades placed in August 2012 just before the company announced quarterly results.
Those trades appeared to have no connection to Carl Icahn, the newspaper added.
The FBI and other federal agencies have not commented publicly on the allegations.
None of the men have been directly accused of any wrongdoing.
The leader of Malawi’s Democratic Progressive Party, Peter Mutharika, has been sworn in as the country’s president after the High Court rejected a request for a recount following allegations of vote-rigging.
He urged the 11 other presidential candidates to “join me in rebuilding the country”.
Outgoing President Joyce Banda had alleged ballot fraud but has now admitted defeat.
Malawi is one of the world’s poorest nations.
Peter Mutharika has been sworn in as Malawi’s president after the High Court rejected a request for a recount following allegations of vote-rigging
It is heavily dependent on aid, which provides 40% of the government’s budget.
A protester died on Friday as police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse an angry crowd demanding a recount of last week’s ballot in the south-eastern town of Mangochi.
Peter Mutharika is the brother of the late President Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office in 2012, and had served as his foreign minister.
He obtained 36.4% of the vote, according to the electoral commission, and said he felt “very humbled” to become Malawi’s fifth president.
“It’s obvious we are facing serious problems in this country. All of us together, let us build the country which is almost on the verge of collapse,” he said.
Former preacher Lazarus Chakwera came second in the election with 27.8% of the vote. He represented the Malawi Congress Party, which governed from independence in 1964 until the first multi-party poll in 1994.
Joyce Banda, who came to power after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika two years ago, was third with 20.2% of the vote. Her administration had been hit by a corruption scandal dubbed “cashgate”, which led donors to cut aid.
She had attempted to have the polls declared “null and void” on the grounds of “serious irregularities”.
However, Joyce Banda made no mention of this in a statement congratulating Peter Mutharika on his victory in a “closely contested election” and urging “all Malawians to support the newly elected president… and his government as they take on this foundation of progress and endeavor to develop Malawi even further”.
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) had asked for a 30-day extension to declare the results so that a recount could be carried out.
However, the High Court refused to delay the release of results and ordered the commission to make its announcement on Friday.
Ash clouds thrown up by Indonesia’s Mount Sangeang Api volcano have forced airlines to cancel all flights to and from the northern Australian city of Darwin.
Mount Sangeang Api began erupting on Friday and plumes of ash have been sweeping south towards Australia.
Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia have all cancelled flights. Services between Australia and the province of Bali have also been hit.
The authorities say other airports could be affected in the coming days.
Hundreds of passengers have been caught up, with disruption expected to continue until at least Sunday.
Ash clouds thrown up by Indonesia’s Mount Sangeang Api volcano have forced airlines to cancel all flights to and from the northern Australian city of Darwin (photo AP)
“The volcano is undergoing a sustained, rather significant eruption at the moment,” Emile Jansons, manager of the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre told Reuters news agency.
“For the last 10 hours we’ve been observing large masses of volcanic ash being generated.
“Nobody has a very good handle on what this volcano is likely to do in the next 24 hours or beyond.”
Some flights between Perth and Bali were cancelled on Saturday.
Volcanic ash can be extremely dangerous to aircraft as the fine particles can damage engines.
The cloud is now sweeping south towards as Alice Springs, officials say.
Deputy PM Warren Truss said it could take days for Australian services to return to normal.
“Depending on wind and other weather conditions, the ash has the potential to affect flights to and from other airports, including Brisbane, during coming days,” he said.
The island of Sangeang Api has no permanent residents after they vacated following an eruption in 1988. Farmers nearby have reportedly been told to leave the area.
Indonesia lies across a series of geological fault-lines and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
There are about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia.
James Cameron and Cirque Du Soleil have announced a touring arena show based on the director’s 3D blockbuster Avatar.
Cirque Du Soleil’s Avatar show is expected to begin a global tour in late 2015, before the release of three Avatar sequels currently in pre-production.
2009’s Avatar is Hollywood’s highest grossing film ever.
James Cameron previously worked with Cirque Du Soleil in 2012, executive producing its 3D film Worlds Away.
Cirque Du Soleil’s Avatar show is expected to begin a global tour in late 2015, before the release of three Avatar sequels currently in pre-production
“Over the years, I have discovered the extraordinary talents and imaginations of both the artists and the creative forces behind Cirque du Soleil,” he said.
“I know we share the common goal of bringing audiences to another level of entertainment experiences. I look forward to doing just that on this project.”
James Cameron and Cirque Du Soleil president and CEO Daniel Lamarre announced their plans at the C2MTL-Commerce and Creativity Conference in Montreal.
Daniel Lamarre said he was “thrilled” the circus company was getting to “explore the very inspirational Avatar realm for the live stage”.
The live show is going to be a co-production between James Cameron and Jon Landau’s company Lightstorm Entertainment, Cirque Du Soleil and Twentieth Century Fox which financed and distributed Avatar.
“Avatar remains a phenomenon that continues to inspire people around the globe, and combining it with the live event ingenuity of Cirque de Soleil is a perfect synthesis of imagination and talent,” said the film company’s chief Jim Gianopulos.
Avatar has made $2.7 billion worldwide and been awarded three Oscars, two BAFTAs and two Golden Globes.
The three sequels are expected to hit cinemas between December 2016 and December 2018 and will start filming later this year.
It is the first time Cirque Du Soleil has used a film for inspiration, although it has produced hit shows using the music of Michael Jackson and The Beatles.
Flipping Vegas is a reality television series on A&E that premiered on June 18, 2011.
The reality show features Scott Yancey and his wife Amie Yancey as they buy, fix and flip houses in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Flipping Vegas airs on Saturdays on A&E.
Amie Yancey works at the Goliath Company as an agent, investor, and interior designer.
Flipping Vegas features Scott Yancey and his wife Amie Yancey as they buy, fix and flip houses in Las Vegas
She was born in Canada, and is now based in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she works for the real estate brokerage and development company owned by her husband, Scott Yancey.
Amie Yancey has sold more than 600 new homes since moving to Las Vegas with her husband in 2004.
She is known for her ability to redecorate and redesign the properties Scott Yancey acquires quickly and cost-effectively, often coming in under-budget.
Amie Yancey grew up on a ranch and is something of a daredevil. She is an avid dirt biker, and also loves spelunking and other outdoor adventures sports. She has owned eight motorcycles and loves drag racing at stoplights in her Porsche, cave diving in the Caribbean, as well as sitting on a beach with her husband.
Flipping Vegas has had three seasons on A&E. The show has been highly controversial for the network, as it has been called fake by many other real estate firms.
With the current political agenda centred on whether or not the UK is experiencing any growth, one statistic in particular is capturing the attention of the media is the fact that new car sales rose 17.7% in March 2014, meaning that the UK has the fastest growing registration of new cars in Europe. 464,824 vehicles were sold in March, which is typically the busiest time of year for new car sales; 688,122 new cars have been sold so far this year.
UK’s new car sales rose 17.7 percent in March 2014 (photo PA)
There are plenty of reasons for this growth – some superficial, other less so. Consumer spending is rising and this is reflected in new car sales, but one point that seems far more pressing is the fact that the UK’s new car market is subject to all sorts of interesting new finance schemes. If you buy a new car these days, you’re often given the chance to pay a monthly rate for three years before trading in your car for a new model. To some degree you’re effectively leasing the car, but there’s always the option to buy.
Anyone who has bought a new car recently will probably be looking at it in terms of monthly payments, rather than the overall price on the ticket or the cars residual value – just like they would a mobile phone contract or a gym bill. It seems that personal contract purchases are now part of the fabric of everyday life, and the fact that the new car market in the UK is the first to jump on this wagon could either be seen as a good or a bad thing.
The UK car market is also surrounded by plenty of cheap credit which is encouraging people into the market and now they can feel the ‘green shoots of recovery’. Contract-type schemes are less prevalent in Europe where car sales have floundered over the last 6-10 years. Car sales in the EU region fell by 2.7% in 2013.
This is good news for used car sites such as CarShop, and the second hand car market as a whole. The stock of used cars will rise with the purchase of new ones, and there’s set to be some superb bargains. Cars like the Volkswagen Up, Skoda Citigo, Seat Mii, Ford Ka, Toyota Aygo and the Peugeot 107 reflect a new, more economical attitude to driving and many of these marks will now be flooding onto the second hand market as people upgrade or renew.
It’s also worth noting that sales of cars which run on alternative fuels rose by 63.8% to a significant 8,713. This figure might not be enough to show that the UK has turned the corner in terms of green energy, but it certainly illustrates that the hybrid car is a credible alternative.
Prankster Vitalii Sediuk, who allegedly hit Brad Pitt at Angelina Jolie’s movie Maleficent red carpet premiere in Los Angeles, has been handed a restraining order to keep him away from the star.
Vitalii Sediuk was arrested and held on $20,000 bail after Brad Pitt was struck at Maleficent premiere on Wednesday.
Brad Pitt’s legal team requested the emergency five-day restraining order, Los Angeles Police told Reuters.
Vitalii Sediuk was arrested and held on $20,000 bail after Brad Pitt was struck at Maleficent premiere (photo Getty Images)
Vitalii Sediuk is known for pranking stars like America Ferrera and Will Smith.
He worked for Ukrainian TV station 1+1 until being fired several weeks ago.
Vitalii Sediuk, 25, was reportedly seen jumping over a barrier, hugging and then striking the star, knocking off his sunglasses.
He was wrestled to the floor by bodyguards before being led away in handcuffs. Brad Pitt was unhurt.
The restraining order could be extended for a month if Brad Pitt petitions a civil judge, Los Angeles Police Sgt. Albert Gonzalez told the Associated Press.
Vitalii Sediuk’s, attorney, Anthony Willoughby, told AP he had not yet spoken to his client.
“He’s not a violent individual,” Anthony Willoughby said.
“He’s an easygoing young man.”
Publicist Christa Scherck, who worked with Vitalii Sediuk for the past two years, told AP she was severing ties with him and was never aware of his prank plans.
“This goes beyond pranking,” she said.
“This is no longer entertaining.”
Vitalii Sediuk has a history of red carpet stunts. He recently hit headlines after he crawled under the skirt of Ugly Betty actress America Ferrera at the Cannes Film Festival.
Five suspects are now arrested in India in connection with the gang rape and murder of two teenage cousins.
Three suspected attackers have been detained, along with two policemen accused of dereliction of duty and criminal conspiracy.
The girls, who belonged to a low caste, were found hanged from a tree in Uttar Pradesh state earlier in the week.
Alleged police inaction has sparked outrage.
The father of one victim said he was ridiculed by police when he sought help in finding his missing daughter.
The government has pledged to set up a fast-track court to deal with the case.
Five suspects are now arrested in India in connection with the gang rape and murder of two teenage cousins (photo Reuters)
Meanwhile, reports have emerged that two more gang rapes of minors occurred in Uttar Pradesh, in northern India, this week.
The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh mocked female journalists when asked about the rising number of rape cases at a news briefing.
“You are safe, why are you bothered?” Akhilesh Yadav said.
“No other state has the kind of police control room we have here. If there is any incident, we will take action.”
Police say they are now calling off their search for suspects over the attack.
Among those arrested are two officers, who have also been sacked over claims they refused to help look for the girls.
Senior police official Atul Saxena earlier announced there would be a “thorough investigation” into the allegations of caste discrimination by police.
Divisions between India’s castes run deep, and violence is often used by upper castes to instill fear in lower castes, correspondents say.
Although both the victim and the accused in the latest case belonged to a group known as “Other Backward Classes”, the victims were lower in that hierarchy.
The girls, two cousins aged 14 and 16, went missing in Badaun district on Tuesday night. They had apparently gone out to relieve themselves as they had no toilet at home.
Their bodies were discovered the following day. A post-mortem examination confirmed multiple assaults and death due to hanging.
The victims’ families say it took police more than 12 hours to respond to reports they were missing.
Campaigners have highlighted the lack of sanitation in rural areas as being a risk to women’s security as well as their health, as they are often attacked when having to go out to use the toilet, particularly at night.
The US state department has confirmed that a US citizen carried out a suicide bombing against Syrian troops in Idlib on Sunday.
The rebel al-Nusra Front said the man conducted the bombing on their behalf. It was one of four attacks carried out in the northern city of Idlib that day.
The US state department has confirmed that a US citizen carried out a suicide bombing against Syrian troops in Idlib
It is thought to be the first suicide attack by a US citizen in the conflict.
More than 100,000 people have been killed in the battle between forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and those opposed to his rule.
“I can confirm that this individual was a US citizen involved in a suicide bombing in Syria,” state department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said.
The man was believed to be Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, she said.
The department was “concerned about the flow of foreign fighters in and out of Syria”, Jennifer Psaki added.
The al-Nusra Front, a militant Islamist group that has pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda, said the man used a truck carrying explosives to conduct the attack.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said dozens of soldiers were killed by the series of bombings on Sunday, AFP news agency reported.
A South Korean Baptist missionary has been sentenced to hard labor for life in North Korea after he was convicted of spying and setting up an underground church.
North Korea’s state news agency said the man, named as Kim Jong-uk, had confessed to all his crimes.
South Korean Baptist missionary Kim Jong-uk has been sentenced to hard labor for life in North Korea after he was convicted of spying and setting up an underground church (photo AP)
Pyongyang is still holding another missionary, US citizen Kenneth Bae, who received 15 years hard labor in 2013.
Religious activity is restricted in North Korea, with missionaries arrested on multiple occasions in the past.
“Mr. Kim tried to infiltrate into Pyongyang after illegally trespassing on the border for the purpose of setting up an underground church and gathering information about the internal affairs of the DPRK [North Korea] while luring its inhabitants into South Korea and spying on the DPRK,” the KCNA news agency said.
The prosecution had reportedly been seeking a death sentence for the 50-year-old missionary.
The ruling comes three months after Kim Jong-uk read aloud a public apology on North Korean TV for his “anti-state crimes”.
Kim Jong-uk was arrested after crossing into North Korea from China last October.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged young Turks to ignore calls to mark the first anniversary of Istanbul’s Taksim Square protests.
He was speaking ahead of nationwide demonstrations planned for Saturday.
Thousands of police officers and dozens of water cannon trucks are to be deployed to the square, reports say.
Protests against plans to redevelop Istanbul’s Gezi Park last year turned into mass anti-government rallies after a heavy-handed police crackdown.
A number of people were killed in the unrest, with thousands more injured.
Protests against plans to redevelop Istanbul’s Gezi Park last year turned into mass anti-government rallies after a heavy-handed police crackdown (photo Hurriyet)
A 64-year-old woman, who fell into a coma after inhaling tear gas during another crackdown on protesters in the capital in December, died on Friday.
The main organizers behind the Gezi Park protests – Taksim Solidarity – have called for a demonstration on Saturday to mark the one-year anniversary, Hurriyet reports.
Demonstrations are also expected to take place in several other Turkish cities, including Ankara, Izmir and Antakya.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned young people not to take part, saying: “One year later, people, including so-called artists, are calling for demonstrations, but you, Turkey’s youth, you will not respond to the call.”
Addressing a crowd of young people in the capital on Friday, the prime minister described the movement as “terrorist organizations” that “manipulated our morally and financially weak youth to attack our unity and put our economy under threat”.
Intensive security measures are expected to be in place around Ankara, with a government ban on gatherings in force in Taksim Square.
However, Taksim Square will not be surrounded and isolated by police as it was during May Day protests, Zaman reports.
Protesters have clashed with police in recent months, with two men killed during angry demonstrations over a mining disaster that killed 301 people last week.
Anger also flared in March with the news of the death of a 15-year-old boy who had been in a coma since last June after being hit by a tear-gas canister during a protest.
In May 2013, protesters took the government by surprise by occupying Taksim Square and nearby Gezi Park.
Riot police evicted them two weeks later using heavy-handed tactics and galvanizing anti-government demonstrators in several other cities.
Since then, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has faced accusations of authoritarianism and corruption after a string of scandals.
He has also moved to block social media sites YouTube and Twitter, after accusing his opponents of using them to deliberately undermine him.
In the first vote since last year’s mass protests, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party won local elections in March, which was widely seen as a barometer of his popularity.
Three of Nigeria’s high-ranking traditional leaders today came under heavy bombardment from Boko Haram militants while on their way to the burial of the late Emir of Gombe, Shehu Usman Abubakar.
While the Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idrissa Timta was shot dead on the spot, that of Uba, Alhaji Ismaila Ibn Mamza and Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed Ibn Askirama II, Emir of Askira escaped into nearby bush with bullet wounds.
His Royal Highness, the Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idrissa Timta was killed following an attack by some gunmen believed to be members of the Boko Haram
According a reliable source in Maiduguri, the three traditional rulers drove in the official vehicle of the Emir of Gwoza along with their convoy which also include police escort. They however came under attack by armed men who fired bullets sporadically on the convoy, targeting the three traditional rulers.
Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan vowed to wage “total war” against the group, which has been held more than 200 girls captive since last month.
Borno state government confirmed the attack and said the gunmen were believed to be Boko Haram members, Reuters news agency reports.
Traditional rulers have been targeted for assassination by Boko Haram before, but attacks on them are rare.
Emirs, who command a lot of respect in the north, have taken a stand against the militants.
